Four Year Old Favorites

You are 4!

Olive,
   Today was the day you have been waiting for and counting down to...you turned 4!  I really can't believe it has been four whole years since you entered our lives.  You have made every day better.  I know I have been telling you that I wanted you to stay 3 forever, so much so that you started telling people when we were out and about that you were 3 and your Mommy never wanted you to turn 4.  I have to say that I don't want you to turn 4, I want you to stay little and innocent forever.  But, I can't wait to see all that God has planned for your future.  I know that it is more than I can even dream for you.  You are such a fireball and I know he is going to use you in ways and for jobs that only you can fulfill.  Your spunky attitude, cheerful spirit and love for others are such valuable gifts and we are so proud of these characteristics that you have!  You blow me away daily with the clever things that you say and melt my heart when you give me millions of kisses and tell me that you can't stop because "you love me SO much".  I hope that you always know that I love YOU so much.  More than I can even describe. Thank you for all of the love, laughter and joy you bring into our lives.  I pray everyday that I can be the kind of Mom that you deserve and that God intended for me to be.  I pray that we will be able to guide you in the way that you should go and that you will use all of your wonderful gifts for good.  I love you the most. And I am so proud to call you mine.  Happy 4th Birthday sweet girl!  Love, Mommy    

Inch By Inch, Row By Row...

Pop planted a garden this year and Olive has been so excited to watch the veggies grow! Last week it was finally time to do a little harvesting.  Olive had a great time picking the veggies and told Pop that "this is the best day ever!"  She is yet to eat anything she picked, but maybe eventually! These pictures make the Garden song run through my head!

 Inch by inch, row by row, gonna make this garden grow...

 all it takes is a rake and a hoe and a piece of fertile ground!

Inch by inch, row by row, someone bless these seeds I sow,

 someone warm them from below 'til the rain comes tumbling down!

 

 What a bountiful harvest!

Side note: This is one of my very favorite songs we used to sing in GME. If you've never had the pleasure of singing it, here is a clip of John Denver singing it.  LOVE!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3FkaN0HQgs

Let's Go To The Movies!

Afew weeks ago, Honey came down toy spend soome time with Nora Kate and we took Olive to her very first movie in a theatre...Monster"s University!

 She was so so excited to be at the movie "feeter" to see "Monster"s Universary" and even more excited to find out they sell M&M's there!

The movie itself was a little intense at times and she would hop in one of our laps, but overall she had a great time! 

3 months

This sweet girl turned 3 months on July 16th.  It doesn't seem possible that she is a quarter of a year old! 

Some Highlights from Month 3: 

You started cooing and "talking" so much!  You give big smiles when you see us and if we start talking to you, you will immediately respond.  This is so exciting!  You are also trying to laugh but it sounds more like a cough.  You are a great sleeper!  You usually go to bed around 8:30 and you sleep until 6:30.  You are such a happy baby and you are very flexible and easy! 

 

 

You got to go to Orange Leaf for the first time! 

 You went to the zoo for the first time and rode in the jogger!

 You spent a lot of time swinging outside this month!  You LOVE being outside!

 You took a nap in the front yard under the magnolia tree.

 You got to see your first Fourth of July parade and you loved it!

 Your sister has been training you to be a princess and you earned your tiara!

 The biggest thing that happened this month, you started sleeping in your crib!  You have done so great with this transition. 

And you got a "check up"

 I can't wait to see all of the exciting things that happen in the next month.  One thing is for sure, we will continue to fall more in love with you everyday!

We Went to the Zoo, Zoo, Zoo

At the end of June we took a trip to the OKC zoo with the family to celebrate Auntie Mica's birthday.  It was Nora Kate's first zoo trip and her first time to ride in the jogger.  She was a little nervous at first...

 Olive was in zoo heaven! Being at the zoo with all of her favorite people!

 There is a new little baby gorilla at the zoo, that little dot to the upper right of the Mommy gorilla is him!  Everyone was oohing and aahing over the baby.  Honey put Olive up on the rail to see it and she exclaims "Look Mommy!  Hydrangeas!"  about the bushes in front of the cage.  Everyone around stopped and stared at her and then laughed that she knew what hydrangeas were.  She is definitely her Daddy's daughter. 

 We got to see the elephants paint which was fascinating!

 An attempt at a pic with Mommy...

 We ended our day at the splash pad and this little lady went crazy!  She had a blast! 

Fourth of July

 We love the 4th of July around here!  What's not to love about parades, sunshine and fireworks?! We started out at the Brookhaven parade.  Olive was ready to see all of the fancy bikes and wagons!

 Daddy and the Girls

 Nora Kate was so excited about the parade too!

 Here it comes!

 We came home and did our annual picture in front of the big flag.  It was a little trickier this year!

 After a fun afternoon of playing in the pool and creating a "water park" by putting the sprinkler on the bounce house, we were ready for Daddy's firework show! 

 Ready to watch from a safe distance...

 she loved it!

 When it got dark we loaded up and went to our favorite corner to watch the city's firework show.  Olive was fascinated and Nora Kate pretended to care!

What a great day celebrating our great country!