Missing Sweet Owen Boy

This past week, Olivia and I have really been missing Owen!  Owen and Olivia were destined to be best buds.. Both being born in Shanghai... Living next door to one another.. and playing practically daily!  I was there when Owen was born.. and Owen's mommy was there when Olivia was born.. He's had a special place in our hearts since day one, and other than my own baby, he's felt as precious to me as anyone else's baby possibly could.  

I was looking back at some old photos, and I laughed seeing my belly grow along with Owen.  He and I spent a lot of time laying around and napping together during my pregnancy days!  Such a great cuddle buddy.. 

Owen, we can't wait to see you this summer and hug you tight!

We'll never forget our Shanghai days together!  Hope to have many more fun-filled Olivia and Owen memories!!

Photo Friday!

We bought this big girl some "big girl" panties.  I think she might be ready!

Fun outdoor dinner date!

Sweet LegoLand cup from Olivia's buddies - Alex, William and Matthew!

Easter Sunday.. She has Grandpa (PaPa) wrapped around her little finger :)

(As I typed that, I wondered who doesn't she have wrapped around her fingers??!)

So sweet watching them play outside together!

More fun adventures with Nonna..

Hot afternoon play date with popsicles!

Gardner for hire.

(The one with the green gloves.. ha ha)

Beautiful evenings in the backyard... 

Birthday Party and more..

I like to call this pic, "Where my friends at? Mom, where my friends at?"

(In my head it's to the tune of the Swagger Wagon commercial on youtube.. )

If you haven't seen that, you should.  It is hilarious.  At least to mom's who drive mini-vans. 

(That will be another post..)

Here is another ... "Uh, did we invite friends to my party!?"  "Let's get this party started!"

Cute cake!

Kids coloring table!

                                      

The one family pic that wasn't extremely blurry!

The birthday party was an overall major success considering that 13 kids under the age of 4 attended!  Mostly due to the fact that all my friends are great parents and have great kids!

The theme was Veggie Tales.. and sadly, I don't have many more pics than what I posted above to show for the day :(  

NOTE TO SELF:  Next party, hire a photographer!  HA.  Or, specifically sweet talk a friend or relative before hand into being a dedicated photographer.. 

NOTE TO SELF:  make sure the aforementioned friend or relative has used a camera before and can focus the lens.. 

(I'm a bit sad that we don't have too many pics to show for her special day.. Oh well)

 After the party, Olivia enjoyed Nonna and Granddad's pool!  Well, the hot tub!  We heated it up to about 93 degrees and it was perfect for an evening swim!

 Here are some pics of the rest of our week!  I am trying to just whip out the camera any time I think of it!

Olivia LOVES to help her Nonna in the yard!

 Those outdoor spot lights look thirsty!

Love her cute watering stance!

Her reaction when I asked her to pose for me! Stinker!

We've come to terms that our backyard is more of a kid's play-place than adult oasis :)

New favorite thing = spotting the moon!

Raise the Roof!

Cute girl heading out the door for church!  This was a pic of Yaya showing off her new 'pretty' shoes!

Happy 2nd Birthday!!!!

My TINY BABY is 2!!!!!!!!! 

It was a wonderful day!  Daddy was off work and the three of us celebrated all afternoon together!

Kicked off the afternoon festivities with a trip to Freddie's Frozen Custard! YUM!

 Oh the choices... She's 2!  She can order alone, right?! 

This big girl had her VERY OWN custard!  With sprinkle confetti and fudge!!

Quick attempt at a family shot... then realized we were all dressed oh-so-cute!  HA

I've always been about comfort over fashion.. :)

Had to take a trip to Walmart for more balloons (we are busy decorating for the her big party tomorrow) and how can we take a birthday girl to Walmart without getting a new toy.. or three? 

After contemplating over Donald Duck stuffed toy, a nerf ball, and a few other randoms, she wouldn't let her grip off this keyboard!  I saw these cute lawn chairs and asked her to try it out!  She agreed, IF she could practice her piano skills... 

After buying the keyboard for the bday girl.. plus that cute lawn chair.. plus a new big backyard ball.. we headed to the park...

Pointing out some "tweets".. birds

Slidin' with Daddy.. 

 Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Thankful for these two amazing years she has brightened our days.. and sometimes our nights too.. 

Looking forward to many many more laughs and cuddles from this cutie pie.

Oh - and Chrissy, if you read the blog.. I hope you spotted her shirt!  Daddy dressed her today.. and although it didn't quite meet up to my "cutest ever birthday outfit", when I saw it was this shirt, we left it on :)  Miss you and our Shanghai gang.. lots!

We forgot to blog because...

 we've been....

Digging trenches in the backyard to extend and bury the rain gutter so this doesn't happen!!

Installing new cabinet fixtures in the bathroom!!  (I'll brag on myself here because I did this project solo while J was on a business trip!!)

 Laying sod and installing flower bed borders!  (not too sure what the previous owners of the house were going for with all the dirt and lack of flora?)  this is the "before we put sod in pic"

 Digging up cement posts ... UGH.. The previous owner apparently had 3 of these in the yard to hold up a tarp that covered the entire yard.  That left us with 3 cut off stumps!  What a fun thing for a child to fall on in the yard!  Let me tell you how much fun we had getting these out of the holes J dug!!

 We've been ....
Eating lots of chocolate pudding!

 Cooking new recipes !!  (this one is chili-mango chicken stirfry!) SUCCESS!  And look at my cute new pottery dishes from Barbados!

 Playing at the park and exploring new "big girl" things!  Yee... Hawwww

 Growing .. growing.. but still being cautious :)

 Cooking some more... Encrusted Tilapia with Fresh Beans w Almonds !

 Playing "mommy " to "dolly" and changing lots of diapers.. (think it might be time for someone to start potty training!)

 Missing Yang Ayi!  A LOT!  Doing lots of laundry.. (Disclaimer - yes, those are my undies she put around her neck!  Hey, I guess it's a start to having a helper fold laundry :)

 Enjoying being outside.. and this beautiful weather!  This particular evening we were amazed at the red wing blackbirds as they flew back north.. there were literally zillions of them flying over the neighborhood!  Yaya (as she calls herself ) loved the 'tweets' and still goes out back asking to see more of them fly over.  It was so neat to look straight up and see birds EVERYWHERE.. good thing they are potty trained! ha

 Having lots of outside play time.. with make-shift water tables!!

 Eatin' breakfast in our sunglasses...

 Driving around in our sunglasses..

 Learning to pay attention at Library Story Time.. (hmmm this pic was just as she was turning around to announce "DONE" to everyone that she had finished her fruit snacks!)

 We've been..
Working outside on getting the sprinkler system to work.. This pic was proof of my achievement!

 Playing outside.. more make shift water tables!  (Here you can see the new sod!)

 Cooking some MORE!  Lemongrass/Ginger Tilapia with soba noodles, carrots and cilantro!  Yum.. Trying to eat healthy!

 Wearing tubs on our heads!

 And this week, preparing for someone to turn TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!