Uncle Juju's Visit to Florence

Uncle Justin was able to get some trips that have overnights in Florence!!! His first visit was last weekend, from Friday to Sunday evening, when we took him to his hotel. He had a very early showing on Monday morning, so he figured it would be easier to just stay at the crew hotel.

We had a great time visiting and getting to know each other again. It's been a little while since we saw each other last, so it took me some time to warm up to him. He is a little scary when he whistles, but otherwise, he's pretty cool. I'm really looking forward to the next time he visits, in just over a week!

Trying on Uncle Juju's headset

AW25 9er, coming in on final approach...yeah I'm pretty good

You talk into it like this guys

Enjoying a night out

Recovering after a night out

Lunch at Apple Annie's :)

I'm a swimmer!

As I said in previous posts, I've been working hard on my swimming technique. Well, I'm amazing (as you all know) and I've figured it out! Mommy and Daddy have been taking me to the pool a lot lately and the other day, I figured out that when I splash with my arms AND legs, it's just like swimming. Watch out Michael Phelps, Elijah Bowerman is coming!

Now I'm really ONE!

I finally had my REAL 1st birthday!!!!! Although I've had two birthday parties already, Daddy and Mommy planned something small for just the three of us. Mommy found individual ice cream cupcakes and I wore my BIRTHDAY BOY shirt. We had a lot of fun and I really enjoyed playing in my ice cream cupcake. Happy REAL 1st Birthday, FINALLY.

Check out these chompers!

Although I am lacking a large number of posts since E-bug's birthday party, I wanted to post this very recent photo of his teeth! In the 10 days Matt was already in South Carolina, E-bug managed to have 4 teeth erupt! Oh yeah, talk about sleepless nights! Thank goodness, the whole top 4 are in and he has 3 on the bottom. Maybe we'll get a month break before the K-9s start pushing through. I've heard they're pretty rough.

Happenings in Florence

We've been doing all sorts of fun things since we've been in our new town. I think I really like it here, and I love that we're in the apartment because the kitties don't have very many places to hide. I know right where to find them and I'm a fast crawler, so I can catch up to them much easier now. I also got two new toys since we arrived, since most of my toys are in storage until we find a home. One of the toys is a big wooden box with activities on the side and top. I do a good job opening and closing the little doors on one side and I'm working on spinning the alphabet blocks. I also got my first drum set and, well, I'm awesome.

Lately, to keep busy and entertained, Mom has been taking me to Ebeneezer Park, the Rail Trail (a running/walking/bicycling trail), Barnes and Noble to read together and Mom and Dad even took me to my first air show. It was so much fun, despite not getting to see any planes fly. I guess they didn't take off until late afternoon, after I had gone down for my afternoon nap. Oh well, we'll catch them next time. We've also been hanging out with the Hanners Family, especially since their son Eli is only 5 or 6 months younger than me. I enjoy trying to teach him some of the things I know. In addition to all of these fun activities, we've also been going to the pet store to see the fish, birds and kitties just for fun.

On the weekends, we spend a lot of time in the pool and I'm really getting the hang of this swimming thing. I'm pretty sure that I'm doing a great job and with some more practice, I should be able to do it on my own someday. I'm definitely a water baby and I'm not afraid to blow bubbles in it!

At the Hanners home

Not a great picture of Mommy, but I was really enjoying their pool!

Daddy's little man at the air show

Reading date at Barnes and Noble

At Ebeneezer Park with Daddy

I really love to swing

I love working on complicated math problems

I'm pretty cool...kind of a big deal really

Go deeper Daddy!!!

Checking out the birds! I love the pet store.

Working on my lacrosse skills with Daddy

Our Journey to SC (cont)

So our long journey to South Carolina began well before 4:00 a.m., so Elijah and I were exhausted when we landed in Columbia. Matt was waiting for us outside security and Elijah was jumping in the stroller to get to him. It was so exciting, exhausting and such a relief to arrive safely. At least Elijah was able to nap on the 1hr 30min ride to Florence.

