Two Years of Magic (and Sass)

My oldest daughter, Evie, turns two this week.

Two years of chaos, cuddles, and constant snack demands. Two years of belly laughs, boss baby energy, sass, and managing a rotating collection of pacifiers like a tiny, high-powered executive. 🍼💼

And this year, we’re celebrating with a little extra sparkle.

Bubble Day at the Gardens

We kicked off the weekend with Oma arriving early from Kansas City. After a round of morning snuggles (and a few cartoons), we met up with Gramma and headed to the MSU 4-H Children’s Gardens for Bubble Day—and oh my stars, it was adorable.

Tucked away like a hidden spellbook on campus, the gardens were full of little wonders: winding paths, colorful art, a tranquil pond, and even a “secret garden” that made the whole place feel enchanted. Bubble stations were scattered throughout, and Evie was living for it. But nothing compared to the moment she spotted the train—her newest obsession. Choo choo! 🚂💚

It all played out like a montage: bubbles bursting like applause, her laughter rising on cue.

Dinosaurs & Splash Spells

At Impression 5, Evie proudly introduced Oma to her dinosaur friends—calm, curious, completely in her element. Then we wandered into the water room, where a “quick round” turned into a full splash spell.

In the toddler room, Ellie tried to kiss a boy like she was under some kind of love potion.

We ended in the bubble room, where we made giant, shimmering orbs and even surrounded Evie in one—just for a moment, it felt like time froze inside a glimmering dome. A special effect only childhood can pull off. Smoothies on the way home sealed the day like a sweet post-credit scene.

A Storm Over Traverse City

Bright and early Friday morning, we headed up north through winding roads. To pine-scented peace and a little family enchantment.

We checked into the Great Wolf Lodge and made a beeline for the water park. Oma splurged on a cabana (bless her), and I rocked a two-piece for the first time since childhood. Nervous? Yes. Alive and thriving? Also, yes.

But the next day, the skies opened up and rewrote the script. ⛈️

We made one last magical stop in Fishtown for sandwiches from the Village Cheese Shanty (no pretzel bread, but still worth it), then grabbed cherries from The Pit Stop in Mesick on the way home. 🍒😋

A Princess Brunch Fit for a Spell

Cinderella’s Royal Luncheon at the English Inn felt like stepping through a storybook portal. Glittering centerpieces, twelve rotating princesses, and wide-eyed littles swept into their fairytale roles. 👑💫

Fruit punch flowed, brunch was dainty and charming, and the real magic was in the moments—Evie offering Moana her beloved Hei Hei, Ellie lighting up for Rapunzel, and every child stepping into the spotlight for a turn.

Big thanks to Olivia Grace & Company for conjuring a morning that felt equal parts stage play and spell work.

The Name I Carried Before Her

While we’re in full birthday mode, I want to tell you how Evie got her name—because it wasn’t just something we liked. It was something I carried for over a decade, long before I ever met her.

I was nineteen when I met the little girl who changed my mind about motherhood.

An acquaintance from the local music scene was hosting William Beckett—yes, that William Beckett (from The Academy Is…)—who was doing a living room tour. He brought his family, including his daughter, a sweet, silly, confident little girl named Evie. She bounced through the crowd telling knock-knock jokes to strangers like she’d been born for the role. And something in me cracked open.

Genevieve

That night, I went home and looked up what “Evie” was short for. Genevieve.

From that point on, I knew: if I ever had a daughter, her name would be Genevieve. And I would call her Evie.

She stepped out of possibility and into the frame that night—not just an idea, but a character already written into my script, waiting for her cue. Through every version of me—college, heartbreak, loss, healing—I held onto that tiny hope like a locket in my pocket. 🔮

Becoming Her

Everything I did was, in some small way, preparing me for her.

And now… she’s here. Loud and proud. Smart and sweet. Already her own little person.

The name that once belonged to someone else’s daughter now belongs to the girl who made me a mother. 🌿

She’s Evie.
She always was.
A name once borrowed, now an incantation all my own.

Lyrics written by me, plugged into Soniva, and protected under copyright. Please do not copy, reproduce, or distribute without permission. 🎶🖤