Spring Sprung...Then Got the Heck Out

One morning I woke up. I do that every morning, but this morning was different. I could see light coming through the blinds on my window, and I could hear "tweet, tweet, tweet." This was unusual, so I decided to make a lot of noise so Dad would come in and get me up. Sure enough, he stumbles in looking like he just got out of bed or something... I mean it was 6:30 in the morning on a Saturday... isn't everyone up by then? Nope, not Dad-oo I guess... he hadn't even brushed his teeth (yuck).

Anyways, I'm getting away from my story. So the window, the tweets, yada, yada, yada. Dad walks me into the living room and opens the blinds and POW!... The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and the squirrels were running around and wrestling each other. Man, did they wrestle. Mommy came in and told me that this was "Spring weather." I saw no springs, trampolines, or other similar types of devices. This being said, I was intrigued.

After we all ate and got dressed, it was time to go outside. Oddly enough, mom didn't bring out the usual coat. No, no, this was different. I got to wear a coat with no sleeves, my silly hat, and some things over my eyes that make everything look like our house when daddy needs to put in new light bulbs. I tried to tell them I'd be cold, but they never listen. When Daddy started for the door, I braced for a cold wave to hit...but when he did, nothing happened. Instead, I felt a light breeze, and everything smelled like, ummmm, well, like something good (give me a break if my vocabulary isn't stellar...I'm 8 months old). They popped me in my stroller and we were off. We walked all over Ann Arbor me's thinkst. I saw kids playing, people on bikes, people washing their cars, and more squirrels wrestling (silly squirrels). I had a lot of fun.

We took walks each of the next few days...and I even took a nap or two. Dad told me I'd like the fresh air (that's that word I was looking for... FRESH! Go back and reread that part about Daddy opening the door again and this time insert the word "fresh". It'll sound better.) and he was right. I couldn't wait to do this everyday with Mommy and Daddy. Well, Wednesday came and I was ready. I couldn't wait to play at daycare, come home, and go take a walk. As we were getting ready to leave the house that morning, I saw my winter coat out again (affectionately called the "Muppet Coat" since it looks like it's made from Muppet hide). They put me in it, and I knew something was wrong. Dad opened the door, and I could feel the cold shoot up my spine (and out my nose). IT WAS COLD AGAIN! There was snow everywhere, and I could see my breath. Mommy said, "That's Michigan for ya." Yeah, well I say this weather should get right out of Michigan (it could probably hitch a ride with the jobs and economic prosperity that seem to be making their way out of the state on a regular basis these days).

So I've been reassured that the nice weather will be back soon...and eventually stay. I'll believe it when I see it. In the mean time, I just hope the squirrels find a warm place to wrestle.

Here's me pulling Dad's hair out (not like it needs help).

Holy Schnikies...I'm Beat.

Uncle! Uncle!

Man...Mom and Dad are wearing me out lately. It seems like right when we get home from doing one thing, it's off to do another. Don't get me wrong, I always have fun... but a girl's gotta nap. I'm not as young as I used to be, ya know?

I spend a good part of my day crawling all around home and daycare getting into whatever they don't want me to get into. Every time they tell me, "no, don't go in there" or "stay away from that," I figure there must be something that they're hiding...something they don't want to share with me. Of course that makes me want to go back and check it out even more. All this back-and-forth can wear you right out, but it seems like important work. Don't you all worry, I won't let the establishment hold me down. I'll get to the bottom of this and get the word out to the people when I do. It probably has to do with some corporate conspiracy or government cover-up. Call me Woodward (Snoopy can be Bernstein). We'll get to the bottom of it all and write a book.

Another reason to get into mischief is to emulate my idol: Spot. Who's spot? Spot the puppy of course! There are a whole series of books out there documenting the life and times of this heroic figure. One volume covers his trip to the beach, while another tells you all about his visit to the farm. I found that to be a very pivotal point in his life, but really see it as a metaphor for the Third World debt crisis so many nations are facing (the horsey represents Africa). Spot is an absolute genius, and I admire his ability to make you "think outside the box" (unless of course he's hiding IN the box).

