Ollie Turns One-and-a-Half. AND It's Mother's Day. AND "The Roo Review" Retires!!

Today is a big day. Huge.

First of all, and most importantly, our beloved "Baby Roo," our little "Sneaker Peeker," the one and only "Hurricane Ollie" turns one-and-a-half years old. Eighteen months. Today is May 10 and it's his official halfway-t0-two birthday. Happy Birthday, Baby Roo! We love you so so much and every single day with you has been a treasure! You are full of joy, always adventurous, always pulling your unpredictible antics, and always making us laugh. Our family is blessed because you are in it!

Today is also Mother's Day. This morning, Mike got up with the kids and let me sleep in. At about 8:30, he came into the room holding a breakfast tray with both boys in tow. On the tray: two eggs over easy with toast, grapefruit, yogurt, hot French-pressed coffee, silverware, napkin. Also on the tray: a handmade Mother's Day card from Mike and Merrit on which Merrit wrote "I love you to Mars and back," decorated with Martians drawn by Mike and colored in by Merrit. Priceless. Merrit also pulled $1.25 out of his piggy bank and put it in the card as a gift for me. What could I possibly buy for $1.25 that would ever equal the "gift" of Merrit--on his own initiative--giving me his hard-earned money (10 cents per chore)? Ollie, you have the most amazing big brother!

It's been a great Mother's Day already...and it's just getting started. Mike has said that he is my "Personal Servant for a Day," (he knows that my Love Language is "Acts of Service"). He already cleaned the kitchen after making breakfast (and, though I hate to admit this, last night's dinner dishes were still in the sink). As I sit here in bed, typing on my laptop, I can hear the dishwasher humming away, Ollie down for his nap, and Merrit and Mike quietly talking and sharing a snack in the dining room. Rarely is our house this calm and peaceful (that's an understatement!), but when it is, what a lovely happening. Happy Mother's Day to me! I feel so grateful for my three guys.

And, lastly, today is the day that I'm retiring "The Roo Review." It's been a special privilege to document Ollie's first 18 months. Our Baby Roo has grown up so much since November 10, 2007!!

Ollie, it seems like just yesterday that you were my tiny little infant boy! Where has the time gone? You weigh almost 30 pounds! You have molars! You feed yourself! You drink from a cup! You walk, run, and dance! You're talking! You're learning stairs! You put yourself to sleep! You sleep all night! You are an amazing, independent, curious toddler! What a treasure you are to me. To Daddy. To Merrit. To your grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. To everyone that meets you.

Heavenly Father, thank you for our little Oliver William! He is a treasure straight from your heart to us. You shaped his personality. You have given him gifts and abilities that we still have yet to discover. Mike and I get to be first-hand witnesses to all the goodness that you have planted inside Ollie. Please equip us to teach him about You, to love him unconditionally, to train him up in the way that he should go, and to turn to You for wisdom. Thank you for Ollie.

This song, "O Praise Him (All This for a King)" by David Crowder Band, is on my heart this morning. It's a joyful, thankful song...and it expresses this bursting, joyful feeling I have inside today.

Turn your ear
To Heaven and hear
The noise inside
The sound of angels awe
The sound of angels songs
And all this for a King
We could join and sing
'All to Christ our King!'

How constant
How divine
This love of ours will rise
Oh, how constant
How divine
This song of ours will rise
Will rise...

Ohh praise Him! Ohh praise Him!
He is Holy! He is Holy!

Turn your gaze
To Heaven and raise
A joyous noise
Oh the sound of salvation come
The sound of rescued ones
And all this for a king
Angels join to sing
'All for Christ our King!'

Ohh praise Him! Ohh praise Him!
He is Holy! He is Holy!

Ohh praise Him! Ohh praise Him!
He is Holy! He is Holy!

How infinite and sweet
This love so rescuing
Oh how infinitely sweet
This great love that has redeemed
As one, we sing...

Hallelujah, Hallelujah!
He is Holy! He is Holy!

Ohh praise Him! Ohh praise Him!
He is Holy! He is Holy!

COUNTDOWN: Two Days to Go

Two more days: Today and tomorrow. In honor of TWO more days of blogging, I'm going to list the two major reasons I'm so glad I've kept up with my boys' baby blogs. First Merrit's site and now, Ollie's site.

