Hi GiGi and PaPa Ron!...who's that wiggle worm on your lap? 

Hi MiMaw and Poppie! 

Isn't he cute, throwing rocks into the bay:) 

Vacation

Sorry to all those people that we didn't tell we were coming to Michigan and to everyone we didn't get to see. Please forgive us for being selfish and enjoying our time alone:)
We had a wonderful time! It was so nice to just relax and take in the fresh air. Olivia loved the beaches and sailboats...that's all we heard about the whole drive home. She was an angel, and didn't cry at all until we were about 12 miles away from home (go figure).
Wish us luck now that the hurricane doesn't hit us!

Picture Perfect Weather

Can we move here now please?...Do you have to stay in the Military another year and a half?....Those were our discussions this morning as we sat on the beach in 70 degree weather and watched our baby girl explore sand and fresh water for the first time!
Jeff's parents have a waterfront house in Omena (above Traverse City) and we are taking full advantage of that fact. It's so nice out. Perfect Michigan summer day, the kind you want to bottle up and keep year round. Bright blue sky with little white puffy clouds that float by. Just warm enough to sit outside in the sun without sweating, and a cool little breeze flowing off the water to keep you cool. Oh can we please stay?
Screw Louisiana and the hot sticky heat! I'm staying here! (sorry Angie, but I'll come visit you).

Helloooooooooooo Michigan

We decided to make a last minute trip to Michigan for 4th of July, and what a great decision that was! Someone knew we were coming and ordered up the best weather possible! It's amazing how much we miss this state after being gone. It's 70 degrees out with the slightest breeze coming off the beach. Oh my, it's heaven:) All Jeff and I can talk about it getting back here and staying!
Olivia fared the 16 hour car ride very well. No upsets until about 8am when she realized that it wasn't dark and a new day had started...and she was still in the car. But we curbed that upset with a quick fly-by breakfast with Aunt Kelly. We surprised her so she just had to play hookie that morning and go out to eat with us.
Next is was off to Grandma and Grandpa Newsted's house. Olivia took to her Great-Grandma right away. As you can imagine "great grandma" is a mouthful for her, so she settled with calling her "Misses." It was so cute, she kept saying "Misses, misses come see, oooh kitty cat do?" They had fun playing with Grandma's HUGE kitty. It always runs away from me when I visit, but for some reason it loved the attention from Olivia. She was SOOO excited and squealing with delight!
Olivia loved running in Grandpa's fresh grass too. It was soft like a "beek-da" aka blanket, and she ran laps up and down the yard like a track star. She also loved their massive (and I mean 100ft spanning limbs, massive) oak tree. She was jumping to touch the drooping branches and swinging with delight on the swings.
Oh how I wish we had more time to spend with family. Seeing her with them makes me so happy, yet so sad to know that the next time it will happen is months away:(
Next it was on to Great Grandpa Bob's house. She was sleepy and cranky, so she didn't get to enjoy it as she should. Then she re-opened her skinned knee and bled all over, and mean old daddy sprayed her with Bactine....OOOOUCH! Needless to say, we hope the next visit goes better.
We are all exhausted after traveling!

Proud Momma

For the first time yesterday my little angel told me she loved me. Yes, she's said it countless times before, but this time it was all her own. Normally, she'll say it back when we say it. But this time she had just gone potty and she got up, grabbed my cheeks (I was standing onmy knees), kissed me and said "Love you momma!" My heart melted. My baby is growing up so fast.

She has taken to her big girl bed amazingly. All worries that I had went right out the window. She hasn't gotten out YET. Even when she wakes up, she just lays there singing and waits for me to come in. Little angel.

