Pictures of the week

We finally caught our baby girl awake - a rare thing!

Evie isn't the only one receiving gifts for her birth. Nate was given this bubble machine by his friend Kaitlyn. He loves it!

Nate's favorite pastimes - climbing into chairs and reading books.

Picklebee

Nate still doesn't say many words, but he talks a lot. One of these days we'll know what he's saying! In the meantime, one of his favorite words is "picklebee." We're not sure what it means, but we humor him by speaking his language now and then (as you can hear in the videos below). Here are a couple videos of the Nate we know, but that others don't often get to see.

Survival

This is a picture of our week. I went in to see what Stephen and Nate were doing yesterday afternoon, and this is what I found - Stephen passed out on the floor, Nate's room a disaster, and Nate oblivious to it all!

This week's goal has simply been survival. Stephen took Monday off and then I was alone with my newborn and 21-month old for the first time. They've been some of my longest days, but overall we've done really well. Stephen has been coming home exhausted from having interrupted sleep and then working all day to finish out the school year. Today is his last day, so we're thankful that we'll have the summer to adjust to life with 2 kids. Great timing!

Saying goodbye

Today was a sad day. We had to say goodbye to my sister Elizabeth, known as Aunt Liza to her nephews and niece. Elizabeth came to stay with us for a little more than three weeks while we waited and waited and waited for a baby to arrive, and then to help us once she arrived. I can't begin to describe what a help she was to us - cleaning our house, cooking our meals, getting us stocked up on groceries and supplies, taking care of Nate and Evie, and doing everything in-between.

When Nate was born my mom spent three weeks with us in Istanbul doing the same thing. My mom was probably very sick at the time because it was only a little more than a month later that she was diagnosed with cancer, but she gave herself so sacrificially. I'm indescribably sad and heartbroken that she wasn't here for Evie's birth, but I'm forever grateful to my sister who sacrificed her own time and energy to take her place.

Evie at home

Sleepyhead.

Nate loving his baby sister.

Nana, I think we might have a brown-eyed offspring.
Evie's eyes are dark so far.

Pointing to Evie's nose, mouth, eyes, ears, hair, belly ...

Spending lots of time in Aunt Liza's arms.

Again, pointing to Evie's nose, mouth, eyes, ears, hair, belly ...

This picture reminds me of one we have of Nate. I love swaddled babies!

We've spent the week slowly adjusting to life with two. We're not outnumbered yet, but it sure is starting to feel like it! Nate and Evie have a love/hate relationship. Nate loves to look at her, touch her, hug and kiss her, but he misses being picked up, held, and receiving all of our attention and has been somewhat out of sorts the last couple of days. I'm hoping that won't last long!

Evie has been a very easy baby so far. She eats well and sleeps well at night. We've had some 3 and 4 hour stretches the last couple nights.

We're so thankful for an easy pregnancy, a good labor and delivery, a quick recovery, and most of all for our sweet baby girl!

At the hospital

A first moment with Evie.

Weighing in at 7 lbs and 7 oz, she was smaller than we expected.

Nate playing in the hospital room ...

We were successful at having a short hospital stay, although it was still longer than we would have liked. Evidently the baby has to be observed for at least 24 hours in the states. In Turkey we were home about 18 hours after Nate was born. We had a pretty good American hospital experience, but I think I prefer my Turkish experience!

She's finally here!

Our family of four!

Nate meeting his little sister.

Giving her kisses.

Evie meeting her Aunt Liza.

Arriving a mere week and a half late, Evelyn "Evie" Ray Blan made her entrance into the world on Monday at 7:20 am. She was 7 lbs 7 oz, and 20 inches long. Evie's name comes from two of her grandparents. Evelyn comes from her great grandma Blan, Stephen's grandmother. Ray comes from her grandfather, my late father, Raymond Iles.

Nate has been having a blast with his Aunt Liza. He seems to like his little sister so far, but she hasn't invaded his territory yet. We're hoping to go home early today and let life begin as a family of four.

Overdue

Still no baby. My due date came and went on Thursday, so now we're waiting and hoping that Baby Girl Blan will arrive sooner rather than later. Elizabeth, my sister, arrived a week and a half ago, so we're spending our days playing with Nate and taking lots of walks! We'll post the little girl's arrival when it comes ...

Baby Girl Blan

Patting the baby.

Kissing the baby.

My BIG baby bump.

I'm due in 2 1/2 weeks, so we decided it was finally time to take some belly pictures before it's too late. When I was pregnant with Nate we took them regularly, but this little baby has been so neglected that this is the first time we've taken pictures just to show my belly. I guess that's the way it goes with #2 and beyond.

Nate has learned to be gentle and pat the baby or kiss the baby. If only he understood that his little world is about to be turned upside down by this baby he keeps hearing about! We'll keep you updated as the due date nears.

Bengal Bean Bag

Nate got this Bengals bean bag chair from Uncle Tim and Aunt Annie for Christmas. He's always liked it, but this week we brought it from his room to the living room and he has loved it! He sits in it to eat a snack or watch a show, and he loves to jump and roll around on it. It's providing some good entertainment for him and us!

Nana and Granddad

On a train ride with Nana and Granddad.

I think he'd had enough by the end!

We got a family picture out of the visit.

We had a very special visit from Nana and Granddad last week. Sadly, I don't have many pictures to show for it. Nate had such a wonderful time with them that he was very fussy for a couple days and kept looking for them after they were gone. We're so thankful that they were able to come and can't wait to see them again this summer!

Where's your nose?

Nate still doesn't say many words, but he understands a whole lot. We've been working on body parts. Here's most of what he knows so far:

More Spring Break

Warming up slowly to the goats.