Now that I'm forming opinions and learning so many new things, I think it's about time to start sharing it with the rest of the world. Yes, I already have a blog to do that, but that requires Dad to set up the computer on my highchair, get me all logged on, blah, blah, blah...it's time consuming. It would be much easier to be able to communicate through variations of noises and sounds coming from my mouth. It is this hypothesis that has driven me to learn how to talk. I believe that if I could learn how to make the same noises and sounds that Mom, Dad, and everyone else makes when they are around other people, that I could somehow express my thoughts and relay messages. So far, I have tried "Ga," "Ca," "Buh," and "AAAHHHH." This week, I finally had a breakthrough. I have found that Mom responds to the noise "Ma Ma." This comes in very handy when I want something or am sad. Now I have to figure out what sound Dad goes by...

Finally, swimming is still a favorite hobby of mine. I'm getting pretty good at this whole splashing thing, and I move around the pool pretty fast. I see this Olympian, Michael Phelps, around Ann Arbor quite a bit since he trains here, and (between you and me) I could take him. He's too concerned about his SUV and hair products these days, anyways. But I'm getting off topic. The way I see it, I've now conquered land and sea. Now if I could learn to fly like the birdies or Powdered Toast Man (that's a 'Ren and Stimpy' reference for those of you who are not savvy to classic cinema), that would pretty much cover all my mobility and transportation needs. One thing at a time, though.

Ok, time for a nap.

Peas, Pools, and a Sleepy Mommy

New year, new Evie! Yup, this year is pretty fun so far. I crawl around, I'm eating new foods, I'm taking swim classes, and I'm learning how to make new sounds every day. The only thing that hasn't changed is that Mom and Dad look exhausted every evening when we're home. Well, in the morning, too. OK, most of the time they look beat... but they always seems to find some extra energy to make me laugh and teach me things. I'm not sure why they're so tired... I mean I get to take naps all day, don't they?

Speaking of naps, that's my second favorite hobby. Right now my first is trying new foods. I'm becoming a regular connoisseur when it comes to mushed up fruits and veggies. Bananas, peas, carrots, peaches, prunes... you name it and I've tried it. I love 'em all, but the pears can be a little tart at times. Still, nothing beats a good bottle to cap the night off right. Dad mixes a heck of a formula in case you'd ever be interested. Be sure to ask him to keep it on the warm side...I promise he won't disappoint.

One of my favorite times of day is bath time. I love to splash the water all around and get Daddy as wet as possible. Mommy let's me float on my back and try to grab the water that's filling up the tub. This past week, I got to go to a new tub. A HUGE tub. There were tons of babies and their parents, and we all swam around and had fun. I got to swim on my back, on my tummy, and I even went underwater like Paula and John's fishies. I can't wait to go back. It's probably a good thing we go to this other tub, because all of those people wouldn't fit in ours very well.

Time for bed, but I'll talk to you all soon :)

Happy This, Merry That... Can I Stop Wearing Red Now?

Drive, eat, take toys out of boxes... at first it seemed as if this is all that these "holidays" were. As the week went on, I realized that it was a bit more than that, but being that I'm still a baby I tend to generalize. One thing I did notice was that Christmas is not like it is on TV. There was no white stuff on the ground or falling from the sky; there was no crisis to threaten the very arrival of the festivities, only to be saved at the last minute by some miraculous occurance; and nobody broke into song in the middle of a conversation. Ho, ho, humbug.

First stop was Papa and Grammy Greenwald's. We were there for three days, and we saw Great Grandma Greenwald and Aunt Ethel while we were there. Aunt Carrie, Uncle Billy, Andy, and Emily came by on Christmas Eve. This was my first chance to open presents! The tree had about a million boxes, bags, and other objects wrapped in colorful papers. Here's what I don't get: people spend hours ellaborately wrapping these gifts and making them look so pretty, and then they just get torn open a few days later. Someday I'm sure it will make more sense. Anyways, I had so much fun. I got a musical train from Papa and Grammy, a neat rattle from Aunt Carrie and Uncle Billy, and a BIG dinosaur from Mom and Dad.

