First Friends

All summer long, Olivia and Noema, her slightly younger friend (by three months), have been enjoying two multi-hour play dates a week while each of their two mommies has been working, reading, resting, dancing . . . and now they are best friends! They share blankies! They hug heads! They practice "gentle!
(They're still working on that one though.)

Cash wraps + "HI-EEE!"

Olivia's longest focus time involves emptying coin wraps from a root beer mug. I'm sure that that activity doesn't sound at all exciting to watch (especially in two videos: Coin Wrap I and Coin Wrap, The Sequel), but there is something mystical, almost Zen, about her concentration. That is, until she notes the arrival of a new spectator, at which point her concentration breaks into her exuberant greeting. (She says "HI-EE!" to everything from cats to plants to doll babies. Today, I'm pretty sure that she said "HI-EEE, Tee-tee!" while eating rice and strawberries. Translation: "How-de-do, there, kittycat?")

Cousin Cameryn: Olivia's Idol

Olivia loves her older cousin Cameryn. They read books together past both their bedtimes, Olivia explores the inside of Cameryn's mouth and then feeds her Kix . . . and what's not to love? Cameryn does a mean Hannah Montana onstage number, complete with microphone switch-hand tricks and bending to sing to her fawning audience members. That's advanced for Olivia, but I'm sure that she's working on it in her crib at night. Pretty soon they'll BOTH be singing to crowds and posing for Vanity Fair.