O-W-E-N

O has learned to spell his name!!!

Trick or Treating on Homeland

Owen, Jenna, Bailey, all gathered at their GG's last night for Trick or Treating. GG had all full spread on the bar of snacks, pizza and goodies to make sure nobody would go hungry. Also attending the party were the kids parents, their Grandparents, Amanda, and GG of course. Jon and Connie (Jenna's Grandparents) also brought along their other grand daughter Jesse. It was so good to have her! She is growing up to be such a beautiful young woman, and always a joy to be around.

The goal of the evening was to get all the kids - in their costumes - together - in a picture! That is a LOT to ask of 2 two year old's and an infant! We did our best but Owen was more interested in running back in the kitchen where the candy was.
So we got Jenna and Bailey.......

Then we got Owen but lost Jenna.........Like I said we did our best.

Time for TRICK OR TREATING!!! I am not sure if Jacob was more excited or Owen. Bailey had to go and visit more family and Jenna decided to stay at GG's, so off we went with Owen. Much our surprise, the neighborhood that used to have all porch lights on just waiting to hand out candy was now very dark. What is up with that?? We did find about 7 or 8 houses participating, which turned out to be just enough.

He did so good!! Jacob and I were so impressed-- He told everyone "trick or treat" AND "thank you". He even have a few "Happy Halloween's"! What a pro!

Tonight we will trick or treat Washington-so we will see if we have a repeat?

I just had to add this in also-- This was when Auntie G was telling Bailey bye!

The Pumpkin Patch

Owen has this book about a pumpkin named Spookley. He just loves the book and wants to read it almost every night. He calls it is "punt-kin"book. We were at the grocery store the other day when he spotted the pumpkins and he just had to have one, or so he thought. He had been very good in the store so we got him one of those little ones. For days he carried it around and even took it to bed. Thank goodness it has not started to spoil yet!

After hearing what a great time James, Skye & Bailey had at the pumpkin patch we decided to take Owen. Our first thought was to have see if Bailey could go again so we could get some super cute pictures of the two together at the patch. However, Owen had other plans! He ran circles over and around the pumpkins, touching each one. Picking up all the little ones he could. I followed him around with the camera like the paparazzi trying to capture all of it I could. I wish I could capture the giggle and excitement that went along with it to share with you. Of course when it was time to go he was not ready, but we let him pick out his very own pumpkin to take home.

What's new?

It has been quite some time since my last blog so I must apologize to all you followers! What is new? Let's see-- Well, Owen turned 2 at the beginning of October. Wow, how time flies! It seems like just yesterday he was being born. He amazes us everyday with new things he is learning and how is personality is growing. And funny... goodness that boy is funny. He probably got it from his Mom! Ha haa.

Here are just a few pics of the Pirate Party we threw for his 2nd Birthday. A very good friend of mine, Savanah helped a ton with the party and all the decorations. I could not have done it without her. We painted pirates for the kids to stick their faces in and have their pictures taken and a large ship for bean bag toss. The majority of the little ones and a few adults came dressed as pirates . O had a blast, as did we.

O's new outfit!

Recently a lady that my Aunt works with went home to Vietnam. She brought back Owen an outfit and said "He just has to have something from over there, he might never get the chance to go." So here it is!! The authentic Vietnamese outfit, hat and all.

Owen & Jenna's Day-O-Fun

Last weekend we got to get Owen's cousin Jenna for an overnight stay. Jenna is 2 months older and such a cutie. She just talks and talks and calls Owen-Ona.

We picked Jenna up in town and ran some errands, so when we got home both kiddos were ready for a nap.

After nap time we had some lunch and played. Owen wanted to play with his animals/bugs, but Jenna wasn't too fond of the bugs so she found the telephone and a few other toys to play with instead. Then finger painting!

By, this time the kids we ready for a snack and some cartoon watching. They just sat so cute and quite, watching cartoons and sharing their goldfish.

The two of them just chat back and forth in their toddler babble. Jenna did a good job of keeping up Owen out of trouble. She would tell him "No no Ona.

After some more playing, it was about time for dinner. So, we all piled in the car and went to pick up a pizza. Since the kids had been so good we let them sit in the living room, eat pizza and watch a movie-Owen's favorite "The Sandlot". Well, Owen ate a hot dog, because he has not figured out how great pizza is yet, but Jenna ate and entire piece. She loved it!!

The kids were wishing their other cousin Tate could come and play so they wrote a note to her and we emailed it on over, with a bit of help from Mom of course. Then bed time. Jenna is so different from Owen. You just put her in bed and off to sleep she goes. Unlike, Owen who has to fight the fight before giving in to sleep.

The next morning we got up and Jenna had some eggs. Apparently, Owen has something against breakfast. No matter what it is, if it is before 10 or 11am he will not eat. The kids played a bit more and then we had to take Jenna back. We dropped her off at her Grandmas and Owen was sure sad to see her go. We had so much fun and cannot wait for her to come back.

I scream, You Scream....Ice Keeeeemmm

What could make your day better? How about hanging with your Dad and sharing a bowl of homemade vanilla ice cream after a blistering hot day? Sounds good to me!

