Random September photos

Papaw came to visit for a few weeks. It was really nice to have him here with the kids.


I got a much-needed night out (even though we stayed in at Jenny's house) when some of my girlfriends from OU came into town.
(Me, Stacey, Jenny and Meredith)


My little southside beauty eating her spaghetti in the nude with her arm-band tattoo.

Play time

Here's just few cute photos that I forgot to put up last month.




We took the kids to Goodale Park and ran into Amelia's friend, Contessa, and her mommy. The girls had so much fun playing together outside of school.



Oliver's cute little bottom...I just couldn't resist.

Baptismal portraits

I never had a chance to take photos of Oliver in his gown after his baptism so I dressed him up again in the outfit that he wore to church and his gown. He looks so sweet!

Oliver's baptism (Our week in Warren)

After our weekend at the lake I took the kids back to Warren for the week and Tyler headed back home. It was a challenge being away from home for 9 days, but thankfully it was at my grandparents house. We spent the week visiting family and friends and preparing for Oliver's baptism and Jessica's shower.

Nasa and Nasu (Godmother and Godfather) Jessica and Justin helped get Oliver dressed for church. Jess and Justin are preparing for their little boy to arrive in early November!

Father Jim was kind to Oliver — he only splashed him with the Holy water instead of dunking him.
Oliver was the 6th person to wear this baptismal gown made by my great-grandmother (my Buni). It has been worn by Dacia, myself, Ian, Amelia, Ellie and now Oliver.

Oliver knew that mommy took the camera for a moment — he immediately shot a look at me and I captured it. Oliver was SO well-behaved the entire service. And his pacifier is now a holy pacifier...earlier in the service we were standing near the tub of holy water and Oliver spit his buppy out and it dropped right into the water. We all shared a silent laugh as this happened.

Amelia was entertaining herself by reading and singing.

The Godparents, Father James, Oliver and mom and dad.

No, the girls' outfits were NOT planned. Sisters just think alike — even if we don't like to admit it sometimes.

Amelia and Nasa Jessica.

While we were in Warren we hung out with my life-long girlfriend, Rachel, and her family. The boys played together very nicely :-) This is Nolan and Oliver. Nolan is only 12 days older than Ollie but looks a good 2 months older in this photo.

Amelia and Addison (Rachel's oldest who is 2 years old) played like they were old buddies.
Amelia had her very first play date while we were in Warren, too! It was was a big deal for me. I needed to run some errands to get ready for the baptism and Rachel offered to have Amelia come over and play with Addison for the a few hours. It worked out wonderfully.


Jessica's Shower

Our week-long stay in Warren ended with Jessica's shower which was held at Candywood Golf Course. She had a ton of girl cousins there and Dacia managed to gather them all up for a group shot. From left, and forgive me if I get the 3 Opritza girls mixed up, is Ellie (Dacia's), Sophia, Natalie and Olivia Opritza, Amelia, and Addison Allen.

Amelia, Addison and Ellie.

Labor Day Weekend at Chautauqua Lake

Each year a big group of my family spends Labor Day weekend in Bemus Point, NY....and over the past couple years the number has just grown...there are now 4 kids ages 3 and younger! It can get rather interesting at times!

The 3 oldest kids had fun making things with Play-doh with Beepa. Each morning they had fun doing different art projects like watercolors and chalk. I even had the honor of showing Ellie how to paint for the first time.

Ollie and Ellie...the 2 youngest.

Early morning "fishing" trip.

Amelia and Ian Thomas.
(Amelia only calls him Ian Thomas, not just Ian)

Buni helped Amelia take Oliver for his first ride down the slide. He held on with his mouth.

My new favorite photo of Oliver.

The non-traditional fishing trip.

"I need privacy."
~ Amelia Grace
(Like mother, like daughter)

Ian Thomas, Tusa Dacia, Amelia, Uncle Luke and Ellie

Uncle Luke took us out for a boat ride on Uncle Jamie's boat. I didn't think I'd ever get Amelia off the boat!

Me and my sista.

The fam.
Kali left early that morning and Kaitlin and Ajay didn't make it up this year.
We missed them though!

Mommy and Amelia day

Amelia started to have some jealousy issues that started in early August and they were only getting worse. I knew I had to spend some one-on-one time with her so I decided once a month (or so I hope) there will be a mommy and Amelia day. I took the last Friday in August off and Amelia and I had a GREAT day together.

First we had breakfast at First Watch where she told EVERYONE that we were having our "special day" together.

Then we went to Build-A-Bear where Amelia made her very own stuffed animal Owl!




There's a ritual you go through to make your animal your very own...including giving it a heart. She made a wish, kissed the heart and tucked it inside her owl. Then she gave it a "bath." The owl's name is Zizzy. :-)



We then went shopping — Amelia got a new necklace and her very own lip gloss — then enjoyed lunch by the water fountain inside Easton.


The highlight of our day was going to our very first movie in a theater! I thought for sure we'd make it through 20 minutes, if I was lucky, but she loved the experience and sat through the entire movie. We saw Ponyo (by Japanimation legend Miyazaki) about a little goldfish on a quest to become human. It was such a sweet movie. There were only 7 of us in the theater so it was perfect. I can't wait for our next "special day."

August in Review

It's been a long time since I've posted anything...it's been really hard to find time to sit down and do something fun ... taking care of two is just non-stop and I've been trying to get in as much freelance work as possible which means I'm ALWAYS on the computer. I haven't slept much in the past 2 weeks and it's starting to take it's toll on me, but I really wanted to post some new photos of the kids. I hope you enjoy them.


OHIO STATE FAIR

Amelia loved riding the rides by herself.

We stopped in to feed the animals at the petting zoo.

I had asked her if she wanted to ride the horsey and she said yes. So I took her over to the pony rides and she almost threw a fit right then and there...she said, "NO MOMMY. I want to ride the REAL horsey!" Turns out ponies aren't real, but the ones on the carousel are.

We stopped in at the Ag & Hort building and she rode the peddle tractor around the track. Half way through she stopped to get gas and fix the engine ... she's got a great imagination!

Admiring the baby chicks and ducks.

We rode the HUGE ferris wheel together. I was more nervous than she was!


Painting the OSF art wall.



BACKYARD FUN
It's been the coolest August in memory but this one day was so HOT that Tyler
and I even got in the pool with Amelia. It's amazing how much fun you can have in such a tiny pool.

She was trying to drown Tyler.



AUNT RACHEL'S VISIT

Rachel, one of my best friends from back home, had a conference here in Columbus so she stayed with us one evening. Amelia loved having the extra attention and I had some much-needed girlfriend time!


DANCE PARTY
We had some friends come over a couple weekends ago and one of them brought her nephew over to play. Amelia and her new friend, Reece, danced and giggled until they were sweating. I didn't get the greatest photos of them but they were hysterical to watch!


NEVER turn your back on your almost-3-year-old when she says she's putting on her lipstick.
She was holding crayons in her hands when she said this so I didn't think much of it. I turned away for 5 seconds, looked back and THIS is what I saw! Thank goodness they were washable markers.


I WANNA BE LIKE DADDY

Oliver stole daddy's hat. I'm not really sure who it looks better on.

She's reached the age where clothes just get in her way. Hopefully she outgrows this quickly! She'd go completely naked if we'd let her.