this is our baby

We recently took some very belated 18 month pictures of Olive . Lately she has blossomed into this toddler that we are overjoyed with and always surprised by. The things she does mostly make us laugh but as I think about them now they water my eyes just a little. She needs to put the brakes on and remain a baby just a little longer. Here are the highlights of the shoot.

Merry Christmas...Early Graduation

A few days ago Chas was grumbling about his adviser at school. A snobby man with Dr. in front of his name who tries to wage his authority over struggling students wanting them to do everything with his stamp of approval. As Chas was fulfilling his school plan at the request of Dr. Annoyingface, a light bulb began to slowly glow brighter and brighter as he realized there was a way he could graduate a whole semester earlier than anticipated.

Elated at the possibility of coming home after work to play with Olive instead of 4 more months of school (and ashamed at the curt manner in which he addressed the now Dr. Helpfulface) Chas left the authority ridden mans office with his tale between his legs without informing him he had actually helped him discover this fantastic news.

So come December, Chas will have completed his Master's Program and family dinner and tag-team bedtime stories will be reinstated. We plan to live within 5 minutes of his new work location even if that means moving to Ft. Meade in Maryland. Right now nothing sounds better than Dada coming home after the end of a long 8-hour day, not 12-14 hour day.

Chas has a way of making my life better by his absent-minded omissions... often related to graduation dates in fact. Before we courted and got engaged Chas was just my friend from school who was graduating the semester I was away on Study Abroad in Spain. I was a little bummed that he would not be returning in the fall to join in our HI fun. However, because of my husbands lack of planning he didn't graduate, had to stay an extra semester and the rest is history. So now the infamous graduation evader once again blesses my life. Thanks love. I'm so glad it worked out this way!

Apple juice

yum yum, thank you mama!

slirp

Awll dooone mama

Olive is pretty good at just sucking these babies down. Every kind of juice is apple juice and the way she says it almost makes a tear come to my eye every time I hear it. Among many other words and phrases, these days Olive is a little jabber mouth. It is exciting to hear what she has on her mind and even better to have her follow directions.

cute little buddies

popsicle buddies

milk buddies

swimming buddies

It is so amazing that we get this cuteness on film, even with its occasional graininess. Think of all the things we don't get to record. Which brings me to my husband, whose goal is to have a child who grows up with a camera attached to its lapel for his/her entire life. The first person to have their entire life filmed. Don't worry future children, I of course am resisting this harebrained idea.