Fish Faces and Chasing Rubber Duckies

Checking out her certificate while dripping dry.

After grabbing said certificate and ripping it a bit, she sort of poses for the camera.

Seven weeks after beginning (the seventh was a makeup after the sixth lesson was stormed out), Olivia has completed her first swim lessons. at the North Pinellas YMCA Now, she doesn't exactly have her fins yet but her kicking skills have come a long way, she handles going under water well and she can pull herself out of the pool from the wall to safety. Not too bad for a collective three hours of lessons. Her last session might have been her best. The other two students didn't show and she really took to the substitute instructor. She was full of giggles the entire half hour and squealed often while swimming assisted to her favorite pool rubber ducky.

(She has, however, recently mastered her fish face complete with kissy noises. Man, is that cute. And no, she didn't learn that at the Y. Just a sort of related side note. )

Olivia got a certificate of completion for the parent-child class and promptly crumpled it up I'm sure it had no meaning behind that act whatsoever. We'll still keep it for her scrapbook because Mommy and Daddy sure are proud of their l'il mermaid. We'll take a break from formal lessons for a little while but for now we'll practice in Nana and Grampy's pool and in the Gulf of Mexico.

Family Night at the Trop = Red Sox Win

A Red Sox Nation Family... even in the south.

What you looking at punk?

Peek-A-Boo ballpark style
.

Where's Olivia?

Here I am Daddy!

Hats make my head itch!

We try to go to at least one Red Sox game a year and Friday night was our time. This was Olivia's third Red Sox game. She has long outgrown her original Red Sox gear so we outfitted her in new Red Sox Nation attire and headed south to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg. The game started at 7:10 p.m. and after Victor Martinez's two homers the Sox bested the Tampa Bay Rays with a 3-1 final. Unfortunately, it was the only game in the series the Red Sox would win. Maybe we were the good luck charm and should've gone to all three.

Livi, naturally, looked adorable and despite the lack of smiles in the pictures was all grins most of the night. She happily clapped and cheered no matter which team was doing well - we're teaching her about that. She'll get it soon enough. And once again she quickly became a fan favorite throughout the night. She also really enjoyed spending quality time with Uncle Rich (darn it if we didn't get pictures of the two of them - or him at all. Stupid, stupid, stupid.) who is surely going to teach her some ball skills when she gets bigger. It was a great family night out, indeed.

To make the night better, the Yankees lost their game, too. But once again unfortunately, they won their other two games over the weekend. We won't give up hope. It's not over yet. Go Sox!

A Masterpiece in the Works

So that's why it's called finger painting.

Me likey!

I wonder if I can get Mommy and Daddy to let me do this at home.

Oh, man I'm getting this stuff all over me.

I'm gonna give Aiden a hand and show him how it's done.

Mason might be done but I'm not even close!

Do I have something on my face?

This is awesome!

Yes! I just might be the Purple People Eater!

Are you sure this is OK?

I think I've run out of canvas. I guess it's a wrap.

And the final masterpiece on display at school.

A few weeks ago, Olivia's teacher Ms. Christiana decided it would be fun for the kids to finger paint. So she got out the purple paint, which happens to be Livi's favorite color, and they went to town. Boy did they ever. Olivia was beside herself with joy while the other kids weren't as enthusiastic. Perhaps we have a budding artist - or just a girl who loves to make a mess. In either case, we love how happy she looks in the photos her teachers sent us.

Oh, don't worry, it's non-toxic paint. Thankfully.

Our Littlest Mermaid

First swim class: Oh, this is gonna be great!

Holy cow is that water cold! (It all goes down hill from there. Final picture of Day 1. See below for details.)

Second Class: Well, it might not be pretty but at least I'm dong something besides crying this time.

I'm holding this duck hostage. You cannot make me do that.

Seriously, Daddy can you make her stop? And for God's sake don't photograph it!

