O Baby!

Baby O Turns 2

2011-03-05T21:29:00.009-05:00

The happy birthday girl!

Monica, Nana and the spread.

Ameilia, Monica, Daddy being sill and Aunt Sharon and Uncle Mike

The Currence family: Abby, Betsy, George and Katie.

Livi and Uncle Rich

Ladybug Pinata

Livi takes a pull

Zane's turn.

Go Tanner!

Aaron Waxler takes a tug.

Livi tries again.

Publix did another great job with her cake.

Livi tries to blow out the candle.

Mommy helps get the job done.

It's always hard to cut into such a great cake!

Daddy helping Livi chow down.

Ameilia's sweet cake face.

Tanner and Daddy, Atul, hamming it up.

Annabelle cute cake face.

Livi at home opening a gift from Mommy and Daddy.

A Ladybug Girl book!

Livi checking out the book.

Too much time has gone by since I last posted here. And suddenly sweet Olivia is another year older!

Two years ago today a light came into our life like none other. Today Olivia is an energetic, funny (oh so funny), sweet, loving little girl who crawls into spaces in our hearts that we didn't even know existed.

Happy Birthday, Baby Girl! Mommy and Daddy LOVE YOU like CRAZY!!!!

XOXO

Today we so enjoyed your party at John Chesnut Park on Lake Tarpon. We had some much funny planning your lady-bug themed day and enjoying fantastic weather with good friends and family. You were such a busy, busy little girl you didn't know which way to turn - or run. You loved playing on the playground, pushing Annabelle's baby doll stroller and just running around. All of you kids seemed to really enjoy the ladybug pinata but we had a hard time getting you to sit still long enough to open presents. Oh, well. We opened them at home and what a haul you got.

Those who celebrted with you were: Nana and Poppy, Uncle Rich, Aunt Sharon and Uncle Mike, Monica Scandlen and Amelia Lusk, Sherri, Steve, Zane and Annabelle Newborn, Betsy, George, Katie and Abby Currence, Erik and Aaron Waxler, Julie, Atul, Kamdyn and Tanner Nadkarni and Ms. Christiana and Ms. Katherine from Excel Learning Center.

It's so hard to believe that two years have flown by. You have grown so much in so many ways and you are truly amazing. We can't wait to see what your third year brings!

Fish Faces and Chasing Rubber Duckies

2010-08-30T23:22:00.009-04:00

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

2010-08-30T23:01:00.009-04:00

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

2010-08-30T22:24:00.007-04:00

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

2010-07-27T22:56:00.007-04:00

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!

2010-07-27T22:40:00.004-04:00

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!

2010-06-21T11:50:00.026-04:00

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!

Olivia's Eggcellent Easter Adventures

2010-04-26T21:36:00.011-04:00

Hey, this Easter egg hunt thing is pretty fun!

I'm really getting the hang of it.

Just taking it all in.

Holy cow! Look there's more over there!

C'mon Mommy and Daddy. I'm following someone.

Oh, it's just my shadow.

That's a lot of loot!

Um, who's that freaky looking bunny?

Do you think it will mind if I grab one of its horns?

Ohhh, duckies are soft.

I'm just going to look like an angel hanging out with a ducky now.

Who says you can't go down the slide in a dress? Weeeeeee!

Olivia's first Easter basket.

She likes it!

This pink grass stuff is my favorite part!

Mommy, I think I'm going to need more to finishing sodding the dining room.

Ta-Da! I'm all dolled up now.

What do you mean this bunny isn't chocolate? Tastes delicious to me.

You guys stay there. I'm just going to take a little stroll.

I promise. I won't poke my eye out with this big stick.

Sheesh. I said, HAPPY EASTER!!!!

As usual, I'm behind in my blogging but I'll hop back for a moment to Easter weekend. Oh is that a pun you hear? Well, forgive your floppy ears and read on.

Our lovely little city started the festivities early and had an Easter Eggstravaganza at the city's sports complex. We figured what better excuse to get Olivia all dolled up in the cute spring dress my mother's childhood friend, Elaine, gave her when she was born? So the white eyelet dress went over her head and we drove across town to show her off. When we plopped her down on the grass, she ran straight for the colorful plastic Easter eggs and didn't need instructions. She promptly and enthusiastically plucked them off the ground, bringing squeals of delight from us as well as our Baby Girl. She couldn't have been more pleased with herself. The only assistance she needed was figuring out how to carry all 10 she was allowed. Fortunately, Mommy and Daddy brought along her basket and she got the hang of it quite quickly.

She also got to pet a real baby goat and a duck which brought huge smiles. It was the fake bunny that really got her. She did not have an instant connection to the Easter Bunny much to our chagrin.

Easter morning, Olivia got her first Easter basket filled with goodies from books to magic markers. A holiday balloon was her favorite and it is still floating around the living room. But it was the fake grass stuffing her basket that was really a hit. She enjoyed covering the floor with it from the living room to the staircase. Easter Day was relatively quiet from years past with just Nana, Grampy and Uncle Rich joining us for dinner. We couldn't resist dressing up Olivia in what was supposed to be her birthday dress but her party day was just too chilly. I'm glad we didn't miss a chance to get her in this dress. She looked liked a little angel.

All and all, Easter was eggcellent this year, especially fun having a toddler running around.

Olivia Has A Smashing Good Time!

2010-04-02T23:11:00.017-04:00

That's our girl! She literally couldn't get any sweeter.

The tower of gifts.

Anne, the hero of the day, working the grill.

Mom giving her Baby Boy a pat down or something.

David and his Dad, Phil, who shares Olivia's birthday. Or should it be SHE shares his birthday?

Uncle Rich, aka Burgertime, enjoying what else but a burger.

A sleepy and cranky Olivia with Aunt Sharon, Daddy and Uncle Mike.

The Newborn family sharing some silly time.

Amelia Lusk making a fun face with Mommy Monica Scandlen.

That's cutie Nate Pastor peeking out of his stroller.

School buddy Aiden sharing a smile.

Half the party lined up on the wall enjoying the warmth of the sun.

Olivia's boyfriend, Tanner, and his Mom Julie.

The guest of honor getting ready for all kinds of fun even though she doesn't know it yet.

The unsuspecting smash cake.

Mommy giving Livi a hand with the candle.

Olivia wondering if it's OK to be doing this.

Livi feeding Uncle Rich.

Yep, that was FUN!!!!

I'm just gonna squish my hands in it one more time.

Grampy enjoying a piece of cake (not from the one Livi just hand her hands in).

Taking a walk break with Daddy and Uncle Rich.

Present time!

A big job so we brought in reinforcements for gift opening.

THAT was exhausting!

A month has passed since Olivia's first birthday and party the following day. I had so hoped to get this posted shortly after but so much has been going on. The Davis household has been plagued with one sickness after the other from upper respiratory infections (Olivia and Lisa), pink eye (Olivia and Lisa - twice each), double ear infection (Olivia), roseola that came with a 104.8 fever (Olivia) and kidney stones (David). Yes, all this has happened since right after the big celebration. I am hopeful now that spring has finally sprung we are all on the mend. It's time to take a quick step back and look at Olivia's grand First Birthday Celebration and I do mean GRAND!

It seemed like Livi's birthday went on for days, and it did really. First the packages started arriving in the mail about a week before her birthday from faraway family and friends - all wonderfully thoughtful gifts. She received a sock monkey, cute dresses, talking books, gift cards, a monogrammed beach towel and more - so much more.

Her actual birthday was on a Friday and Mommy took the day off to do last-minute preparations for her birthday party on Saturday. At lunchtime, Mommy and Daddy visited Olivia's class at Excel Learning Center in Palm Harbor and brought mini cupcakes to her and the only pal in the infant room old enough to eat them. We also gave Olivia her first balloon which she loved and was a big hit with the other kids. Ms. Diane and Ms. Laura helped us sing Happy Birthday to our Baby Girl and Mommy helped blow out the candle before the mess began. Olivia tried both chocolate and vanilla cupcakes and it seems she might be a vanilla girl - well have to wait and see. Livi had great fun smooshing the cake in between bites and ended up with it in not only in her mouth but in her ears and nose as well. Ms. Laura promptly got out the shampoo and cleaned her up before we left.

At the end of the day, Olivia and Mommy headed to the airport for a special treat: a visit from my good friend Anne Boffa, who flew in from Boston just to celebrate Livi's birthday. (We've been pals since were were 10 years old.Now she's pals with my daughter, too. Her twin nieces, Olivia (great name) and Lindsey just turned one on Valentine's Day so we got to compare notes on all the babes.)

The night of Olivia's birthday and before Mommy got into more party prep, Livi opened one of her gifts from her folks. It was a set of four dolls. You see in the infant class, Olivia had a purple baby doll she carried with her from the crib to the changing table and every where in between. It was the first thing she grabbed in the morning and usually the last thing she put down before going home at night. We were warned they didn't have the doll in the one-year-old room which she would start the Monday following her birthday. We had to buy the whole set just to get her fave doll which she keeps at school. When she opened the gift she looked confused to have the doll at home but she immediately snuggled up to her. Too cute.

