My July was an All-American affair, complete with watermelon, fireworks, a sunflower field, pigtails, Winnie the Pooh, a couple of slumber parties, and, of course, a little lake fun. Plus, I got to find out in mid-July that I am going to be, or in my authoritative words "already am", a big sister, so I have had the rest of July to get more and more excited while showing Mommy's belly lots of love and trying to brainstorm good names for my baby boy.
July started off with a *bang*, also known as the 4th of July! Daddy ran his very fi
rst Peachtree Road Race, in which he did very well, and while he was out running with the 60,000 others in the extreme heat, Mom and I attended the Cumming Steam Engine Parade with the Wheelers. The parade was pretty fun, despite the sweltering heat; there was candy being thrown, hoopla all around, our Warbington Farms' tractor, and the owl in the school bus; no parade is complete without the owl in the school bus. Towards the end of the parade, the five of us rushed over to the fairgrounds to catch the main attraction, the steam engines, navigate the final stretch. 
In theory, it was a great, exciting idea, but in reality, they were loud...ear-piercing, tear-evoking, earplug-necessitating L-O-U-D! It started off with a nice, little train that played a fun song, but then Lucas and I heard the whistles of two big steam engines blow, and we were begging to leave. Mom had just gotten her genetic CVS test done on the baby that Friday, and she was not supposed to be lifting anything, so Mrs. Allison came to my rescue and hugged me ti
ght while covering my ears before we all took off in the opposite direction From now on, I'll enjoy my choo-choo trains from afar. That evening the Wheelers, the Loiseaus, the Goldsworthys, and the Littles headed over to our house for a kid-crazy 4th of July celebration. We chased each other around the yard, feasted on an array of summer BBQ favorites, downed Mrs. Joanne's awesome cupcakes and Mrs. Alisha's festive cake, fought 
over my car, and got twirled until we were dizzy. Then the rain came, and we were forced inside where the fun did not stop; we had a blast jumping on beds, pulling out every toy in the house, and enjoying lollipops during a viewing of Cars. Little Ella and Lyla quietly took in all the sights and 
sounds with a nap here and there and a little bit of fuss; I don't blame them, for it was crazy! It was such a great day! I don't even think any of us were terribly disappointed when we didn't get to head to the Polo Fields for the fireworks show; instead, we had a show of our own thanks to the dads. Tyler was definitely the biggest firework enthusiast; Lucas was not so fond of the loud ones, and I just loved the excitement! Unfortunately, Madden and Parker missed the fireworks because of tired younger siblings; even if we have to leave early, I can't wait for my younger brother. 4th of July is awesome, especially with all of my best buds!
Winnie the Pooh is an American icon, and I have loved Winnie the Pooh from my earliest days. It was only fitting that Great Aunt Marsha and the Buice clan took me to m
y very first movie, Winnie the Pooh, since they gave me my big, stuffed Pooh for my first Christmas. I was super excited to see Cameron and to show him my parachute, but the outing started out a little rocky when I freaked out as Great Un
cle Ray put me in the car seat in their car. I was not leaving home without Mom! As a last minute change of plans, Mom jumped in and headed to lunch with Great Aunt Marsha, Great Uncle Ray, Cameron, and me. We had to get a little sneaky after lunch, and as Mom hid where she could see my reaction, I left with the rest of the crew without even looking back. Dad had to pick Mom up outside of Chick-fil-A on his way back from golf. I wasn't totally sold on the movie theater, but I 
agreed to check it out, and once I was in my seat, all was good! The big lemonade in my hand, huge bag of M&M's in my lap, bucket of popcorn crammed into my seat, and shared Skittles definitely helped. I really enjoyed the movie, and I took my laugh cues from Cameron. I think Great Uncle Ray enjoyed the movie through his eyelids, but we'll give him a
break since he was so sweet to have the Winnie the Pooh excursion on his birthday. Happy Birthday, Great Uncle Ray! Oh, and Happy Birthday to Haley and Great Aunt Marsha, who are also July babies! After the movie, I did not forget the promise of ice cream that was used to lure me into the theater! The Buices brought me back happy as a clam and on the sugar high of a lifetime! Thank you guys, I had a great time, and now, I'm waiting for you guys to pick me up for an encore movie excursion featuring Lightening McQueen.
