Last week we got Owen his first haircut...well, first professional haircut. I have been cutting it and I think I do okay, but we have pictures next week and I didn't trust myself. :-) I had to hold him while he ate snacks so this picture is afterwards: he's sitting on the floor eating more of his snack. :-)

Good times with mama! Last weekend gramma mama and grampa phil came up to play and swim and hide from storms and grill out steak and just have fun...oh yeah...we also celebrated rog's 27th Birthday! Whew! It was fun, but all together too quick. Here we are saying cheese!
On Sunday it was Rog's idea to change his clothes to dress like Owen. They looked just darling!
By the time we had cake, though, Owen had to change his shirt. Oh well. Boys will be boys.
Owen always has a good time with his cousins: Maely (left), Cali (middle bottom) and emmi (standing behind Cali). Good times and even better memories!

I'll say the weather is getting nicer, spring has finally sprung, and summer is just around the corner. We've been busy and the computer with all my pictures on it has crashed (I think)...either way, it is not working so I am finally getting around to catching up a few blog entries. :-)

I'm so glad for our deck because every time owen gets the bug to go outside, he can; even though we live in a town home and we don't have a backyard.

It's tiring playing so hard! Water is a welcome snack these days. Speaking of backyards...we cancelled the offer on that house we talked about before. There was just too much damage from the winter and water leaking. Oh well. We are happy to be out looking again!
Balls! A boy cannot have too many! :-)

We have been busy! We aren't in a hurry to move, but when we started looking, we found a great find. We are waiting for the bank to de-winterize so we can get an inspection and that is taking a long time. We still aren't in a hurry, but it would be nice to know!
EVERYDAY Owen wants to go to the park. He is learning to climb and slide and play in the dirt or sand! So much fun!
Last weekend we took a trip to Wisconsin. On Saturday Owen went to the zoo while we exercised (thanks gramma mama and mimi and grampa phil!). His favorite animal was either the rhino or the peacock. Or maybe they are both just fun for him to say. :-) Then we all had Applebees. Owen fell asleep soon after so everyone but gramma mama toured the Sprecher brewery. It was lots of run and free samples at the end! (they make 9 different kinds of soda too!)
We were there for Mother's Day so we had an amazing brunch after church with the family. It would have been a perfect day, but we had to drive 5 1/2 hours back home. If Owen wasn't sleeping or eating, he was unhappy. The DVD player stopped working so there was little we could do. He was amused when gramma mimi tossed the ball with him! The next day he even said, "mimi's ball!" when we got in the car. memories!

Today I had a wonderful surprise on my phone! Carrie sent me this picture of Owen having fun with his friend Ryan. Owen went down the big slide and had so much fun, Carrie thought that he would never want to leave the park. :-) Owen's daycare is right behind my school so when I took a class out to read, I kept watching to see if I would see the little group going to or from the park. Shucks! I missed them! I am so glad Owen has so much fun everyday and is in a place where he is so loved...and the favorite! :-)

Owen...partying like a rockstar...and playing in the sink...
silly boy!
who? me?
yep! me! (thanks, mom, for combing my hair like a big dork!)
You'd never guess...yes, boots...he asked to wear them to bed too. I'm telling ya! He cracks me up everyday! Some days I see him slimming down and losing his belly...but obvious not all the time!

Last Saturday was the first time he told me "poopy" before he went. Then the next day he made me laugh because he started calling everything "big" and "heavy" so he told me "poopy"..."big poopy"..."heavy poopy!" I've got to write that one in the journal!

Fun Times with mommy!... are we having fun??
Owen is starting to talk in sentences, and his first sentence ( I think) was "Shoot the basketball!" From this photo you would not believe he was so brilliant! :-)
Owen't loves to drink with a straw...he pulls the straw up and says, "BIG straw!" He cracks me up everyday!
This morning he was having a little too much fun with his "butter-butter" (peanut butter) and started licking it off his fingers. I think he missed some! Yes, his jammies say "man of steel".

Owen did eat all of his breakfast and drank all his milk this morning, so he was prepared for his "field trip." Carrie took the kids to see Jack and the Beanstalk in Anoka today...

She said Owen was really good, but when he started talking, she just gave him some "dee-berries" (strawberries). Of course that's going to make him quiet and focused! He is Roger's son! :-)

I think we are starting to see a trend here: as soon as Carrie put Owen in the car after the performance, he was asleep. She said he was asleep before she buckled him in. That's how she got the picture of him. She sent this picture to me on my cell phone right when she took it. What a wonderful thing to get in the middle of a busy day. A reminder of the most precious times...

When we were home this weekend, Gramma made Owen another little picture book. He loves this one because it has a picture of a "backetball hoop" on it...
At breakfast this morning he was very interested in it...he studied it, named everyone and everything he recognized: hoop, "gampa", tazzy, "backetball", etc...
Thanks gramma!

