Oliver Michael

Vegas Excursion

2009-03-29T18:36:00.002-06:00

Last weekend there was no church, so we decided to take a quick jaunt down to Vegas. We are planning a mass family vacation for Rian's side of the family later on this year, and we've chosen Vegas as the destination. We thought this little jaunt might be a good time to do some activity and accommodation scoping.

And let's be honest -- Rian and I never need much of an excuse to run down to Vegas. We haven't been since Oliver was born, and we couldn't wait to show him the sites.

When we got up the morning of our trip, we told Oliver we were going to Vegas. "Gaygus?" he repeated, quizzically. He had no idea what he was in for. The moment we pulled into the city and Oliver saw the enormous colorful buildings he exclaimed "GAYGUS!" excitedly. He knew that this must be where we were headed.

We decided to have dinner at P.F. Chang's. This is Oliver and Rian by the big wooden horse, while we were waiting for our table.

Oliver and Rian on a little walk.

Oliver LOVED the noodles, and went after them with great gusto.

Next we went on a walk through the beautiful Bellagio.

There are beautiful glass-blown sculptures on the ceiling of the lobby. Oliver found them very fascinating.

Right inside the hotel there is a gorgeous conservatory with flowers and fountains galore.

This fountain had leaping streams of water. Rian was obsessed with catching one of the streams of water mid-leap. He managed to do so, and I figured I better validate his efforts by including the picture on the blog.

Oliver and I looking at the weird sideways disembodied head statue.

The most beautiful chandelier in the world.

Oliver in a multi-mirrored box.

At the big aquarium tanks in Caesar's Palace.

Couldn't resist taking a picture of the eBay slot machines we saw while passing through one of the casinos.

At the Mandalay Bay aquarium.

The Luxor.

Oliver and Rian in front of The Luxor. You can see them, so tiny in the left corner. Look how huge it is! Everything in Vegas is just out of control.

Oliver drumming with his chopsticks at The Noodle Shop.

Funny face.

Him and those noodles...

I regret that we didn't get more pictures of our adventures there. I think we may be going back to do more "research" next week...if so, I'll be sure to have the camera at the ready so I may more fully document Vegas Excursion, version two.

Ever since arriving home, Oliver has asked us several times a day to go back to "Gaygus". Seems like he really liked it. He is related to Rian and I, after all. :)

Oliver and Mommy

2009-03-10T20:03:00.001-06:00

Pictures of Oliver and I together are rare, as I'm generally the photographer. The sunlight was coming through our big living room windows perfectly this afternoon, so I decided to try to grab a couple.

This was all I could get, but it's better than nothing, heh.

I just LOVE the look on his face, lol! Priceless.

Pizza Adventures

2009-03-10T20:00:00.002-06:00

We made pizza this evening for dinner. Oliver was WAY into the making of the dough {well...mostly into the playing with the flour, you know how it goes}. I caught a couple of cute shots:

He was so "busy" he couldn't even look up at me for a picture.

Yep, that shirt USED to be black.

Enjoy the fruits...erm...pizza of his labors.

Messy face!

Family Pictures - November 2008

2009-03-10T19:49:00.002-06:00

We had Opie from OpieFoto do some family pictures in November. We shot on location at the Salt Lake City Library. It was a fun location and she did a wonderful job. I just remembered that we forgot to post them! So without further adieu...

Best family picture we have so far.

Oliver and mom reading.

Completely candid. Oliver had fallen and hurt himself, and came to me for comfort.

Commanding his loyal subjects.

He makes my freaking heart melt.

I love the architecture in this shot.

Coolest family picture ever. Opie is SUPER talented.

Oliver with daddy.

Another amazing shot.

Mommy and Oliver.

King of the castle.

We love Opie, and plan on using her for family pictures again later this year!

Candids - July 2008 - February 2009

2009-02-27T13:57:00.002-07:00

An Apology: I want to start by saying that I am totally aware it has been about 8 months since I last updated Oliver's blog. Let me tell you, he is one busy active crazy toddler! Between him and work, I just haven't had much time to do anything else.

A little update: Oliver is growing like an absolute weed. He has pretty much outgrown his 3T size clothes, and we've started buying him 4T size jammies. He will be 2 on April 30th, and I just can't believe how quickly time has gone. He says hundreds of words at this point, as well as some little sentences. We have many entertaining conversations on a daily basis. Here are a couple for your enjoyment:

Mom: Oliver, guess what time it is?
Oliver: What?
Mom: Nap time!
Oliver: WRONG!
Mom: Well then, what time IS it?
Oliver: Time for dance!

Mom: *sitting on the couch, looking through a raw foods cookbook*
Oliver: *climbs onto mom's lap, usurps the book, and starts flipping pensively through the pages*
Oliver: *looks up at mom and nods conclusively* "Hippies."

Some of his favorite things include animals of all kinds {although he's especially into fish and sea life lately, such as the octopus "opitus"}, books, cars {he likes to point out "cool cars" while we're out}, Elmo, Blue's Clues, babies, climbing, balls, cooking in his little kitchen, and Henrietta Pussycat {his best friend}. He loves to go to nursery where he gets to play with his little friends. He recently handmade Valentines for all of his friends and family. {Let me tell you, that was a mess of glue, paper, and markers, but in the end it was very fun and rewarding.} His favorite things to eat are Indian food, sushi {ishishi!}, spaghetti, and pizza. When asked what he wants to eat, he will nearly always say "ishishi!"

Here are some random candid shots from July 2008 through February 2009.

Reading with Aunt Jas.

Chilling in his little chair with a big cup of H2O.

Cooking "vegetable soup" on the couch.

Infesting the cupboard under daddy's desk.

Finally zonked out at Grandpa Mikey's after a fitful night.

Mmm cookies! {"tookies"}

Devouring a plumb. Definitely a "shirt off" endeavor.

Playing at Grandma Weaver's with cousin Jacob.

With his great friend, the empty glue stick, which he carried around for several weeks.

He's got the music in him.

Cooking in his toybox.

Oliver loves Jesus.

He always wants to kiss this picture in our hallway when we walk past.

Zonked out on daddy.

He likes to pull all of his books off his shelves and bury himself.

He will happily sit and read for an hour, which is a dang long time for a little guy!

Tucking his monkey and baby in for a nap.

One day he was being too quiet. I looked out into the living room to see that he'd grabbed one of my novels off the shelf and had crawled up into the reading chair, with his snack of a cut-up apple placed carefully beside him.

Aquarium

2009-02-27T13:53:00.002-07:00

Oliver took a visit to our local aquarium with his cousins. Our aquarium focuses on conservation and education.

With cousin Matalyn.

With cousin Jacob, curious about the fishies.

With cousin Joseph, in the play area caves.

With Joseph again.

King of the coral caves!

I love this picture.

Cute boys! Oliver and cousin Jacob.

Breakfast at The Weavers'

2009-02-27T13:51:00.003-07:00

Most Saturday mornings, this is what breakfast looks like at our house:

Feeding daddy some tofu scramble. {Oliver's favorite breakfast item, lots of cumin please!}

Henrietta Pussycat has come to join us.

Why hello, pretty kitty!

Christmas 2008

2009-02-27T13:42:00.002-07:00

We spent Christmas this year at home. We had a few fun activities we participated in, and we saw lots of family. Overall, it was a very nice holiday season for us.

Decorating the Tree

Big Christmas Present
Oliver LOVES to help mommy cook, so Santa thought it would be a good idea to bring him a kitchen this year. He LOVES it and plays with it constantly. Well done, Santa, well done.

