Ollie Boy With Extra Tarter Sauce

Today I had to work (and I had a tough day, even dropping and breaking my hand-held computer), so Ollie spent the morning and afternoon with Grammie. She reports that they spent most of the day on the deck under the gazebo enjoying the cool weather and riding around in the car and wagon. When I arrived to pick up Ollie he was laughing so loudly I could hear him when I walked in the door. I guess they had a great day!

Before we left, Ollie and Grammie had to show me how much they enjoy playing in the fountain. Things were going great until the water stopped flowing and Ollie looked like he would trip on his lip. Grammie thought quick and distracted him before he got excited, but I never imagined water could be so intriguing for the little guy.

About that time we packed up the wagon and walked on home. Grammie helped Ollie pick me flowers, which they surprised me with as we were walking out the door. I guess they knew I was having a rough day at work.

Daddy was already home when we arrived, and Ollie couldn't have been happier to see him. I had to do some paperwork to finish out my day, but the boys decided to take that opportunity to take a snooze. The only problem was were were supposed to go to Uncle Jeremy's with Grandma and Grandpa to check out his new house.

Before I realized what time it was, Grandma and Grandpa were knocking on the door and Daddy hadn't even gotten in the shower yet and Ollie needed to change his clothes. Luckily, Grandma was more than willing to get Ollie taken care of, but getting Daddy moving was more difficult. Eventually, he did get ready and we were on the road within 20 minutes.

We arrived at Jeremy's with veggies from the garden and baby gear out the wazoo. I'm fairly certain that Ollie is the only baby that visits Jeremy, so his house is less than equipped for little ones. We improvised without a highchair so Ollie could eat dinner, but he was distracted with Daddy holding him while he ate. Poor Jeremy had a root canal early today, so I think he was considering stealing some of Ollie's food so he could eat something without having to chew.

Ollie tries really hard to like Uncle Jeremy and I think he really does...from a distance. Whenever Jeremy holds him, he whimpers, but if someone else is holding him, he likes Jeremy. Go figure. I keep reminding Ollie of all the clothes Jeremy buys him and that he really should be nice, but it does no good. And they do look alike, so you'd think that would help too. Oh well, someday they'll be buddies.


After we left Jeremy's, Daddy and Grandpa wanted a bite to eat, so we stopped at Frisch's. Ollie considered a big boy and fries, but decided that since he ate squash and pears at Uncle Jeremy's, he wouldn't be able to eat anything else.

After such an eventful day, Ollie was pooped and could barely stay awake to eat his pre-bed prunes. I'm off work tomorrow, so hopefully he'll be rested up for a fun day.

Slow News Day

Today was great, but not too much to report! Life is returning to a somewhat normal routine this week, so I had the whole day to hang with Ollie. The downside is that I was so distracted with the gorgeous weather that I didn't get much accomplished around the house.

Ollie woke up early and I wasn't ready to get moving, so we headed back to my bed to watch the morning news. Ollie giggled and kicked for a good 15 minutes and then passed out. I wish I had the ability to go from wide awake to sound asleep in 10 seconds flat.

We spent most of the day outside driving his new car and watching Betsy play fetch. We managed to kick back in the swing for a few minutes, but Ollie couldn't sleep because of Betsy's obnoxious barking.


Once Daddy got home the real fun started. Daddy was stung by a wasp and he cried like a little girl. Ollie and I couldn't help but chuckle.

Tomorrow I have to work and we're heading to Uncle Jeremy's in the evening.

Squish the Squash

This morning we started off the day going to church with Aunt Peggy and Uncle Jim. Holy Spirit is beautiful, but Ollie was definitely the youngest churchgoer with me coming in a close second. Ollie wasn't used to being the only baby (or person under the age of 25), so he took the opportunity to show off, talking and laughing the entire mass. I think Aunt Peggy was encouraging this behavior, but either way I felt obligated to take my gabby boy outside. I did manage to make it back in for communion, but I'm guessing we are better fit for St. Mary's where there is at least the cry room option. Sorry Aunt Peg!

After church we were off to Frisch's (where else would we eat with Aunt Peggy) for breakfast/lunch. Ollie was well behaved, but was having a hard time keeping his eyes open by the time we finished our meal. It was time for us all to head home for a nap.

