8 Months

On August 23rd Eve turned 8 months! It is hard to believe that 8 months ago she was just a 6 lb. 1 oz. little baby. Now, she is definitely a lot bigger :) She is such a girl - that is what I have decided. On the whole, she is such a happy and giggly baby. However, when she gets upset, she is upset! The pendulum of emotions swings more dramatically both ways (happy/sad). In other words, she is a girl. Yes, I am a girl, but I am not afraid to admit that I am much more dramatic and emotional than Tyson has ever thought of being.

Another way in which I think Eve is "girlie" is her love for babies! Ever since she was a few months old, she had loved other little babies. She gets so giggly around them and just wants to touch them. Likewise, she does the same with dolls that look like human babies (especially the ones with blinking eyes). She laughs and loves on that baby. She is just a born nurturer.

At 8 months Eve is also doing the following fun things:

* So close to crawling on all fours that it hurts - Today (8/31/2010) she crawled on all fours for the first time! I got back from running and she saw me and crawled at least 4 crawls! Crazy! She has done again for a few more crawls today. The even moremobile future is not too far away!
* Cutting at least 2 new teeth (possibly 4)
* Trying more and more types of food
* Getting faster at going across the floor and getting Reed's toys
* Sort of waving
* Sometimes saying "done/finished" in sign language by hitting her food tray
* Starting to really be afraid of strangers holding her, especially if I am holding her and pass her off to them
* Babbling and making all sorts of fun noises
* Has a stubborn streak when it comes to being calmed by people - I am definitely #1 on the list and Tyson is a distant 2nd

I love you little miss! Happy 8 months!

Awwww, sibling love :)

Eve is just sort of scratching her eye as if to say, "Mom, will you hurry up? I am not going to smile, so don't even try."

Blackberries and Anniversaries

August 19th was definitely a fun day! I called up my friend Jana, and planned to go blackberry picking. I was pretty excited because this place, Butler's Orchard, is awesome! That's where we go to pick our pumpkins for Halloween as well. I found out that they have strawberry, blackberry, raspberry, blueberry, apple, and pumpkin picking (I may be missing one or two). Anyways, it was $2.39/lb of blackberries, which turns out to be a great deal (at least the greatest I have ever seen for fresh blackberries). So, we loaded the troops into Jana's SUV and headed off to Butler's Orchard.

There were rows and rows of blackberries! I was reminded of my grandma and grandpa's house in Idaho Falls, ID. We would always help them pick raspberries. I have such fun memories of doing that, that I hoped Reed would enjoy the blackberry picking in much the same way. I know he is still young, but maybe he will remember.

The blackberries looked and tasted amazing! They were super juicy and plump! The kids were instructed to pick the black ones, not the red ones. I learned something new: blackberries that are not ripe, are red. I will have to remember that, so I don't think that they are raspberries.

We went at the perfect time! There were only a few people there, so we got 2 whole rows to ourselves! We went up and down filling our buckets until they were bursting with berries! Reed had a blast! He loved the fact that he could reach a lot of berries and could pick them by himself! He even wanted to carry the bucket until it really did get heavy! Jana's girls loved it as well. They filled up their bucket, put some in a bag, and even put a few in my bucket!

Eve just hung out in her stroller and ended up pulling her hat off and playing with that. By the end, we all (minus Eve) had blackberry-stained fingers and clothes. Luckily, we did not wear anything that needed to stay clean! We hopped back into the SUV, went to the store to pay for our berries, and got some pectin to make jam. (Oh, the pectin we bought is this special no-cook pectin by Ball. It calls for a lot less sugar, and I think it tastes like the actual fruit instead of the fruit plus tons of sugar.)

I bought almost 6 lbs. (5.92 lbs.) of blackberries! It was pretty exciting! I made 2 batches of homemade freezer jam and even had some leftover to eat. All-in-all a great experience!

Starting to pick the blackberries.

Jana and her 2 (almost 3) girls!

