Ollie's 1st Hair cut

Today was go, go, go by 7a.m....too early for a Saturday if you ask me. The day started with breakfast and then the kids and I headed to the salon to get the kids' haircut — Oliver's first! I waited until Amelia was 26 months before she got her's cut...I'm happy to announce I didn't wait that long for Oliver's — he's 19 months — but still LONG overdue! After the salon we headed to Michael's, Home Depot, the bank, TJMaxx, Chick-Fil-A and then home — by 11:45! I'm tired.

Checking himself out. He could NOT wait to have his turn in the big chair!



Amelia was the assistant stylist.



I brought the iPod with me to help keep the kids attention. Oliver decided to watch it...then lick it. Not sure. I'm just not sure.

terror-ible

I think Oliver just had his first night terror. Usually they happen to kids around age 3+ but I've read they can happen as early as 9 mo. Today was the first day that Oliver went with NO nap! Both of his teachers were unexpectedly out today and the 2 teachers that filled in just didn't know the tricks.

Not only did he not nap, but he ate nothing. I was late picking up the kids today and at 6:05pm Oliver fell asleep in the car on the way home from work/school. We took him inside and he sorta came around and decided he was hungry — he ate 4 pieces of pizza. No joke. We couldn't stop him. He actually swatted my hand when I started to take the food away from him.

Then it was hard to get him to relax again but he was asleep by 7:35pm. At 11:10 he was crying out in his sleep. He's done this a little bit the past few nights. When I went in to check on him he was flailing about in bed, wimpering and crying. I picked him up to quiet him but he just kept twisting and turning in my arms, kicking and throwing his arms. All the while his eyes are closed. I rocked with him and it seemed to calm him and he eventually zonked out in my arms.

Amelia used to do the exact same thing (she still does when she's overtired)...I just didn't know what it was then. I didn't know it could happen so young. Hopefully he'll get a good nap tomorrow at home with Granny.

smarty-pants!

After dinner the other night Amelia said, "Mommy, I'll clean the dishes." And proceeded to get her chair, carry it to the kitchen sink, and started scrubbing. I told her that she didn't need to do that, we'd just rinse them and put them in the dishwasher. She insisted. For the next 15 minutes she stood at the sink scrubbing dishes.

When we were done cleaning up we headed into the living room where this conversation transpired:

Amelia: "Um, maaahhhhm. Can I have a little treat?" (holding her fingers pinched close together)

Me: "Honey, you didn't take a nap today and you didn't eat much of your dinner." (usually the requirements for getting a treat)

Amelia: (in a sweet and matter-of-fact voice) "But I did the dishes and you didn't even ask me to. I helped and no one had to ask me."

Boy she's smart!!! How could I say "no" to THAT!

Halloween 2010

The kids were excited for Halloween this year. Oliver really got into it. He walked up to each house, crawled up their steps and held out his hand for candy. He tends to be my easy going child — typically he just goes with the flow or the mood around him. If you're laughing, he's laughing.

Amelia — the one who was most excited to wear her costume and head out for candy, started complaining by the 8th house. Make that, she started before we even left our house! I think she was just too cold...it was only 48 degrees or so. She told people she didn't need any more candy and just kept walking. When someone offered her an Almond Joy I made her take it (they're my favorite!)

Oliver's 18month check-up

My little boy is a peanut! The doc is super impressed with his social skills (he smiled at him and ran over to hug him, then he gave him a high-five...so cute!)

18 months:

Height: 33" — 50th percentile

Weight: 23lbs — 25th percentile

Teeth: all of them; his 4 incisors are just about completely through...FINALLY!

He's also been using the potty once and a while. He sits on the potty about 5 times a day at school and when he's home he tells me he wants to sit on the "paw-ee" ... so he does ... and he's peed in the potty twice for me! He's such a good boy.

Just chillin' and talking on the phone.

Amelia's 4th Birthday

I can't believe my little girl is 4! We celebrated Wild Things style at Goodale Park in downtown Columbus. Thankfully, the weather held out for us. Amelia and her friends played on the playground, played "Pin the Tail on the Wild Thing," ate Where the Wild Things Are cake, and Amelia got her first big girl bike!

AG with her girlfriends Grace and Natalie.

