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!!

Easter Baskets

Good morning...and Happy Easter everyone! It's a beautiful day here in NC. The boys are up and just finished going through their Easter baskets.


















Ollie's basket. The little eggs are filled with cheese crackers and O's cereal. He also got a few board books, a mini-windmill for our herb garden, and a wind-up chick.


















But of course, Ollie wanted to play with the pencils that came in Merrit's Easter basket!












Our beautiful boys, opening up their plastic eggs.












Most of Merrit's eggs had quarters inside. He's saving up for a light saber.


















"Happy Easter!"