Our Christmas Letter

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year (or happy spring, depending on when you get around to reading this)!  We hope that 2013 has been a blessed year for you - we can definitely say that we have been graced with yet another year of life for which we are thankful.

Family happenings:
- Chris turned 30 in February!
- In March, Parker received fabulous news and was taken off of his prophylactic antibiotics that he had been taking since birth!
- Parker and Reagan turned 2 in April and had a Circus-themed party at the park
(and those circus decorations were later used for their toddler room)
- Over the summer, P & R moved into big kid beds. And we all survived. (it was a close call ...)
- Mallory turned 30 in July! (Yes, Chris will always be older than me!)
- P & R started school in August, and they are learning some amazing things
- In September and October, Mallory forgot she had a blog and posted next to nothing.  So, here are some pictures from the fall to catch you up:

Family outing to Kinsey Family Farm

Helping daddy carve the pumpkin

Attempting to break into our house with glowsticks ... 

Pebbles & Bamm Bamm going trick-or-treating!

Halloween in our neighborhood is way too much fun!

So that brings us to November, right?  I can't remember much of November, either ... which reminds me that I made a list of things that I never want to forget about my children.  Oh, and we had a great (and chilly!) Thanksgiving here in Atlanta with Chris' family!

My company, Metro Music Therapy, has had a wonderful year with 6 music therapists on staff.  We are working with new facilities and clients every month, and we are still loving the fact that we get to bring music therapy to the city of Atlanta every day.  I was honored to be a presenter and a panelist at the National Conference of the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) in Jacksonville, FL, this year - definitely one of the highlights of my music therapy career thus far!

Chris is still working for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and just finished his 4th semester of graduate school with the Georgia State Executive MBA Program.  He only has 2 semesters to go until graduation!  We were all feeling the "end of the semester crunch" over the past few weeks as he was gone from home a lot to study, finish projects and take his exams, but he now has a lengthy break until the next semester starts up again in mid-January (cue the Hallelujah Chorus)!

Chris and I just celebrated our nine year wedding anniversary on December 17th (where has the time gone?!).  We have had a lot happen in the past nine years and we are so grateful for what we have together.

Here in the Even household, we are all getting in to the Christmas spirit, we are singing Jingle Bells ad nauseam, and we are all ready to celebrate the birth of our Jesus!  We pray you have a Merry Christmas with your family and friends.  We look forward to receiving your cards so we can see what you are up to, as well!

With Love,

Christopher, Mallory, Parker, Reagan, & Moses (yes, he still loves us enough to stick around, see?)

If you need a laugh ...

... please enjoy one at the expense of the Even family.

@ 3:30 this fine morning ...
Reagan: "MOOOOOOOMMMMY!!"
Me: Oh geez, this is not a drill.
{Commence the throwing up}
Me: "CHRIS! A TRASH CAN NOOOOOW!" (if you know Chris, you know it was a miracle he woke up and heard me)
Chris then flips on the light to the kids' room which provides Parker with a very rude awakening and makes the total sum of people asleep in the Even household: 1 (if Moses counts).

3:35am - 6:30am ...
- Bathing Reagan
- Rinsing and then laundering 10 loads of blankets, comforters, sheets, mattress pads, extra-layer-of-protection mattress pads, pajamas, lovies; scrubbing carpet.
- Washing hands until they cracked
- Cleaning off the spare bed (which was covered in Christmas presents that still need wrapping) so that the kids could sleep in that bed while I was fixing their room all night/day
- Calming kids down
- Answering questions like, "Mommy, what is on my bed? What did Reagy do? What's that called on my bed? Can we go downstairs? Is it dark out?"
- Putting kids in spare bed to sleep, but had to lay down with them, because while we have a camera for our monitor in that room, I cannot find the handheld portion of the monitor because Reagan was playing with it a week and a half ago....
- At 6:15, I finally moved back into our bed.
- At 6:18, Chris' alarm went off.  SON. OF. A. NUTCRACKER. 

I don't remember 6:20-7:30 so I guess I fell asleep...

7:30am ...
I heard my kids in the spare room laughing it up and having a ball.  I go in to check on them, and they are surrounded by Lindt Chocolates - some still in wrappers, some still in the bag, a lot of wrappers in the trash can (at least they threw them away), and a lot of chocolate in their mouths.

Good, because I think most medical professionals recommend chocolate 4 HOURS AFTER THROWING UP.

Why were the chocolates accessible?  They were supposed to be a gift for one of their teachers, and while cleaning all of the gifts off of the bed at 4:00am I didn't think to move them to a higher shelf, because I didn't think it would be a problem.  Rookie.