For one thing, blogging about every little detail of your little one's life makes you actually pay attention to every little detail of your little one's life!! Sounds like a no-brainer, but when you're sleep-deprived and behind on laundry and need to get dinner started and the baby's hungry, it's sometimes hard to slow down and appreciate all your blessings--much less write them down and snap a few accompanying photos. I love it that I was able to capture for all time all of Ollie's milestones, big and small...when the umbilical cord shriveled up and fell off; the first time he rolled over; when that first tooth came in; how good it felt the first time he slept through the night. So much of your baby's first year is a blur, and it's wonderful to have a written down (just about) every minute of it!

Secondly, I know for sure that when the boys are older and they'll have the chance to read through their individual baby blogs (I have had Merrit's printed up and bound into a hardback book and will soon do the same with this web site), they will both know for sure that their Daddy and I were head-over-heels in love with them from before they were even born. That we took pleasure in every moment with them. That we celebrated each accomplishment. That we laughed at their silliness. That we sometimes struggled to keep our sanity. And that we hugged, snuggled, tickled, and squeezed these kids every single day! This blog is, if nothing else, proof that we think Ollie is ONE IN A MILLION and that we love him with all our hearts.

COUNTDOWN: Three Days to Go

With three days left blogging on "The Roo Review," Mike and I have to share the THREE most important lessons we've learned about life since Ollie entered our hearts and our home.

LESSON #1
When we found out we were expecting our little Baby Roo, we were just a couple of weeks away from accepting a two-year stint with UbiSoft in Paris, France. Wow, life can be so unpredictable! Thinking back from then to now, nothing has turned out like we thought it would. In fact, right about now is when we would have been returning from our time in France. We didn't live in a little flat in one of the Parisian arrondissements, we didn't have fresh-baked croissants and espresso for breakfast, we didn't hop on a train for a weekend in London or Milan or Geneva. Nope. We didn't do any of that. Instead, we met Ollie! Ephesians 3:20 says, "Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us." Ollie is a gift from God, and he is so much more than we could have asked for or imagined! What a big splash of sunshine he is! Lesson #1 is: "The mind of God is full of beautiful surprises." (Maybe one day, we will travel to Paris, eat croissants, and ride the trains. And Ollie will be there with us! What could be better than that?)

LESSON #2
If you've spent any time looking at the pictures on this web site, you have fallen in love with Ollie's big, big grin. This boy loves life. He encounters the world with an open, receiving attitude. He gives back to the world a ready smile and an adventurous spirit. So, Lesson #2 is: "Live each day to the fullest. Receive everything you need and give everything you have. And keep smiling."

LESSON #3
When Merrit was born, we were swept up into a whirlwind of complications. Even the most basic acts, like feeding or bathing, were so complicated. Looking back, that was a time of intense growth, of unusual connectedness to God and to family, of dramatic trials and dramatic answers to prayer. By contrast, life with Ollie has been sweetly simple. Uncomplicated. Carefree and joyful. How could we take anything for granted? Holding him right after he was born. Bringing him home after just a few days. Breastfeeding without difficulty. Bathing him without a trach. Feeding him without a g-tube. Putting him down to sleep without any wires or tubes to untangle. Having him all to ourselves (no nurses!). By no means am I saying that one experience was "better" or "worse" than the other. It's apples and oranges. But I will say this: The complications, trials, and rewards of Merrit's first 18 months prepared our hearts perfectly to truly treasure and appreciate the sweet normality and relative simplicity of seeing Ollie through his infancy. Lesson #3 is: "Life is good, all the time."

COUNTDOWN: Four Days to Go

Since Ollie has joined the Haynes Household, we are now a family of four. So, in honor of FOUR remaining days of Ollie's baby-blog, here are the top four ways that Ollie has changed our family dynamic...

MERRIT: BIG BROTHER EXTRAORDINAIRE
Merrit has blown us all away with what an awesome big brother he is! Never, not once, and I can honestly say this, has Merrit ever showed an ounce of jealousy. I think that's pretty remarkable. Merrit is also incredibly patient with Ollie. Even when Ollie knocks down Merrit's block towers, messes up painstakingly built puzzles, or dumps over a bucket of Legos after Merrit has just finished picking them up, Merrit will say, "Mom, Ollie's getting into trouble! Get him!" He doesn't yell at Ollie and I love that. Merrit also takes a lot of joy in Ollie. He laughs at Ollie's mischieviousness and silliness. After all, Merrit's the one that coined the nickname "Sneaker Peeker." These two boys genuinely enjoy being together. I hope and pray that they will be lifelong friends!