Ever since Olivia took her first dip in her Nana and Grampy's pool when she was a few months old, she has been a total water baby. Whether it's drinking it, bath time, beach time or running around in a "spraygound" our girl LOVES water. So we decided it would be a great time to start swim lessons.

A couple of weeks ago she started half-hour Saturday sessions at our local YMCA. When Mommy took her into the pool she was all smiles. For the first five minutes. Imagine our surprise when she started crying and kept crying until the end of the session. About the only lesson Livi wanted to participate in was learning how to climb out of the pool by herself. She wanted to bolt to Daddy who had stopped snapping pictures by this point for obvious reasons. I couldn't understand it. Why did our Water Baby suddenly despise any aspect of it? Was it the pressure of being in a class? Did she not like her two classmates? Was the pool too cold? Too big? Or was it something else?

It turned out it was indeed something else. Later, we discovered Olivia had a low-grade fever that lasted the rest of the day. Poor baby. Fortunately, she had recovered by the next morning.

At her second lesson this past Saturday, she sort of did things the opposite of the first day. She was very hesitant to get into the pool and once in wasn't into it for about five minutes . Then she seemed fine.

We practiced throwing a toy and with the help of Mommy swimming to it. We sang the Hokey Pokey and turned outselves around in the pool and we did another little number: "Motor Boat, Motor Boat," swirling around the babies so they would practice kicking. Again, she seemed a master at pulling herself out of the pool from the wall.

This time after the official class was done, we went over to the kiddie pool which is about chest- deep on her. We tooled around for quite awhile and she was all smiles and giggles. She kicked more than she had in class and really loved trying to float on her back and trying to blow bubbles with her face a bit in the water. Then it happened. She was giggling away just walking around the edge of the pool and Livi did what she often does on dry land. She fell.

In a second she was completely under water, head and all. It was like everything went in slow motion for a moment. I looked down under the water and saw my sweet baby in her watermelon-print bathing suit floating in the water, but she didn't look like dead weight. She was kicking and moving her arms a bit. She looked like she was swimming. As David, who was sitting nearby outside the pool, was about to jump in, I swooped down and grabbed her. It was all in a matter of a couple of seconds. I fully expected cries - or a least coughing and lots of it. But neither happened. She sat in my arms silent, her hazel eyes scanning the area like she was trying to make sense of what happened. In an instant, though, she was happily playing in the pool again.

A couple of hours later, she and I took another dip in Nana and Grampy's pool. We hope next week's lesson goes even better. We can't wait to see our Littlest Mermaid parting the water.

Pop Goes the Fourth!

Besides fireworks, it wouldn't be the 4th without watermelon and boy does Olivia love it!

Liam Miller and Olivia in the neighborhood parade. Don't they look thrilled?

Of course, Livi rather eat the glow jewelry than simply wear it.

Our Fourth of July was relatively quiet until late afternoon when we went over to our friends' the Millers' house in Wesley Chapel. They invited us and our pal, Michele, to a neighborhood cookout filled with kids, fun and good food. Us Davises, being the dorks that we are, wore matching red, white and blue shirts (each of us wore a different color). Wouldn't you know I forgot to get a picture taken?

We filled our bellies full with yummy pincic food and enjoyed hanging out with friends. After decorating their respective bicycles and even a wagon, the kids did a little street parade. Livi enjoyed joining Christine's and Jimmy's son, Liam, three months her junior, in his wagon. They wore glow-in-the-dark necklaces and bracelets and really didn't seem to know what to make of them.

We made a fairly early evening out of it, heading out as the "big kids" started their fireworks. We ended the night at home watching the Boston Pops and watching Boston's fantastic fireworks display on TV. Sure, it's not the same but I for one will take what I can get.

Oh, the Places Livi Goes!

Livi in her sandbox.

Nothing like a quick visit to the beach in your own town.

Olivia was still getting the hang of walking in the sand.

She loves exploring the beach.

Riding her new tricycle down by Spring Bayou.

Playing in her new ball pit.

Checking out a ginormous grouper at the Florida Aquarium in Tampa for a belated Mother's Day celebration with Nana and Grampy.

