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!"

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

Grammie-Day

Last year on Nicholas's mother's birthday, we surprised her with the exciting news that we were expecting a little one. One year later, Oliver celebrated with his Grammie on her birthday.

We shared dinner, conversation & laughter, a game of marbles, and yummy cake.

Happy Birthday Grammie-MOM-Diana Sellai :)

& in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. 

-Abraham Lincoln

lazy wednesday

Life seems to slow down during the summer...

Maybe it's just me, but I feel like people are happier in the summer. I see more people around our apartment complex and they stop and say hello to Oliver instead of hurrying past with only a brief nod. 

Oliver went in the pool for the first time last night. Not fully but he let Daddy carry him in the water and dip his feet in. We waited until about seven o'clock in the evening when the pool was empty and then brought Oliver out with his little baby sunglasses to keep him from having to squint his little eyes shut. He felt nervous at first but relaxed and seemed to enjoy the cool water splashing against his skin. 

Despite summertime's lazy haze, Oliver continues to grow. When I look at him, it's hard to believe that he is only six and a half weeks old. He is so full of life and that energy radiates from him like sunlight. He grunts and screams and smiles and finds all sorts of ways to communicate with us. I am learning to pay attention to his expressions and his moods. He is full of energy and wants to bounce and stand and move. 

And then he takes glorious naps while I rush around making lunch and washing dishes and showering and styling my hair and searching for something to wear that makes me feel like me again and whatever else I can manage to do until I  hear his cry and lift his cuddly warm body into my arms and enjoy his happy babyness all over again. 

This is our routine for now; simply enjoying each other's company during these lazy summer months. We let ourselves get lost in the magic that is summer's warmth and joy and a sense of peace...

roadtrip recap.

Last week Nicholas & I, along with Mom, Dad, Toya & Reuben, visited our family in Texas and Oklahoma. We got to hang out with my sisters and their families. From my nephew Cruz's 2nd birthday party, to The Alamo, to shopping at the fabulous La Cantera, to Dad getting crazy betting on some horse races, we had a blast. I thought I'd illustrate our joyous visit with a few snapshots. Enjoy!

~Bethany.

Our beautiful family. (minus one)

Cruz loved the racehorses (:

We told him not to let go but apparently the electric shock was too much for him to handle. 

Lunch at SaltGrass Steakhouse. yummm.

Lucas & Nessa.

The colors of the Riverwalk.

Ness & Toya.

Nick found a Buffalo in Oklahoma.

lazy saturday.

Hello October (: 

So far, I am not loving the weather you've opened with but crossing my fingers for better days. It has been so humid and hot lately despite the fact that it is now officially autumn. Hmm. 

Well, Nick purchased my "Christmas Gift" today and I can already say with confidence that I will not be waiting until Christmas to open and utilize the gift. It is a pair of chocolate brown suede boots that I have been wanting for several winters to replace the really worn out pair that I already owned. Yay! I can't wait for cooler fall weather so I can show off my fabulous new foot wear. 

Today was mostly a lazy day. It seems like every weekend there is some baby shower or wedding or party or family function that we must attend. To be honest, it adds up to exhaustion. Not that I don't enjoy spending time with friends and family, because I do. But every now and then, we need a lazy day to wake up late and watch saturday morning cartoons while eating cereal. Which is exactly what Nicholas and I did this morning (: It was blissfully fulfilling.

We should be resting up because at this time next week, we will be in San Antonio, Tex. with the rest of my siblings and parents for my nephew Cruz's 2nd birthday party. I am looking forward to the mini vacation. The weather over there promises to be in the 80s so I am stoked. Also, since I haven't seen either of my two older sisters since my wedding six months ago, it will be nice to catch up with them in person. Phone calls just aren't the same as face to face conversations. 

Anyway, Nicholas just scored a touchdown on his NCAA 2010 game so I am going to stop typing and cheer for him. Nothing too enlightening this week but thanks for reading anyway (: Happy October!

~Bethany.