And while I'm bragging let me tell you about the potty. Today we were at playgroup and I was cleaning up after a snack/craft, I looked around and couldn't find Olivia. I kept looking until I found her BUCK NAKED in the bathroom. She had to go potty. Apparently she has a fascination for potties in new places. And she loves to use them. She's getting really good at going at home too. Most of the time she's in her little Nemo panties and NO DIAPER at home. It's so nice not having to change those anymore.....oh wait, in two months it'll start all over:)

It's so much fun to see her changing and growing up so fast, and the best part is that I get to experience it all first hand. Forget nice wardrobes and fancy dinners, expensive cars and crazy vacations....we've given it all up so that I can stay at home and raise our kids for a brief few years, and let me tell you IT'S WORTH IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SUCCESS

It was a SUCCESS!!!! She went right to bed and never got out all night long. Even in the morning when she woke up, Olivia didn't budge out of bed until I came in to get her! What a star:)

Big Girl Bed

Wish us luck, tonight we made Olivia's crib into a toddler bed! She was so excited to have her Big Girl Bed, we'll see if she stays in it. I think she'll do well, but I'm sure it'll be an early morning once she figures out that she can get up whenever she wants....ugh! Where did that little tiny baby go?

*DIVA*

In mamma's heels

Princess Olivia

She knows she's cute...and SPOILED!!!!!

Too cool for you

Who's she talking to?

A little to the left please...

Mistah Bill pushing the princess on her throne, while she's talking on the cell phone!

Mistah Bill

"Mistah Bill, Mistah Bill, come here," that is the sound heard 'round our house today. Jeff's friend Bill is down visiting us for the weekend. Olivia was petrified of him for the first hour and hid in my chest crying. We thought it would be a LONG weekend, but eventually she warmed right up. And they were playing catch with the ball, making pooh bear dance, pushing another bear on the fire truck and having a good time. She loves her "Mistah Bill!"

Gotcha!

Ut-Oooooo I think I'm going to get wet....

Hey, that's my pool!

Daddy, what are you doing in my pool?

We're all healthy

We had another doctor's appointment this morning. The baby is still massive and healthy. It was just a quick check-up with a listen to his heart, very strong and steady. He's still sitting in the breach position and if he doesn't flip this week or next, he'll likely stay that way. But it really won't matter since it'll be another C-section anyway:) As long as he's comfy!

Sunglasses family! 

smack me with some sugar! 

I'm going to get you momma! 

Look at that concentration:) 

BIGGGGG Boy Belly!!!!!!!  

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to all of our daddies out there. And to all of you who are going to be new fathers soon:) We hope you were all able to have a nice relaxing day with the families who love you! We miss you all, wish we could have thrown a nice big backyard BBQ for everyone...in two years!
As Olivia says, "Hap-bee Potter's Day!"

June Seventeenth

June seventeenth. For those of you who don't know, June seventeenth is the day that my brother died. For those of you that do know, that calendar date still takes your breath away. You wake up and maybe for a minute you forget what day it is, or maybe you know from the start. Regardless, it never skips your mind. Since that day four years ago, you sometimes feel like your standing in a bright red dress and the rest of the world is flowing fastly past you in black and white. You still can't believe your eyes and you don't want to believe your mind, for that reality just can't be true. It's like you were skating along just fine in life and then WHAM, you get broadsided and everything changes. And it changes you as a person too. Yes, everything happens for a reason, but rarely do we understand that reason...I still don't. But I've tried to give up on discovering the reason why such a great young man was taken way too soon. So today, say your silent prayers and smile that tearful smile. Know that he's still with us everyday and that his love is never lost!

Classic Nick 

Crazy as always...ready for a fun night out with friends for his senior prom! 

Best Buds!!!! 

All dressed up pretty 

In the Home Stretch

We finally have made it to the third and FINAL trimester. We are in the home stretch! Now there is just a short time until we meet this little man who's been causing all the excitement in our lives:)

Heat, Heat, Go Away!

Could someone please come and suck this heat and humidity away! Seriously, it's not fun at all. And yes I'm going to whine and complain about it. It's so hot that we are breaking temp records everyday down here. The humidity is so strong that you can't breathe and you sweat thru your clothes just walking into the grocery store....it's NASTY!!!! I love the summer, just not like this!

