Who needs a nap with so much weekend fun?!

This past weekend was incredibly busy, and I loved every minute of it. In fact, I didn't even have to take a formal nap on Friday or Saturday; however, I did manage to get in a few car zzzzz's. Since Dada has been out of town a lot over the past few weeks, he took Friday off to go to Zoo Atlanta with Mrs. Lisa, Baby Monroe, Mama, and me. It was my first trip to the zoo, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I was more interested in trying to climb the fences than look at the animals, but, hey, fun is fun. Over the last month, I have gotten increasingly more independent, and trust me, I was quite independent before. At the zoo, I got really upset whenever Mom or Dad tried to pick me up to show me any of the animals; I can look on my own, people! I was also not very enthused when I had to get back in my stroller to go from exhibit to exhibit. I'm a big girl now, so in my opinion, I should be treated like one. Baby Monroe slept most of the time, so he didn't really get to see any of the animals. I did like seeing him though, and now, whenever I see a baby, I say, "Shhhh" because you aren't supposed to wake up sleeping babies. Monroe did wake up for lunch, and I was excited that he joined us - maybe not as excited as I was about the fries but definitely happy to see him awake. He even stayed awake through the Panda exhibit; at least, he chose the main exhibit, for which to stay awake. At the zoo, I got to see tons of different animals; however, the turtles were my absolute favorite. What can I say? I go all the way to the zoo to get excited about something I can see in my own backyard. These turtles were much bigger though. I even got to see a snapping turtle in the Reptile house. I also got a really big splinter from the bench in the Reptile house, but Super Mom came to the rescue and got it out with her teeth so that it didn't continue to bother me the entire time. I was mildly intertested in the elephants, which I called "Eeeeee" since that is the noise they make, but I was beyond excited about the little choo choo train in the kids' park; unfortunately, I didn't get to ride it this time. I definitely listened for it though, and I got to pretend to be a kangaroo as a consolation prize - total sham, I know. I was not overly enthused with the Panda bears; I blame it on a very understandable distraction. While standing right next to a Panda bear - behind glass, of course - the little girl next to me was eating ice cream. I don't think that I even really noticed the Panda, for my entire concentration was on that little cup of creamy goodness - priorities, people. I also thought that the baby Panda on one of the posters was Opie; I mean they are the same color! Dad has been calling Opie a baby Panda ever since. Before we left, Mom took me into the petting zoo; however, I didn't actually pet anything. Gross! I preferred to point at the pig and make oinking noises before turning my hat around backwards to show how cool I am. By the time we got to the car, I could barely keep my eyes open. I give the zoo, mainly the turtles, two thumbs up! Thanks for inviting us, Mrs. Lisa; I hope Baby Monroe enjoyed his zoo nap.

Saturday was even crazier than Friday. As soon as I ate breakfast, we were in the car and on our way downtown where we met up with Grandma, Aunt Steph, Uncle Ian, Mrs. Sharon, and Mr. Carl. Mom and Dad ran the Sweetwater 420 5K while I stayed with everyone else. According to Mom and Dad, the course was MUCH more difficult than anticipated due to the hills. Come to find out afterwards, it is one of the hardest 5K races in Atlanta. That being said, Mom and Dad did pretty well. Dad finished right under 32 minutes, and Mom came in right under 33 minutes. These weren't the times for which they had trained, but for the course, they were pleased. We all waited for them at the finish line; Mrs. Teri, Aunt Mal, and Chris even joined us. Mrs. Teri said that Pooh, who goes everywhere with me, made it easy to spot us in the crowd. Uncle Ian was in charge of taking pictures as Mom and Dad passed, and he got a bunch of pictures of Dad, but somehow, Mom snuck by unnoticed. Dad was concentrating so hard on crossing the finish line that he ran through the girls' side - silly, Dada. After the race, we all went to the Sweetwater 420 Festival. I got to run in the big grassy field, play with Chris, and swing through the air while holding Aunt Mal and Chris' hands. I had a ball listening to the bands while sitting with Aunt Stephanie and Grandma, and I even held up Aunt Steph's phone to show that I know what to do at a concert. Mom and Dad had a ball having a celebratory beer with their friends. I was beyond exhausted when we left, and I immediately fell asleep in my stroller with Pooh; however, I got an instantaneous second wind when Aunt Stephanie stopped and got me a balloon at the floral shop on the way to her house. In fact, I didn't even fall asleep in the car after my 2 minute nap in the stroller. It was an awesome 2 days followed by a very relaxing Sunday at home, which was much needed. Congrats on the race goes out to Mom, Dad, Mr. Joe, Mr. Ken, and Mrs. Melissa! I am looking forward to the possibility of strolling along with Mom and Dad in the Boulder Dash 5K next weekend. All of this running is really getting me in shape for summer, which is suprising since I usually eat during the entire ride.