Olivia's party was held at 1 p.m. Saturday at picturesque Anderson Park on the west side of Lake Tarpon in Tarpon Springs. Shelter 7 was the perfect spot. It overlooked the lake and was in between the playground and the restrooms - both very important to many folks. The day was sunny and warmer than most of the winter but was cool under the shelter without the warmth of the sun. Most of our guests found spots around the shelter to keep warm. Too funny. We never would've guess we would have to worry about the outdoor temperature in March and in Florida.

The menu was simple: grilled out hot dogs and burger, baked beans, Nana's delicious potato salad and other picnic food. Yum! Olivia's cake was chocolate and vanilla and was decorated with one of our favorite pictures of her.

Naturally, Olivia refused to nap that morning because she knew something was up and the poor little thing was exhausted when the party first began. About 40 people showed up to celebrate our baby's birth. Special shout out to the Scandlen-Lusk family which drove over from Ocoee, and Olivia's paternal grandfather, Phil Epstein, with whom she shares a birthday and made the trek from Miami. The other guests came from all over Tampa Bay - including several Excel teachers and a couple of classmates, Aiden and Tanner. Everyone came just to cheer her on, see how far she has come in her first year and shower her with gifts. And man was it a flood. The generosity of our guests was overwhelming but more importantly so was the outpouring of love for our girl.

I have to admit I had a little day-of-party-panic attack that everything was going to go wrong. If it wasn't for Anne, I swear it wouldn't have come together. She even took over some of the cooking duties. My brother Rich really helped out, too, and my parents came to the park early to help keep an eye on Olivia while we set up.

The spotlight moment of the party was the smash cake. After Olivia's candle was blown out, she look incredibly confused when the cake was left right in front of her on her high-chair tray. She looked at me, she looked at Daddy, at all the people crowding around her and finally she just tentatively dipped a finger in. She looked up to see the reaction and then dipped another before checking the reaction again. Pretty soon she realized it was a free-for-all, and she went to town, giggling with delight. Soon, her frosted face said it all.

Olivia Turns One!

2010-03-05T23:24:00.007-05:00

It's my party and I'll cry if I want to. Yep, that's a tear in her eye. We snapped this moments after Olivia yet again stumbled while trying out her new walking legs. It added just one more blemish to her collection of bruises she acquired for her big day. SIGH.

Dear Olivia,

It's hard to believe you came into our life one year ago already. In some ways, time has passed slowly but mostly it has gone by lightening fast. Where did our newborn go? When we first brought you home you were just this little, adorable creature who couldn't do anything for her self. You relied on us for everything: feeding, changing, love, warmth and so much more. Well, yes, it's true you still need us for much of that but you are no longer a tiny, fragile baby. You are already a sweet, smart, funny little girl who can do so much for herself at this young age - much more than we ever could have imagined. It's frightening how quickly you've grown but with each new milestone - your first smile, your first solid food, your first giggle, sitting up, crawling, standing up, your first word (Dada, of course) your first steps - you have made our hearts swell with pride.

While you've been busy learning, you have taught Mommy and Daddy so much, too. We now know the true meaning of unconditional love. We now feel so much more complete than when we were simply a couple. We know what it means and how it feels when your child snuggles up next to you and plants a big, juicy kiss on our lips. You give us so much joy, Olivia, and now we can't imagine life without you. You make our world go round and we hope we do the same for you. We wish you love; we wish you happiness; we wish you happily ever after. Through the years and each and every day we'll remind you of our love over and over again. But right now, we wish you a very Happy First Birthday. Happy Birthday, Livi. We love you more than words could ever truly express.

XOXO, Mommy and Daddy

Pay by the pound?

2010-02-22T14:34:00.005-05:00

Life is always interesting with Olivia. And life is even more lively with David as her father. Yesterday, he made an otherwise mundane trip to the grocery store an amusing event. It was especially fun for Olivia.

David decided that his little daughter had to ride in style. No, she didn't ride like normal babies in the grocery cart. Nope, it wasn't one of those cool ones that look like race cars either. Daddy grabbed a green basket - you know the ones for those quick trips where you only need a few items? Yep, that's the one. Daddy plopped Olivia into the basket and carried her all around the store, ending on the conveyor belt at the register.

If you looked at Olivia, she was all chill like she had done this a million times. She hasn't. She just sat with her legs straight out, one arm dangling over the side of the basket, taking in all the sights. She wasn't overly excited but was definitely comfy and content. Heck, she was practically flying, really.

This stunt was met with pointing fingers, eyes popping out, and giggles from other customers and store staff. In the produce department one lady said, "Oh, where did you find that? I definitely want to get one of those." We joked that we hoped she wasn't a by-the-pound item because we'd be broke. (She weighs about 23 pounds now.)

The more people commented, the more Livi seems to realize this wasn't typical. She started smiling and saying a hearty "Hi!" to those who passed her toward the end of our trip through Sweetbay. Luckily, we had already paid for her so we didn't have to pay again - and lucky for her she didn't get an orange "paid" sticker for her forehead.

Eleven Months and Counting

2010-02-05T22:21:00.007-05:00

Olivia practicing her walking skills with her baby stroller for assistance.

She's getting braver...

... and more excited...

... and then she just glows.

One month from today, our Baby Girl will be a year old. How can this be? Time really does fly when you have kids. These past 11 months have been a whirlwind but so much fun. Olivia, naturally has grown from an extremely dependant infant who couldn't even crack a smile to - dare I say it? - an independent little girl who rarely is seen without a smile or heard without a giggle.

She's learned so many tricks along the way. Sure, the first ones like finding her thumb were relatively easy but they were just as exciting as the big ones like crawling. Gosh, and it seemed like from the second she started crawling, she moved onto pulling herself up on everything she could get her hands on: a chair, a table, a loving parent's leg. And now Olivia is walking. Yes, WALKING! Granted, she's still getting the hang of it and sometimes stumbles this way and that like a drunken sailor, but she is walking several steps at a time, sometimes crossing half the room before taking a little tumble. She's only down for a moment and then she pops up again and is off for more. Sometimes she stops and applauds herself. Sometimes she stops for a break or to pick up a toy that has gotten in her path. With each step, her confidence grows.

Her vocabulary is also growing. Of course, her first word was "da-da," which despite my pleadings was all she would say for what seemed like forever. Then she moved on to a very excitable, very high-pitched, "Hi!" Then finally, "ma-ma" or "ma-ma-ma." I think somewhere in between those three she said "blah-blah-blah." She's also said "kitty" "hey" and one day we swear she said a complete non-baby-babble sentence. We know this can't be but here's the exchange we both heard plain as day a few days ago. Olivia and Daddy were upstairs for a few minutes before Mommy joined them. When Mommy got upstairs it looked like Livi's room had exploded, so I joked, "Who made this mess?" Without skipping a beat, Livi said something and David and I both swear this was what she said: "Daddy did it." Is sounded exactly like it. We died laughing which of course got her laughing and that is always the best.

One of the other big changes in Olivia is that she's pretty much off of baby food. She already has a mouthful of teeth - at last nine are fully in, including a molar and more are starting to pop in. So chomping on food is no problem for our girl. She loves to eat. She's eaten - and likes - just about everything: Chicken, turkey, mashed potato, steamed veggies, hamburger, hot dogs, pasta, all kinds of bread, mac and cheese, grilled cheese, cheese slices (cheese is a favorite in case you couldn't tell) fruit of all types, pickles (she LOVES pickles) and yogurt (another favorite). Did I mention Cheerios. Those are like baby crack. She has also been using a sippy cup for months for water and doesn't care for juice. We're planning on trying to get her to take her formula from a sippy cup this weekend, prepping her to make the transition to whole milk after her first birthday. It's all happening so fast.

Now we're knee deep planning her first birthday which will be at a beautiful lakeside park here in Tarpon on March 6. (She's such an outdoor girl.) Invitations will be out soon. We can't wait to celebrate her first year!

Olivia's Hi(gh)s and Lows

2010-02-03T12:55:00.000-05:00

Olivia is exploring her voice. She has realized she can control the volume. Last night she practiced high volume. Sound check was successful. Way too successful. This morning it was her quiet voice. She kept smiling and and whispering "Hi!" That was my favorite.

The New Year's Babes

2010-01-25T22:59:00.010-05:00

Me and cuddly baby girl.

New mommy, Courtney Pastor, and her 4-month-old future football star, Nate.

Hostess with the mostest Christine De Lessio Miller and her 7-month-old son, Liam.

The girls and their babes.

Yep, one shot was not enough.

Darling siblings, 6-year-old Cate Miller and her baby brother, Liam.

New daddy, Frank Pastor and his sleeping baby.

"Peace out," says Nate.

Livi gettting a catnap on Michele's pillows.

As life does when you have a baby, things change. So, there was no doubt New Year's Eve 2009 was not going to be a night celebrating into the wee hours complete with lots of elbow bending and ending it stumbling back home. We were delighted when our good friends the Millers invited us to a low-key dinner party at their beautiful home in Wesley Chapel.

