First Dental Visit

Oliver had his first dental check-up today. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends "First Birthday, First Check-up!! So, we followed protocol and he had his first checkup with all 6 teeth. Luckily for Oliver, his mommy got to be the first one to clean his teeth since I do it all day at work! What an awesome work perk!!! He did a fabulous job and made just one little peep but was otherwise extremely cooperative! Oliver is picking out his toothbrush...choices! He pointed to the red one, so we went with it! At our office, we do a knee-to-knee type of exam on the little kiddies that are unable to sit in the patient chair by themselves. The parent (in this case, Larry) and I (the hygienist or the doctor) sit with our knees touching one another. The parent holds the child in their lap and lays them into mine. As clinicians, it is an extremely effective way of doing what we need to do with the help of the parents holding the child's hands if necessary. This is an explorer. Also knows as a "tooth checker". We use this to detect any cavities (tooth bugs).Brushing on the cotton candy fluoride (tooth vitamins) with his red toothbrush! What an excellent patient. Can you tell we do this at home a lot?Larry, Oliver and Mindy after his cleaning. I asked my friends at work take my camera and take as many pictures as they could. We could probably make a flip book! Now the dentist gets to take a peek! Just checking for any abnormalities or cavities! On a child's first visit, this is the time where we would do our dietary assessment with the parents, but since I talk about it daily...it is ingraned in my brain. Limit Juice during the day if at all (I am a mean mommy...no juice in our house!), no bottles in the crib, limit pacifier usage if possible but don't wean too early because the thumb can replace it and we can't get rid of the thumb, brush 2 times day, use toothpaste that doesn't contain fluoride, etc!! (Some helpful hits for all you mommies out there!)

Larry, Oliver and my boss!
Oliver was such a great patient he won toys like all the other children. He warmed up to the toy box very quickly! He enjoyed picking through all of them but eventually decided on a yellow necklace and a few stickers!

This is his new O face. He does it when something exciting happens! He must be excited to hold all those toys!

Flu Shot #2

Today Oliver had his flu shot. We waited in the steamy waiting room for an hour and then in the room for 30 minutes. Luckily, our pediatrician recently had the patient rooms painted! This is the first appointment that Oliver has been completely mobile without any assistance. He explored the entire room corner to corner! I cringed every time he made an 'uh-oh' and fell on the floor. Luckily one of the toys that I had to entertain him was a bottle of Purell! We love to be clean and have fun at the same time.

We forgot how fun that paper noise is! We shredded it to pieces!

Larry and I received our flu shots last Sunday. We both agreed that it was the most uncomfortable flu shot we have had in some time. I was sympathizing with Oliver, specifically this time because I just had mine. I held his hands and a nurse held his little feet. A second nurse distracted him (while he just laid still starring at her) and gave him the injection (happy term we use at work for the S word....shot.) She gave him the S........ , pulled the syringe out and then he made the smallest egh sound that that was it. He took it like a man! Daddy would be proud!!

Safety Oliver and other pictures....

Safety Oliver! My dad bought Oliver a chain saw for Christmas last year. It came with these safety goggles. Larry put them on Oliver and he somehow gained super powers! He began running through the entire house laughing! Oliver runs to the chair right behind him all the time. It is almost like he considers it 'base'. Remember that from our younger days? He will take all his toys over to it and put near it. I constantly find toys on it, under it, beside it. If he sees you watching him, he will run over to it and look at you with a big huge grin on his face. I am just waiting for him to say "SAFE!"
We watched Ryan and Maya on Saturday while their mommy and daddy went car shopping! (Amanda has joined the ranks of Mini-van ownership! I told her even though she has birthed two children, she is NOW officially a mom!) I gave Princess Maya her spa treatment and Larry fed her a bottle and she was out cold! She is such a delight to have! She loves to be with the boys but does so well playing by herself too. I just love her to pieces!!!

Maya is patiently awaiting her dinner! She did so well eating her peas, pears and grapes! She took an hour to eat her dinner, bite by bite. It was so much fun to watch her faces as I fed her the different foods. She could definitely tell that I was switching it up on her.

The boys are eating pepperoni PIZZA! You'll have to check out the video clip of Ryan teaching Oliver how to say the phrase 'pizza pizza pizza'. Ryan is just like a big brother to Oliver!

Overalls!

These overalls are over 28 years old! They were mine when I was one! My mom and dad brought them out last time they were here to visit. Amazingly they fit him!! He was running around so fast that I could barely take a picture. Here are the two best ones...front and back!

PIZZA PIZZA PIZZA!!!!

We had pizza for dinner on Saturday and Ryan taught Oliver his first real word. Larry walked in the door with the pizza and I had prompted Ryan to yell, "Pizza, pizza, pizza!!!" While we were eating dinner, Ryan numerous times said the infamous saying. All of the sudden, to my surpise, I saw Oliver's lips moving and it appeared that he was mocking Ryan. Of course I had the camera within an arm's reach! I turned it on and watched Oliver say his first "real"word. Now he says it anytime we do! I LOVE IT! PIZZA PIZZA PIZZA

Election Day 08!

Oliver, Larry and I went to the local high school to cast our vote! Oliver won the ladies eyes as he walked across the entire cafeteria to sign in. We voted and were given stickers! The nice man even gave Oliver one. It does appear that daddy's sticker is much more interesting. Oliver sporting his sticker, but daddy's is still much more interesting!

Election Day 08!

In honor of Election Day tomorrow, I would like all of you to meet Joe the Plumber!

Don't forget to vote!!!