To end an eventful weekend with a bang, I said my first unprompted phrase, aside from the "Help, please", "More, please", anything with please to get what I want repertoire. I walked into the kitchen, noticed that Opie's bowl was empty, looked at Mom, and said, "Opie more food". I sound like an incredibly caring sis; however, I really just like carrying the cup to his bowl and pouring the food into it. I mean, I don't want him to starve or anything; I actually hand feed him bits of his food on occasion, but dumping the food in his bowl, and sometimes on the floor, makes my day. I'm really starting to put words together to get my thoughts across, which is all well and fun until those thoughts don't mesh with Mom's.

18-Month Me!

Last Tuesday was my 18-month half birthday! I cannot believe that I am already a year and a half! Well,actually, I can believe it; it's Mom and Dad who are having a hard time figuring out where the last year and half went. Last Monday, Mom decided to set up a little photo shoot at home and take my 18-month pictures herself. It must be a sign of the economic times. This was her first attempt, so we will forgive the off-lighting, unfocused nature of some of them, especially the rocking horse and bike shots. I wasn't exactly the easiest subject either - definitely the cutest but not the most willing. I would only allow her to get a couple of shots before running away. When it came to the bench pictures, I added my own creative insight by insisting that Pooh and baby join me in the shots. By the time we got to the flower pictures, Mom had to bribe me with chocolate to get me to sit still. She would actually throw chocolate to me if I would sit down. I do think it was a bit degrading, like being treated as a trained animal, but I'll do whatever I have to for chocolate. There is no shame in a true chocolate lover's game. All in all, Mom got some cute pictures, and I got to demonstrate some classic Liv attitude.

* Make sure to press on "View All Images" if you want to see the pictures more clearly.

From Mom's Point of View:
I truly cannot believe that Olivia is already a year and a half. When people say that time flies once you have children, it is an understatement. She is such a beautiful and smart little girl, and it makes us so proud that she is ours. Today was her 18-month checkup. We put it off a week since we knew last week and this past weekend were going to be so busy, and I didn't want her to feel cruddy from shots during all of our fun-filled days. The doctor's appointment went pretty much as expected. She had a great time playing with two little girls in the waiting room. The three of them laughed hysterically while playing Peek-A-Boo through the window of the movie room and climbing up the movie stadium seating. However, as soon as the nurse came and got us and we started walking towards the exam room, she started frantically saying, "Bye-bye" while trying to walk in the other direction. She's no dummy, and she definitely knows what's up now. The nurse and doctor didn't even have to touch her but just look at her, and she would start crying uncontrollably. The doctor confirmed that we have indeed started what is called the 'terrible twos', complete with the "my way or the highway" & "I can do everything by myself" mindset; Liv is definitely one stubborn and opinionated little girl, but we wouldn't want it any other way. During the entire appointment, she clung to me with every bit of her strength. The nurse could barely measure and weigh her. In true Liv fashion, she still managed to make everyone smile even during the tantrum, for she continually blew them kisses and said, "Bye-bye" in the hopes of convincing me, and I think them, that it was time to leave. She also kept trying to put her shoes back on - so. I brought a snack cup full of chocolate Teddy Grahams in hopes of diverting her attention; however, she just shoved Teddy Grahams in her moth between sobs. The doctor was very impressed with her verbal skills, and she is well above average in that department. She has also met all of the developmental milestones for her age group with no problem. At 18 months, Olivia is 2 feet, 9 inches tall, which again places her in the 85th percentile for height. Her head circumference 18.25 inches, which places her in the 44th percentile, the same percentile as at her 15 month checkup. Her weight, however, has dropped slightly from the last checkup, and she currently weighs 22 lbs. and 7 oz., which places her in the 22nd percentile for weight. The doctor was not overly concerned with her drop in weight since she is growing consistently in height and head circumference. That being said, he does want me to add Carnation Instant Breakfast to her milk once or twice a day for extra calories, and he wants me to try and get her to eat higher calorie foods. Problem is Olivia doesn't really like to eat in general; she is full of energy and likes to go, go, go. I guess we just have a tall, skinny girl. I immediately bought some Carnation Instant Breakfast, at which she turned her nose; perhaps I should just start dipping everything in chocolate because goodness knows she won't turn down choc, as she calls it. Everything else checked out perfectly; although, she was not happy at all when the nurse gave her the two shots. We have a healthy, energetic, opinionated, precious, sneaky 18-month-old Livie on our hands. We cannot even imagine life without her, for it feels like she has always been part of us. Happy half birthday, Olivia! We love you more and more with each new day.