The idea was to give those of us with new babies (three of my girlfriends had babies within five month's of Olivia's birth) a way to enjoy ringing in the New Year together in a safe, family environment.

So David, Olivia and I packed what looked like a weekend's worth of supplies and baby equipment and went over to the Millers about an hour away from our house, arriving around 6 p.m.

They had a delish steak dinner and all the guests brought most of the sides and other goodies. Sure, there were a few drinks but nothing crazy. And the place seriously looked like a day care. Several couples were there, including some we didn't know, with their infants and tots. And a few of our single friends joined us, too. It was really a nice evening.

The funny thing is our midnight toast was around 10 p.m. when sleepy babies became cranky but too excited with all the people to nod off. Everyone left long before midnight. It wasn't because it was a bad party. No way! The adults seemed to be sleepier than the kids. We made it home with six minutes to spare before midnight. We quickly put Olivia in her crib, and turned on the TV in our bedroom to catch the ball drop. Then it was time for shut-eye and that was OK by us.

Happy 2010!

Olivia's First Christmas

2010-01-25T21:36:00.013-05:00

Olivia sporting her "My First Christmas" Santa hat sideways.

I'm cuter than my new baby doll!

Hanging with Aunt Sharon and showing off her new shoes.

Well, not exactly the holiday family portrait we imagined.

Three generations of the girls at Christmas.

The Davis Manse fully decked. Sort of.

Back inside, Teddy's cheerful.

Staircase in all it's Christmas glory.

Our smallest of our five trees. This year, we only got four up and the fourth was only partially decorated.

Our main tree in the living room.

Same tree in its nighttime glow.

Detail shot of same tree.

First Christmas morning!

Ohhhh, I'm starting to get it now.

Wrapping paper is yummy!

Daddy put the finally touches on his precious gift.

And I'm totally cool with that.

I'm SO excited it's Christmas!!!!

Christmas dinner. My mom seems to look stoned in 99 percent of the pictures taken of her. Sorry, Mom. You know it's true.

Mmmmmmm Christmas roast.

Well, that's all folks. Mommy, Livi and Boo-Boo kitty are ready for some R&R after a long two days.

Has a month already passed since Christmas? Seriously where does the time go?

Since she was born, I had dreamed about Olivia's first Christmas. Because I was born two days before Christmas, it's just my time of year. I love to deck the halls. I love to buy gifts and send Christmas cards - and receive them. I still enjoy watching "A Christmas Story" repeatedly (as well as many other Christmas movies). I adore the sounds of the season. All I wanted for Christmas this year was for Olivia's first one to be perfect.

I wanted all FIVE of our trees up. I wanted the exterior of the house to glow. I wanted her to wear at least three of her Christmas dresses.

It turns out perfection is even more of a monumental task when both parents work full time, have to spend quality time caring for their 9-month-old baby girl (not that we're complaining) and squeeze in some holiday baking and shopping. Man, I'm exhausted all over again just thinking about it.

So we only got up four out of our five trees and one was only partially decorated. Entire strands of exterior lights kept going dark and apparently they don't make matching ones any more. I got our cards out but never got the cards sent to us strung up in our archway. I heard very few Christmas songs. And I didn't watch one Christmas movie. Oh, and the weather was so warm, it was too hot for most of Livi's special holiday dresses. Thankfully, it turns out perfection is a matter of perspective.

Well, there's no doubt Olivia's first Christmas was a successful one. Adorable Christmas dress? Check. Plenty of wide-eyed moments? Check. Spoiled baby girl. Check, check and check!!!!!

After we returned home Christmas Eve from Disney we rushed home preparing for the relatives to arrive for a night of good eats, a Yankee Exchange and mostly just basking in Livi's glow. Olivia looked darling, I must say, in the dress Aunt Carole sent down from Massachusetts. There's no doubt our sweet daughter LOVED being the center of attention, too.

She didn't know what to make of the present thing but she really dug the wrapping paper. In fact, she thought it was so tasty, she swallowed some. Then she laughed her head off. Strange child we have but oh so cute.

She got lots and lots of gifts, including gifts sent all the way from her Massachusetts family. She got adorable clothes from Auntie Beth, Uncle Chris and Cousin Gracie, and even more stylish clothes from Cousins Cheryle, Joe, Justin and Courtney. She got lots and lots of books, mostly Dr. Seuss from Mommy and Daddy. Nana and Grampy gave her a baby doll and a toy computer since she's always trying to use her folks' laptops. Uncle Rich gave her a cool talking pig. And among her favorite gifts were a baby stroller to help her learn to walk and a plush baby doll from Auntie Sharon, Uncle Mike and Cousin Sarah. Yep, she cleaned up for sure.

Livi even enjoyed a lovely roast beef dinner at our house Christmas Day when we hosted her Nana, Grampy, Uncle Rich and his friend Geremy. By the end of the day, we were all full - and exhausted. The only thing missing, really, was our Massachusetts and Miami family. But we did have ourselves a merry little Christmas. Perfect, I guess you could say, after all.

Davis Family Gets Goofy at Disney

2010-01-01T22:48:00.010-05:00

Well, pee-pee pants and all we've finally arrived at the gates.

Yep, we're a goofy family.

Livi and David thrilled with the fireworks over Cinderella's Castle.

Olivia's idea of waiting to get on It's A Small World.

Livi enjoying Disney's Christmas Parade down Main Street on the best perch in the house. And yes, she's usually missing a sock or two.

Olivia's first carousel ride. Weeeee!

Disney after dark during the holidays.

The awesomely electrified Cinderella Castle.

Everything is Mickey back at the hotel.

Look at me standing!

Just chillin' at the hotel.

Quality jammie time!

For my birthday this year, I decided to take advantage of the free birthday admission at a Disney park. On Dec. 22, we packed the Jeep and made the two-hour trek to Orlando for a two-night stay. I still get excited when I see the Mickey Mouse shaped electrical posts just over the Polk County line. You know something special is just up the road.

We checked into Disney's Port Orleans Riverside Resort where we would call home for the next couple of days. Livi was even given a Disney First Visit button. The rooms at the hotel are wilderness themed and very cozy. Mickey Mouse's face can be found on a shelf, the comforters, soap and even Olivia's portable crib sheet. We enjoyed a lovely dinner that first evening at the resort's Cajun-themed restaurant and strolled around the woodsy grounds before all three of us got into our jammies, snuggled up, watched TV, played and gigged before calling it a night.

The next day, we headed toward Magic Kingdom. After parking the car, we had to take a tram to the tickets booths. I got my free ticket and purchased David's. Of course, Olivia was free. So as we were preparing to take the monorail over to the the park's entrance David asked me where the camera was. DOH! Neither one of us grabbed it from the Jeep. He headed back to the parking lot on the tram and Livi and I waiting under the warmth of the sun for Daddy's return. Within a few minutes of his departure my thigh was suddenly warm. And wet. Yes, Livi piddled on me. And no, I didn't bring a change of clothes. For her, of course. Me, not so much. So even though they dried, I knew I was wearing pee-pee pants all day. SIGH.

But the park was magical despite our start and the fact it was packed for the holidays. There was so much less pressure to see the park when you only had to pay for one ticket. We wandered the park under a warm sun and 70-degree weather. We went on a few rides: It's a Small World, The Many Adventures of Pooh, and the carousel. Olivia discovered an excellent way to make the time pass when waiting in line. She slept and woke up right when it was time to board the ride. Wish I could try that.

Anyway, she was in awe of the place, the characters and the people all day. She even tried a bit of ice cream for the first time and seemed to love it.

For me, though, the very best part of the couple of days was just spending it with my wonderful hubby and beautiful baby girl. I loved our jammie time. The trip was the best birthday gift of all.

A Full December Day

2010-01-01T22:18:00.006-05:00

Cutest Bundled Up Baby in Florida.

Weeee a firetruck.

Creepy sunglass-wearing Ronald McDonald.

The fam hamming it up at sweet Tanner's First Birthday party.

Daddy's Girl.

Olivia's man enjoying his first birthday cake.

The happy couple playing on a crisp Florida afternoon.

Olivia picking her first blade of grass.

Saturday, Dec. 19, was a busy day for the Davis family. We decided to take in Tarpon Springs' Annual Christmas Parade and let's just say it was a far cry from the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade.

It was a bit chilly and windy that day here in Florida so we bundled up Olivia and headed down the street where we parked her stroller at the end of the parade by Spring Bayou. Parade marchers mostly consisted of a frightening looking Boy Scout troup, a bunch of local politicians riding in a local car dealer's cars, a homeless Vet begging for money and screaming that he fought for our freedom (for that I do appreciate him), a creepy Ronald McDonald and about a dozen new and vintage fire trucks. OH, and we mustn't forget the THREE adults who handed our 9-month-old daughter hard candy. Thankfully, we grabbed it out of her hand before she tried to eat it. So much for her first parade.

