Grandpa & Grandma Claus

Evvie's first Christmas and, boy Grandma & Grandpa got what they wished for! We woke up to a delicious breakfast, after which four generations of Princes opened presents and entertained Evelyn. She seemed more taken by the rustle of the paper than the actual gifts, but give it time...

Today was another first- Evvie's first walk in the stroller. Ruby, Hallie, Grandma & I strolled on down Lower Street with Evvie catching some zzzzs as soon as the wheels began to roll.

After this, we're off to New York to meet her Smith cousins, uncle and Auntie Jason & Zoe, Uncle and Auntie Butch & Bobbi, and reunite with Grandma & Grandpa Smith. The holidays are non-stop!

Merry Christmas!

Goofy Face

...Sleeping, Smiling, Laughing

Well, it's just the girl and I today. Hallie's getting a haircut and running a few errands, so I'm left to keep the girl alive all by myself. So far it's going well. She's asleep on me as I type this- one-handed, mind you. The laughing picture came from just moments ago, so I must be doing something right.

I've been giving Evelyn a bottle when I get home from work for over a week now & it's been going pretty well. She's six weeks old as of yesterday, and growing like a weed. I'm sure if you listen closely you can hear the fabric in her onesie stretching... perhaps she'll bust out of her clothes like The Hulk. Sometimes when she's mad I see parallels...

The Pediatrition visit the other day was interesting. We've now got her on a Vitamin D supplement because of the season and lack of sunlight on her skin. She's also in the 50th percentile for head size, the 50th percentile for weight, but, get this you tall Smith genes, only the 25th percentile for length. Curious. Maybe she won't grow as tall as mama- or maybe she was measured right before this recent growth spurt and has jumped up in percentile. Either way, she definitely takes up a lot of space in our hearts.

Evvie Loves the Water

The warm water envelopes her skin in a soft caress.

Mama gently rubs soap around each fold and pudge-flap.

Daddy swirls water is a tickling current around her bum.

Oh yeah.

Evvie loves her baths.

Auntie Amy Arrives

The infamous West Coast Auntie arrived safely to meet little Evvie this week. We had a great visit in Turner and enough gifts to constitute another baby shower. Evelyn also spent her first night away from home which went...well once she got to sleep it went really well. Getting to sleep was a bit more of an ordeal than we had been used to, but we all managed- although we also spent a good deal of the next day cranky & in a haze.

That didn't keep us all from having fun, though. You see, Evelyn has this strange effect that just makes people happy. I think it's the gurgling and the staring. Possibly the gas too- that's the oldest trick in the book.

Tonight is the eve of Evvie's 5 week birthday. In some respects, it seems like we've had her always, and 5 weeks seems like a too-brief period of time. On the other hand, she's already 5 WEEKS OLD! Wholy schmoly.
She's smiling more, staying awake for several hours and looking much more alert. We're interacting well, and have the beginnings of a routine. She just started trying a bottle this week and has had two successful evenings of daddy feeding her. This is a good feeling for me, because it resolves my helpless feelings when she's crying and only mama can help.

Look out world.

I now wield the power of the milk-filled nipple.