Pretty Princess

Lately,Olivia is starting to get into dress up a little more. She is still somewhat tentative about it. She used to never want to play dress up but she is starting to explore it a little more. Her Aunt Angela sent her cousin Tatum's old clothes and in there was one of her old dress up outfits. Liv also got a few things for her birthday from her friend Scout. So the other night I started dressing Elmo up in some of her things and she immediately wanted in on the action. She wore her princess clothes and carried Elmo around for quite awhile. She is not much of a ham for the camera (more so for people) so the pics are so-so, but she and Elmo did look good!

Celebrating Fall!

We had a great weekend celebrating Fall. On Saturday Olivia and I made Halloween cookies, while Drake went to a bike expo for the morning. Things are just getting even more fun with Olivia. She really gets into projects now that she can pay attention for longer than a few minutes. She also can do a lot more now. She helped make the dough(mixing in flour, eggs, etc.) and roll it out. She was best at doing the cutouts and putting them on the cookie sheets. Then she would carry a little tray and I would carry a big one to the oven. I would put them in, while she would say "its HOT!" She especially loved the flour, sprinkling it on the table and the cookies. At one point I took a batch to the oven and mistakenly left the lid off the flour, I came back to a huge mess on the table, but thats part of the fun for her. So after they were cooked and she was stripped down to a diaper because her other clothes were covered in flour, we decorated them. I would put on the icing and she did the sprinkles. Again, a huge mess but nothing the vaccum couldn't handle. We brought cookies to nieghbors and friends and ate a few ourselves. Olivia actually ate 3 cookies while we were baking and never had lunch,I flet like a bad mom but I guess once in a while won't hurt.
On Sunday, since we usually go to church in the evening now, we went to the farmers market down the street from our house. We dressed up Hayla in her costume since they were having a dog costume contest. We picked out a couple of pumpkins to bring home and stopped for a coffee at the coffee shop. It was lightly snowing the whole time, it was a lovely morning! Olivia also found some time to unwind before nap and spent some time coloring, which she has really been enjoying lately. Coloring and play-doh are so fun with her. She will sit for an hour or more with someone doing play-doh and coloring. Its always good quality time. I continually feel blessed to have a beautiful family and a beautiful life.

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....