Keeping cool..

Lately the weather has been scorching, today's promising a high of 108 degrees. Out our window, the day gives little warning of the sweltering heat it plans to unleash. A thin cloud covering mutes the intensity of the sunlight. But we feel the warmth already. We feel it within us, and without. Oliver drags me to the sliding glass doors, pointing and babbling toward his small plastic swimming pool. We must become creative with our heat coping methods. Even little Oliver senses that his pool will provide the cooling relief his sweaty little body craves. So we crank up our iTunes playlist and head out, still in our pjs, splashing ankle deep into the blue water.

We are having a backyard pool party today, just my son & me.

How will you turn the heat into a party today?

♥B

Saturday Somethings

As a child, I remember Saturdays as a mixture of things...

Sometimes my family went shopping or swimming, other times we had lots of yard-work to accomplish.

Regardless of what we did, most Saturdays were spent together, as a family. 

Today reminded me of those old days. . .

Lately life passes too quickly. It seems like every weekend is booked full of plans and engagements. I forget to spend time with people I love. These days to simply spend Saturday at home is a treat.

Today feels like a treat.

Today we slept past nine a.m.

We enjoyed our breakfast of milk and cereal and yogurt.

Just the three of us. 

Oliver played peek-a-boo between spoonfuls of yogurt & baby cereal.

Nicholas worked on the yard, we bathed Oliver together, dressed in comfy sweats and cooked lunch together while Oliver pulled plastic lids and containers from his cupboard. I chopped potatoes and yams for french fries while Nick grilled burgers and made a heart out of ketchup on my hamburger bun when I wasn't looking. We sat and talked and smiled and loved each other's company.

Today it didn't matter what we did or how much time we wasted doing nothing.

Because time spent together is never wasted.

Oliver's Dr. Seuss Party

Last weekend, Nicholas & I hosted Oliver's very first birthday party.

We chose "Seussville" as the theme since Oliver loves his Dr. Seuss alphabet book so much. 

I did lots of research on pinterest (and probably drove Nick a little crazy with all my demands) but the party ended up being lots of fun. We enjoyed face-painting and colored bubbles, as well as some yummy food and cupcakes for dessert. I also set out Dr. Seuss' Happy Birthday book for Oliver's guests to sign. Oliver napped just before the party started and woke up supercharged and ridiculously excited by all the people filling his home, especially since they all were there for him. :) 

Enjoy some snapshots of the day...

The red basket is filled with "thank you" bookmarks.

I take a photo of Oliver every month so I strung them up with twine & clothespins.

The food had fun "seuss-y" names: "Poodles Eating Noodles" macaroni salad, "Green Eggs" deviled eggs & "Ham" sandwiches, "Cheese Trees", "1 Fish, 2 Fish, Red Fish, Goldfish" crackers, "Greens & Other things" platter of assorted veggies, & "Truffula Fruit".

Party favors, & cupcakes on a tray made from a picture frame.

Some fun bubbles were in the favor bags.

"Yink's Pink Ink Drink" pink lemonade

"Hop on Soda Pop" and striped drinking straws

Toya's outfit is inspired by The Cat in the Hat. 

Oliver's Nana (wearing Horton ears) got her face painted at the "1 Face, 2 Face, Red Paint, Blue Paint" table.

Uncle Reuben was in charge of the coloring table, "Oh the Colors you can color"

Birthday Boy!

He loved eating cake :)

Nick as Thing 1, Me as Thing 2, & Oliver as the Mayor of Seussville.

"You're off to great places

Today is your day.

Your mountain is waiting

So get on your way!"

a year.

That was then...

.

.

.

& this is now.

It is amazing the memories & joys we have 

experienced during the past twelve months.

Exactly one year ago today, 

this little curly-haired, angel-faced boy 

stole our hearts and changed our world forever.

Our baby is 1.

Wordless.

Guess what's coming up?

Speaking of birthdays....

Oliver's is coming up!

& although he has no idea what that means, he is loving all the party goods that have flooded our home the past few weeks, especially the balloons. I inflated one today and he went crazy for it.

Stay tuned for party details some time next week. :)

-Bethany

P.S. Oliver's cousin Miles is in the hospital and needs lots of prayers sent his way. If you have a minute during your day, please say a prayer for him. Your thoughts and prayers are very much appreciated. 

