Whew! What a Weekend!

This weekend has FLOWN by! I don't know where the time has gone, but when I look back, we got A LOT done, and that's always a good feeling.

Yesterday we borrowed a friend's pickup and headed down to Grand Island. We had received a coupon for the Home Depot, and we were already planning on remodeling our bathroom this summer, so this was the perfect time to go and get everything. We are also going to replace the flooring in our kitchen/dining room/laundry room, so we went ahead and got that also. After a few dozen calls to my dad and the "Eckhoff Construction Helpline" (my brother-in-law, Neil, has his own construction business and deals with all of this stuff day in and day out), we ended up getting a new toilet, a vanity with a sink/countertop, faucets for both the tub and sink, mirror for above the sink, porcelin tile, and laminate hardwood floors for the kitchen. We'll get a new tub later - my dad is going to come out and help with the installation, so we will wait a bit for that. Throughout the whole thing, Alex was a champ! I was a little worried about how he'd handle being in the same place for that long (4 hours total), but he was awesome! We went to get him some ice cream afterwards for being such a good boy. Before we went to the Home Depot, the boys both needed haircuts. Andy went in first (Alex was sleeping in the pickup, so he and I waited as Andy got his trim), and then it was Alex's turn. There really isn't too much of a difference, but his neck needed a trim badly, as well as around his ears. She took a little off of the top, but it's not terribly noticeable. She was great, she had a lot of toys, and Alex sat on my lap. There were a little tears towards the end, but he survived.

Today Alex came in and woke us up. I was asleep, and had a feeling like I was being watched (anyone else have that feeling??). I opened my eyes, and there was my little man! I'm glad we keep the baby gate up all the time now, as he's figured out how to get himself out of bed.

We then began on some "house things" that needed done. It had been a while since we had washed the windows and cleaned out the ledges, so we got that done. My goal was to hang laundry out on the line, but the wind thought otherwise. So much for "going green" today! We did get all of the laundry done, then it was to the outdoors! We had to trim a few bushes out front, remove a tree that didn't make it though the last snowstrom, fertilize the lawn, and begin with the grass seed in the backyard over the parts that weeds tend to try to overtake. I have to exhale just thinking about all of it! Andy also had baseball practice with a bunch of TIRED guys - they had prom last night - but practice wasn't until 3, so they should have been able to catch up! Oh, well. Games start next month, and then the summer flies by!

Well, enough of my rambling, here are the pictures and a couple of videos of the little guy.

His "fort" in the corner of the living room - he seemed to be very fascinated by the nail holes in the baseboard......(notice the NASCAR shirt - I know there's no race today - except Nationwide - but it was a good day for it anyway!)

This was last night - we had bought a few boxes of diapers and wipes at Sam's Club, and Alex LOVED playing on them - there is also a video of this....

This was today at lunch. We had sandwiches with the works - VERY yummy! Alex loved the veggies, including a few new ones! He had green peppers, tomatoes, avacados, fresh spinach, cheese, summer sausage, Sun Chips, and BLACK OLIVES! I have been trying to teach him the "fun way" to eat his olives, and he got it this time!! :) It's still a little hard to get just that one finger through, so he still pinches a few to get them up, but he was doing it quite a bit!! :)

Have a GREAT week everyone! :)

Pictures!

Hello all - it's the "less funny" of the Bowin pair out here in Central Nebraska. Don't worry - no need for seat belts, as you won't be rolling out of your chairs laughing. :)

I have a few pictures that we have taken the past couple of days - and thought that most of you would like to see them. Here's Alex as I found him a few days ago when I went in to get his clothes ready for the day. This is his Daddy's favorite sleeping position, too. (Hmmm....psychology buffs out there - are sleeping positions inherited?!?!!!)

And here are a few pictures to go along with Andy's post from last night. 5 seconds before this shot was taken (because that's how long my camera phone actually takes to shoot the picture), Alex was turned around and pointing to the moose saying the "Mmmmmm......." It really is quite big - it's nostrils are HUGE - and they still look wet! It's a little disturbing as you are trying to eat - so I sat with my back to the moose. Anyway, here's Alex who is trying to get the phone......(good thing it took that long to take the picture - any more time and you would have had a shot of ALEX'S nostrils!!)

And a "close-up" of the moose. Enjoy.

















So that's our lives for the past week - not much, because not a whole lot has happened. Next week I have my 3-month checkup (yay for the end of the first trimester!) and Alex has his 18-month checkup. Blood draw for me, shots for him - we will be so very chipper for Andy the rest of the evening! :)

Have a great Friday everyone!! :)

200!

According to the "Acta Ticker", we have 200 days left!


Tonight's post is a true rarity. We have blogged, posted, and entertained you for 170+ posts by now, and this is Andy's very first time blogging. Hope you all enjoy.