Owen is starting to get the hang of the spoon, and with that he thinks he is done with help from Mom and Dad. Mr. Independent is at the beginning stages of the "I can do it myself" phase, and the favorite thing to use our spoon with is ICE CREAM!!

Not only are we Mr. Independent we are learning our alphabet. When we say "A" he says "B". Also we have a few letters that you can say "A"...and he says "Apple" and M is for..and he says "Mama". Well, "I" is no exception. "I" is for Ice Keeem. The words alone send him into a ball of excitement, running through the house yelling "ice keeeem, ice keeeem.." Until you provide the product, Owen continues, BUT...once the ice cream is given a sudden sugar trance takes over and all contact to the outside world is shut off during consumption.

"Hope you all stay cool and get a chance you enjoy your favorite flavor of "Ice keeeeem"!

Another Milestone

Well at 21 months we have reached another milestone. The icy-pop!

Owen has officially learned how to push the popsicle up from the bottom. Not only that but he has learned how to drink the juice. Now, I have enjoyed these skinny popsicle's since I was little, so they are a staple at our house. He even asks for a specific color..b000 and geeen are his favorites.

Gee-- I feel like such a proud Mama. It is the little things that sometimes bring us so much joy.

P.S-- Check out how long those legs are getting--They down hang past the seat of the chair.

A boy and his bat

Owen absolutely eats, breathes, and sleeps baseball. For those of you who have been around him, it is totally obvious. We have tried to find an even balance of other activities and learning besides baseball, but in the end he always goes back to the ball and bat. I suppose there are just a few things you can never have too much of. For Owen, that's baseball. It can be on television, in a field, in the living room, or the car. He has got it down....squatting with a backwards hat for the catcher, follow through on your swing, run the bases like you are being chased, and tuck one leg to slide. Watch out Major League-- Here comes Big O!

Peek-A-Boo

Is peek-a-boo the best game ever or what?

I love how children pretend or believe that if they cannot see you, then you must not be able to see them. What an imagination! Here is a short video for you from our latest Peek-A-Boo game.

And as a side note for the Mom's, especially mine--We don't normally allow jumping on the bed, but look how much fun he is having.

Owen's First Zoo Trip

This past Memorial Day we took Owen to the OKC Zoo for the first time. He loved it. I am not sure who had more fun? We expected him to love all the big animals and it turned out it was the birds he liked the best. We would tell him "Look at the Hippo!" and he would reply back with "duck..duck.." and sure enough there would be a duck swimming in the Hippo's pool. This time we did not have all day to stay so we cannot wait to go back when we have more time.

Growing up too fast

The last few days I have been going through some pictures and trying to organized them. What a walk down memory lane it has been. I know you always hear people say "cherish the times you have because the kids grow up fast." Holy Cow.. is that an understatement or what!!! It seems like just yesterday Owen was trying to pull up and then learn how to walk. Now he is running faster and faster everyday, all the while stuffing rocks in his pockets.

As much as I would love to have a little girl, I really prayed that the little boy would be first. Little did I know what I was asking for. 100% all boy. Such a joy and a blessing, with just the right touch of orneriness! He truly fills our house with laughter. Each and every day is a new adventure and a new learning experience for all three of us.

Here are just a few of my favorite pictures from the past 19 months. Such a short time when considering an entire life, but what an impact it has made on our lives in that short time.

Dinner Time

This is from a few months ago, but I just had to add it to the blog. We were making a video to send to Owen's Grandma in Colorado while learning to eat with a spoon.

Just like Dad!

I took this picture last night, and just had to share it with you all. Owen is always playing in Dad's boots or other shoes that are left lying around. Normally he is stuffing whatever will fit down in to them; balls, cars, etc. But this time he decided he needed to try them on. So with a little help from Mom, we finally got them on. Unfortunately, they were too heavy for him to walk, but he was so excited to be in Dad's shoes!

P.S. You will have to excuse the "no pants"? He really does own quite a few pair. But sometimes you have have to let those legs breathe!

A world without mimi's!

For those of you who don't know, we call the pacifier a "mimi". That is just what Owen's sitter called it so it stuck. Over the past week or two Owen has taken his mimi less and less. The last few days he has only had it when he sleeps. Today when I dropped him off at the sitter, I asked her to try to let him go without it for a nap and see how it goes. She called and said he did great of course. All evening he played and never looked or asked for it. So bed time came and after just a few minutes of whimpering off to sleep he fell. WITHOUT A MIMI!!

Oh me oh my! Where is the time going? I know it is all part of growing up but it is all going too fast. First giving up a mimi, and then it will be off to school, and then moving off to college. OK, maybe that is a bit of an exaggeration, but still no more mimi's!

It is funny how little things like a pacifier can be such a milestone. So we will see what the world without mimi's has to hold for us. Wish us luck, this is only the first night.

Play Zone

This past Saturday a friend of mine, Danna and I took our boys to the Play Zone, inside Dynamo Gymnastics off Hefner and Rockwell in Okc, OK. They have an indoor play area especially for toddlers, including a ball pit, slides, moon bounce...the whole works. Anywhere the boys were able to climb the parents are also. Let me tell you--That's a workout! Needless to say they had a blast and so did we. Danna's mom joined us, and all the while captured some great shots of the boys.