Monies

Olivia has a small obsession with money or as she calls it 'monies'! She went through a phase where she actually came up to us and asked for money, but if you gave her paper money she would give it back and ask for monies because she didn't see the correlation between change and paper currency. Ha ha that made me laugh, I'll take that $20 if she wants a quarter! She will also sit and empty her piggy banks just to fill them up again.

A little over a month ago she showed interest in wanting to help feed Oakley. She wanted to do it "all by myself!" so we let her put Oakley's food in his bowl. The next day when she saw his bowl was empty she proudly told us that he needed more food. This little habit is a good one and a great way to teach her the concept of money. So Ben offered to pay her $.25 each day to feed Oakley. She jumped all over that and now takes her little job very seriously. Except that she wants to overfill his bowl and feed him 10 times a day.

Head Meet Wall

 After the pain I endured for 28 hours of labor I thought the pain part was over. Except that it isn't, it's as if this little girl is still a very physical part of me. We had dinner at my grandparent's house on Sunday night. Olivia got so excited when Aunt Jamie walked in the door and as she turned around to walk back into the house she walked head first into the corner of the wall. Luckily for me I didn't see it happen, nope I just heard the loudest smack ever and then Olivia screaming hysterically. Of course I picked her up and tried to console her, meanwhile I couldn't see her face.

I took her into the other room to sit her with Ben so we could get some ice on her poor head. As I was sitting her in Ben's lap, that's when I saw it. A huge knot with a bright blue line right down the center of it. I freaked out, My mom had to take me into the other room so that I wouldn't upset her more. As many times as Olivia has hit her head, nose, and face, I think this was the worst. 

I am pretty good when it's not a bad accident, I can tell her to brush it off. When it comes to giant knots on her head, I am not so good at that. It hurts and not just her, I can feel it to. I cried this time, I felt like I could hardly breath in and her crying so hard made it hurt more. Just because we cut the umbilical cord doesn't mean we are separated, no she is made from us part him and part me. 

I made her and I know that I can not just put her in a bubble (even though I think now that Bubble Boys Parent's were genius) for the rest of her life, there are going to be many more bumps and bruises in the future. I will probably cry more because I am never going to be the mom who can separate her kids pain from their own. I have come to the conclusion that I will not be the first responder, but I will be there with hugs, kisses, and band aids!

10 minutes later Olivia was doing much better, Aunt Jamie asked her if she wanted to look in a mirror, so she did. She cried when she saw her head but only for a minute. Then it was off for the ultimate 'feel good' medicine, ICE CREAM, well we were at Mommom's after all. Not just ice cream but Hershey Kisses and M&M's, this kid is going to get hurt all the time if this is how she is treated afterwards.

Birthday & Barney

Sunday may have been Olivia's favroite day since her birthday back in May. We attended Brinkley's 2nd birthday party which was also a pool party and as if that isn't the mack daddy in Olivia's world there was also a special guest...BARNEY!

She was in heaven so I will let the pictures speak for themselves!

3 Years

Time really does fly! Another year has passed as Ben and I celebrate our 3rd anniversary. Happy Anniversary and I still look forward to the many many years we still have to make memories together.
                  

                    THEN                                                                                                    NOW

Chatting with Olivia

Ben and I often find ourselves looking at eachother over things that Olivia says. Many times we are trying very hard not to laugh but she just says the most hilarious things. I want to keep these little moments fresh so we can share them with her when she is older. So every few weeks I will post the funny things that she says, I will call it "Out of the Mouth's of Babes!".

Conversation #1:
Half way through our discussion about school:
Mommy: So Olivia what else did you do at school today?
Olivia: I'm looking out the window. I not listening.

Conversation #2:
Daddy: What does a cow do?
Olivia: Mooo
Daddy: What does Mommy do?
Olivia: Snore
(Really me snore? I think not.)

Conversation #3:
Olivia: While looking in the mirror "You (Mommy) have big boobies, I have little boobies.)

