11 months!?! Are you kidding me?

I was trying to snap these pictures, to get the full effect, and still have Blake's safety be a priority. He pushed Olivia's chair up to the window, climbed up and pulled down one of her pictures she had taped up there.

Happy 11 Month Birthday Blake! For some reason his first birthday is putting me over the edge! I feel very emotional even typing about it...How could a year have passed already? How can Olivia be turning 4 already? Hold on, stop the world, I want to get off! Okay enough about me and me freak-out-ness...

Blake is weighing in unofficially around 22lbs and is standing somewhere in the 30 inch mark. He is in love with his morning waffle and fruit. He is still trying to master the whole walking thing and loves to make us laugh. Blake is the master of imitations. Mostly anything Victor does, Blake will try to imitate. From burps to screams to yelling for Via, he will try his best:)

So Happy Birthday little man...we are enjoying every minute of you!

Country Fair

First off, I am the first to complain and be disappointed with the lack of posts and now I have committed the same crime! So we're back...Olivia began the week with croup but has been on the upswing by the end. Blake has some nice boogs but since these are his firsts and he is so dang cute, they are not that bad...ahh a mother's love:)

Now onto pics...We met up with the Campos' and Bundonis' at the Shrine for a "country fair." I think they call it that so that they can get away with no rides. At first Olivia kept asking to go on the rides, but quickly realized pumpkin and face painting were the main attractions. We also made a half filled sand art butterfly.
I absolutely love this picture! I need to make it black and white. Blake learning all about the i-phone with Uncle Reid.
Shaye and Olivia chatting about their sand art necklaces.
All the ladies
And the boys!

Weekend Fun and First Day of School

On Saturday the kids and I sat around waiting for Hanna. We wanted to do some school shopping, realistically I wanted to do some school shopping, but Blake was cranky with his molars trying to pop through and I thought the humidity might kill us. So around 2:30pm Saturday, Hanna arrived. Olivia immediately ran downstairs, jumped into her rain boots and coat and was out the door!
On Sunday we hit the New Providence street fair for some pony rides, a petting zoo with an escapee goat, bouncy castle, pizza and ice cream. The weather was phenomenal and we definitely enjoyed it!
And finally today was Olivia's first day of school. I should really put her first one hour of school, since her school likes to ease the kids in. She was a little disappointed in the shortened schedule as there was no snack or outside time! And she reported to me that "Wesley spits when he talks." Oh I can hear the parent/teacher conference now!

This pic was taken last weekend but I couldn't leave out Olivia's pose! Hanging with Hanna
Street Fair
I had a surprise outfit all planned for Olivia to wear. We bought it special for the occasion and when it time to get dressed I got "it's nice Mom, but not for today, maybe next time." Seriously did I just get told off by a three year old?
Blake's excited to see Olivia go:) Ahh private Mommy time! HE ALSO TOOK SOME STEPS TODAY ALL BY HIMSELF! SHOW OFF:) He didn't want to be upstaged by Via's first day.

Just some cute things...

Blake has been learning so many new things everyday that I felt the need to share:) I guess from watching Olivia, he puts the wooden blocks away. He will find a block whether it is on the rug, under the couch or in the dining room, he picks it up, crawls over to the bucket and puts it in! It is so funny to watch and listen as he is so proud of his accomplishments. Speaking of proud whenever he does something new or fun he makes this grunt noise with the biggest smile. Victor and I were just saying last might that this kid is ALWAYS happy. People stop me in the street or at a store b/c he has been flirting with whomever will flirt back! You can always count on a smile from Blake. Even at the very end of Sesame Place that boy was still smiling.
He is such a joy and has become quite the fighter when Olivia is involved. He screams, grunts and claps is hands when she does something he disapproves of. Blake will snatch toys back that Olivia has taken but of course does it with a smile. He tries climbing into the bathtub by himself and has figured out how to climb up onto Olivia's chairs and then onto the table! Oh boy am I in trouble! And the cutest thng ever is when he calls for Olivia...EEAA?? EEAA?? and looks all over for her. He also likes to cut a rug with any kind of music:)
Blake has also become quite the eater. He ate an entire grilled cheese sandwich and a half of a mango for lunch today. His newest favorites are black beans, rice, watermelon, cheese and yogurt drinks.

Olivia is off to school on Monday. As a teacher I never wanted to school to start as a mother I can't wait. She's bored with me and Blake and really wants to see her friends again! So as she moves onto school I can get back to working out and cleaning the house on a regular basis not fitting it in between naps!

Sesame Place

Need I say more? Alright a little more. We ventured out to Sesame Place last Thursday with Aunt Alison, Uncle Jim and Riley. Last year I was waddling around all big and preggers so I definitely enjoyed this year more for obvious reasons. I still love the store the best! It is by far the most sensory overload place ever, but so much fun.
I promised Alison I wouldn't post any bathing suit pics but I had none of the Cooks. And realistically you can barely make out who is in the picture:)
This is what Olivia looked like on the ride there. Please tell me other people's children are as weird as mine!

I think "touch your nose" was part of the character training 101. EVERY character touched noses and rubbed heads. Blake was fascinated, Riley was okay with them and Olivia hid under the table!
slowest slide in America
Uncle Jim and Riley on the Flying Fish
The Parade