July started off with a *bang*, also known as the 4th of July! Daddy ran his very fi
rst Peachtree Road Race, in which he did very well, and while he was out running with the 60,000 others in the extreme heat, Mom and I attended the Cumming Steam Engine Parade with the Wheelers. The parade was pretty fun, despite the sweltering heat; there was candy being thrown, hoopla all around, our Warbington Farms' tractor, and the owl in the school bus; no parade is complete without the owl in the school bus. Towards the end of the parade, the five of us rushed over to the fairgrounds to catch the main attraction, the steam engines, navigate the final stretch. 
In theory, it was a great, exciting idea, but in reality, they were loud...ear-piercing, tear-evoking, earplug-necessitating L-O-U-D! It started off with a nice, little train that played a fun song, but then Lucas and I heard the whistles of two big steam engines blow, and we were begging to leave. Mom had just gotten her genetic CVS test done on the baby that Friday, and she was not supposed to be lifting anything, so Mrs. Allison came to my rescue and hugged me ti
ght while covering my ears before we all took off in the opposite direction From now on, I'll enjoy my choo-choo trains from afar. That evening the Wheelers, the Loiseaus, the Goldsworthys, and the Littles headed over to our house for a kid-crazy 4th of July celebration. We chased each other around the yard, feasted on an array of summer BBQ favorites, downed Mrs. Joanne's awesome cupcakes and Mrs. Alisha's festive cake, fought 
over my car, and got twirled until we were dizzy. Then the rain came, and we were forced inside where the fun did not stop; we had a blast jumping on beds, pulling out every toy in the house, and enjoying lollipops during a viewing of Cars. Little Ella and Lyla quietly took in all the sights and 
sounds with a nap here and there and a little bit of fuss; I don't blame them, for it was crazy! It was such a great day! I don't even think any of us were terribly disappointed when we didn't get to head to the Polo Fields for the fireworks show; instead, we had a show of our own thanks to the dads. Tyler was definitely the biggest firework enthusiast; Lucas was not so fond of the loud ones, and I just loved the excitement! Unfortunately, Madden and Parker missed the fireworks because of tired younger siblings; even if we have to leave early, I can't wait for my younger brother. 4th of July is awesome, especially with all of my best buds!To add to my 4th of July festivities, I got to have my very first slumber party at Gran
dma's house on July 3rd so that Mom and Dad could celebrate Allyson Bickers' 31st birthday on Lake Lanier. Harper and Aunt Steph joined Grandma, Grandma's good friend Regina, and me for a late lunch. I love m
y baby Harper, and I am super excited that she can crawl now! We tore through Grandma's newspaper and swapped toys; now, I really have a partner in crime. She is even getting the talking-thing down; soon, we will be able to plan our crimes. That evening, Grandma, Regina, and I attended the neighborhood party 
and fireworks show, where I met a few new friends; however, it began to lightening, and Mrs. Regina said that she has never seen a woman move so fast while carrying a 2-year-old the mile or so home. Grandma wouldn't let me get struck by lightening, no way, no how! We did get to finish watching the fireworks show from Grandma's street, and I got to make friends with the neighboring kids. When Mom called at almost 11:00 to check on things, I was still awake, and I admitted to Mom that "I had ice cream for dinner"! That Grandma - I love her!
dma's house on July 3rd so that Mom and Dad could celebrate Allyson Bickers' 31st birthday on Lake Lanier. Harper and Aunt Steph joined Grandma, Grandma's good friend Regina, and me for a late lunch. I love m
y baby Harper, and I am super excited that she can crawl now! We tore through Grandma's newspaper and swapped toys; now, I really have a partner in crime. She is even getting the talking-thing down; soon, we will be able to plan our crimes. That evening, Grandma, Regina, and I attended the neighborhood party 
and fireworks show, where I met a few new friends; however, it began to lightening, and Mrs. Regina said that she has never seen a woman move so fast while carrying a 2-year-old the mile or so home. Grandma wouldn't let me get struck by lightening, no way, no how! We did get to finish watching the fireworks show from Grandma's street, and I got to make friends with the neighboring kids. When Mom called at almost 11:00 to check on things, I was still awake, and I admitted to Mom that "I had ice cream for dinner"! That Grandma - I love her!