Reed showing off our bucket!

Picking, picking picking

Jana and her girls busy picking blackberries.

"Pick the black ones." That's what we kept repeating. Reed caught on quickly and did a great job!

Eve was just chilling the whole time.


At the end of our blackberry picking

Our bucket was bursting by the end! I had to squish on the lid!

August 19th was also my 4-year anniversary!!! It's hard to believe that 4 years ago, Tyson and I got sealed for time and eternity! It feels a little like a time warp - sometimes it feels like we have been married for much longer than 4 years and sometimes it feels like we just got married. But, 4 is the actual number.

Since it was a Thursday, we decided to go on our "Anniversary Date" on Friday. Tyson bought me some beautiful roses, which I always love! I made Tyson some fun cards and thought of some fun things that apply to us and the number 4. For example, in 4 years, we have lived in 4 different wards. Weird! Anyways, it was great!

Friday, the 20th, we went out to a new Thai restaurant. It is one of the safest places for me to go and eat. I can eat most things on the menu and don't have to worry about milk products at all! Sometimes there is some soy in a few items, but I can steer clear of them easily. The restaurant was called BUSARA and it was really good!!!

Eve was having a hard time (my dad was babysitting the kids), so we had to make a stop by home. She is teething again! Never fun. But, I fed her , put her to bed, and we were off again! We had to go with plan B (go see a movie) instead of plan A (walk around in downtown DC) so that we could stay a little closer to home in case Eve had another problem. We wanted to see Inception, but it was sold out by the time we got there. That's what you get on a Friday night, I guess. So, we went to see Eat, Pray, Love. It was a lot different than I thought it was going to be. But, it certainly made us think about some of the most important things in our lives.

I forgot to mention that Tyson also got me Hot Tamales (I have been looking for cinnamon bears, but cannot find them anywhere!) and printed off a few pictures of us in Florida for our Honeymoon. It was so sweet! Thanks, Tys! You are the bestest husband I have ever had :) I love you forever!


My cards for Tyson - I think the 4 turned out pretty cool.

The roses

So beautiful

Inside Fun and Teething Biscuits

Eve has become very mobile, as I have mentioned before this post, and Reed either loves it or hates it. It just depends on the day. Some days he thinks it is so funny and fun to watch her swim her way across our floor. Other days he just thinks she is trying to get all of his toys (and he would be right). We are working on sharing and at least giving Eve one of his 10+ cars. If he really is having a hard time, he puts that toy on the couch and gives Eve something else to play with.

When Eve finds something she wants, she is like a little speedster across the carpet. She is now using her toes to push off, so I think it may help her to go a little faster and farther. One day, hopefully, not too soon, she will starting using her knees. That is when the true speed will really take off!

Reed tries to show her how to crawl. He says, "Come on, Eve. Like this." Then he proceeds to crawl super fast down the hallway. She follows him doing her swimming technique. Reed then laughs and says, "Eve funny" and usually will go and tickle her (hopefully not too hard or in the face). That is just another part of our inside fun!

Eve getting ready to find something fun.

Reed always wants to take pictures.

He just loves the camera.

Eve pausing for a break.


I missed Eve's smile by 1 second! Well, Reed looks awesome :) 1 out of 2 is not bad.


Reed copying Eve's swim crawl.


Eve has a fascination with stretchy objects. She found one on our music baskets.

Reed showing off for the camera.

Happy Eve!

Reed also LOVES to play with shaving cream! I learned this at the job I held at Clear Horizons Academy. I really do think having that job helped me to be much more confident in my capabilities as a mother. I also got a lot of fun ideas (I need to write them down soon) of things you can do inside. Shaving cream was always a hit with the kids (well, most of them) and it is always a hit with Reed. To save our table a little bit, I put the shaving cream in a big pan. We draw shapes, letters, snakes, and squish it between our fingers. It's a good time! Then, I just wash the pan. Well worth it.


Reed loves it every time!

