Super Helper

We finally took down the Christmas tree today.  Well I should say that Brendon and Olivia took it down.  By the time I got home from a run they were just putting it in the box and cleaning up some other stuff.  I got out the vacuum and started vacuuming.  Olivia then wanted to vacuum so Brendon brought down her vacuum.  So while I vacuumed she "helped."  At least we now know we can vacuum with her awake!

Olivia listening to some tunes and knee slapping!

Loves helping her mommy vacuum!

Looking Tall

Olivia slept really late today- 9:15 a.m.  Which is good and bad.  I hope she was just tired or else it means she is going to get sick.  It seems like ever since I went back to work she is sleeping in for her daddy! Lucky him!

They did the usual Friday grocery shop and I got home when they were having lunch.  She was sitting nicely in the booster seat and then of course all chaos broke out when I got home.  I am almost tempted to not come home until she is done with lunch.  We played for a bit and then napped.  After nap we played more and then attempted dinner.  It looked like this...chase Olivia around to eat soup.  Then try some applesauce...threw it on the floor...lovely, right on the carpet.  Then just went with Cheerios and milk and she ate a whole bowl full.  That is what dinner looked like.  So much fun! After dinner had such a fun time playing with her new baby.  I need to get a picture of her playing with it.  It is soooo cute!

I thought she looked really tall today! Maybe it was just the pants!

Super Shopper

I have to say that Olivia is quite the shopper.  I took her today to buy some diapers and to stop at Target for a few things.  We went to Publix first for diapers and she can almost say Publix.  It more sounds like Pub-icks.  But still she knows it is not Kroger.  Then we went to Target and even when we were pulling in the Target parking lot she saw the sign and said Target! She does really well in the shopping cart and loves to look around.  She even noticed some babies on a way up high picture and then said, "Babies up high."  Then she saw some kids running in the store and she said, "Slow down!" Then I said, "There is no running in Target!" Then of course my parrot repeated that every time she saw kids she would say that. 

It took awhile to get to bed...back to screaming again.  Fun!

Back to Work

Well Christmas Break flew by.  It was filled with lots of fun times and boy does it go by quick.  This year we had 3 less days off and it does make a difference.  I felt like I had to cram all the Christmas prep in less time than usual.  But it sure was hard to get back up for work today.

Work went by fast and I accomplished everything on my to do list! That made me feel great! Then came home and had lunch with Olivia.  Then we went to Gymboree.  Olivia was so excited to go.  We haven't been in 2 weeks! So all she was talking about was her friends and seeing Gymbo.  We were so sad that no one else came to class.  I think Olivia was more sad than anything because she wanted to see Ethan and Griffin! But they let her play for a bit and Ms. Liz blew her some bubbles which was great.

Time for the real reality tomorrow....the students return! They always come back different- a little taller and ready to learn! I am so excited to see them tomorrow!

Happy New Year!

Yahoo! It's a new year- 2013!!  I went upstairs about 10 p.m. last night and I ended up finishing a book and then watched Dick Clark's New Years Eve Special.  It just wasn't the same without him!  I was surprised at how loud it was outside that Olivia didn't wake up.  There was some pretty loud booms! Brendon got home about 1:00ish and I was still awake so we had some snacks and a glass of champagne!  Better late than never.

Olivia slept until 7:45 this morning! That is the latest in the past few weeks. I am going to miss snuggling with her in the bed.  When she has been waking up we have been bringing her in our bed for snuggling for a few extra minutes.  We then had breakfast and the past 3 days Cheerios and milk have been her breakfast and she eats a ton of cereal! She is just like her daddy because he likes cereal too.  Then we played and I took a shower and got ready for a run.

It was a wet run for sure! But a great way to start the new year.  I tried out my new running shoes by Nike.  The have what are called the Shield on them.  They are supposed to be all weather proof etc.  So I decided to try them out.  Well they actually did work! Now the outside of the shoe was wet but my foot never got wet.  What an amazing shoe! I was a little leery when I bought them...nothing is truly water proof but they were great! 

After the run I came home and we had some snacks and watch the Georgia game! Olivia woke up for the end and to see Coach Richt get Gatorade dumped on him.  She then said, "Coach Richt all wet!"  So stinkin funny!!

We had some New Year's goodies like collard greens and black eyed peas.  Olivia ate one piece of collard green (she called it salad).  Then she ate about 3 or 4 black eyed peas- we thought she was going to eat all of them but she stopped! I made a delicious apple pie for dessert!

It was a great way to kick off 2013!

Snuggled up watching the game with Jake!

New Years Eve 2012

Call me a Grinch or a Scrooge but this is one holiday I dislike. There has been a track record of bad things that have happened over the years with this holiday and the expectations are way too high for this holiday..I consider it a little overrated and just prefer to skip it. 

Right now I am praying that the fireworks and possible gunfire don't wake Olivia.  She sleeps through thunderstorms but it took her awhile to get settled to sleep. 

But to all of you that celebrate tonight I hope you have a Happy New Years!

2012 was a great year! Of course it was filled with highlights and lowlights! Some of the highlights were seeing Olivia walk and of course talk.  I hope that 2013 is filled with good things to come.

I had to laugh when I got this in my email today:

YOUR BABY IS 93 WEEKS OLD

Your toddler is probably both more affectionate and more demanding these days. That’s because his need for closeness and his need to assert himself as separate from you alternate at what sometimes seems like a crazy pace. He’s probably also becoming more possessive of his toys, which researchers think is a rudimentary form of showing affection.

Demanding- YES
Possessive of Toys- YES

Letter Practice

It was another chilly day today! It was not a fun day of eating.  Getting Olivia to eat was like chasing an animal around.  She would want to sit for a few minutes in her big girl chair, then the booster seat, then in my lap, then at her table, and then she didn't want to sit anywhere so I just chased her around basically to feed her.  It was not fun!

We did some letter practice again today with her flashcards.