17 Months

Dear Cope,

You were 17 months old yesterday! It is hard to think about the fact that you are almost a year and a half! Your mommy loves you so much. I have loved every day of having you as a son. In some ways you are just like your sister, in other ways you are the total opposite.

You still say very little {something I hope to address in depth with your pediatrician} but you are very verbal..we just can't understand you. I am just interested in what she has to say about this. It isn't like we don't interact enough..we read and sing basically all day long together. You, me and Simms have some trio going. You are such a funny boy, with a fun, quirky personality that makes almost everyone around you laugh. We still call you Bubby.

You still don't eat very much, although looking at you, no one would know that. I hear so many comments about how big you are. You are a great sleeper and napper. You rub your eyes just like your daddy when you are getting tired.

You have beautiful blond hair and gorgeous curls. I am nowhere near ready to cut your hair, despite what people say about you looking like a girl. You are fearless. Something I am having a hard time getting used to. Simms is very cautious. Like I said, you are the opposite. You dance and love anything with wheels.

You have had more cuts, scrapes, bruises and splinters than Simms ever has. You push, hit and pull Simms' hair. You prefer your daddy over mommy any day. You even push me away and turn your head if I try to take you from his arms. He loves it. I understand it. You are with me all day everyday.

Your time with daddy is special and something you look forward to. This is you at 17 months, Copeland Evans. A precious little boy that we love with all of our hearts.

**Memorial Day post coming soon**

4 Years of Bennett!

Four years ago this was me staring at the little bundle we immediately began calling, beautiful boy, which turned into BB and now is just B. I hardly left his side. Job? Oh, summer started early for me that year. Husband? I made him come back and forth to the hospital a lot, then Bennett's first night home, we all stayed at Sissy and Drew's. While Sissy was learning, I was practicing. And falling in love with that boy at the same time. For 5 months he was my world too, and then once Simms came along, he was no longer the baby receiving all my attention. But that bond had already been formed. A strong, special bond between me and Bennett. I like to think it is still there. What a special boy he is. So polite, loving, well-mannered and sensitive. Truly, a parent's dream child, and I can say that without feeling braggy, because he isn't my son.
And now, so grown up. Four years later. It is just crazy how fast 4 years have gone by. I consider us big buds!

Bennett had a great party Saturday. I may have mentioned before, but he is lucky enough to grow up on a family farm with tons of horses, miniature horses, fainting goats, exotic birds..really..they could charge admission and I promise people would pay. Not to mention just how beautiful it is out there. Well..he had a fun ole farm party. There were horse rides {big and small}, hay rides, goat chasing, pin the tail & a pinata. Tons of fun! Here is his party in pictures!

Happy 4th Birthday Little Farmer! We all love you so much!

Playing with Friends

The mamas got these 3 together yesterday afternoon for a playdate {not just for them, but for us too}

Mitchell

And my two

It is so fun living 30 seconds away from friends we love! Emilie had {of course} thought of everything for the kids and the mamas

TROUBLE

Emilie made cookies for Simms. Seriously. My homemade cookies would be out of a package. She mentioned molds, paint brushes and food coloring..All over my head..

Did I mention this playdate was for the mamas too?

Yes..I've been dying to try this..and it did not disappoint. Yummy. Now, the daddies were joining us real soon to grill out..we don't normally have cocktails while our kids play..but...this was a late afternoon playdate meant to flow into dinner..and that it did..steaks and shrimp on the grill..margarittas...it was a great evening! We enjoyed it Parhams!!

Mother's Day Weekend

I love being their mommy. I love that Simms still calls me mommy. I love that Cope is trying so hard to say it. I love having a little girl and a little boy. I am so grateful for the opportunity and just in awe of the fact that the Lord has always known that Dru and I would be mommy and daddy to these 2. I love that they don't care if the house is not spotless nor decorated to a "t". They just need a fun, loving and nurturing home and that is what I strive to give them. I don't love all of the moments of motherhood...but who does? But I do love the fact that this is my job..taking care of them..day in and day out. Each minute that passes can never be gotten back, so I cherish the good and the bad moments and I wouldn't be honest if I didn't say we have lots of bad moments..but we keep on going and I pray a lot along the way.

I know Mother's Day honors mothers, and not the children. But I think every mother is probably overcome with the love and emotion that they have for these children that have made them a mother. At least that is how I feel.
Our Mother's Day weekend began Friday at Simms' preschool program. She was so excited because Minnie and Gigi were there.


She was so excited that Lilla was coming too {her mommy and daddy are on a vacay in Costa Rica..yeah wish I was too}

She was also thrilled they were all joining her for lunch

She took Lilla on a little tour and showed her our new crib room at church

After her precious program and lunch, she headed on up to the lake with Gigi and Lilla. We joined them later that day. And this is what greeted us as we were making our way into Trillium..

It is just crazy that from our neck of the woods in Georgia all the way to Alabama this is still what we were seeing. Destruction from those relentless tornadoes.We were up bright and early Saturday for breakfast, playing on the beach then taking a boat ride to Catherine's for lunch.


The little girls dancing while they waited on the golf cart to take us up to Catherine's. They were really excited about that.



The 3 kiddos at lunch. I actually did have to tell a lady that they weren't all 3 mine {Cope turned around and was giving her husband a back rub so they obviously became very interested in our table}


They do wear the life jackets..I promise. Please don't turn us in to water patrol {and I'm sure my mom is going to start calling me as soon as she sees this}

Cope got his first chance to drive!

Simms and Lilla became very concerned at all of the damage. Ya'll wouldn't believe how this tornado has affected Simms. It is all she talks about. From stories she makes up about "her pink house" getting "damaged" to recounting some of the things she has actually seen.

There was so much devastation on the lake. This house just really got to me though.
And then it was back to the house for an afternoon of playin' and splashin' in the water and on that beach that Dru obsessively rakes hourly!

It was a great weekend. I was lucky enough to spend the weekend and Mother's Day morning with my sweet mother in law, who I am so blessed to have in my life, and the rest of the day with my own mama and grandmother, Meme and words can't explain the impact those 2 have had on who I am as Margaret and as a Mommy. Dru and I have such loving, wonderful examples of great mamas, grandmothers and aunts in our lives. We are blessed by all of these women. And I will leave you with a poem that I have just fallen in love with, and tear up every single time I see it with the images on the Disney Channel and my shirt that Simms gave me as a gift. I wore it proudly all day.

Mother's Song
a Traditional Lullaby
(read by Jennifer Garner)

My heart is like a fountain true
That flows and flows with love to you.
As chirps the lark unto the tree
...So chirps my pretty babe to me.

There's not a rose where'er I seek,
As comely as my baby's cheek.
There's not a comb of honey-bee,
So full of sweets as babe to me.

There's not a star that shines on high,
Is brighter than my baby's eye.
There's not a boat upon the sea,
Can dance as baby does to me.

No silk was ever spun so fine
As is the hair of baby mine.
My baby smells more sweet to me
Than smells in spring the elder tree.

A little fish swims in the well,
So in my heart does baby dwell.
A little flower blows on the tree,
My baby is the flower to me.

Ten thousand parks where deer do run,
Ten thousand roses in the sun,
Ten thousand pearls beneath the sea,
My babe more precious is to me