We Have Success!

I hope this isn't a  totally gross thing to post about...  BUT, I'm so excited!  Olivia will usually tell Brad or I when she has pooped so we can change her diaper.  Well, today she came up to me and said, "Uh oh, poo poo", and pointed to her diaper.  I couldn't smell anything yet, so I asked her if she had already gone.  She said, "No, poo poo."  So, I checked her diaper, and sure enough, no...ah... 'deposits' yet.  So, I took off her pants and diaper and took her into the bathroom, set her on the toilet and let her do her business.  Sure enough!  She left her 'deposit' in the toilet!  I told her how great she was and what a big girl she is as I was putting on a new diaper.  (The other one was wet.)  She just kept saying, "Yea, I know..."  After her nap, she walked right into the bathroom, looked in the toilet and said, "poo poo".   Gosh, do you think it's time for me to start potty training her?  Definitely sounds like she's ready.

Goal!!!

Today my amazing husband took me to a Real Salt Lake Soccer game. He got 4 tickets to the Media One Suite. They brought in Famous Dave's to cater lunch for us. We invited our friends Mat and Jana to come along. Real played Chicago Fire. (As a firefighter, it was hard to decided who to cheer for.) But, no fear... they decided to tie the game 1-1 so I didn't have to choose. Here's some pics of our fun afternoon. Thanks for a great time Babe! Isn't he fantastic?!

The joys of a box

It's amazing the joys a kid can find in a simple box.  Who needs to buy expensive toys when you can just put a cardboard box in front of your kid.  Olivia has played in this box for a couple of days and loved every minute.

Saturday fun...

I love being home on Saturdays.  Brad is home, and we get to spend the whole day together. Usually we spend the morning cleaning and such, but then the time is all ours.  Today was one of those days.  As we were playing around, Olivia started being really goofy.  This is one of her goofy moments.  

Yes, she has TWO binkis in her mouth!  I tell ya!  This kid is more attached to her binki then ever before.  I don't know if it's the move, or from when she had influenza and got so sick and miserable, or if she just knows that I want to be done with them... but she won't let them out of her sight!

Yummy!

I love to bake... I can't say that I'm much of a cook... But when it comes to baking, I love to do it.  This week I made banana bread for Brad and Olivia, then thought I'd make something for me.  I found this recipe on a friend's blog, (Thanks Jen) and have been dying to try it ever since.  It was delicious!  Yummy Cinnamon bread.  One of my new favorites.

More on the Toddler bed...

OK, as an addendum to the last post...  I need help and prayers.  I know I said Olivia liked the bed, introduced all her "Phoof phoofs" and everything... but apparently that only was the case for daylight hours.  Once it came time to put her down, she didn't like it anymore.  Brad put her to bed, tucked her in, kissed her goodnight, and then walked out, making sure to close her door.  As soon as he walked into our room, I heard her hit her door and start yelling "Dada, Dada!" followed by her crying.  So, this time we both went in, tucked her back in, told her she is a big girl now, (which was followed by a bunch of "No's" from her and lots of tears.)  The only way to get her to stay was to have Brad lay next to her until she fell asleep.  So, from all you previously experienced parents out there... Any advice?  She's never had much of a problem going to bed.  Is this the start of it all?  What do we 'inexperienced with Toddlers' parents do?

Olivia is Growing Up...

Ok... I know Olivia is going to be 2 next week, but it's still hard to figure out where my baby is and where all the time went!  Today I feel like she REALLY grew a lot!  I went and got Olivia a new toddler bed as an early birthday present.  She LOVES it.  She immediately crawled up on and decided to just lay there for a while.  She introduced all her 'puppies' or more affectionately "phoof phoofs" to their new sleeping quarters.  Now the test will be to see if I like it just as much tomorrow morning when she's not trapped in her crib waiting for me to come get her out...  Wish me luck!

Are you Kidding Me?!!!

I can't believe it!  I really can't!  I'm so ready to be done with all this garbage!  I feel totally betrayed!  I've been enjoying the company of a long lost friend for a few days, and then I get left!  I'm trying to figure out who I could file a lawsuit with!  Anyone got any advice?  Know a good lawyer? Here's what happened.....  

