Three Cheers for Apples

Evelynd tried her first apples today and she loved them!  It was the first time she ate the entire container of food and was constantly opening her mouth nice and wide.  The other news for the day is that she took a 3 1/2 hour nap, so she went to bed about an hour later than her usual 8 p.m. bedtime.  She was in a great mood all day, though.  I like her.  I think Dassow Daddy likes her, too.

P.S. She wore her cheerleader outfit today to cheer the Red Sox to another victory over the Yanks.  Go Team!

Odds and Ends

Yesterday was a beautiful day so between lessons, Evelynd and her 'rents went to the park.

My view of Evelynd before the park

The video is of Evelynd going down the slide:

Dassow Dinner was a spinach beef bake.  It was yummy.

Today I had the day off.  I considered going to the State Fair.  I considered Enchanted Forest.  I invited a couple friends.  No one was available and Dassow Daddy had a meeting, so I think we'll try for the fair on Monday.  Instead, Evelynd and I visited Shari Kelly and ran some errands.  She played with Dassow Daddy while I made baked shells:

This was the last day she can wear this dress from the Vanderhoffs -- it's getting too short.

While getting ready for bed, Dassow Daddy made Evelynd laugh.  A lot.

Food update:

Evelynd tried carrots on Sunday, but seemed to have a bit of an upset stomach, so we'll try those again another day.  Monday and Tuesday was butternut squash. (She's now had rice cereal, peas, pears, carrots, and butternut squash.)

Food Glorious Food

I would not call myself cheap, but I really enjoy saving money.  All too often, however, I am penny wise and pound foolish.  In having a baby I was planning on using cloth diapers and nursing.  I thought these would be better for our finances and for Evelynd.  I never thought about making my own baby food once Evelynd started the weaning process.  My friend Annabelle gave me a book called "Starting Solids," a microwave steamer, and a masher for a baby gift.  I thought that I wouldn't really be needing those, but once I started reading the book I was inspired.  This weekend, with Dassow Daddy away, I went to the store for the ingredients I would need: freezer food trays, a hand blender, and, of course, a bunch of fruits and vegetables (including my first purchase of a parsnip).  Friday night I spent pureeing carrots (my first attempt was not successful) and roasting a butternut squash.  Saturday I made baked sweet potatoes and apples.  Today was some combos (carrot, sweet potato, parsnip and carrot, sweet potato, apple).  Evelynd now has about three weeks worth of meals in the freezer.  Yum!  Tomorrow's task is pears and mango blends.



Here are some pictures of the cutest baby ever (in my humble, unbiased opinion) today:

She was explaining something to me here

And finally, Great Uncle Denny sent us some pictures from our visit yesterday:

Evelynd's First Wedding or Cousin Charlie's Wedding -- You Be the Judge

Dassow Daddy took the early flight out of Denver and got home this morning.  After some shopping we drove up to visit GG'ma, GG'pa, and Uncle Denny before the wedding.  Evelynd was in fine form: exercising, smiling, rolling over, and jumping.

The main event of the day, however, was Charlie's wedding.  I don't have a lot of cousins and so have only been to two other weddings for my cousins (both of whom made me play the harp) and wasn't invited to one (you're dead to me, Alex ;)).  This was the first one where I got to be a guest only.  The wedding was at a barn in Wilsonville -- the barn was Charlie's grandparents and they donated the propety to the city for a park.  The whole wedding kept with the barn theme: the decoration, the bridal party's attire, the pie plates we ate off, the food.  It was a fun time (except for when poor Maddy offered to take Evelynd while we eat and Evie was at a point where she could only be consoled by her mommy).

The lights were in Mason jars

The groomsmen rolled out a burlap aisle

Georgia was the feathergirl (not a flowergirl).

Serena - the bride

The youngest (and possibly cutest) wedding guest

Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Morris

The bridal party danced down the aisle at the end.

The food line (part of the vows included Serena promising to make pies for Charlie so there were pie plates for the food and four varieties of pie for dessert). 

The cousins: Maddy, Jenny, Charlie, and me

Dassows at the wedding

P.S. Red Sox won both games in their double header today so they have a two game lead over that team from the Bronx.

P.P.S. A very happy birthday to Evelynd's cousin Nicholas!

Batteries Not Included

... or at least not a charged one.

I was going to have a video of Evelynd in her bouncer because she's really figured out how to make it jump.  I was also going to have pictures of my big project for the day: making baby food.

Alas, my camera is out of batteries and my baby is in bed, so these things will have to wait.