Amelia's 4 year check up

Amelia's stats at AGE 4:
Height: 41" (75th percentile)
Weight: 36lbs (50th percentile)
Vision: 30/20 (let's hope it stays this way!!)
BP: 97/56

Oliver — 15 months

Weight: 22.3 lbs

Height: 31"

Percentile: 50th

Teeth: All except his 4 incisors

Words: Ba (ball); Mamamamama (I guess that'd be me ... it's incessant, especially when I'm not around I'm told); Na (no ... he's getting really good at this one); down (I tell him to stand UP and he says "dow" ... he could do it for 10 minutes and get the biggest laugh out of it, especially in the bathtub); Baby (he says it a lot, I'm just not sure what it is he's trying to tell me)

Walking: As of July 23rd he still wasn't walking yet. (He could walk, just chose not too. He moves too fast on his knees or crawling.) Then suddenly, on Monday, August 2nd, he just decided he was done crawling and knee-walking and started walking everywhere.

I have failed, yet again...

I have attempted one journal after another (I think I have 9 of them now, maybe more) and I couldn't keep up with them. I then thought keeping a blog would be easier. It was for a little while. Now I'm just as bad at this! It's been over 4 months since I last posted! What is wrong with me!? My mid-year resolution is to update this blog at least twice a month. Let's see if I can do it! Wish me luck.

Easter Weekend

This year was quiet and calm — and I didn't mind one bit. My dad came down on Saturday evening and spent the night with us. The kids had a great time with their grandpa, but I'll never be able to figure it out...when my dad is around Amelia suddenly turns rotten. She was misbehaving most of the time he was here, and, I swear, the second he left she went back to being the awesome little girl she's become. I'm not sure what to make of it!

We started the weekend by heading to an Easter egg hunt at Schiller Park in German Village. It was more like "pick the candy up off the grass" instead of a hunt. Oh well. She enjoyed it.


It was so gorgeous out and the kids were cooperating I attempted a little photoshoot of my own.





Grandpa got to take Oliver on his first wagon ride.

Grandpa with a mini Elton John.


Oliver's other favorite pastime. This is HIS cupboard — he's allowed to do what he will with it. It used to be Amelia's but now she just helps me put away his mess!

My activity placemats

Here's one of my many designs. They are double sided mats — the front is personalized with your choice of design and the kid's name and the other side is an age appropriate activity mat.

March in Review

March was a month of "Just Do It!" And I did. I decided to get my act together and start making something of my freelance graphic design business, gelDesign. It's moving slowly but at least it's in motion. I created a Facebook page for my designs and currently have 276 fans! More than I thought I'd ever have, but still hoping for more.

Then at the end of the month I decided I needed to do more ... so I now have some of my items for sale on Etsy.com. You can check out my shop at www.geldesign.etsy.com I'm really trying to push my activity placemats for kids — they're fun and educational — and they keep the kids busy while you're trying to get dinner ready! I'll post some photos soon.

Here's a photo review of our March....

Amelia + Oliver painted pictures for Granny's birthday. I couldn't get a photo of Ollie painting bc the second that I let go of his arms his hands went right to his mouth — and they were covered! Needless to say, both kids got a bath immediately following.

Oliver learned how to climb up the stairs...and now it's his favorite pastime.
The gates are UP!

The boys.


Granny and I took Oliver to swing at the "little park" just down the street from us.
He LOVES it...can ya tell!?

Our attempt at a St. Patrick's Day family photo. Not so good.

Our first really nice day in Columbus — we spent it at Goodale Park. We had a picnic, played on the equipment, took a walk to feed the ducks, got some ice cream and then headed home for a late afternoon nap. It was a great day!

And then the weather got cold again. He sometimes refuses to nap at school so on the way home he just zonks out!

February In Review

I can't believe it's been so long since I've been on here. It's actually been like 2.5 months! February was fun. Cold, but fun. Amelia was able to enjoy lots of time in the snow and on her sled. Oliver wasn't so sure about the snow and hated having to be bundled up everyday to go to school. Hates were his mortal enemy. I managed to snap a few cute pics throughout the month....

One of his first art projects at school. He'd rather eat the brush than paint with it.

Ollie and his girlfriend, Sophia. They're 6 days apart in age.

Valentines Day dance at school. Oliver looks more like a farmer than anything else.



A trip to Cincinnati ... I took Ian and AG sledding in Dacia's neighbor's yard — great hill...but if you're off just a little you either slide into the house, the patio furniture or fall off a 4 foot ledge. Kinda scary! But thankfully no one got hurt.


Chupie time! (Not sure how it's spelled but that's what my Buni called it)
The kids love taking a bath together.