A shot from last week–ground beef and cabbage from Gramma’s amazing Runza casserole:
Archive for the ‘Olivia’ Category
19 Jul
Thank goodness for grandparents
We’ve had a relatively hectic month. Following a week-long vacation, Ava’s preschool was closed for a week, then Olivia’s was closed the past two weeks. We were fortunate to have Katie on for a big chunk of that time, and I was able to work from home for a few days as well.
Last week, though, we had to call in reinforcements: The Grandparents.
My grandparents came Monday and Tuesday, and Karyl was here Tuesday evening through today. They all seem to have ceaseless energy, the desire to play “doctor’s office” for hours on end and the ability to convince Olivia that she really does want to be rocked to sleep.
The only downside is that I spent three and a half months on maternity leave telling Bryan that it was impossible to keep house AND watch the children at the same time. Now that he’s seen otherwise, I’m going to have to step up my game.
Or convince the grandparents to move in. Either one.
18 Jul
First bites: Adventures in self-feeding
We recently started giving Olivia little bits of food to feed herself, not necessarily because we felt she was ready, but because we can’t seem to feed her fast enough. So, this gives her something to do while we prepare the next bite. And, fortunately, she does actually seem to do pretty well.
When Ava started to self-feed around nine months, she’d pick up one tiny Cheerio at a time. Olivia scoops up a fistful and tries to cram them into her mouth all at once. Judging by the mess around her highchair, I’d say she has about a 30 percent success rate.
And also, chicken:
Since Olivia is still waking to eat twice every night, I think I’ll offer her a burger next. That ought to hold her.
16 Jul
First bites
Zucchini, which despite appearances, has quickly become a favorite of Olivia’s.
She really must be a Bornemeier baby!
15 Jul
Olivia’s tree
I’m running about a week and a half behind on the blog, and I’m starting to get my posts out of order. Please know that I’m not chronologically challenged, just poorly organized.
With that, step back in time with me to the Fourth of July weekend for just a bit.
When Ava was born, Mom and Dave planted a tree that would bloom around her birthday. Three years later, it’s taller than she is:
While we were visiting, they planted Olivia’s tree, a variety of hibiscus called Rose of Sharon.
Of course, they had some help.
15 Jul
Down on the farm
We stopped by my grandpa’s farm last weekend while we were in Nebraska. It was a gorgeous day, and I was reminded how much I loved this place as a child.
This sweet pea is visible from Grandpa’s living room, and Grandma always loved it. It grows along the pasture fence, though, and the calves seem to love it, too. Grandpa rigged up a fence from old window screens along the ground below to protect it.
I recall playing under this incredible old pine tree when we were little. It was always shady and cool among the Lily of the Valley and periwinkle flowers.
Bryan spotted this nest of robins in a low branch.
Rose and Olivia:
Grandpa, Rose, Olivia, Rebecca and a suddenly shy Ava Kate:
14 Jul
Little Leo turns two
11 Jul
A familiar recipe and a first bite
Last week, Ava helped me make a batch of pesto (five batches, actually) from the basil we have growing in the garden. We followed this recipe from Epicurious. Usually, I make pesto in my Cuisinart, but the recipe suggested using a blender. It worked very well!
I packaged the pesto into half-cup containers and shared it with our friends and coworkers. We froze a few here, too.
I tossed it with pasta for dinner, and pureed a bit for Olivia to try. I won’t say that she loved it, but maybe she’ll come around by the time summer’s out. I hope so…we have a lot of basil.
8 Jul
I love a parade
Really, I do. I have no good excuse, but the Fourth of July parade in the small Nebraska town near my Mom’s didn’t disappoint. In fact, both Katie and I found ourselves a bit choked up as the color guard started down the street and the crowd sang the national anthem. It’s probably a good thing my soft-hearted husband stayed back at the lake to fish.
I thought this little girl riding in the firetruck with her dad was especially sweet.
The Red Hat Society, which I believe is derived from the poem that starts, “When I am an old woman, I shall wear purple.” It seems to me that the open bed of a moving truck isn’t the safest place to stash a group of elderly ladies, but they seem to be enjoying themselves.
If Mom didn’t look so darn cute in this photo, I’d make a “speaking of elderly ladies” joke here. Since she was nice enough to put up with us for four days (and we’d like to come back), I think I’d better not.
One of the many signs on this very old implement read, “Happy birthday, America.”
This trailer holds what has to be a majority of the cousins attending this family’s reunion.
This float was sponsored by a brand new organic farm in the area. We attended their open house the following day–photos to come.
A poignant reminder of the importance of the holiday:
Smith Family Weblog 