                                                         

 

I woke up this morning to find that my good friend, "Spring and warm weather" have utterly disappeared!  Left me!  I've been abandoned!  And in their wake... They leave THIS!  I've had enough with the snow!  Anyone know where I can find my spring again?  If you see her anywhere, send her back to see me please!  I'm begging here people!  Thanks for your cooperation!

Easter Cuteness!

This is Olivia's Easter dress. I had to work on Sunday, so I left the job up to Brad to get her looking adorable. I think he did pretty good. She loves showing her dress to everyone that comes to the house, so I'm glad she finally got to wear it. I hope everyone had a great Easter Sunday.

Happy Easter!

Brad and I have a tradition in our families that we do Easter baskets on Saturday, and keep Sunday special and sacred to remember Jesus.   So, I got off work this morning, came home, and helped the "Easter Bunny" find a good spot to hide Olivia's basket.  She had so much fun looking under chairs, behind pillows, under the desk, and all over the place before she found her basket. She received a pretty good stash this year.  She got some BIG Sesame Street Flash cards with the alphabet on them, Wallace and Gromit's, "The Curse of the Were-Rabbit", or "phoof-phoof" as she calls it..., "101 Dalmatians", (more phoof-phoof) and some plastic eggs with Elmo, Ernie, The Cookie Monster, and Super Grover inside.  She was so excited!

My parents came down to spend part of the day with her also.  She's been so excited to show Grandma and Papa her new house.  She took them on the grand tour!  She kept saying "C'mon Papa! C'mon!"  She has so much fun playing with them.  Papa and I went out in the yard and hid a bunch of plastic eggs, then we took Olivia out to let her have her very own Easter Egg hunt. She would get so excited every time she found another egg!  It's so much fun to watch her grow up and to realize how much she "gets" and understands.  I'm so grateful that my parents were able to come spend the day with Olivia and us.  We really enjoyed having them over!  Thanks Mom and Dad!  We love you!

Let's Party!

Olivia and I had lots of visitors today.  Jill and Marianne came by and brought some of their kids. They wanted to check out our new digs...  While they were here, Sara and Derek dropped in also. I'm sure glad we have a big enough place to hold everyone.  It was really fun to have everyone drop by.  Little Olivia woke up from her nap in the middle of the bustle, and was pretty shy to start off with.  After a while however, she decided it was ok to play with her cousins as long as I was in eyesight.  I wish I had thought to get out the camera while Jill and everyone was here. (Sorry guys...)  But, I repented and grabbed some pictures of Olivia with Amanie and Harlie. Here's a few of my favorites.  Amanie and Harlie are three, and a complete riot.

We're making progress...

Well, we've been in our place for almost a month now, and I have so much still to do.  I want to get my pictures hung up downstairs, and make it look like we live down there too...  But, one of the first things on my agenda was to get Olivia's room done.  I accomplished that today.  I finally have her curtains and her special quilt hung up in her room.  She's so funny.  When Brad put her down for a nap today, she pointed to the quilt and said, "Iretuck, iretuck..."  (Very obviously a gifted child, right?)  She also points to a sign with her name on it that her Aunt Jaydale made her and starts spelling.  Now, she doesn't get it right, but she'll say things like, "A, O, A, E, O, E, O" and be pretty proud of herself when she's done!

Little Miss Olivia

I just wanted to share this adorable picture with all of you!  I love this little girl!  She's my world. (Even when she's having a rough day, and I'm having a rough day... and we get on each other's nerves.)  All she has to do is get right in front of my camera and say "Cheese"... and it makes it all better.  Besides, how does ANYONE resist a face like this?

I took Olivia to the park today.  We had a great time.  Except for this new thing she's doing... She'll pat her leg, and make kissing noises and say, "Come on Mama, c'mon mama..."  I've decided I'm not going to respond when she does that, and make sure I tell her I'm not her pet. But in the meantime, it is SO HARD not to laugh.  There was a friend at the park today while we were there, and she saw Olivia do this to me.  She thought it was pretty funny too.  Poor Olivia just looks at me like, "Well, are you coming or not Mama?"  I'm pretty sure it would all be fixed if I just let her have a puppy, but I'm so allergic to them that I don't think I'd live through it.

