Happy half birthday
One of Liv’s favorite phrases right now is “Happy Birthday to you.”
Except she skips the “birthday” part and really puts some emphasis on the “you.”
“Happy to YOUUUUUUU!”
She says it whenever she thinks it’s appropriate, usually when there’s some type of candle or fire (she said “happy birthday” to a pizza oven at a restaurant recently) or a cake or cupcake. At the mall last week, we got some bling for her Crocs. One is a cupcake, since she loves to point to it and say “happy to you.”
It’s so crazy to think we’re already at the 1.5 year mark.
Where is my little bald babbling squishy newborn? In her place is a vivacious, talking, running, dancing little lovebug. Every day is so much fun, even the “not so fun” ones 😉 Today we had our first official public meltdown, which is half my fault since I tried to do a quick Costco run before nap time. She got sick of riding in the cart, but it was time to pay so I told her I needed to hold her, and she started shrieking “walk! WALK! WAAAALLLLKKK!” and then let out the 5-second silent scream before the high-pitched one erupted. Good times, good times. Just an hour before that, I was thinking about how staying home with Liv feels like a lovely vacation since we’d gone on a nice walk and story time with friends. Things change by the second, that’s for sure haha.
It always makes me laugh to myself because I’ll often hear “Enjoy every moment! It’s over before you know it.”
Over? It just seems to just keep getting better and better <3
Here are some of the things Oliv is doing right now:
-Jumping. She learned how to do it this past weekend! So while she’s dancing, she’ll stop and add in a few hops for good measure.
-Talking in 2-3 word sentences. It all started a couple of months ago when she started to say “Minnie Mouse” and has grown to “Where did nana go?” It’s pretty incredible to have conversations with her and feel like she really understands. I can ask her to do something, like pick up a toy or throw something in the trash, and she gets it.
-She LOVES Minnie Mouse… her strong love for Elmo is rivaled by the rodent in the polka dot dress. I can’t wait to take her to Disneyland and meet her– she loved meeting Elmo at Sea World.
-She knows pretty much all of the body parts (even the harder ones like “eyebrow,” “elbow,” and “chin”) and we’re working on counting, ABCs and colors. I think that her classes at MyGym, story time at the library, Kindermusik and fun hanging out with her nanas has taught her so much. She really is a little sponge and I feel like she learns new things every day.
Current likes:
-Shoes
-Trying to pour the dog food out of the dog’s bowls
-Swimming (she could swim all day) and bubble baths
-Dunkin’ Donuts munchkins (especially the chocolate ones)
-Books (Eric Carle and books with flaps/activities hold her attention)
-Baby dolls… always babies.
-Pretending to sneeze
-Omelets with salsa (she calls it “spicy egg”)
-Picking herbs and watering the garden with me
-Coloring and painting
Dislikes:
-Ponytails and hair clips
-Stuffed animals that move or make strange noises
-Getting her hair washed
-Being told “no, thank you.” Oh man.
Happy to YOUUUUUU, my amazing girl. I feel so blessed that I was chosen to be your mama.
Here’s to another incredible half year 🙂
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Cuteness overload! Happy half birthday, Liv!!!
So cute! I definitely feel you on things changing by the second! We went to the gym today as we usually do and after just 20 minutes there was a little incident in the daycare. My little guy would not let me leave him again so workout got cancelled and plans got changed. Go with the flow has become my new motto 🙂
That smile. 🙂
Something that might help with the hair washing–the toughest part of shampooing my son’s hair was always getting him to put his head back far enough so I could rinse out the shampoo without getting any soap in his eyes. This was solved by teaching him to howl like a coyote. He liked to throw his head back and howl and got to keep doing it until all the shampoo was rinsed out. Who doesn’t like to have a good howl every now and again?
“happy to yoooooou!” this was such a sweet post, gina. you had me smiling from ear to ear. what a beautiful little girl you have, and what a fabulous mama you are to little olivia! 🙂
Such a sweet post! Liv is definitely a gorgeous little girl, and it’s been so much fun to watch her grow up!
awww, this post was incredibly sweet. liv is absolutely precious and she is so lucky to have you as a mama! happy to you, liv! <3
She dislikes ponytails and hair clips?? I would never know…her hair is always up so cute! How do you get her to keep them in? I cannot get Baylie to keep a ponytail in for ANYTHING! We had to give her the 1st haircut super early because I couldn’t keep her hair out of her eyes! So many cute bows, clips and headbands left in her closet with unfulfilled destinies 🙁
I give her something to hold immediately after putting them in. If she’s distracted, she doesn’t try to pull them out. Otherwise they last 2 seconds!
“happy to youuuuu!” too cute!!
She is growing up so fast!!
Our niece just turned 3! crazy how fast time goes by!!
Liv is such a cutie 🙂
HUGS
xoxo
Absolutely adorable! Happy to YOUUUU, Liv! 🙂
Awww Happy 1.5 year birthday to Liv!!! She is so adorable 🙂 Every moment is special no matter the age!