Opening Jammies from Grandma J and Grandpa Mikey

Christmas Morning at Grandma Weaver's

Oliver with Grandma Weaver, wearing his new hat.

He got a little puppy in his stocking!

I'm a m-model!

Christmas Morning At Home

Santa REALLY spoiled Oliver this year and got him a little tool bench too.

Opening gifts from Grandpa Mikey and Grandma J

New books! What a lucky duck.

New clothes? Oh really? You...shouldn't have. No really. :D

Tubby Time

2009-02-27T13:40:00.001-07:00

Because, well, every kid needs a few embarrassing bathtub pictures taken from time to time.

Halloween 2008 - The Year of the...Lion?

2009-02-27T13:37:00.002-07:00

Due to Oliver's obsession with lions, I decided it would be cute to make him a fat lion for Halloween. He had so much fun Trick or Treating at Grandpa Clark's house, as well as Trunk or Treating at our church. He kept roaring loudly so everyone knew he was there and SCARY!

With Great Grandpa Clark.

With Great Grandma Carolyn.

Future DJ

2009-02-27T13:33:00.003-07:00

When I was in Boston in September 2008, my friend Nikki and I picked up this cute cute shirt for Oliver. I promised her pictures of him wearing it, but he wasn't being super cooperative. Oh well, I got a few:

I pick my nose at you in defiance!

Attention: Music is my girlfriend.

Shy guy.

Foster Kitties

2009-02-27T13:29:00.002-07:00

In August/September of 2008, we were "foster parents" to a pair of bottle-feeding kittens named Jovi and Avery. Oliver loved them so much. He was so sweet and gentle with them, petting them so softly with one finger.

They were quick, and because of their dark color it was hard to get good pictures of them, but here are a few:

Avery checking out her toy.

Jovi batting around her green fuzzy ball.

Jovi and Avery snuggling.

Oliver stalking Avery. <3

Eating Like The Kitty

2009-02-27T13:25:00.002-07:00

Oliver recently went through a phase where he liked to eat off a plate with his face, like the kitty. I was able to capture some pictures and video one morning during breakfast.

Robert

2009-02-27T13:23:00.001-07:00

In the summer of 2008, Oliver went through a phase where his best friend was a blue plastic cup named "Robert" that he carried around. I was able to snap a few pictures of Oliver with Robert one day.

A Present from Aunt Stacey!

2009-02-27T13:12:00.002-07:00

In the summer of 2008, Oliver got a belated birthday gift from his "Aunt" Stacey! {Stacey is my best friend from high school and we are so happy to still have her in our lives today.}

Opening the present - what could it be?

Oh yay! Some cars!

Hey, how do I get these things out of the box?

Trying to be patient while daddy helps me.

It seems like it takes an eternity to open a box! I can hardly wait!

I love my cars! Thanks Aunt Stacey!

Walking - Finally!

2008-06-12T06:57:00.001-06:00

On June 6th, Oliver FINALLY started walking. I know 13 months is not "late" per say, but he's been pulling himself to stand and cruising around furniture since he was 9 - 10 months old. He's been on the verge of walking for so long, that I was surprised every day when he didn't just take off.

Walking still has to be coaxed, he still prefers crawling, here here's video evidence that he can do it! :D

At the Park

2008-06-12T06:50:00.002-06:00

We took Oliver to the park not too long ago. It's one of his favorite things to do now. He especially loves the slide!

First Birthday Party!

2008-06-12T06:33:00.002-06:00

I can't believe it, but my little guy is one. He turned one on April 30th, 2008. Here are a few pictures and a video of his party.

With his little friend Kirra.

He had "Cookies & Cream" cupcakes for his birthday.

He wouldn't touch it with his hands, he just went after it with his mouth.

It was so cute how concerned he was about staying clean.

I can't imagine who he could be related to.

On the new truck that Grandpa Clarky got him!!

A short clip of Oliver's party.

Trip to the Zoo

2008-06-12T06:28:00.002-06:00

About a month ago Oliver went on a trip to the zoo with Daddy, Grandma Weaver, and his cousins Wesley and Aynsli. I'm sad I couldn't go, but from what I hear he had a great time!

Eating pizza afterward.

Easter Bunny Oliver

2008-06-12T06:22:00.003-06:00

The Easter Bunny came to our house this year...in Oliver form!

Visit With the Aunties

2008-06-12T06:17:00.002-06:00

In April my family came down from Canada. We had lots of fun, and Oliver was so happy to play with his aunts.

Here Aunt Jas, let me show you how it's done.

Now you eat the block!

On Aunt Chele's lap -- I am a ladies man!

With Aunt Chele and Aunt Lee.

Baby Emalie!

2008-06-12T06:14:00.002-06:00

On March 18th, Oliver got a new little cousin {his 12th!}. Her name is Emalie Grace, and she is such a doll. We love having her around.

Hmm, what is this squishy pink thing?

Ah ha! It's a baby!

I think I like her...o hai Aunt Wendi!

After Long Last...

2008-06-12T06:07:00.003-06:00

I confess and repent...I have been a slacker with Oliver's blog. I know there's no excuse...but I would argue that there IS an excuse, and that excuse starts with an O and ends with a liver. He is SUCH a handful, I barely have time to do anything necessary, let alone update a blog.

However, as work has aroused me early, and he is currently still sleeping {knock on wood} I thought I'd throw some of the recent pictures up here.

Here are some random candids from the last few months:

Tormenting Henrietta Pussycat.

Uh oh! Caught!

Getting into the kitty's water.

Uh oh! Caught!!

So naughty!

Being so naughty wears me the heck out!

Helping daddy work.

Yes guys, this is a P1 bug. Plz fix. Kthx.

What mom? Someone's gotta bring home the dough!

OpieFoto is teh Roxxor!

2008-03-07T07:59:00.005-07:00

Opie is a professional photographer, and I've always loved her photography. I asked her to come do some photos of Oliver, as I've been wanting to have professional photos done of him for some time, but I hate the stupid generic photo studios. WOW am I glad I asked her! She is amazing. She was down on the floor, crawling all over and playing with him. I've never seen a photographer do that. And she is AMAZINGLY talented. She posted a sneak peak of the pictures she took on her blog last night {http://opiefoto.blogspot.com} and WOWIE! I am absolutely thrilled with what I've seen so far. She is worth every penny. If you want gorgeous and unique pictures of your children, call her! {Her contact information can be found from her blog.} It's a bit more expensive than a standard photo studio, but seriously seriously worth it.

And now, after the shameless Opie plug, and without further adieu...OLIVER!

Then and Now

2008-03-07T07:53:00.002-07:00

Oliver got two of the exact same onesie at his baby showers -- one in size 0-3 months, and one in size 18 months. I kept them both, thinking it would be fun to do a "Then and Now" type picture. Oliver is about the outgrow the 18 month onesie {yes, I know, my child is enormous}, so I thought I'd do a quick picture this morning of him in it. I couldn't get him to hold still though, so what you're getting is an action shot.

But here you have it...then and now!

Favorite Food

2008-03-06T08:12:00.002-07:00

This may seem hilarious and hard to believe, but Oliver's favorte food is *drumroll* water. Yes. Water. Whenever Rian or I have a bottle or glass of water, he practically begs to be given a sip. He will continue begging for sips until it's gone {and long after, sometimes}. He won't drink it out of a sippy cup, it has to be out of a "big boy" water bottle or cup. Consequently, he always ends up with it all over. Here are a series of pictures of him enjoying his favorite "food" with daddy the other night.