Out cold with his Mickey blanket

So glad to see Daddy and be in our temporary home

Our Journey to SC

Elijah and I made the long trip to South Carolina this morning. We've been packing the house for the last several days and since we had nothing left, we stayed with the Dearmon Family last night. Brandi picked us up in our empty home and took us into hers for the evening. It was so fun getting to spend time with them on our last Oklahoma night. Elijah was having a hard time, understandably so, but he really enjoyed hanging out with Bella and his girlfriend, Maci. He is definitely going to miss those beautiful girls. We've been so blessed to have so many wonderfully amazing friends/families to share these past years with in Lawton. Despite it not being a great town, we have been blessed in friendships.

A special thanks to the Dearmon Family for taking us in, getting up at 4:00 a.m. to take us to the airport, getting out in the rain to help unload our 5 or 6 pieces of luggage and carry-on, and for keeping it together so I didn't sob in the middle of the airport. We love you all so very much and look forward to the next time we see one another.

The Long Ride

As many of you know, Matt made the cross country journey to South Carolina with both of the kitties. In the past, I drove with the kitties while they were WIDE AWAKE. This was no fun for any of us, so in an effort to make things easier for all parties involved, I obtained sedatives for the kitties. On May 1st, we loaded the Volvo, drugged the cats and Matt began the 22 hour journey to South Carolina. He stopped off in Dallas, TX to pick up my brother, Justin, for company and help. The hilarity of the pictures falls short of the actual stories they told after their long journey. At least they all survived, and Dugal isn't showing any signs of brain damage.

Maggie's eyes BARELY open

I guess maybe she needed help holding her head up

Last local TX visit

This weekend was our last driving-distance-Texas-Visit. It was so much fun to see Grandpa and Grandma , Uncle Andy and Abby Dog. I really enjoy spending time with everyone and LOVE the attention! Grandma and I played in the grass and blew bubbles as soon as we arrived. And later, I got to go on a golf cart ride with Grandpa and Daddy! I really can't wait until we visit again, or when Grandpa and Grandma come to visit us in South Carolina!

Blowing bubbles with Grandma and Daddy

Great picture, minus my closed eyes

My awesome pool plane! 

Grandma and me

Enjoying the water.

My birthday clown ice cream cone

UGH I'm so stuffed!

Happy Happy Birthday boy!

Golf cart lesson #1. Don't let go of the wheel.

Lesson #2, turn it this way and that.

Overdue Birthday Pics

Well everyone, as  you all may know, we've been in the process of moving to South Carolina. Hopefully that is a sufficient excuse as to why I am so terribly behind on Elijah's blog posts. Unfortunately, when the movers packed up our house, they packed away my camera cables in the mix, so I have no way to download pics from my camera. I'll try to get the recent pics from Matt's phone, but bear with me.

As promised (WEEKS AGO), here are the pictures from Elijah's 1st Birthday! We had it on the 21st of April so we could invite all of his Oklahoma friends to the party. We knew we would be living in South Carolina by his actual birthday, so we had no choice. It was great though and we really enjoyed everyones' company. The kids were great and got along so well! It helps that most of them knew one another already, and those that didn't fit in quite well since they were almost all girls! Elijah is such a ladies baby.

A special thanks to Brandi Dearmon, my very wonderful friend, who took some really fantastic photos with her high speed camera and then burned them on a disc for me. Without her, you all would have to wait until late June, when we move into our home and I find my cables, to see the pics I have on my camera. Thank you Brandi. You are such an amazing friend! xoxo

The set-up

The get-up

Elijah's ONE (almost)

Maci (Elijah's girlfriend) and Elijah checking out his new ride

Ms. Maci, Brandi's daughter, who is only 2.5 months older than Elijah

Owen, Elijah's brother from his Godmother :)

All the Mamas (from left: Baylee with Owen, Brandi with Maci,  Me with Elijah and Helen)

Bella (Brandi's 5 yr old daughter) and Jocelyn (Helen's 3 yr old daughter...or almost 3)

Cake time!

Thinking but not too sure about this cake stuff

Red in the face....not happy about the cake stuff being stuck to him

After emergency bath time....Present Time!

Sharing toys with his girlfriend