That evening, we went to Papa and Grammy's church. There were a lot of people there, and the music was very pretty. Towards the end, the lights were dimmed and everyone held a candle. It was neat to see all of the little lights being held in the air as everyone sang. I sang, too.

The next morning we woke up very early and drove down to see Grandpa and Grandma Buck and Uncle Mikey. Upon our arrival, Mommy notified me that there had been a guest there the night before, and that he left some things for me in a big old sock above the fireplace. Turns out that Santa Claus (once thought to be a fat Kenny Rogers) came and brought us all gifts. How he knew I'd be there that morning is beyond me, but I hear that he has elves that used to work for the CIA or something (Quick background on that: It seems that upon the end of the Cold War the capitalist elves were out of work since there was no reason to spy on the communist elves anymore. Santa hired them up a short time after and his naughty/nice intelligence has never been better.). After we looted the Santa presents, we headed to church. This was good news for me because it gave me a chance to sing again. Everyone must really think I have a great voice because they all turn to look at me whenever I do.

After church...more presents! This time from Grandpa and Grandma. The best was an American Girl doll from Chicago. I named her Lucy. Lucy and I get along great, and I told her I thought we should be roommates. So far she's kept her stuff pretty neat and has not been too loud. I see this as a start of a beautiful friendship.

Later on, Great Grandma and Grandpa Kneffel came over with Aunt Barbra and Uncle John. Everyone had a lot of fun, and ate a LOT of food. I stuck to my peas and formula (see above). Great Grandma and Grandpa Buck came by that evening, and I got to meet my Uncle Ron, Aunt Robin, and second cousin Kara. Dad told me that they were "cheeseheads" because they lived in Wisconsin. Now maybe I wasn't looking in the right places, but I checked their heads thoroughly and did not find an ounce of cheese. Kara smelled a bit of gouda at times, but I never found any evidence.

So overall, my first Christmas was a lot of fun. I liked spending time with all of my family... but it was nice to come home to relax a bit. I'm spent. Time to kick back, roll around, and finally figure out this crawling thing...I gotta figure out how to stop going in reverse.

Happy New Year!

Wow, I'm Going to Have a Lot More Friends :)

Mom and Dad just found out that I'm going to have more friends around real soon. Brendan and Nikki, Brian and Julie, Doug and Elizabeth, and Mark and Mandy are all having babies soon! I can't wait to meet them all and tell them about how things work. I pretty much have this place all figured out by now.

Strange Traditions and Rituals are Afoot!

So ever since it started getting cold outside, it seems like Mom and Dad have me doing some weird stuff. Strange outfits, colorful decorations, and big meals have been a weekly thing it seems. Though it's been fun, I don't seem to quite understand the point if it all. I'll talk to the kids at daycare about it and see what thay know.

So a while back, when the trees were all different colors, we drove over to see Great Grandpa and Grandma Kneffel. Mom put me in a funny outfit. It was soft and fuzzy... and Dad kept taking pictures of me in it. While we sat and talked, people kept coming to their door and Great Grandpa Tom kept giving them candy. This went on for a few hours. The people looked really funny, and sometimes I wasn't even sure if they were people at all. It was silly, but kinda scary. I had fun.

A few weeks later we headed over to Papa and Grammy's house in Grand Rapids. Right when we got there, I noticed that it smelled really good. Papa and Grammy were running around the kitchen with all sorts of bowls and plates of things. Then, out came "the bird". It didn't look like a bird, but everyone kept calling it one. Aunt Carrie, Uncle Billy, Andy, and Emily all came over, too. They all ate a lot of food, but I couldn't keep from thinking that that "bird" looked like it could use that outfit Mom had put me in a few weeks before... it must have been cold. Dad and Papa were also busy putting trees and lights all around the house for a couple of days. I've never seen a tree inside before, but the lights were very pretty. From top to bottom, Papa and Grammy's house was covered in green and red, light and glitter, and some chubby guy with a beard. That Kenny Rogers guy really let himself go.

