Swimmin', Sharks, and Turning Two!

We had a wonderful weekend celebrating the O'Bear (and Father's Day!)

I had the idea to start his real birthday, Friday, off right with a breakfast of champions including donuts and chocolate milk. I'm pretty sure it was a hit.

Our friends, Asher and Kathleen, then came over to help bake the birthday cake. It was a pretty involved recipe for a giant cake in the end. So Kat helped me in the kitchen and Asher helped entertain Owen. I think it worked out well for all involved. The cake was awesome!


Next, we headed over to Garland to meet up with my parents and Jenni and Jamie for some Flying Fish food. I think O might have had 3 bites of fish and 30 bites of french fries. What are you going to do...

The party went perfectly! O got dropped off at Nana's and slept til 4:30, while my mom, sister and I did some last minute things and set up the party downstairs at Nana's.

We swam, we ate, we laughed.

We got attacked by bubble guns, splashing babies, and splashing adults.


 We opened, we played, we crashed.

I'd have to say it was a wonderful day. I can't believe how much O has changed over the last year.

At our doctor's appointment yesterday, his stats were:
Height: 36" - 88%
Weight: 31 lb - 83%
Head: Good ol' 93%

Still growing and growing. Talking up a storm. Taking risks. And being his awesome self!

Happy Birthday, O'Bear!

Great Book Finds

Owen received a giftcard to Barnes and Noble from his GreatGrandma O for his birthday!! We used it two times to get some special fun books.

The first was, But Not the Hippopotamus, a fun little book about rhyming and feeling left out. I love pretty much Sandra Boynton does, her drawings and her humor. This one is right up there with Moo, Baa, LaLaLa!

The next two Joe and I found on our recent date night (thank the LORD, it was wonderful to get away and have fun just the two of us again!!) They were found in the "Christian" section of the kids' books...who knew...but I have a feeling these will become special books for a long time when Owen gets a little better understanding.

The Tale of the Three Trees is a traditional folktale about three trees who had dreams and aspirations of being something grand. Yet, when their time came to be used, it was not what they had hoped to be used for. However, through Christ's touch, they became something more important and cherished than they could ever dream on their own, much like ourselves. What a great lesson to teach our kids - Dream big, but do not be discouraged if God has something else in mind, because, being God...it will be blessings 10,000-fold!

The last book by Max Lucado is You are Special. It's a neat and odd little book about Wemmicks, a group of wooden puppets made by Eli. The Wemmicks give each other stars or grey dots depending on whether they think they are special or good or ugly or stupid or chipped. One little guy only has grey dots and doesn't feel very good about himself til he meets a girl that neither stars nor dots stick to -- because she talks to Eli. So this little guy goes to talk to Eli who loves him for who he is because HE made him and he is indeed special just the way he is. The more one is around Eli, the less the 'things' stick, because they are no longer important. It teaches, that you are indeed special just the way you are. That there will always be good and bad things, but what really matters is your relationship with the one who made you. It's sweet, and a good reminder to us big people, that we are special and our actions do affect others and that we need to spend time with our maker too!

These are some nifty books, I think. I look forward to reading them with Owen and finding more along our journey together!

One Great Year!

My baby, my little OwieBear, squanchy baby, little fud is ONE!

Some days I just marvel at the passage of time. How can one event seem so long ago one moment and so, so short the next. This year has been filled with more ups and downs, trials and jubilation than I ever thought possible, all because a little boy came into the world one year ago!

I remember being so over being pregnant, so excited to meet our son and so frustrated that we still didn't have a name for him (because everyone still kept asking). I remember being frustrated the hospital wasn't ready for us when we arrived for our induction after they told me I couldn't eat, I remember being so nervous when the contractions started. I remember being in horrible pain when the lovely epidural stopped working. I remember feeling the strangest sensation and awe when Owen Daniel O'Brien finally made his way into the world.

The next few days, weeks and months were filled with the joys and frustrations of new parents trying to figure out how to continue being productive human beings, while learning to care for this little baby who seemed so vulnerable and changing. Slowly, we got the hang of different things. And slowly we understood we never would get the hang of others, and we'd all manage to survive.

Slowly our love for this little guy grew and grew and grew, to where it is hard to remember not knowing him and having him in our lives.

Owen, you are a true treasure. Your strong will is evident when you try to climb or open something you can't quite do yet, but you keep trying. Your sense of adventure is evident now that you can walk where ever you want by yourself. Your sense of humor is evident by the way you chase after Ryker and bury your head in his soft fur and laugh. Your love is evident when you walk up to one of us and give us an honest-to-goodness hug.

Happiest First Birthday, sweet boy. We love you more than words can say!!