Poop- YEAH POOP!

Jeff thinks I'm crazy for announcing this to the world....but we finally have POOP! After two and a half months of (kind of) potty training and countless pee pees, she finally pooped in the potty! For many parents out there you'll understand what a momentous event this was:) She was so proud of herself too! YEAH OLIVIA!!!!!!

I'm the baby!

With Aunt Linny- all wrapped up in baby brothers bunting

Mommy and Me

Driving the fire truck at the children's museum

Swimming Buddies

My little fishies in the water

Children's Museum

Today Lindsey, Olivia and I joined Angie, Maddy, and Delaney on a trip to the New Orleans Children's Museum. We had a ton of fun. Despite being little, little Olivia really took it all in. She absolutely loved the pretend grocery store. They each had their own mini shopping cart and got to pick out three items to ring up on mini registers. It was so much fun! We found a little California style surfer cafe for lunch too....mmm mm good. We can't wait to go again:)

Baby Boy Update

Today we met with the specialist again in New Orleans. We had another ultrasound. He is one BIG BOY! Measuring in two weeks larger than he should be!!!!!! He's got a huge head too, just like Olivia did. We got a quick glimpse of his face, and it was big and round (like hers) with huge eyes and lips...again just like the picture that we had of Olivia in utero. We were so excited.

The doctor was full of nothing but good news. He said that the echogenic bowels are just about all cleared up! And that if he hadn't treated us before, then he wouldn't even be able to spot them now. THAT WAS GREAT NEWS! He's pretty sure that the little guy won't need surgery and will do just fine on his own....YIPPY!
Now we will go back to him once more in July for a last and final scan. And then it's up to the little guy to get it all together before he's born...in late August.

We are so happy. Now we can rest easy. We have everything we need to get his room ready too. (Thanks Moms)! Now we just have to get Olivia out of the crib and into her already-set-up big girl room.

Aunt Linny is Here!!!!!

She flew in tonight and is staying for a week:) Little Olivia got to stay up extra late to go meet Miss Lindsey at the airport! She was so excited chanting "linny, airport" over and over. When we got home she had to show her absolutely everything she owned. It was cute...I think she has a new best friend:)

Glowing Girl

A little ray of sunshine!

NannaNannaBooBoo

I have a new bathing suit:)

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday DAD!!!!! We love you so much poppie and wish we could be with you on your birthday.

Cookie Monster

I finally discovered how to make a GREAT cookie. One that's soft, yet firm around the edges...and big like in a bakery. All my life I've been eating cookies and attempting to bake them, and it's always hit or miss. Most of the time they flatten out like soup on a tray, but oh no longer. The cookie queen has arrived:) If you're lucky I might share the recipe, or I might just keep it all to myself so I can be the envy of women everywhere...hahaha.

Naked Dancing

Olivia's newest obsession is naked dancing. It started with American Idol, whenever it was on she insisted on taking off ALL her clothes (especially the diaper) and dancing to the music. Now it's any music, anywhere. She instantly tries to rip off all her clothes and bogey down. Hope this wears off before she makes it to college;)

Memorial Day Weekend

Rain, Rain, Go Away! Little Olivia wants to play. It's been raining all weekend. This house is too small when it rains. We spent the weekend vedging around in our PJs and watching movies. The blanket monster came and tickled Olivia, and his friend was used to make countless tents to hide in. Thank goodness Jeff was home this long weekend. Somehow I managed to catch another head cold and was feeling down and out. But Olivia LOVES to play with Daddy around the house. Those two are crazy. They team up with the cat and attack Momma. The hide in the hallway and jump out, pretend to be ghosts in blankets and scare me, and dance around like crazy beans...not to mention blanket airplane rides. It's adorable to watch. Who ever thought the best toy on the market would be a blanket! Hope everyone had a nice relaxing weekend:)

Beautiful

You need special glasses to see the pretty flowers

Cheese, pure cheese!

What a cheeseball!!!!!