Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Olive is four!

On Friday Olive turned four. My dad, Tyler's mom, and Tyler's sister, Abby, were all in town to celebrate and to attend her birthday party on Saturday.

Shortly after waking up on Friday morning... Olive threw up. She was sitting in the living room and had complained about her tummy. She told me she needed a bowl, just in case, so I grabbed one and brought it to her and she immediately threw up in it. I was impressed. Sad for her, but also impressed at her ability to not throw up on the floor and recognize that she felt sick in that way. Thank you, Olive.

I had very high hopes that it was just a fluke and that she would recover. Our plans for the day were to visit a toy store to shop for a gift with my dad in the morning and go to the big indoor playground in the afternoon.

She took it easy.. complained occasionally.. but was up for going to the toy store and didn't appear as though she would throw up again.

So she did what everyone who turns four during the winter in Minnesota..



She played snow golf.. on the way to the car..





We went to the West End shopping area in St. Louis Park. 





Olive knew exactly where to go.



But so did my dad... because it's kind of obvious, isn't it? (Creative Kidstuff.. if you weren't aware.)



Olive took her sweet time cruising the store on various vehicles.



We stopped by last weekend for a little store demo, to buy some party favors, and to get some ideas before today's big trip. I'm glad we did because she was a bit misdirected in her gift searching.. so she had some good ideas to fall back on.



It would appear she was excited to leave.. though I don't think that was the case.



She attempted to carry her awesome new toy herself but at 147 pieces it was just a bit too heavy. Thankfully my dad was there to help.



Maybe she was hurrying because it was cold? I can't recall.

We ran a couple of errands before heading home. Once home we did some more resting.. debating on what to do that evening (indoor playground or rest?).. and occasionally opened more gifts.



I made Olive a teepee for her birthday. It was the perfect place to open gifts.






June assisted.







"Another jump rope?!" .. because I got her one for Easter last year. But I informed her that it's okay to have more than one.






A quick yoyo lesson.



Some music by our resident instrumentalist. He's great at the recorder but has been playing a kazoo more recently.. so he had a bit of trouble transitioning back to the recorder. He kept humming. heh.



Pick up sticks! With which June immediately attempted to impale himself.



And then she followed it up by reading the card that came with. Whoops. Also there's a door on our floor.



She thought this card was pretty darn pretty.

We opened some more gifts and did some more resting and a bit of playing.

I baked a layer cake for us to eat that night. I cut out the middle so the cake would look like an O and so that Olive would have her own mini cake. It turns out she wished it was one whole cake. She said it looked like her cake would fit right into the big cake and then decided that must be where I got it.

She assisted in putting on the cream cheese frosting. Yum!







Right before bed, Olive threw up again. She had been playing in the living room and then was by herself when we all heard a weird sound. As soon as my brain interpreted it as a throwing up sound she started crying a little so we knew that's what it was. It turns out she had been in the teepee but there was a bowl near the couch from earlier.. just in case. She made her way over there and used it. Again, sad for Olive, but also very very impressed. Thanks again, O.

After that it was clear that her birthday party would have to be postponed. Unfortunate since we had family in town that would no longer be able to attend her party - but at least they were around to help make the weekend special despite her being sick. We spent Saturday taking it easy. There was talk of another toy store trip but Olive decline. Thankfully there was no more throw up, just a movie, lots of relaxing, and playing.

We weren't able to enjoy her cake on her birthday so we at least had that to look forward to on Saturday after dinner.











Patiently sitting through the happy birthday song...










Deep breath......!!







Blow!!





Didn't work!



Second try...



Yes!

Happy birthday Olive! Can't wait for the birthday party re-do!

You can see more photos from her day here.

Monday, February 16, 2015

Valentine's Day Dinner

We had Valentine's Day dinner with Brooke, Scott, and Meadow.

It worked out well. It's been an interesting evolution in our friendship. We used to have dinners together often. That happened less frequently after Olive was born and happens much less frequently since Meadow and June arrived. We occasionally babysit so the other couple can go out for things like anniversary. So I guess it seemed kind of fitting that if we were all going to stay in that we were all together.

Tyler and I were doing some house work on Saturday - well mostly Tyler. But it interrupted our normal weekend flow so dinner caught me off guard. I was more than okay with the idea when Brooke suggested we come over for heart shaped pizza. Perfect!



June hung out on Meadow's rocking moose for a while. He doesn't ride ours that much. Interesting.







I quickly grabbed my camera when I noticed that no one but Meadow and June were seated yet. At opposite ends of the table, both in their hanging high chair things, eating pizza. Kind of like an awkward Valentine's Day date... or something. So close.. yet so far away..



Meadow's view of June.



June's view of Meadow.



Meadow snatched my phone and kept it almost the entire night. By the time I sneakily got it back.. it was locked for 27 minutes. That's a new record!



Yummy hearts.



June was banging things around in the kitchen while we enjoyed cake.



Olive found a doll and had a great time pushing her, and some others that she brought, around in a toy stroller. I forgot the word for stroller for a minute there.



Olive and June ended the night by snuggling and pretending to sleep in Meadow's play tent.



To see the entire {tiny} gallery of photos click here.