She is just so precious! I love the half birthday celebration idea.
How is it possible she is 18 months old? My goodness, I can only imagine how fast the time has flown by for you!
She’s adorable! <3 She looks so much like her momma 🙂
Adorable!!!!
haha, Max knows when we are in a drive-thru and immediately sticks out his hand thinking a donut is about to appear…..
Happy to YOUUUU Liv!
Is she swimming all by herself? Couldn’t tell in the one pic of her and Tom. She is just adorable. Every kid has meltdowns – be glad you made it to the 1.5yr mark before the first public one! 😉
Aww Happy to You Olivia!! What a sweet post.
I remember that last picture from Instagram. What a cutie! She is the spitting image of her mama! Every year (or 6 months) of her life is one more year or 6 months that you and the Pilot have been parents so Happy to YOUUUUU too Tom and Gina! I have a question. How is Livi’s spanish? Do you speak it to her or does your mom and grandmother speak it to her? Are you planning to raise her bilingual?
She is the cutest little thing! I love that you said it just keeps getting better and better. Sometimes I feel a little sad that Hunter is growing up so fast (he’s 3 months old now), but it makes me excited to know that it just keeps getting better and better! Happy Half Birthday little Olivia!
Omg I think she made my ovaries turn on into high gear, I can’t take all the cuteness!
I LOVE that! Too cute. My youngest just turned 1 and I’m dying at how fast time seems to be traveling.
So sweet and clever!! Just beautiful!! I agree it just gets better and better! My girls hate things in their hair too, glad I’m not the only one who struggles with it!
What a sweetheart! I love this age. She’s so lucky to have such a loving mama… Happy 1/2 birthday, Olivia!
So cute! Happy birthday, Liv!
Happy half birthday, Liv! I cannot believe that it was 1.5 years ago when your mom mentioned you on the blog, seems like yesterday (strange thing, I feel like a granny saying that 🙂 ). Stay that bubbly sweet sunshine that you are!
Can’t even handle her cuteness! Happy half birthday Liv!
I loooove that she said Happy Birthday to the pizza oven. Seriously, kids are just the funniest.
And that smile! Happy to you!
Oh she is too cute!
Aww happy half birthday to Liv! I can’t believe how much she’s growing up!
Happy 18 months, little one! It’s ridiculous how quickly babies grow and change. Our baby boy will be 5 months this weekend, and I’m having a hard time processing it!
I love your response to the whole, “Cherish every moment, they go by too quickly,” comment. People keep telling me that, and it kind of makes me anxious! It’s lovely to hear you say how every day and age keeps getting better and better! Thanks- needed that!
She is beautiful! You are a great mom and role model and I love your posts about motherhood. You are doing a great job!!!!! xoxo
“Happy to youuuu!” is the cutest phrase ever.
Precious, just precious! I might find myself saying “Happy to YOUUUUU!” all day 🙂
This is the cutest post ever. I love how she doesn’t like to be told “No, thank you.” So typical! Little ones always want to give you everything, haha!
She is sooo adorable! Honestly, I don’t believe she had a meltdown because she is always so smiley and cute in your photos!
So sweet! Happy 1/2 Miss Livie!
She is soooo cuuuute; I wanna pinch her!! Hope to see her in person one day.
So funny that she doesn’t like stuffed animals that move or make noise…I HATED those kind of toys when I was little. They really freaked me out so I feel for her! Ha!
Omg, there so much cute in this post I can’t stand it!
My parents got me a Teddy Ruxpin when I was really little and my Dad tells me that I was terrified of it and tried to throw it in the garbage can lol. So I understand your daughter’s fear of talking stuffed animals.
OMG just precious! I can’t even comment on a specific part of this post ‘cuz I thought it was all so stinkin’ cute!
Lol she is the second kid I’ve heard of that drops off the birthday. My brother used to scream at people “it’s your happy to you!” even when it wasn’t. Party animals.
oh. my. goodness GINA! This post made me tear up! And I am just imagining her say Happy to YOUUUUUU! Oh I love your fam! I hope to meet you, Tom, and Liv some day <3
It feels like yesterday that I read about your pregnancy. And then about Olivia’s birth. Now, she is 1.5 year old. Time is more than flying.
Congratulations to all of you. The joy in your face is transparent. I am so happy for you.
Time flies! Such a cute update 🙂 Em hates hair bows and ponytails too! It “hurts her”. These kids I tell you.
Literally almost cried reading this! I’ve been following your blog for a long time, and what’s crazy is I got pregnant about the same time as you. I’ve been able to relate to sooo many of your posts, throughout pregnancy and now with the little one. My daughter was born February 9th last year so she is learning/doing just about all the same things as yours is and this made me wanna tear up!
p.s. Olivia is beautiful (as you know, but who can hear that enough about their baby?)