Reflections.

2008-03-03T08:21:00.002-07:00

You know, sometimes it's a hassle, inconvenient, and annoying that my 10 month old cannot/will not feed himself a bottle, and will not go to sleep without being rocked.

However, when he's curled up in a blanket against me, batting his eyelashes against my arm and stroking my hair, I'm so grateful that I still get to do that for him. And as he fell asleep on my chest, hand still passively stroking my hair, little foot kicking my knee I thought -- could I ask for anything more?

Part of me wants to freeze time, and hopes he can never hold his own bottle.

Anatomy of a Tantrum

2008-03-02T18:38:00.003-07:00

Recently Oliver {yes, sweet blue-eyed-angel Oliver} has started throwing horrific tantrums. Before you're a parent, you look at other peoples' children having tantrums and think to yourself "Oh for heaven's sake, discipline your child!". Then you have your own child and realize...oh...this isn't as easy as I'd originally thought. We've decided the way to deal with his tantrums is to ignore and then once he calms down a little bit, cuddle him and distract him with something else {like a book}. However, last night he happened to throw a tantrum while I had the camera out, and I couldn't resist taking a couple of pictures before going into mommy-mode.

I now present to you...The Anatomy of a Tantrum.

Oh yay! Daddy left his controller on the couch!

Hmm...now to start a game.

Nope, that's not the right button.

Sweet, I'm ready to pwn some n00bs!

Daddy took my controller away! Nevermind that he's sharing with me!

I WANT IT!!!!!!

GQ and Other Nekkid Time Sponsors

2008-03-02T18:28:00.003-07:00

Oliver was being really fussy last night, so we stripped him down to his t-shirt and diaper and let him roam around free. It seemed to do the trick, and we got lots of cute GQ-esque pictures of him. He's seriously such a camera ham. I kept trying to get pictures of him crawling as Aunt Jasmine specifically requested them, but I couldn't keep him from looking up at the camera with a soulful come-hither look on his face.

His favorite new toy! Best $25 we've ever spent, it entertains him for hours.

Note his t-shirt: Mr. Mischief. Yeah. That says it all.

Hey mom, let me have a turn with the camera!

Piano Shennanigans

2008-02-29T13:56:00.002-07:00

I was working away today and realized it had been a little quiet. I looked up and over into the living room to see what Oliver was up to. He was standing at the piano, carefully pressing the keys, his arms stretched as high as he could get them just so he could reach. We have a digital piano, so of course it wasn't making any sound. I turned it on for him for a minute, I figured he deserved a reward for his ingenuity. Plus, it bought me some time so I could grab the camera and snap a few pictures.

New Chucks

2008-02-28T07:07:00.002-07:00

We decided that it was about time to get Oliver some shoes, considering we are the bad parents who allow him to go out all the time in just socks, like a ragamuffin. Anyone who knows me knows that I live in my Chucks. {Here's a link to Wikipedia's article on Chuck Taylors for anyone who is not familiar with the slang.} When I saw these adorable little Oliver-sized Chucks, I couldn't resist. Isn't he just the cutest??

As a side note, you'll notice that these pictures feature an Xbox 360 controller. This is because he was "playing Xbox" {ie. convinced that he was actually playing what was up on the big screen, in reality it was daddy playing} and I couldn't get the controller away from him for long enough to take the pictures. He's getting really stubborn in his old age. ;)

Valentine's Day

2008-02-23T11:38:00.003-07:00

Rian and I are not too keen on V-day. I mean, why do we need a specific day to be sweet to each other? We are sweet to each other all the time! The past few years we've dubbed it Verygoodfriendentine's Day, and had people over for a home cooked meal and some good old-fashioned hanging out. This year we had our friends Brent and Tina over, with their little girl Kirra. Kirra is about a month younger than Oliver. They are going to grow up to be great friends, I'm sure of it!

Oliver was very inquisitive about Kirra, and Kirra was very excited about Oliver. She was shaking from excitement and tugging on his clothes and touching his face. He was staring at her inquisitively with his head cocked to one side. Then all at once he smiled and leaned over and gave her a big kiss. It was SO CUTE. Made my heart melt.

Here are some pictures of them playing together.

Kirra + Oliver = BFFs!

A Piano Man

2008-02-23T11:35:00.003-07:00

Oliver LOVES playing on our piano. I got some cute pictures of him doing it. I wonder how young is too young for me to start teaching him lesson...hmm... ;)

Gettin' Into Trouble - Working Overtime!

2008-02-23T11:30:00.002-07:00

Now that Oliver is crawling like a speed demon and pulling himself up to stand, he's getting into all sorts of trouble. I can hardly keep up. He certainly wears me out.

Christmas Festivities

2008-02-23T11:23:00.002-07:00

Here are some candids from Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Excellent hat hair after skating.

Opening his Christmas jammies!

Getting his jammies on.

Thomas the Tank Engine.

Christmas morning.

Merry Christmas, little love!

Ice Skating - Christmas Eve

2008-02-23T11:14:00.002-07:00

My family has a tradition of going ice skating in downtown Calgary every year on Christmas Eve. It's gorgeous and picturesque. I was so happy to have Oliver with us this year so he could share in this family tradition. Unfortunately, he didn't have the most pleasant time because of the bitter cold, but it was memorable none-the-less.

Getting the ice skates on!

The three of us.

I'm done people, let's go home!

I'm A M-Model

2008-02-23T11:01:00.002-07:00

Instead of paying top price for pictures taken at a studio, and then waiting weeks and weeks to get them, Rian and I thought that we'd just set up our own studio {read: our bed}! I know this is a huge amount of pictures to post in one entry, but all of them were so cute, I couldn't resist.

Pink Chair

2008-02-23T10:57:00.002-07:00

Oliver has a little pink chair that he likes to sit in when he's being a big boy. This sequence of candids shots was just too cute not to post.

Crawling? Oh the Humanity!

2007-11-23T13:47:00.000-07:00

I knew it was bound to happen sooner or later, but I was hoping for later rather than sooner...Oliver is starting to crawl. So far his resume of crawling experience includes only getting up onto his hands and knees, lunging forward at various toys, belly-flopping during said lunge, and flipping himself from side to side. I don't know whether to be proud or to cry. I can't believe he's getting so big!

Reality Bites!

2007-11-23T13:44:00.000-07:00

So...yes, we realize that Oliver is not even 7 months old yet, but he seriously already has 4 teeth, and is in the process of cutting two more. I finally got him to open his mouth big enough to get a decent shot of his most recent acquisitions. If you look carefully, you can see the teeth on each side of his top two growing in. Crazy!

Hardware Specialist

2007-11-23T13:41:00.000-07:00

While Rian was working on one of our computers, Oliver showed some interest in the inside parts (probably only to put them in his mouth, but interest is interest!). Rian lifted him up to have a better look:

Here dad, let me do a little overclocking for you.

Adorable and a genius to boot, no wonder everyone is smitten!

November Candids

2007-11-23T13:37:00.000-07:00

A few shots from this month:

Here mom, let me take a picture of YOU for a change!

You take me home from Ikea too? I promise I am a good baby!

Uncle Devin!

2007-11-10T16:48:00.000-07:00

I just found these cute pictures, I somehow missed them in my Weaver Family Vacation batch. One is Oliver with his Uncle Devin, and one is just a cute close-up. Figured I might as well post them:

Playing with Otto!

