evangeline Archives - Raising Roberts

Four is Fantastic

I’m afraid to even put it in writing but I think we have finally exited the season of sickness in our family! The past few months were rough but I am grateful that all the sicknesses were just minor and that we are all finally back to our “normal” selves.

I’m behind on my blogging but I have multiple posts lined up if I can ever find the time to sit, edit pictures, and write. But of course I had to start with Evangeline’s birthday. On May 5th, our little Cinco de Mayo baby turned 4 years old. Our baby girl, my best friend, our firstborn daughter. The girl I had been dreaming of for so many years. There were many days when I thought I would forever be a boy mom (and that would have been perfectly okay.) But I am so thankful that I have been blessed with, not one, but TWO precious girls.

At 4 years old, Evangeline loves all things pink and purple. She loves changing her outfits approximately 357 times a day. She loves princesses, fingernail polish, lipstick, and braids. She loves My Little Pony and all things girly.

But at age 4, she also loves playing with Legos with her brothers (what she is currently doing.) She loves playing in the dirt and racing with the boys until she eventually falls over and scrapes her knees–which then leads to the next 5 hours babying those scrapes. She loves Star Wars and Transformers and doing everything her brothers do.

If you ask her her name, she will give you one of a few different answers: Miss, Missy, Miss Evangeline, and rarely, she will let you know her name is Evangeline.

She spends most of her days sitting at the table, drawing and coloring pictures. And writing “miss” in her sweet handwriting.

She is the sweetest, outgoing child with a hidden switch somewhere that turns her into a shy, stubborn, sassy little girl (I’m still working to find that switch to make sure it gets permanently set to “sweet” haha) She loves all of her siblings so much and has such a special unique relationship with each of them.

We are so blessed to have this sweet girl in our house!

On her actual birthday, we went to the usual Mcdonald’s and came home for her choice of dessert, “a heart cake.” I know you all are currently in awe and praising my decorating skills on that cake but I have to just let you know, I charge a high price for cakes like that. (Can you read the sarcasm there?)

A few days before her birthday, we headed out to the zoo for the morning. Of course it was the first nice day we had had in quite a while. We had so much raining and flooding leading up to that day so I’m pretty sure everyone flocked to the zoo all at the same time.

We ended up at the park that evening, trying to find some photo locations for a project. We ended up not caring for any backgrounds but took a few shots of the kids while we were there.

Clem’s face makes me wish for the heart eyed emoji on here.

Actually, so does Desmond. Most pictures of him involve him pointing at the sky and saying “bird” so I’m glad Don caught a candid smile as Des was running towards him.

Okay, and one more time…this picture of both of them together. Des loves his baby sister with all of his heart–he even shares big bites of his food with her. Food that she doesn’t even know how to chew. That is love.

The past 4 years have zipped by so quickly. I can barely remember Evangeline as a baby..which is so sad. But I absolutely love having this sweet 4 year old.

also–a little throwback

Evangeline’s first birthday pictures and her first birthday party

Evangeline’s second birthday

Evangeline’s third birthday

I hope you all are having a great week! I (along with Don and 6 of our closest friends) are on day 7 of Whole 30. I was actually considering writing up a few posts about it. Not as an expert, but as an honest perspective from the pickiest eater in the world. So I’m hoping to recap the first week pretty soon! In the meantime, I hope you all are thoroughly enjoying cheese right now. Because I am not 😉 Have a great day!

May 18, 2017

baby, Blog, evangeline, Family, kids, pregnancy

34 week bumpdate

It’s been a while since I’ve updated with a pregnancy update. My last one was my 28 week bumpdate video. I thought about making another video this time around but I honestly can’t even watch the first one because it makes me cringe so bad. So a good old fashioned blog post is what you’ll get.

I’m 34 weeks now–only 6 weeks away from the “due date.” (Quotation marks–because I can’t stand that term. None of my babies have been born on or before their “due dates” so I think it’s just a term that sets women up for disappointment.) Last night it occurred to me how close that really is and kind of made me slightly panic. I knew we would need a new van because we will be outgrowing our 7 passenger van, but I kept pushing it to the back of my mind because “we don’t need to stress about that now.” Well now, we do. So now we’re on the search for a used minivan that will seat 8 (because I’m not ready to commit to a big, dorky van yet.)

Not much has changed since the last update. Each pregnancy had been getting harder and harder on my body until baby #6 came along. While I do have some aches and pains every once in a while, this pregnancy has been so much easier for me than any of my others! Heartburn is a rare occurrence–whereas I used to get it all day, everyday with the other kids. The back and hip pain that had me thinking “I’m never doing this again” with the past two pregnancies, has barely showed up this time around.

So exhaustion is still really my main symptom. In case you’re wondering, I’ve been using the liquid iron for almost 4 weeks and I still don’t feel a difference. I had a few days when my energy levels seemed to be improved, but not anymore. I guess the anemia is not what is making me exhausted–it’s just this mom life.

Shortly after the last bumpdate, claiming that we probably wouldn’t decide on her name until birth, baby girl was given a name! We have decided not to announce it until she is here but it has been fun to imagine a sweet name attached to a squishy little newborn.

Ice cream is still my major craving! But after seeing pictures of myself and how big I’m getting, I decided it was time to try to cut back a bit. We’ll see how that goes!

Her kicks are becoming a little stronger but I would still consider her one of the least active babies of the bunch. The kicks are always what I miss the most after it’s over so I enjoy every single one of them, even the uncomfortable ones. However, I can’t say that I’ll miss the bladder kicking.

I really am just trying to enjoy every bit of this pregnancy. And even though I look in the mirror and feel huge and swollen, I love to photograph this pregnancy as much as possible. The pictures are just so special to me!
(all these pictures were taken today–while I wasn’t wearing makeup–so I had Don cut my face out of all of the shots. #reallife)

I had to finish out this post with this little photobomber who seriously kept coming up and standing between us and the camera. It was pretty hilarious but I had to banish him to the indoors so we could quickly get a few pictures.

August 24, 2016