lookin' good

How ridiculous are these glasses?

I LOVE IT!

XOXO,

Mama T

hose me down

Texas heat just plain stinks. Summer activity options include pool, baby pool, pool, children’s museum, pool and pool. The list recently included shopping, but I have been banned from the mall (sorry Mike).

Anyone recognize the common theme here?? POOL… and alot of it. By the way, the person who invented the baby pool should be given the noble piece prize.

Pool everyday? Sounds kind of boring right? Not when you get to hang out with this chick!

It never gets old watching her squeal with delight as she splashes in the water.

And let me tell you folks… she has got the best bikini bod that I have seen in a long time. How can you resist these thighs?

She loves the water, and that is a good thing because it is the usual activity around these parts. She kicks, she splashes, she jumps, she blows bubbles and she drinks pool water. How great is that?

And wait for it… she will go underwater like it is her job. No tantrums, no crying, no choking, just smiles.

So if you can’t change it, the relish in it. Here’s to the 2,873 day of 100+ degree heat.

Molotov!

XOXO,

MamaT

what happened to my 3 week old baby?

Olivia is changing every day…. E.V.E.R.Y. day. I always thought parents were exaggerating when they boastfully told stories of how their son says a new word daily or how their daughter’s hair got curlier by the day. But you know what… now I am a believer.

Just when I think she can’t get any sweeter, she gives me 8 unsolicited hugs in a row.

Just when I think her hair can’t get any curlier, I find myself untangling a bigger mess than the day before.

Just when I think she can’t get any cuter, she flashes me that tooth-full grin.

Just when I think she can’t possibly say another new word, she shyly replies “meoooow” when I ask her what a cat says.

Just when I think she can’t get any smarter, she puts ALL of the shapes back in the appropriate spot on her Melissa and Doug puzzle.

Just when I think I cannot possibly chase her any longer, I find myself playing a hysterical game of hide-n-seek with her.

Just when I think she cannot eat anymore, she eats another whole banana, 4 strawberries, 12 blueberries and a biscuit.

Just when I think she doesn’t need me anymore, she buries her head into my shoulder and sweetly begins to rub my arm.

Just when I think I cannot say “no” another time, I find her peeking at me under the table as her little outstretched arm reaches for the wine glasses… again.

Just when I think I cannot possibly love her more, I do.

Simply amazing.

XOXO,

MamaT

family

Some of the most important people in one’s life and this past weekend really brought that home for me.

We escaped to Baltimore of the 4^th of July weekend for a family reunion and let’s just say it was exactly what the doctor ordered.

Tales of our familys’ beginning shared over a beer.

Looking at old pictures and hearing about the good ol’ days.

Visiting my grandmother’s resting place… with three generations of love to celebrate her life.

This woman especially (Aunt Betty). I can only hope I am half the firecracker when I am 84 years old. She is precious.

Crab… and lots of it. Now if you never have had Baltimore blue crab, you MUST add that to your bucket list.

My family fawning over my beautiful girl and hearing about how my mom and I are just like her. We could only be so lucky!

Caymden fields. My husband was practically drooling over the stadium from the plane. And I was drooling over the thought of a chili cheese dog.

This man… my Uncle Robert. I felt like a kid wrought with excitement during a bedtime story. This man remembers EVERYTHING and he can definitely entertain.

The swingset. My 9 year old mother went there to fight a girl in her class. Now that, my friends, is what you get growing up in ghetto Baltimore.

Plastic cups... happy baby equals happy mama.

the not so nice

Being chased down by THREE rabid rottweiler horses as I was attempting to document the place of my mother’s youth. Hope you appreciate the picture mom!

The Baltimore Aquarium. Which I am sure would have been absolutely lovely if there were not millions of UNsupervised kids on a field trip. Olivia’s face pretty much sums up the experience.

Our 11 hour trip home. I am working on my letter to American Airlines as we speak, and let me tell you…it ain’t pretty.

Just another chapter in the Busby family book of life.

Love and fireworks… now that is a great weekend.

Someone was feeling a bit crabby that day.

XOXO,

Mama T

EE-AH

Probably the best part of my birthday (week)… my baby girl saying her name for the first time!

Well, something that resembles her name. She screamed these sweet words as she was being wisked away/kidnapped to Houston. My mom was making one last valiant attempt to prevent an epic meltdown in the backseat so she pulled the trump card and put Olivia on the DVD player. Just as that lifesaving pig was breaking into a song, singing her praises, it happened…. “EE-AH, EE-AH”

Now, I will not let this sassy pink pig take all of the credit. After all, Mike and I must say her name 5,000,000 times a day (at the very least). Her name is the root of this “awesome” game she L.O.V.E.S. to play. She will point to herself (incessantly) until you acknowledge her gesture with “Olivia” and then she will point to something that she would like you to name. This will sometimes throw me off my game, as she will point to things like Chinese paper lanterns, construction lift, kiosk, and orangutan to name a few.

Birthday week

A close second to Olivia’s monumental gift was a memento from my Mom, mourning the loss of my childhood.

A photobook…. Detailing every horrible neon outfit, chili-bowl haircut complete with ginormous bifocal glasses and photo that Mike likes to call Joe Dirt (use your imagination).

But I LOVE IT! It was wonderful to sit with family and friends, over a couple bottles of wine, and reminisce over fun childhood memories. Oh, and complete all of the cooking I once again promised to do. Remember that village? Yeah, they bailed me out again.

We then headed out to a lake house for what I like to call… my perfect date. Family, friends, lake, boat, games, beer, bar-b-que, and dominos… and lots of it! It was a damn good time and was even coined on Facebook as “dominate”. I like it.

evidence...

family

friends

besties

baby besties

bar-b-que

mimosas (need I say more)

pool parties

bones...obviously winners

pigtails

sandals

snuggles

hammocks

and a weekend wouldn't be complete without a little of this...

can't blame her. I cried too as we were leaving.

Finished off with a lovely family date at Billy’s Brew and Que for some good ol’ air-conditioned fun. Basically, we were baked lobsters and the thought of any more sun by Sunday sounded ludicrous.

Next, a little slice of heaven… baby being spoiled by GiGi and PawaPaw and Mama being spoiled by Dada. We stole off to Fredricksburg for a night full of wine, food and other unmentionables… mostly sleep.

Yep, celebrating 30 turned out to be just as awesome as I feared it wouldn’t be. I am the luckiest (and oldest) girl in the world!!!

XOXO,

Mama T