So the day after the feast, Grandma and Grandpa Buck drove up and met Mom, Dad, and I at a big mall. Now I'm no stranger to these "malls", but this was different. There were A LOT more people than usual, and everyone seemed either in a real big hurry, or they were just standing around in a long, long, long line. Dad told me that this was capitalism in action. Ok, Dad...whatever you say (Dad says silly things sometimes... I don't have the heart to tell him he's nuts). Anyways, we were out there all day, and it was fun to see all of the commotion. I had to take a couple naps, but all-and-all it was fun.

It seems as if this idea of bringing trees inside has caught on, and Mom and Dad brought one inside the other day. I like looking at all of the little toys and shinny things on it...it's pretty. There's a little town undeneath it that lights up, too. Mom told me that this Kenny Rogers-looking guy's going to come around to everyone's house and give them things. That's great and all, but I just hope I don't get his CD. Dad plays alot of great music for me, but "You Decorated My Heart" is a song I could do without. I'll stick with the Coldplay, U2, and that other band the kids seem to like these days.

We'll I can't wait to see what other crazy stuff I get to take part in over the next few weeks. This is all quite strange to me. Next thing you know, they'll be talking about giant rabbits going around and giving candy to kids, or little angels who shoot people with magic arrows. Ha, now I'm just being silly.

Yuck, My Nose is Leaking

I have not had a chance to write for a while now. Instead of writing, I have spent a lot of time having Mom and Dad wipe my nose and bundle me up. When Dad walks me to the car in the morning, I see smoke coming out of his mouth, and the windowns are all white.

At night, I cough a lot. I don't know why. Nobody had taught me how to stop coughing yet... I'll ask someone at daycare if they know how. Now I hear Mommy and Daddy coughing, too. It's a yucky month so far.

Chronology of a World Series: In Pictures

From this...

To this...

To this.

doh.

Where is "Heck" and why do we care that it froze over?

As you all know by now, I like watching the Tigers with Mommy and Daddy. It's one of my most favorite things to do. I like watching them run and throw and hit the ball really far. Mom says I went to a couple games this year when I was still in her tummy... I remember I liked the smell of hotdogs.

Well the Tigers get to play in this "World Series" that everybody talks about, and I guess it's a big deal. Daddy says that the last time they were this good, he was a little boy. That's a REAL long time ago. Uncle Mikey was a baby like me, which I think would have been funny to see. Anyways, I'm glad I can watch more games with Mommy and Daddy.

Yesterday I tried to crawl for the first time. It's frustrating because it looks so easy, but Mommy says I'll get the hang of it. Daddy sang the "I'm proud of you" song to me after I tried. I guess that's a song Mr. Rogers used to sing. I'm not sure who that is, but I assume he's related to Mr. T and Mr. Ed. I'm glad my name's not "Mister."

Ok, gotta go chew on my fist and drool more. Remember to root for the Tigers!

Me and My Car Seat

With all of this traveling lately, I've had the chance to get to know my car seat a lot better. I have named it "Steve". I have been down I-96 and I-94 more than I can count... which isn't saying much since I can't really count yet. Anyways, you see what I'm trying to say. Mom has been taking me with her on some of her business travel, which is nice because I can hang out with her more. It also gave me the chance to spend some time with Grandma Buck and Grammie Greenwald, so I liked that.

Today was my baptism. We went to South Haven to a pretty church right along Lake Michigan, and I got to see some family. Fr. John was the priest, and he was really nice. He was actually the same preist who baptised Mom, so he must be 200 years old or something. He looks good for 200, though.

After the ceremony we went to eat at a place called Clementine's. I played with my Great Grandma Greenwald for a while, and then with my Godfather Mike and Godmother Megan. I liked being around so many people... and they seem to like me, too.

