Beach Baby

 In the middle of July, Olive and I spent another week on Fripp Island with my Mom.  When we were there in June, we spent more time at the pool and only went to the beach once.  The one time we did go, Olive immediately began eating sand. When we went in July the first evening we went down to walk on the beach and Olive walked straight into the ocean.  She loved it!  We ended up going to the beach every day. 

Walking out into the ocean.

Going into the water.  She would keep walking straight out until a wave knocked her over or I made her stop.

When the waves would knock her over, rather than being scared even when she went face first into the water, she would start laughing.

Getting a taste of the sand.

Doing some digging, and eating sand.

Walking to the beach one evening so the sand was cool enough to walk on with bare feet.

Hanging out with Lauren.

Taking a break from running around.

There was this great playground next to the restaurant where we were eating dinner, of course Olive didn't want to go down the slide or go on the swings; she just kept going up and down this set of stairs.  Because everyone knows the best part of the playground are the stairs.

It's been awhile...

I last posted for Olive's first birthday and here she is almost 16 months old!  It's funny when I am out in public and people ask how old she is, I've noticed it is beginning to take a little longer for them to do the mental math.  Anything under 12 months was easy for everyone, because they automatically knew she was less than a year old.  But over 12 months seems to throw people off, like they need a moment to figure out exactly what 15 months or 16 months means.

For Olive almost 16 months means being busy.  She is constantly on the move.  She love wide open spaces where she can run around, and she loves taking things apart.  Including unpacking the diaper bag, my purse, baskets of laundry etc.  Our living room also doubles as her playroom, and as soon as we clean up she interprets that as her cue to take everything out again.  Especially her books on the book shelf.  She is a reader.  She picks books up and brings them to whomever is closest, she hands them the book and then puts her arms up so they will lift her into their lap and read her the book.  If you are sitting on the floor she will just plop right down in your lap.  It doesn't matter how many times she has a heard a book she wants to hear them over and over again.  She will also sit and go through books on her own.  But she prefers to make us read them to her.  She has even learned to be more efficient and will stack up 4 books and bring them over to Mark or me, so she doesn't have to get down and get more books.  The other night at the dinner table Mark and I were reciting some of her favorite books to her, we have read them so many times we have them memorized.

This summer she has also become something of a fish.  She absolutely loves the water and being in the pool. The first week of June she was spoiled when we went to Fripp Island because they have a baby pool that is only about a foot and a half deep.  Once she as able to balance herself she could walk around the pool all she wanted and it even had a slide she would go down over and over again.  She loved being able to be in the water and touch the bottom and walk around without having to hold on to anyone.  Now, she's not a big fan of being in her float in the big pool, because she can't control where she is going or what is happening.  She is very independent and likes to do things for herself.  She is finally getting used to being in a big pool and having to be held, but she prefers "jumping" in the pool, and being pulled around the pool by her hands/arms.  She likes to kick and feel like she is the one controlling her movements.

Her other big discovery of the summer is horse racing.  It all started when we were watching the Kentucky Derby on tv.  When they first showed the horses she got really excited and was clapping at the tv.  Then during the actual race she saw Mark and I yelling and screaming at the tv.  Now our cable company picked up TVG the horse racing channel, and she will sit on your lap and watch the races, bouncing her self up and down shouting, "Go, Go, Go!"  She has even tried to "ride" Zinny (our very sweet cat) bouncing up and down on him while he lays on the ground.  The other day when I was tired of reading the same book for the 5th time that day, I asked if she wanted to see the horseys, she got really excited.  It took a minute for the tv to come on and she actually started to fuss because she wanted to watch it so badly.  Her grandparents tried taking her to the merry-go-round so she experience some riding for herself, but she freaked out.  When we go St. Louis at the end of July I want to take her to the track and see if she likes seeing the horses in person or not.  Maybe she will just prefer keeping them in the tv for now.

She is talking up a storm these days.  Her current favorite word is, "toot."  She will say it and then pass gas, she thinks she is hilarious.  She also loves making animal noises and her favorite books are the ones with animals in them so she can make the noises.  She says lots of different words and is in to mimicking the last word of any sentence Mark and I say, so we have to start being careful with our language.  The other day Mark said, "Oh my god." And of course Olive started saying, "god, god, god."  She went through a mini "mine" phase, and she still says mine from time to time, but it didn't last very long, and wasn't too bad.  She hasn't started putting sentences together yet, but I am sure the is just around the corner.

