Happy 2nd Birthday Olivia!

Happy 2nd Birthday to the most beautiful little girl in the world! Hard to believe Olivia is already 2! Pat and I had a mini B-day party for her yesterday (on her birthday) with just the 3 of us before the big shin-dig this weekend. I posted just a couple of the 90 pics I took-at that rate I better clear my pics on my camera for the big party!
Olivia's theme this year is Elmo-she loves, loves, loves Elmo. It used to be that we had to turn Elmo videos on the computer for her, but now it's every time the TV goes on, it's "Where Elmo?" or "I watch Elmo please". Good thing for DVR (and the cute little please thrown in there) b/c I have pretty much filled up the whole memory of the DVR with Sesame Street & Mickey Mouse club-Minnie Mouse is becoming her new love.
At the age of 2, Olivia is keeping us quite busy, and we're loving every minute of it. She loves to play outside. Every time we drive by a park, it's "oooohhhhhhh! Momma, park! ooooooohhhhhh!" She isn't afraid of any slide, or jungle gym to climb. Considering she just walks on her tip toes when she has no shoes on, I think we will have quite the gymnast. Olivia also loves to go on walks. We have every sidewalk crack, ant hill, and lawn ornament around our block memorized. There's a little deer planter at one house, that she has to stop and say "hi deer" to every time. Another favorite of Olivia's is her babies. She's already gotten down the nurturing motherly instinct in her. She loves to push them in her stroller, feed them in their high chair, put them down for night night, and give them baths in the dog dish (Daddy will have to explain that one-I was at the grocery store when this happened). Olivia has never had a favorite blankie to go to bed with, but she usually likes to fall asleep with one of her babies. And speaking of bedtime, Olivia has been mastering for the last month how to prolong her bedtime. One mention of the word night time, or if it's getting close, Pat or I will ask- "what time is it?", and Olivia instantly replies, "I wanna play"-every time. Once we do get her to her crib, she giggles, and tells us "I wanna kiss momma". And then it's "I wanna kiss Dadda", (which we love) but it's back and forth a million times until we literally have to walk out leaving her hanging or we'd be in there all night. Olivia is also really (finally) starting to love books. But again, she only wants to be read to when it's getting close to bedtime b/c any mention of the word, and she either wants to play or read books.
Olivia is already picking up quite the vocabulary, and has also repeated a few things that she shouldn't be hearing (oops). Some of our favorite cute little things she says are "cool beans", "ohhhh man", and anytime one of us stubs our toe, hits something, minor injuries, etc, Olivia will ask "you otay Momma/Dadda?, You otay?" It's the cutest thing. And I'll leave this post with something she said yesterday morning that I'm sure she got from her Daddy, but I was waking her in her crib in the morning, and she woke up, but was still lying there not quite ready to get up. Well, she started tooting-probably a good 3 loud ones, and kind of giggling about it, and then said "DUCK!" I couldn't help myself from cracking up. That is our Olivia. Full of surprises and never misses a beat!

Olivia opening her presents
Olivia's daycare provider, Lisa, gave Olivia some new bracelets, a beach towel, yard digging tools, and play-do. She even had balloons outside the house, and the inside decorated for her special day. For many reasons besides this, we're loving her new daycare!

Olivia and her mini B-Day cake. Surprisingly, she kept pretty clean and didn't dive into it as expected.

She was so excited about her cake!

Olivia opened a few of her presents from us, and Lisa, and this is what she played with all night-her balloons I had decorated with.

Catch up/Okoboji

It's been awhile again since I've been caught up with the blog. This whole work thing is getting in my way:) But, work is going great and Olivia's daycare is going much better. Olivia is loving where she is at, and has been a night and day difference taking her there and picking her up. They swim alot, play at the park, do alot of other activities, and she gets along real well with the other kids. One of them, Graham (4 yo) really likes to look out for Olivia and makes sure she's doing ok all the time. Makes her mommy happy that she's got a buddy!

For my birthday, Pat took me to Winedown for the Weekend at Morgan Creek Vineyards, located just outside of New Ulm, and surprised me with a nice diamond necklace. We had a great evening together and would highly recommend the place. Yesterday, Pat, Olivia, and I met Justin and Jessica in Okoboji to celebrate Justin and I's birthday. It's been a few years since we've been able to spend it together so again is nice that we live so close now. We went boating for awhile, and then had pizza at the Ritz. Olivia had so much fun on the boat, and actually got in a half hr nap. She was quite the trooper.
This Wednesday, my baby turns 2, so I've been planning her big Elmo birthday party. Can't wait to celebrate her big day!

Cool Beans

Cool Beans-Olivia picked this up I think from her Daddy, and it's been her new saying all day. Hopefully tomorrow will be cool beans when we start her at her yet again new daycare. The last one just wasn't the right fit, at all. We took her out Thursday, and she stayed with a friend of ours on Friday. It was the first day of no tears (and bawling, fits, heart breaking drop-offs, etc) all week. I was referred to an in-home daycare by someone I work with so we met her Thursday night and Olivia will start there tomorrow. Olivia seemed to love the home and the other little girl there, so crossing our fingers this is the right one!
Meanwhile, we had a great weekend with her and spent alot of the day today outside playing in her new pool.

Olivia's off to daycare :(

I started a new job yesterday at NU Telecom. I'm a customer support rep for our video, internet, and phone company and also do retail sales for computers, phones, cell phones, accessories, etc. I really like it, but the hardest part was taking Olivia to daycare. As you can see on her face, it wasn't easy for both of us. It broke my heart! Not even her new Dora backpack helped at the time. She cried dropping her off, and cried when I picked her up and wouldn't let me put her down. Today went a little better-she did really well dropping her off, which was good for Mommy-made my day a little easier. When I picked her up, she was crying-her new BFF, Callie, got picked up about 10 minutes before I got there. They did everything together today-played, held hands as they all walked to the park, and just got to be buds, so I guess when Callie left, Olivia thought she should be going home too, and cried and cried until I got there. Another heart breaker. It's a big adjustment for both of us, and hope things get easier.