2007-10-29T13:35:00.000-06:00

Rian's best friend (Mark) just happened to marry one of my best friends from elementary school (Ariane) and they have an adorable little boy who is a year and a few months older than Oliver named Otto! Mark, Ariane, and Otto came over last night to visit for a bit. We put the boys beside each other on the couch to try to get a couple of pictures.

Otto is looking at the camera, and cute as always, but Oliver is more interested in his feet.

And now Otto is crawling away, and Oliver is still playing with his feet.

Oh well! Maybe someday Oliver will learn how to have a play date that doesn't involve rolling on top of the other baby, shoving the other baby's hands in his mouth, or playing obliviously with his feet. :0)

Boo at the Zoo!

2007-10-29T13:25:00.001-06:00

This past Saturday the zoo was having a special Halloween celebration called "Boo at the Zoo". My friend Tina was planning on taking her little girl (who is about Oliver's age) so I thought we'd go along and have some fun.

In his bat costume, all ready to go!

So cute I could just squeal!

With his friend Kirra (Tigger!). Notice how Kirra is being a good girl and looking at the camera, while Oliver is trying to steal things out of her car seat, lol.

Looking at the zebras with daddy.

The zebras were so close! It was fascinating.

With mommy, her friend Tina, and baby Kirra!

Mommy loves my cute little bat self.

The full view of my cute little costume.

Being a bat rocks!

Mama thinks I'm beautiful...she's right!

All tuckered out after all of the zoo fun!

Wildlife Museum - live Olivers in their natural habitat

2007-10-29T13:10:00.000-06:00

When on the Weaver Family Vacation in St George, we went to a wildlife museum. They had lots of interesting (stuffed) animals to look at. Here are a few fun pics that my brother-in-law got of that excursion.

O hai mom, I'm riding a kitty!

And now I'm riding a bear [this isn't nearly as entertaining as you people think it is].

I think I like to ride daddy best.

Halloween Treats from Grandma J!

2007-10-24T20:24:00.000-06:00

We got a package in the mail today from Grandma J! Oliver tried to grab it right away and shove it into his mouth. Thankfully I was able to wrestle it away from him and get it unwrapped so he could see what was inside.

Hmm...it looks like Grandma J sent me a card...

Let's see what it says!

Oh silly me! I cannot read!

Mommy, will you read it to me?

Thank you for the card Grandma J! I liked it!

Yipee! Grandma sent me an awesome shirt!

How did she know I was a night owl? Mama must have told on me!

Ooooh what's this?

Cookies for me! Thanks Grandma, you shouldn't have.

Hmm, how do I get into these?

They don't taste so great, mama and dada can have them.

Thanks for the cute package, Grandma J!!

October Candids

2007-10-24T20:06:00.001-06:00

October has been so busy, I can't believe this is the first update. There's no real theme to this update, just some random candids from throughout the month:

Sitting in his bumbo on the floor, helping mom work.

Reading stories at nap time.

Having a little nap with Eugene, his monster.

At Zion's National Park on the Weaver Family Vacation (more pictures to follow, once people send them to me!)

Chillin' on the couch - he's getting really good at sitting!

His newest tricks include scooting himself around his crib on his tummy, blowing bubbles (which causes spit to fly all over mom), screeching at the top of his lungs (for fun, not when he's upset), sitting up, dangling himself upside down from his swing, and pushing up onto his hands and one knee (which results in him flipping over and getting frustrated). One thing's for sure...he's one dang active 5 month old!

Little Jumping Jack...er...Oliver

2007-09-30T20:19:00.001-06:00

After the realization that Oliver likes to stand nearly all of the time (while using us for balance of course), we thought it might be high time to pull out the little jumping aparatus that had been handed down to us from Rian's brother's family. He LOVES it. It has become our nightly ritual for Oliver to have some "jumpy time" while mom and dad cook and eat dinner.

Ginger's Boyfriend

2007-09-30T20:16:00.000-06:00

My gorgeous friend Ginger (who happens to have an uncanny resemblance to Heather Graham, don't you think?) absolutely adores Oliver, and he adores her back. She calls him "her little boyfriend" and is so sweet with him, I couldn't resist the opportunity to make him a little "Ginger's Boyfriend" onesie to wear to a party at her house. Here are a few shots of Oliver with his very hot girlfriend, Ginger. (Oliver, you'll appreciate this when you're older...)

Carrots Are Yummy!

2007-09-30T20:09:00.000-06:00

At his 4 month appointment, the doctor said to go ahead and start Oliver on stage one solid foods. Our first attempt was carrots. We don't know how much of the mashed carrot mixture actually got in his tummy, but I think it's safe to say that carrots are not his favorite food...

Playing With Daddy

2007-09-30T20:02:00.000-06:00

Oliver was so sweet the other morning, snuggling on the couch in his blankie and playing with daddy:

A little video of it, for good measure:

Oli At The Doc - 4 month Checkup

2007-09-30T19:55:00.000-06:00

Oliver had his 4 month "well child" checkup on September 11th. Even though this is now several weeks later, I thought I'd record some details as it will be fun to look back on in the future.

Oliver was 18 lbs 4 oz at this checkup, which put him in the 91st percentile for weight. As far as height goes, he was between 28 and 29 inches, which put him off the charts! I can't believe how quickly he is growing. The doctor said that he is extremely alert and responsive for his age, and very social. He was all giggles and smiles for the doctor, trying to grab his hands and pull them into his mouth, and even getting his fingers entangled in the doctor's hair when he bent his head too close. He's also very strong and coordinated. I couldn't be more proud and happy.

Oliver Oliver Oliver...Candids!

2007-09-07T15:51:00.000-06:00

Last night when I was at Target with my friend Tina, we found the cutest little thermal green jammies with dinosaurs all over them. They just SCREAMED Oliver to me.

Those jammies are size 12 months, and just about too little! I should have gone for the 18 month size, but how could I have known my little giant would already be trying to grown out of these?

In my pirate hat, yo! Throwin' up baby signs!

My mommy could beat up your mommy.

And one last candid, a quick shot to commemorate the Trout & Berry Days parade in Paradise, Utah.

Hanging out with Aunt Lee & mommy!

Alesa's Birthday

2007-09-07T15:48:00.000-06:00

We had such a good time at Aunt Alesa's 22nd birthday party! Here are some quick Oliver-candids depicting all of the good fun:

Oliver and Aunt Jas

Oliver and Aunt Chele

Oliver and Aunt Lee

Oliver and Grandma J

Oliver and Grandpa Mikey (awwww so sweet!)

We miss Grandma J, Grandmpa Mikey, and Aunt Jas, but we're glad that Aunt Chele has now come down here to join us!

Bumbo!

2007-08-23T12:35:00.001-06:00

We just got Oliver a Bumbo chair, and he loves it! Here are a couple pictures of him sitting in it:

Hey guys, what is this new thing?

Yay, I think I like it!

Adventures in Wetness -- Park City

2007-08-20T10:59:00.000-06:00

We went to Park City this last weekend for a family reunion type thingy. The only place we managed to get many pictures was in the pool...and man did we get a lot of pictures there! Something like 150. In the interest of not inundating you with 150 pictures, here are the best dozen or so:

In the hotel room, getting burped by daddy after a very nice second-lunch.

Ready to go swimming!

Oooh, what is this wet stuff?

Exploring the water with mama.

Just chillin' with daddy.

Daddy, I can't float yet! I am too little!

You are so not funny, mom.

Okay, maybe just a little funny.

Taking a little dip.

I love my daddy!

So tired from all of this swimming!

Mommy wraps me up nice and warm.