With Mimi at Fripp

Blowing kisses with her Titi Taco.

Partying with Aunt Jen.

Cousin Love.

Fun times with Aunt Stacy.

Olive scolding me when I told her not to put the baby wipe in her mouth.

Climbing up the frog slide in the baby pool.

Getting Uncle Eric to read to her.

Burger at Steak n Shake

Bubbles with Grandma.

A little apprehensive on the merry-go-round

The only thing cuter than one baby, is two babies.  Hanging with her pal Harlow.

Riding the dog like a little horse is not frowned upon in this establishment.

Bathing beauty.

In St. Louis over Spring Break.

Reading.

Strawberry hat!

Deep thoughts with Dada.

Haircut.

I love the expressions on Olive and Quinn's faces in this picture.

Sand is yummy!

Playing the piano with cousin Jordan.

Taking the trash out.

First time running in the sand on St. George Island for Ali's wedding.

Birthday Girl!

Last weekend was Olive's first birthday party, and then Wednesday was her actual birthday.  Olive's party was great.  It was a small gathering with my parents, Titi Taco, and a couple of my friends from work.  Mark cooked up a storm, and my parents were a big help getting the house cleaned, and we finally have pictures up on the walls.  It's like we actually live in a home.  The party was fantastic, and Olive was an adorable birthday girl.  I can't believe our baby is one.  She has changed and grown so much this year.  I really did not know it was possible to love anyone as much as I love her.  It seems like each phase she goes through is better than the one before it.  Right now she is so much fun, she is full of smiles and happy shrieks for anyone and everyone.  Along with her absolute joy for life, she is getting really sweet.  She is really into laying her head on people and snuggling.  She also loves smiling and waving at strangers when we are out in public.

When I look back at her development over the last year I am amazed.  I know that she had a pretty typical first year of life, but it's still awesome when you get to see and be a part of it on a daily basis.  I am so grateful for everything Olive has brought to our lives.  As much as the last year has been challenging, I really feel like I am happier, then I have ever been.  There is something about being a mom that makes me feel whole.  I love being a mom, especially Olive's mom.   

Loving her new wagon!

Birthday Girl!

New summer clothes!

Titi Taco helped Olive open her presents.

Thanks for coming to visit Gammie and Papa.

Aunt Michele sent Mega Blocks, Mark and I have a blast building things with them, and then Olive has a blast, destroying our buildings.

A Vegas Toddler

Over President's Day weekend we went to Las Vegas to visit Mark's parents. It ended up being exactly what we needed, a weekend away from our overly busy lives. Olive had a great time being showered with attention from Grandma, Grandpa, Paboo, Aunt Mary Ellen, cousin Taylor, and Cee Lo.

The first day we were there we went to visit the new house Bill and Teddie just bought. It is gorgeous, and I can't wait to go back once they are moved in and the weather is warmer to have Olive swim in the pool. She had a great time chasing golf balls around on the putting green.

After visiting the new house we went to the Hoover Dam. Unfortunately Olive was suffering from some jet lag combined with a little virus, and she fussed the whole time. We joked that if she ever wants to visit the Hoover Dam when she gets older we are going to tell her that she is not allowed to go, since clearly she hates the Hoover Dam.

Olive was a little sick our first couple of days. She just didn't seem to be feeling very good, and after her fussy Hoover Dam trip she took a long afternoon nap that turned into a long night's sleep. She was running a bit of a fever too. Luckily it only lasted around 24 hours, and she was back to her energetic self.

On Sunday we went down and walked the strip we were trying to show Olive some animals, but it turns out the MGM is moving the lions off site, and we were too late to see the animals at Sigfried and Roys. We did see a duck swimming in a fountain. I think Olive still had fun riding in the stroller and seeing all the people, and big buildings.

And then as we were getting ready to board our flight back to Atlanta there was Cee Lo Green on our flight. As we walked past him when we were boarding he said, "Hi Baby!" to Olive. So now they are BFF's.

Someone was not feeling well.  Luckily Granpa was there to snuggle with her.

First bubble bath, she wasn't sure what to do with the bubbles, so she started eating them.

Spending time outside with Grandma in the beautiful Vegas weather.

Drinking some water with her Paboo.

I wonder if she gets free meals?

She finally got to meet Aunt Mary Ellen.

She loves her Paboo.

First try with Birthday cake.  She wasn't sure what to do with it, and then each time she put it in her mouth she spit it out.

Bye bye Vegas.