30A

Last Saturday, my family traveled to the beaches of 30A to have one last vacation before Summer ended.  It was our first time as a family to go to 30A.  

We loved it!  

Since my car needed 3 new tires and a new battery, Brad decided to use his Hertz points and rent us a mini-van for the trip.  Emily rode with us to the beach so it gave us plenty of room for the 4 of us to travel.  Plus, it came with all the bells and whistles including a DVD player!  My Mom has driven a mini-van for many, many years and Annie loves her car!  So, Annie was thrilled to be in our own mini-van this trip!  She called it the "mini-car" or the "mini mini!"  We laughed so hard!  It seriously is such a nice car since it offers so much room and has automatic sliding doors and lots of nice features.  We are all sold on the functionality and comfort of it!  

There may be a "mini-car" in the Oser's future!

As soon as we got to our house which was just down the street from Rosemary Beach, we hit the beach for the late afternoon.  It was a gorgeous afternoon with almost no one on the beach!   We did not know how nice this was until the next day when we went to the beach and there were about 1 million people in Seacrest.  Seriously, we could not move.  It was miserable and shocking and overwhelming.  We packed up quickly and did not return to the beach until late the next afternoon.  We were a bit scarred.  

Aunt Izzy looking gorgeous with Annie on the beach!

I love this one of us even though it is not great light.  

One thing that was really different about this beach trip versus our typical beach trip to Gulf Shores was the bike riding.  Dad rented a bike for everyone including a bike seat for Annie!  We absolutely loved getting to ride bikes for something different!  Since we were so close to Rosemary, we rode up and down 30A and all around Rosemary! It was beautiful and so much fun!

This was Annie's first time riding on a bike and she LOVED it!  She couldn't get enough!

Besides bike riding, we did a lot of swimming in our own private pool that came with our house!  Also, unlike our usual condo stay in Gulf Shores, we loved having a big house all to ourselves with plenty of space for everyone and the private pool!  

Gaga encouraged Annie to do some skinny dipping and she loved it! 

 I am sure it felt so good to be without a diaper!

Annie LOVES her Gaga and talks about her all the time!  I love it!

Mom says that she has never been so popular!! :)

It was a very low-key trip and we all loved being together one last time before the summer ended!  Annie even did "Uncle" and Alex's hair!!!  They are great sports!  

Brad and Alex rode to the Doughnut truck at Alys beach and got us some yummy doughnuts!

We took one last bike ride before heading home on Wednesday.  Unfortunately, it was a short trip that left us all wanting more.  We can't wait to go back!

Riding bikes seems to be something that I can actually do with my boot on.  

I am so tired of this boot (and stress fracture) and ready for it to GO!

I love this one of all of us (except Dad)!  Don't miss Annie on the back of my bike!

Unfortunately, he had a business trip that required him to leave Monday afternoon.  We are thankful for all of his hard work so that we can enjoy nice vacations!

Annie loved "riding" this little bike with training wheels!

Our little family!  I love Annie's shades on top of her head just like Mama! 

Elizabeth and Alex!   We are so sad that they are heading back to Lexington for their second year of law school.  We loved having them around all summer and will miss them so much!

I love this one of the sisters plus Annie!  

Annie is acting just like one of the "big girls" these days and it is so much fun!

Love!

Jeffrey and the girls! He is taller than all of us now! 

On our way back to Birmingham, we made a detour through Montgomery to meet these new babies!  Leslie had twins Graeme (L) and Bo (R) on August 9th!  They are two of the most beautiful babies that I have ever seen and it was a treat to see them and their mama and daddy!

Twins holding twins!

After a long trip home, we were ready to be home but so sad that our trip was over.  I am always so sad for the summer to end and school to start.  I love the long, unscheduled nights of summer!  I am especially sad this summer since Annie starts 2 year old pre-school after Labor Day.  

I am not ready at all :( and not one hundred percent committed to the idea yet.

Annie is 2!!

Annie turned 2 on July 28th and we had such a fun, fun day celebrating!!!  