From there we continued on to a beautiful local park, John Chestnut Sr. Park on Lake Tarpon, for Olivia's boyfriend's First Birthday party. Tanner and Olivia are inseparable at day care. It was a chilly but nice couple of hours. Watching Tanner smoosh cake all over his face and he and Olivia playing on a blanket in the grass were highlights of the party. Here, Olivia also picked her first blade of grass.

The lovely day ended with dinner at Hellas, our local favorite Greek restaurant, with our good friends, the Newborns. But darn it we didn't take any pictures of that part of the day!

Santa, Sirens,Screaming, a Whale and Some Wailing

2009-12-17T22:11:00.008-05:00

Heading to see Jolly Ol' Saint Nick on our turf.

Posing for Daddy's camera.

Practicing her new scrunch-face smile.

Livi in the calm before the storm.

Here he comes!

Livi checking him out.

Here he is!

And there she goes!

We heard the loud Christmas music booming from the streets last night. At first, David thought our neighbors were blasting the Charlie Brown Christmas song. Then it clicked what the festive tunes meant. "Santa's coming!" David yelled. And then I ran around crazy with Olivia because I had just changed her and she was in a shirt and diaper only. "Santa is coming," I repeated. We ran downstairs and I grabbed a blanket to wrap her in since the wind was whipping and it was about 20 degrees cooler than it had been during the day. We could hear the music but couldn't yet see Santa so back inside we went to get Olivia some pants.

Moments after we ran back outside, we spotted the flashing red and white lights leading the fire truck. The truck was covered in multi-colored Christmas lights and Santa sat high upon it. "It's Santa! It's Santa," I said enough times to annoy even a 9-month old. Olivia stared at the illuminated sight. Then the siren screamed. So did Olivia. Santa's helpers gave Livi a cute stuffed whale and gave us each a candy cane and a sweet memory. It was no Bedford Santa but it was still very cool despite our crying little one. Thank you Tarpon Springs firefighters.

Olivia Meet Santa, He's the Dude in Red

2009-12-05T23:25:00.006-05:00

Livi looking cute and patiently waiting in line.

Ohhh her new shoes.

Sitting while Santa takes his dinner break.

Finally. Olivia, meet Santa. You're gonna like him!

For Olivia's 9-month birthday we dressed up our baby girl in her adorable plaid Christmas dress, matching beret, tights and new patent-leather shoes and ventured out to International Plaza in Tampa to introduce her to a very special, magical man: Santa Claus. On this wet Saturday evening, with my parents in tow, we headed to the line we already knew would be long. Unfortunately, we were right and even had to sit through Santa's 30-minute break. But it was worth every minute.

As we slithered through the line, Baby O checked out her knew shoes and kicked them off. And then kicked them off again. Fortunately, though, when it was time for the big introductions, she was in full Christmas attire.

Daddy plopped Livi on jolly ol' Saint Nick's lap and she immediately turned and stared at the bearded dude in red. She didn't look scared. She simply studied. And he just studied her, too. Then, she turned around, clearly remembering Mommy and Daddy but couldn't seem to see us right away. Then came the tears but quickly we called her name and she looked around and spotted us. The result is a half-smile, half-cry picture. We love it.

Counting Our Blessings On Olivia's First Thanksgiving

2009-12-01T20:19:00.008-05:00

Even with a runny nose, Olivia still smiled on her first Thanksgiving.

Sharing a moment with Uncle Richie.

Getting a little post-Thanksgiving dinner push from Uncle Rich.

Flying high with a couple of clowns.

Loving the slide.

All bundled up during a walk around Spring Bayou.

Dear Olivia,

On this Thanksgiving and for all those that follow we were and are thankful for the day you were born and each day that you bring us more joy than we could have imagined. We waited so long for you, Baby Girl, that it still seems like such a miracle you are here. We are truly blessed and give thanks for you each day. You have been such a wonderful baby and you are growing up so fast it takes our breath away. But the way you are flourishing also leaves us breathless. You are so smart and vibrant and seem to love life so much. You wake up each day with a smile on that sweet little face of yours and it is rare that there is any other expression on it, except perhaps for grand curiousity. Your giggles are contagious and are better than music blasting in our house. There is no better sound. You are a very funny baby girl. There is no doubt that you love to laugh and make others laugh, too. Even at this young age - nearly nine months - you understand what it is to laugh and to share it with others. We have no doubt you know exactly what you're doing to get a reaction. You have a strong personality that is all your own and it is beautiful. You are a true gift to all who know you but most of all you are the best gift ever given to us. And yes, you are the gift that keeps on giving. We love you more each day. Even when we think we couldn't possibly love you anymore, you grab us by our hearts and lift our spirits even more.

Loving you more than words could ever express,

Mommy and Daddy

Mommy and Daddy Feast with Olivia at Day Care

2009-11-25T22:40:00.005-05:00

Daddy giving Livi "a lift" in her Little Lambs classroom.

Olivia is now a pro using her sippy cup but you wouldn't know it from this picture. She's holding it upside down.

Her cranberry sourpuss face.

I swear she really loves turkey. Sorry we're still working on the not-showing-your-food thing.

Just chilling with my folks.

The week before Thanksgiving, Olivia's day care, Excel Learning Center in Palm Harbor, had a turkey feast for the families. David and I were able to meet there and join Olivia and her classmates for the fun.

At first, she seemed very confused when Mommy arrived in the middle of the day and then when Daddy got there she really couldn't figure it out. A moment later, though, it didn't matter why we were there, just that we were there. Her big toothy grin prevailed. After David and I made a trip to the main building to get our food we rejoined Olivia. We sat in tiny child-sized chairs while she sat in a car-shaped walker. She sampled turkey, green beans, corn, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauces and even a little taste of chocolate cake. The only funny face she made was when the cranberries hit her tongue and instantly she had a sourpuss expression.

It was a fun lunch hour until we had to give Olivia an emergency bath. We'll spare you those details.

Our Little Pumpkin Blossoms in the Fall

2009-11-05T20:38:00.014-05:00

Olivia eating the plush pumpkin Auntie Beth sent from Massachusetts.

A chilly fall night in St. Pete with Pops in the Park with friends, Michele and Katie.

Olivia being all chill.

The whole family waiting for the Great Pumpkin.

Never mind Waldo, where's Olivia?

Oh, here's she is.

The cutest little pumpkin of all.

Little Miss Muffet and the spider who sat down beside her.

The girls and the bull-riding cowboy who stole our hearts.

Olivia crawled more quickly into her eighth month. I know I say this every month but seriously it's been eight months since we became parents already? She's been cruising a bit and that comes along with bruising. Lots of it. Our daughter has facial polka dots on a regular basis. Please nobody call DCF, I swear we watch her closely and still she gets at least a bump or two a week. But who doesn't love a colorful child?

Her new tricks this past month include drinking from a sippy cup, feeding herself puffs and Cheerios, waving and saying DaDa (Hmph! Why couldn't it be MaMa?). And just a couple of days ago her fifth tooth popped through her bottom gum. She's also mastered clapping and on many mornings that's how she starts her day. Wouldn't the world be a better place if we all awoke clapping? Anyway, Olivia is really moving along in so many ways.

Being that it's fall (even though it still feels like summer most days in Florida), we made the obligatory trip to the pumpkin patch. Our little pumpkin seemed to enjoy being surrounded by all those colorful gourds. She was all smiles for her big photo shoot but drew the line at us taking her picture at a sign that said "Pumpkin Crossing." Oh well, we got plenty of great shots and bought her a baby pumpkin.

After our little outing we continued on to St. Pete to meet some friends for an evening of Pops in the Park, where Olivia not only survived her second fireworks display, she actually seemed in awe of it. This was a far cry (pun intended) from the terror she experienced on the 4th of July when we learned just how loud she could scream. Like I said, she's come a long way.

For Halloween, we chose an adorable spider costume and Mommy wanted to be in theme with her sweet daughter, so she went as Little Miss Muffet. Daddy wasn't part of the theme as a bull-riding cowboy. Olivia first dressed in her costume for our annual Halloween party. The hat didn't seem to bother her. She didn't even make a peep when we put her in the warm costume. For a couple of hours she went along with the whole thing with no tears or whines. We made sure we aired her out now and then. It wasn't until we took off the costume that we realized her true feelings of it: She clapped. She went from being a quiet baby, to her outright cheering/cheerful, vocal self for the rest of the evening.

She transformed into spider a second time for school where they paraded around all the costumed babies. We hear she got lots of oohs and ahhs and that she was the favorite. Again, we're going to pretend they don't say that to all the parents. During the day on Halloween, Olivia dug showing off her fang pacifier, cracking up strangers throughout Tarpon Springs. Finally, Halloween night came around and Olivia must've known she was going to wear the costume one more time. Instead, just as our first trick-or-treaters were walking up onto the porch, she crashed on Mommy's shoulder more than an hour before bedtime - something she never does.

Oh well, there's always next year - and she'll have more teeth for all those treats so Mommy and Daddy don't have to eat them!

