Happy 2nd Birthday Olivia!

Well, I know I have been delinquent in posts...lots of big changes around here! I went back to work 6 weeks ago! An amazing job opportunity came my way at the hospice I was doing on call work for and it all worked out. I am the volunteer coordinator. I love what I do and its great to be working in an area I am so passionate about but not on the front lines like I have been in the past. I work 32 hours a week so I pick up Olivia around 3 every day. We found an amazing school called Martin School for Early Education. A husband and wife who are both teachers started a school in a Victorian house (they don't live there) it is just for the school. They are so amazing with he kids and have a wonderful structure of learning and play time. before I committed to work we had to see if there was a place we trusted to care for Olivia. Olivia loves going there! She is excited to go every morning and has improved her language and behavior so much there. They have about 15 kids, 3 teachers at all times and they take ages 2-5 and they are all together in class so the younger ones learn from the older ones and the older kids nurture and lead the younger. It is a really special place that I feel so good about. We feel it is best for Olivia to have this in her life at this time. She needs a lot of challenge, independence and socialization. SO that means life has been busy for us. Its all good changes though. I love going to work each day, it really has helped me find a little more contentment in Denver. I am sure in another 6-12 months more things will change, we are finding that it never seems to stay the same for long...

This past weekend we celebrated Olivia's 2nd birthday. We spent Friday evening with her opening the presents from us and her grandparents (and boy were there a lot!) We took her to McDonalds for dinner because a Mcnugget Happy Meal is one of her favorite things to eat. On Sunday we had a party at the park with the friends we have made in Denver so far. Its a really nice group of people and we all have little girls which is fun. Olivia also made today even more memorable, not only because of her party but she used the potty for the first time today!!!

We love you so much Olivia Jewel. You are our light, love, laughter and joy. You are so full of life and you are so adventurous. You also have a fierce independence but not so much so that you don't want us around. We are amazed at how strong minded you are, yet obedient. This will be one of your greatest strengths in life. You will always be able to think for yourself and be a leader, not a follower. You love animals, baby dolls and play-doh!I love that you call me Mama and that every night you say nigh-nigh Dah-ee and nigh-nigh Mama. They are my favorite words. You still like to sleep in, much of the time and you always wake up so happy. You can be dramatic but only at times. You are lovable and funny and I love that you still like to cuddle. We love you more than we could ever possibly describe and we would do anything for you. There is nothing you could EVER do that would change our love for you. Happy 2nd birthday our sweet angel...
Love, Mom and Dad

Summer is winding down...

There haven't been many posts this summer and for good reason, our family computer is kept up in our loft area that overlooks our living room. In the summer the loft heats up to sauna like temperatures. We have our laptop on the main floor but we don't keep any pictures on it. So when I want to do a post I have to sit in temperatures that are easily 90-100 degrees. Whew! But it starting to cool (slightly). Our summer went pretty fast, due in part to our 17 day vacation! We met up with my side of the family in Myrtle Beach for a week long visit. We then met drove up to MI and spent the week with the Fowler side of the family and at the end of the week celebrated as Drake's brother Field married the beautiful Jenni.

Our beach trip was so much fun and Olivia loved the ocean and the kiddie pool. I didn't get many pics from that week because I was usually soaking wet and sandy and was too afraid to pull out the camera. I got a few though...






Our trip to MI was so much fun and it was great to spend time with so much family. Olivia had the spotlight on her the whole week and loved it. She was a flower girl in Field and Jenni's Black and White wedding and did about as well as a 21 month old could do. Luckily they had 2 flower girls and Hannah (the other flower girl) was 5 and more able to handle the responsibilities of being a flower girl. Olivia did great at the dress rehearsal. The wedding started an hour before bedtime, was outside at a park-the place she is normally allowed to run free in, and was at the end of a long 2 weeks. The ingredients weren't there for a stellar performanse, but she had everyone smiling and laughing as she threw her flowers down before walking down the aisle and ate M&M's the whole way. She ran around the park for the ceremony but I corraled her to walk back down at the end which she did. She fell every 3 steps the whole way back because there was now a cloth runner down, meanwhile carrying two large sticks that people were afraid she would poke her eyes out with. It was all completely adorable and so Olivia and we were very proud of her. I have almost no pics from that day or the rehearsal because I was darn busy managing my busy little bee. Its sad too because we were all dressed up so nicely. Although Olivia is still not too interseted in smiling for the camera. But I am hoping for family to send some half decent pics. It was a great time away and we really enjoyed being together as a family and having time with all of the people we love so much. Now we just have to pay for this whole trip....

Papa's Visit!!!

We were so lucky to have Papa come and visit this past weekend. Drakes' Dad spent 5 days with us and we had so much fun. We wish that her Nana and Aunt Isabella could have come to but it just wasn't possible this time...hopefully next time Papa can sneak them into his suitcase:) Olivia loved having him here, he was always available to read to her, carry her, and get her treats like ice cream! She can actually say Papa, which is pretty cool. She doesn't know how to say anyone else's name other than Daddy, Mum, and Hayla (alla), so that was great that she could say Papa. We had to take a trip to the zoo because Olivia is so much fun when she is looking at animals. She laughs, giggles, babbles and points at everything. We also went to some parks, the petting farm, Mt Evans and took a trip on the light rail to downtown for dinner one night. The trip to mt Evans left Papa and me a little queasy-the air is really thin at 14,000 ft in elevation. Drake was fine though, he actually rode his bike up Mt. Evans the weekend before! Thank you for making the effort to come all the way out here and visit us Papa and thanks for parting with him for a few days Nana and Aunt Isabella- We love you!

Our trip to the Zoo!




Olivia is smiling and saying cheese but she couldn't bring herself to stop looking at the bears



The petting farm


Up on Mt. Evans- Over 14,000 ft in elevation!



Our trip downtown...yes Olivia's sunglasses are on upside down- for some reason she prefers them that way.



Sharing some corn on the cob with Papa-wearing the bathing suit he brought for her


This is often what Olivia looks like when she "smiles" and says "cheese" for the camera



Reading!... I think this was Papa and Olivia's favorite thing to do!

Lots of Fun Things!

This will be another big post. We couldn't find our camera for a week so I couldn't upload any pictures until I found it. We had pictures of a lot of fun things that we have been doing. We took another trip to the Zoo with Olivia. It just never gets old. She loves the animals so much it is like a new experience every time.




Another fun thing is that I gave been trying to take Liv to some new parks. We go to our local park nearly every day, it is only a few blocks away. However, it does get a little boring (more for me than Liv) so I have been taking her to some new places. This park was great because it had a few playground areas and then it had a petting farm and a train raide around the whole park. It was only $1 for the train and $1 for the petting farm-what a deal! So we had a good time and Liv loved being up close and personal to the animals. I have to say I always felt a little bad for the animals at the zoo (not being in the wild) but these petting farm animals have it much worse. They get followe around by masses of little kids and cornered against the fences but they are very gentle. They do get unlimited amounts of hay so they seem to be kept happy with that. Olivia just kept laughing an dgiggling the whole time. She was in heaven! We will definately have ot take her back.






Our other big adventure was when we went to Breckenridge for the day. We went to pick up my birthday present from Drake- A new Bike!!! He found a great deal on ebay so we drove there to get it and to see the town. It was really cold because of the higher elevation but it was fun. We just walked around the town and grabbed some lunch. It is a really cool town and we would like to go back and explore some more.





This is how Olivia says "cheese" for the camera now she always closes her eyes...


Isn't my bike great? I wonder when Olivia will let me ride it...