Unfortunately, the first half of the day was one of Annie's worst days (of her entire life).  She was so fussy and so fragile and cried so much and it was so hard to get her down for a nap.  It was so unlike her sweet, happy self.  It was also very frustrating because Brad and I were trying to decorate and get everything ready for her party.   Thankfully, she woke up after her nap in a great mood and was the happiest birthday girl!!  Monday, after her party, I realized that one of her 2 year molars was just barely showing through so that was definitely the reason for all of her fussiness.  Poor punkin! 

To celebrate, we hosted both of our families and 3 of our / Annie's sweet friends at our house for BBQ and backyard fun!  Although it is a lot of work to have a dinner birthday party like we did last year and this year, I just love the feel of a summer evening party where everyone can stay as long as they want!!  

I wanted this years party to be easy and low key since we spent a lot of time making bunting and hand-painting invitations last year.  So, we reused all of our bunting and sent an email as our invitation.  It was so nice!  Also, instead of grilling out ourselves, we picked up Full Moon BBQ for everyone.  I made potato salad and Kraft macaroni and cheese for the kids and Mom made her yummy baked beans.  We also had watermelon, strawberries, and blueberries!  

Annie started telling us what she wanted for her birthday about 3 weeks before the big day!  She was very specific and never wavered in what she wanted!   She told us that she wanted pie, and when asked, she specified chocolate pie and not cake!  She also wanted to wear a birthday hat!  Only thing I can figure is that she saw a picture of herself from last year's party with a hat on so she wanted it again!  And finally, she said she wanted a new baby doll.  She clarified that she wanted a new one that we had to "buy."  I felt like she was all grown-up telling me and everyone else exactly what she wanted! 

Family and friends came over at 5:00 on Sunday evening, July 28th!   

Sabrina, Lynlee, Annie, & Emily

Same picture with me instead of Emily!

Daddy and Annie!  

We had to wake Annie up from her late nap since it took so long to get her to sleep so she is still a little sleepy in these pictures!

Charlotte or "Char Char" as Annie calls her came!  She lives right next door and is only 3 1/2 months younger than Annie.  They have so much fun together and we are thankful for such great neighbors!

Once everyone arrived, we started off with opening presents so that all the kiddos would have plenty to play with!  Annie sat like a big girl in her chair and was so excited with each present.  She kept saying "out" for every present because she wanted them all the way out of the package and ready to play with immediately.  She did not understand that we needed to open all of them at once and then play.

Brad and I originally got her a Pottery Barn play cottage.  We bought it from a neighbor who had barely used it.  We ended up giving it to her early because it is huge and we had no where to hide it from her!  She has enjoyed it, but I am not sure we will keep it.  It is just SO big.  

Also, right after we bought it is when she started telling us she wanted a new baby.  So, below she is opening her new baby doll.

Brad and JoJo!

New books from Rollins!

I love this cheesy, fake smile with her new princess hair accessories kit!   

We have had so much fun with this toy!

Emmie got her a new baby doll and bath set!  It is so much fun to have a baby who can really get wet!

JoJo and Grandpa got Annie this adorable pink retro kitchen!  

Brad and I had the pleasure of putting it together for 4 hours!!!  Insane!

Taylor and Nicole or "Cole" as Annie calls her got all the accessories for her kitchen - pots & pans, oven mit, slice and bake cookies with baking sheet, and a stand-up mixer!  She has loved playing in the kitchen and cooking yummy things for us!

After presents, we all had dinner and a little play time!   We pulled out all of our toys plus the new ones.  The roller coaster was a huge hit!  I loved spending time in our backyard and it was thankfully shaded in the late afternoon!

After dinner, we had pie!  Mom and Dad generously bought the Johnny Rays pies for us!   We had chocolate and lemon ice box.  I think everyone loved them and agreed that Annie made an excellent choice in pie over cake!

Annie did not mind one bit being the center of attention!  When we started singing "Happy Birthday" she broke out into a big smile!  She looks so sweet and beautiful in these pictures!  I love that we are holding hands too!