Hanging with the Ladies...and my Bestest Friends

So, spring is finally here; although, it feels more like summer, and with spring comes a much more packed schedule, which, of course, suits me just fine because I prefer to go, go, go. In fact, I usually grab my shoes first thing every morning and stand by the door in hopes of getting the day started as early as possible. With the addition of some really fun outings lately, Mom and I have maintained our normal social calendar. Monday is still Publix day, and I know it now. As soon as we get into the car on Mondays, and sometimes before, I begin chanting, "Balloon, balloon!" Once we get to Publix, I refuse to get into the cart until I a have found and hugged Mrs. Suzana, which always secures me a balloon in the color of my choice. I've also worked my charm on the deli guy, who always gives me a piece of ham, my favorite, and Mr. Francisco in the produce section, who has taken to making me my own little plate of fruit in return for a smile. I'm no dummy; I play the game well and make sure to get something from someone before I'll even acknowledge him or her. I am a smart Publix gal.

I've also had a ball playing outside with my new outdoor toys, some of which were handed down from Grandma. I beg to go, "Side, side" every waking moment. My favorite outside toy is still my sand and water table, but I definitely like to take my car or bike for a spin every once in awhile. I even got to play with the hose while Dad watered the plants the other day, and I got soaked. I can get into way more with Dad. Oh, I also recently discovered the joys of chocolate pudding - so silky and perfect; I can't get enough!










Continuing on with my normal activities, the last two Tuesdays have included fun playgroups, as always. Lucas left early last week and was unable to make it to this week's, and although I have missed him terribly, his absence did give me the opportunity to bond with Boris. We are becoming very good friends. In fact, he gets mad at anyone who touches his trucks or his food; however, he willingly hands these items over to me. Last week, we got a little wild; we were jumping up and down on Mrs. Tina's chair while yelling as loud as we could back and forth. We thought that we were hysterical; however, I think everyone else just thought that we were really loud. This past week's playgroup was at Boris' house, and he had some BIG news to share - actually, his Mommy shared it. Boris' Mommy, Mrs. Olga, is pregnant with twins! Holy cow! That means that we are getting three new playgroup members in November: one from Mrs. Tina and TWO from Mrs. Olga. I don't think Boris has any idea what is about to hit his house. Congratulations, Mrs. Olga and Boris! Before playgroup, Mrs. Amber, Jace, and Jordan stopped by our house for a minute. I tried to be nice and share my horse with Jordan, but I think that he wanted to ride by himself. My sharing skills aren't that great at this point, but I'm working on them so as to avoid timeout. During playgroup, I mainly stuck with Boris. I shared a cookie with him and held his drink while he drank from it; of course, Mom missed the cutest part of both with the video camera. I know the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. I make sure to treat my guy friends well so that, in return, I get whatever I want. Case in point, Boris had a xylophone with which I wanted to play, and when yelling for it didn't work, I walked up, waved at him, batted my eyelashes, pointed to something outside, and then slowly grabbed it out from underneath him. He didn't even notice, and the xylophone became mine. The Moms totally saw my tricky ploy and laughed hysterically. None of the boys have a clue on how to use a little innocent manipulation, so I've definitely go the upper hand right now.

