Parties, Parks, and Plenty more

Going through the pictures from this summer make me realize that we did WAY too many fun things :). I know most of this wouldn't have happened with two kids, so I'm glad that Olivia got her crazy running summer this year.

 

Here is just a cute picture of Olivia driving the car while we helped move Andy to his new house. She was a big help that day, once she got over the fact that there were strange men everywhere. She has a slight aversion to men she doesn't know, but I'm okay with it, because when we are out and about it's the only way to keep her by me.

 

On July 3rd we went to the Oregon Zoo with a whole bunch of the Casqueiro clan. It was so fun, and much better than the downpour Zoo Lights experience that was the last time I'd been to the zoo. We played for a better part of the day and got to see lots of Olivia's favorite animals.

 Why did I climb through this tunnel at 8 months pregnant you ask? Because someone joked that I wouldn't be able to. Challenge accepted!

We had a quiet 4th with the Johnson grandparents. We didn't watch any fireworks, but O did some poppers with her dad (a couple time she even threw it hard enough to pop!) and we went to the coast for the afternoon.

Here's just a little black bean mustache...this girl LOVES beans!

On the fifth, Olivia did get the chance to do some sparklers with close supervision from Mom. I see fireworks as an unneccesary risk to my life and the life of those around me, so we were pretty careful. Alex also showed her his favorite firework from growing up, which looks like a black slug growing out of a little can. I'm not sure the name, as neither O nor I was very impressed. I was glad to be able to relive some of Alex's childhood though!

*note* this is one of the few pictures I have of the enormous pregnant stage: officially 34 weeks in this picture!

This picture for me marks the day when I started suffering from major fatigue, and pretty much let Alex do most of the running around with a toddler for the last month of pregnancy. This is O hanging from the start bar of a slide at the park. I didn't go with them to the park this day, and missed quite a few of Olivia's new tricks, including this one that was used to prevent all other children from enjoying the slide. I was a little sad to miss a lot of the summer activities, but so grateful that Alex and his parents were always around to help out when I was just too tired and needed a nap.

Can you say 'yuck?' she drank from this hose for about twenty minutes...as long as we would allow before her chattering teeth and blue lips prompted us to make her go inside and get dry clothes on.

Alex and Olivia really enjoyed the hot tub this summer, and it was great to practice things she learned at swimming lessons. This is what O looks like after swimming in the hot tub...usually dressed only in a diaper and watching Sesame Street or Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.

Just one of the fun 'dad' forts that were constructed this summer the inside was quite elaborate, even including a tunnel to go through the "second story" - AKA the couch.

Playing drums with Ashley.

For Alex's birthday we threw a birthday party of sorts...basically just an excuse to get all the family together to hang out. The kids enjoyed the hot tub while the grownups chatted...a perfect afternoon.

The next day was a Wellman reunion at the Bystrom farm. We have been there before, but not since Olivia was old enough to enjoy exploring through the garden and farm. She ate more than her fill of raspberries, and was quite taken with the chickens...until one looked at her and scared her a little. We played bocce and got to know some distant relatives that we hadn't before met before enjoying a fiesta dinner. Olivia also met her first horse. She loves horses, but had never seen one in person before, and I think she was really surprised by the size. She was terrified, but after about twenty minutes of coaxing and creeping closer, she got within petting distance. We even got her to sit on it for about half a second before pleading to get off. After this experience, I did go buy her a bike helmet for next time we go...just in case she wants to ride a little with her Aunt Julie. Having been on a horse all of one time in my many years living in the country, I feel safer having her go with someone more experienced :).

A very fun day, and very full few weeks, but this wasn't the end of the weekend. In fact, we have a wedding and three days of fun in Corvallis that immediately followed this Saturday party...will post again *soon*