WE HAVE A "BABY" IN THE FAMILY NOW
After reading "The Birth Order Book" by Kevin Leman, I see how Ollie's personality will be affected by the kind of interaction he has with his older sibling. Even if we tried to parent Ollie exactly like we parented Merrit (which is impossible for so many reasons), he spends hours a day playing with a five-year-old, which is very different from playing with an adult. The way a five-year-old plays with a toddler is a little more crazy and a little less gentle than how a grown-up plays with a toddler. And even though we do have quiet book-reading time with Ollie, and we do play sweet and snuggly games like peek-a-boo and "This Little Piggy," and we do sing lullabyes and "dance" together in his darkened room before bedtime, that isn't the entirety of how Ollie encounters the world. He also has Merrit jumping out at him from behind chairs yelling, "AAAAARRRGGGGHHHH!", and running up behind his high chair and shaking it violently to get him to laugh, and play-wrestling him to the floor until I say, "Merrit, is he enjoying that...?" So it's easy to see why "The Birth Order Book" says that the last-born child is typically a fun-loving, uncomplicated and outgoing attention-seeker. The class clown. The thrill-seeker. The gregarious little mischief-maker. Hmmm, sound like anyone we know?

PARENTING EACH CHILD IS A NEW ADVENTURE
We've been at this parenting thing for five years now and I think it's safe to say that we understand Merrit's personality, what his love languages are, what kinds of discipline he responds to, and what kind of encouragement he needs. As Ollie gets older, we will have to figure out what makes him tick and how to uniquely parent him. What works with Merrit may not work with Ollie. We will have to be flexible, teachable, and tuned-in. So, the parenting dynamic and the discipline methods may have to change. If nothing else, parenting these two boys promises to be interesting! :-)

SACRIFICES TO MAKE AND GOOD STUFF TO ENJOY
Mike and I have had to adjust to what our life looks like as parents of of two kids. Going from one to two is not as difficult as going from none to one, but it has still been challenging. Fewer uninterrupted conversations. Fewer date nights. More fatigue. Less of a chance that you'll actually sleep all night long. Noisier car rides. Noisier mealtimes. In fact, noisier everything! But that's just a list of the sacrifices we've made. The joys that are added to daily life have exponentially increased, and the addition of one new personality to the mix makes life 100 times richer. More laughter. More photo opportunities. More Halloween costumes. More silly songs. More tickling. More dinner-table memories. More of the good stuff!

COUNTDOWN: Five Days to Go

In five days, Ollie will be 18-months old and I will be signing off as writer of "The Roo Review." Not to worry, grandmas and other fans of Ollie's blog, I'll keep taking tons of photos, making scrapbooks with all our cute Ollie stories, and keeping a record of his milestones and accomplishments. It just won't be a daily online commitment. After all, Ollie is a year-and-a-half old now, and Mommy needs to GET A LIFE! :-)

So, in honor of FIVE days to go, here are our top five favorite Ollie antics:

5. Dancing with his reflection in the glass pane that covers our fireplace.

4. Throwing his head and arms back in full abandon as Mike throws him up in the air.

3. Laughing that cute little chuckle of his when Merrit chases him.

2. Perusing the house, hitting all his regular "haunts," just looking for a little mischief to get into.

1. Spinning, spinning, spinning in his Johnny Jump-Up to Mike singing the song "Ollie's a Hoppin'."

Brotherly Antics

You'd think Merrit put him up to this, but no, Ollie climbs in on his own initiative.

















Well, THIS was Merrit's idea.

















But Ollie did end up getting rather comfortable.

















This old game again: Ollie and "friends."

















The mastermind at work.

















Wearing big brother's sunglasses.













Okay, that's enough goofing around! Let's eat some breakfast already!

Climbing In...Climbing Out

Climb In.

















Turn Around.













Climb Out.

Ollie's First Baseball Game!

Today, we headed off to the Durham Bulls Athletic Park in Durham, NC to see the Bulls play against the Charlotte Knights. We went with our friends, the Hutchins family: Faith-Renee and her daughters Brianna and Bethany (and "Baby #3" due in September!). Here we are, waiting for the game to get started.

















Thankfully, we had seats in the shade 'cause Mommy forgot the sunscreen! God provides, doesn't He?













Well, the Bulls lost which was kind of a bummer...

















...but as far as the kids were concerned, meeting Wool E. Bull was by far the best part of the day! (After meeting Wool E., Merrit said, "Mom, he doesn't smell so good." LOL!)

















Merrit learned all about the game. Foul balls. Strikes. Balls. Outs. Stealing bases. Innings. All the basics. He was taking it all in, as you can see from this picture. :-)













For his part, Ollie was bushed and decided to take a nap. We propped his stroller up (don't worry, it was secure!) so he could get some shut-eye.

















On the way back to the car, the kids played on this "Bulls Spirit" bike rack.

