"I'm a real boy!"

I keep hearing those words of Pinocchio playing over and over in my head when I look at Oliver...  He truly is no longer a baby or even a toddler, really.  He is a little boy.  Crazy.

This summer was filled with activity.  Playing in the rain:

Dressing up:

Getting free food at Chickfila:

Acting cool:

Talking to Momma Joy and Pop on Skype:

Swimming  (and sporting the goggles in the house):

Going to the zoo:

Where he also played at the splash pad with his friend, Caden:

How cute are they?!?!

We visited Chickfila a few times (to say the least) when trying to find an indoor place to play...  One time Oliver put on some girls pink and white sparkly crocs and climbed into the playplace with them.  Me, being the responsible mother that I am, took a picture and laughed. ;)

In my defense, I did make sure the girl could find her shoes later.  We also spent some time at the Children's Museum, another great place to beat the heat.  It was especially fun when Oli's cousin Leighton joined us:

Oliver even dressed as a policeman that day:

All this activity wore him out from time to time:

But he was always ready to go again.  Although Elliot is the baby in the house, Oliver is one with all the "firsts" this summer...  We left him with the grandparents for the first time.  For 10 days.  Talk about trial by fire.  But he was awesome.  He also had his first Rice Football Game:

And his first big boy bed (and yes, he was actually asleep when I took this picture):

One thing has certainly been confirmed: Oliver is Mr. Social.  He would play with friends every second of every day if he could.  And everyone under the age of 12 is his friend.  He regularly asks me, "Mommy, what that friend's name?" as we pass people in the grocery store or anywhere else, for that matter.  Because he's Mr. Social, he LOVES his Mother's Day Out.  And here is his first day at his new school:

SO grown up!  Best part of all, he's still the same "silly Oli" (as he calls himself), and I love him!