Oliver's favorite chair

Oliver received this awesome rocking chair from my friends Jessica and Ryan (Jackson too!) for his birthday. Sitting in it has become one of his favorite things to do. Now that he can walk, he walks right up to it, crawls up on it and sits down. He has learned to "rockey rockey rockey". To our surprise, our little angel has recently turned mischievous with it. No way, not our little boy you are thinking. haha He has learned that he can get mommy and daddy to look at him when he stands on it. He has also learned the sign for 'sit' very quickly. Of course, it was so hard to choke back laughter the first time he did it (and enough time to grab the camera to remember his mischievous side) but he now is learning how to really push our buttons. Here is our little angel grinning from ear to ear because he is doing something he knows he shouldn't do. He has learned what a time out is, that is for sure! Here is our good little boy. This is what he does to avoid a timeout!

Another day sitting so well. He will grab a book sometimes and take it back to the chair to fill his brain with words. Thanks so much guys for such a great present! We LOVE it!!!

Random Pictures

These are totally random pictures that have been taken during the past month.

To keep the peace, Ryan and Oliver have to drink out of the same type of sippy cup when they are together. They each get a different color lid and Ryan usually regulates which one is his. Oliver tries to drink out of both, but Ryan usually keeps him in line. A day wouldn't be complete without a milk train.
Bottom's up!


Oliver still loves to play with this toy that Aunt Christy got him. That silly bear on top still dances crazily!

Oliver is sporting this jacket that my aunt picked up for him. It has a cute little bicycle on it and a detachable hood. Thanks Aunt Judy!!

Maya is pulling herself up onto everything and stands there for a long time. She is going to have the strongest little legs! Actually, they are really long! Look how precious she is..I just want to kiss her all over!! smooch!

Helping mommy with the dishes.

Still helping with the dishes. Many times we have to rewash some of the dishes that make it onto the floor while we are putting them away.

Kim watched Oliver a few weeks ago while I went to work. She was so nice to take him to work with her. She is a nanny for 3 children. I thought she was crazy for taking a 4th child, but she said that one of them was going to be at preschool for the day. She said they had so much fun and he was a good little boy. As I drove into the driveway to pick him up, this is what I saw. I think he was happy to see me!

Ryan and Oliver are sharing a ride on the same truck. It was a tight fit, but neither of them could fall off. Ryan steered and Oliver went along for the ride. Just so you all know, Oliver is not dressed silly, he is wearing the conductor scarf that goes along with the striped hat and whistle that Kim got him for his birthday! Thanks Kim!!!

Halloween at work

As you all know, Halloween fell on a Friday this year. Lucky for me, it was a Friday that I was scheduled to work!!! We always have so much fun at work on Halloween. Some of my co-workers dressed up...here are a few pictures of them. I was a witch! I had to be a super nice witch so I wouldn't scare all the kiddies! Two years ago, we dressed up as 50's girls. All our skirts had a big tooth on it instead of a poodle! I'll have to dig up that picture to post. It definitely makes me smile!

My cute feet! I'll get you my pretty, and your little dog too! Oh wait....I was a NICE witch! My boss was Uncle Sam! He is trying very hard not to smile so he could look like he was stern. Nice try, he is just too nice not to smile. Megan was Tigger.

Rikki was the world's best Raven's player. I painted the black under her eyes to make her look like a real football player.

Pumpkin Carving

Oliver and I carved our pumpkins on Thursday night. It was almost as ceremonial as the first birthday cake. This is Oliver holding his pumpkin that he picked out at the pumpkin patch. I cut the top off the pumpkin and handed it back to him to let him get his hands dirty. I took a video, but had the camera on its side. I'll try to post it later, if I remember. You'll have to tip your head to the side to view it, but it is funny. He was really confused by it. I was expecting a big huge mess followed by a bath. I purposely stripped him down to his onesie for that fact. To my surprise, he wasn't really interested. He stuck his hands in the pumpkin a few times, but didn't pull out much goo. Maybe next year will be the messy year.

Are you kiddin' me....the lid comes off? He was so surprised that this pumpkin had transformed into a happy little face.

He is still happy that he has his pumpkin. He must have taken the lid off and on a few hundred times.

Trick-or-Treat!

Our first night of trick or treating was memorable! We went through most of the neighborhood gathering goodies (for mommy and daddy, since babies don't need candy and chocolate, bummer!?!?!). It was a very fun night that lasted long into the evening! Oliver was dressed as a zebra and was very warm and snugly in his costume. These are the pumpkins that we carved the night before.

This is our HAPPY little zebra! Daddy and baby Zebra.Oliver sees Ryan (the shark) walking up the driveway!Daddy and Oliver are ready to fill up the spider bucket!Mommy and the zebra waking through the neighborhood! It was much easier than getting him in and out of the stroller at every (or every other) house. Dr Amanda (move over Izzy) with the zebra and the mouse. Look at her cute little painted whiskers!

Ryan the SHARK! He walked up to every house and rang the doorbell. When the person came to the door, he said, "Trick or treat...chomp chomp". It was awesome! Steve, Ryan's dad, made this costume from scratch...no pattern....just a sewing machine and a great idea! GO STEVE!

This is Daphne and Scooby. They live down the street and often times their mom watches Oliver. They love to play with Oliver and take great care of him.

One of our kind neighbors took this picture of all of us. Thanks Tony!!

Trick or treat....smell my feet! Check out the back of Ryan's shark costume...perfect!
We walked around the neighborhood for an hour or so and then came back home to get rid of all the candy that I bought! Oliver and Sophie (the bumble bee) playing while I was outside watching!

I was giving Oliver kisses through the door. This is him giving one back. Good thing I just cleaned the door (and will need to do it again sooner that I thought!)

Oliver eyes must be bigger than his stomach, or he is a child after his father's heart. He mistakenly thinks that all that chocolate is for him, it is actually for all of the little kiddies coming to our home for treats!

Daphne's hair definitely has Oliver's attention. Bright orange!!!