Lots of Conversations

Owen's conversations with us (and anyone for that matter) are so much fun these days. I wish I could capture every single one. He is so funny and talkative. Here are some examples.

Owen: Mommy, I am going to be a FIREFIGHTER when I grow up.
Mommy: OK...but you better be careful...that is a dangerous job. I'd worry about you.
Owen: Don't worry Mommy. I'm ok.
 Mommy: I know you are ok now...but fire fighting is dangerous.
Owen: Ya...but I want to ride the fire truck.
Mommy: Those fire trucks are pretty cool.
Owen: Tell me when you see a fire truck, or a police car or ambulance.
Mommy: OK
Owen: Do you see one yet?
Mommy: Nope, not yet.
Owen: OK...keep watching.

That last line is a true mimic. He also LOVES school buses. He wants to see one every morning. He asks me every morning if we will see school buses on the way to his school. I always say to him "Keep watching...you will see one". The above conversation was followed up with:
Owen: I want to be a garbage man when I grow up.
Mommy: You do? Why?
Owen: I don't know. I want to be a fire fighter!!!

Owen is obsessed with birthdays and birthday parties lately. Part of the reason is probably because he has been to several in the last few weeks.

Owen: Mommy - where is Daddy's party going to be?
Mommy: Which party? His birthday party?
Owen: Ya
Mommy: Oh...I don't know, you should ask him where he wants his party to be.
Owen: It is going to be at the store.
Mommy: Which store?
Owen: The one we went to this morning.
Mommy: We didn't go to a store this morning. Were you dreaming?
Owen: No...the one I went to with Daddy.
Mommy: Oh...which store? Do you remember the name?
Owen: Ya...the dollar-forty store.
Mommy: Ah, I see. Is that the dollar store with inflation prices?
Owen: (BIG SMILE (probably because I was barely containing my laughter)) YA!!!!
Mommy: What can you buy at the dollar-forty store?
Owen: Lots of stuff.
Mommy: Like what?
Owen: Drinks, Paper, Donuts, and more Donuts and lots of drinks.
Mommy: What kind of drinks?
Owen: All sorts of kinds.

Owen is also well aware that Avery's birthday is next, then Mommy's, then Owen's and then Daddy's. He knows (and has known) his birthday by heart. If you ask him when his birthday is, he will say "July 14th" and he now will accurately recall that July 14th is also Pop's birthday.

Sadly, it seems as though he is having some bad dreams too. Hate that for him. When I went into his room yesterday morning, he was a bit sad. I asked him what was wrong and he immediately asked me where the bad dog was. I picked him up and gave him a big hug all while telling him there was no bad dog here. I asked him about this bad dog. He told me all about “the other bad dog that was flying through the air”.
I asked him all kinds of questions about this “bad dog” and found out:
1) The dog is bad
2) The dog is black
3) The dog is named Cooper (like his friend that came to visit him a few weeks ago…nothing personal Sara!!!)
4) The dog can fly
5) The dog doesn’t like Nash or Owen or Avery or Mommy or Daddy
6) The dog is bad I couldn’t get him to tell me why he was bad.

But…it is evident that he had a bad dream about a bad, flying, black dog named Cooper who doesn’t like anyone. Poor guy.

On a funny note...I have been traveling a lot for work (well...that's not funny), but Owen has started to count the sleeps (with Daddy's help) until I return. Apparently he told his teachers at school that I was coming home in two sleeps and his teachers asked where I was. Owen said "Phoenix" and they asked him what I was doing in Phoenix. Owen responded "She is selling airplane parts.". The teachers apparently laughed it off and thought "Ya...ok." They then asked them what his Daddy did, to which Owen responded "He sells elevators.". Again, the teachers giggled and thought "Ya...right.". When I returned from Phoenix last Friday, I arrived just in time to pick the kids up from school. When I went into Owen's class, his teachers asked me where I had been traveling for work and what my job was. When I told them, they almost fell over in laughter. They recalled the conversation they had with Owen and apologized to him for not believing what he told them! TOO FUNNY.

And, for awhile now Owen has had family relationships figured out. He constantly tells us that he is growing up to be a Daddy and Avery is growing up to be a Mommy. He talks about his two grandmas = Nonnie and Gram and his two grandpas = Pop and Pappy. He knows that Nonnie and Pop are Daddy's parents and that Gram and Pappy are Mommy's parents. Owen refers to Avery as his sissy and then tells us that she is our daughter.  We received an "April Fools Joke" in the mail the other day with lots of cool stuff from Aunt Heather (Daddy's sister). Owen asked who sent him all the neat stuff and when we told him "Aunt Heather" he immediately told us she lived in Texas and asked about his cousins (Aunt Heather's children) and then about Uncle Jeff and Aunt Karine (Mommy's brother and sister-in-law). It is amazing. Maybe this is completely normal...but I am just fascinated that he can make all those connections.

Owen is also aware that his Nonnie and Pop are sailing on a sail boat right now and he has told everyone he encountered this week that he is going to go on a "BIG SAILING BOAT". He has even invited several people to go on "his" sailing boat. Mr Chris is Owen's classmate's, Gabby, Daddy. We ran into him on the way out of school this week. Here was the conversation that took place:
Owen: I am going on a sailing boat.
Mr Chris: Really? Can I come?
Owen: (hesitant for a split second) Yeah
Mr Chris: Awesome, when can we go?
Owen: Right now
Mr Chris: Oh...I can't go right now, how about this weekend?
Owen: No, right now. We have to go, only, right now.

Mr Chris then proceeded to text Daddy and take Owen up on this sailing trip. HA! I wonder what else Owen has signed us up for.

Avery is doing well too. She is a stable and fast walker. She eats everything in sight and is not concerned about her girlish figure. She weights 24 pounds and wears 18m clothes. We had a bit of ac cold spell her this week, so we had to revert back to pants, long sleeve shirts, socks and shoes. But hopefully next week we can switch back to cute summer dress and sandals!
No one can believe she will be one on Monday!!! We are having her first birthday party tomorrow. Can't wait. We are expecting over 30 people at our house for cake and ice cream. I will try to post pictures on Sunday. Avery only has one distinct word right now "dada". She is probably positioning herself for later in life and making sure she keeps tugging on daddy's heart.

Happy Easter!

This is our first Easter as a family of four! We were able to find someone to take our family photo outside our church this morning at the cross.


Big change from last year's Easter photo!

11 months old!

In less than one month...Avery will be one!!!
She has had a BIG month. Avery is WALKING! She is one determined little girl and loves to stand and take little steps to get places.
Here is her 11th month picture:


We had wonderful weather on St Patrick's day weekend. We spent most of the day outside. Owen "played" baseball and Avery "helped" Daddy trim some trees.



Then a few days later, it was cold enough to warrant coats and hats again.

Here is Avery in her fun pink Converse!