We're Leaving On a Jet Plane...

Just a quick post to let you know that Olivia and I leave for Arkansas tomorrow morning. We fly out at 8:30am, have a layover in Atlanta for 2 hours, and arrive in Memphis at 1:45 tomorrow afternoon. I'll update when we return. We are excited to see everyone!!!

A Picture Update

I just wanted to post some pictures of the fun that Olivia has had over the past couple of weeks.

When you ask her how old she is, she holds up one finger:

Such a big girl:

She is obsessed with the dog leashes. She tries to put them on the dogs, and then she tries to put them on herself and ends up all tangled up:

She LOVES laying her head on a pillow and saying, "Night, Night":

She likes opening the drawer of our coffee table, taking everything out, and climbing in:


She got her first haircut today. I took a couple of pictures, but they are on my other camera. I'll post them when I can.

I hope you're all having a great weekend. Happy Memorial Day!

12 Months Old

Olivia is 1! We had her 12 month check-up today and she is 30 inches long (80%) and 22 lbs 8 oz (75%). Dr. Egues said that everything looks great! Unfortunately, she had to get some shots that she wasn't happy about. Thankfully, she only cried for a minute.

So, what is Olivia up to at her 1-year mark?

- She is still wearing size 6-12 month or 12 month clothing.
- She is in a size 4 diaper.
- She is VERY active! She doesn't want to be held, except when she is drinking her milk before bed and we are reading.
- She is a great sleeper! In fact, her naps are even good now. She sleeps from 7:30pm-6:30am. She has a morning nap from 9-11 and an afternoon nap from about 2-4.
- She is walking all of the time now. If she wants to get somewhere really quick, she will still crawl, or when she falls on her way to something, she crawls the rest of the way. But, she always starts out walking.
- She "talks" ALL day.
- She loves to say, "night night" and lay her head on a pillow.
- She now says: momma, dadda, duck, dog, cat, night-night, cup, clap.
- She can tell you what sounds the following animals make: monkey, tiger, bee, elephant, sheep, snake.
- She no longer has formula. She is drinking whole milk now.
- She's still a really good eater, and will eat pretty much whatever we eat. Her favorites right now are strawberries, cheese, kiwi, meatballs, and hummus. (Yes, I know that there are no vegetables on that list. She will eat her veggies, but they definitely aren't her favorites! Ha!)
- She LOVES to give kisses (and I love it too!) :)
- She has started being silly, by putting bowls on her head, tickling me, etc.
- She likes to give "big hugs".
- She puts her hands on her cheeks when we say "uh-oh".
- She shrugs her shoulders and puts both hands palms up when we say, "What is it?"
- She stretches out her arms when I say, "How much do you love ma-ma?"

She is still so happy all of the time! She wakes up with a smile on her face and goes to bed still smiling.

Happy 1st Birthday, Olivia!

Dear Olivia,

Happy 1st Birthday!!! I can't believe it's been an entire year since you came into the world. I am so thankful that God chose me to be your mommy. You have brought more joy to my life over this past year than I ever imagined possible. From the beginning, you have been the best (and easiest) baby. I couldn't have asked for a better child. You make me start and end every day with a smile. Your big eyes light up the room, and your little laugh is so contagious. I have had so much fun with you this year, watching you play and learn. You have come so far, and I am so very proud of you! You truly give life a whole new meaning. Happy Birthday little girl- Mommy loves you so so so much!!!!

xoxo,
Mommy

Cake Smash

We had part of Olivia's one year pictures taken yesterday. We did a cake smash session. As much as everyone in my family (me included) loves cake, I thought surely Olivia would too. I think I was wrong...



Not only did she not like the cake, she was TERRIFIED of it!! She screamed every time I put her near it, and hung on to me for dear life. There was nothing I could do to calm her down. Needless to say, the photoshoot didn't go as planned. Hopefully, she'll look back on these and laugh some day!

We are doing the rest of her pictures outside this coming weekend. Hopefully they will go a little better... :)

It's (Almost) Summertime!

Yesterday, we had summer-like weather, and we took advantage of it. It was Emmett's 1st birthday (the little boy that lives above us), so we had a mini-party in the backyard. Since it was over 80 degrees, the kids wore their swimsuits and we set up the sprinkler for the older kids, a slide for the younger ones, and had pizza and popsicles for everyone.

Olivia and the Birthday Boy:


It was so nice to have warm weather and be outside.

Unfortunately, it is storming today and will be cooling back off to the 60s by the weekend, so we will have to put away the swimsuit for a while!