Last Thursday included a fun filled morning at Gymboree. I even willingly participated in all of the activities with the exception of one - definitely a vast improvement. My teacher and Mom were very proud of me. The only time that I had a small meltdown was when I got caught under the parachute, fell down, and was picked up by some lady I don't know, but that would freak anyone out, don't ya think? Lucas and I had so much fun running around, walking on the balance beam, climbing the ladders, and going down the slides. We aren't afraid to do things our own way, which we proved as we lay in the middle of the parachute while everyone else sat around us during parachute play. We are trend starters, not followers!

Mom signed me up for another month of Gymboree, and today, Dada joined us for the last 5 minutes or so of fun. Again, I participated in pretty much every activity; my participation may have only lasted a minute or so before I took off back towards the slide, but I still get credit. The continued concept for this week was high and low. We stood up high on some objects and got down low under others. Surprisingly, I didn't even balk when we were instructed to crawl underneath the air log, and I then joined some of the other kids in the little hideaway under the slides. To add to the excitement, I am really getting the hang of calling Baby Gymbo at the end of class, which includes the pound, pound, clap song. However, I did miss Luke today, who is the best at calling Baby Gymbo, and I looked for him everywhere when we first arrived. Hurry up and get better, Mrs. Allison, because I have been asking about Lucas everyday!

Now, for some fun new activities:
One evening last week after Mom and I went for a run, we stopped at Mrs. Allison and Lucas' house for a little outdoor fun before dinner. Lucas and I had so much fun dunking our heads in his water table - yes, he and I have the same one - then laughing hysterically. Looks like I'll be ready for the pool this summer since I have no fear of getting my face wet. I kept trying to wipe sand on Lucas' arm as he told me, "No, no, no"; I thought it was hilarious, but apparently, he didn't feel the same. There's nothing like some good hearty laughing with Lucas to work up an appetite. Thanks for the adorable pictures, Mrs. Allison.

Last Friday, Lucas, Tyler, and I went to the new Midway Park that just opened up near us. The park is designed just for toddlers. The ground is made of soft turf for those inevitable tumbles, and the entire thing is scaled to our size. It was awesome! We all ran in different directions and started exploring everything. My favorite was the tunnel slide; I kept trying to climb up it, as well as slide down it. There is a huge concrete pavilion with buckets of chalk so that one can draw on everything. Too cool! I even found a hula hoop, and we all discovered that running down the little hill provides sheer entertainment. As it got later in the afternoon, more and more kids showed up to play. Of course, I gravitated towards the boys; the girls just don't play rough enough. I tried to do everything that I saw any little boy doing. I also tried to talk to everyone, but a couple of the boys ran from me; those boys just don't know what they are missing. Mom is excited that I am really starting to communicate; at one point, I found her bag, grabbed my jacket, and walked up to her while saying, "Brrr", which makes it pretty easy to understand what I want. I even went and got my own juice cup, instead of whining, when I was thirsty. After playing hard, we all went to a new restaurant next to the park called Construct-A-Burger. Lucas and I shared driving responsibilities on the arcade car; he was in charge of steering while I shifted gears. I'm pretty sure that we totally won the race. I had a wonderful time, and Midway Park is sure to become a staple in our weekly routine.

