Wednesday, November 20, 2013

An Olive Update 

Little Olive is growing so fast! She is learning new signs but still is not saying a single word besides mama! I'm not worried about it, we will get there- I'm sure someday soon I'll think, remember when Olive couldn't talk? I already say that about her walking, it's like we waited so long for it and now I can't even remember a time when she wasn't a little person just wandering around our house! 


Bringing Daddy some treats at work

Here's a couple things about Olive that are not to be forgotten. 


She loves to grab my hand to make me do whatever it is she wants. She always will grab my hand if I am sitting and lift it up to try to make me stand up. She wants my full attention. So at times, she just grabs my hand and leads me into the room she is playing and and lets go like, "ok, stay here." haha She's a tricky little rascal, they always find a way to get what they want! 
We also love to go to the park everyday. She wanders around and talks to herself the whole time. Her and Maybe find little treasures like lost balls or pinecones and then get in fights over them. She is her very very happiest when she is outside, and so we don't ever shy away from going out- no matter what the weather! 


She doesn't really like to take baths because she is so stressed out the whole time thinking about when I am going to wash her-which she hates. She can get very shy when she meets someone, always leaning her head on my shoulder (which melts my little heart) but she gets over it pretty quickly. Currently she loves pushing around her little stroller with a doll in it, and watching and dancing to The Lorax. Life with her is NEVER a dull moment, and we like it that way! Even if she does sometimes give the dog my wooden cooking spoons when I'm not looking and he chews them all up...
And that's my Olive update!


Saturday, November 16, 2013

Thanks Goodness it's Saturday

Yesterday was a roller coaster of emotions for me, in part due to the fact that I only got two hours of sleep. And also in part due to watching the video about batkid (I couldn't stop crying for at least an hour.) Olive and I muddled through our morning somehow and after both our naps we felt much better. Olive's age and personality require my constant attention and it's impossible to even get simple tasks done throughout the day. (Let alone move forward on some of my house projects) Yesterday was no different and I felt like I was failing on all fronts. It was a wet and rainy day so my usual go to of the park did not seem like a good option- but then I said who cares, we are going out anyways! And I am so happy we did.
The fresh air, the beauty of the sun hitting the mountains. There is nothing that being outside can't cure. With a happy baby and a happy dog playing together, I just relaxed and took it all in. And after a stressful day I couldn't help but feel so grateful. Grateful for the beautiful mountains we live by, every day I thank God for those beautiful mountains that transform everyday into a different kind of beautiful depending on the light or the surrounding mists- always a thing of beauty. Grateful for a demanding baby who fiercely loves her mamma, and will only be in this stage for a short while. Grateful for a warm home to return to, a happy wet puppy, and a husband that loves me. I mean really, how did I get so darn lucky? I'm not questioning it... I'm just going to embrace it for as long as it lasts.










Miss Olive loves herself some Starbucks pumpkin bread





Other happenings in our house... I decided one day that I had had enough of this wall and knocked it down. Yep. Changes coming, and I'm getting excited! 


Happy Weekend!

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Ready For Winter.









 Bonus- they sub for Leg Warmers, when Kc and I go on walks with her in the Ergo they are perfect to keep her little leggies warm- wish you guys could feel them, they are so soft, at least I got that right :)



I just finished knitting these boot liner for Olive. I have mixed feelings about them, but they are what they are having improvised off of another pattern and doing the best that I could. They ended up being longer than I had wanted, and thicker as well and I wish I knew how her foot felt in there because I would hate to think they were uncomfortable or bulky. I made them in part because I bought a shoe a bit big on her to last this year and next, because those boots although water/snow resistant can get pretty cold, and because I thought they would be cute. Guess I can always knit another pair, but  at least I have there ready! And not a moment too soon- cause here comes cold weather! 








Also Olive discovered the Provo Library today! And got a Library Card! They have an awesome story time there and Olive and I finally decided it was time to go, and we loved it! I'm hoping to make it a weekly thing. Add that to my long list of goals :) I really hope that Olive learns to love reading as much as I did as a child. The world is so different now, so digital. But I just don't think we will ever get a technology that will replace that feeling of holding a book in our hands and devouring it page by page. I really wish I had more time to read, it's something that I have really loved doing in my life and hope that it will be something I feel I am able to devote more time to in the future. 
Happy reading!

Monday, November 4, 2013

My Sisters. 
(And a little Olive update.)

Over the weekend My sister Melissa came into town for a little cousin get together. Most my other sisters live here already so we all went together- minus my second to youngest sister Candace who currently lives in Idaho. For those of you that don't know, yes, I have 5 sisters. (and also two brothers) And yes, that is a lot of sisters to have, and, I love it. People have commented to us how they have never met a family where all of the siblings are SO different, and we are- SO different. My oldest sister is the boss, commander in chief- and none of us mind doing what she says because it's always fun and she is always the life of the party. She has us all rolling on the ground peeing our pants laughing in 5 seconds flat. My next sister Melissa is the nurturing motherly one. She is thoughtful and tender and strives to be the best she can be- always. In truth, a bit of a perfectionist, so if you want something done perfectly- ask her! My next sister Ellen is determined. She has had some hard trials in her life and her strong will leads her through safely to the other side. She values friendship and advice from others- but also can be quite stubborn (but maybe I think that from having shared a room with her most of my youth) My younger sister Candace has a strong desire to be good. So much so that at times it can be a burden to her. She has always had a youthful naivety to the ways of the world- which I admit that I very much envy. I've enjoyed seeing how she has grown into the women she is now and how our relationship continues to grow. I loved when I grew older and became friends with my sisters whom had been much older and I had not known very well growing up but whom I could not imagine my life without now. My littlest sister Kaylee marches to the beat of her own drummer. She never does anything because anyone else does it or tells her to do it, she only does what she wants and for her own reasons- and that is just fine with her. She is sweet and thoughtful, but also the youngest and so lived a little bit of a different life than the rest of us :)  I love all my sisters so much and could not imagine my family with out a single one of them. They each bring something different and when we all get together... watch out! 


(sorry you weren't here Candace!)

Olive Update

A brief Olive update- mostly because she cracked me up so much this weekend. She is always doing something different. I love that I came home this morning to a little babe in a diaper with no pants on carrying around a box of cheerios. She keeps me smiling all day long. This Sunday in Nursery at church all the little toddlers were sat around a little table for snacks. Each little child had their portion handed out to them. Olive decided that all the children in reach didn't need their fish crackers or cereal. She needed them. So, she proceeded to steal every child's snack after devouring her own in 30 seconds. Even after that she stayed up at the table still eating more after everyone else went to play. In the grocery store today she promptly grabbed a block of cheese I put in the cart and took a bite out of it. I mean through the plastic and everything. You would think I never fed this child! In truth that's all I do! So when we got back in the car I let her go to town on the block of cheese. Why not. I mean I can't really judge her-- I had just hit up the Provo Bakery right before and decided I needed not one, not two- but four donuts.  *sigh* I mean, I did leave one for kc (but I am not sure if it will still be there when he gets home) 
That's life in the Atkinson household! 


Said Cheese Block






Olive found herself a yam in my grocery bag- Maybe waits patiently for her to discard it, which she eventually did after a few bites. Not so good when they haven't been cooked yet :)


P.S. I do also feed her fruits and vegetables :)