Showing me how he squishes his fingers with the shaving cream.

Since Eve cannot have dairy or soy yet, it has restricted many of the things I can give her that I cannot make myself. But, I am very grateful to Whole Foods. It literally has been a lifesaver for my sanity. I have found Lara Bars that I can eat and the little puffs finger food that Eve can eat! The regular Gerber/Beechnut, etc... puffs have at least soy products in them, so they are a no go. But, these other puffs are called Happy Baby Organic Puffs and they contain no soy, no corn, and no dairy. Yes, they do contain wheat, rice, and oats. I was so excited for these! I like them because they dissolve faster than Cheerios (another finger food that Eve CAN have).

Eve is at the stage where she wants to do it herself. She loves when she can put something into her mouth by herself. She has quite the independent streak. Therefore, these puffs are awesome for her! I give her a little bit on her tray and then get the rest of her food ready. She is so happy!!! She is still working on the mashing food with her gums, so the puffs are still a good choice because they dissolve pretty fast.

I also found teething biscuits that do not contain dairy or soy. Thanks again, Whole Foods. They are called Healthy Times Premium Organic Teething Biscuits. They are ULTRA MESSY (view photos below), but Eve was so happy while she was chomping away. I should have taken her clothes off, but did not even think about it until I saw the mess. Thankfully, it washed out very easily. Note for the next time: teething biscuits are messy, so always give them to a naked (or almost naked) baby!

I mean, seriously, could she be any happier?!

She also gets very focused on things. It looks as if she is protecting her teething biscuit. From what, I know not.

Iwo Jima and Babysitting

A few weeks ago, Reed, Eve, and I went to the Iwo Jima memorial while waiting to meet up with Grandpa Rowberry. I always forget how amazing the memorial really is. It still amazes me how big (literally) it is! But, more importantly, this memorial has a special place in my heart because my Grandpa Rowberry (who died when I was 3 months old) was a marine. He was one of the first marines to help clean up parts of Japan after the atomic bomb.

Because of the radiation, they told him that he would not be able to have more children (he had 1 from his first marriage), but miraculously, my dad was conceived. Sadly, my grandparents were not able to have more children. What this has to do with Iwo Jima, I am not exactly sure, but I just felt that this little piece of my history should be documented.

Anyways, Iwo Jima will always be special to me. I love what it stands for and how they have an actual American flag waving at the top of the statue's flag pole. It stands for the freedoms that so many died trying to protect.

I think we often get complacent because, while we are still 'at war,' many of us have not experienced the effects of war first hand. Iwo Jima helps me to remember how precious our freedoms are. Hopefully, I will not take them for granted too often.




I hope that Reed will understand how important this memorial is someday.

The first weekend in August, we watched our friends' 2 little girls, Maylie and Taryn. These are some of Reed's favorite friends. He feels very comfortable with them, so is completely himself around them (good and bad sides to that). We had a super exciting morning/afternoon!

We went to our little neighborhood park and played on the jungle gym for a while. We also had snacks, had numerous rides in the wagon, played "Monster" (Tyson was the designated monster, of course), and played hide-and-seek (hiding behind trees - not the best hide-and-seek, but it was fun).

Then, we went back to our apartment, changed into our swimming suits and headed to the pool. The kids tried the kiddie and big pools. They laid out in the sun (the girls' idea - Reed went right along with it) and even chased Eve, trying to catch her toes in the water.

We were all hungry for lunch after that and went back to our apartment. We had mac and cheese (well, I didn't, but everyone else did) accompanied with cucumbers and apples. Lunch was followed by the beginning of "Aristocats" until the girls' mom showed up. All-in-all a fun day! Reed was sad to see them go! He could play with them all day long!

Running away from the Monster.

Taryn was fixing her flip flops. Reed was hiding.

"The Monster"

One of the ideas was that if you stood in the shadow, the Monster could not get you. It didn't last very long, but was a great idea!