This past weekend Owen and I left Daddy at home to make the trip to Wisconsin for a short trip. We left Saturday morning-out the door by 6:30 and in Gramma and Grampa's driveway by noon. We made it! We were plenty busy and were loved. We spent time playing basketball, eating, playing, talking, playing more basketball, playing the piano, throwing monkey around and listening to him scream, playing more basketball, etc...you get the routine. :-)

The paparazzi was out in full force as Owen showed off his ball handling skills...

Owen got hugged and kissed and squeezed plenty! No lack of love here!
Auntie Emmy and Big Guy hung around quite a bit so Owen got his fill of them too! Big Guy ran around the yard with Little O...so much fun!

Gramma and Grampa were generous with their hugs and kisses as well. I think Owen is the favorite!...well, how long will that last anyway? I think Julie is going to have a girl so Owen will still be the favorite boy! :-) heehee, that is just my feeling, but Julie is already saying it's a "he", I guess...we'll see!

Owen let me hug him and hold him as well. Okay...I'm still his favorite...totally! No contest!

We left Sunday afternoon in time for nap...he was so tuckered out, he slept for 21/2 hours. Sweet boy...We'd do the trip again...it was time well-spent!

This morning at breakfast Owen wanted to wear his hat...he even put it on homself! And, it is on right! :-)

Owen is such a sweet, sensitive boy (most of the time), and so whenever Roger or I am missing (not at home), Owen "asks" for the blanket with our pictures on it. I didn't know he did it when I was gone until Roger told me and I just had to take pictures of Owen "hugging" and "kissing" daddy. :-)"Hi Daddy!"
"hugs, daddy!"
"kisses"
Oh, yeah...
Owen's also been busy playing with money! He likes to play with our change jar...don't worry, he is under strict supervision and he does not put it near his mouth. We just have to watch closely so he doesn't throw the pennies all over! :-)

I don't know why there is no sound on this one, but I even laughed! Owen is showing off his hook shot and shooting skills, but then he gets distracted by a raisin on the ground. Watch him find it and see what he does...hmmmm...

I thought I'd keep the peeps happy and make a little video...I really need to get on taking more pictures as well! :-) About this video...he's enthralled with being able to see himself, then he grabs the camera, can we say ADHD? Nevermind...we have plenty of time for labels! :-)

Yesterday Owen was running around with one sock, dancing to High School Musical 2, and practicing his pitching with "dad". What a crazy boy!

Owen is getting the hang of saying "cheese" when we hold up the camera. He's learning so much! Tonight he said, "poopy." The word is not new, but he told me when he went poopy without me even checking! What a proud moment...for mama and baby!

Auntie Julie gave me a great idea. Those of you who have not seen Owen for even a month or two may want to know how "big" he's getting. Julie suggested that we take a picture of him standing next to me. What a good idea!...that is, if you can get him to stand still! :-) I think he's about 31 inches or so "big". I don't know for sure, but he weighs somewhere between 27 and 29 pounds. I think he lost a pound or two from being sick, but he's making up for lost meals lately!

This was another time I tried to take Owen's picture, but he wouldn't stand still. I finally caught him when he climbed up on a chair and turned around. :-) I think this is also a fresh look at his most recent hair cut.

It often takes something tough to make us appreciate the beauty of the blessings in our lives. I will say that Roger and I had a fun engagement and wonderful wedding. We've traveled to Hawaii, Jamaica, Canada, Colorado, Ohio, Illinois, and Florida together, not to mention the few short trips within MN...and...we've only been married a little over three years. Owen will be 2 in June and he has not been sick more than a day in all that time...until this past week. His fever didn't go away, I stayed home and held him for two days; Roger stayed home for another two days as well. His fever and congestion held on so we ended up at the doctor on Thursday afternoon. He confirmed a cold...then surprised us by saying he had a double ear-infection...and then...he took x-rays to confirm a bit of pneumonia as well! Poor little guy! I had spent many hours rocking, hugging, praying...Owen was so miserable! He didn't want to play ball. He didn't want bananas. He didn't even want crackers. It took this bit of suffering for me to redefine that Owen is the BEST thing that has ever happened to us, been given to us, and that we've been blessed with. It was in the middle of the night, one night last week, that Owen prayed,

"God...Help."

God heard and healed. Owen has eaten at least two bananas a day the past two days and is running around with his basketball again. Whew! What a champ...here is how it all looked:

A week ago Friday Owen played with his cousins and Auntie Kate while Rog and I went out...he had lots of fun with them!
A week ago Sunday he had a fever and kept me up most of the night...so we took a nap...
I finally got him to sit by himself by popping in "Mommy & Me" playgroup songs and dances (the cheesiest DVD EVER!) The next day we went to the doctor, and...
By today he was climbing on furniture, banging on walls with wooden spoons, and running his football across the room!
Daddy was teaching him to make silly faces...
and Owen picked it up fast, but couldn't hold it without giggling!

He's saying, "see! I can do it on my own!"