Let's do that again!

And a little video, just for the fun of it:

Live Giggling Oliver in His Natural Habitat

2007-08-20T09:57:00.000-06:00

I managed to get a bit of Oliver giggling on tape:

Then the next day he was laying under his activity gym, kicking and giggling like nothing I'd ever seen, but when I went to go film him he stopped and decided to ignore me and watch TV instead. It's still cute though, so I thought I'd post it.

O Hai Guyz...I Am Cute!

2007-08-16T14:18:00.000-06:00

I know I'm biased, but not THAT biased! Other people tell me it too! I pretty much have the cutest kid in the entire world. Pretty much. Oh yeah.

"Walking" with daddy. Oliver LOVES to stand. He never wants to sit. He'd stand all the time if you had the time to sit there and balance him. I'm very afraid for the day he starts walking. I'm done for then.

O hai mom! Don't mind me, I'm just your 3 month old...STANDING.

Mommy loves me, and kisses my cheeks up ALL the time.

For srsly guyz, get me a bottle and no one gets hurt!

Sleeping angel. <3

Grandpa Digs Me

2007-08-13T10:36:00.000-06:00

I found this cute little onesie at Target for $3, and I had to get it! Oliver's grandpa certainly does dig him, and what's more, his Great-Grandpa Little actually DOES have a tractor! Too awesome.

And just a couple other candids, he was being so cute and pose-y today:

That kid's eyes are exactly the same as his daddy's, such a gorgeous steel blue color.

In a white sea of eyes
I see TWO pairs that I recognize
And I know that I am
The luckiest

- Ben Folds

Boy Do I Need to Grind Some Levels...

2007-08-08T13:58:00.000-06:00

/gorgeous geek baby

Weekend Fun!

2007-07-29T19:22:00.000-06:00

Just a few pictures from this weekend:

Oliver was sitting in his swing, and had his neck craned all the way back so he could stare at himself in the mirror above his swing. He was absolutely fascinated. It was the cutest thing ever. He couldn't even take his eyes off it long enough to ham up for the camera, which is a rarity.

Dang I'm handsome!

I want to see more of that good looking kid!

Aunt Lee came up to visit on Saturday night, and she jumped at the chance to feed Oliver some dinner:

Yum yum thanks Aunt Lee (P.S. Nice headband.)

Oliver is learning not to hate his bath so much. This morning I was able to capture a couple of pictures where he wasn't throwing a fit:

And then there's the burrito. The burrito is a wonderful invention, and the only way that Oliver will sleep at night. We wrap him up tightly in it before bed, and he just loves it:

The Many Faces of Oliver

2007-07-27T07:56:00.001-06:00

Oliver's Grandma Weaver caught these on film (yes film, not digital, I know it's shocking) and they were SOOOO cute I had to put them up:

And this one is from Aunt Wendi's visit out here from Michigan. It is Uncle Devin holding cousin Aynsli who is in turn holding baby Oliver (Obidur, as she called him):

Visit with Great Grandma & Grandpa Little

2007-07-27T07:51:00.000-06:00

My grandparents (Oliver's great grandparents) came down from Cardston to visit us for the weekend of his blessing. We had so much fun! Here are a few pictures that were taken in their hotel room:

Oliver with Great Grandma Little

Oliver with Great Grandpa Little

Oliver standing (with help, of course)

Oliver with mommy

Oliver with mommy on the bed

Oliver with mommy and daddy

More Blessing Pictures

2007-07-26T21:23:00.001-06:00

Just a couple more pictures from Oliver's blessing, these ones were taken by Oliver's Great Grandma & Grandpa Little:

With Grandma J and Grandpa Mikey

With mommy & daddy.

I really love the one of him with Grandma J & Grandpa Mikey. I think it's a great picture of all of them!

Randomness is Grrrreat

2007-07-23T12:41:00.000-06:00

Just a few more pictures of Oliver's 3rd month of life (in case you hadn't already had enough).

Oliver in the blanket that daddy had as a baby.

Oliver just totally loves that blanket! He calms right down as soon as he's in it.

Aunt Lee with Oliver.

Oliver in the cute outfit Grandma J's friend gave him.

And again, in case you needed to see two pictures of him looking nearly exactly the same. (Don't laugh, I had like 20 of them and was tempted to put them all up. Silly mommy!)

Oliver reading with daddy. Oliver absolutely LOVES to read. Every day we get a stack of books out and he'll sit there while I read four...five...sometimes even six books. I hope his love for reading continues throughout his life.

Grandma J and Grandpa Mikey saying goodbye to Oliver before they left. :( We miss them! Oliver thinks they should move here so that they can love him all the time!

Oliver's Blessing

2007-07-23T12:34:00.000-06:00

Oliver's blessing was on July 15th. It is when his name is officially recorded on the records of the church, and when he also receives a blessing from his father. Photography isn't allowed inside of the church, but here are a few pictures from afterward:

One of the many times in his life when mommy will have to fix his tie.

Oliver with Great Grandma & Grandpa Little.

Oliver with mom, dad, & Great Grandpa Clarky.

Oliver with Grandma Weaver.

Mom, dad, and Oliver. (Don't mind him flipping off the camera folks, none of us wanted our picture taken, he was just brave enough to make a statement about it.)

Oliver and daddy, my beautiful matching boys!

I'll post more pictures once Great Grandma & Grandpa Little send them to me. Grandma & Grandpa (yes, this means you Grandy!), if you're reading this, please send me any and all pictures you have from your visit down here. Thankies! :)

Mama's Boy

2007-07-23T12:28:00.000-06:00

Everyone always asks me why there are so many pictures of Oliver and daddy together, but none of Oliver and mommy. It's because mommy is the papparazi, you see! I got Rian to take a few pictures of us to quelch the public outcry. Oliver, your loyal subjects have demanded it:

And here is one of him throwing a fit because we have to go to church, just for good measure:

But Oliver! Your flip flops are so cute!

Oh the Treachery!

2007-07-23T12:22:00.000-06:00

One thing that only daddy and I know is that Oliver is really quite treacherous. Oh yes, he may appear sweet and lovely all the time...but at home he can turn into quite the little fuss-monster. Every time I try to capture it on film though, he hams right up for the camera. Here is the closest I've come to capturing it:

I'm so mad! Being a baby is so rough!

Oh woe is me!

Hmm, what's that you've got mom?

Is that a camera I see?

You papparazi bore me, I'm going to sleep.

Activity Gym - videos, oh my!

2007-07-23T12:16:00.000-06:00

Oliver has a little activity gym that he plays under daily. Recently he's discovered that kicking the little bee on it makes it jingle. He does this repeatedly nearly every time he's under it, grunting scrutinizingly after each kick. Of course, when I went to catch this on video he immediately refused to perform, but the videos were so cute I decided to put them up anyway. Enjoy!

Olifishy and His Aquatic Adventures

2007-07-07T06:49:00.000-06:00

On Friday, June 29th, Oliver went swimming for the first time. Rian's family was all going over to the local rec center for a swim, but I had to work, so Rian took Oliver on his first swimming adventure. I threatened Rian within an inch of his life if he didn't take a million pictures, and boy did he ever follow through. I've finally narrowed it down to the best dozen or so...so here they are, in no particular order...

I'm so sad that I couldn't be there for my swimmysaurus' first little swim, but I'm glad that daddy and grandma took plenty of pictures!

