Time...

As usual, I can't seem to keep up with much of anything these days. Maybe it's being nine months pregnant; maybe it's just me. We've got a lot of big changes coming up...and it's overwhelming. Baby is due in about two week. Spring semester ends in about three. I need to make it through both! Then, there's graduation, job-hunts, and deciding where we'll be living in a few months. Oh yeah, and then actually, physically moving there.

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Ollie's a trooper, as usual. He's in never-ending sentence mode. We all went to my last prenatal appointment and when the doctor came in, he started, "Oh...Dr. Ross...I was just waiting for you, and I have a balloon, and it flies up in the air, and then I'm going to show it you, and then take it home!" (Daddy made a rubber glove balloon for him.) Speaking of prenatal issues, Ollie is convinced he has a baby in his tummy. He talks about how when he eats his food it goes down into his tummy and then the baby eats it. And, every once in a while, he'll tell me that his baby is moving. He also really wants to have the doctor "take it out" so he can play with it.

We started potty training with him a few weeks ago...and he's doing great! So far, he just wears "big boy underpants" after his nap and until he goes to bed at night...but he hasn't had a single accident and loves to decide whether to use the big potty or his little one. :) I think we'll start doing mornings, as well, pretty soon.

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He's also just started having really vivid dreams that sometimes frighten him. The other night, he awoke and told me that giant gumballs were falling from his ceiling and landing on top of him. He was very worried about this...but, seemed comforted after talking about it for a little bit.

His latest expression: "Do you mind..." In the morning, we'll hear his pitter-patter approach our room and then, "Do you mind if I climb into bed?" Or, at night, if he's having trouble falling asleep, he'll step into the hallway and ask, "Do you mind if you sing me one more song?" Or, "Do you mind if you come into my room and we can talk for a few bits?" (Another Ollie-ism--"few bits" and also, "few whiles")

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Social butterfly (or, rather...frog). Ollie loves to play with other children on the playground. Recently, we were playing outside when he noticed a little girl approaching the sandbox. He hopped up to her and said, "Hi! I'm Ollie. I'm a frog. Do you want to please play with me?" I felt a little sorry for him when she didn't reply. But, he didn't seem to mind. He just handed her a shovel and told her they could dig together. What a guy.

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I am finally posting some more pictures from the trip Ollie and I took home in February. Things worked out so that we were able to see his cousins during our visit, which was wonderful! We are especially heartbroken for Uncle D.R. and his family right now, as he lost his little brother Jon this past week. It is so difficult to be so very far away from family. We wish we were closer and able to be a better support to Ollie's very special uncle. (Ollie's most recent revelation concerning D.R. was when he announced, questioningly, "Uncle D.R. is a Daddy and a doctor?!?! For some reason, this didn't seem probable to Ollie.) This has also reminded us, once again, how important family is...and how we hope to be closer to home soon.

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During our visit, Ollie took every available opportunity to hold his baby. That's right. According to Ollie, cousin Shea is "my baby Shea." He was so gentle with her. And, she was so patient and tolerant with his constant embraces. They are going to be good friends! And, I know Ollie is going to be a very good big brother.

Ollie and adorable Shea.

Ollie and Dexter? bonded over puzzles. They're just getting started on this one. Ollie insisted Uncle D.R. stand behind him, and hold a storybook in front of him so that he could listen to a story and do the puzzle at the same time. My little multi-tasker.

Ollie and the boys had a lot of fun, too! I just don't have pictures. Mostly, they just ran around chasing each other...which was HILARIOUS! They were great with Ollie and gave him lots of attention, which he, of course, loved.