Mother's Day 2011

First of all, I'd like to wish my mom and mother-in-law a very Happy Mother's Day. To my mom: Thank you so much for all that you have done for me. You have always been a perfect example of a mother's love, and I appreciate that even more now. I love you! And, to my mother-in-law: Thank you for raising the man I fell in love with. He is more than I could have ever dreamed of, and I'll always be thankful to you for that. I love you!


I have had a wonderful first Mother's Day. Jon got up with Olivia this morning (which is the best gift ever!). They went and got coffee for me, and let me sleep in a little. (Is it bad that sleeping until 8 is considered sleeping in?) After Olivia's nap, we went to a wonderful Mother's Day brunch at Chief O'Neills. The older ladies at the tables around us all complimented us on Olivia- both her cuteness and her behavior. After brunch, we came home and took the dogs for a walk. Afterwards, we went out into the backyard, where Olivia walked in the grass a little bit for the first time. She didn't mind sitting in the grass or walking, but she did NOT like for her hands to touch the grass. She wouldn't even crawl in it! After playing outside for a little while and taking some pictures, we came back in and everyone took a nap. It was a perfect day! The flowers, cards, and gifts all added to the enjoyment.



I feel so blessed to be celebrating Mother's Day this year. I love everything about being a mom to Olivia. She is the sweetest, most lovable little girl. She wakes up pointing at everything and asking, "Tat?" (What's that?) She smiles and laughs all day. She even goes to bed talking and playing. I never imagined that I could love a little person as much as I love her. She has completely stolen my heart, and I wouldn't have it any other way. (Oh- and I'm quite fond of her daddy too!) :)


I hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day!

Last Week in Review

Last week was another busy one for us. On Monday, we met some new friends at the coffee shop playspace. Olivia was the youngest, but not by much and she still had fun. Tuesday was our weekly Wiggleworms class. Olivia enjoyed herself much more this week. When the class starts, we all sit in a circle on the floor. The teacher also sits in the floor with her guitar. The kids usually sit in their mothers' laps for at least the first couple of songs. Well, this week, Olivia crawled right up to the teacher when she started. I thought she was going for the guitar, so I got up to get her. Before I got there, though, she stopped. She sat about a foot in front of the teacher and stayed there for at least a couple of songs. She just sat and danced to the songs. It was pretty cute! And, everyone in the class got a kick out of it. I guess she already likes being the center of attention! Ha!

On Wednesday, we went to our regular playgroup, and then met some friends at a playground in the afternoon. We went upstairs Thursday and played with the boys that live above us for a little while.

The highlight of our week was Friday. We spent a good portion of the day at the zoo with some new friends. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect day weatherwise. Olivia really liked looking at the animals and was worn out by the end! (I took some pictures with my little camera, but I can't find the cord... I'll update when I find it).


She LOVES looking at herself in the mirror. I didn't capture it very well here, but she races towards the mirror and gives herself big, slobbery kisses everytime. Then, she just giggles!


Looking at a book:

First Wiggleworms Class, First Dental Appointment

We had a busy week last week! On Tuesday, Olivia had her first Wiggleworms class. It is a class for 12-24 month olds held at the Old Town School of Folk Music. Olivia is the youngest one in the class, but she had a lot of fun. She loves music and dancing, so it was a perfect fit! (Unfortunately, I didn't take my camera, so I don't have any pictures to share. I'll try to remember this week.)

Wednesday was our regular playgroup in the morning and Olivia's first dental appointment in the afternoon. Dr. Yum (yes, that's her real name) was so nice. She was very gentle with Olivia and explained what we needed to be doing in regards to her oral care. She was impressed with Olivia already being off the bottle, as well as not using pacifiers. Her exact words were, "She's advanced". But, we already knew that, right?!? Ha!

Waiting for the dentist:

On Friday, we met some new friends, Kara and her daughter Annie, at a bookstore for storytime. Annie is just a couple of months older than Olivia. They seemed to enjoy the books, and they both did well at the coffee shop afterwards. It was a good time, and we are looking forward to meeting up with them again!

The weather has been so nice the past couple of days, so we have spent the majority of our time outside. We have taken several walks this weekend, and we were even able to have lunch outside today. Fingers crossed that spring is finally here to stay!



These are a couple of my favorite pictures from this week. I don't know if I've mentioned, but Olivia is OBSESSED with Phoebs' dog bed. As soon as she thinks I'm not looking, she crawls over to it and buries her head in it (on the rare occasion I don't get to her in time). It is so gross to me! But, after she buries her head in the bed, this is how she looks at me... I end up laughing every time!





We have another busy week coming up, so I'll be sure to update soon. I hope you all have a great week!