Family, Fitness and First (of many) Visits to the Zoo

This week is a GREAT week. My sister, brother-in-law and niece all flew in to visit. Zoe has completely changed from the last time we saw her, and Evan really enjoys playing with her. He woke up this morning and immediately asked where Zoe was. He also asks were Uh Brian and Ah Cake (uncle brian and aunt kate) are whenever they are out of his view.

Uh Phil (uncle phil) is also back from his time in Mexico, and Evan has been thrilled to have more face time (and not just Skype time) with his buddy! He showed Uh Phil how to really get the most out of his P90X workout.Everyone took a trip to the zoo, but clearly I was on Grace duty because this is the only picture I took during the trip! This is only seconds before she literally exploded and needed not only a diaper change but also an outfit change : )Grace met Grandma Mary too! She was nice enough to let her hold her for several minutes before spitting up all over her.

Haircut Mishap

First, you have to know that Evan HATES having the hair cut around his forehead, ears and back of his neck. So much that a typical haircut takes me about 3 days to complete. WELL, today I got the bright idea to use those handy little things that attach to the clippers and are made specifically to cut around the ear. He has less fear with clippers than scissors, so I thought it would be perfect. Left ear went smoothly. Right ear...he ducked his head, and I ended up giving him a 2" diameter bald spot right behind his ear. Quick trip to the pros to help out, and this is what we end up with ; ). On the way home, Evan said "my hair looks good", but after we had been home for awhile, he was rubbing his head and said, "my hair. i miss it."Miss Grace slept through the entire event!I keep meaning to write these down, but here are a few of the nutty things that Evan has said lately....
1. Driving up to the lake (2.5 hour drive) with Grammy and Packaw - "I can't get out of here. I'm stuck"
2. After passing someone asking for money at the end of an exit ramp, Evan said, "Hey Mommy. What is she doing?". I explained that the lady wanted money from people driving by. A few minutes later, we pass a Chick Fil A that had a giant blow up cow holding a sign in front of it. Evan points to the cow and says, "Hey Mommy! Cow wants money!".
3. Father's Day Dinner - Evan had already been served and was eating. Bret was sitting next to him and went to serve himself mashed potatoes. Evan sticks his hand out and says "No Daddy, I can't eat any more".

Burning off some energy

What do you do with the boy that has endless amounts of energy when it is 115 outside? Tap into his competitive side and have him race for time up and down the hallways of course!

And today (disregard the mess that is our upstairs), Evan wanted to watch Mommy run. So, we watched an old DVD my high school coach sent of me in my senior year state track meet. After watching my leg of the 3200m relay a few hundred times, this is what Evan was saying

Bath Time

Even though Grace is only two weeks old, we are noticing a few subtle differences between Grace and Evan...who knows if these differences will stick around though!

1. Evan practically needed to be strapped in a straight jacket to sleep for the first 12 weeks because he startled so much. Grace rarely startles and doesn't care to be swaddled

2. Evan cried through his entire first sponge bath. Grace slept through hers.

http://thegovertfamily.blogspot.com/2009/04/first-bath.html

ok this wasn't her first bath, but this is the pose and the exact attitude she had for her first official sponge bath. I just didn't have the camera handy at the time, and even if I did, those pictures are currently trapped on my broken memory card!

Love You Baby Gracie

Evan's bedtime routine includes taking a bath, either Bret or I reading him a story and a little bit of cuddle time. When we get him to leave the room, we give him a hug and a kiss and tell him that we love him. He will tell us he loves us too. Now, the past two nights, Gracie has joined in on the bedtime routine, and instead of Evan wanting to give us a hug and a kiss and telling us he loves us, he now insists on giving Grace a hug and a kiss, and he only says "I love you Gracie".

I love my babies!!