Clothes Hound....

I am so grateful that I have a daughter that can totally entertain herself when I need her to.  Like when I'm trying to do dishes, clean, cat nap, or get lost internet surfing...  Well, today I was checking the Bank account, reading my email, and looking around at some different blogs when I noticed Olivia got tired of talking to me.  She shrugged her shoulders, walked into her room, and came back with armfuls of her clothes.  She repeatedly did this until all her clothes from the drawer she can reach are sitting on my dining room floor.  She then proceeded to sit down, pile them all on her and try on every piece.  She's perfectly content and has even been dancing to the music I have playing in the background.  (Go Garth Brooks...)  She is a great kid!  I'm so glad she's around.

Olivia and Costco...

Yesterday Olivia and I went shopping at Costco.  That is absolutely her favorite place!  She is totally enthralled with everything around her as we are shopping.  She also WILL NOT let me pass a tasting table without getting her a sample of whatever they've got.  Yesterday I tried to avoid just such a table, but the nice lady hollered out for us.  (I could've strangled her...) She was giving free samples of "Just greens".  A drink that has all your daily veggies and fruits in it. Kinda like the wheat grass stuff.  Well, I knew Olivia wouldn't like the taste of it, but she wouldn't let me walk on past.  So, I got a small cup for her.  She took one swallow, made a funny face, and looked at me like,  "Now why would you let me drink that!?"  Funny thing is, after a minute, she wanted to finish off her cup!  So, I  gave it back to her.  The lady made a comment about how she knew Olivia would like it...  I just shrugged and waited for her to finish.  When Olivia was done, she handed me the little paper cup which I threw away.  I had a cup myself to see what it tasted like...  Just as I suspected, GROSS.  As we were walking away, Olivia put her hand up to her mouth and started spitting into it.  She was trying to get the tasted out of her mouth!  The lady behind the little table looked shocked, and I just started laughing!  I know my kid, lady!  I knew she wouldn't like it, especially the after taste.  It did give me a good laugh though.  

As we continued our shopping, I passed the aisle with the animal crackers.  NOT GOOD.  Olivia loves those things!  I tried to keep walking past, but she threw such a fit!  I walked back to let her look at the picture of Winnie the Pooh and friends, thinking it would suffice... Nope.  When I left the 2nd time, she threw an even bigger fit!  So, I walked back, got a jar, and put it in the seat next to her.  She then proceeded to grunt and to try to get the lid off as we were walking around.  Finally, when she realized she couldn't, she started grabbing my hands and putting them on the lid to take it off.  Which, of course, I did. The whole rest of the time we were in Costco, she had one hand in the cookie jar, and refused to let me put the lid back on!  Crazy!

Our New place...

For those of you who don't know, I figured I should let you know that we have recently moved! Our old landlords decided they wanted to get out of debt, and they figured selling the rental was a good way to do it.  ( I can't blame them for that...)   So, as Brad says, "we voluntarily moved because we had to..."  We are in a Condo.  I have to say that we are so glad for the change!  This place is 2100 sq. feet, and we hardly know what to do with all the room.  Olivia is absolutely loving it also.  I just love having an updated house that doesn't squeak with every footstep, moan with every change temperature change, and is roomy enough to stretch.  AND... my washer/dryer are not in my kitchen anymore!  Yahoo!

I've joined the masses.

Ok, Ok, Ok...  I couldn't resist anymore.  Almost everyone I know has a blog.  My husband even has a blog!  I love checking on everyone's blogs to see what's going on in their lives, so I figured it's time to join the masses.  I caved.  I'm not sure what you'll see here will be interesting, or even worth your time to read.  But, I have decided it'll be a great way for me to keep track of what's happening in my life, and give me an outlet to get extra stuff out of my brain.  I wish I had a pensieve like Dumbledore in the Harry Potter series.  If I could just take out all the extra memories and thoughts that crowd my brain... maybe I'd get more accomplished.  So, maybe this blog will act as my pensieve.  I hope you enjoy your reading time.  And I hope my brain will be a little less cluttered...