Flying, Boating and Crawling. Olivia is a Baby On the Move

2009-10-05T22:10:00.019-04:00

Olivia's First Flight to Boston
Olivia meets the Massachusetts Family (Cousins Jarred, Courtney, Aunt Wanda, Uncle Paul, Cousins Cheryle and Justin)Did I mention they're crazy?

With Cousin Rich and Aunt Carole.
Before the bath went terribly wrong.And after in her hospital gown.First real swing in Salem.At the Guarinos getting some love from Dave Guarino with his son Owen close by.With Heidi Guarino and her youngest son, Jake.The Pikes and the Davises posing. The girls, Lauren, Robin, Lisa, Anne Boffa, Olivia and special male guest Alex. With Cousin Gracie at the Robbins home also in Salem. You know you wanted to see the whales. Ready for her first boat ride and whale watching trip. Baby O and her O Face. Goldenrod, York Beach, Maine with Mommy, Auntie Beth and Gracie.At Fun-O-Rama with Daddy and Gracie. Family photo on Nubble Light grounds, Cape Neddick, York Beach, Maine.Almost worthy of a Postcard with Daddy, Gracie, Mommy and Auntie Beth.The family on Yawkey Way outside Fenway.
The littlest Red Sox at Fan at Fenway for the first time.

Another month has slipped by and there are so many stories to tell. Olivia's sixth month was a busy one.

Here are the highlights: She went on her first airplane ride on Aug. 29 to Boston with Mommy and Daddy. She did so well on the plane that when we all stood to get off the couple behind us said, "We had no idea there was a baby on the plane!" Words that make a parent proud.

While in Boston, Olivia met so many people. She met second and third cousins, great aunts and uncles and lots of Mommy and Daddy's friends. She was a little social butterfly, happily engaging all who approached her and believe me that was a ton of people.

Olivia mostly enjoys being around other children no matter how old. She loved meeting Mommy's cousins' kids, Justin, Courtney and Jarred and really dug spending so much time with Aunt Wanda and Uncle Paul. And they got a kick out of playing with her, too. She also spent time with Grampy's brother great Uncle Ned, Aunt Carole and cousin Richard Michael Atkinson (the second of the Richards) and his wife Joanne. She also met Nana's sister Aunt Tessie for a brief visit (unfortunately, Aunt Tessie wasn't feeling well) in Woburn at her home and met cousin Sarah there, too. And for the second time she saw cousin Susan (Sarah's Mom) who visited Florida when Olivia was only a few weeks old.

When visiting the Guarinos family in Salem, Olivia went on her first real swing at lovely park called Forest River Park in Salem. Baby O enjoyed being outside as usual and hanging out with Dave, Heidi and their boys Owen and Jake and friend Bigs. We also spent an afternoon with Mommy's high school and college friends Robin and Greg Pike and their fantastic kids Lauren and Alex who were giddy to meet Olivia. Olivia was all smiles for them, too.

You get the picture that this was a busy trip.

Unfortunately, while in Massachusetts she experienced her first trip to the emergency room, too. While taking her first sink bath she somehow managed to kick or hit the hot water on and it was boiling. Literally. I won't relive it here. Suffice to say it was awful. She had a small area with second-degree burns. I'm happy to report, the marks are continuing to fade and we're hopeful she won't be left with a scar on her chest. She was only briefly in pain and went on with her vacation like nothing happened. It took Mommy a little longer to recover but alas she has the best she could.

Now back to the fun stuff. We went on a whale watch which was a first for each of the Davises. We went with Auntie Beth, cousin Gracie and Mommy's friend' Anne Boffa. Olivia slept through most of the three-hour or so trip but she looked darn cute in the sailor dress Florida friend Michele gave her. The rest of us were amazed by the amount of humpback whales we saw about 20 miles off the coast of Boston. There were more than a dozen and they were socializing amongst themselves which is something the naturalist on board said is quite unusual. Meanwhile, dolphins swam around them. It was amazing to see.

One lovely cool day, we drove up to York Beach, Maine with Beth and Gracie and took it by storm. It was the first time in nearly two decades Beth and I had been there together. Our families vacationed there several times together when we were growing up so it was such a treat to take our daughters there together. We hit all our favorite spots: the Goldenrod (ate delicious waffles and watched saltwater taffy being made), we played skee ball and Ms. Pac Man at Fun-O-Rama, sat by the beach watching the surf while feeding Olivia and then headed to the gorgeous Nubble Light, the picturesque lighthouse that encapsulates New England for Beth and I.

And last but not least for our trip, longtime friend Anne Boffa took us to Fenway. It was my first trip back in over 15 years and Olivia and David's first trip. It was somewhere I always wanted to take David so it was even sweeter taking him along with our daughter. Instead of dipping into the 50s or 40s like it was supposed to that night, it remained in the low 70s. Absolutely beautiful weather for a ballgame. The Red Sox shut out the Baltimore Orioles 10-0. It was a perfect night.

In other six-month news, Olivia has become a near expert crawler. She is also quite proficient at standing, pulling herself up on everything she can get her hands on. It's made parenting quite challenging for David and I. She already had her first bump from falling. Ahhh the perils of childhood. Her third tooth has also emerged and thankfully without causing much - if any -discomfort. She now has two on the bottom and one up top. And Olivia has mastered clapping. We're proudly clapping right along with her.

Happy Six-Month Birthday, Olivia!

2009-09-05T23:56:00.010-04:00

I've heard parents say it over and over again but now I really understand. Time flies when you have kids. It's so hard to believe that Olivia was born six months ago today. I think in the past few weeks she's especially made great strides in figuring out this thing called life. At the same time, we've come a long way figuring out our baby girl.

Though Olivia still weebles and wobbles a bit, she can now sit up on her own. She's so close to crawling that she's nearly running. She does everything she can to move around and can take a few knee steps but hasn't quite mastered straight crawling. She does this thing where she rocks and rocks on her hands and knees so fast she looks like she's about to take off like a rocket. It makes Mommy and Daddy laugh every time which ultimately cracks her up, too. Sometimes we think she will be walking before crawling. She's already trying to stand up and can walk quite well if you hold her hands. She seems tickled by the prospect.

Olivia's smile has changed as well. It's no longer a toothless grin. She has two teeth! They're in the middle of her bottom gums. A few Fridays ago, I discovered her first one popping through and by Sunday another one was cutting right next to it. They were hard to see at first but they are there plain as day now. I'm happy to report, the teething process has gone pretty smoothly so far, too. She hasn't seemed to fuss about it. She enjoys using her new teeth on just about anything, including my chin which she has playfully used as a chew toy. Baby O loves to run her tongue over her new teeth. She loves to hide them under her tongue, making it difficult at times for Mommy and Daddy to check their progress. And she LOVES having her teeth brushed. For some reason, she finds it amusing and starts giggling before she starts chewing on the rubber, slip-on toothbrush.

She is such a little person now. Her personality is shining through. Olivia is funny. She knows how to make you laugh and she thrives on it. She smiles one of her several kinds of smiles nearly all the time. She is one HAPPY baby girl. She gets so ecstatic when she sees us that if she wasn't wearing a diaper, I'm certain we'd be in trouble. Her little legs and arms, pump so hard, her mouth opens wide, she squeals and won't stop moving until you give her a giant squeeze. But she's only still for a quick snuggle because this little baby can't sit still. Much like her parents, she's a baby on the go. It's so difficult to picture that only a few months ago, she did little more than sleep, poop and eat. She's still doing plenty of all that, too, but there's so much more to her now.

She's become quite the good eater. Her favorite foods are green, followed by orange. She has a big taste for avocado, sweet peas, green beans and sweet potatoes but so far she's hasn't been a big fan of fruit. She has tried pears, apples and prunes. Surprise, surprise, prunes seem to be lacking luster. And she's VERY interested in everything Mommy and Daddy are eating.

She also has a new-found love of the raspberry and I'm not talking the food. Sure, since she was merely weeks old she'd do a raspberry or two - perhaps accidentally - but now she's purposely obsessed with them. In fact, I'd say she has mastered the art of the raspberry. That's OK with me. It's cute coming from a baby, especially this one.

Happy Six-Month Birthday, Baby Girl. You are the light of our life and give us great joy each day. We hope we continue to keep that gorgeous smile on that adorable face. We hope to always hear you giggling. And we hope your zest for life blossoms as you do with each passing day. We just pray the days slow down so we can enjoy you even longer. The first six months of your life have gone by in a flash.

It's Not Easy Being Green

2009-08-12T20:53:00.003-04:00

Olivia is getting the hang of this eating solids thing but you wouldn't know it tonight. It was her third night eating avocado, which, by the way, she really seems to like, but she seemed to wear most of it today. It started with just a little smudge of green mush on her face and then her sweet little face became a canvass for her artwork. Of her green, smooshed, disgusting art. She had it in her ears. She had it from the corner of her mouth up to the apples of her cheeks. She had it in her hair. She had it in her eyebrows. She had it up her nose. And what I discovered when I promptly plopped her in the bath, she had it on her left eyeball. Despite the fact she was wearing a bib, she got it all over her shirt which is now soaking in color bleach - my new favorite cleaning product (thanks Beth).