On the way home from South Haven, we listened to the Tigers beat the Yankees on the radio. Dad was in a good mood, and I was too because that meant that I get to watch more games with him. He has taught me a lot about baseball. I know what a hit-and-run is, a suicide squeeze, and the infield fly rule. Dad said that he'll teach me more next spring. Michigan also won, so he was even happier when he heard that. Someday, I'll have to remeber to ask him to borrow the car on days like this.

What Do Mom and Dad Do All Day?

I like going to see my friends at daycare, but I wonder what Mom and Dad are up to when I'm gone? Mom is always dressed nice when she picks me up in the afternoon, and Dad is sometimes gone for days at a time? Maybe they have fancy picnics, and Dad goes to scout out new places to have them. Maybe they are spies... like in that bad Arnold Swarzenegger movie. I don't know, but I'll ask once I can talk.

We had a fun weekend. I got to see the Michigan Marching Band march to the stadium before the game. It was fun, and there were a lot of people. Mom said that many of the people there were "tailgating". My impression of tailgating was that it's old, fat guys eating a lot of hotdogs and being loud and annoying. Doesn't sound all that great to me, but 100,000+ can't be wrong (can they?). Some students even asked me to play a game called "Beer Pong" with them as we walked by thier house. I like games, but Dad said it wasn't a good idea. It was nice that they asked, though.

We also went to a place called IKEA with Paula and John. IKEA is a big maze that sells cheap funiture that smells like Sweedish meatballs. It was a neat place. I liked the funny-looking chairs and the big bins of weird stuffed animals. I hope I meet a Sweedish person someday... I bet they'd play beer pong with me (whatever that is).

Dad and I at "The Big House"... I'm Pumped!

MEEEE-CHIGAN Wins (Daddy Rejoices)

Papa and Grammie came to visit today, and they brought my cousins Andy and Emily. We had fun. Andy played soccer and ate a lot of cookies. Emily smiled, laughed, and drooled. I have a lot in common with them.

Today was also the day of the Notre Dame/Michigan game. Mommy began the day by digging out her old Irish pillow and taunting Dad with it. Dad seemed indifferent... probably because he had been going around all week talking about how Michigan had no chance of winning. Daddy was wrong, but didn't seem too upset that he was.

Instead of watching the game, we spent the day walking around the campus and enjoying the sunshine. I saw trees, big buildings, neat fountains, and hippies. Hippies have long hair, dirty clothers, and play a lot of frisbee. They seem to travel in herds around the Diag, and complain about the government. Now though I agree that there are some do-do heads running the country, I don't think playing frisbee is going to solve any problems. Maybe it does... I'll just have to wait until college to understand how. Oh, and even I know that "Phish" should be spelled with an "F". Silly hippies.

Trees Are Funny

Every time we go outside now, Mom and Dad put more and more clothes on me. Sweaters, jeans, extra blankets... I get packed up like a Christmas present a couple times a day it seems. Mom says that it gets cold in the fall, and all these clothes will keep me warm. I like being outside, so I hope they keep bundling me up.

Dad was telling me about trees the other night, and said that many of them turn from green to red, orange, or yellow. I don't know what those colors are, but they sound neat. He said once they change color, the leaves all fall to the ground. Some people rake them up and put them in piles, others blow them around with loud elephant trunks that they carry in thier hands, and others just let them lay there. I think it'd be fun to play in a big pile of them... I hope Mom lets me.

One thing I don't get is why the trees lose thier leaves when it starts getting colder. Shouldn't they keep them on to stay warm? Why don't thier moms bundle them up like mine does? Do trees have moms, too? I hope so.

I've decided I like trees.

Monkeys, Ducks, and Doggies with Long Necks

Over the weekend, I took my first trip to the zoo. Mom, Dad, and I met Grandpa and Grandma Buck in Battle Creek at Binder Parks Zoo. I didn't really know what to expect when I heard about all of the animals I was going to see, but I figured Daddy and Grandpa would keep the dangerous ones away.

I liked the monkeys. They look like little, hairy people. There were also a lot of pretty birds. They come in so many shapes and colors, and make funny noises. Giraffes are colorful, too. I didn't know doggies could look like that.