When we got home, Daddy, Betsy, and Petunia were kicking back. Ollie was exhausted and took a two hour nap. I managed to get a 15 minute catnap before getting involved in a major closet cleaning project.

In the afternoon, Grammie and Poppy stopped by with some goodies that they bought yesterday. Ollie fell in love with the car and is already planning on cruising for ladies the first chance he gets.

Not twenty minutes after Grammie and Poppy left, Grandma and Grandpa pulled in the driveway. Our house seemed like a revolving door of grandparents. I guess they all needed their Ollie fix.

Grandma helped me prepare some of our freshly picked squash for Ollie's dinner. At first he seemed to kinda liked it, but as you can see below he wasn't diggin' it. I'm thinking it was the texture, but I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I was disappointed that he didn't love his first taste of our garden goodies. Oh well!

After dinner we headed out to Meijer for our weekly grocery shopping trip (yes, I know my life is less than exciting). Ollie sat up in the cart for the first time and practically got dizzy from checking out all the packaging.

I'm off work tomorrow, so Ollie and I will be enjoying a relaxing day at home doing chores and most importantly having fun!

If I Only Had a Brain

Daddy wasn't home last night, so I stayed up WAY too late watching TV and playing around on the computer. This was especially brainless because I knew I had no choice but to get up with Ollie at 6:00 with Daddy not here to back me up. Oh well, maybe someday I'll get a brain.

Lucky for me, Ollie took a two hour nap this morning and I took that opportunity to snooze too. When he woke up, we headed outside to play in the kiddie pool. I didn't realize how hard it would be to ward off Betsy's advances towards the pool toys all by myself. Poor Mr. Dolphin had to pay the price and the price was his dorsal fin.

Daddy decided to come home tonight instead of tomorrow and Ollie could not have been happier. He arrived home just as we were loading up the car to go to Grandma's to water her plants, check on the garden, and build a scarecrow. Even though he was really wanting a shower, Ollie's smiles and giggles convinced him to tag along.

Although I had most of the necessary pieces to build a scarecrow (jeans, shirt, hat), Daddy was helpful in making him more sturdy than I probably could have on my own. I'm looking forward to hearing how Grandma, Grandpa, and especially Massey react when they notice our brainless creation.




Watching Daddy and I make the scarecrow took longer than Ollie would have liked, so he was starting to get crabby by the time I finished picking cucumbers, squash, green peppers, and broccoli. You can see his enthusiasm in the picture below.

I will definitely not be staying up until 3:00 am this morning; I guess the wizard gave me a brain after all.

It's a Guy Thing

I had to work a really long day today, but the good news is that things are going to slow down starting next week. Even though I had to leave by 7:00 this morning, Daddy was off work so he and Ollie slept late and kicked back all morning. Daddy headed off early to his tractor show and left Ollie in Grammie's charge.

After working at Walmart and then heading to a meeting in Mason, I finally made it home around 4:30. I picked Ollie up and immediately Grammie and Poppy described the incident that happened in the kiddie pool today. All I'll say is the prunes must have kicked after just a few minutes relaxing in the water. What can I say, that's what they get for discussing bowels all the time!

Cousin Mikey and his band, Nervous Habits, are out on tour and passing through Cincinnati. They stopped by to crash at Grammie's so Ollie and I managed to mooch a meal and play groupie all in one evening. As we ate baked spaghetti, Ollie sat in his high chair listening intently to all the guy-talk for the first few minutes. Occasionally he would look at me or Grammie for reassurance, then start smiling at his new friends. Once he got comfortable, his true personality came out and he started showing off. I guess no matter what age, a guy just can't resist a little showboating.
Grammie and I cleaned up the dishes while the guys had a deep discussion around the table. Ollie was at the center of the conversation and didn't miss a beat. He must have convinced the gang that he's their youngest fan, because suddenly he was dressed in a band t-shirt!
After all this testosterone Ollie was exhausted, so we headed home to chow down on prunes, cereal, and milk. Poor guy was down for the count as soon as his head hit the mattress. I guess if you can't run with the big dogs, you should stay on the porch.

Grabby and Gabby at Grammie's

Too busy yesterday to check in, but back on track today.

I had to do some online training and join a conference call today, so Ollie went to Grammie's for a few hours so I could get my work done. She hadn't watched him since last Saturday night, so she couldn't contain her excitement as we walked through the door. Ollie was happy to see her too and smiled as soon as she kissed him.