We know its been a while since we posted, so we thought we'd drop you a quick update.


Everyone is healthy. Christine got over her pneumonia, Alex is doing well, and I'm doing alright as well. I can tell the plants are starting to grow now, because my eyes are itchy, my throat is scratchy, and my sinuses are filling up. Plus, the plants turn green when they are growing. Its a dead giveaway. But enough about seasonal allergies...and photosynthesis.


Tonight, we went to Burwell for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, I needed to stop by the baseball field to get some equipment from the shed for practice on Sunday. As a bonus, we decided to stop at the Pizza Palace in Burwell for supper while we were there. (If you ever find yourself hungry in Burwell Nebraska, you can't miss with the Pizza Palace). Anyway...


At the Pizza Palace, they have a giant mounted moose head on the wall. Alex was a little wound up when we got there, and they weren't busy so we let him run around a little bit. He would run in circles, making his usual cute toddler noises, and abruptly stop, point at the aforementioned mounted moose and go "mmmm mmmmmmmmm mmmmmmm mmmmmmmmm". I guess that means moose. Or moo. Or "Dang, that's a large animal nailed to the wall". Its wide open to interpretation.


Midway through dinner, I realized I had left my keys (the ones to get into the baseball shed) in Ord. Fortunately, one phone call (and a couple of dirty/annoyed looks from Christine) later, I was able to secure a set of keys (thank you Mr. Alexander) and get the stuff I needed.


Well, my time is about up here. Christine and the little boy have been in bed for 2 hours, and I have made the time to blog, watch part of the Nuggets game, and one and a half episodes of Forensic Files on TruTV (formerly CourtTV). In case anyone is curious, the Nuggets won, and the crimes were solved using forensic science to determine it was in fact the most likely suspect in both cases (the loner with a penchant for explosives and the unfaithful husband).


I ramble to much. Peace and love to all, and everyone have a great day!

Andy Rocks!

Baked Alex, anyone?

Sunday, already! Where do the weekends go?

Tonight Andy decided he wanted to make tuna noodle casserole for supper. I didn't complain - I am always thankful when he chooses to cook (which he does quite a bit - he's so wonderful!) Anyway, Little Andy (or "Alexander" to the rest of the world) decided he wanted to help out. Andy was planning on using the 9" by 13" baking stone, but Alex had a different idea for it.....


I wish my butt would fit in that pan!! :)

Later, Alex decided he wanted to try to fix some supper of his own - he has figured out how to pull the pots out from under the stove, and knows where the kitchen utensils are kept (of course, none of the sharp ones). So here he is, (in the middle of the kitchen floor!!) cooking!

Have a great week, everyone! :)

Getting Taller!

Alex is getting taller - and he has noticed that he can reach many more things now - and so now we are learning to place things further back on the counters, etc. What will be next?!??!!

Here's a shot of the "outside" today - can you imagine that yesterday I had a snow day because of the 6 inches of snow?!??!! What a difference a day makes - it was still only very low 40's, so we stayed inside most of the day. Andy had to work this morning down in Broken Bow, so I was thankful that the roads were dry and clear. And here it is, already at the end of Saturday - where has my weekend gone? I am SO ready for summer - 24 days of school left!!! :)

Hilarious video!!

Tonight, right before bedtime, Alex was WIRED!! I had crawled around on my hands and knees, and chased after him a bit, and he thought that it was so funny! Andy grabbed the camera and began shooting, and there are a TON of "belly laughs" out of Alex. You can tell that he's getting tired, because I am not even touching him and he is falling down laughing!!!

When you are having a "down" day - keep this one close by!!!

SNOW DAY!!!

Yay for snow days - in APRIL!???!!!

Yesterday we got out of school at 11, which was a surprise! It had been raining since Wednesday night, and the temp finally got cold enough that the rain turned to ice pellets, then snow. So there was a nice sloppy slushy layer of crud on the roads for all of us to drive in. Fortunately, I got home before it got really bad, but Andy wasn't so lucky. He had to be down in Broken Bow and then up to the Nursing Home in Sargent, so he was in the car for half of his workday - going less than half of the speed he's normally going. He saw quite a few cars spin out in front of and behind him, so we are thankful that he was safe through all of it.

So last night I got the call that school was cancelled for today - HOORAY!! I always love the extra time I get to spend at home with Alex. I think that he missed going to see his friends today, but it's just too cold and windy to go out today. He did manage to find one of Daddy's magazines, and instead of ripping it to shreds (as usual), he actually turned the pages!

It's up to 40 now, and supposed to be 60 tomorrow - CRAZY weather! 6 inches of snow on Thursday-Friday, then 60's on Saturday. At least the lawns will green up really quickly!! Here's a shot of the yard and street. Anything that was scooped has dried out - but the lawns are still quite packed. It was a HEAVY snow - with all of that rain and slush underneath, it was a chore to scoop!