Mommyhood..

Oliver enjoyed his first Easter this weekend & also turned 11 months old.

Oliver watched Nicholas & I color eggs with his cousin Hailey. He also got to hunt for brightly colored eggs filled with teddy grahams & cheese-its at Nana and Grandpa's house. 

These days, Oliver spends his time playing with his stuffed animals Rufus & Steggie. He loves watching his dog from the dining room windows. He points at everything and loves electronics. He allows loves books. I think he likes how they taste just as much as he likes to show me the pictures inside their pages. Oliver got new shoes with velcro straps this month. These shoes actually stay on his feet and he does not mind them too much. Mostly because when he wears his shoes, he is allowed to play outside. The other day, he actually carried his shoes to me and patiently waited for me to put them on his feet. He is such a good little boy when he chooses to be. But whether he is driving me crazy or being sweet & lovable matters not because I am his mommy and he is my baby and we our completely obsessed with each other. :)

There is a single month remaining until my little Munchkin turns 1 year old. 

I can hardly believe it. 

♥ Bethany

Oliver is 10.

Look out, world

I am 10 months old.

& I strongly dislike to wear shoes.

 My little shadow, full of wonder,

toddling unsteadily behind me, the mother.

One chubby hand clings to my stable knee

The other outstretched toward danger, joy, 

unknown objects waiting to be discovered.

He gazes up at my faces, little back arched and head tilted back

to look upon my towering frame.

He cries, "ba-ba, da-da, ma-ma-ma!"

Loudly he shouts these sounds, simple linguistics

True language he has not yet learned

But he understands when we say, "No."

His little personality bursts from behind 

his laugh, his copper curls, 

his twinkling eyes the color of the seas.

He wreaks havoc, yet longs for attention, affection, approval,

a simple smile from "ma-ma" and "da-da"

And his tears, laughter and curiosity

his gleeful squeals as he kicks his little legs

his frustrated tears and exhausted wails

All these emotions and characteristics

 are wrapped in a tiny little individual

wobbling on two chubby legs,

arms reaching for my love.

He is my sun.

I am simple a moon in his orbit

reflecting his joy.

~Bethany

A Lot of L-O-V-E love

I love LOVE L-O-V-E Valentine's Day.

I try to dress in as much red as possible. 

This box arrived on my doorstep on Valentine's Day, a gift from my darling husband. 

It was filled with these...

look familiar? they are from Georgetown Cupcakes, aka the cupcake shop on tlc's DC Cupcakes. And they were amazing!

I decided to make my own decorations this year. That involved sewing lots of felt hearts and hanging them around our home with bits of rustic twine.

I also took some photos of Oliver and made Valentine's Day photo-cards for our family. 

Oliver liked to shake the hearts and throw them on the ground so it took a few tries before I captured the perfect v-day snapshots.

For Oliver's first Valentine's day, Nicholas & I bought him a special edition of Mr. Potato Head. He is called "sweetheart spud".  Oliver spotted it while we were grocery shopping and loved it. I wrapped it up and let him open it on Tuesday before Nick & I left for a romantic date at Romano's Macaroni Grill, my favorite restaurant. I think he enjoyed the gift wrapping paper more than the toy, though. 

Notice the gift bow Oliver is wearing like a hat? 

How did you spend your Valentine's Day this year?

Piglet: "How do you spell 'love'?

Pooh: "You don't spell it, you feel it."

Baby+1 More Month=9

Facts:

1. Oliver walks now.

2. Oliver likes dogs.

3. Oliver currently has 3 teeth.

4. Oliver's hair is beginning to resemble a mullet when wet.

5. Oliver's middle name, Aiden, means "little fire." 

6. Oliver is fascinated by electronic devices.

7. Oliver-bites can make an adult scream. 

8. Oliver says "Mama" when he wants to be picked up. But he refuses to say it on command.

9. Oliver is 9 months old.

These Mommy Days…

I haven’t blogged in a while…

Lately Oliver & I have spent a lot more time playing, and less time being productive. So far, neither of us mind a bit that we get very little done on the days we spend together. I am preserving memories of him, these days.