After completing my work and 4 loads of laundry, I headed back to Grammie's to pick up the little fellow. We planned on using her kiddie pool to stay cool all afternoon, but looming storms kept us inside. Ollie and Grammie played on the floor and I enjoyed watching them interact, especially Ollie grabbing for toys. Even though the little guy is 8 months old today, I'm still in awe at the grandparently love. They just can't get enough of him!

Around 4:00, I was finally able to pry Ollie out of Grammie's arms and we rushed home to meet Daddy. We enjoyed a quiet (or I should probably say peaceful since Ollie's so gabby these days) evening hanging as a family. Daddy's going camping for the next few days, so he wanted to get in as much O-time as possible. I can't help noticing how he would not have even flinched about leaving me for a camping trip last summer, but now suddenly he finds a weekend away bittersweet. Oh well, I should be used to being a second class citizen by now.

Tomorrow I have a meeting to attend, so Ollie's heading back to Grammie's. The next two days will give me a taste of what it's like to be a single parent. I'm already certain that I'll be happy when Daddy comes home.

First Harvest

Today was a major improvement over yesterday. Ollie's fever broke this morning, which meant I didn't have to stress about going to work. Grandma picked him up around 9:00 which gave us time to sleep in and have a relaxing breakfast.

Daddy and I finally arrived at Grandma's around 5:00 to pick up the little fellow. He was so energetic which was a nice surprise considering his somewhat lethargic behavior the last couple of days. The exciting news is that we were able to harvest our first crop from the garden-broccoli! Grandma, Ollie, and I ventured out to the garden to get to work. Ollie was distracted by the leaves, but still insisted that we cut a head for Grammie and Poppy. No, we are not kneeling in the corn picture, it is that tall!


Next, we stopped by Grammie's with her present, but she and Poppy went to KFC for grilled chicken (they really LOVE that stuff). We left it by her door and called to let them know about the yummy surprise.

Once we got home, Ollie was starving and gulped down two jars of baby food. Well, actually it was probably only one jar that made it into his mouth. I don't understand why, but sometimes when he eats we are so neat and tidy that we could probably do without the bib, and other times he looks like I dipped his head in the jar of food. Go figure. Anyway, the little guy managed to get so dirty that the only option was a quick bath. Maybe he enjoys his duckie tub so much, he tried to get dirty hoping to get a bath.

While we were eating and bathing, Daddy was trying out his air conditioned tent for this weekend's tractor show. Of course curiosity got the best of us so we "knocked" on the tent door to check it out. Amazingly, Daddy has figured out a way to make a tent comfortable in 90 degree heat. Go Daddy!

While we were hanging in the tent, we heard a car (or perhaps a van) pull in our driveway. We unzipped the window and confirmed our suspicions that it was Grammie and Poppy. They were so anxious to get to Ollie that they practically ripped through the tent door.


The tent was really cool with 2-1/4 people, but 4-1/4 people was stuffy, so we all climbed out to catch our breath. Ollie's swing was calling and once he got strapped in and moving, and he grabbed onto the ropes for the first time.



After all the camping and swinging, Ollie was tuckered out and ready for bed. He ate his cereal, prunes, and milk and was out like a light by 8:30.

Tomorrow I have to work and Ollie's heading to his job as a farm hand at Grandma's. We're hoping to join Uncle Jeremy for dinner and maybe harvest some more garden goodies.

Happy Pappy 'n Such

The last few days have been more than hectic so I was forced to take a leave of absence from blogging. I'll try to summarize each day, but I'm sure I've forgotten events already.

Friday
Daddy was off work again so he and Ollie enjoyed sleeping late and kicking back. They did surprise me while I was working at Walmart, which gave me the opportunity to show off my boys to the lovely ladies that work there.

I finally made it home around 2:30 and had a few hours to do some chores, hang with Ollie for a few minutes, and get ready to meet Molly for the Brad Paisley concert. I was wise enough to not stay out as late as I did the last time I went to a Riverbend concert, but I still didn't get home until midnight. The concert was great and the company even better, but I tend to get caught up in the moment and forget that I have motherly responsibilities waiting at home. Maybe someday I'll learn.