2 Month Check-up - Olisaurus at the Doctor!

2007-07-07T06:25:00.001-06:00

Oliver's 2-month-old "Well Child" doctor's appointment was on Monday, July 2nd. Oliver is always such a treat at the doctor, and charms all of the medical staff: the receptionists, the nurses, and even the doctor himself!

He grinned and tried to roll out of the scale while he was being weighed, kicked his legs so that it took about 5 minutes to get an accurate height measurement, and then started head-banging mommy when they tried to measure his head; difficult patient, but the nurses were enamored.

Oliver weighed in at 14 lbs 1 oz (93rd percentile), and was 25" long (97th percentile). Overall, he is just my big big boy! He is growing perfectly along the ideal growth line for weight, but exceeding it a bit in height. He literally is growing like a little weed! Now I know why he outgrew his 0 - 3 month clothing weeks ago, and is working on outgrowing his 3 - 6 month clothing. I'm glad he's so healthy and growing so well, but sometimes I just wish he'd stay little! :(

Oliver and I played in the patient room until the doctor came in. Oliver loves standing on my lap and having me lean him forward repeatedly and kiss his cheeks. I think it's his version of a little game. When the doctor came in, he looked at Oliver standing on my lap (with the help of my hands for balance) and looked at his chart, and then back at Oliver. "This is his 2 month appointment, right?", he finally said. I nodded, and he laughed. He couldn't believe that Oliver was so strong! He put him down on the examining table on his belly to see what else he'd do. Oliver was in a showing off mood! He pushed himself right up onto his elbows and started to scoot himself around in a circle (he hasn't gotten the hang of the leg thing). The doctor rolled him over to examine him, and as he stepped away for a moment, Oliver attempted to roll off the table. The doctor said that Oliver was developmentally beyond most 4 month olds he sees, and nearly as developed as most 6 month olds. He also said that Oliver was exceptionally alert and that he could tell that we held him and talked to him a LOT because of the way that he responds to touch and voices. The whole time Oliver just grinned and grinned at the doctor (and licked his hand whenever he had it in the viscinity).

Needless to say, I'm a bursting proud mommy! It was actually very validating, as I was worried that I didn't hold Oliver enough and that I wasn't a good parent blah blah blah. I'm sure we all think that about ourselves, but it's nice to have a little reassurance.

The only bad part of the appointment was the dreaded immunizations. As soon as Oliver and I walked into that immunization room, I had the biggest urge to turn around and run back out. I now understand what is meant when people say that they would take any pain away from their child if they could. I started freaking out in my mind, racing through ways that I could somehow take the shots instead of him. (And I'm TERRIFIED of needles!) I knew it was irrational, but I couldn't help thinking it anyway. The first vaccine was an oral vaccine, for rotovirus. Oliver grinned at the nurse as she administered it, and lapped it all right up. Then the nurse got out the dreaded needles. ACK! Even the sight of them was enough to make me panic again. She jabbed the first one into his little chubbster thigh, he took one look down at his leg, and then whipped his head around to look at me, grab a handful of my hair, and WAIL. He looked SO sad and accusatory "Why are you letting them do this to me?" he seemed to be wailing. Of course, I started crying, and both of us cried through the end of the three shots. The nurse said that he had the cutest cry she'd ever heard (yeah, come listen to him at 3am and then see how cute it is, lady!), but that was little consolation. My baby was wounded. :( He bawled all the way home, and into the house. I tried rocking him, feeding him...nothing helped. I finally resorted to stripping him down to his diaper, taking my shirt off, and holding him with his head on my chest while I rocked him. Thankfully he settled right down and went to sleep.

Needless to say, I'm going to see if I can make daddy go to the next shots appointment with him. I don't know if I can handle it again. :( Poor little guy!

Chillin' Like a Villian -- With Daddy!

2007-07-07T06:20:00.000-06:00

Daddy + Oliver = cute cute cute!

<3

Yo, Future CEO Ya'll!

2007-07-02T16:53:00.001-06:00

Okay, I know I'm probably biased, but I swear Oliver is the cutest kid in the world. I took wayyyy too many pictures the other day of him in his new "Future CEO" romper with his new flip flops. Uber photoage commence:

That is all.

I Dream of Spaceships...

2007-06-27T08:50:00.000-06:00

Just a few pictures of Oliver's new ADORABLE spaceship outfit, because (as usual) I just couldn't resist!

- Insert Witty Title Here -

2007-06-26T17:58:00.000-06:00

Well I'm back. You know I can never stay away for too long. I follow Oliver around with the camera like I'm the paparazzi, so naturally I always have way too many pictures that I'm just dying to share. Here are just a few out of all the ones I've taken in the last few days.

This is Oliver's "Uncle Devin" outfit. Rian's brother can often be found in a polo shirt and cargo shorts, and when I put Oliver in this outfit yesterday morning, Rian exclaimed "He looks like Devin!" The cute little polo shirt was given to him by Aunt Alesa! Thanks Lee, it's so cute!

Occasionally Oliver is docile and oh-so-sweet, I just want to kiss him all up. Here he was snuggling with his daddy on Sunday afternoon:

While I was talking to my family on the phone on Sunday afternoon, Oliver fell asleep leaning over my arm. I put him down in his swing so that he could rest more comfortably, but he kept his chin jutted out and his head up, just like it had been on my arm. I just had to take a picture, it was so hilarious.

Our across-the-street neighbors have three adorable little girls. Yesterday afternoon the girls came over and gave Oliver the cutest present! It had this little stuffed monster on top. I gave Oliver the monster this morning while he was laying down, trying to take a nap, and he just kept smiling and smiling at it. I had to take a picture of him with his monster in his swing.

That's all for now, but there will be more soon, as I'm sure you've come to assume by now. :)

XXX Babies!

2007-06-23T18:37:00.001-06:00

NNNNNNNekid baby!

Today it was soooo hot and sticky that we decided to give Oliver a little naked time. My little nekkidsaurus is so adorable, I went crazy with the camera...

Tubby Time

2007-06-23T18:15:00.000-06:00

I know by now I should have some Oliver tubby pictures up here, but Oliver is always such a screamer when he's being bathed that we're only focussed on getting him in and out as quickly as possible.

I managed to finally catch a couple of pictures of a quick tubby in the kitchen sink the other day:

Aunt Marissa & Uncle Devin!

2007-06-23T18:00:00.000-06:00

Rian's brother Devin and his wife Marissa came over last night to watch Pirates of the Caribbean, but before we could watch the movie we had to calm little screaming Oliver down. Devin and Marissa will be great parents someday!

Oliver seems keen on giving me a heart attack lately. The other day he got himself up onto his fists with his arms straight, and tried to inch the rest of his body forward. He tipped over, and I had to rush over and save him. It's just not fair for a baby to be trying to crawl before he even sleeps through the night! ;)

More Than All The Stars In The Sky

2007-06-20T17:51:00.001-06:00

I don't love you much do I?
Just more than all the stars in the sky...

I don't love you much do I?
I think you hung the moon and that's alright...

See how it sparkles in my eye...

I couldn't hide it if I tried...

Oh I don't love you much, do I?

adapted from Guy Clark's "I Don't Love You Much Do I?"

You Were Born to Be In Pictures, Baby!