On Friday night, Mrs. Teri came up and stayed with us since Dad was at the Masters all weekend. Mrs. Teri brought me a little chick that says, "Peep! Peep!" when you hit the bottom of it - sure to drive Mom nuts, so thank you, Mrs. Teri. The three of us ate pizza and hung out; then Mrs. Teri and Mom watched a movie after I went to sleep. Note from Mom and Mrs. Teri: Do NOT rent "Did You Hear About the Morgans"! I was thrilled when Mrs. Teri got me up in the morning, and she even took me on a walk while Mom packed us up for a long Saturday out of the house. Thank you, Mrs. Teri; I always love spending time with you, and Mom really appreciated the help. Our Saturday was packed, so it was good that I took a little early nap in the car on the way down to Atlanta! I also made sure to take all of my babies so that no one felt left out. First, we enjoyed a lovely ladies' day in the Virginia Highlands, complete with shopping and lunch with Mrs. Teri, Mrs. Heather, Mrs. Melissa, Mrs. Taylor, and Baby Graydon. I have to give a big shout out to Neighbors, who served an awesome kids' meal for only $2.95. Mrs. Heather even wanted to order one for herself! Of course, I was mainly interested in the french fries. At one point, I did dump an entire cup of water on myself, which made me cry. Thank goodness, Mom comes prepared, and I immediately changed into a dry pair of pants. It was so good to see everyone, and Mom was excited to get a little first-of-the-season sun on her back. It was the perfect way to spend such a sunny and beautiful day. We left downtown around 3:30, which is way past nap time, so I immediately fell asleep in the car; when you are that tired, even a hand makes a great pillow.

As soon as we left the ladies, we headed to Grandma's house, and by the time we got there, I had gotten my 2nd wind from my very short power nap. Mom went running while I played with Grandma; then I joined Mom and Grandma in a round of sit ups. Since I have such an awesome stomach already, I decided to help out by acting as an extra weight during the 2nd round of sit ups. I think they really appreciated my contribution. That evening, Great Grandma Jenkins came all the way from WV for a quick visit on her way to Disney World. Aunt Stephanie, Uncle Ian, Aunt Mallory, Chris, Great Aunt Robin, Great Aunt Marsha and Uncle Ray, plus Cameron and Haley all came for dinner. Of course, I had a great time with Cameron and Haley; we played basketball and even spent the majority of the evening outside. Cameron made sure that I got to throw the basketball whenever I wanted, and he was very good about standing in front of me and protecting me when anyone else was throwing the ball. I think I have a little crush on Cameron. I was quite the source of entertainment for everyone while we were outside. I kept running in circles, lifting up my shirt, dancing, and telling Mom, "No, no, no" while shaking my finger, which everyone, except her, thought was very comedic. I adamantly refused to come back inside for bedtime, so I got to stay up a little later than normal. I don't think I could have had a better Saturday, except if Daddy had been there instead of at the Masters, but I know that he had a great time, and he got me a really pretty pink Masters' dress, so I'm glad he got to go.

When I woke up on Sunday, Dada was home, and I was so excited to see him. We all went on a 3-mile run in preparation for Mom and Dad's race. Then we headed over to Mr. John and Mrs. Joanne's house to finally meet Baby Grayson, who was born last month. He is so cute and looks exactly like his big sister, Parker. We all went to Midway Park, the toddler-sized park, and it was packed because of a baseball game happening on the neighboring field. Parker and I were more interested in the sidewalk chalk, big grassy hill, and stairs than the actual park anyways. Dad did have to talk to some older boys who were taunting me with a balloon - go Dad, the protector. The Dads chased us around while the Moms and Grayson walked up to Smokehouse Jack's to grab food for dinner. After the park, we took our BBQ back to their house where Parker and I enjoyed an evening on her new slide, complete with old school puffs and some Sesame Street. The Moms enjoyed some Apple Martinis in celebration of Joanne's no longer being pregnant. Congratulations Louiseaus; your new addition is perfect, and Parker, you are going to make the best big sister!

Oh, Mom and I also had to go by Costco the other day for diapers, and we decided that I needed some summer pajamas. I grabbed a pair of cupcake pj's and decided that I just had to have them. They are great for those around-the-house chores. Plus, they look quite nice; don't cha' think?

A few necessary shoutouts:

Congratulations to the Carr, Riggs, and Ingram crew for another tax season come and gone!

Happy 2nd Birthday to my Godsister, Reese. I wish I could have been in Texas to celebrate with you!