Soccer? and Squiggles

Alexander didn't get his afternoon nap today, so we towed a very fine line between happy and grumpy (I know, some of you out there believe that he's NEVER grumpy - believe us, he can be!! It's not often, but it can happen.....)

With the "Sports" themed video we posted the other night, we thought that this one would be very appropriate. Andy has always said that his children will never play soccer - and I think that Alex may have solidified that thought tonight with his "skills" (note that the word "skills" is used in quotes - it seems to be anything but) - -

Towards the middle and end of the video - Alex goes over into the corner and looks behind the chair. Squiggles is back there, and she has figuered out a way to stay just out of his arm's reach. However, that doesn't stop him from trying. You may be able to hear the hissing in the background - she's not too thrilled about him finding her. We think that it's a game they play - she struts around, gets him to notice her, and then hides where he can't get to her.

A little note on the weather - yeah, they are predicting 4"-6" by Friday morning. Rain is to start tonight, and the precipitation is to continue until midday Friday....I don't think anyone has clued Mother Nature into the fact that IT'S APRIL!!!! Right now, I am having a hard time beliving all of this "global warming" stuff - I will wait to see a slight hint of "warm." Plus side - I may get another snow day this school year :) (Teaching ROCKS!) I did get contacted by a school in Delray Beach, Florida, to see if I would be interested in teaching there......with snow coming, it seems to be worth some careful consideration....

Enjoy - and Happy Thursday! :)

Pitcher!

Well, Andy will sleep better tonight knowing that his son may, indeed, be a pitcher. Oh, boys!!

What a funny pair! Won't Andy's baseball team give him a hard time if they see that he can't even hit off of his own son?!?!!? I know, Andy was hitting light so that the ball was sure not to hit Alex. I just have to give him a hard time. :) There may have been a balk in before that second pitch, I'm not sure....... :)

A note on the "new" bed - Alex got up twice through the night, either crawling out or rolling out. Once at 11 - we found him and he was on the floor by his night light (if you look at the picture in yesterday's update - it's up behind the plant), the second time he was in the middle of his room, standing, crying. I put a body pillow on the floor next to his bed, just in case something would happen. Both times he went right back into bed - so we'll see what happens tonight! (If you read this before the school day on Tuesday - PRAY for snow here! It's raining right now - 6:30 pm - and we are to get 3"-5" tonight, with a nice sheet of ice underneath. So, I am hoping for a snow day - - yes, in April!!!) :)

The weekend is over already?!?!

Wow - where has this weekend gone? For that matter, where has all of the time gone? It seems like last week was February, and here we are well into April already!! As I was talking to my Dad tonight, I realized that summer will be here before too much longer, and then SUMMER!!! I can hardly wait!! :)

Yesterday (Saturday) we didn't do too much. I realized that I had some Kohl's cash that I needed to use, so we ran down there for a quick supper and a little shopping. It was a short trip, I didn't feel up to a lot of excitement.

Today we just bummed around the house. Andy had baseball practice, and was encouraged by the number of guys that showed up. They're still trying to recruit a few more, but they had a good time. Alex and I stayed home and watched the NASCAR race - yay Carl!! :)

We've been talking for a while how we need to start Alex's transition to a bigger bed, well before the baby gets here. His crib is one of those convertible ones - to a toddler/day bed first, and then can be used as a full-size headboard. We took the first step tonight and tried out the toddler bed. Alex was a HUGE help as we did this, we felt it was important for him to see his bed changing. When I put him down tonight, he pointed to the side that was now missing - what a kid! Here's a shot of the new bed:

We'll see how tonight goes - he may not be ready for it, and that's fine, we can change it back. But we do want to start getting him ready, and don't want to feel too rushed about it - because when the baby comes it will be change enough!!

I am beginning to feel better - still coughing every now and then, but am not winded anymore. I am hoping to get a good sleep tonight, to be ready for the kiddos tomorrow!! Goodnight all!

Colds STINK!

Hello all - yes, we are still alive. Although I was sure that 2 days ago I wasn't going to make it.....

I have some kind of crud - the Dr. thinks that it's either beginning pneumonia or a severe bronchitis. She didn't want to do an x-ray, because of the baby and all, so they gave me a pretty strong shot of antibiotics (my hip still hurts, and that was 48 hours ago!), and I have 10 days of pills to take. I am feeling better, but still not quite back to "normal". Luckily, Andy and Alex have been virtually unaffected - thank goodness.

We'll try to snap some pictures this weekend, we will be home all weekend. Andy has baseball practice on Sunday, but I think that Alex and I will stay here (unless the miraculous healing comes). Have a great weekend, and we'll try to post more later!