I hope never to experience this type of "creativity" from my daughter again. Even though it was a bit on the yucky side, I have to admit, David and I couldn't stop laughing. This in turn, of course, made Olivia start giggling. That is worth the mess.

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

2009-08-07T20:58:00.009-04:00

Walking to the Trop

Intently Watching the Game with Daddy

Mommy's Little Red Sox Fan

Showing Off Our Lil' Fan

The Littlest Red Sox Fan

Oh, is there a ball game going on behind me?

First Red Sox Cap

Us with our very sleepy baby fan.

Wednesday, Aug. 5, marked Olivia's five-month birthday and in celebration we took her to her first Red Sox game. Friends Colleen and Jason hooked us up with awesome lower-box-level seats along the third-base line at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg . Here, they call it a Rays game. (And this time they should, they swept the Sox in a two-game series.)

Olivia, decked out in her new pink Red Sox gear (cap courtesy of Auntie Beth, Uncle Chris and Cousin Gracie and onesie a gift from Mom and Dad) ,was a crowd-pleaser. She was very popular with the Red Sox fans and she seemed to love the attention. People stopped us walking around the Trop just to chat with one of the younger Red Sox fans. Some even took her picture. "She's the cutest Red Sox Fan EVER!" proclaimed one young women. (We couldn't agree more.) She was especially a hit in our section since she was so well-behaved. Despite the constant roar of the crowd, she didn't cry once and was excited by all the action around her. She contently sat on Mommy's and Daddy's laps the entire time, even sleeping once for about 40 minutes.

Even though the Red Sox lost the 6-4 game, we had a blast. Olivia fell fast asleep on the car ride home. Next month, she'll experience Fenway Park and share that first with Daddy who will also be a first-timer at one of the greatest ballparks ever.

Rockin' and Rollin'; Gigglin' and Droolin'

2009-08-04T23:54:00.005-04:00

Day at the Zoo!

A Face in the Crowd

Free the Horse

Sleeping Beauty

Me and My Thing-A-Ma-Jig

Ready for Solids

Messy Business

'Lil Miss Fashion Plate

Don't get my Double Chin., Mama!

Olivia’s fourth month was a big one. She’s been a very busy baby girl. This month she mastered rolling over, started solids and began giggling regularly – which, by the way, is the best sound in the world.

At her four-month pediatric appointment she weighed in at 15 pounds, 14 ounces and measured 25 ½ inches, putting her in the 89th and 91st percentiles, respectively. She’s no teeny baby. I’m constantly amazed that a little girl like me could have such a big kid. Don’t laugh. Anyway, she’s clearly growing well and easily hitting all of her milestones.

Olivia continues to be a very happy baby and an excellent sleeper. She’s such a good sleeper that David and I have to wake her up weekday mornings to get her ready for day care. Like her folks, she much rather awake on her own. Still, after a few thrashes in her crib, a few scrunches of her face and several blinks of her eyes, she starts most days with her big, heart-warming smile at the sight of her folks.

Olivia is relying on her pacifier less and less and turning more to her hand, occasionally favoring her thumb which she discovered July 7. And just a couple of weeks ago, she found her toes and promptly shoved them into her mouth. In fact, she really digs shoving anything into her mouth right now.

Things are changing at day care, too. She’s settling in and really seems to enjoy it even though Mommy is still having a hard time with it. Olivia is constantly palling around with an older boy – he might be seven or eight months now – at day care. His name is Tanner and he’s adorable. Nearly every day on Olivia’s daily report, Miss Diane writes Olivia spent time on the play mat with Tanner. Olivia and Tanner “talked” all day and studied each other. Tanner this. Tanner that. I knew kids started young nowadays but this is ridiculous. Actually, it’s very cute to see her smiling at him.

Olivia also started using the Exersaucer at day care so after much deliberation and research, David and I purchased her a jumper, similar to an Exersaucer in that it allows her to rotate the seat 360 degrees (something she’ll be able to do when she’s older but now needs Mommy or Daddy to assist) and gives her plenty of toys to pull, push and spin. She loves the little light-up keyboard that plays several neat tunes. She’s not totally in love with her new ginormous toy but we’re certain as she grows, she’ll grow to love it. Then again, that hasn’t happened so far with her swing. Hmmm, I hope it’s not a pattern for these $100 toys.

After her visit to Dr. Sawka on July 17, we gave her rice cereal for the first time. She was very interested at first and did quite well with her first batch. We stuck with the cereal for about a week and it seemed she lost interest quickly so we tried freshly mashed bananas. We thought the sweetness would have her chowing them down but it seemed like her first fruit wasn’t her favorite. She would spit out more than she would swallow. We realize that's partly because she's getting used to new tastes and eating off a spoon. This past week, she discovered the art of the raspberry and this time I’m not talking about the fruit. In the past couple of months, her little tongue and lips made a raspberry or two but now she has mad raspberry skills, especially when eating. Admittedly, at first it was HIGHlarious but also disgusting because her cereal would go EVERYWHERE. And then she tried it while drinking her bottle. Not nearly as cute. But during cereal feedings the past couple of days we’ve switched to a shallower spoon which seems to make eating more enjoyable for Olivia – and Mommy. She tries to eat like a lady now, but, of course, it’s still messy business. Thank goodness for a good bibs and sometimes bare-chested feedings (her not me).

This past month, we’ve also been on several family outings, including the Lowry Park Zoo, a lovely community park in coastal Dunedin (after Mommy and Daddy stopped for ice cream) and to several restaurants with family and friends. She usually does great out and about.

We took advantage of the $5 admission day at the zoo in Tampa on July 19 and because of the cheap rate, it was indeed a people zoo, too. But it was a wonderful day. The crowds weren’t so crazy that you couldn’t breathe and the overcast skies staved off the blazing summer sun which was a nice reprieve. While Olivia, of course, didn’t really know what she was looking at she really enjoyed the change of scenery, all the activity and simply being outside. She’s such an outdoor girl.

Another cool thing about the past month is that she has a surplus of fashionable clothes for ages three to six months. It’s been a blast dressing her up in all the gorgeous outfits, given to her by friends, family and even a few Mommy and Daddy have bought her. She looked especially adorable in all the stylish dresses that grace her closet. If only I could have half as many.

As each month goes on, they seem to fly by faster and faster. David and I are just trying to savor each moment while falling deeper in love with our baby girl.

Splish Splash Olivia was Taking a Bath on Father's Day

2009-07-06T20:51:00.004-04:00

Father's Day snuggle with Daddy.

Splashing is fun!

You're never too young to be a bathing beauty.

Drying off with Nana.

I missed another "first" in my last post. On David's first Father's Day Olivia also enjoyed another first herself. She had her first swim in my parents' pool. She loved it! She seemed a bit confused why the tub was so big and why Mommy and Daddy were sharing her bath but she enjoyed the the water around her. She even kicked her legs a little. No doubt she'll be swimming in no time. I guess that's what Florida babies do and she's a definitely a Florida baby for now.

Hot in the Summer: Fevers, Fireworks and Fish

2009-07-05T23:23:00.003-04:00

Four-Month Birthday.

Enjoying the fish on the 4th of July at the Florida Aquarium.

Loving the fish.

Pushing up baby style.

First night in her crib.

I can’t believe it’s been a month since I’ve written. And what a month’s it’s been. Olivia turned four months old today and the changes in her are so amazing. With each passing day, it seems, she learns something new – and so do we, as parents.

Brace yourselves this is going to be a long entry:

Never had being a parent felt so real until the middle of June when we had a medical scare with our precious baby girl. One Sunday before Mommy had to work a night cops shift at our Tampa office, Olivia seemed a little off. She was quite cranky, which isn’t her norm, and she seemed to be sleeping more than usual. Hesitantly, I went to work and left her in Daddy’s very capable arms. Of course, I checked in several times throughout the night. She was eating well, had stopped most of the fussing, was playing and generally seemed like her ol’ self, David said. When I got home at 1 a.m. she was peacefully sleeping and I felt relieved. The next morning, however, she awoke extremely cranky and feeling a bit warm. She was so upset I couldn’t get her temperature. After a little nap I tried again because now she was burning up to the touch. She had a fever of 102 so I called the doctor and off we went for an office visit.

By that time, Olivia’s temperature was 103 – not good for a three-month old. Dr. Sawka did a quick blood test. Olivia’s white blood cell count was 20,000. A normal count is apparently between about 3,000 and 10,000, I was told. This meant Olivia’s body was fighting something very strong. Dr. Sawka was alarmed and immediately ordered several in-office tests for my baby girl. It could be a urinary tract infection, the pediatrician told me, which is very dangerous in a baby this young because it often leads to permanent kidney damage. A team of nurses rushed in and they tried to take a large amount of blood from her left arm for a blood culture but Olivia’s veins were so tiny they kept rolling and they couldn’t get any blood after several attempts. Tears streamed down both mine and my daughter’s faces. Until this day, she had only cried with dry eyes but the tear ducts opened and poured. The nurses tried to do a catheter but had trouble also because of her teeny parts. After waiting a short while, hoping Olivia would calm down, they tried unsuccessfully to get blood from her other arm. Then they tried the catheter again and it worked, thankfully. It could be days until they knew what we were dealing with so they also gave her a potent antibiotic shot in the muscle in her thigh. Poor Olivia shrieked. Finally, I was able to call David at work and let him know what was going on. He said he would meet me at the radiologist office. There, she was strapped down to a little board with her hands secured over her head. It looked like a torture device and to my baby, I’m certain it was torture. I really don’t think I’m exaggerating. If you could have seen the look on her face this entire morning. She kept looking at me with those big tearful eyes, like “Why Mama. Why?” I felt so helpless. And parenting never felt so real.