Conversation #4:
Daddy: Good Morning Olivia, you slept so good.
Olivia: I want to sleep more!

Conversation #5:
Mommy: You can talk like a Pirate today. Say "Aye Matey"
Olivia: That's so weird Mommy.

Potty Time

Another milestone has been met in our house, a big one folks. We have been working with Olivia on going potty in the big potty for awhile now. Mostly she just sits there and plays, sometimes you can get her to "try" to make pee pee. But while she was playing in the garage with Daddy she decided that she had to pee pee and wanted to do it on the potty. Now she does this a lot and we just sit there until she decideds she is ready for a diaper again. Nope not this time she sat on the toilet and pee she did!!!


Of course I had to get a picture of this momentus occasion.

Since this big moment she has been running around in her big girl panties and has only had one accident. Each time she has to use the potty she tells us.

For now we are keeping her in her pullups at night, in the car, and if we are out in public, she is usually dry in the morning but since she still sleeps in our bed (another story for another time), I don't want to take any chances. I will keep you updated on our progress.

A Tooth {Benjamin}

Friday August 31, 2013 there it was in its little pointy, sharp glory! A shiny white corner of a very first baby tooth. Benjamin is growing up way to fast and this little appearance is just cementing it.

Growing Up

Back in July when Olivia began school I dreaded taking her, because it would break my heart when I left her there. Just getting her ready was a fight and anytime she heard school she would say, "I don't want to go to school!" I would carry her inside and sign her in each morning. Then as we got a little closer to her door she would cling to me tighter and tighter until the tears started streaming down her little cheeks. I would tell her I loved her and how much fun she would have that day. I reminded her that Papa would pick her up in just a few hours as Ms. Amber reached to peel her from my arms.

The first few morning when I would be settled at my desk for the day, I reached for the phone and dialed her school. Each time Mrs. Elisa would asure me that she was fine and  she had only cried for a few minutes. When we asked her what she did at school she would say, "I cwied.".

Over the next few weeks getting ready for school became much easier and she would wake up smiling on days she was going. Ms. Amber gradually became her favorite person to see and the tears ceased. She started walking in all by herself, taking my car keys and locking the door behind us. She walks in holding my hand and lets herself in her room. It breaks my heart now but in a different way, my little baby girl is growing up.

Now she comes home and proudly shows us her artwork from that week. I have even made her a binder to keep all of her pieces in so one day we can sit down a long way from now and I can proudly show her what she did.

5 Month's {Benjamin}

No Dr. appointment this month so his stats are only what I have done myself. Next month we return for his well visit. But I did weigh him the other day and he was 17.5lbs! We love every little roll and wrinkle.

This month has been a busy one for us with the final summer travel and also with Benjamin. He went on his first flight, going to Boston and laying over in Baltimore (my hometown). Of course he was an angel, he ate on the way up, napped in Daddy's arms, and ate on the way down. He even played on the seat with Olivia while people were getting off and then back on the plane. He also took his first trolley ride, train ride, subway ride, and I am sure there were others.

He started with his solid food and has been loving it. He eats his rice cereal with passion, you can't get it in his mouth fast enough. He now gets it every morning for breakfast. We have begun with veggies, green beans were first and unless you covered them with rice cereal he hated them. Next up was squash and that went over much better. This week is carrots and he gobbled down the entire 2 oz container on his first try, I guess he kinda likes them. We can't wait to start the fruit in the next few weeks.


Food Coma...such a man!

 He is about to pop a tooth through any day as well. He is a drooling, chewing mess but I know when this kid has teeth he is going to eat me out of house and home. I am really going to have to keep the fridge stocked with ready to eat goodies. Thankfully Pinterest has great ideas for that!



Of course with all this eating he is growing, growing, growing all the way into 9 month PJ's, 3-6 month clothes, and his diapers are a 3. What? That is the same size diaper that Olivia is in. Wow!!!