Today we celebrated Evie's 2nd birthday! And boy, the poor child has been waiting (fairly patiently) for her birthday for nothing short of 2 months. She has been singing Happy Birthday to herself for weeks, screeching that it's EVVVIIIE's birthday NOT Jozie's or whoevers when the wrong name (a name other than hers) is sung in the song.
Well, today arrived for her - finally!
Let me backtrack quickly to last night....
...singing her to sleep last night, I held her warm little body close and we danced as we usually do. But I thought, "this is the last time I dance with her while she's 1. Never again can I dance with Evie when she's 1." Finally, I put her down and she fell asleep. Later, just before going to bed myself, I couldn't resist going to have one more look at her (while she's still 1). I crept into her room, looked at her sleeping so deeply. And then...I decided, without thinking the consequences through very thoroughly, to take her into my bed and have a cuddle and let her sleep with me. She loved it of course and at first she did sleep. But soon after I fell asleep, she awoke. And tossed. And turned. And sat up. And turned. And lay down. And pulled my nose. And yanked my cheek. And tossed some more.
As it turned out, we had a rather restless night. After about 2 hours of this, I could take it no longer and decided to deposit her back in her own bed. So, we sang some more - a speedier version with blurry eyes. She would have none of that. She had a total fit and was desperate to come back into "da big bed. Wif Mamma." I knew it wouldn't work, so she finally (!!) settled and agreed to go back to sleep in her cot. So the last hour of her being 1 was LOUD and a little teary!
Anyway, this morning, Josephine (our family rooster) woke us up early early. I took her cue and went downstairs to go and wrap a present which I didn't have energy to do the night before.
Afterwards, Michael, Josephine and I went inot her room singing "Happy Birthday... dear Evie" and a plate of cupcakes - one with a candle for her to blow out) and some orange juice. Evie BEAMED!!!
She then told us she had made "a little nappy". Which turned out to be an understatement, but I won't go there.
After we had freshened up, we went downstairs to open up some presents for her. She loved them, but is still at that stage where it's all too overwhelming. She got a toy shop to play, a till, a colouring in book and an alice band. She also got some princess sunglasses from Gwan and Mac which she loves. And some goggles for when we go swimming, which she loves too. The shop was less interesting, but I think it's something that her and Josephine can both play with and she'll grow in to.
But most importantly, we just had some lovely quality family time.
We spent the rest of the day at Hannover Zoo, leaving quite early and getting back quite late. Was super!! The weather was rather dodgy, but we had a great time despite some short downpours here and there. We ended the day with a neighbourhood Braai (BBQ), which was also very nice.
And now, they're in bed, both our beautiful girls. Sleeping.
I love them both so much!!
Looking back over the past year in Evie's life:
- a move to Japan and a move back to Germany
- "Kawai, Kawai" was what we often heard from the very friendly Japanese who thought the Western children were so cute.
- a hot summer in Japan with Evie in the baby pouch
- Evie crawling at 10-16 months
- Evie not being allowed to swim in Tokyo due to her still wearing nappies (holding and restraining her on my lap at the pool's edge while Josephine splashed next to us. We cooled her in a bucket. It was 12 weeks of 40+ degrees C once reaching nearly 50 with 80% humidity.)
- meeting her first little friend, Alexander, in Tokyo - our lovely neighbours
- then meeting a whole small tribe of babes her age (5 of them all born within 3 weeks of each other). We then started a Friday morning singing & breakfast group with them - great fun!
- Evie's first words (around 10months old) were Mama, and then Papa and then Sister. And then Puppy.
- Evie said her own name on Christmas day 2010 for the first time.
- Evie said "Josephine" a few days later
- Evie is taller than average for her age
- Evie has had good health with only the occassional cold
- She is an excellent sleeper and eater
- She's very easy and loveable
- She loves soft cuddly toys and to be wrapped in blankets and kept snug.
- She loves to sing and can sing quite a few tunes herself ("Daisy, daisy"; "Happy Birthday"; "ABC song"; to name a few)
- she loves being read to and her interest in books is growing as I also find more time now to read to her than before (where Josephine was more dependent too on me)
-she's confident on stairs
-she blows everyone kisses, and waves to almost anyone who will give her some attention
- she also has a very seriuos look where she lowers her jaw and focuses her eyes frowning slightly.
- she has mega ticklish feet
- she has the most beautiful hair in her neck. (the new hair forms a little V or tail shape and is just edible)
- she loves eating toothpaste, but hates her hair being brushed. Washing it is no problem. Surprise!
- She loves running and pushing herself along on her tricycle. I am sure that when the balance bike (Josephine's old Puky) arrives from Tokyo, she'll be all over it.
-she speaks beautifully and says a wide range of things with sentences up to 10 words long. She's currently big time into her verbs like "horseriding" or "sleeping" or "kissing" or "loving" or whatever.
- she's generally very happy. But likes to have me play with her all the time and is still a Mama's girl.
She's growing up beautifully and we just pray that we have a lifetime with her.