Watching Daddy feed them, probably dying for a bite of whatever they were having. He's such a little food beggar!

The horns made me a little nervous.

My sister sent these pictures to me the other day. When she was here we went to a St. Patrick's Day celebration and parade at the Ft. Worth Stockyards. They had a small petting zoo, and Nate warmed up quickly to the goats. These pictures remind me of a day in Turkey when I didn't have my camera to take pictures. Nate and I were waiting at a bus stop outside our apartment and a large herd of sheep and goats suddenly surrounded us and walked on down the road. I wonder if he remembers. :)

Recent pics

Nate has learned to climb in and out of chairs this week. Yesterday we found him hanging out in the lawn chair outside.

Stephen and Nate sharing a piece of dessert.

It's hard to smile with a mouthful!

Spring Break

Nate with his Aunt Liza, wearing an outfit she bought for him before he was born. It finally fits!

This week was Stephen's spring break. My sister Elizabeth came last Thursday and was here until Wednesday - a treat for all of us. We ran around quite a bit, but somehow ended up with very few pictures. We did get a couple videos of Nate entertaining us though. He learned to spin in circles, and I think he liked the attention he got from it. I don't think he liked the effects it had on his equilibrium, as you can see in the video.

A good laugh

I'm sure these things happen all the time in other people's houses, but we caught this one on tape. To preface the video, we were recording Nate saying a couple words, but he stopped and wanted me to read him a book instead. Stephen kept recording, I started reading, and a couple pages into it Nate fell right off the couch. My reflexes were quick enough to barely catch his leg, and the video shows the rest. Hope you get a good laugh!

Anniversary, Fat Lip, and the Park

Swinging at the park.

Going down the big slide.

Showing off his fat lip.

Stephen and I celebrated six years of marriage this weekend. Our anniversary was actually Sunday, but we celebrated on Saturday. Thanks to our wonderful friend Carol, we got away from Nate for a bit and saw a movie in the theater for the first time since before he was born. What a treat!

We did include Nate in some of our celebrations by going to the park Saturday morning, but while we were getting ready to go he fell flat on his face on our back patio. He still falls pretty often, but this time his mouth hit first and gave him a big fat lip. Stephen gave me a hard time for freaking out about it, but when your child has a mouth full of blood I think it's reasonable to be a little upset!

Reading with Daddy

Our efforts to make Nate a book lover are starting to pay off. He's finally bringing books to us to read to him. Here he is reading one of his favorites with his daddy.

18 Months Old

Nate walking in Mommy's shoes. He loves to put our shoes on and walk around the house. He's gotten pretty good at it and can get around really well in them.

Stephen hadn't been home long from a run and was using the post to stretch his legs. Nate wanted to be like Daddy and stretch his legs too.

This is Nate's favorite way to shop - pushing the cart using the rail at the bottom. Evidently it's hard work. His face gets bright red and he's soaked with sweat by the end. He loves it and it's helped us make it through several shopping trips lately without a meltdown.

Potty Training and Prayer

Of course potty training and prayer are very closely related, but I actually have two different stories to tell.

I know that potty training and prayer are very closely related because I tried potty training Nate last week. Between running Nate to the potty every time he seemed like he had to go and sitting on the bathroom floor (for what added up to be hours I'm sure) singing and reading every song and book he likes over and over to get him to stay on, I had numerous conversations with God!

After a four-day potty training marathon I made the decision to call it off for now. Nate was getting very upset every time I put him on the potty, crying and clinging to me. After four days he was no better than the first, so we stopped. Maybe we'll try again in a couple months, one more time before baby girl Blan arrives.

We've tried to be more intentional lately about including Nate in mealtime prayer - telling him we're going to pray, holding his hand, and ending with a hearty "Amen." He's even been saying "Amen" after we say it, his fourth word I think. I don't usually pray with him at breakfast (heathen, I know), but this morning halfway through his breakfast he grabbed my hand and held it like we do during prayer time, looked at me and waited for me to pray. I prayed and we ended with our "Amen." I'm so thankful for my sweet boy, and I pray that he would always be so earnest for the Lord.

Strange Child

Nate using a slice of apple to feed himself a Cheerio.

A new way to play with his ring stacker.

Trying to walk in his daddy's shoes.

I'm sure all kids do funny things, and that my child really isn't that unique, but lately Nate has done some strange things.

The first, and funniest, is that he tries to use other objects to feed himself his cheerios. At a restaurant in December, we caught him using the tip of a crayon to stick in the hole of the cheerio, pick it up, and eat it. The other day I found him doing the same thing (pictured above) with a piece of apple. He was successful with both the crayon and the apple!

In the bathtub Nate plays with two different toys - a bathtub book that he got from his Nana for Christmas, and a set of barnyard animals. Now that he has the book, he uses it as a raft for his animals so they float. The other night while I was gone, Stephen said Nate spent his entire bath time lining up his animals in perfect order on the ledge of the bathtub, knocking them off, and then starting over. We're afraid he inherited some of his mother's semi-OCD.

One of his favorite toys is a ring stacker. I guess since he mastered stacking the rings on the normal way he's moved on to turning the pole upside down, using a ring to hold it in place, and stacking more rings on top of the base (pictured above).

I could go on some more, but I'll spare you for now.

First basketball drills

Christmas in January

With all the busy-ness and traveling during the holidays, we left Nate out. So last week I finally ordered his gift - a Little Tikes basketball goal. I've been wanting to get it for him for a while, to start his basketball stardom off at an early age. :) It's perfect for his height, and will grow with him for a few years. If we can just get him to do more than chase the ball around and actually put it in the hoop, his future might look brighter. He doesn't quite seem to have the skills of Christian Laettner, but we'll be working on that.