The next two days we had to return to the pediatrician's’s office. On the second day her fever was gone but she had another antibiotic shot and they tested her white blood cell count which was starting to come down. By Wednesday, she seemed almost completely like her happy self. The urine test results came back negative, thankfully. Since they couldn’t get a lot of blood they weren't able to do the blood culture so we’ll never know what made her sick. They treated it as a bacterial infection and she had an eight-day course of oral antibiotics. Besides for a cold she’s almost over now (damn that day care) she’s been doing great ever since.

Olivia now weighs about 14 pounds - double her birth weight. She’s a great eater and an even better sleeper. She started sleeping through the night at two months. Not only that, she regularly sleeps between 10 and 11 hours a night. I can put Olivia down in her crib awake, read her a book, then turn on a musical toy and walk away and she easily falls asleep. Most mornings she wakes up with a huge smile on her face and does her little happy dance at the sight of Mommy and Daddy. My girlfriend, Monica, whose sweet daughter, Amelia, has never been a great sleeper, says we’re cheating at the whole parenting thing. Ha! We know we are truly blessed.

In the past month Olivia has also really started picking up toys, like her Mr. Moo Moo cow, and examining them. She’s fascinated by her own hands and her reflection. She’s big into drooling so we thought she might be teething early but we don’t see anything poking through her gums yet. She still likes her pacifier to calm her down but her own hands have become a means of soothing. She can practically hold her bottle herself but not for an entire feeding. Oh, and she’s “talking” more and more and absolutely loves the sound of her own voice.

Last Sunday, was a big day. We moved Olivia from the bassinet in our bedroom and into her crib in her nursery. She did great. Mommy, however, didn’t sleep through the night for two days because she kept getting up to check on her. Also, this week ago, she rolled over for the first time … at day care (damn that day care). I tried for days to get her to repeat the feat at home. No go. She showed it off to Daddy on Saturday. Last night after enjoying the 4th of July with friends (more on that in a minute) she decided to wake up briefly at 5 a.m. I heard her cooing and went to check on her because she NEVER wakes up at night. At the site of me, she smiled in the dark and did her wake-up happy dance. I said, “Oh no, Olivia. It’s not time to get up yet.” So then she decides she’ll show Mommy her new trick. She rolled over. Worried she’d fall back to sleep that way (you know that whole no sleeping on the tummy thing nowadays because of SIDS and all), I rolled her back after giving her praised. She rolled over again. And again. Then I said good night again and we both went back to sleep until 8:30 a.m.

Of course, yesterday was Independence Day and we dressed up Olivia in an adorable outfit and off we went to our friends’ the Newborns’ home in Tampa for a cookout. After enjoying delicious food and fabulous company, we headed out with Sherri, Steve, Zane (3) and Annabelle (1) Newborn and our friend, Kathy Steele, to the Florida Aquarium. It was $10 admission after 3 p.m. so it was packed. Still, Olivia loved it. She followed the fish in each tank Daddy stopped at and she seemed mesmerized. At 9 p.m. the fireworks started shooting off from the channel behind the aquarium. Uncle Rich and his friend Michelle met us outside. At first, Olivia’s eyes widened and she appeared excited by the display but then the noise caught up with her. She screamed and cried for the next 20 minutes. I covered one ear with one hand and tried to position her other ear in my chest to muffle the sound. She calmed down just a few times for a moment but mostly she was terrified by the earth-shaking booms. I felt like a terrible parent. But as Daddy pushed her in her stroller to the car, she fell fast asleep. This morning she awoke smiling. We love our forgiving, happy-go-lucky baby!

Working Mom Blahs

2009-06-05T18:57:00.005-04:00

Zoe, also 3 months, and Olivia. Zoe visits from the other infant classroom sometimes.

I’m a working Mom. I didn’t want to be but here I am. After taking nine years to conceive and carry our baby girl to full term I just didn’t feel right sending her to day care but the bills kept coming and the promotion David was promised didn’t.

So a week ago Thursday, with tears in my eyes, I dropped off Olivia at Excel Learning Center in Palm Harbor for the first time. David was with me but it was easier for him because he’s been working since the week after she was born. For me, like I suspect it is for most moms, it was very traumatic. I call the day care every day to check on her. Once when they paged her classroom I even heard, “I think it’s Olivia’s mom,” from a voice I don’t know. That’s OK. They said to call and I do. They don’t seem to mind and it makes me feel better. Still, I work as quickly as I can and then try to run out the door right at 4 to go get my baby girl.

Laura and Diane, her teachers, and Peggy, the infant teacher next door, have fallen in love with her. Who wouldn’t really? They say she’s the most well-behaved, sweetest, most beautiful baby they’ve seen in all their years of teaching. Sure, I know they’ve probably said that to other parents but I’m pretending they don’t and am swelling with pride.

Though Olivia smiles when we pick her up and drop her off, the first seven days hasn’t been all roses for her. After her first two-day week, she came down with a cold. First a little cough, followed by lots of sneezing and nasal congestion. Still, she smiled her heart-melting gummy smile in between coughs and sneezes. But then came her soupy diapers and a horrible diaper rash. We plan on taking her to the pediatrician tomorrow, the day after her 3-month birthday.

On Thursday, Mommy’s (that’s me) throat got a little scratchy and by this morning it was a full-blown cold. Then this afternoon, Diane from Excel called to tell me there was a little accident with Olivia. She’s fine, she said, but one of the slightly older babies (Olivia’s the youngest in the under 1-year-old room) flung a bottle off a table and it smacked Olivia right in the middle of her forehead, causing tears, a tiny bump and some redness. She is OK but there’s no doubt we’re getting the full day-care experience right from the get-go.

Here We Grow!

2009-05-20T23:58:00.007-04:00

Olivia loving on Daddy

Olivia and her Tweety Bird Band-Aid after her first shots

Olivia has come a long way, Baby, since her Earthly debut March 5. She is growing by leaps and bounds. When she was born, as some of you might recall, she weighed in at 7 pounds, 1 ounce and was 21 1/4 inches long. Thankfully, she was smack dab in the middle of her parents' birth weight. Daddy was over 10 pounds (his poor Mom) and Mommy chimed in at just over 5 pounds at full term. On Olivia's five-week visit to the pediatrician she was the same length but had actually grown. Her birth length included her GINORMOUS cone head.I'm not kidding even the doctors and nurses were startled by its size. Her length at that one-month appointment put her in the 71st percentile which wasn't so impressive. But at her two-month appointment (actually at 10 weeks) on Friday she had stretched out two more inches, landing her in the 90th percentile. Clearly, Olivia doesn't get THAT gene from her mother's side of the family. We're all a bunch of shorties at 5-foot-8 and under, mostly way under. Baby O had also packed on two more pounds since her last visit, tipping the scales at 11 pounds, 14 ounces and moving her into the 77th percentile for weight, a bump of eight precentage points. (Hmmmm, I'm starting to sound like I'm a reporter or something.) Anyway, all this is to say is she's growing and growing before our very eyes.

At this two-month appointment she also had her first round of vaccines: two shots and one oral dose. She was a trooper. Though she let our a shriek, followed by healthy cries, she was completely calm in less than two minutes and forgave all those around her. She did great. So did her folks, especially Mommy who feared tears worse than her daughter's dry, noisy cry.

Other developments include Olivia's new love of self soothing. She has discovered that sucking on her hand can be of great comfort when upset, even calm or - shudder at the thought - boring moments. Of course, this mean there's a whole lotta drooling going on. Olivia is also really grabbing at things even more. She tugs at her own shirt, her parents' clothes, her blankies, bibs and small toys. She's also working on her language skills with much more baby babble consisting of longer and louder noises after lots of crinkles of concentration , followed by big smiles of accomplishment from baby and Mommy and Daddy.

Two Months and Growing

2009-05-06T16:12:00.004-04:00

This past month Olivia has learned and changed so much it’s hard to believe she’s the same baby born to us nearly nine weeks ago. She is so much more wide-eyed and alert now and absolutely recognizes her Mommy and Daddy. The best thing in the world is when you walk over to her bassinet to start a new day and when you say good morning she greets you with the biggest toothless grin you ever did see. It truly melts our hearts every time. Around the same time she started smiling with a purpose other than gas (it’s true!) she started grabbing at things. The first time about a week before Easter, she grabbed my shirt as I lay her down for a diaper change. Now, you have to watch out for necklaces and long hair!

