The (almost) 2 1/2 year old update!

Evelyn's vocabulary and motor skills have EXPLODED in the last few months.  What was amazing just a few weeks ago is now routine...

We have conversations - every day in the car I ask her what she ate and who she played with and she does a great job of giving me details about her day.  She tells me who got a bandaid and who she played with and what songs she sang.  It is so fun to hear about her friends and her adventures.  These are still mommy-prompted questions but she does a great job.  She also talks on the phone pretty good.  LOVES talking to Grandma and will talk about what she is going to do or how her day was.  She still doesn't understand that they can't see her so she will sometimes point out toys or Gunner to them without realizing they can't see what she sees....

She can count to 10 (usually while it is Mommy's turn to hide for hide-and-seek) or while going up steps or cleaning up objects.  She can also recognize her numbers when asked.  She can recognize some letters - E, B, S - not sure I have them all down.  She will always make a guess though!  She loves to 'write' her name - or our names.  She draws lines on paper close together - kind of sort of only to a mom resembling letters and says, 'Daddy - I wrote you name!'

Her motor skills are fun to watch develop.  She really likes to hop with two feet now but still leaves her arms at her sides when she is running.  She holds her utensils and her markers correctly instead of just holding them in a fist.  OH and speaking of markers - I have never met such a conscience little girl.  I noticed at school all of her projects were done in marker.  And come to think of it - for little ones they are alot easier to write with than crayon.  So a LONG time ago we got her markers for paper and also a dry-erase board with markers.  She has never colored on anything that she shouldn't - and even knows which markers are for paper and which are for the dry-erase board.  I am not sure how amazing this is for her age - but it is amazing to us!  It will be a real shock if any future kiddos don't have the attention to detail that she does!

She also really enjoys singing and dancing.  Grandma Linda got us a great set of Children's Bible songs.  We have our favorites and just in the last couple of weeks she has really started singing alot of the words to the songs.  Her current favorite is 'The Lord is my Rock' - she asks for, 'my wok' - and I usually know just what to put on.  She also remembers actions that we make up to the songs.  And when we dance she knows the 'moves' that I teach her - it is cool how she knows which part of the song to spin and get things pretty close to the beat.  She doesn't HAVE to love dance or music - but we wouldn't be disappointed if she did!

We have also had a strong start to potty training.  We have practiced here and there for a couple of months now - but late July we just decided to go for it and she has done really well.  I would say she is 3/4 of the way there.  We still wear diapers/pull-ups in public and are still working on her telling us she has to go rather than us asking her.  She does tell us sometimes so we are going to keep it up!  The Sisters at school work with her really well -so it is definitely a team effort.  I am hoping to have her done, done in plenty of time for the baby so she doesn't regress -but if she does - she does :)

Okay - and the last thing that we love is that she has her own ideas.  For example we were taking down the backsplash in our kitchen and I showed her a piece.  She told me it broke and I asked her what we should do, 'ummmm put some sticky on it.' - we were like - you are right -that would totally work!  Genius! ;)

It doesn't get better than this!

Grandma Ruth has had the honor of giving Evelyn her first (and second and third...) ice cream cone - I just love this picture :)

Too cute to be naughty...

As much as I wanted to avoid having a 'girly' girl - Evelyn has QUICKLY become into anything that Mommy does...  So make-up, shopping and talking on the phone are 3 of her main interests.  It's funny - because I don't see myself that way - but she is my little mirror and the mirror doesn't lie!   So, if she asks I will put make-up on her - it is usually just me mimicking what I do to myself without actually applying anything.  She knows where every brush is used and will show Daddy how beautiful she looks.  So one day she was 'mysteriously quiet' for about 10 minutes - Keith goes into the back bedroom - pauses and says, 'ummmm Mommy you had better look at this'... Evelyn has NEVER been allowed to touch or mimic applying mascara - far too dangerous.  But she still sees me do it.  So once she had the opportunity she had put on about as much as a person could apply to their eye area.  Thankfully she thought it was for her eyebrows and not her eyelashes.  Once we discovered she didn't actually get any in her eye - I expressed disappointment that she got into my make-up - you could immediately tell that SHE was disappointed that I wasn't more proud of her accomplishment.  So I changed my tune and told her that she did do a really good job -and then immediately put my mascara out of reach.  (I usually do but had gotten lazy about it).  Look how proud she is here!

The summer of 2010 (in a nutshell ;)

The Placek family has had an absolute blast this summer.  Evelyn is at an amazing age for discovery and adventure and even the most common activity or object can be turned into fun!  For example one of her favorite 'toys' is an empty 1/2 gallon milk jug that she is allowed to fill with the hose and then dump where she deems suitable - talk about affordable!

We were so excited that Daddy could join us at the zoo on a random Wednesday night.  Evelyn went for her 2nd pony ride and enjoyed it just as much as the first time.  We had a BBQ with one of our favorite family's, The Peters and Tyson and Evelyn exhausted themselves jumping on the bed and being led in a marathon 'dance party' by me!  We have had numerouse adventures with Grandma Ruth and, for once. Evelyn was hamming it up fo the camera :) (click photos to enlarge)

We also had the opportunity to go to two Omaha Royals and one Lincoln Saltdogs baseball game.  Evelyn actually claims to LOVE baseball - but I think that is mostly because she wants to be like Daddy.  She has even discovered that if the Cubs are playing she gets to stay up past her bedtime to watch!  It is SO cute when she says, 'I want to watch da Cups' - Daddy CAN'T say no to that! 

