White Wash

Olivia, decked out in her All England Club Wimbledon whites, showed great enthusiasm when helping me launder other hueless duds.

O-Mail

Yesterday marked the return of our virus-eradicated computer. This pose is a recurring scene. We often catch her IM-ing her buddies or updating her blog.

Nuthin But a “G” Thang, Baby

Oliva, accompanied by G’s Randi and Tsune, got into her Valentine’s Day gifts a couple days early. Grandparents are great – they’ll find any reason to spoil a grandchild. Perhaps the following sentiments are most appropriate for this occasion, but they’re certainly applicable to all others as well – we wholeheartedly appreciate their loving support. As does Olivia.

Olivia, the Kissing Bandit

Our daughter is like a politician in that she’s always glad-handing and kissing babies. Here’s a recent example, also taken at the Lincoln Museum, right after she wished our sixteenth president an early 197^th birthday. Baby Maddie, a previously unfamiliar face whose face Olivia tried to become familiar with, was on the receiving end of this smooch.

Lincoln (B)logs

G-Randi is doing her best to pass along her love of history to her granddaughter. From the look on Olivia’s face, grandma has a ways to go. This picture was taken at the new Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum in Springfield, Illinois. Honestly, this is one of the best museums I’ve ever been to – I’d rate it four scores and seven out of a possible 100.

Ballgirl

Olivia and I have a new favorite game. Most nights, after a hearty dinner, she gives me the signal – a hand gesture that hip-hoppers use to show they’re feeling the vibe. My daughter uses it in conjunction with the phrase “ball,” precursors both to the hottest parent-toddler activity out there. We play what can best be described as a hybrid of soccer, volleyball, racquetball, and bocce ball. The game works on hand-eye coordination, lateral footspeed, and mental stamina. Not really, I made all that up. We just have fun chasing and stacking the balls. And making everyone at the gym laugh.

When Push Comes to Love

These are of Olivia with her new friend Catie, a little girl Beni is watching a couple times a week. O insisted on pushing Catie around in her walker the entire morning. Because Olivia is such a dynamo, we often worry about how she’ll interact with other children. Much to our delight (and relief), Olivia shows her tenderhearted side around little ones. The second pic is of her consoling her newfound pal.

Walk Divine

These mugs are priceless! They make me laugh every time I look at them. The dispirited triumvirate bundled up for their recent trek around the block. Fortunately for my funny bone, the freezing cold preserved their expressions for several minutes after they got back.

Oh-Me

Olivia starts every morning with the same request – she asks for a bowl of oatmeal. Her request is actually more of a proclamation: “Oh-me, oh-me!” She used to sit and eat on the floor while I caught up on a DVR-ed The Daily Show or Pardon the Interruption before work. Realizing that this arrangement was bad form on my part, I’ve since moved her to the kitchen. These days, Olivia reduces her cholesterol level from her highchair in absence of the idiot box.

Fair-y Trade

Olivia insisted on putting on her fairy costume this morning. In return, she helped me give Max his breakfast. Here she’s topping his food with fairy dust.

Beany Baby

There’s a theory that states that a child’s taste buds are shaped by the types of food her mother consumed during the pregnancy. That would certainly account for O’s affinity for bean burritos. These shots are from a recent Taco Bell run.

Fit Foods

The top pic shows Olivia practicing an angry version of yoga. Her temper tantrums usually end with her in the supine position. As you can see, she eventually picks herself up again, especially when propelled by the tantalizing allure of the powdered doughnut.