Nana and Grampy taking a break at the aquarium.

Livi from the other side of the fish tank as she takes a look close up.

You're kidding me with these ears, right?

Oh no! You're serious. Well, I'm not thrilled with the idea and maybe you won't notice I tucked the ears behind me a bit. I don't even care that we're at Epcot.

For the love of God, this dude's got ears bigger than mine.

This is plain goofy and I don't like it one bit. Oh wait that's Pluto and Mommy kept calling him by the wrong name. Whatever. I don't care that we stood in line for nearly an hour.

Oh, well the ears don't look half bad on her. And I'm sort of cool with this so here's a fiver, Minnie.

That is one freaky looking duck, Daddy. And you are very mean parents.

If I'm a little teapot what the heck is that all about behind me? (By the way we were there during Epcot's Internation and Flower & Garden Festival, as you might be able to tell.)

I can't take much more of this. I'm kicking back while Mommy and Daddy ham it up.

Daddy, I'm no lion.

Olivia with my friend Tracy's kids, Shayla and Finn.

Friends being silly. Except for Olivia. She didn't want any part of it.

The view from our hotel in Chicago.

Livi chilling in the hotel room.

Tuckered out once again.

Some of the 50,000 tulips planted along the Magnificent Mile this time of year.

Livi and Mommy taking a break while walking the streets of Chi-town.

Daddy and Livi at the fountain at Millennium Park.

The "Jelly Bean" at the park.

Taking a family portrait in the shiny blob that reflects the city.

Visiting one of the nation's oldest zoos on Mother's Day. And it's free year round!

Daddy and Livi checking out a funky monkey.

Riding the carousel!

Livi falling in love at the gift shop. No we didn't take that big bear back on the plane. We opted for a T-shirt.

The view from The Signature Room at the John Hancock Center, 95 floors above the street.

Great Grandma "GG" Norma Epstein and Livi getting reacquainted after a year.

Our home for seven nights (May 30- June 6): Liberty of the Seas.

No caption necessary.

Outside our cabin.

The H2O Zone.

Up on deck.

We brought along a friend, and bathtub, for Olivia.

"Are you sure you can drive this thing," Olivia asks.

Riding in style on the basketball court.

Date night. I see the future and me don't likey.

Livi clapping to the singing wait staff at the onboard Johnny Rockets hamburger joint.

The view from our dining table.

One of many reasons why we like the formal dining experience.

Livi and a friend sleepy at dinner.

Livi meeting towel elephant.

Mommy and Livi in our cabin on the first of two formal nights.

Olivia and friends while Miss Nicole reads a bedtime story.

Livi loved the ledge and the view from the play room near the top deck.

Olivia finding her way around the "kitchen."

Beach time at Orient Beach in St. Maarten.

A splashing good time in the gorgeous Caribbean water.

David and some dirty birds in old San Juan. Miraculosly, none left their mark on him.

Daddy and Livi during a Crown and Anchor members-only event on our second formal night.

Olivia enjoying the "sprayground" in Labadee, Haiti.

Olivia and Daddy all giggles enjoying the beach day at Royal Caribbean's private island off of Haiti.

Livi jamming during musical play group.

I simply cannot believe how much time has passed since I've blogged. May was the first month I didn't post since sweet Olivia was born. Shame on me. I have missed a bunch of stuff so I'll try to keep is somewhat short and sweet for all I'll cover and compensate with a lot of pictures. As you will see it's been a busy spring and start of summer for the Davis family. We've been traveling lots in between busy work and social schedules so who has times to write for fun?

Olivia hasn't stopped since turning one. She runs now instead of walks which might be a good thing since we've had so much to do. Actually, it's really hard to keep up with her. I guess that's why most people have babies young!