2007-06-18T08:58:00.000-06:00

Oliver, Rian and I were playing on Saturday, and Oliver was being so cute and smiley, we took a couple little short videos of it:

Then, last night when I was on the phone with my dad, wishing him a happy Father's Day, Oliver started to throw a holy fit. He was screaming and screaming as if he was the hungriest, most starving baby in the world. He continued to scream for the next 5 - 10 minutes, so I finally cut my conversation with my dad short, and went to rescue Rian from the screaming boy. I started feeding him, and two minutes later he pulled away, clamped his jaw shut, and went to sleep. He REFUSED to wake up, no matter how much we bugged him. We were rubbing his cheeks and playing with his lips, and he just defiantly stayed asleep. It was so funny and cute (in a bad naughty sort of way) that we had to catch it on video. Note: No Olivers were harmed in the filming of this video:

Father's Day Celebration at Grandpa Clarky's

2007-06-18T08:50:00.000-06:00

Yesterday afternoon we went over to my grandpa's house (Oliver's Great Grandpa Clarky) to hang out with family and celebrate Father's Day.

Oliver was fascinated by his cousin (erm, second cousin...first cousin once removed...something...). His Great Aunt Leona was holding him, and Great Aunt Liz was holding his cousin Fiona, and he kept reaching out to Fiona and smiling at her. He sure thought she was cute and interesting!

His Great Aunt Leona is moving across the country soon. We will miss her!

Oliver just LOVES his Great Grandpa Clarky. Grandpa is so great with him, and I know that Grandpa loves him so much, he just grins and grins the whole time he's holding Oliver:

We always have such a fun time hanging out with my family!

Father's Day

2007-06-17T15:40:00.000-06:00

Reflecting on the meaning of today, I realize that I am so lucky. My son has the best daddy in the world.

I see them together and think of all of the things that Oliver's going to learn from his daddy...

all of the hugs and love that his daddy has already given him, and all that are yet to come...

and all of the fun that they will have, teaching each other about love, family, and the world.

When I saw the onesie that Oliver is wearing, I knew he had to have it. He will always be able to say, without a shadow of a doubt, that his daddy does "have his back."

I love my boys so much, and I love that they love each other.

Happy Father's Day, Rian. <3

7th Heaven...or 7 Weeks, Whichever You Prefer

2007-06-17T09:00:00.000-06:00

Just a few pictures to capture Oliver's 7th week of life:

Oliver loves his activity gym.

Sleeping, becoming increasingly rare.

Mommy hearts Oliver.

Oliver makes daddy jealous!

Oliver met some of his cousins for the first time yesterday. It was amazing how these rough and tumble boys were so sweet and gentle with him, kissing his forehead and talking so nicely to him.

Oliver with cousin Mica.

Oliver with cousin Taran.

My baby can pwn your baby!

2007-06-09T08:53:00.000-06:00

We're so proud...

Hang on mom! I'm on the boss battle! Just this one last guy...

Yay! I beat him! Now what did you want?

All ya'll is n00bz!

Survival of the Sleepiest

2007-06-08T15:43:00.000-06:00

As we near Oliver's 6 week "birthday", it becomes more and more clear that this adventure can be summed up as "the survival of the sleepiest".

Oliver continues to be ridiculously alert and active for his age. He only sleeps 10 - 12 hours out of every 24 hour period, which keeps mommy and daddy hopping! He's so darn cute though, it's hard to be annoyed.

I have to admit, I'm somewhat concerned that I may never feel well-rested again, let alone do such things as wear makeup or look presentable...

The baby definitely got all of my (good?) looks, as I've been unable to find them since he was born. :)

I seem to have fallen into the "exceptionally doting mom" classification. I find myself absolutely in awe of and in love with all of his little parts:

Who knew they made such tiny little Chucks?

Oliver has added some new tricks to his repertoire. Rolling over is no longer that exciting apparently, as he's now started to push himself up onto his elbows, and tuck his knees up under his bum in an attempt to crawl. I swear if the kid crawls before he is 6 months old, he is grounded for life!

We had an appointment at Primary Children's Hospital yesterday to make sure that his belly button had healed properly (which it had). We found out at his appointment that he was now 23" and 12 lbs 12 oz. I must be turning into muscle-woman, carrying this kid around all the time.

It's nice when dad can take a turn and give mom a little break...

He still seems to be having some serious tummy issues, as he screams and screams after he eats for quite some time. It seems as though he's never quiet. I feel so bad, I wish I knew what to do to take his tummy ache away. We are going to take him to the doctor to find out what's wrong as soon as we can get in. Unfortunately it seems to be the season where everyone wants to see their pediatrician, and getting an appointment is a trick. In the meantime we just hold Oliver a lot and try to rub his tummy to help him feel better.

I didn't really understand what people meant when they said that they loved someone more and more every single day...

...I do now.

Visit With Family

2007-06-08T15:25:00.000-06:00

Well I'm back, and with the pictures that I promised in tow! My dad (Grandpa Mikey) finally sent some pictures of their visit with Oliver. So without further adieu...

Oliver on my birthday/Mother's Day

Oliver with Grandpa Mikey (Dad, why did you cut your head out?)

A rare sleeping moment.

Why am I dressed like I'm on a safari?

Aunt Chele and Aunt Jas with Oliver.

Grandma J with Oliver

It was so precious to see Oliver with my parents and sisters. They were all amorous of him, and he seemed so happy when they were holding him. It was cute to see Michele and Jasmine with him, as they'd never really handled a baby before. They were so scared of him crying, and they were afraid they were going to break him. I told them that Oliver was a good "starter baby", as he's so sturdy and strong that he'd be hard to break. I am sure before too long they'll be more than comfortable with all things baby.

We had so much fun with them here, and I know Oliver misses his aunts and his grandparents. We can't wait until they come back to visit!

Adventures in Sleep Deprivation -- A First Update

2007-05-29T14:25:00.000-06:00

As of yesterday, Oliver is 4 weeks old, and boy oh boy has life changed around here! Who knew that something so small could be so in control of an entire household! As exhausting as he is, he is every bit as wonderful.

My mom (Oliver's "Grandma J") came to visit on May 9th, and she was so helpful. She came over every day for a week and a half and hung out with Oliver and I, helping with meals and keeping us company. Oliver absolutely loved her, and I'm sure he misses his Grandma J now that she's gone back home to Canada.

On Sunday, May 13th, Oliver's Uncle Scot and Aunt Lisa came to visit with Oliver's cousin, Tessa. Tessa is 6 months old, but Oliver is nearly as big as she is. We took some pictures of the babies together, but they didn't seem to be too thrilled with the experience:

The rest of my family (Oliver's Grandpa Mikey, Aunt Michele, and Aunt Jasmine) came to join my mom on May 18th. It was great to see them, and we had so much fun together. Pictures from their visit are forthcoming, as soon as my dad sends them. :)

Oliver is somewhat of a fussy baby, much more than I was expecting. My mom always told me what a great baby I was, and that I deserved to have a good baby for my first one, so I just sort of assumed that my little Buddha baby would be just as happy and calm as I was. A lot of his fussiness stems from some digestive and eating issues. I think his tummy hurts a lot, and that's why he wants to be held all the time. He is also a very urgent eater. When he's hungry he'll give us a warning cry, which lets us know that if we don't get food in his head within the next 10 seconds, he is going to start screaming. He doesn't sleep through the night yet, but he only gets up once or twice a night these days, so I can't complain too much. I think sometimes he fusses so much just because he wants to come to bed with mom and dad, rather than go back to his own bed. He's so deceptively cute when he's sleeping...

Oliver is ridiculously developed for his age. He has been holding his own head up since the day he was born, and he is extremely alert and active. He doesn't sleep nearly as much as most new babies (much to his parents' chagrin), and he actually started to roll over when he was 3 weeks old. Rian and I know that we're absolutely in for it with this kid. The other day he was trying to scoot himself up onto his elbows and knees, in a crawling position. I just looked at him and said "Oh that is not even funny!" I keep hoping he'll slow down a bit and be a relaxed baby rather than the hyper and active newborn he's been.

