Terrific Twos!

We know it's been an ungodly long time since we posted, so to reward all of you who have been patiently waiting, we have provided many pictures of what Oliver's been up to the last few months. Not only has Oliver explored lots of new activities but he also hit another milestone....turning the big 2! We like to think of the next year as his terrific twos instead of the more common saying because Oliver is just terrific...well, at least we think he is. Enjoy!

Ollie had lots of practice swimming this summer. Every time he got in the water he became more brave and explored new techniques. While at Grandma and Grandpa's house he tried out their mini boogie board. I think he liked it!
Oliver also has had the privilege of receiving swimming lessons for his birthday from Grandma and Grandpa. He's really doing well and refining his swimming skills. He even goes under water now!
In August, Oliver started at a new school. It's a lot closer to home and the environment is great. He really loves pointing out all the different things he sees as he walks down the hallways of the school when I pick him up. He seems to be blossoming with knowledge every week and it's pure joy to watch him learn and grow.
Oliver has also really developed a love for spiders....big and small. Here is a funny picture of him the day he made me purchase a Halloween spider for him to cuddle with. Mind you, this was not a soft and cuddly spider but he insisted on sleeping with it nonetheless. This is what our little Entomologist looks like through the lens of his baby monitor.

To celebrate Oliver's 2nd birthday we went with an outdoor party at our house. Just a small gathering of friends and family and a little pizza and cake. Really, what more could a two year old ask for? We can't believe two years have passed by but we are trying to savor every single moment that passes because we know that before we can blink our eyes he will be all grown up.
The end of summer/beginning of fall just wouldn't be complete without football! Oliver really loves attending his Mommy's football games and on this day he even got to play with Aliza a little. What a cute little pair they make!
Oliver also tried his hand at some sushi (really a California roll) and chopsticks. Her definitely does not lack dexterity.
Next on the list of new experiences to check off was a travel adventure. This October we all ventured to Chicago so I could indulge in the craziness that is marathon running. Oliver was an excellent traveler. He enjoyed the plane rides and got better and better each time (we took a total of 4 planes on this trip).
Once in Chicago, Oliver really loved exploring this new and beautiful city. We rode a bus, a boat and a train. I'm pretty confident his favorite was the bus ride since every time a bus drove by he yelled out "bus!" and demanded that go on it.
We took Oliver to see several of Chicago's famous sightseeing points including the Sears Tower, the Grant Park Fountain and The Bean at Millennium park.
I'm pretty sure Oliver enjoyed this lollipop more than the view from the Sears Tower.
After I finally completed the marathon, Oliver showed me the proper way to stretch. Very good technique if you ask me.
After a few days in Chicago, we headed further north to visit Jennifer's Grandmother in Houghton Lake, MI. There, Oliver got his first taste of playing in fall leaves.
Oliver loved meeting his only Great Grandma and found that she was really a lot of fun.
While in Michigan, we drove even further north to visit the Mackinac Bridge. It's the 11th longest suspension bridge in the world! We drove over it and into the U.P. (upper peninsula) thus becoming an official Yooper. We also had to stop at a playground and christen the area with Oliver's awesomeness.
And this brings us to fall...yes, fall is officially in full swing when you go pumpkin picking. This was Oliver's first time and he really loved selecting his very own pumpkins.
You know pumpkin picking has been a success when your two year old asks to take his pacifierless (that's right, the pacifier is officially gone!) nap with the very pumpkins he picked, along with his football and gold slippers of course.