Saturday
Daddy had to work and I had to finish cleaning the house before noon because Grandma, Ollie, and I were heading to our cousin Sue's baby shower. Of course Ollie was up at the crack of dawn since I stayed out too late the night before. That child must have some sort of radar telling him I'm wanting to sleep late. I'm really convinced this is some sore of karmic payback for all the times I tormented Jeremy with the piano when he was out late the night before.

At the shower Ollie got to meet all the Heitker cousins and see Aunt Mim. He was more than happy to let them all hold him, especially Sue. I guess he figured she needed practice more than anybody. Of course everyone thought he favored the Heitker family, and I can totally see where they are coming from, but I always find it funny how everyone has a biased opinion about a baby's appearance.

Daddy and I had a date night planned, so we rushed home to get ready for the evening. Ollie got to spend time with Grammie and Poppy and even visited Jordan and Jade next door. I heard that they discussed how Ollie and Jade have the same eye color. Too funny!

Daddy and I enjoyed an evening of live music (courtesy of our friend Jackie) and a few beers on the patio at Grandview Tavern. It was great to have an adult evening with Leslie, Carrie, Casey, and the rest of the group. Since we only have the occasional opportunity to return to our pre-parenthood life, we really enjoy it when we do.

Sunday/Father's Day
Daddy's first Father's Day was fun, but somewhat bittersweet because Ollie was not feeling well most of the day. We started off the morning going to 8:00 mass with Grandma. When we got home, Ollie gave Daddy his gift, an air mattress for his next tractor show/camping trip.



After gift time, Daddy relaxed with Betsy and Petunia, while Ollie and I prepared to head out for breakfast with Poppy and Grammie. We ended up at Cracker Barrel so Ollie could rock while he waited and Grammie could check out the general store. Ollie sat next to Poppy and distracted him the entire meal.



Next we were off to Babies R Us to buy a new car seat. We were pleased to learn that we could get something that converted and we would be able to use for a few years, so we left in a good mood even though we dropped some serious dough. By this time, Ollie was starting to get a little quiet and he was feeling warm. Concerned that he may have a temperature, we went straight home to regroup before visiting Grandpa.

While Ollie rested, Daddy installed the new car seat. After an hour he seemed to be feeling better and didn't have a fever, so we decided to go see Grandpa for a short visit. We thought Ollie would be thrilled with the new seat because he has plenty of room to stretch out, but at first he wasn't sure.

Grandpa and Ollie spent some time reclining while Grandma and Jeremy made dinner. After eating some yummy food, we went out to check out the garden. Ollie couldn't get over how big the squash plants were and can't wait until we can start harvesting. I've already told him I have a summer squash baby food recipe and he's excited about trying homegrown veggies.



Ollie started feeling feverish again, so we headed home to get some rest. Poor little guy seemed to feel worse and worse as the evening went on, and fell asleep the moment he went to bed.

Monday
Today has been less than fun. Ollie woke up with his first real fever with a temperature of 102.8! Daddy and I were freaking out because this was new territory. After calling the doctor we calmed down and just made an extra effort to keep and eye on his temp. That sweet, sweet boy feels terrible, yet he still makes an effort to smile and not be crabby. He is such a trooper. Hopefully he'll be feeling better by morning, but if not I'm sure we'll be heading to see Dr. Cutie Pie.

I'm off to bed to rest up for tomorrow. Who knows what will happen?

He Thinks My Tractor's Sexy

Not much to report for today, I worked all morning and most of the afternoon. Daddy and I got off at the same time, so we met up and headed to Grandma's to pick up Ollie and beg food like sad little puppies. I think she's onto our scam because she had plenty of food to feed all four of us and then some. Oh well, we're not too proud.

While we ate, Ollie tried a pea for the first time. Grandpa thought it was cruel that I made him try to pick it up himself, but it was good hand-eye-coordination practice. And really funny to watch. He finally got one in and chewed it around for a good 5 minutes and then it fell out still intact. I guess I underestimated the importance of teeth.



After cleaning up (that's the least we can do) we went home to relax. Ollie was getting sleepy, but Grandpa wouldn't let him doze off without saying good-bye. As soon as we pulled onto Pleasant Ridge Road, Ollie passed out. Once again, Grandma wore him out.

