Olivia has really been interested in how we put on shoes, hats, clothes and recently found an interest in mommies unmentionables! I've got most of the photos posted under the "Seriously" tab, this week, but I just have to share her story. So our first experience, is that Olivia comes prancing into the kitchen Saturday morning with a pair of undies and a bra. She had desperately tried putting them on for nearly 20 minutes and was very happy and proud yelling, YEAAAAAAAh, once she accomplished getting the undies around her neck. Then, on Sunday, she found a Target bag full of mommies new purchases and proceeded to wear a few shirts and bra. Daddy thought it was so darn cute and we discovered that a boob-less bra is perfect for hauling extra toys around. It just might be time for us to buy some "little girl" dress-up items.   Last weekend, we survived the windstorms and twisters! I simply can't believe another year of Summer blasts missed our neighborhood. We have been very lucky not loosing power, trees or parts of our home! Both Rob and I really enjoy a good storm and relaxed in our porch with anticipation while the storm pounded and slapped our windows. It was interesting to see Olivia's reaction, which was NOTHING, during the event. We thought she'd be fearful of the noises but it didn't even seem to phase her. As we drove to grandma's house, Saturday, we were amazed at the amount of damage there was just a few miles from us. Uprooted trees, impressions fallen branches on to roofs and loss of power. I am continually impressed with the amount of kindness neighbors have for one another and I found it comical to see this sign in front of a badly damaged home/yard.   If you aren't already totally hooked, check out these lovely sites! zulily.com etsy.com  Last Friday, I took a sick day to bring miss O in to the dr. She was running a temp of over 103 for a while but it wasn't clear that she had any other symptoms. I knew that by taking her in I would need little expectation, but I just needed somome to tell me she was fine. I took her in and was given the typical "it's a virus" response. I pampered her by taking her out to lunch with our bff, Hillary, and a long afternoon of rest. Over the weekend, we spent the majority of our time in Monticello, Big Lake and Becker. First, we headed up Friday night to celebrate my dad's 55th birthday! We ran a little late; missed the big surprise and "Happy Birthday" but were still able to partake in the socializing and entertainment.   Saturday, we attended a wedding followed by Qdoba and Best Buy. We purchased Rob a fancy new GPS - LOVE IT! This was the gal's gift to daddy-o. After the anticipation and final decision making we traveled up to Big Lake to drop off miss O. My dad and his wife, Karen, agreed to babysit while Rob and I attended my class reunion. It was an incredibly fun evening, for me, but Rob may tell a different story. He did get hugged by a very random guy asking how he's been and that guy told Rob he was "AWESOME" ... I think that guy had enjoyed too many adult beverages! : ) We partied as long as we could and left with new numbers of old pals. I am really quite impressed with everyone, still, and am really glad we decided to go.  Sunday, Rob golfed 18 holes with my step brother and father at a local course and we finished off the day with root beer floats and much needed cousin time.
All in all, it was a great weekend and we were lucky Olivia was able to get better so quickly.  The newest word in livi's language is "baby". I love that she can blurt out such a wonderful word. She has a baby "Abby" whom she tightly squeezes and softly calls baby.
She has also learned to show her affection by blowing kisses to EVERYONE when they come or go from a room. If we even mention "good bye" she puckers her lips and blows a kiss. She has learned that flashing her cute little smile at everyone gets funny reactions. All the OOOs and AHHHs, impress her and I'll bet she is going to love getting attention. Her most impressive trick, this week, is to raise her sippy cup and say "cheers". She has become quite the little entertainer. With all that being said, she does have another side that seems to tag along... It is her '"scary" growl and not so amusing temper tantrums. She has quickly evolved into a toddler (only 22 days in). Today, I actually put her into her first time out. I heard her whining and ignored her for a bit. It continued and I went searching for her. To my amazement, she climbed up a little kids chair and even further, onto the kids table and was standing wondering how to get down. My instinct was to sit her down for a time out and interestingly, she knew exactly what was happening. She was very vocal and yelled her little baby obscenities at me but I stood my ground. She did stay seated, but was not happy. Obviously, she is learning to challenge us and as my doctor said, "This is just the beginning!" For my own sanity, I've been reading a few "Happy Toddler" books hoping to find some alternative methods. If you can recommend anything, please feel free to post a comment! : ) I am a little sad that she isn't a baby anymore but am so excited to see her developing into, what I think, the most lovely lady around. Our little lady has shown some early signs of being interested in the potty and because I am at home with her all day, every day, I've taken interest in her learning. She's been hiding from us each time she has the urge to go and takes it very personally if we follow her. That to me, shows a pretty clear understanding of what she is doing. Obviously, I am not expecting her to learn or master this anytime soon, but I have been impressed with her ability thus far. Check it out!!!  looks like grandma!     Success!  As most of these are, I am a little late on posting...
For the first Thursday of each month, there is a lovely group of ladies that take time from the busy lives we live for a little GIRL time. This last month was incredibly fantastic. We headed to the Walker for a fine dining experience and of course some adult beverages and fun gossip. Thanks ladies for another wonderful break! |     ArchivesSeptember 2012 "She's the one all the boys loved because she lit up the room, and she's the one all the girls hated for the very same reason."
" a smile confuses an approaching frown." |