Hiatus!

The Traveling Powells are currently in Bar Harbor, Maine... via Portland, North Carolina, and Philadelphia, and thus there has been a hiatus in our postings.  Here's a picture to tide you over.  This is Ev in Acadia National Park and behind her is the Atlantic Ocean.  

We can't believe she is 8.5 months old. Check out those cheeks- they're getting big, and are indicative of how our little baby is becoming a big-girl everyday!

We promise to post about our travels as soon as we are home!

Crawling! (for real this time)

I amended the title of the previous post, as I have finally captured Evelyn moving up on all fours this morning.
The army crawl is still used when speed and efficiency is in order: for instance, when "chasing" the dog.
Ev reserves the real crawling for leisurely playtime and for when she's feeling like getting a little balance-exercise in.
Without further adieu, I give you: "Miss Ev, masterful crawler."

army crawl

Ev gave us some bona fide crawling this evening for the very first time. (Mama appreciates that she waited until she was home, however daddy missed it!)
Of course, when I went to get my iPhone camera, all I could capture was her doing her army crawl that she's been doing for a couple of weeks. Which is adorable, in itself, but *not* the real crawling I was hoping to capture. Oh well.
Regardless, I realized you all had never seen the army crawl, despite us having numerous videos of it, so I thought I'd post it anyways. She always leads and pulls with her right arm... we're wondering if the handedness is revealing itself?

Fall in Nashville

Little Miss Ev is dressing a bit warmer these days. Here she is ready for cooler weather: orange smock top (thanks, Grandma Lucas), jeans, knitted hat (thanks, Jill) and hippopotamus Robeez.

After seeing this picture that Brendon took, I had one of those moments where I thought that our daughter surely is *the* cutest nearly 8 month old around. A notion I used to roll my eyes at before I was a mom. Today I am convinced there are none cuter than Miss Ev. :-)

Parenting follies

Parenting is a constant learning experience.
Example #1:
On our recent trip to Baltimore, we laid Ev down on the green blanket to the left of the orange blanket to go to sleep. We checked on her an hour later and she was where you see her now. Whoops. Time for some sort of traveling crib.

Example #2:

This morning, I was working on my computer while Ev was playing on the ground. I set my coffee cup down far out of reach. She's perfected the art of extreme scooting mixed with a couple of moves that one might recognize as crawling. She made her way over to my half full (but now cold) coffee cup and tipped it over towards her. I picked up the cup and set it yet again just out of her reach. She then dragged herself through the spilled coffee to get to said cup. Oye. Time to babyproof!

Visit to Baltimore and DC

We flew to Baltimore last weekend to see some of our Portland friends. Some now live in Baltimore and another couple flew up from Raleigh, NC and met us there. It was awesome.

I ran an inaugural 1/2 marathon with my running buddy from Portland (if I can brag, it was my 2nd fastest one yet! 2:01:55. Feeling really great about that since Evelyn's only 7.5 months old! WOOT!). The race started at George and Martha Washington's home in Mount Vernon, VA and we ran our 13.1 miles along the Potomac River, ending in sight of the Washington Monument in National Harbor, Maryland. The race was amazing. While running the race was a reason for the trip, we also took in some of the sights and sounds of DC. Having never been to the Northeast before (like really. never. anywhere.), Brendon and I really enjoyed touring the Washington Mall and taking the water taxis around Baltimore. We can't thank our friends enough for their hospitality. And we CANNOT wait to do it again! Here are some pics from the trip.

Awaiting the water taxi on the harbor in Baltimore

Fort McHenry, the birthplace of the National Anthem

O say can you see, by the dawns early light, a large red, white and blue banner? Whose broad stripes and bright stars . . . were so gallantly streaming! over the star-shaped Fort McHenry during the Battle of Baltimore, September 13-14, 1814. The valiant defense of the fort inspired Francis Scott Key to write The Star-Spangled Banner.

Ev and Abe.

Ev and the Washington Monument looming over the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

The Powells and the White House. Moments later we were hurriedly told to leave the immediate premises. We scurried away and a few minutes after that a very tall child came to play on the back lawn of the White House. We think it was one of the president's daughters but we can't say for certain.

The Powells and Abe

Verheins and Powells have done Mexico, so why not DC too??

Ev "swims" for the first time! She loved it!

The whole gang right before our pre-race dinner.

We stayed here in National Harbor.

V looking strong at mile 11.5ish!

Me attempting to look strong at 11.5. Little did we both know that there was large hill around the corner from this pic! Boooo!

We crossed this- the Woodrow Wilson Bridge over the Potomac!

Whew! Race is over! Time for pics with a parrot!

We were exhausted from our journey. Ev and B took a little nap on the way home.

Fun with jumping.

Evelyn Anne, future yoga instructor.

You'll note the plank pose as well as some semblance of downward facing dog!

7 months!

Evelyn is 7 months on September 8th! We can't believe it!

Happy 7 months, Miss Ma'am!

Green beans.

Mashed up some green beans for Ev.
We have the rice cereal down-pat, but she's a little unsure of this latest development.