This weekend I get to see my friends Paula and John. Paula is very nice, and I like playing with her. John is funny, too. He makes me laugh. Anyways, it should be a fun weekend.

Two Crazy Months!

I'm sorry that I haven't had time to update lately, but I'll do my best to recap.

As my last blog noted, we moved. Mom and Dad finally cleared most of the boxes out of the apartment, but they still can't find things from time to time. I like going for walks around our new neighborhood...especially to go get doughnuts in the morning (though Dad could stand to lay off the apple fritters for a while). All and all, I like it here.

This weekend I had my 2 month birthday! Mom says I've changed a lot. I'm now 23 inches long, and weigh about 11 lbs. I can hold myself up when I'm on my tummy, I smile, I can make new sounds, and I even laughed this weekend. I feel pretty old.

I also started daycare last week, and I've made a lot of friends. I like watching all of the kids play, and there's always music or games going on. My favorite part of the day, though, is whem Mommy picks me up.

It makes me smile.


Until next time...

MOVING STINKS!

So I just get settled into my new digs after 6 weeks in this world, and my folks decide to haul off and move to a new place. There are boxes and piles of stuff everywhere... I just hope I don't get packed up along with everything else.

I had a chance to see my new room this weekend, and I must say I'm impressed. Papa and Grammy Greenwald came by to help Mom and Dad paint and get things squared away. Grandpa and Grandma Buck are going to help us move Saturday. I'll have to make sure I stretch a lot so I don't throw my back out while lifting something.

...1, 2, 3 STRIKES YOU'RE OUT AT THE (REALLY) OLD BALLGAME

For those of you who are regular readers of my blog ( "Evie Mac's Pack"), you know that I went to an old-time baseball game at Greenfield Village last weekend. Mom and Dad took me, along with Grandpa and Grandma Buck and my great grandparents, Tom and Betty. We had a great time, and I learned a lot.

A bunch of old guys with funny mustaches and strange outfits came out and gave us a demonstration of how the game was played between the Civil War and the forming of modern baseball. I think that's about a million years ago. Anyways, it was neat to watch these guys play with no gloves and run around the bases the wrong way. I asked Tom what it was like living during the Civil War, but he just kept talking about this thing called a "wipple." I told him that Mom's going to buy me a "wipple-bat" when I'm old enough.

TOUCHDOWN!

As much as I've loved watching the Tigers with Mom and Dad, I'm really looking forward to football season. Dad tells me that someday I can watch a game at the "big house." I'm not sure who lives at the "big house," but I hope they have a "big TV."

I am confused about who I'm supposed to root for. Dad loves Michigan. He works for U of M, and I kinda like the funny looking helmets they wear. On the other hand, Mom likes some team called Notre Dame. I like the name, but Dad always tells me "domers are dumb." I don't really know what he's talking about, but it's always followed by "Rudy's an idiot" and something about Jesus scoring a touchdown. I don't know how Dad could root against Jesus, but he seems pretty passionate about it.

One thing they do agree on is that I can never be something called a "buckeye." They tell me that buckeyes are vile creatures who are loud, crude, and are missing teeth. I don't have any teeth, but they assure me I'm fine. I sure hope I never see a buckeye... but I hear books keep them away. I have a lot of books in my room.

It's late... I'm tired... and something stinks in my diaper. Gotta go.

ON THE GO...

So one of my favorite things to do is travel. I'm always on the go. Mom and Dad have taken me to the Ann Arbor Art Fair, to Papa and Grammy's in Grand Rapids, to Dearborn where my Great Grandparents Tom and Betty live, to the mall, to IKEA, and tons of other places. Tomorrow I'm going to see the old-time baseball game at Greenfield Village, and then I'm off to Flint to see my Great Aunt Lorraine. What can I say, I'm in demand.

Ok, ok...time to hit the road people.

Hi!

Welcome...
Hi! You have found Evie Mac's Blog... the one place to find all things Evie. Feel free to stop by whenever you'd like to see what's new with our favorite baby... ME!

This is a picture of me with my

Mom and Dad...I'm in the middle.