So much for August.

Aaack! I'm so behind on blog updates. Please forgive me! This month has been a straight sprint from start to finish. I don't even know what I have or haven't shared with you, so sorry if some of this is a repeat.
We'll start with our visitor log for the month of August. In 3 consecutive weekends, we had Grammy & Grandpa -aka "Peeka" Coles come and stay, and then Aunt Meghan came, and then Nana, Pa-Pa & Aunt Jenny came to visit. Whew! There was lots of showing off and ABC singing, and pottying (much to all of our amazement)! Of course, I, being the forgetful mother that I am, did not capture any of these fun moments on camera.
I also had a birthday in the last few weeks. Oliver has been singing "Happy Birthday to Mama" ever since the 18th and I must admit, I dig it. I can definitely get used to getting the birthday treatment from him all year long! :) Okay, okay: He also sings Happy Birthday to his friend Charlie, himself and our dog Preston as well, so I probably shouldn't feel too special.
Other Oliver highlights this month: He had a couple more play dates with friends, watched Daddy play soccer, ate out with the "Big Dinos" at the T-Rex Cafe (2nd time in 2 months), and broke the car door from a little too much enthusiastic pretend driving. Oops!
We are ready for college football to dominate the weekends. Somehow I have to figure out how to make watching a 3 hour game entertaining for a 2 year old....Go Pokes!

Oliver's first self-styled outfit. Yes, those are socks. Orange socks. With sandals.

Life's first challenge (or opportunity?)

Hello!
We are in the midst of the dog days of summer, as you are all experiencing yourselves, no doubt. I am so over seeing triple digit temperatures! Hopefully, if history repeats itself (and the record-setting highs quit. Just quit it already!), our part of Kansas should start to see some cool down at the end of this month. That may just be my wishful thinking. Summer has always been my favorite season - until this year!

We have had many a weekend spent at a pool in Lawrence; either at the massive, outdoor public pool, the outdoor wading pool for little kiddos, or at our good friends the Gudgells' neighborhood pool (a godsend, fo sho). Oliver will be sad when it is too cool for the pool, but hopefully other fun fall activities will make up the gap - let's hope he enjoys watching football half as much as his daddy.

O last weekend at the Lawrence wading pool. That look on his face means he's about to do something he knows he shouldn't!

This past Sunday, we spent the morning at a new outdoor spot. Lake Mary. I didn't know Lawrence had another lake besides Clinton, but turns out they do. And it's purty. The walking trails were a tad, um, under-marked, shall we say, so we ended up taking a MUCH longer hike than we intended. Poor Preston didn't move a muscle the rest of the day! Oliver didn't either. Ha! Yeah right. We're only building up his stamina at this point, I'm convinced. That child doesn't wear out for nothin'!

Lake Mary or Mary's Lake

Great pic!

Preston was camera shy.

Anyways, the title of this week's post relates to the changing of the guard at daycare - Stepping Stones. Oliver's bestest buds are leaving him for bigger and better rooms. Both Charlie Griffith and Mia Kenkel are moving to the "Pre-1" room, which is the start of Stepping Stone's preschool program. Oliver keeps saying he is moving rooms too, but alas, he is not. Not until October at the earliest and then maybe even not until December. I see this as a chance for potty training to really kick into high gear. I tell him that once he learns to go in the potty and keep his underpants dry 100% of the time, he gets to go to Pre-1 too.
So far, this message appears to be falling on deaf ears.
But, at least he will always have playdates to continue to spend some QT with his friends. We had one this past Sunday at Mia's house, and it was a blast to watch the 3 of them play (sometimes not so nicely) together.

I don't at all like hearing the wistful tone that pops up when O speaks of his friends going to Pre-1. I know, I know, I am trying not to be a helicopter parent and just ride out this tough life lesson!