Ollie woke up hungry and cranky. Hindsight suggest that maybe that one pea wasn't enough to hold him over (just kidding Grammie, he ate more than one pea...he ate two). After chowing down on some baby food and watermelon, he was rearing to go. We read books, sang Old MacDonald, and watched Daddy work on the computer. Ollie was getting antsy, so we started looking for a new adventure.

We found just the thing to occupy our time, my pedal tractor. Ollie absolutely LOVED driving it! This managed to pull Daddy's attention away from the internet immediately. It was touching to see a proud smile wash over Daddy's face, even though the tractor was red and not John Deere green.



After all that tractor work, one would think Ollie would have been pooped. One would be wrong. We went upstairs to prepare for bath time. I thought he could take Rusty for relaxing walk while I prepped the water and clothes. Before I knew it, Daddy, Ollie, and Rusty were laughing, bouncing, and rearing up, respectively.



Finally, Ollie wore down and was ready to bathe and eat his cereal and prunes. Yes, that's correct he's eating prunes at night too. All the farming excitement helped him fall asleep as soon as his head hit the mattress.

Tomorrow I have to work in the morning, clean in the afternoon, and go to Brad Paisley concert in the evening. I should get some sleep to rest up for tomorrow's crazy day. Off to bed.

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

Ollie spent the day at Grammie's while I worked. We're finally starting to get used to this hectic schedule, but it looks like it may be calming down real soon.

After work, I rushed home to meet the boys and head right back out to Tyler's baseball game. This was Ollie's first sporting event, so it was quite the production. Daddy and I stopped at Chipotle for grub and met up with Molly just a few minutes after the game started. The team of 5 and 6-year-olds were adorable and they managed to give Daddy and I a glimpse into our future.

Ollie was excited to see Molly, but showed his enthusiasm by being a fussy-butt. That chubby little body is still adjusting to the warm weather and his teeth were acting up, so he was not in a very good mood for the entire game. He even had another baby try to make friends with him, but he just grumbled as the very mobile little guy took his keys. I guess we really need to work on social skills. Watching that "very mobile" baby freaked me out! I'm not sure how I will manage to keep up with Ollie once he's on the go.

Grandma Woods stopped by towards the end of the game to see Tyler, but I think Ollie was an added bonus. She couldn't get over how big he's getting and managed to get him to giggle even though he was in a terrible mood. All grandmothers seem to have that soothing skill that I just haven't honed yet.

The game ended within an hour and I'm pretty sure Tyler's team won, but I'm not certain. However, they did have granola bars and juice boxes. I was tempted to fall in line for the treats, but I didn't want to embarrass anybody (ie Daddy). Ollie wanted to pose with the MVP, so Tyler took time out from signing autographs for a quick picture.

Once we got in the car, Ollie would not stop talking and babbling. Daddy and I decided the heat was really causing his crankiness. I guess he'll just have to adjust. We sang Old MacDonald most of the car ride home with Daddy making all the animal sounds. Ollie just smiled and I think I even saw him roll his eyes. Is it possible that we're already getting on his nerves?

Once again, the boys are sleeping and I'm still up doing laundry and blogging. I think this has become a pattern.

Spit Take

Yesterday I wasn't feeling too well, so the blog became a non-priority. Sorry. Now for today.

This morning I had to work, so Grandma picked Ollie up around 7:00. Of course, neither Ollie nor I were ready to go, so she helped us get moving. Within 45 minutes Grandma and Ollie were gone and I was out the door and headed to Walmart.

After a fun morning in Walmart and long afternoon in K-Mart, I picked up Daddy and we headed to Grandma's to get Ollie and mooch some grub. When we arrived Ollie was finishing up his late afternoon bottle and Grandma was ready to report on the day's events. Apparently, Ollie misbehaved for the first time in his life! He realized that he could pool milk in his mouth and spit it out on demand, so he proceeded to do just that all over Grandma. Multiple times! Grandma gave him a stern look and told him no, but I guess it took a few times to sink in to the little guys head.

Once Daddy and I arrived, Ollie kept reaching for Daddy's Sonic orange slushie. He's getting so grabby! Yesterday he grabbed the bag of Doritos Daddy was eating. Do I sense a pattern of craving junk food that Daddy is eating? Or maybe its orange-colored food? Damn that pincher grasp! And Daddy's junk food!