Since Sunday

We left early Sunday morning.  It was sad to go and know vacation was over.  On the plane, I was seated next to someone ... a hairy woman?  A very effeminate man?  Eventually I figured out it was a man and he seemed a little ... odd, shall we say?  Then he gasped.  When I looked over he said, "She smiled at me!  Kids never smile at me; they're always freaked out by me."  I could probably learn something from my baby about judging a book by its cover. 

The flight went pretty well although we had a diaper blowout and she cried a bit on descent (I think her ears hurt because mine sure did).  Then we picked up the dogs (thanks, Maddy, for watching them) and headed home.  It was nice to get home.  I still can't believe what a beautiful house we have.

Monday was teaching and shopping.  I think we had a stick of butter and half a quart of milk in the fridge when we got back.

Our Dassow Dinner was another Dassow Mommy original: Italian Quesadillas.  They were pretty good.

I had the day off on Tuesday and Dassow Daddy had to go down to Medford, so we got to play, visit with our old neighbors Katey and Kayla, and work on our eating skills.

Dassow Dinner was Apple Jack Chicken.  It was a new recipe I tried and I will tweak it next time I make it.  A good start, but it needs something a little extra.

On Wednesday I taught and Evelynd and I went to visit Baby Bridget's grandma Jill.  She had fruit, muffins, lemonade, and a new toy for Evelynd ready for us when we got there.  It was a nice visit.  That night, Christopher Wicks stopped by with homemade zucchini bread - yum!

Today I had to teach lessons by myself as Dassow Daddy was done in Coos County.  It went pretty well considering Evelynd was extra tired.  We also got to visit GG'ma and GG'pa for the first time in three weeks.  Great Uncle Denny was also there.  While we were there I gave Ev her first taste of pears.  I used one of the pouches you can squeeze so she could feed herself a little.  She seemed to like peas better, but was okay with the pears.  So now I'm all caught up and headed to bed.

P.S. Red Sox won 4 of 5 "Since Sunday."

Colorado Girls Week 2

Blog Note: I have now added the pictures to "Happy Five Month Birthday, Baby Girl!" and no one has answered the quiz, so I am reposting the questions and the person with the most right answers by September wins a prize (no need to know all the answers, just one).

POP QUIZ:
1. Where did Evelynd's first name come from?
2. What is her middle name?
3. What do we call all four of her grandparents and her two greatgrandparents?
4. Who is leading the AL East?
5. How many years old is Samson?
6. What day did Evelynd first laugh?
7. How many hours did I have to push during labor?
8. Who was our first visitor at the hospital?
9. When did Evelynd first roll over?
10. What was Evelynd's birth weight?

On Sunday, after everyone else had left, it was Evelynd, Nana, Uncle Nick, and Grandpa (until he flew to L.A.), and me.  We went to church and had a pretty quiet day.  Evelynd picked her dress.

Then, she got her first taste of peas.

Monday started with Evelynd riding Hardy -- a REAL horse -- and then grocery shopping.

As for Tuesday, see the "Happy Five Month Birthday" post.

On Wednesday we met up with Mary Carter and finally got to meet her baby Bridget.  Mary has been my friend since 7th grade.  On July 16, 2010, she called me to announce that she was pregnant.  As we were on the phone, Dassow Daddy (then, as far as we knew, just Dassow Hubby) walked in with my pregnancy test. I called her back a little later with an announcement of my own.  So we were pregnant with our first babies with due dates two months apart.  Once we found out that Mary was having a girl, we had to wait two more months to find out whether Mary's baby was getting a best friend or future husband.  On August 17, the best friends finally got to meet during a trip to the Denver Zoo (in overwhelming heat).

Evelynd was sleepy during the whole trip, so it was probably not the best zoo experience possible, but she definitely enjoyed the bird show.

Our first view of Baby Bridget.

Bridget and the giraffes

That night Nana wanted to try a Dassow Dinner, so we had the Mini Greek Turkey Burgers and Cucumber Sauce.  She liked them so much that poor Uncle Nick didn't get any -- we finished them off before he got home from work.

Thursday was a work day.  We got things organized in the Evans house and increased their computer speed so it was actually usable!  Good news!  I also invented a new Dassow Dinner (a Greek Quesadilla) that was a big success.

Friday we relaxed and Dassow Daddy went downtown to have lunch with a law school friend.  That night, Grandpa returned.

Saturday was swimming at the Goldings and then dinner with Mike, Mary, and Bridget.  Evelynd liked Mike so much, he would just look at her and she would laugh.  

 It was a fun night and a good trip.  We had to get up early the next morning to catch a flight home, so as for our return trip and what we have done since then, that will have to be the next post because I'm tired.  Nighty-night.

P.S. The Red Sox won three games during this week -- not their best week.