We decided to take Evan on a "date" like we did with Benjamin last summer. The poor guy has hardly had any time by himself with mommy and daddy. Benjamin has always been there, and now Sawyer. Its amazing how different it felt to go out to dinner with just Evan. He really soaked up all of the attention. First we went to Chuy's on Barton Springs. We thought it would be a good idea since he already likes Chuy's and this location was closer to Peter Pan Mini Golf. There was a fish tank there that he seemed to enjoy, and requested that I hold him up to see it at several points throughout the meal.
Next we headed to find some ice cream. I recalled a frozen custard place on Barton Springs from when I was growing up and we called to find out exactly where it was located. I asked if they served frozen custard and the guy said no, just ice cream. Well he must have been really clueless because it turns out that the name of the place is Sandy's Frozen Custard! Anyway, we ended up at a food trailer that served frozen yogurt. They only had two varieties, Lychee and Tart. Evan chose Tart and had it topped with animal crackers and chocolate syrup. It was a good time, but we could have done without being swarmed by bees!
Finally we stopped in for a round of mini golf. I had forgotten that weekend evenings there are popular with a young adult crowd who take full advantage of the BYOB policy. Luckily it was all pretty tame and nobody was acting unruly. Evan was enthusiastic about the golf but seemed to have difficulty following my instruction to hold the club down while he walked around. I kept worrying he would hit someone. Also, he putted as though he was going for a line drive out on the open course. I'm not sure where he got that from but it sure was scary! At one point he sent a ball flying onto another course. At least it provided some excitement for the other patrons.
Evan was a charming and adorable date. I hope Lance and I follow through and take the boys on dates for years to come. It is so nice just focusing on one for a while and gives us a glimpse into what life might have been like had we been "One and Done" (although I'm so glad we weren't!)
Sawyer is 9 months old now and I can't believe I haven't posted an update on him yet. Just like his brothers, Sawyer started crawling right before he turned 9 months. He has been trying to crawl for a couple of months now, and has been able to move forward towards objects for several weeks. At this point, Sawyer is going full steam ahead. I am very proud of my little guy! He is just months away from running around with his big brothers, and then it will be a TRIPLE THREAT!! Dear Lord please have mercy on this mother of 3!
Sawyer really got going yesterday. I put him down in the bedroom and ran into the kitchen to get something. The next thing I knew he was trying to climb up the stairs to follow Benjamin. Since he figured that he can pull up on things, he has already done so multiple times. The world is now open to this little guy and we need to get out the baby gates and cover the rest of those outlet plugs!
Sawyer is still not a big fan of puffs. Its funny because most of them end up in his high chair. When I pick him up they are often stuck to his butt. This phenomenon, coupled with his previous tendency to scoot along the floor, led to a recent nickname of "Scooter Puffbutt". Although a great nickname, I guess he has already grown out of the first part of it.
Of course, everyone likes to comment on his hair. It never really seemed that big of a deal to me, but he has gotten so many compliments on his flyaway do. I've tried to comb it down with gel, but that never really seems to work. Besides, it is getting much more difficult now that his hair is longer. Its not really a problem though. After all, it makes him unique!
Evan is our beloved middle child. He was once the baby, but Sawyer came along and took that place in the family. Truthfully, Evan will always be our baby, our sweet little boy. The moment that he was born is so clearly etched in my mind. He immediately peed when they took him out, and that's how we found out he was a boy! When they showed him to me I was overcome with how beautiful he was, just how incredibly perfect! He made us a family of four and provided Benjamin with the best friend a boy could have. He could not be any more important to our family.
Evan was an easy baby, so easy that it might have led to our decision to have a third child! He slept like a dream, providing mommy with so much needed rest. As Evan's personality emerged it became clear that he would be HILARIOUS! Yes, our Evan is a comedian in the making. The funny looks and the nonsensical words crack us up on a regular basis. One thing that he has done lately was exclaim, "What the heck!", in such a funny way with his hands out to the side and a silly look on his face. He has added so much more fun and joy to our lives.
Evan enjoys playing by himself, narrating quietly as he plays with his cars and planes. He has always been drawn toward books from a very early age. He is sweet and never fights with other kids (except for Benjamin!). I feel that he has a generous spirit, as I have noticed that many times he will freely give Benjamin something of his when asked or not.
It has been clear that Evan will have a very strong verbal ability. He said his first word, "duck", at nine months and demonstrated extraordinarily clear speech at a very young age. Today he repeats very complicated words with clarity and ease. He likes music and dancing, and I believe he will have a strong interest in music as he grows.
Now that Evan has turned 3, his personality is really starting to emerge. He is becoming more relationship oriented, and really wants a lot of our attention. Evan is also becoming more bold in asking for what he needs. I have been working hard to give it to him despite having another, younger baby in the house. Lately we have noticed that part of Evan wants to be a baby again. Sometimes he wants to be a real baby, and sometimes he wants to be a baby dog. I think the baby dog is a safer way for him to feel like a baby again.
I think one thing that really sums up this post about Evan is that I am just thrilled beyond measure to be his mommy!