After enjoying grilled steaks and garden-fresh lettuce Grandma and I cleaned up, while Daddy and Ollie kept an eye on Grandpa. Grandma insists he needs supervision, so my boys were up to the challenge. We stuck around long enough for Ollie to eat some yogurt, but Daddy was falling asleep, so we packed up and headed home. Grandma really wears Ollie out because he was out within 2 minutes of being in the car and stayed that way until almost 7:00!

While Ollie dozed and Daddy checked his email, Betsy and I took a ride in Daisy the Jeep. It felt just like old times. Me and my dog cruising down the highway with the windows out, enjoying the wind in our hair. I would have forgotten that I had a baby if Daddy had not wallpapered the dashboard and sun visor with pictures of Ollie. Oh, and the John Deere tractor-shaped air freshener taunted me as it swayed back and forth. Man I miss driving my Jeep!

When I got home, I had such a burst of energy that I did about 10 chores in 8 minutes. I think Daddy's head was spinning watching me. While I vacuumed the basement floor, Daddy gave Ollie a bath. Poor little guy was getting tired, so we didn't mess around with feeding cereal and prepping a bottle. He didn't even finish his milk before he started rubbing his eyes and snuggling in to Daddy's chest. I got through the first verse of Love Me Tender before he fell asleep. I guess farm work at Grandma's is exhausting.



Both my boys are sleeping and I'm starting to rub my eyes too, so I'm off to bed.

Go Big Daddy

Ollie and I have been so busy today, it almost felt as if we were running from the law, or maybe Dog the Bounty Hunter.

We started off today going to 8:00 mass with Grandma. Daddy couldn't get his old bones moving, so we left him behind. After church we were off to Walmart to get baby supplies, pet supplies, and a few groceries. Grandma pushed the cart with Ollie on board as a passenger. Grandma must have had some extra energy after church because she was driving the cart like she was involved in a high-speed chase. Ollie giggled and giggled at Grandma's funny engine and breaking noises.

Next, we headed home to regroup. We had groceries to put away, two presents to wrap, and two cards to sign, not to mention bottle and nap. Ollie must have already been experiencing fatigue, because he napped for nearly two hours. By the time he woke up and ate his lunch, it was time for us to head back out to Sheri's baby shower. We arrived at 2:02, but quickly realized we were really late. We were supposed to be there at 1:00, but apparently I misread the invitation. Oh well, at least we got to see the whole Sableux crew and watch Sheri open her gifts.

We also got to meet up with one of our loyal blog readers, we'll call Beth. She's on the run from Dog the Bounty Hunter, so "Beth" requested that I not reveal her identity. I did have concerns about allowing Ollie to sit on "Beth's" lap, but I'm fully aware that she is armed and dangerous, so I decided not to resist her request. Once I was able to ease Ollie from "Beth's" arms, he was passed off to Mary Jo for some giggles.

Ollie also met a new buddy, Hayden. Even though Hayden is a few months older, Ollie held his own sharing two toys with his new pal. He's a few months younger than all of our friend's babies, so he's used to playing the "young, defenseless" card. I guess he's learning early to use whatever tools he has at his disposal.



After the shower and a quick eyebrow wax at Sableux, we were off to Union to take Katie her birthday gift. Ollie wasn't sure what he thought of her wiener dogs, Wally Bob and Liesel. I guess he's used to BIG pups like Betsy. Poor Wally was so curious that he kept getting in trouble with his parents. I warned him that if Katie and Jeremiah ever have a child, his life will change forever. Then I told him how I saw Betsy throwing her toy up in the air and catching it last week. I guess she decided if nobody would play fetch, she'd fetch to and for herself. Poor Bets.

Ollie loved the vibrant colors on Katie's walls and didn't want to leave, but it was nearing 6:30 and we needed to get home for dinner and bath. Once we got home, Daddy and Ollie were inseparable. I guess Ollie was in desperate need of some guy-time since he spent all day with me.

Daddy and I fed and bathed our little man and then sat down to tell him all about our hectic day. It is so cute how much Ollie looks up to his Daddy, but I guess that's normal for any little boy. More and more every day he seems fascinated with every move Daddy makes. Not that I'm jealous or anything...

After this crazy weekend, work will seem like a day off. I'm looking forward to this week because I think we're finally getting a routine in place. I'm off to bed to rest up for the wild ride.