We made it through the morning with a lot of coffee and a lot of Polar Express-ing:

and then they went down for their nap in the spare bed again (because I am still doing laundry) around noon, finally falling asleep around 1:00pm.  I took the chance to lay in my bed for a little, hoping they would sleep for a few hours.  NOPE.  Up at 2:00, and when I went to get them from the spare room, they had broken into one of my craft boxes and had craft glue EVERYWHERE.  Hands, feet, the dry-clean only comforter, the carpeting, their hair, etc.  Reagan still has glue stuck to the top of her foot because she wont let me peel it off.  "It hurts, mommy."  It hurts me, too, honey.

We made it through the afternoon with more caffeinated beverages and more Polar Express with a little Thomas thrown in there.  I am now making Reagan rice for dinner, will happily bathe their sweet little selves and throw them into their clean beds ... OH WAIT.  Their room still looks like this:

Everyone, for the sake of my sanity, PLEASE pray that Parker, Chris and I stay healthy.  Please.
PS - ask me if I have even brushed my teeth today ... and then ask me if I care.

Jangle Bells

We definitely have the Christmas spirit in the Even household!  Parker and Reagan have been talking about baby Jesus and Santa for weeks now (not necessarily in the same conversations - but sometimes), we have an Elf on the Shelf thanks to Aunt Erica and Uncle Scott, we have our Christmas tree up and decorated haphazardly (and we "redecorate" it a few times a day), we watch The Polar Express 5 times a day, and we have been singing, "Jingle Bells" until we are blue in the face.  And then we sing it 10 more times.  Reagan has been picking up a southern accent somewhere - not sure where - and she says it more like, "Jangle Bells."  It's worth a quick listen.  I promise it's fun for all ages.

Yes, Christmas is imminent!  And we are having a blast celebrating the season with two 2-year-olds!  I am learning to be very sneaky while shopping with the kids, and a Target employee even helped me hide some gifts by scanning them at her feet and then double bagging them on the floor behind the register so P & R couldn't see what she was doing.  Best. Lady. Ever.

The kids keep telling me what they want Santa to bring them - and after one particular phone call to my mother-in-law that had me spelling out a lot of words (aforementioned sneakiness), Parker said, "Was that Santa, mommy?"

Mmm, "Yes; yes it was."

We ordered our Christmas cards from my talented sister, Selena Fettig, owner of BeanPress Modern Digital Stationery Design and I am IN LOVE WITH THEM.  I have been saving one of our Christmas card for the last few years to put in an album, and I can't wait to add this one to our "album." (air quotes because who knows if I will ever make one).  But instead of typing, printing and mailing out a letter with our cards this year, I had Selena put our blog web address on the back of the card so you people can just come to this here blog and read the letter at your leisure!  When you get 10 Christmas cards with letters in them that you don't have time to read right away every day for the rest of this year, you'll thank me.  So, you're welcome.  {it'll be the next post, by the way}

Ok, I have to go work on a million things, some of which include wrapping my nephews' Christmas presents so that my children will stop trying to play with them.  I will leave you with pictures of our Christmas happenings from the past few weeks! :)

Our Elf that Parker and Reagan affectionately named, "Boy." :)

Watching Polar Express

Our cozy and well-loved little tree.

Looking at the rotating Christmas tree in the Pottery Barn window ....

... And then a nice sales lady invited us to sit INSIDE the window display for a cute photo op.
She was obviously out of her mind.

Parker clapping for himself after hanging an ornament.

Reagan and daddy getting ready to put the star on top.

(Note: I wanted a more vintage-looking star to match my house but bought the $5 light-up star for the kids. Sucker.)

Helping mommy and daddy with the tree.

 

We hope you have a wonderful time preparing your hearts and home for Christmas! 

 

 



A few extra minutes

It was another busy evening in our house – nothing too far out of the norm for a Wednesday, except that on top of the “normal” stuff, I also had clean the house and pack for myself and the kids to leave for Jacksonville tomorrow morning for the National Conference of the American Music Therapy Association. 

The kids and I were running errands this afternoon, got home around 5:30, Chris pulled in a few minutes after us, we went upstairs and ate dinner, got the kids bathed, sung to, read to and in bed by 7:00 so that Chris could leave for his 7:30 school meeting.

We have made it a habit of lying in the kids’ beds with them for a few minutes after we have finished the nighttime rigmarole routine, in order to help them calm down and turn their minds off enough that they can start to fall asleep, and then we slip out quietly.  When we don’t do this, they get up and start jumping on the bed, wrestling, stripping, etc. 

Anyways, usually when we lie down with them, they whisper or sing quietly to themselves, and we just listen until they either get too loud and we hush them, or until they fall asleep. 

While I was lying there tonight, I had one million things running through my head – “I need to finish laundry, get some outfits together for conference, pack my clothes, pack my toiletries – did I buy toothpaste?! - pack the car, get snacks together, remember everything that I packed," etc. etc.  I was totally stressing myself out, and was ready to just get up and get a move on with the list of things to do, but it felt really nice to lie down so I stayed for another minute.  And I am so glad that I did.