Winnie the Pooh is an American icon, and I have loved Winnie the Pooh from my earliest days. It was only fitting that Great Aunt Marsha and the Buice clan took me to m
y very first movie, Winnie the Pooh, since they gave me my big, stuffed Pooh for my first Christmas. I was super excited to see Cameron and to show him my parachute, but the outing started out a little rocky when I freaked out as Great Un
cle Ray put me in the car seat in their car. I was not leaving home without Mom! As a last minute change of plans, Mom jumped in and headed to lunch with Great Aunt Marsha, Great Uncle Ray, Cameron, and me. We had to get a little sneaky after lunch, and as Mom hid where she could see my reaction, I left with the rest of the crew without even looking back. Dad had to pick Mom up outside of Chick-fil-A on his way back from golf. I wasn't totally sold on the movie theater, but I 
agreed to check it out, and once I was in my seat, all was good! The big lemonade in my hand, huge bag of M&M's in my lap, bucket of popcorn crammed into my seat, and shared Skittles definitely helped. I really enjoyed the movie, and I took my laugh cues from Cameron. I think Great Uncle Ray enjoyed the movie through his eyelids, but we'll give him a
break since he was so sweet to have the Winnie the Pooh excursion on his birthday. Happy Birthday, Great Uncle Ray! Oh, and Happy Birthday to Haley and Great Aunt Marsha, who are also July babies! After the movie, I did not forget the promise of ice cream that was used to lure me into the theater! The Buices brought me back happy as a clam and on the sugar high of a lifetime! Thank you guys, I had a great time, and now, I'm waiting for you guys to pick me up for an encore movie excursion featuring Lightening McQueen.
I wanted to continue the slumber party excitement, so I held Mom to her promise of a slumber party while Dad was out of town. I 
was so excited all day, and I brought all of my best bed pals down and got everything set up. Mom and I cuddled up and watched Gnomeo and Juliet before finally falling asleep around 10. We made sure to text Dad some slumber party pics to include him. I then woke up every 2 hours or so to ask, "Is it time to get up?" I think Mom was pretty tired the next day, but I thought it was awesome!
We made it a little late in the season, but Mom did manage to get a few good shots of me in the local sunflower field. I make the perfect little model though. The flowers were starting to thin out, so next year, we've got to go a few weeks earlier. Lucas and I were the only two in the field, and he tried to steal my thunder. Eventually, we consented to share the spotlight. I enjoyed the old barn and Mom's step stool more than the flowers, bees, and hot sun though. One of the pictures, the one of Lucas kissing me on the bench, is currently in a photo contest, so I'll let you know if we win. I'm definitely a flower child!Da
d, Mom, and I spent our second to last weekend in July having a family fun day at Lake Lanier Islands. It was a 
small sneak peek into the sand and water that I will be enjoying in less than two days when we head to Myrtle Beach. I had so much fun in the kiddie park and wave pool. I am a great wave jumper, and the kiddie slides were so much fun. I even enjoyed people watching on the patio during lunch, and I loved the life vest! Suprisingly, I did not want to take it off. The sand was cool, but I am excited to head to the beach where Dad and I can make an actual sandcastle. By the time we left, Mom and Dad were exhausted, but I chatted the whole way home. The sun and lake are no match for my energy level. We had the best family fun day though. Season pass next year, Dad? I think so...
Dad, Mom, and I made the most of our last weekend in July. Mom got a much-needed night out with her gal pals, who also happen to be the mothers of all of my best friends. Then the whole fam joined the Littles and Wheelers for dinner at the Goldsworthys'. There is never a dull moment when I am with my boys. The cupcakes, Winne the Pooh movie, and trampoline were definitely the highlights of the stormy, yucky evening.