I wasn't sure how to decorate a pie so after a little google search I had this idea to match the rest of the fabric bunting with mini bunting strung together between two straws.  It was fast and easy to make and I love how it turned out!

Not great of me talking, but I love this one of Brad and Annie!

Annie knew just how to blow out her candle and got it the first time!  

I told her only once the day before that we would do this and she did it!  So big!

Love this shot!

We didn't catch her smiling but still a few sweet family shots!

Annie sat and ate her entire piece of pie!  

She really did know exactly what she wanted and was so happy with it!

Papa and Annie!

Aunt Izzy and Uncle Alex!

Grandpa and JoJo!

Grandma came too!

After pie, it was all play!   

As (almost ) always, Annie took such sweet care of her baby doll!  Here she is swaying and bouncing her to sleep!  Mom and Dad and Uncle Jeffrey got her a baby doll bed plus bedding.  Also, in the pictures above, you can see the new yellow dress that Mom made for Annie's baby doll! It matches one of Annie's dresses exactly!  What a special gift!

I am SO sad that I forgot to get a picture of all 3 of Annie's friends with her before Charlotte left.   They were all so cute and sweet!  Here is a little video I took with Rollins, Annie, and Lynlee!  I love Rollins enthusiasm and Annie jumping up and down!

A big birthday hug from Rollins!

Annie got to hold the real baby - baby Franklin!!  

She loves babies and always asks to hold them when they are around!

Aunt Izzy and Uncle Alex got Annie her first t-ball set! 

 It was such a good gift and the kids had fun swinging the bat and hitting the ball! 

Annie started running the bases and then just kept on going!!

Sisters!

I love these of Uncle Jeffrey and Annie!  She has started calling him "Uncle" because I think its what she can say best rather than Jeffrey!  I LOVE it and it makes us laugh!  

She thinks he is so cool and he is so sweet to her!

Annie loves to take pictures! I love this shot that Kat took of her using my big camera!

She is really good too ;)  This hysterical picture is her handiwork!

Brothers from another mother as they like to say!  

Jeffrey worked hard to create this bubble fire!

Uncle Alex pushing Annie in her baby doll stroller! She loves to do this!

And, Jeffrey helping her on the school bus!

Aunt Nicole and Annie! She is 5 months pregnant with cousin Brooklyn!

My baby and me!

I love this big expression that Nicole caught as she was coming down the roller coaster!

The grandmothers enjoying the evening!  

Gaga, JoJo, and Grandma

Aunt Izzy and Annie reading her new books!  

Little Mommy is such a sweet book and has become one of our favorites!

Annie has had so much fun with her new baby and bath set because it has all the same things she has for bath time - soap, loofah, lotion, and a robe!   Annie and her baby have taken a bath together every night since her birthday :)

I love these big smiles from Gaga, Annie, and Papa!

The birthday party was a big success and another day of wonderful memories!  I am thankful for both of our great families and our sweet friends too! I can't wait til next year!!

Thankfully, this year I was not sad that Annie was turning 2 like I was when she turned 1.  When she was turning 1, I was so sad for my baby to grow up.  But, between the ages of 1 and 2 have been so much fun and full of energy, personality, love, and fun that I can't help but be excited about what is in store for this next year!  

At Annie's 2 year check-up, her stats were:

Weight: 28 lbs 4.5 oz 60%

Height: 36" 95%

Head Circumference: 19 1/4"

I knew she was tall because she is taller than every single one of her friends!  If she doubles her two year old height then she might be 6 feet tall.  Wow!  I did measure her at 35 3/4" which would only be 5 feet 11 1/2".  Either way, time will tell just how tall she will be!

We love you Annie!  

We think you are incredibly smart, stunningly beautiful, very observant with a sharp memory like your Daddy, excellent at talking and communicating, very empathetic like your Mommy, funny, strong, very adaptable to any situation, a great eater, almost always happy, an easy baby, and full of love!  You are my "bestest girl" and we are so proud of you and thankful to be your Mommy and Daddy!