Amongst the kids chatter, wiggling, whispering and singing, something came out of Reagan’s mouth that I will never forget.  While lacing her fingers together and then releasing and repeating this act a few times, she said, “Open, shut them; open, shut them.”  And I thought she was just doing the little “Open Shut Them” song; but instead of shushing her like I was ready to do, I let her go.  And she continued, “God is great, God is good; Let us thank Him for our food.  Amen.”  And it was then that I realized she was reciting “open, shut them” to make praying hands.

I was floored.  In the midst of Chris and I trying to keep these kids alive, fed, bathed and obedient, we have never introduced them to a blessing at mealtime (insert: shame).  We just try to get the food on the table before the howling starts, and after I entertain 115 requests between the time dinner is “served” to the time the kids have everything they want/need (“Mommy, I want juice AND milk; I need a knife {why do you need a knife?!}; I want fruit; I want PANCAKES not WAFFLES; I want dessert; MY BABY DOLL NEEDS TO BE ON THE TABLE!!”), I am happy to just sit down and scarf my food quickly so that I can clean up the mess that is already in production.

But now that the kids are in Mother’s Morning Out 4 hours a week – that’s it, just 4 – my daughter comes home and is reciting a blessing like she has heard it her whole life.  So, I decided that instead of feeling guilty that we were not the ones that introduced this blessing to the kids, we will definitely be the ones to continue giving thanks for our meals at home every day.

I am so glad I stayed in their room for those extra minutes tonight. 

Our sweet Reags.

 

Things I never want to forget.

Thing that I never want to forget about my sweet, sweet kids.
I would love for this to be a running list that I come back to and add to every so often -- hopefully I will remember I want to do that.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Happy Birthday, Mommy!” {not at all my birthday, but was declared to me in mid-October because there was a candle on the table at the restaurant}

(my actual birthday; on July 31st)

The way that you both said “sick” when you were trying to say, “squirrel” for a few months.

They way you both love animals and would give your left arm to pet your grumpy kitty.

Reagan: the way you love your bunny and blankies; the way you twirl your blankie around in your hand (and in the air) right before you fall asleep.  We call this the white flag of surrender.  You’ll understand that better when you are older.

Parker: the way you rub your bunny ear under your nose when you're sleepy.

The perfection on your angelic faces when daddy and I sneak into your room every night to check on you while you are sleeping. 

“Mommy, I don’t like this cheese.” {Parker about an egg yolk}

Reagan: that way that you eat things top-first (toast with jelly, iced cookies, etc).

The way that you are both obsessed with all things TRAIN.  And Reagan, I love that you love trains just as much as Parker does. 

Reagan: The way you say, “Pawker,” like you’re from Boston; and that you call him “Parks.”

Parker: the way you say, “Park the car,” like you’re from Boston; and that you call Reagan “Reagy Beggy” like mommy does.

The way you both sing Thomas’ “Roll Call” song and dance yourselves into oblivion.

Parker: The way I worried endlessly about whether or not you would pull through the first few days of your life – and the months later when we realized that you were one tough cookie and would be perfectly fine.

Reagan: the way that you breastfed like a champ, and then stopped one month shy from turning 1 year old so we had to put you on formula for a month.  One. Month.

Parker: Eyeballs.

The way you both simply adore your daddy; and the way he is over the moon about you.

The way you love our extended families and crave being around them.  And let’s not even get started on the cousin trouble-making.

The way you share.  And then fight.  And then share again.

The way that you negotiate with each other and with mommy and daddy.  Or try to.

Your spontaneous hugs right between my knee caps.

The fact that you both love music and want to listen to mommy’s music, too. 

-One night in your beds before falling asleep; 2 ½ years old-
Reagan: {singing} “I will wait, I will wait, for yoooou!” (Mumford & Sons song)
Parker: “That’s a good song.”
Reagan: “Ya.”
And then you both started singing it.

The songs we started singing to you as infants and still sing to you every night before you fall asleep:Night, Night, Baby
Jesus Loves Me
You Are my Sunshine

When mommy tells you we can’t or won’t do something, you both say, “You’ll try.”

The way you both giggle when mommy changes the color of the nail polish on her toe nails. Every. Time.

The cuteness on your faces when you drink out of a straw.

Reagan: the way you say, "What's mommy talking?!" when you don't understand what I am saying.

The way that you both wake up every morning with a smile and a pure enthusiasm for life.

Parker: When you come in from playing outside before dinner, you yell up the stairs, “Whatchoo making, mommy?!”

Reagan: when you cry and say, “All done crying!” even though you are still sobbing. And then when you do actually stop crying, you say, “EYES!” because you hate having tears in your eyes.