Maylie being strong.

What? All 3 looking at the same time?!

Well, I tried to get a full group picture, but it did not work so well.

Well, at least Maylie is smiling and looking at the camera in this one.

Eve was so excited - I think mostly because she found her strap to chew on!

She was watching the kids run around. I know she can't wait until she can join in on all the fun. She is already trying to!

Bath Time Fun!

Baths are always fun at our house! We have not put the two kids together yet, but maybe someday :) Eve has loved her bath ever since she could be completely in the water. Even when she was getting her two teeth and gave up all her solid food for a week, she still loved her bath! Reed has been the same way except for a two-week period where he got scared of the water. So, we love baths!

Also, is there anything cuter than a naked baby? I would have to say, "No." They are just adorable! Here is our bath time fun!

Reed showing off his dinosaur that squirts water (I believe that he was in the middle of saying, "Dinosaur").

He squirts water and just laughs and laughs. He is always so proud of himself.

Happy Eve despite the teeth cutting through the gums. This is the first picture she let me get of her teeth.

She loves playing with the toys.

Yep, the pumpkin is a favorite for sure.

10k

As of June I started training for a half-marathon that will take place on September 11, 2010. I had kind of put off really training for a couple of reasons: with Eve's eating issues I was more worried about trying to find things I could eat, tiredness, and just the laziness that I always feel when I am out of shape. But, I signed up for the half-marathon and figured that I needed to start running to be able to finish it. So, I started running.

I was pretty slow at the beginning, but things are just about where I would like them to be now. I just kept being consistent with my daily runs and followed Hal Higdon's beginner half-marathon training again. I really need to thank that man someday. He just makes it so easy to follow the schedule. I like having a list to check off, especially when it comes to physical fitness.

Well, I also needed at least one 10k to run before the half. So, I found one close to my house on the W&OD trail (which is the trail I trained on last time I trained for a half-marathon). It was Jule 31st at 6:30 pm (weird time, but kind of fun). I showed up with hundreds of other runners and we ran!

The race was pretty fun. It was almost all flat and on a familiar path, so that was good. One problem: I kept getting distracted by things going on around me! There were beautiful trees swaying in the breeze, birds, bikers (since it is a public trail, there were bikers riding during our race), the beautiful sunset, and so on and so forth. But, it was still a fun race.

There were also these guys, the Kenyans (although I am not 100% sure they are from Kenya), who were crazy fast! They finished the race in under 30 minutes! Yeah, do not even aspire to be that fast, nor do I think my body could ever run that fast for that long. Crazy sprinters! Don't you know that this is a distance race?! Obviously, they did not get the memo. They were definitely fast and definitely beat everyone else.

I finished the 6.2 miles in 1 hour, so not too bad. I wanted to finish faster, but, like I said, I got distracted and I haven't been training as long as last time I ran a 10k. Ah well. Hopefully, I can find another 10k before the half!

After the race, they gave us some bananas and juice and stuff. One thing they gave us really made me laugh: pizza! Yeah, I was really shocked by that. "Here, you just ran a race to try and be healthy. Have some cheese pizza." It just made me laugh. Reed and Tyson ate my piece. Then, we stopped by Great Harvest Bread Co. (since I can eat most of their breads) and the guy ended up giving us a loaf for free. They were already closed, but still had a loaf on the shelf. Wow! I am definitely going back there! The bread was absolutely fantastic!

Thank you to my lovely supporters: Tyson, Reed, Eve, and my dad! You guys are wonderful! Thanks for coming to see me sweat :)

Reed in Grandpa Rowberry's hat


There was even a baby joggers division that got to leave 1 minute before everyone else.

Those are some of the "Kenyans" (one of them actually showed up late to the race and ended up finishing in the top 5, which means he by far had the fastest time)

I am behind the guy in the white shirt

Almost done

I am the girl in the lighter red tank, in front of the lady that is closest in the picture

Yeah for the 10k!

More yeahs!