Sophie's Buddy Calvin

Sophie's buddy Calvin used to live a few blocks down the road from us, and we'd run into him and his family at church and at our park frequently. Then his family moved down South. We keep up with them on their blog, but this week we got to see each other face to face while they're in town for a visit.

Calvin, brother Teddy, Kim & Ken (parents), and Grandma Patti came over today to play at the park and swim in our backyard. The kids had such a good time together. And we parents enjoyed catching up too.



Grandma Patti was even kind enough to allow the kids to bury her legs in the sand in the volleyball court.

Sophie and Calvin wanted to get some water from the lake to make the sand wet. But they couldn't reach the water through the fence and 10 feet of weedy shoreline, though they tried.

After playing at the park, we came back to the house to play in our pool and sprinkler. I didn't get any good pictures of that, unfortunately. The kids got cold, so we played in the house for a while too. Then we went back outside to have a picnic lunch together.

We had such a good time visiting with Calvin's family again! Thanks for stopping over you guys!

Life's a Beach: Take Two

Saturday was a "No work for Daddy!" day, as Sophie and Greg like to call it, so we headed out to the beach together. Weekday evenings are just a little too short to make the haul there, unload all the beach gear, get wet, get dry, get the sand off, get changed, and get home in time for a bath before bed. So, we took advantage of a free Saturday morning and took Daddy to the beach. It was actually a fairly cloudy, windy, cool day, so only a little swimming occurred after we got warmed up at the really cool park nearby.

Since it was nearly lunch time when we finally ventured into the water, I didn't bother to get my suit on. I left the swimming to Greg while I took some pictures. He said he wondered how long I'd stall before I didn't have to go in the water at all. I was just trying to let the kids focus on him and get some quality bonding time with him...plus, I do this all the time...alone...and the water was cold.

Sophie showed off her "swimming" moves.

She had a great time splashing Daddy. Never mind the fact that she flips out if you do it to her.

Owen liked splashing too.

See? They had a great time! What did I need to get wet for??

After 20 minutes of swimming (they would have been finished by the time I got back from changing anyway), we finished off with a picnic.

I believe Owen was foraging for crumbs down there.

Lydia's Birthday Pool Party

Lydia turned 4 last week, and we were invited to her pool party to celebrate. Even Owen enjoyed the wet and wild fun! This picture was taken before he fell in headfirst and needed rescuing! (I was standing right next to him--it wasn't too bad)

The dollar store Nemo sprinkler was a huge hit. Mostly the girls stood outside of it watering sticks.

But not Owen. He jumped right in there. He loved it... until he fell to a sitting position with all the water spouts hitting him in the face. Then he was done.

Starting with Sophie, clockwise, Sophie, Marissa, Lydia and Eva.

Just like at home, Owen's hovering around the little table trying to be included... and possibly score some crumbs.

Very cute beach cupcakes...blue frosting, half covered in graham cracker crumb "sand." A drink umbrella and a Gobstopper beach ball. So fun!


Happy Birthday, Lydia!! Thanks for the fun party!

Birthday Boy

Because it was Owen's birthday this past weekend, I've been thinking back on the past year a lot. Last year my blood pressure was crazy-high and I was hospitalized with 8 weeks of pregnancy left to go. I was told I wouldn't be leaving the hospital until I had a baby. "Will I be here for 2 months??!!" I asked. "Oh, no. You'll be having the baby in a few days," they said as kindly as possible. "Oh my!" I said, "I'm going to need to call my husband."

Four days later, after various attempts to induce me, many blood-draws, a chest x-ray, inflatable socks (very classy!), and many other uncomfortable/unattractive experiences, I ultimately had to deliver via c-section because my health wasn't allowing anymore time to wait around. Owen was born 8 weeks early. He was 4 pounds. After I got to take a good look at him, he was whisked away to the Newborn ICU, which was to be his home for 18 days.

(That's a baseball, for perspective)

While there, he was hooked up to heart and breathing monitors and was tube-fed through the nose in a little incubator (or "cage," as Sophie called it, I believe). He was allowed to leave the hospital when he learned to suck from a bottle to take his whole feedings on his own, no longer had breathing or heartrate dips and was able to maintain his body temperature on his own. He was released much sooner than we'd been told originally because he was doing so well. He never had to have help to breathe.

Because he was premature, Owen wasn't allowed to be in any childcare situations (ie. nursery) until cold/flu season passed, and we had to be extra careful about handwashing so he wouldn't contract RSV (a potentially deadly respiratory virus for any baby, but especially preemies). Because he was 8 weeks early, his development had potential to be delayed by 8 weeks. He was a bit slow to sit up, roll over, etc., but he pretty much hit all the marks by two months after they were on the chart.


Between 10 and 11 months, Owen rolled from his back to his front for the first time, started crawling, and then started walking. Now he's climbing stairs, the playground equipment and is practically running!! Around 11 months, he started cutting his first tooth. Now he's got two teeth, with a third (top front) on the way. He gives kisses, does "So Big!", plays Peek-a-boo, splashes in the bathtub, and feeds himself baby goldfish crackers (grunting for more if we aren't quick enough to put more on his tray).


Owen has come so far this year. The Lord has been so good!!

Happy Birthday, Owen!!

Summer Family Fun

Last weekend was Owen's birthday. He didn't really know it, and we didn't really celebrate it (he'd already had a birthday cupcake over the 4th), but we did have the W's over for a little fun.


It was windy and fairly cool, but the girls insisted on going into the pool.

Owen was a little upset about something. Perhaps if you click on the picture and zoom in you can see his two tiny front teeth. Yeah for new teeth!

We had rootbeer floats to finish off the evening. Greg had to share his with the ravenous beasts who wouldn't give him a moment to get a bite of his own treat.

Owen's Latest Trick

Where is Owen??

Where is Owen??

Peek!! There you are!!

Could anything be cuter than that??!!

Well, maybe when he does it with his special blue blanket, and he giggles when I say "peek" when he's laying in the big bed with me in the morning...at 6 a.m....ok...maybe not as cute then...but pretty close.

Musicfest

Greg and the kids and I headed downtown this past Saturday for a music festival. Saturday morning, in particular, had activities and music/bands geared especially for children. Sophie got to do an art project (a moon & stars mobile)--it was terribly windy, so I had to hold it down.

We got to go inside Orchestra Hall where Sophie got her face painted (she'd gotten a tattoo outside already).

And the kids got to try out several different types of instruments.

We sat outside and danced to the music of the Teddy Bear Band. Even Owen got into the groove by shaking what his mama gave him. Sophie ventured down into the "mosh pit" of small children all alone to enjoy the band at a close range. She even danced with the Panda Bear mascot, which I did not get a picture of.

We walked a few blocks down the street to have lunch indoors--remember, it was crazy windy. As we walked back to Orchestra Hall to enjoy some more music, Greg defended the church of Scientology while confronting some protesters out on the street. Actually, the protesters were putting on a pretty lame protest, complete with cooky masks, heavy-metal music, and signs that made no sense. So, Greg chatted with them a few moments to see what their beef was (as it was not clear from their signs/antics), and then he told them their protest was dumb...pretty much. He said that was the first and last time he'll ever defend Scientology. And, of course, I didn't get a picture of that either!

We finished off the windy day with a lovely hot fudge sundae while listening to more music.