Hola.
The blogger wants me to "switch to our new version" and assures me that I will like it better, that it will be more reliable, and that it will give me great new features. I am nervy. Like my friend Katherine says "stick with what you know." Katherine navigates the entire town of Fayetteville on two streets because she doesn't know much directionally. So I'm sticking with what I know. I'M NOT SWITCHING!!

In other Oliver news, Shaun has become BFF (best friends forever for those of you too old to remember 5th grade) with our neighbor (Senior La Huerta). I was not present, but apparently over some cervesas, Shaun and Meliton agreed that if LSU is triumphant in the battle of the boot, then three La Huerta waiters will don LSU t-shirts and say "Go Tigers" everytime they serve a plate. NOW... this is the funny part. If Arkansas pulls out a victory, Michael Shaun Oliver will wear a Razorbacks cheerleading outfit in LaHuerta for a night. Oh my. I hope I can get a picture. I think his legs will look very nice in an iddy biddy skirt!
We're on the countdown to birthday #1! Unbelieveable really. We have decided that Ethan has enough brains to actually have an opinion now. He has some favorites:
1. Dogs: big dogs, little dogs, short hair or furry... he loves them all
2. Yogurt. He even has a dance to go along with it.
3. Vitamin D Milk.
4. Baths... except when he tried to pull that knob on the top of the faucet and got a shower.... doesn't like showers.
We're going to try not to go overboard on birthday and christmas so we can save our money for a year when he can remember...
I'm going to enjoy my coffee and watch the news. Later! E

Hello Hello! Its Friday all of the sudden again. We're lucky enough to get to stay home today. Every body in this house has been through the common cold this week. You may think its funny but its snot. AH HA HA. One of my favorites!! We all have hacking coughs and the sniffles.
Our friend Audrey is having heart surgery on Monday, so keep her in your thoughts and prayers.. as well as her parents, and her grandparents... She won't remember it, but her Mama will.
We can't really get Ethan to sit still and cheese it up for the camera anymore, so we've transitioned on in to the candids.
I'm going to huddle down while all these freaky Razorback fans do their thing this weekend. I hope everyone has a good game, I hope they play their best, and I hope no one gets hurt. Ethan may donn his 'Backs jeresey since his daddy is hiking 20 miles of the Ozark Highland Trail this weekend. NOT what I want to do on my weekend. He has his orange on so he doesn't get shot. Olive my love! E

Its time for my usual stay-home Friday blog, and I don't have much to report. Here's the highlights of Ethan and Shaun's after-school games that always suprise me. Who would've thought of hooking a belt to the hippo?!

I'm waiting for the lesson on inertia. Have a good weekend! E

I couldn't pass posting this one. I had no idea he was this tall... until he got all stretched out.
My bowl of candy lasted until 8:00... then a band of un-costumed teenagers got out of a van and cleaned me out. All the little kids had some scruples about a large bowl of available candy. I could hear "just take one!" and "we have to leave some for other kids!" from inside the door. Oh well. I didn't need a bowl of Butterfingers here anyway.
Good night!

Happy Halloween!! Since I couldn't get my act together in time to make some home-made extravagent costume, we had to go to Party City and grab this polyesther number last night. None the less, he makes a good superman.
We made it to Shreveport and back this weekend. Ethan got to hang with his cousins while we went to meet Julien. This really isn't representative of his stay, but its the only picture I took.



Rob and Angela are googely on baby-love and no sleep. I've labeled sweet Julien so you know which one he is....
That's all I can think of. I have a huge bowl of candy in my kitchen, cause my snooty neighbors tell me that this is a popular street. I might just put the bowl outside... I don't really know how to do all that trick-or-treat mess.

:) E

His first all-by-himself meal..... tater tots and grated cheese, with some milk. Talk about nutrition!!

These socks are for you, Momo!

He escaped while I was unloading groceries and set himself up for a perfect picture.



Cutest buns in Fayetteville!

PEEKABOO! Hope everyone is having a nice weekend.

Our friend Julien Alexander Vinet was born Wednesday evening...all 9 pounds and 2 ounces of him! were healthy. They go home today to start the new adventure.










Book worm...




















The new hippo. It actually "eats" blocks and toys into its belly. Handy for cleanup. Ethan is at the push it way out.... catch up to it... puuuush it way out.... take three steps.... puuuuush it way out.... take three steps. He's getting the hang of it.





I hope for you Hog fans that they beat SEMO. That would be embarrassing, ehe?? I won beam at a meet at SEMO once... it was my junior year. I have a wee little trophy somewhere. Quite a statement of their athletic prowress. Woo pig.

Tootles, E

Mable and Ethan are becoming best friends. Mable needed one. They have many-a-moment through the glass. He can't get Mable out yet, but "DO!" is obviously for her.





















Ethan and Shaun had a boys' weekend while I went away for some much needed R&R. They put on Nikes to go to the park, bought a spiderman couch (fold-outable!) and sustained themselves on chocolate ice cream, pudding, football, and The Empire Strikes Back. I hear there was a tent in the living room, but that's the only info they are divulging. Everyone had all appendages attached when I got home and I did get the "I sure am tired" that I was looking for. I slept until 11 and 9 on respective weekend mornings, and missed my boys dearly. It was also nice that they wanted me to come back home. Shaun thought he had the flu when I got home, but I assured him thats just what you feel like after a weekend alone with Ethan. Apparently, my pictures are in no particular order, as I have lost the ability to move them once they are posted. Grrrrrrrrrrrrr. Ethan is itching to walk, but needs a partner...he loves his books and can point out duck and ball and dog and we think can say the first syllable accordingly. I'm not ready to shout out that HE SPEAKS!, but we're getting close. He can wave bye-bye but doesn't know what it means, and he's LOTS better at "dad" than "mama." Ethan's asleep, Shaun is bowling... I think I'll hit the treadmill.
By the way, OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Julien Alexander Vinet, probobly the best friend that Ethan will ever have, is scheduled to arrive on the 11th... that's tomorrow. His parents Robert and Angela (Bert and GiGi to Ethan) are already at the hospital. WE CAN'T WAIT!! I'll post a pic when I get one. :) E

Hey everyone. We had a great time in Kansas City at the Chief's game. We ate too much, drank too much, gambled too much and generally acted like fools. We needed it. Ethan stayed home with Nana and PawPaw and had a rockin' time as well.

He got to get in the trunk to help PawPaw fix Nana's tail light.

Paw Paw got all tuckered out...


We got a flu shot today and a check-up on his ears. All is fine.. but they gave me a just in case Rx for Amoxicyllin. Nice.

Talk later! E

For reasons unknown, the computer won't let me post any more pictures right now. I'll try again on Sunday, as I must prepare for MY FIRTS BIG WEEKEND WITHOUT ETHAN!!! Nana is here, PawPaw is on his way, and we are going to KC.


Updates soon. :) E

Chicken Torture. I was so sure the chicken suit was going to fit. The pants are OK, but you really don't get the effect of the fluffy chicken suit if you can't velcro it shut. Dang.





























Loves his new golf club from Eli. Swings it, bangs it, crawls with it, licks it, loves it.














Doggy guards. The only time they are calm in the house is when Ethan is on the floor with them. They are very protective... very careful... hover...they stay very close to the ground... heads down. What does that mean, Ceasar?? Are they sizing him up to bite his head off or do they respect him as junior pack leader?

Milestone! He can pull up to stand. He figured it out in the bathtub.


It's our stay-at-home Friday. We watched Sesame Street, shared some oats, read some books. Fun fun.


Talk soon! E