Keeping Up with the Big Boyz

Today, Merrit's best friend Sammy came over to play with us.














These boys have known each other since birth! Now look at 'em. Such pals.

Of course, Ollie TRIED to keep up with the big boys!


















"Hey guys, wait for me!"










It was a hot day, so we turned on the sprinkler and filled up the kiddie pool.


















Ollie inspects the kiddie pool.












The boys had a great time together...


















...even Ollie!

"MaahhmmEEE"

Aw, it's just SO DARN SWEET the way he says my name. I guess "Ma Ma" just kind of seemed more like gibberish, even though I know that he was saying it AT me. And in the last two days, Ollie has started saying "Mommy" (actually more like "MaahhmmEEE"). And, boy, is he wearing it out! I don't mind at all, though.

The really GREAT news is: He has effectively stopped screaming. "Hallelujah, praise the Lord, where's the Tylenol?" as Clark W. Griswold would say. On a daily basis, Ollie was screeching his high-pitched squeal, which echoed off our hardwood floors, probably about 15 to 20 times a day. Yesterday (I counted), he squealed only EIGHT TIMES! And this morning, he woke up in his crib and instead of screaming, he said "Maahhmmeee" all sweet and lovable-like.

Have we turned a corner? Could this be curtains for the sqealing? Will our heroine ever get her hearing back?

Where's Ollie?

Ollie has started climbing into his toy box. Today, when Ollie climbed in, Merrit covered him up with stuffed animals, which Ollie was having a lot of fun with!

Playroom Problems

Who's gonna clean up this mess?












Can you find the cat?

Shred It, Ollie!

Mom: "Ollie, what have you been up to?"















Sneaker Peeker: "Oh, just doing a little reading."

A Visit from Gramma B

My mom came up for a short visit yesterday. We've had a great time with her. Here's just a recap of some of the day's events:











I snatched an impromptu snuggle with both boys in Merrit's bed this morning.












While Gramma B got ready for the day, Ollie came into the bathroom with her, climbed into the tub and played with his tub-toys. This is his "growling" face. He sometimes does it when he's feeling extra sassy or excited.











Diaper change time. Just one diaper out of millions, this one happened to be caught on film.















Here we are on our way home from the grocery store. Both boys got a free balloon. Ollie and Merrit are playing tug-of-war in the backseat.


















Home again from the store, Gramma B hugs her grandsons.

Strawberry Season

April is time for strawberries in our neck of the woods. We have been eating fresh strawberries and yogurt for breakfast, fruit salad with our lunch, and strawberry shortcake for dessert after dinner!

Can't you almost smell these delicious, ripe berries?!

Ollie Has Been Climbing Into His Toybox

Ollie looks like he's adrift in his own little boat. "Rub a dub dub / Ollie's in the tub." Where're the butcher, the baker, and the candlestick maker?


















Merrit just thinks it is too, too funny!

Kicked Back and Relaxed

Ollie loves his playroom. Here he is, kicked back, looking at a book.

18-Month Pediatrician Check-Up

Ollie's not quite 18 months old (May 10 will be his 1.5-yr BIRTHDAY!). We went ahead and scheduled his 18-month check-up with his pediatrician and we went in yesterday for that appointment.

And now, presenting Ollie, by the numbers:

...drum roll...

Height: 33.25 inches (84th percentile)
Weight: 28 lbs; 14 ounces (87th percentile)

Also, developmentally, here's his checklist of what he should be doing vs. what he is doing:

• Start to climb and explore - YES; he's EARNED the nickname "Hurricane Ollie!"
  

• Respond to simple directions - YES; "bring it here," "go get the book," and "Ollie, wanna eat?"
  

• Enjoy certain games - YES; I've even seen his sense of humor emerging, like he laughed out loud when I put a book on my head and called it a hat! He also likes to play with his reflection in the glass-front to our gas fireplace. He actually cracks himself up!
  

• Like to ride toys - ?? We don't have any riding toys, though he did like the merry-go-round in St. Augustine, FL.
  

• Become picky about certain foods - NOT REALLY; He doesn't like citrus fruit, as far as I can tell...everything else he likes; one of his favorites is broccoli trees.
  

• Separation anxiety lessens - Ollie really hasn't ever had much separation anxiety; maybe just a few isolated episodes from time to time...
  

• Run well - KINDA; definitely starting to get there!
  

• Use certain words regularly - YES; mostly "Mama," "Dada, " "Bye bye," and "Dat duhn" (all done).
  

• Talk more clearly- SLIGHTLY
  

• Kick ball in forward direction - YES; I have noticed this but thought it was a fluke but, hey, I guess it's a developmental milestone. Cool!
  