Then on Sunday, the very last day of July, I made it to my first Braves baseball game, and I am now an avid fan of baseball, or at least of the baseball stadium and the fun to be had within. Although, I did yell, "Yay! Football!" several times; sports are so confusing! Mrs. Teri, Mr. Justin, and McKenzie joined us, and Mrs. Teri had the good sense to suggest club level ticke
ts so that we could stay in the shade and enjoy the air conditioned inside whenever necessary. I really had the best time, sans nap and all! I cheered for the Braves, and sometimes the other team on accident; I also enthusiastically joined in on all of the group cheers, as well as the tomahawk chop. To keep the spirit going, I even sang the Barney song very
loudly to all of the ladies in the bathroom, including Mrs. Teri, and I got several compliments on my vocal abilities. I sported Mom's old baseball cap, from when she was little, during the second half of the game, and I think I looked pretty darn cute. I attempted to keep McKenzie entertained, but I think that she liked my pink GT hat and water fan bet
ter. She is so cute! It was pretty funny to see the formally rowdy baseball dads toting kiddo supplies and feeding McKenzie a bottle; oh, how the times have changed!
A lady in the stands made a flower for me, which the little girl behind me procured and saved while I took a lunch break; thank you, little girl - you are now my forever friend! I was also able to talk my way into ice cream, a baseball finger, and, of course, a stadium hot dog. By about 4:00 and in the 9th inning, I just looked at Dad and said, "I want to go home". The sun and fun had finally gotten the best of me, but I did proclaim that I definitely want to attend another baseball game! I also cannot wait until my baby brother is able to actually watch the game with me.Just so you know, Catch Air got some new attractions! I know you are beyond thrilled, and I know that I still love me some Catch Air!
I've been honing my soccer skills, and I am almost ready for the soccer field - the real soccer field. Uncle Ian will be so proud of me!
The first of my carrots has been pulled from the garden and is ready to eat!
Hanging with Madeline Molletta - Just watch out because she may poop in your pool!
July also included Mom and Dad's 6-year wedding anniversary! Mom wasn't feeling great, so they just headed to a nice dinner while Aunt Mal hung with me. Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad! Glad you got married...to have me...but not to kiss in front of me.
All of these July events were super exciting, but I have saved the most exciting, besides the baby brother, for last: I sported my very first pigtails, and they look adorable! That is right, blog followers, I have enough hair for pigtails! I was so excited about my pigtails that I even made Dad take a picture on his phone when he got home. It only took almost 3 years, but they were well worth t
he wait.
This is an Olivia Public Service Announcement:
Ride Safely - Always Wear a Helmet
I even pretend to put a helmet on and take it off when I ride my bike around the house and Dad's helmet is not available; however, I really want the bright pink helmet from Wal-mart!
Baby Boy Bump Watch 2011:
16 Weeks
Almost 17 Weeks
I am so happy to say that Mom has not thrown up since the moment we found out that our little boy is healthy, which is just what I wished for when I threw my coin in the fountain. I still prefer to see my baby brother at all times, and I give him lots of hugs and kisses everyday. I did tell Mom that I was going to carry him upstairs the other day and that she could meet us up there. What!? That doesn't work? I also get very indignant when Mom asks me to tell people what I am going to be a big sister, for I am already a big sister! I am 
already a great big sister too! I talk about feeding my baby a bottle before bed, giving him a bath, and changing his diapers; although, I did tell Mom and Dad that I would not wipe his butt; they can do that. As a great big sister, I even accompanied Mom to her 16-week doctor's appointment to hear my baby brother's heartbeat, which sounded perfect. I did think it was going to sound a little more like an "oink, oink" though. I'm excited
to be a part of every appointment to check on my little man! I'm also looking forward to playing with the stirrups again; don't worry, they weren't used in any other way than to entertain me. Oh, and Mom is so excited to share this lovely view of her tummy and second chin in the video below with all of our friends and family, but it is for the sake of preserving priceless memories...and terrible, double chin cinematography. It's okay though because our baby sounds perfect!Alright, August, I'm ready for you to bring on some relief from these crazy July temperatures!