In the past couple of months, Livi has enjoyed her new play area on the porch which has a mini play set (her big birthday gift from Mommy and Daddy), a play mat and a ball-pit tent (gift from cousin Sarah and Aunt Sharon and Uncle Mike.) We already had the swing up which was a gift from Nana's friend. It's been too hot lately to really spend much time out there, though. When our northern friends are playing for the summer, we're melting and retreating into our air-conditioned homes. It's kind of a bummer but we try to make the best of it which means lots of water and sand time, too.

Olivia has spent a little time in her sandbox on our deck and only one time so far got a big splash out of her blow-up pool. She has visited beaches from Tarpon Springs to St. Maarten to Haiti. She experienced her first "sprayground" when we visited our dear friend from L.A., Tracy and her kids, Shayla and Finn, at Disney's Contemporary Resort back in late April. She's been to two splash park since, one in Labadee (Haiti) and the other in Oldsmar. We also took the season's first dip in Nana and Grampy's pool the day before Father's Day. Olivia is such a water baby. Not only does she not mind getting her feet wet, she loves getting her face wet, too.

When we visited my old college roommie, Tracy, in Orlando, we spent a day at Epcot which was Livi's second trip to Disney. When we went on kiddie ride this time (Pooh's Adventure) it was a big difference from December when we held her in our laps (on It's a Small World). They grow way too fast.

Over Mother's Day weekend, Livi and I tagged along for part of Daddy's business trip in Chicago for four days and had a blast Olivia did great on her second plane trip especially since en route we got stuck on the plane on the tarmac because of bad weather for at least two more hours than expected to be in the plane overall. On the return trip, it was just Olivia and Mommy and things went smoothly much to Mom's surprise. Thank goodness.

Once we finally arrived in Chicago, it was cool, in the 40s which was fantastic. The crisp air felt great as we walked and walked and walked in this very pedestrian friendly city. We weren't so sure how Olivia would deal with spending so much time in her stroller but she loved it and being outdoors. As we walked through fabulous brown-stone neighborhoods and along the Magnificent Mile, she would throw her arms in the air and squeal with delight. By the end of the trip she was "asking" to go in her stroller.

We stayed in a beautiful all-suite hotel called The Omni on the corner of Michigan Avenue and Huron Street, in the heart of Chicago. It was two blocks from the John Hancock Center where Olivia didn't mind the express elevator up to the 95th floor, ears popping along the way, so we could catch panoramic views of the city lights at night. Absolutely breathtaking. On Mother's Day we hit the free Lincoln Park Zoo where Livi and I rode a carousel which was her second but she didn't really seem as excited as Mommy. We took in many other sights, including Millennium Park and the big "jelly bean," strolled along Lake Michigan and dined at the Navy Pier. It was a wonderful trip in an awesome city.

Less than two weeks after our return he headed to Miami on May 29 where we spent a Saturday evening with Olivia's paternal great grandparents. David's biological Dad, Phil, was in the Philippines so we didn't get to see him this time. This was the second time Livi has met her great grandparents and she absolutely loved them, especially Norma, who wants Livi to call her G.G. instead of great grandma. The next morning we boarded Liberty of the Seas and set sail for seven nights in the Caribbean.

It was definitely different cruising with a baby but it was a nice family trip. There was so much more for us to do with our baby girl than we expected. We went to several play groups and she even got to ride on and in little kiddie power cars on the basketball court. She did great on the ship except for in the formal dining room. She wasn't a little monster but she wasn't the little angel we're used to either. That's OK, she got lots of attention from our waitress, Mary Jane, who would take Olivia around to other tables to show her off which Livi loved.

I would say Olivia favorite moments were at the ship's production, comedy and ice shows. Once the lights went down, she'd jump up and down on our laps, giggle like crazy and clap until her hands probably hurt. Then, within a half hour, she'd crash and fall asleep. She also loved all the foods she got to chow and splashing in the beautiful waters of the Caribbean and mouthfuls of sand. We will definitely take a family cruise again.

See told you we had a very busy spring and well, summer is off to a crazy start, too. Of course, we look forward to more season adventures with our busy toddler. Stay tuned. Enjoy our summer, all!