Happy Birthday, Owen! 1.17.08

It's amazing that Owen is already 2 years old! What a delight the past two years have been ~ Owen has added so much to our family, and we are so fortunate to have him in our lives! Owen, we love you sooooo much!

Always a clown, ready to make you laugh if you're watching, Owen loves to share his joy! An optimist at heart, he can "make lemonade from lemons" and "turn a frown upside-down." Everywhere we go, others comment on how cute and sweet and happy he is ~ and the best part: he's infectious. You can't help but smile when you're with O (even if you're mad!).

Life Lessons from a Two Year Old (or, what O Teaches Me Every Day)

(1) Don't fuss and fret longer than a minute. It's not worth it (and Mom and Dad will still win!) Let life's little disappointments go ~ you wouldn't want to miss a moment of the happiness available to you!
(2) Shake off the bumps and bruises. Laugh and you might find they are part of the fun!
(3) You don't need teeth to chew your food (but they help!)
(4) Crayola truly has a monopoly on the art world ~ all other brands may claim to, but they do not wash out. Use the best.
(5) Saying "thank you" will not only express your gratefulness; it will boost the spirit of the giver and open the hearts of others observing in ways you might never imagine!
(6) Take pride in your accomplishments ~ put on one sock at a time and smile in between each one!
(7) Your brother (or sister) truly can be your best friend and teacher! Cherish the unique bond you share!
(8) Naps are a gift from god. Never pass one up. But be quick about it. There's life to live!
(9) Never underestimate the power of human touch.
(10) Aim straight. You're more likely to hit your target.
(11) Watch and learn.
(12) You can do anything on the first try if you've already convinced yourself you can do it.
(13) Put your arms up to block danger; duck to avoid flying objects; roll into a ball to trip up your opponent; run towards your assailant to confuse them.
(14) Live, Laugh, and Love!

Owen's Favorite Things at Two Years Old
- Big Brother Collin
- Balls, especially footballs
- Watching Football (or nearly any sport - except golf - on tv)
- Uncle Jared, Big Brannon, Neighbor Steve
- Dogs
- Airplanes
- Tackling Collin
- Being Tackled by Collin
- Playing with Water (in a sink, a cup, a bathtub, a pool, a lake)
- Fruit Snacks
- Sausage Links, Clams, and Ketchup (not necessarily together)
- Sleeping with Mom and Dad
- Playdoh, Markers, & Mr. Potato Head
- A little hand-sized horse at Blossom, which he carries from 8:30 to 5:00 and calls, "Neigh"
- Putting miniature balls in his pockets
- Shrek, Donkey, Mickey Mouse, and the Bernstein Bears
- The "How Does a Dinosaur (Say Goodnight) (Learn His Colors) (Play with Friends) (Count to 10)?" book series
- Dancing and Jumping
- Making Others Laugh and Smile

My Favorite Owen Quirk: He pushes his long sleeves up to his elbows immediately after his shirt is over his head each morning! And when he can, he'll push his pant legs up to his knees too! For certain proof, look back at the pictures of Owen in his Cars pajamas on Christmas Eve ~ sleeves and pant legs pushed to the elbows and knees at all times! Sometimes I wonder if I dress him in long sleeves just so I can enjoy a giggle as he pushes them up each morning! : )

Happy Birthday, Owen!

Owen's 2nd Birthday Party! 1.12.08

Happy Birthday, Owen! We celebrated Owen's 2nd birthday at the Pacific Science Center with family and friends.

Owen awoke that Saturday from his nap to discover he was surrounded by dinosaurs and had been "branded!" He couldn't get over the entry-stamp on his hand and showed it off (proudly!) to everyone!

Great Grandma and Collin check out the triceratops. Notice Collin observed the dinos with hands in his pockets ... Owen's observation stance was much less subdued:

Owen's party was marked by the Seahawks' Playoff Game buzz all around! In keeping with the spirit of the day, Collin wore his Seahawk tee, and Owen sported his favorite dinosaur jersey:Collin laid inside a dino footprint.

Collin and I prepared for take-off in the rocket simulator.

Owen was fascinated with the eye sockets and many teeth of this human skull.

After a few hours in the Center itself, it was time to hit the Party Room for Dino Fun! Each of the kids colored their own Dino Baby and Hatching Egg.

Then the kids handled fossils trapped in rocks. Ricky and Lily especially got into this!

Next was a digger's dream! Armed with paintbrushes and digging tools, each archaeologist discovered dinosaur bones in the dirt.

"I found one!"

Making nitrogen ice cream, however, definitely topped the party activities! A little milk, sugar, vanilla, a few good stirs from each child ...
and it was time to add the Secret Ingredient:

"Oooh! Aawhh!"

The kids delighted in their home-made ice cream and a delicious Dino Cake!

Presents abounded for our special 2 year old! Thank you, All!After the party, several of us hit the CrabPot on the waterfront to enjoy buckets of seafood, corn on the cob, and baby potatoes ~ some of Owen's favorites!

Owen and Uncle Jared sprinted the halls as we waited for our table.

Let the feast begin!

Holiday Memories

We had a fantastic Holiday Season! From Thanksgiving to Christmas, we made wonderful memories! Here's a snap shot of our Holidays (minus the Santa visit you already saw):

Thanksgiving we were "surprised" by a week-long visit with Grandma and Grandpa B (what a great week!). Grandpa Bob also joined for a Thanksgiving celebration:

Owen and His Turkey Leg - I know it's blurry, but it was priceless nonetheless!

An Olive per Finger

The day after Thanksgiving, we headed down Mt. Baker Highway in search of our annual Christmas tree! This year, we were accompanied by Grandma and Grandpa G, Grandpa Bob, and Grandma and Grandpa J!

The boys searched high and low, and, after selecting many "Charlie Brown" favorites, selected a "Boys' Tree" for the playroom.

Grandpa Bob and Collin carried it proudly back to the truck ... ok, Collin carried it a few rows, then Grandpa took over!

Happy Holidays 2007

The boys decorated their tree the night we put it up - and then again every night thereafter!

Saturday the 22nd, we hosted the Extended Family Carmody Christmas! It was a blast! We rented tables and chairs and set up the garage as a dining hall / after-party casino, and I was amazed by how well 40 people fit in our home!

The kids dig in to the feast!

The women dig into the overseas treasure! Tammi brought all sorts of wonderful gifts from her mid-east adventures.

Gift Exchange Extravaganza!

Christmas Eve the boys made Gingerbears for Santa:
While waiting for them to cook and cool, the boys quickly bathed, donned their PJs, and watched their 2007 holiday favorite: Frosty the Snowman (although Shrek the Halls was a close second):

Decorating Time!

Good Night!

And then Santa came:
Christmas Morning:

"A Bulldozer! He remembered! Mom, look! Santa remembered and brought me what I asked for!!!"

Perhaps (somewhat astonishingly) the biggest hits of the morning were the Shrek and Donkey dolls, which the boys LOVED! Collin loaded his in the back of his remote-control pick-up and raced Shrek around the house:
Christmas morning was blissful this year as the boys had infinite amounts of patience and wanted to open each gift, one at a time, expressed gratefulness after each one (beyond my wildest dreams!), and then wanted to play with each before opening another! We even stopped the gift-opening halfway to eat breakfast and enjoy the Christmas Day parade!

It was a wonderful holiday season. From Thanksgiving to Christmas, we had a whirlwind time! The boys' belief in Santa was solidified! We made memories for a lifetime, and we were able to see almost all of our family over the course of the season! Thank you to my wonderful family for making it another magical season!