On blogging, friends, work, weddings and babies!

Gosh I've missed regular blogging...but I've been enjoying visiting with family and friends and preparing for some pretty incredible things.

Last week I spent almost every evening interviewing potential future teen leaders for our Confirmation program and Life Teen program.  It is hands down  my favorite week each year.  Mandi and I get to spend 30 minutes getting to know and picking the brains of a high schooler.  This year we have over twenty applicants!  Needless to say I'm a bit exhausted after I get home from work.

Evie and I have had some fun play dates with friends!  We were especially glad that Rebecca could bring Zoe and Evan for an impromptu visit last week!

Over the weekend we traveled to Savannah, GA and to Beaufort, SC.  I can't to share all the photos and about our great weekend!

Today I was able to spend some quality time with Mandi.  We went to buybuybaby to work on her baby registry.  It was SO fun talking babies and spending time catching up with her.  We've both felt so distant this year with my limited office time while Evie's at the sitter, and her sharing a car with her husband while trying to work a full-time ministry job while off-and-on sick and pregnant.

I'm co-hosting two babyshowers in the next month.  One for Mandi and one for my sister-in-law.  Oh yeah? Have I mentioned that? Eric's sister is having a baby in July!  It's a boy!  Evie is excited for another cousin and we can't wait for another nephew.

I don't know if it's been the extra time away and the time traveling but Evie's been SUPER clingy.  Like, I can't get anything done because she wants to be held or played with All The Time.  I'm struggling to find a balance while meeting both our needs.

She is also going through a hitting phase.  I'd read about toddler bitting on the weekly Baby Center emails and was oh-so-glad I didn't have a biter.  Well, shortly after I learned I have a hitter (who might be turning into a spitter).  Fortunately Baby Center had an email about that a week or two later.  We've been working on consistency with teaching her that it's not okay.  I discovered that part of the problem was that she didn't have a word for "down" so she'd just hit me in the face until I put her down.  So we're also working on that.

Her random scream out burst have gotten much better (less frequent), especially that her vocabulary is picking up.  I'm also trying to expand her sign language skills.  The newest word is "drink".  And I'd like to work on "sleep".  I haven't taught her many words, just as needed when I realize a constant struggle with communicating something.

She's also starting to show signs that she knows she's wet or pooped her diaper.  She usually tells me now when she's pooped (or farted) by pointing to her diaper and saying "poopies".  A few times she's grabbed a diaper and sat on the stairs when she has a really wet diaper.  She's done this for me, Eric and my mom.  I'm impressed!

The other struggle has been her afternoon nap.  She's been back and forth with needing one or two naps for the last two-three months.  Some days  she'll take one twenty minute nap and other days two two hour naps.  It's been hard to read what she needs.  On days that we're home all day I'm trying to give her one long nap in the middle of the day. Those seem to be the best days.  The days she's at the sitter I pick her up at 12:45.  If she doesn't get a morning nap there, she has a 15 minute car nap and then we're all screwed.  So I've decided that a solid morning nap has a higher priority over risking a short car nap or no nap at all. Many thanks to the Twitter friends how have advised me on the napping arrangements --- black out curtains and sound machine seem to be doing wonders, especially on non-routine days!

Last but not least, my sister is getting married on Saturday!  I am so deeply excited for her, yet some how I keep forgetting about it (sister of the year right here).  Maybe because I haven't been crazy planning for it?  Maybe because I've been getting my responsibilities done over the last year instead of the last minute?  Maybe because I have had so much else going on? Maybe because I have a little bit that needs a lot of attention these days?

Regardless, I am like 98% ready for the weekend.  I just need to write that darn matron of honor toast.  I want to keep it short, but it keeps getting longer.  I'm not nervous about giving it since I speak in front of crowds on a regular basis.  I'm just putting too much pressure on myself for it to be perfect that I've completely stifled the creative juices.  Maybe I need a bottle of while first???   Does anyone have tips or suggestions?  (I know the obvious...introduce yourself, don't tell a million stories, skip the inside jokes, keep it brief, remember the actual toast!)

Okay, hopefully that's enough rambling to keep you entertained while I depart for a long weekend of wedding festivities!