She is also starting to babble a bit and coos a lot more. She does this funny little thing sometimes when she sleeps. She giggles! This is something she’s never done when she’s awake so it’s strange but adorable. She enjoys spending time on her gym mat which has a bunch of toys dangling above her tiny head that she can swat at and pull. Sometimes she really lets them have it. When you lay her down on the soft mat she gets so excited her arms and legs start pumping non-stop until she’s ready for her next adventure. Olivia also enjoys tummy time and is getting stronger and stronger by the day, able to lift her head and chest off the ground and take a look around the room before rotating herself a short way at a time, eventually moving her growing body about 180 degrees or more around the soft blanket we put time for this activity. She doesn’t have as much patience with this as she does mat time but she’s getting better every day.

Nighttime feedings are just once a night by now but that’s the way it’s been for several weeks. She usually awakes between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. is up about a half hour before her belly is full and her diaper is changed and she’s ready to sleep until 7 or so. Last Friday night was a milestone when she slept through the night. The problem was it was only a tease. She hasn’t done it since. Bummer. It was a nice surprise while it lasted. Of course, Mommy woke up at 5 and kept checking to see if she was breathing until Olivia awoke around 7 a.m. Still it was nice.

We love watching her grow even though sometimes we wish she could stay small. I can hardly picture what she looked like when we brought her home from the hospital in March. As every parent warned us, it goes by way too fast.

Olivia Meets the Epsteins

2009-05-06T16:06:00.002-04:00

The Whole Gang at brunch

Olivia and Grampy Chip

A cuddle from Great-Grandma Norma

Great Uncle Rick

Love From Grandpa Phil

This past weekend was quite a special one at the Davis house. David’s biological father, whom we just met nearly five years ago, his parents and brother drove up from Miami just to meet our sweet Olivia. Of course, she charmed them all. After a long drive from Miami, Grandpa Phil, Great-Grandma Norma, Great-Grandpa Sonny and Great Uncle Rick came to our house for the first meeting Saturday afternoon. Grandpa Phil was hardly in the door before he was holding Olivia in the hallway. Great-Grandma was next. Their faces said it all when they were holding her: they were in love.

Since only Phil had been to Tarpon Springs before, we made sure to indulge in the Greek fare and had a delicious dinner at Hellas, our favorite restaurant on the Sponge Docks. Olivia, who sat comfortably in her stroller, slept the entire time in the noisy restaurant and through much of the rest of the evening.

On Sunday, the family came over again, as well as my parents, Grampy Chip and Nana Joan and Uncle Rich. We treated them all to a hardy brunch and more Olivia time. She didn’t complain once going from one person’s arm to the next and posing for pictures. It really was a lovely time.

Olivia's First Easter

2009-04-12T22:16:00.005-04:00

For Olivia, her first Easter was pretty much like any other day - eating, sleeping, making dirty diapers -except with more people around. We decided it would be easier this year to celebrate the day at home with Nana, Grampy, Uncle Richie, Auntie Beth, Cousin Gracie and Dottie. Olivia seemed unfazed by so many people at her house. And she didn’t notice the little stuffed bunnies given to her or the Easter baskets and surely didn’t care yet for the ham feast. She didn’t even fuss when we put the bunny ear hat atop her head. But just having her around this Easter made the holiday even more special for those of us who love her especially when she flashed big toothless smiles (a new feat), making everyone else smile back. It was a lovely day. Happy First Easter, Olivia Leslie!

Day at the Beach

2009-04-05T00:07:00.006-04:00

When you've been cooped up in the house for the better part of a month even a trip to Wal-Mart sounds like a day in the park. It even felt like that when I ventured out alone the other night to pick up a few necessities while remembering what it was like to go any where without a tiny tot in your arms or in her carrier (not that that isn't wonderful; it's just different). So when the weather folks said it was going to be a beautiful weekend here in Tampa Bay I told hubby we MUST spend a day outside and there was only one destination beckoning me: the beach. I'm not talking about a full day baking n the sun clad in bathing suit (heck no - not just weeks after giving birth because strange things happen to your body). A perfect day would include some time strolling along the water and getting sand stuck between my toes. Better yet, dipping Olivia's brand spanking new toes in the Gulf of Mexico and watching her reaction. This is exactly what we did after enjoying lunch at a little pizzeria with umbrella-protected tables on a boardwalk. After taking in the views and too much pizza we drove across the street to Sand Key Park, just south of the Spring Break soaked Clearwater Beach.

There were two no-nos in mind at the beach: trying to drag the stroller through the sand and sunburning our newborn daughter. The simple solution was to try out the baby sling gal pal and multi-talented Lorie Jewell and I made just a week or so before Olivia arrived. (OK, she really made it. I picked out the fabric, cut out a couple of pieces from the pattern with Lorie's guidance and stitched a seam or two). Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised to see a sleeping Olivia fit snugly in the sling as if still inside the womb. She barely opened an eye while transferring her from the car seat. I made sure the cute paisley fabric covered her tiny parts while David and I walked the beach and admired the gazillions of tiny shells under foot. Once we hit the rocks it was model time. Under the bright sun, we birthed Olivia from her makeshift womb, slipped on her tiny sunglasses to protect those bright eyes and David started clicking our camera. The modest waves were enough to keep you paying close attention as the water pulled out from underneath you. Carefully watching what was happening, I swooped down with Olivia's little legs in hand and briskly dipped her little tootsies in the salty water. Immediately it came. A little squeaky shriek and one certainly not filled with delight. But as quickly as this sleeping beauty awakened she quieted and really didn't have much to say the couple of other times I submerged her feet for the sake of a Kodak moment or two. After, I snapped a few images of her Daddy and we tucked Olivia back into the sling, I wore her back up the beach. She didn't make a peep and didn't open her eyes, just quietly breathing while the waves swooshed next to us. It was truly the perfect day.

Olivia in Pictures: The first Month

2009-04-03T18:23:00.006-04:00

Here are a few of our favorites so far...

(Above from Christine De Lessio Photography (813) 363-0058)

David's artwork...

Olivia's way too big going-home outfit...

Proud Uncle Rich...

Olivia's first hours...

First St. Patrick's Day...

Four-week Birthday...

Baby Olivia's First Month

2009-04-02T21:58:00.001-04:00

First Family Photo

What a blur the past month has been but a wonderful - albeit exhausting - one indeed. Today Sweet Olivia is one month old and growing and learning more by the minute. Much like the day she entered this world (March 5, 2009), she continues to be a thriving strong, alert and responsive baby whose future we are eager to help shape.

Since we brought her home Sunday, March 8, she has packed on more than a pound and a half, grown longer, grown more hair, grown more vocal and has become more bright-eyed. She enjoys snuggling and hanging out on her play mat batting at the toys dangling above her tiny head. She likes it when her mommy sings silly made-up songs out of tune and loves when Daddy uses funny voices when talking to her. She's had her first walk down to the bayou, her first (and a few extra) trips to the pediatrician, her first outing to her Aunt Beth's house on her birthday and wore green for the first time on St. Patrick's Day. Olivia hates being buckled into her car seat (or any other seat for that matter) but once the car starts moving she loves the ride. She dislikes her swing when she's awake but can sleep in it for three hours during the day. She's even started getting used to bath time. Oh, and she's already had her very first modeling session when my girlfriend Christine De Lessio took some beautiful pictures of our adorable angel. Most of all, of course, Olivia does what baby do best: eat, sleep and make dirty diapers. But she also melts hearts.

Each day David and I are learning more and more about Olivia and Olivia learns more about Mommy and Daddy and the world around her. It's an amazing journey for all of us and we will use this blog to share hightlights with friends and family. We hope you enjoy the ride as much as we do.

In case you missed it here's the note we sent the day after out her birth:

Friends and family sorry for the delayed announcement but for those who haven't heard the news (and trust me you're not alone because when it was all over we made few phone calls) we welcomed our daughter, Olivia Leslie Davis, at 9:07 Thursday night. She shares her birthday with David's biological father which is pretty cool. Briefly, because we still need to try to catch some zzzzs, it was a long, difficult day. It started at 6 a.m. and Olivia remained stubborn and even more than a week late wanted to continue chilling in her mother's womb, which clearly must have been one heck of a place. Throughout the day she showed signs of minor stress requiring her mom to be placed on oxygen several times. Once pushing finally began around 8:30 p.m. Miss Olivia decided nearly immediately she didn't like all the pressure so off we went - after nearly 14 hours of labor - to have a c-section. She came out will a hardy cry and we were so very relieved and immediately very much in love. She weighed in at 7 pounds, 1 ounce and is 21.25 inches long. We are all doing well but are, as you can imagine, very sleepy and still as of nearly 8 a.m. today have hardly slept a wink with all the medical folks in and out of our room. So please forgive us for not reaching out sooner and for sending out this relatively short e-mail. We will tell you more later. Thanks to all for your continued love, support and understanding. Warmly, Lisa and David (the very proud new parents) and the star of the day and now our life, Olivia.