• Like to sort toys - NOT YET
  

• String more words together to make phrases or puts together pairs of words - NOT YET
  

• Brush teeth with help - NOT YET
  

• Draw a scribble well - We haven't tried this but we definitely will now!
  

• Say at least 15 or 20 words - NO; he has a pretty small vocabulary but he knows a lot of signs
  

• Feed self with spoon - We've only tried this a couple of times; I'll have to do more of this!
  

• String more words together to make phrases or puts together pairs of words - YES; so far only "Bye bye Dada" (which is just sooo cute!).
  

• Take off an article of clothing alone - NO, but he's really good at helping put his clothes on; he lifts his legs to step into his pants and he's wiggled his arms into his sleeves since he was very young! Oh wait, there was that one time that he did take off his shorts AND his diaper in his crib during nap time!
  

• Jump around - YES; dancing, quick-stepping, spinning, running circles, AND jumping.
  

• Take apart toys and sometimes puts them back together - YES; he likes to pull apart Mr. Potato Head and puzzles that Merrit has completed.
  

• Show signs of potty training - NO
  

• Climb out of crib and high chair - EEK! No, not yet! Better keep those eyes peeled!!
  

• Draw circles - NO; Obviously, I need to give this kid some crayons!
  

• Understand two part directions - NOT YET
  

• Turn pages of a book when you read - OH YEAH; he loves to do this! I try to read to him every day; he LOVES books.
  

• Gets attached to stuffed animal or other object - YES; he has his yellow "silky" (aka "Chuck Chuck" which is the sound I make when I tickle him under the chin with the silky when he's going down for naptime/bedtime; I can't say that he's really attached to it though as he goes to bed fine without it when it's in the wash.
  

• Walk well - DEFINITELY
  

• Sing and like to sing - NOT YET
  

• Get upset when frustrated - OH YES, ABSOLUTELY; I think his greatest disappointment comes when he has climbed the first 2 or 3 stairs to go upstairs when we catch him and bring him back down; oh he is NOT happy then!
  

• Walk backwards - YES! So cute!

• Help around the house - YES; he's great with the weed eater. (WHAT? Help around the house? Is this for real? I wonder what in the world he could help with...as far as I can tell our little Hurricane Ollie likes to UNhelp around the house: Pull clothes out of drawers, unroll the toilet paper, knock over piles of folded towels, pull placemats off the dining room table, throw couch cushions around the living room. I hardly think that qualifies as HELPING AROUND THE HOUSE!)

Cheet-o Kings

A Laugh a Minute

Ollie loves to laugh. And we love to laugh with him!

Easter Egg Hunt and Sunday Brunch with the Langness Family

Our great friends, Josh and Brandy, invited us over for Easter brunch and to let the kids have an Easter egg hunt this afternoon.

Their oldest son, Zach, cracked me up when he suggested that we eat after the egg hunt because "then we won't get cramps!" So, yeah, the Easter egg hunt gets very competitive and serious once you're a little older. Oh, and it doesn't help that Josh and Brandy put a few $5 eggs out there on the course! (Merrit even found TWO of them, which really gave him a major leap toward saving for that light saber.)

Here are highlights from the egg hunt. You can almost feel the frantic energy just by looking at the pictures! :-)


















Merrit and Sam jostle each other to grab eggs from the mulched beds.


















Zach finds a few eggs right off the bat. Josh told him that if they're in plain view, they're for the little kids, so Zach shared some of his eggs with Sam and Merrit.


















...Not that they were hurting for eggs...

















Even Ollie seemed to "get it" and picked up an egg or two all on his own.


















Josh, who hid all the eggs, says that every year he always finds a few eggs still hidden throughout the summer and fall as he's doing yard work.












Ollie and "Chloe" pal around.














My boys, searching the edge of the woods.


















Brandy looks on from her perch on the front porch.


















Here's Melanie, keeping a protective eye on Ollie.


















"Ah, here's one...hidden behind the stairs!"

Brandy also pulled out all the stops and served us a delicious brunch of spiral-cut ham sandwiches and a whole variety of appetizers: shrimp cocktail, deviled eggs, spanikopita, cheese and crackers, fresh veggies, and fresh fruit. Mmm, mmm. Girl, you outdid yourself!


















What an amazing spread!


















Zach helps himself to fruit.


















Ollie has some water while waiting for me to put his plate together. He loves deviled eggs! He ate about four! (They WERE good, Brandy!)

Thanks to the Langness family for a wonderful Easter celebration! We love you guys!!