ADD and a labeler...

Her daddy has too much time on his hands. Let's have a contest to see who can come up with the best caption...

My New Year's Resolution

I know most of my posts are about Olivia and family life, but I am taking time this time for just me. Today is my birthday. I am 29. I never in a million years thought this would affect me, but for some strange reason, it has. Not the actual day - I had a great birthday, a cake, presents, friends and fam - the works. But I am sad! I have actually cried several times today, and have no idea why! I don't know if I feel this is the beginning of death of my youth? Ugh, I am such a freak.

HOWEVER -- I feel that I want to embrace this, not fight it. With age, comes wisdom, right? I am adopting a new policy for this year - a resolution, if you will. (BTW-Teachers have their own calendar - August starts our year, not January...) My very good friend, Carrie, is my inspiration for many things - blogging, being positive, not slapping people, etc. At the end of the school year in May, she said that she wanted to start this year dressing more professionally because she thought it would make her feel more positive about her job. I think she is right, so I am doing this too. At the end of my year, I had all but given up on myself. I went to school in baggy clothes, t-shirts, gauchos, and flip flops (not the nice, sandal-y ones - hubbed out ones). I let my weight gain during pregnancy get the best of me - literally. I hid behind whatever I could. Even though I can't wear my pre-pregnancy clothes yet, I do not want to go back to school looking or feeling this way about myself, because the kids pick up on that very quickly. Now, I am not going to be wearing suits or anything - that's just not my personality - but I do want to focus on looking like a teacher, not a college student. So I will be taking my birthday money clothes shopping, and I am sort of excited. Another exciting thing is all of the new jewelry that I will be wearing. Thanks to Carrie, again, I will be sporting new [FREE] Premier jewelry, and I am freaking out excited. Without meaning to sound superficial, I know this will make me sparklier, and with the more professional clothes, will help me to feel better about myself.

SO, here's to the last year of my twenties...they've been fun and I will be VERY sad to see them go, but I am really looking forward to what my future holds...

Fun on the Farm

Last weekend Michael, Olivia, and I went down to Linden to spend the afternoon with Robyn and her family. We had such a good time!! There is just something about flying across an open field on a four wheeler that makes you feel free! And no, I didn't do this with O - we only went about 3mph - if that! She got to see and ride (well, sit on - which is STILL more than I have done) her first horse and fourwheeler. She loved Dixie, when she wasn't trying to reach up her very large nostril! Thank you to the Glass Family for having us on your farm!!

Robyn and Dixie
Dixie tasting Michael

Cowgirl, up!!

I thought she would be scared!

This girl is going to be a tomboy!

New Best Friends!

This week has not proven to be as bad as I thought it would be. I volunteered to puppysit, not one, but two more dogs while my parents and grandmother were on vacation in Gatlinburg. I thought that maybe, just maybe, I had bitten off a bit more than I could chew with these two new dogs, a baby, a husband who sometimes acts like a baby :), and two other BIG dogs. However, it turns out that Olivia LOVES having them around! I think they have become new BFFs. She especially loves Abbie, the Yorkie because she is a bit older and MUCH slower than Sophie, who is somewhat of a spaz, to say the least. Here are some pics of them just hanging out.
Abbie hardly ever left Olivia if she was on the floor. Sophie in a calmer moment...

This took some work and about 87 pictures, but we finally got them BOTH looking at the camera!

Puppy Lovin'

I was very concerned when we found out that we were pregnant how the dogs were going to handle the new baby. For months after she was home, I refused to let the dogs in, mostly because they were shedding like crazy, but also because I didn't know how they would act around her. Little by little, after the shedding slowed, we began letting them in for short periods of time. Olivia loves them! She squeals in delight when she sees them, and if I would let her, would probably crawl all over them. They haven't quite gotten used to her yet, but they are warming up. Sadie enjoys mocking her, or vise versa?

Cake decoration - My first attempt!

For years I have said that when I retire from teaching (T-Minus 20 years...), I want to become a cake decorator. Well, I didn't think it would be wise to wait 20 years to start practicing, so I stopped by Michael's Craft Store, purchased a small decorator's set, and set out for home.

The pending event was the final day of VBS, and I wanted to thank the nursery workers for putting up with O every night with her teething and a bit of separation anxiety. So, I made some cupcakes, colored some plain white icing (from the tub) and delved in. This is the result with and without flash:

July 4th ~ The Birth of a Nation; July 5th ~ The Birth of a Tooth

I must say, this has been a difficult journey for tooth number one. This little buggar has caused O much pain and distress, and for us equally - maybe not so much the physical pain, but definitely not being able to really console her when she is in pain. Many layers of Baby Oragel, Teething Tablets, and just plain rubbing her gums has turned into a sharp little razor blade that I feel certain will be used as a tool and a weapon in the near future. I will never forget the day I found this treasure. We were sitting in Pizza Hut enjoying a nice slice of hand-tossed pepperoni. When I was letting her taste a touch of the sauce, I reached my finger in there (now a dangerous feat...) and felt it! There are no pictures, because this little tooth is quite elusive and camera shy. Perhaps when it isn't hurting so much I might can capture a glimpse of this little pearl!

Just a Bouncin'

One of O's new favorite things to do to kill time is to bounce in her bouncey seat. It hangs from a door frame, and you just bounce. To be honest, I sort of wish I had an adult-sized one! This video is from when she first got the hang of it. Now, she can just bounce and bounce on her own. When she knows you are looking, she gets overly-excited and just bounces harder! (Sorry for the sidewaysness of the video, there's just no way to flip it up!)

Update of randomness...

So, what have I been doing with my time? It really feels like nothing, but I can't seem to get anything (like blogging) done - between Law and Order: SVU marathons (thanks USA!) and taking care of a baby, you know... So far, it has been a pretty lazy summer, and I am more than thankful for it. As you know, Michael has taken the summer off to become a full-time student, and it looks like he might continue this on into the fall as well. Things are tight, but good. I have enjoyed having him home this summer. We have had time to just be together. No demanding hours at a car lot, no persistent boss calling him at 9:oopm to check numbers, etc... Now, there has been a LOT of studying going on, but he mainly does that at school and is home by 3 or 4 in the afternoon, as opposed to the normal summer work hours of 7pm. He is doing REALLY well in school. I would venture to say better than most other students his age going back, and definitely better than the kids who are 18 or 19 years old. He retains knowledge like a sponge. However, we still don't know for sure what he is going for. A few ideas are bouncing around, but please pray for guidance in this area.

As for the Bitty (the name O has been Christened with - short for Itty Bitty Baby), everything is grand in her world. We're still on a pretty strict eat, sleep, play, poop, schedule (not necessarily in that order...). Her little personality is starting to shine. She laughs - oh, the best sound in the world! Whether it's me blowing on her belly, or her Daddy making a funny face, she just cackles!! I LOVE it!!! When she was tiny, I loved to love on her just because she was so sweet, shiny, and new, but now she's fun. She reaches out for me, recognizes my voice, and turns to me when her name is called. Her tongue is a force to be reckoned with. It is almost always outside her mouth.

Like mother, like daughter...

Bath time is MUCH better than it was earlier. I wouldn't say she "likes" it now, but she definitely tolerates it. She kicks and splashes, but her butt still scoots all around, so it's still a tinge difficult. A bath time funny (that she will definitely thank me for when she's 16): I need to stand her up to clean between her cheeks, but EVERY time I do, she clenches them so tight that dimples appear all over her little booty!! IT IS SO CUTE!! I can't help but laugh! (Ah...you're welcome, dear!)

In her hooded sheep towel!