Finally a washer

Apparently things don't work as smoothly here as I had expected. I figured things would be more like the US and less like the Middle East. While it is a remarkable improvement, it is still not quite like the good ole USA. We were without a washer for almost a MONTH!!! Our brand new washer that came with the house broke after only 3 loads. As you can imagine, the laundry piled and piled up! I finally called our landlord and told him I couldn't wait on the repairman anymore. He came and brought us a new washer the next day. Thank goodness. Just in time for Mike's family's visit. I think Maya and Tilly miss the huge piles in the basement though.

For those who asked...the name of our blog "ray-babies" was meant to include our fury babies too :)

Birthday Loot

I put most of Olivia's new birthday toys down in the basement now that is is ready to be, at least partly, a playroom. She is loving exploring her new stuff! I LOVE having the basement as one more place to hang out and Olivia loves the carpet down there. Our house has no A/C and it can get a little warm with the west sun flooding in each afternoon and the basement is significantly cooler. I know this won't last...even the floors can be heated down in the basement!!

Figuring out how to use her cool xylophone

New chair from Mike's mom

Houston's Children's Museum

We had a play date with Sophie and Carrie Leedy at the Tot's Spot at the newly renovated Houston Children's Museum. It is fabulous now! The Tot's Spot is perfect for toddlers. I highly recommend it!O and Sophie both in navy and white

Sophie showing off her tummy time skills

True Love

Olivia and her boyfriend, Jake (Maggie and Scott Dunn's little guy) continue their love affair. It was so fun having them in Houston to celebrate Olivia's first birthday! These are from lunch the day after her party on Sunday at El Tiempo.

Switching sippy cups

Here, let me help you

Cute Maggie and Jake

Showing Olivia how to walk

With Uncle Joel

OLIVIA IS ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As I am sure everyone says, I can't believe she is one! Where did the year go?!
We had such a great time at Olivia's First Birthday! Olivia had lots of her friends and family come over and celebrate at Ducky and Pong Pong's house in Houston. Her invitation was pink and green, so we blew up over 200 pink and green balloons and filled the dining room for the party! All of the kids loved the balloons (although the speech therapist in me was a little nervous about the kids playing with the balloons). It was a really fun time! After everyone sang "Happy Birthday", Olivia started smiling, clapping, and saying "yay"!! It was too cute! Surprisingly, Olivia was not the biggest fan of birthday cake. I am sure she will come around though.

For the full set of pictures CLICK HERE

"Today I Eat Cake"

With Great Grandfather Big Jim

Being a little forward with her boyfriend Jake

Houston Birthday Trip

We had always planned on going home for Olivia's first birthday. After the huge delays in obtaining Mike's visa, the trip home turned out to only be 10 days after we moved to Calgary!

On Friday night for Olivia's real birthday and Uncle Matt's birthday, we went to El Patio for dinner. Olivia had her first kid's meal, a grilled cheese sandwich. Like a true Stobaugh child, she LOVED it! Nonna also brought cupcakes to celebrate the birthdays.

Getting ready for yet another plane ride! Olivia loves to play with her passport.

At El Patio with Uncle Matt and Aunt Carrie

It's my birthday!!!!!

First grilled cheese

First cupcake

Playing peek-a-boo with her birthday twin, Uncle Matt

July 24th Babies

Mommy is funny

I have no idea why Olivia thought this was so funny. Her pediatrician keeps asking me if she is putting things, like a ball, into a cup. No way! She only likes to take things out and throw them everywhere. I think the thought of cleaning up or putting things "in" had never occurred to her until she saw me do this. She is now putting things "in"!

Moving Day

Olivia was seriously entertained by watching the movers unload the truck. Moving day happened without incident.

Here is Olivia and Mike having a little lunch buried in moving mess!! Exxon pays for the movers to unpack the boxes. We have never taken advantage of this because we had heard that they just dump it all on the floor. We got their help this time and I am so glad we did. We got them to unpack all of the kitchen, china, crystal, and pictures. It made a huge difference. Just taking things out of boxes takes a lot of time. So Mike and I just organized it after they unpacked. I am loving our new house! All of our stuff from Doha should arrive at the end of August...so we get to have yet another moving day!!!!!!!

4th of July Videos

First morning O said "Doggie", her second word ("Dada" was her first). She is pointing to the miniature dachshund statues in Rockport.





This is hilarious! Playing "Deeky (Aiden's nickname) Toss" in the pool.

Empty Houses are fun!

Once we got the keys to our new house, we went ahead and checked out of the hotel and moved in! We had been preparing for this and over the past few trips up here, Mike brought more and more things so we could stay in the house comfortably until the furniture arrived. On the plus side, empty houses make great play lands (especially when you can only go straight and don't yet know how to get around obstacles)!

2 dogs, a baby and a husband...

ALL in a hotel together!!!!!!!! It wasn't nearly as bad as I feared it would be. The dogs were very well behaved!







Olivia and Maya checking out the sights from the room.

Galveston

Pong Pong (my dad) had a meeting in Galveston last week and so Ducky, Olivia and I tagged along. We had a fun "girl's trip". Olivia discovered Ducky's Blackberry and was sending out some texts! my ancient Sprint phone is not nearly as cool.

Hanging out at the Galvez pool

4th of July

What a fun 4th of July! We went to Rockport for fun times with the entire Stobaugh clan. The 4thof July is a huge holiday for my family and for the ocasion, Olivia had TWO fancy outfits to wear (one of which was purchased before she was even born). Olivia had so much fun playing with her cousins and getting loving from her aunts and uncles (except for Uncle Timmy...Olivia is DEATHLY afraid of him!!).

Cousin's Emery and Delia

Uncle Matt
Aunt Jenny

Outfit Number 2

Aiden and Delia each with their own bag of tortilla chips chillin' in the hammock

Cousin Haylie's new dog, Beau

Swimming with cousins Aiden and Haylie

Reading a magazine with Aunt Heather

Walking with a chair

Happy Canada Day

Olivia and I set out for our daily walk and discovered a bunch of celebrating Canadians. I had forgotten it was Canada day today and the park by our hotel was the spot for massive celebrations. Olivia is really getting into this whole moving to Canada!

Calgary

We have been in Calgary for the past week and I really think we are going to like it here. Of course, we might have a different opinion this winter when it is -30 degrees outside! We are staying in a hotel, which I was really worried about with Olivia. It turns out, there is more to do here than at home! There is a beautiful park not 50 yards from the hotel that has a river with tons of ducks and geese, a playground with infant swings, and even a little splash park. It is so green and beautiful. We have taken long walks each day and Olivia has loved it. The weather is spectacular. Bright and sunny and in the upper 60s/70's during the day.

Calgary is gearing up for their annual rodeo called, "Stampede". It has been interesting watching the city transform for this huge event. It is the largest rodeo in the world, apparently. Here are some things that are now in our hotel lobby.