Reagan: your strong personality and the fact that you already have an idea about how things should go – even the little things like your outfits, mealtimes, etc.  We love your tenacity and your conviction that has already rooted itself at such a young age.  We will appreciate it even more when you are a young adult.  And you help mommy clean, cook and take care of your brother in such a sweet way.  And daddy is scared that you are going to be pretty, so good luck with that.

(2nd Birthday Party)

(bows only stay in her hair for about 3 minutes.)

(Markers gone wrong)

Parker: your easy-going, chipper spirit and your ability to make yourself and others laugh.  And your occasional bull-headedness when things are not the way you were hoping they’d be.  You are like your mommy in that way; and as much as it frustrates me at times, it will be an important quality to have later in life.  And the way that you are tactilely driven and have to touch everything (just like mommy).  And you’re hilarious.

(Bullheadedness)

("Mommy.")

(Trains. and hair.)

At the Kinsey Family Farm this weekend:

"Where are the elephants?"
"I want to see the giraffes."
"Can we take an animal home?"


October 2014 - 
Both kids now call us "Mom" and "Dad."

I was finally brave enough to decorate their room.

In one of my more recent posts you learned that moving Parker and Reagan into their toddler beds was somewhat of a necessary nightmare. 

Now that we are about two full months into this toddler-dom, we feel like we might be getting the hang of this chaos we call life with toddlers.  Their schedule has been fully overhauled: staying up late and messing around in their beds causes weird morning wake-up times, which causes longer naps during the day (on the days they give it up for naps), which causes later nights, which starts the cycle all over.  So, I guess we are calling this our "new norm."  When people ask me what time they go to bed or how long they nap, I just laugh. WHO. KNOWS.  Every day is different, and for someone who likes consistency with a sleep schedule, I have thrown my hands up many times and said, "Ok, you win today -- let's just survive together until daddy gets home."

For a few weeks their room looked like a little yellow-walled prison cell.  They had a minimal amount of furniture possible in there so they could not climb on or jump off of things.  Their walls were bare because they would stand on things to take the wall hangings off.  Yes, caged monkeys come to mind.  We turned their bedroom door doorknob around so the lock was on the outside, and we used the handy dandy little plastic childproof handles on their closet door to avoid any additional "cleaning out your closet" days. 

The curtains were removed from their room weeks before the transition to their toddler beds because they ripped them out of the walls - not once, but 3-4 times.  So now the drywall won't even support curtain rods.  Awesome. 

I am working on a valance type-thing that will hopefully be lightweight enough to remain hanging and will be short enough that their little hands won't be able to reach them. 

We also discovered their dresser knobs on the floors every now and then, and watched them unscrew them one day on the monitor.  So, small brown knobs and exposed wood screws are obviously not safe, so we have left those knobs off and hidden the screws.  Classy, right?

Anyways, the novelty of their freedom finally started to wear off enough that we could deem them as having "good behavior" (that's what it's called in prison, right?), so we hung some things up on the walls and started putting baskets and other fun stuff back in their room. 

Since the taking-down-of-the-cribs occasion, I have been dying to re-decorate their room.  Salivating.  But, I had to wait long enough to make sure their room would remain standing.

If you recall, their 2nd birthday party was circus-themed, and we had a lot of left over decorations that were just sitting in boxes.  What better toddler room theme for rambunctious two-year-old boy/girl twins than CIRCUS?!  Moms: I highly recommend planning ahead and making your kids 2nd birthday party themed in a way that you can use the same stuff if/when you revamp your nursery into a toddler room.  Saves money and decoration frustration.

Anyways, here is what we came up with:

- Shelves from Target

- The Circus Ship

- Bunting

- "Be Kind" Canvas from HomeGoods

- Blocks on top of canvas from HomeGoods

- Navy and Red frames from Target

- Art in frames made by me

- Red, White & Blue frames from Ikea

- C-I-R-C-U-S Letters made by me

- "You Are My Happy" block from HomeGoods

 

- Assorted wall hangings: HomeGoods and Hobby Lobby
- Ribbon Wreath

- Elephant Garland from Paper Source
- Frames from Hobby Lobby

- Bulletin/Chalkboard from Hobby Lobby

- P & R Letters from Hobby Lobby

- Pillows from TJ Maxx

- Ferris Wheel Canvas from Target

- Other assorted fun stuff from Hobby Lobby, Target

- Paper Source

 

- Circus Tent from Ikea

- Bedding from Target

- Accent pillows from HomeGoods

- Elephant from HomeGoods
- Lamp from Target

- Tickets from Hobby Lobby

- Dots Baskets from Hobby Lobby

"Reading Corner"
- Pillow, rug and basket from Target

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All of the cute bird stuff that we had in their nursery has moved into their bathroom - simply because I could not part with it! 

 

They LOVE their "big beds" and we love having some color in the room again.  Win/Win, as long as everything survives this twin toddler-dom....