Welcome to the World!

Everett James Kavulla
Monday, March 15, 2010
one of five!

Knot in my stomach

Maggy goes to the dentist for oral surgery at 6:45 am tomorrow. I'm not sure how much sleep we'll get before then. She still nurses quite a bit early in the morning before she really wakes up. She can't have anything after 2 am. It's gonna be rough.

Two

Maggy and Fletch on the morning of February 28th, the day we celebrated her turning two! We started the day with her opening a few presents from Fletcher - a Bakugan set (that he wanted), Grandma Paffy - a new baby doll with clothes, and Granny Helen - super cute clothes for Maggy.

Most of the rest of the day was spent preparing for her party. I had worked late the night before on a patchwork dress and matching bag. The morning of the party I made 12 fabric flowers to be dyed by the party goers as party gifts.
Surprising Maggy went down for a nap around 1 pm - whew! Just in time for the boys to take off for a bit and me to finish up the flowers and clean up the kitchen before everyone arrived.
The party was planned for 3 pm, chips and salsa - cake and ice cream, a simple menu for a simple affair:
15 minutes before the party Maggy woke up, then threw up - all over me and herself. Oh, shit. What to do? The gifts were wrapped the cake was on the way, not to mention all those guest. Least of all the fact that Maggy had been talking for days about her birthday, her presents, her cake.

I called Barb and my sister-in-law. I told she seemed fine, and we would be going on with the party, they should bring their children at their own risk. Barb, with her fair share of sickness this season, wisely kept Junah and Ezra at home. Everyone else came, the show went on, and she was fine:

How cute is she?

"I want my cake Mom."

My sister Devon, her daughter Rowan, and her daughter Aurora were in town to see my Dad and got to join the party. Maggy spent the week calling Aurora "my dodder", and wore her clothes every chance she got.

A gift from Kennedy, a homemade and much loved bracelet.

The next gift of the day was the box from Jim and Me. Full of all the rainbow dress up attire I had so much fun making: a tutu, silk fairy skirt and the above mentioned sundress (which we may never see her in. "No, Mom!") and purse.
She wore the tutu and silk skirts all through gift opening.

Aurora loved the tutu. Much to Maggy's dismay.

Maggy's very favorite gifts, the ones she forgot all else for were the hand-me-down Pink Hannah Montana cell phone and even pinker Barbie "I-poder".




Last was the gift from Grandma Sue, Aunt Devon, Rowan, Aurora and Aunt Harvest. A hat box decoupaged with pictures of Maggy, clothes, shoes and accessories. Inside the box were all the treasures found for her dress up time:

Cake time:

Aunt Harvest made the "chocolate and chocolate" cake per Mags request. I added the rainbow of buttons, despite safety concerns. Note: she survived. In addition to the cake there were cupcakes for everyone else, and so after Fletcher blew out the candles - when Maggy was too slow with a breath. She was handed a spoon and dug right in!

Thanks to everyone who came, the party was great - though we did not paint the flowers - I just couldn't pull it together. And thanks for all the lovely gifts - those at the party and those she received before and after the party. Everything was perfect.

And now she's two. My baby, my sweet little girl. She is a wild, screaming, wrestling, little chick who loves to draw, do dishes, fold laundry - then throw it around, dance, read, snuggle, and follow her brother everywhere. She is a Daddy's girl, a fiercely-demanding sister, a sweetheart, a funny and loving little person. She is my daughter and I am wild about her.

Rainy days at home

Reading, coffee, coloring, pancakes, foggy windows to draw on, music, laughter, and wonderful laziness. I love Mondays off.

The Great Cat Rescue

Also known as Fletcher's seventh birthday.

On his birthday I took the day off and we went to the animal shelter where Fletch promptly fell in love with the one cat Jim and I did not want to take home. His name is Buster, and there was no doubt the love was mutual. We dragged him through three rooms, pointing out all the other cats, lovely cats, cats without dandruff.

Buster has been with us almost a week and we all love him, but still, Fletch is his favorite:


On Saturday we had a small party with a few of Fletcher's friends and cousins. They decorated ninja headbands and played a game of pin the throwing star on the ninja. Chocolate cake and lots of running around outside shooting eachother with nerf guns, what more could a seven year old want?

Jim and I struggled to remain good parents in the face of a friend going home in the middle of the party crying and broken hearted, and Fletcher being less than gracious while opening his gifts:
"I'm not really a necklace person." after opening the necklace a cousin made
"I got lots of money for my birthday already." after opening a card with $5 in it
We're still reeling a bit from the day.

Cutie Pie

Christmas

The first dress Maggy wore all year!

Christmas Eve

Cookies for Santa

Christmas Morning

It was a great Christmas. Baby dolls, baby stroller (which Maggy sits in more than her babies), remote control trucks, Wii resort, stuffed to the gills stockings, rock band, videoflip, the best scarf in the world, new flannels, a mom-made cloak, and the most amazing dad-made blocks, I want my own set. (Now we just need to get Dad his own table saw and we'll be in business, thanks to Uncle Nate for the help!).

Absent

I've got lots of wonderful rambling posts in my head, pictures and all. I'm hoping that next weekend (a three day weekend!!!) I can tell you all about it.

Thanksgiving - fletcher's perspective