The pictures below are from one Royals game.  We met alot of friends and family there and brought Keith's 'Uncle' Russel with us.  We had fun even on the car ride there - what a great family, summertime event!

A few more random pictures.  Starting on the left is Evelyn on a typical day of 'school'.  She usually insists on wearing her shades (upside down is her signature) and bringing her purse.  She is just getting SO big and this picture just totally captures her silly and happy personality.  She is ALWAYS ready to go - whether it is to school, to Grandma's, or just to the grocery store for shopping - she is a great travel buddy and the best little helper. 

The picture on top is from a fun day we had with Tyson Peters.  We went to the Children's Museum and then out to lunch then shopping and THEN decided ice cream was a MUST!  The kids picked out their flavors by color - purple and orange - they were.....okay....next time I am insisting they either get brown or white!  I am not sure I can ever stomach 'blueberry' flavored ice cream again!

On the right is Evelyn taking her baby for a walk.  We love to walk around the neighborhood or just up and down the block.  We have taken her puppy (plastic with wheels for feet) and her baby numerous times.  She is such a good Mommy - she stops about every minute to make sure the baby is situated and buckled and gives a tiny kiss on the forehead!

The pic on the bottom is just a cute dress that I got for $.50- I am pretty much obsessed with bargains and am so proud when I find a good one.  This particular night Daddy was gone so we had 'movie night' and had fun snacks and watch the CareBear Movie twice.  It was the same one I remember watching when I was little so it was fun that she enjoyed it too.

One of the best adventures of the summer was Evelyn's first movie in the theater.  We saw Toy Story 3 and she did great!  Grandma and Grandpa Wassinger joined us and we all enjoyed the movie.  Our favorite part is when Evelyn turned to Grandpa and said, 'Shhhh Grandpa - no talking!' and he hadn't made a peep the whole time!  She on the other hand does need to learn that the characters on the movie can't hear her.. she yelled at one point, 'Oh no Woody!  You dropped your hat!'

A Surprise Day of Fun!

I was surprised to learn on Thursday that our daycare would be closed on Friday for the 4th of July holiday...I took the opportunity to have a fun 'Mother-Daughter' Day with Evelyn :)

We started off at the Lincoln Children's Zoo.  We had so much fun.  They have alot of 'hands on' type of exhibits which are great for a curious toddler.  The best part, by far, was Evelyn riding the ponies!  I wasn't sure she would do it - but she insisted she wanted to give it a try.  While we waited in line I pointed out how the other kids were holding on with both hands and how gentle the ponies were.  The girl assured me that we would get our money back if Evelyn 'freaked out'!  BUT she did just the opposite - the minute she was lifted on to the horse she held on and didn't flinch.  Even as the horse had to back out of the stall (which can get a little bumpy) she held on like a champ :)  I was SO proud and she was beaming the entire time - we definitely need to go back soon and show Daddy Evelyn's skills.

After the zoo and a LONG nap we decided to make our first trip to the pool.  Evelyn is not known for her love of water - but with my enthusiasm and encouragement she agreed that going swimming sounded like a good idea.  We were there for about 10 minutes dipping our toes in and getting comfortable with our surroundings when Evelyn decided it might be a good time for a snack break!

I finally got her to go in almost up to her waist - but she spent most of her time going around to all of the little streams of water that come up around the perimeter of the pool.  She started by stepping on them one-by-one and then switched to cupping her hands under the stream of water.  She also would skip every other one - and other variations of going up and down the row of about 45 streams...

That's Dr. Evelyn to you...

Since I have been pregnant, Evelyn has the wonderful opportunity to join me for twice weekly shots at the Dr.  Not only has she learned quite well how to wait for our name to be called(sometimes for 30-45 minutes!)  She also gets an up close and personal view of the nurse administering my shot.  This has led to us playing 'shot' at home - although Evelyn calls it a poke... I think it sounds less menacing :)  Oh and the needle is a bobby-pin - just in case you were worried :)

Prepping the area....

Giving Daddy his 'poke'

Practicing on herself...

A Musical Night

Keith brought out his trumpets tonight to practice for an upcoming parade the Czech Alumni Band is playing in.  This was the first time Evelyn has seen these and was SO excited about our new toys!  I showed her how to put her lips to play the trumpet and she got it on her 2nd try!  She had a couple of really strong sounds come out - and of course a lot of air too.  We had fun listening to Daddy play music for us to clap and dance to.  Unfortunately Gunner is not a polka fan and whined until he left the room :(  He never has been - so we weren't surprised!

While we were waiting for Keith to get the trumpet oiled and ready - Evelyn and I practiced our ever-improving rendition of 'Tomorrow' from Annie.  I have edited so you mostly hear her signing and not me - you are welcome.  Oh - and my favorite part is when she says, 'When I'm stuck with a day, that's gray, and naughty!' (instead of lonely...)