He loves to sit in his swing, which we have nicknamed "third parent":

I just absolutely love his little pair of jeans. I think there is not much cuter than a baby in a little pair of jeans.

Oliver has started to smile often, and nothing melts my heart more than his little grin. It's mischievous, like he's up to something...

Although my little sleepysaurus yawning is another of my favorite expressions...

So...not much else to say. So far so good, I suppose. Rian and I are enjoying our little guy, and can't wait to see what new things every day will bring. Oliver is napping now, so I'll add one final picture and sign off for now. Perhaps I'll relax a bit before he wakes up...

In The Beginning

2007-05-17T18:04:00.000-06:00

The Short...

Oliver Michael Weaver was born via scheduled c-section at 8:18am on April 30th, 2007. He was 11 lbs 4 oz and 21.5" long. He was delivered by Dr. Michael Twede at Altaview Hospital. We were surprised by his fuzzy blond little head, and how strong he was. That's the Reader's Digest version of the story. If you don't want to hear the volume-esque ramblings of a doting first-time mom, stop here. The rest of you...if there actually is anyone that wants to hear the rambling...read on. :)

And The Long Of It...

Last summer, Rian and I decided that after 4 years of marriage we were ready to add a new little person to our family. Oliver must have been anxious to get here, because very shortly after that decision was made, we got a positive pregnancy test.

We found out that we were pregnant on Labor Day (September 4th) 2006. The pregnancy was uneventful, and both Oliver and I were healthy throughout. We found out that he was a "he" on Rian's birthday, December 5th. Rian and I were both exceptionally doting parents, even before we'd met the little guy.

At the 38 week prenatal appointment, Dr. Twede ordered one last ultrasound, which to our great surprise showed that "little" Oliver was already 10 lbs 8 oz. Dr. Twede decided that the risks of trying to deliver Oliver normally were too great, and that it was likely the delivery would end in an emergency c-section anyway, so we scheduled a c-section for April 30th, 6 days before Oliver's original due date (May 5th).

The night before the c-section, I went into the beginning stages of labor, and was up all night with contractions. I didn't know that they were contractions at the time, I just thought that my back hurt really badly and my belly was really tight. In retrospect, I was naive not to realize it, but give me a break, it was my first pregnancy! :) After a long sleepless night, we got up at 5am, and arrived at the hospital at 6:30am.

After getting checked in and settled in our room, the nurses came in and started all of the preparations necessary for the c-section. They hooked me up to some belly monitors to check Oliver's heartbeat, and that's when the nurse asked me with great surprise if I knew that I was having really regular contractions. I told her that I felt something, but that I wasn't too sure what it was. She said that I must have a really high pain tolerance, and that I would have had the baby that day, whether the c-section was scheduled or not. It was reassuring to know that we'd chosen the same birth date for Oliver that he would have chosen for himself.

The nurses were excited getting everything ready, they couldn't wait to find out how big the baby was going to be. The only negative part of the whole preparation experience (other than the nerves) was that it took the nurse about 10 minutes to finally get the IV in my hand. Thankfully the other nurse was asking me questions and filling out forms the whole time so I didn't focus on it too much. After the nurse explained the process of things that would occur, I felt much more calm and like I was in control of the experience.

The anesthesiologist came into the room and explained his portion of the procedure (the spinal block). He was so warm and pleasant, it made me feel very safe. Finally it was time to go down to the O.R. I looked at the clock on the walk down the hall, and it was 7:30am on the dot. The exact time that the c-section was scheduled.

The spinal block was not difficult or painful, and began to work nearly immediately. I was nervous but felt fine, until they put the oxygen mask on my face. Because of the spinal block, I couldn't feel my stomach and chest, so I felt like I couldn't get a deep breath. On top of that, the mask on my face was making me extremely claustrophobic, and I started to panic. Rian was by my side, holding my hand, calming me down. I felt really taken care of, but it didn't make me any less frantic. To top it off, the doctor that was supposed to be assisting Dr. Twede was stuck in traffic, so we had to wait for him. That was the longest 15 minutes of my life, laying there on the table with the mask on my face, waiting for the assistant to arrive.

Finally Dr. Twede started the procedure. I didn't see any of it, and I wasn't really aware of what was going on, as I was in such a panic over the oxygen mask. Rian was able to see parts of it over the screen that they'd put up, and he said that there was a HUGE amount of water. I guess I needed all of that water to accommodate my little giant. Before I knew it, I felt them pushing and tugging, and they pulled Oliver right out! As soon as they pulled him out I heard him cry, and I started grinning uncontrollably. My first thought was "that does NOT sound like a newborn!" Dr. Twede said "wow, we made the right decision with the c-section" as soon as Oliver was out. They brought him around the screen to show me, and although he looked purple and kind of sticky, I thought he was about the cutest thing I'd ever seen. He was SCREAMING indignantly, and there was something ridiculously adorable about it. They whisked him off to wipe him down and bundle him up, and then they brought him back to show me again. He had already pinked up by this time, and I was in love.

They took him to the nursery to weigh him and do all of the other little initial tests they do. Rian followed, and I waited anxiously to hear how my little giant weighed in. After what seemed like an eternity, Rian came back in grinning and told me "11 lbs 4 oz". Everyone in the operating room laughed, and I was totally shocked. I could not believe that I'd been carrying around such a giant baby. The nurses said that he was one of the biggest babies that they'd had at the hospital in years.

It seemed to take an eternity for the doctors to finish stitching everything up and to get me into the recovery room where I could finally see my little guy. They brought him in to me, and since I was too shakey to sit up, they propped pillows around my arm and let me hold him. I was so freezing cold, and I remember that he was so warm. He's been my little personal heater ever since. I stopped shaking while I was holding him. I was just in complete shock and awe that he was mine and that he was so perfect and finally here. After an hour they wheeled me back to my room.

The days we spent in the hospital were a blur, due to the pain and lack of sleep, but Rian and I were both extremely happy regardless. Oliver was a charmer, all of the nurses just loved him. My favorite thing was how he calmed down instantly as soon as he was put in my arms and heard my voice. After having taken care of so many other children, it was amazing to be "the mom" for the first time, to be the one that could comfort the crying child.

We had lots of visitors in the hospital, so many of our family and friends came to see us, it was wonderful and helped pass the time. I also had some amazing nurses, and I wish that I hadn't been too high on pain medication to remember their names. I could not have made it through the experience without them. Rian was an amazing father from the first second that Oliver was born. Although he hadn't had much previous experience with babies, he jumped right in and was willing to change every diaper, calm every cry, feed every bottle, and give every bath. It was wonderful to have someone so supportive to take care of me and Oliver when I was so incapacitated.

[Oliver with Grandma Weaver]

[Oliver with Aunt Alesa. He was so big that all of the newborn shirts at the hospital were belly shirts on him.]

We left the hospital on Thursday afternoon (May 3rd). The first few days at home were completely overwhelming. Neither of us could possibly imagine having time to do anything again other than take care of the baby.

[Going home from the hospital, May 3rd.]

Throughout the last few weeks, things have started to normalize. I never would have believed how much my life would change, even if I could have seen it ahead of time. There's nothing like a baby to make you feel guilty for being so selfish as to go to the bathroom or try to take a shower, or heaven forbid feed yourself, but I love every minute of it and I wouldn't trade him in for the world.