How We Spent Our Summer

So I have decided that I'm not very good at blogging.  I let months pass between posts and it starts to nag at me like homework that I haven't done.  I should be better and will be better at updating.  Especially if I remember to charge the camera battery so I can upload the photos!

Anyway, this past summer has been so much fun for our little family.  Scott and I are amazed at how fast J is growing and changing.  He's crawling,babbling and even wearing big boy clothes.  We love being his parents and we feel very lucky.

There have been some growing pains along the way, mostly in the teeth region.  July and August were pretty rough months for us as far as sleep goes. There were many nights when I had to load J into the car seat around 2:00 a.m. and take him on a drive so he would fall asleep. Those drives were brutal but J has six teeth to show for it and I have some pretty nice dark circles under my eyes. The good news, he is officially sleeping through the night.  However I did buy under eye concealer...just in case.

Looking back at the summer, some of my favorite memories were spent at the beach. James loved spending the day at the beach just watching the waves and playing under his umbrella.  He even got used to putting his feet in the water and letting waves rush up against him.  The jury is out on whether he really liked this or not but since he didn't cry, we will take that as enjoyment.

Okay, enough of the writing already.  I'll give you what you really want...pictures.

This umbrella saved us all summer.  I don't know how I ever went to the beach without it.

Cousin Tess bought James his super sweet swimsuit.

This day we met Scott after work for an evening at the beach.

Beach picnic at La Jolla Shores.  J spent most of the time on the blanket with grandpa.

Grandpa and Grandma Olson visited us for Labor Day weekend.  It took J a day to warm up to Grandpa O. but once he did, they were best buds.

Danger Danger

Scott keeps coming home from work on Fridays with a box of these little beauties.  The problem is I eat at least half the box.  This is a very dangerous tradition and one that I really hope continues. Oh yeah, and the empty space is where a coconut cupcake used to be.  Now it lives in my tummy.

Solids

His first bite of solids wasn't so good.

Safari Park

So we decided that today was the perfect day to go to the Safari Park.  The weather wasn't too hot and we had a great time strolling around with the little guy.  Here are some highlights:

We wandered around "The World Gardens" which was very cool.  I don't know why I have never seen it before as many times as I have been to the park.  It was well worth the hike, sweat and blister.  While we were checking out the plants, we saw a wild doe and her fawn.  

This was our favorite tree.  Looks like something from a Dr. Seuss book.

Two giraffe shirts are better than one.

Baby Elephants!

We wore this baby out.  Look at those pudgy legs...love em!

How Does Your Garden Grow

The long awaited garden is finally planted!  Scott and I have been trying to convince my parents to let us start a garden for over a year now.  About a month ago it became a reality and we are loving it.  Now we spend Sunday afternoons hanging out in the garden.

What we're growing: zucchini, squash, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, cantaloupe, watermelon and herbs

Here is our herb garden.  The parsley and basil are going crazy!!!

Mom loves to dish out orders!

3/4th of the Olson family

The Bella

Peaches are almost ready

Blueberry bush

These flowers are from our wedding

Bellie is a good lesson in camouflage

My Afternoon's a Killer

The afternoon has become one my favorite times of the day.  Not only is this when J takes a sizable nap but I can usually find a pretty good lifetime movie on TV.  I'm not even ashamed of this routine. This is my logic,  I've run my errands, done my chores and fed my babe;  I deserve a melodrama.

I learn some pretty valuable lessons in the afternoon.  Like, it's best to face a killer head on, look him or her in the eye and let them know you're not going down without a fight.  It's also best to never hire a live-in nanny.  Before you know it she will be wearing your clothes and carrying your baby like it's hers.

Those of you who know me well, know that I have a slight obsession with this network and I'm not going to go on and on about it.  Mostly because I'm busy watching Tiffany Amber Thiessen escape her killer husband in the movie "The Stranger Beside Me".  So far the lessons from today have been that what you don't know may kill you (wise words) and that Tiffany looks pretty good in an over sized denim jacket.

If it sounds like I'm wasting my life, don't worry, I don't think this trend will last long.  But if it does, I'm going to need some bon bons.

Lately

Here are some of the latest pics of J that I'm lovin.

teething has begun...poor giraffe.

One of J's favorite places is still his changing table.  He could lay there for hours.

I love this picture.  Bella is clearly about to pounce the little man's feet and by his facial expression it seems that he knows it.