Tragic Loss

The Govert family suffered a tragic loss this past week. The memory card for our camera was somehow damaged to a point that both the computer and camera won't recognize it. Luckily I had tripled saved the pictures before Grace was born, and I uploaded some hospital pics and first day home with Grace to Walgreens to print for my mom. But, the pictures we had of her birth and the last week and a half are potentially lost. The network guy from my work is going to try his best to recover the pictures, so please keep your fingers crossed that he can at least get the last week or so! Now we are back in action with a new memory card!

Evan is a big fan of tummy time! Grace, on the other hand, doesn't really bother to pick her head up which is the whole point of tummy time. But, I guess I wouldn't really either if I had super animated Evan entertaining me! Maybe I should convince him to sit in front of her?When Grace isn't eating or spending time on her tummy...she is sleepingIt really is a rough life to be a newborn! And check out those rolls on her thighs...guess that is what happens when she eats every 2 hours round the clock for a couple of days!Story time for the little yellow familyEvan still likes to hold Gracie!And another picture of Grace sleeping...

The Lake...why not!

Things are soooo different with a 2nd child. Go to Disney for a week when you are 8 months pregnant..SURE! Take your 2 year old and just over 1 week old to the lake for the weekend...WHY NOT! My family wasn't complaining : ). Bret and I also liked the ratio of 6 adults to 1 toddler and 1 infant.
Grace met some more of her family.
Aunt Betsy

and Great Grandma Shirley
This is how Evan spent the weekend.....

Fishing, and yes, that is a regular, adult size fishing pole. And, yes, he can actually cast it like an adult. I didn't try, but I would put my money on him that he can cast it with more skill and accuracy than meplaying in the waves and sand with Daddypushing his boat down the ramprelaxing in the lake...catching turtlesand this is how Grace spent hers...

sleepingand more sleepingand more sleeping

The Shooks Visit and the Kiddos Cuddle

Bret and I have such great friends. This entire week, our friends came to visit and bring us dinner. The also showered E with attention and presents, and of course, Grace received plenty of attention as well. The only downside, I fear that Evan will expect presents every time someone comes to our house ; ).

Cuddle time with Lauren. Evan (her husband not our little E) somehow slipped through without me catching him on camera. Kyle and Kristen Clemens also came and went without pictures. At the rate that I snap these moments between Evan and Grace, I will be able to wallpaper a wall by the end of next week. But, I love that this is all Evan and not me hovering over him saying "be gentle". Grace is such a lucky lady to have such a sweet big brother!

Another day...another outfit

Bret asked yesterday if dressing Grace was like dressing my dolls when I was a little girl since she has rocked a different cute outfit every day : ). This was what she wore to her weight check...she gained 2oz and is now up to 6lb 15oz! Ok, she didn't wear the headband, but Evan really liked it. He thought it was a cool hat.And another cute dressGrammy brought Evan his very own Clifford...that he calls the big red dog.We can't believe how big Evan looks now!Getting a drink while helping Daddy water the grass

Evan REALLY liked helping Bret water the grass

Evan's Girlfriend...and her husband

Evan's girlfriend (Lindsey) came by and brought us dinner tonight. This probably made Evan's month. He loved hanging out with her!

She also brought her husband :)

More Visitors for Grace and Evan and th 4th

Evan loves holding his baby sister! and tickling her toes
Grandma G and Grandpa Marc came to meet Grace and brought enough food for 100 people!Happy 4th of July wagon ride4th of July cuddle time with PackawEvan was supposed to help Grammy ice the rice krispiesbut just ended up eating the icing and never getting any on the rice krispieGrace also tried her crib out for the first time the next dayWe think she liked it!

Grace's First Days...Sleeping, Eating and Saying Hi

So far, Grace's days are filled with LOTS of sleep, eating and meeting a few of her fans, and we are loving every minute!

Cuddle time with Packawand Grammyand Aunt Mal

a photo op with her big brother and Packaw

meeting Grandma Pam and Grandpa Jeff

saying Hi to Kyle and KristenGrace really loves to sleepbut on occasion we have been able to see her eyes open!