Oliver is now eight months old, but I think he believes that he is much older. I am terrified that any day he will let go of the couch and walk without holding on to anything. Sometimes our house gets very quiet and when I find Oliver, he is standing on tip-toe against the television stand or the fireplace or the couch reaching for something dangerous or off-limits to him. When I say to him, “Oliver, what do you think you are doing??” He shoots me a silly grin, displaying his two teeth or waves at me.

Hand-waving is a recent discovery. Oliver recently learned how to wave and now he waves constantly: when he is happy, when he is trying to get my attention, when he is looking at his own reflection, when he is trying to get daddy’s attention, but of course not when he ask him to wave. When he does wave, though, it is heart-melting.

Oliver reminds me of my own carefree childhood. We play together and I sing songs to him, and sometimes we dance. And Oliver laughs.

These days, a two-and-a-half-foot little boy with chestnut curls and blue-green eyes fills our world with life and so much love.

~Beth

seven months later..

Look who turned 7 months old, today:

Oliver Aiden.

Each new day, Oliver grows a little more

and learns something new.

He learned to crawl this past month.

Almost immediately after that, he figured out how to stand up 

by holding on to stationary objects 

such as the couch, mommy or daddy's legs, chairs, tables, etc. 

Look out, world, little elf is on the move.

"Please be content with crawling for a little longer, " 

I silently beg my rapidly growing baby.

The muscles in my arms have strengthened from carrying him.

Even so, I still need a rest from time to time,

reminding me that the infant we brought home seven months ago

is fast approaching toddlerhood. 

I love every minute I spend watching this amazing little miracle of human life.

We play games now, 

Oliver & I.

As he sits in his highchair watching me wash the dishes or cook dinner.

He stares at me until I notice him and smile.

Instantly a huge smiles spreads across his face

and he gives me one of his fantastic baby laughs.

I dance for him, he giggles and waves his arms.

I try to feed him applesauce on a spoon.

Sometimes he loves it, 

more times he dramatically makes gagging sounds 

and spits it out. 

He shakes his head back and forth 

and repeats baby sounds over and over again.

I say them back to him and he laughs gleefully. 

And he drives me absolutely insane.

This is a thing he L-O-V-E, loves to do.

He crawls to the brick fireplace and stands against it, 

wobbling dangerously on his little toes.

I rush over and pull him away, bribing him with toys, books,

blocking his way with pillows.

Oliver scales the pillows and is back at the fireplace the minute I turn my back, 

all the while smiling his sweet little prankster smile.

And all the emotions Oliver brings me are insignificant compared to this 

overwhelming love that I feel for him, 

my baby boy.

I pray that God gives you many more days and months and years of life,

so I can watch you grow and learn and become who God created you to be.

For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O Lord, from my youth.

Psalm 71:5 ESV

What's in a name?

I chose to name my son Oliver because I loved the name.

I also chose it because the bump told me that the meaning of Oliver is "elf army." 

Nicholas was thrilled when I told him this because he plays World of Warcraft, a computer game that features many mythical creatures including elves. 

I feel that the name perfectly fits. Besides the fact that my child just looks like he should be name Oliver, he alone could be an elf army. He has the appetite of an elf army. It sometimes seems like he is all over the place at once. He is a mischievous little boy. He looks like a miniature little man. I guess that would be more of a dwarf but in the story of the shoemaker and the elves, those elves were tiny. The words "dwarf" and "elf" are used interchangeably in some version of that story, though.

Oliver is a baby elf, plain and simple. 

Except...

..upon doing further research I learned that the Latin meaning is actually "Olive Tree." 

hmm. 

The Olive tree, specifically an olive tree branch, is a symbol of peace. 

Again, hmm. 

Not very descriptive of my child. 

Oliver is also the name of one of Charlemagne's knights in the 11th century poem "Chanson de Roland." I guess this could help my case a little, although I doubt Charlemagne's Knight was an elf.

However, further research found that Oliver very well could be a form of the old German name "Alfihar" which is defined as "host of elves."

Yes! 

I am going with "elf army" as the definition of Oliver. 

A bonus is that my great grandfather sailed to Ellis Island from Germany. 

It's fate.

And on that note, today is Oliver-Alfihar-Elf Army's half birthday. 

This crazy little elf is almost crawling and I'm equal parts terrified & thrilled. 

But ready-or-not, my baby elf is growing fast and I'm am excited to someday teach him about his amazing & historic name.

Happy Half Birthday, Oliver Aiden!

You are very L O V E D.