Mayne, Party of 3: Happy Half Birthday!

Growing up, my mom and dad celebrated our half birthdays and I remember what a big deal I thought they were until I was about 13. It helped that my my brother and I have birthdays 5 months apart, so the month after his birthday was my half birthday and the month before my birthday was his half birthday. That way neither of us felt too overlooked when it was the other one's turn for a birthday (of course, Ryan is about 6 and a half years older than me, so I imagine it mattered less to him than it did to me, most of the time). I don't know many other people who make any kind of fuss over half birthdays, but I like them, personally, and I figure if I'm only gonna have one kid (because why roll the dice again when you got yahtzee on the first try?), I'm gonna take any excuse to celebrate her.

So Tuesday we celebrated Evie's half birthday with cupcakes with Granna and Grannadaddy (since it was our weekly Tuesday dinner anyway but also because we love visiting with them and including them in such things and would have done even if it weren't on a Tuesday).

That night, Evie slept her last night in her crib/toddler bed. Seth's mom bought the crib for us and we also purchased the toddler rail so that it could be converted into a bed she could sleep in for a long time. Well a couple of weeks ago we bought her a twin bed with a very nice frame, with cubbies built into the headboard - something she can use from now until she's a teenager. It was so bittersweet, waking her up Wednesday morning and knowing that that was the last time I would see her in her crib. The first time she was ever put into that crib and on that mattress was June 18, 2012 (I only remember thanks to the blog entry from that week). And here, about four and a half years later, she was spending her last night in it.

Last night

Comparison shot, June 18, 2012 vs December 7, 2016

She thoroughly enjoyed walking into her room that had been rearranged and her new bed in place. She climbed right in and made herself comfortable.

Thursday, Evie went to school and then I picked her up and then got my mom and we headed to Texas for Tia's graduation from nursing school. We had a good, easy drive to Dallas and got to Ryan's house around midnight. Tia was there and she helped Evie get changed into pajamas and then we went to bed.

Friday was Tia's graduation. Addie and Will went to school so Evie, Mom, Grandma Jeanne, Ryan, and Aimee and I hung around the house until it was time for Aimee to pick up the kids from school and the rest of us headed to the graduation. Evie was so excited when her cousins walked into the auditorium lobby and they enjoyed sitting together and cheering for Tia as she got pinned.

We went to lunch/dinner at Chuy's afterwards and then back to Ryan's house for the evening where Addie and Evie helped me make hot cocoa and the kids played until bedtime. It was cold in Texas so Ryan lit the fire and I curled up in front of it and ended up falling asleep.

This is our Norman Rockwell setting, with the near-middle-age "children" on the floor at their mother's feet.

Saturday we went with Aimee to her office Christmas party since she had promised that her kids would be there and we didn't want to have to separate the cousins. Then we came back to the house and chilled. Sunday was time to leave and time for more Chuy's before we headed out. These kids did not want to leave each other.

In fact, Will and Addie walked with me, Evie, and Granna to the car and they climbed in, seat belted themselves and locked the doors so we couldn't leave without them.

Eventually Ryan had to haul his kids out and put them through the window of their car. It was hilarious.

Evie said the sweetest thing to Grandma while we were in Texas. She pointed to Grandma's watch and said, "Whenever that moves around and around, that means you love Grandaddy Mouse." My heart melted.

We also got Evie's Christmas pictures done this week: