My Little People

Olivia (20 months) I can't believe Olivia is going to be 2 in four months! WOW! Seriously that's crazy! She is getting so big and smart. (And with smart comes sneaky!) She is everywhere and into everything. Nothing is safe! :) As a matter of fact if you leave a pen for her to find within minutes she will have written all over the bottoms of her feet, maybe legs and arms too if they are exposed and any paper or solid object near by. She is also a climber so on top of the table or desk is NOT a safe place. Other things that are not safe around her are 90% full bottles of garlic salt. This will become a self created, in house "sand table" for her to play in until someone notices. She is also repeating everything you say these days so also not safe is any language you wouldn't want her to repeat in her christian based PDO class. HA! The ability for Olivia to communicate is a blessing and a added challenge. Her frustration level most of the time is decreased because she can let us know exactly what she wants (and it is an exactly), but if she can't have it.. well lets just say we have our fair share of "meltdowns" around here. (They are kinda funny at times though.. she puts on some good shows.) Other than that we are working on saying "please" and "thank you" rather that "I want that" or "I want juice" or "I want moose" (a.ka. cartoons). She also always wants "meeks" (music) on in the car. Her music, the Toddler Tunes CD or Laurie Berkner on my IPOD. I miss listening to my station, but I figure it will only get worse so enjoy "kookaburra" while I can. All in all, Olivia is doing great. She knows who is in her family, her colors, animals and is beginning to learn songs. I can start singing Mary had a... and she will sing the rest of the line and so on.
Olivia's Favorites:
Books
- If You Give A Mouse a Cookie ("mouse cookie")
-Olivia series ("EEAA")
-At the Zoo Sesame Street
-Hug Book
Songs
-I'm going to Catch You ("I chech you")
-Mary Had A Little Lamb ("mary went")
Food
-cheese
-animal cookies
-Cheerios (O's)
Favorite Nickname of the Moment: Livy Lou
She also loves to hug, be rocked, play with Owen, play outside, kick balls, play with her dolls and take whatever Owen might be interested in at the moment. I figure that last one will be a long term thing.
Love this little girl, she makes me laugh every day and some days makes me a little crazy too!


Owen (5 months) My little man is trying to crawl! Can you believe that?!?! He is up on all fours and rocking away. He scoots and rolls around the room. I am soooo not prepared to have two mobile children in the house. Some of Olivia's smaller toys may need to be put up for awhile. He still doesn't have those graded movements you need to sit up by yourself. He tend to jerk himself back when I'm holding him sitting up. He does like his exersaucer for short periods of time. I have started giving him some rice cereal most evenings. He seems pretty apathetic about it. He will eat it, but it isn't with the intention and desire that Olivia displayed when she was first introduced to food other than milk. Owen's ability to sleep at night has regressed! When he was two months old he was getting up once at night around 3. Now he goes to sleep about 9, gets up at midnight, 2:30 and 5:30 and then for good around 7:30 or 8:00. There are even times when he likes to have a party around 5:00am. I'm not a fan of these parties. :/ Someone needs to let him know that at 5 months he is welcome to start sleeping through the night. (Although Olivia was 13 months before she started to somewhat consistently sleep through the night) Owen for the most part is a happy little baby except.. when he is in the car. That boy HATES the carseat, the car and everything in between. Poor little man. We may try and get him a different car seat to see if it helps, but I really think he hates being semi reclined. I think it is that in between laying down and sitting up proprioceptive feeling of falling. He can't seem to get use to it and realize he is ok and relax. In the tub he is semi reclined and he doesn't freak out like in the car seat, but he is always still trying to sit up. (Little guy doesn't realize he can't sit up by himself yet apparently). He and Olivia are getting along great. He thinks she is the cat's pajamas and can really do no wrong. She will waller him to the point I'm afraid she is hurting him and he just laughs and laughs. He can not wait to be able to "play" with her!
Owen's Favorites:
tummy time with some toys to put in his mouth
Olivia's attention
Being talked to
Being carried my me in his sling
laying in bed with mommy in the morning
Owen's Dislikes:
Car seat/car
Being left alone in a room
Clothes being pulled over his head
Olivia's bath time (that goes along with being left alone)
Nickname of the moment: "Mister Mister"

So grateful and blessed for my two happy, healthy children! The pictures on this page were taken by my dear friend Holly (www.olliefern.com). I know this post is 5 months and 20 months, but the pictures are actually 4 months and 19 months. Just so ya know. :)