Our busy weekend

Last weekend we were very busy with lots of company & activities. Thursday night, Pat and I got our first babysitter since we moved here, and went to the Bavarian Blast. It's another one of New Ulm's many festivals, and is held at the fairgrounds, just 1/2 block from our house. We went to see The Little River Band and had a very fun evening on our date. Friday, Andy and Molly came to visit-their boys Jason and Jack were at Grandma and Grandpa's. So, we got the babysitter again and checked out more bands that night. Sat, G & G came with the boys and the Larews went back to Mpls and we got to spend some time with G & G until they left Sunday. Sunday afternoon New Ulm had an awesome parade-probably the best Pat & I have ever been to. Sunday night we had some friends over to grill, and then finally called it a weekend!

Pat, Mike, Noah, and Olivia on our golf cart after our bbq. The kids loved it!
The big chicken in the shopping cart (Molly-you'll appreciate this one-it's the chicken that was running around the festival tent with the gnomes and mushroom)

Olivia and her friend Naomi with their new Vikings hats from one of the parade entries.

Olivia and her friends Avery and Naomi. Avery is the little girl (one of) that Olivia first bit right when we moved to town :( But, luckily they're really good buds now.

Grandma and Olivia playing with the hose-Olivia's all time favorite.

Grandpa pushing Olivia in her beep beep.

We got Olivia a new picnic table and all she wants to do is spray it down or climb all over it.

Olivia and her cousins Jack aka Buddy to her, and Jason

Founders Day in Algona

Last weekend Pat and I went to Founder's Day in Algona to get together with his family and also attend Pat's 20 year class reunion. It was a great time-most of Pat's family made it and Olivia had a blast getting together with her cousins. For the reunion, we went downtown Friday night and had drinks with his class; Saturday morning he golfed with his brothers, Dad, and some classmates; Saturday at lunch we had a family picnic with his class; and Saturday night we were supposed to have gone downtown for a dinner but we skipped that at the last minute-the Froehlich's were having a bonfire with smores & hotdogs so we opted for the family time instead. It was a relaxing evening!

Elmo's got some competition-Olivia found Minnie Mouse at Grandma's and that's all she talks about now. Every time the computer's up, we have to watch "Nahnny Nouse"

Olivia on the train ride-seems too little to be on by herself (or maybe just to me) but she did just great & if the line wasn't down the block we would have gone again and again.

I didn't catch it with my camera, but at times she was waving to the crowds as she went by them.

Olivia sitting at the craft table with cousins Lilly, Grace, and Elizabeth. Chloe is in the background playing on the computer.

At the class reunion family picnic.

5 little monkeys jumping on the bed...luckily no one fell off.

Sharing stories around the campfire

Olivia, Grace, and Chloe telling their own little stories.

Olivia giving Jack a big hug. She called him "Buddy" all weekend. One morning at 5 AM I brought her in bed with me and as we were lying there, she asked, "Where Buddy go?" I just love listening to everything she has to come up with!

Jason climbing the tree.

Olivia got a ride from Grandpa Froehlich in his jeep!

Andy and Molly competed in the Water's Edge Triathlon Sunday morning. They both did outstanding. Molly got 2nd place for women, and Andy came in 15th overall.

Molly on the bike portion.

Andy coming out of the water heading to his bike.

Happy 4th of July!

Hope everyone had a fun and safe 4th of July! We went camping at Lake Thompson this year and had a great time. Of course kept busy as ever with Olivia. The weather cooperated for the most part-downpoured one night but overall was nice. Pat and my Dad got some fishing in and caught their limit of walleye. Olivia got to play at the beach and despite all the moss, she had fun.

The most exciting part of the weekend was that my brother Justin had proposed to Jessica!! They went to Okoboji Saturday & Sunday where he proposed and then they joined us at the lake Sunday afternoon. It must be a twin thing, because I called it-I told Pat and Heath that I bet he went to Okoboji to propose and then they're coming to the lakes to announce it. I had no idea how right I was! When they got out of the car, Pat & I both noticed that Jes wasn't wearing a ring, but as soon as everyone was finally in one area-which I'm sure seemed like forever for them to keep the secret- Justin announced it. I couldn't be happier for the two of them!

Grandma and Grandpa taking Olivia to the beach to watch the fireworks. She loved them!

My Little Miss Independece (the pajamas couldn't have said it better) learned how to get out of the pack and play all by herself this weekend. Didn't make it too convenient for naps & bedtime in a camper. It was Saturday night and we were sitting outside with the monitor on & we could hear she was very fussy inside. Pat went to check on her, and there she was-out of the pack in play on the bed next to it and was pushing all the buttons on the TV and was mad b/c she had shut off the movie I had playing for her. We put her back in & had her show us how she did it & just like that-climbed over like it was nothing. (And the 3 paci's in the picture-those are 'hopefully' going in less than a month when she turns 2. She only has them for nap and bedtime, and at times when Pat and I need our sanity.)

Uncle Swede was Olivia's favorite this weekend. Anytime he was giving his grandkids a ride, Olivia would say "Swede, ride?" or if it was parked in her view, it was constantly "ride, ride?" This was on the last day before leaving and she got her last ride-Swede pulled back up and Olivia was OUT. She's never slept so hard with so much going on around her.