Happy April!

It's hard to believe that it's April already - the weather still tells me it's January - - enough of the cold already!

We made it home safe and sound - although I think that Alex would be just fine if he didn't see the inside of a car for at least another week! It was a long road trip, but it was good to spend time with family, celebrating such an important milestone for our nephew. :)

I don't have any pictures of the boys together, well, because: 1. They are boys - they don't sit still. 2. One is just a year, and the other is 17 months. Pictures aren't exactly their "thing". 3. I haven't found the magic words to make them both look at the camera, smile, and wait until the flash goes off. It's just impossible. So this picture of them playing with Aunt Sarah will have to do.

Yes, they are practically the same size - Noah is bigger than Alex in both height and weight. It's just in the genes....but they do love playing alongside each other (they aren't at the play "with" each other stage yet....)

Monday, on the way home, we were able to stop and see Amy Royuk, and her new little guy, Micah. Kyle (Amy's hubby) was Andy's roommate for 2 years, and we have been close ever since. Kyle was still at school and track practice, so we weren't able to see him, but they sure have a cute little guy! It's so hard to imagine that Alex was once that tiny - and in less than 7 months, we'll have another little one that's just as tiny!!! Wow - babies are awesome!

After Lincoln, we packed back up for the home stretch. Alex was exhausted, as you can see in the picture below. For some reason, he needed every blanket in the car next to him. There's also a pillow off to his right, that wouldn't fit in the seat with him. If it would have fit, it would be there too. Silly guy! You can see just how tired his eyes are, though!!

Now it's back to work for all of us. Andy's baseball practices are starting up this weekend, so summer can't be far off! I just wish the weather would show up! I want spring!!!!

Update from Missouri!

Many thanks to Elly and Neil for the use of their computer so that we can update you from Columbia!

We had Noah's FIRST birthday party today - it was so much fun! Alex was overwhelmed because there were 800 kids here (an exaggeration, but there were a LOT). He seemed to manage well, once he got used to everyone. Here's a shot of the chaos - -

Here's a shot of the lovely cake (it was super-yummy too!)

And Noah's "Smash Cake" - just for him!

Happy Birthday To Noah! Nice shot with Mommy!

Yummy cake - time to get messy!!

Alex on his way through the buffet line - he had 2 hot dogs, tomatoes, broccoli, a couple of chips, tried a carrot (it wasn't cooked, so he didn't get much out of it), black olives, and milk. He ate quite well - he wasn't even hungry for the cake and ice cream!!

Noah and his Mommy looking at some of his new books - he loves to read too!

And Alex enjoying one of Noah's new toys - a BALL!! Imagine that - -

We had a great time - we will stay here yet tonight and head to Blue Springs tomorrow, then home on Monday! We'll be stopping in to see Kyle and Amy Royuk (college friends of ours) who now have a little guy of their own - Micah Kyle - who was born last week. What an awesome Easter gift for them!

We'll write more later - off to supper! :) Have a great "rest-of-the-weekend" everyone!

We're Alive!

Sorry that it's been all week, I promised that I would try to post more often, but life just gets in the way, you know??!!

I've been working FOREVER on this School-wide Title I plan at school, and spent the better part of last night on the computer, making the finishing touches. It's finally done, so I can relax - until I realize what all is going on tomorrow........

WE'RE LEAVING ON A MINI-VACATION!!!

Our nephew, Noah, will be celebrating his FIRST birthday on Saturday! Alex and Noah are 5 months apart, and the last time they were together they had a blast. I can only imagine what this time will be like!

Because they live in Columbia, Missouri (which is a FOREVER drive), we are breaking it up into smaller drives and taking a 4-day weekend. We'll leave tomorrow night and come back on Monday. We'll go as far as Kansas City to stay with my folks tomorrow night, and then on the rest of the way Friday sometime. Sunday we'll come back to KC, and then Monday finish up the drive to Ord. I know the time will fly by, but both Andy and I are looking forward to time off.

We'll have pictures for sure when we return! The camera is already packed - I just wish everything else was!!!

Banana!

As most of you know, one of Alex's favorite foods are bananas. He has been saying "banana" for a long time, and we wanted to catch it on video. It finally happened this morning - he said it for the camera! Ususally he just looks at the camera and clams up - - but not this morning!

So now for your viewing pleasure - - Alexander's version of "banana"

Happy Easter!

We hope that all of you had a very Blessed Easter - we certainly had a nice, laid back day at home. Being pregnant and planning a big meal was so much fun - I had ALL of the things that I have been craving! Because we had so much, we'll be eating leftovers for the next week! That's okay, it was all so yummy!

This morning we went to church. They had special "Alleluia Bells" that were to be shaken every time we sang or said, "Alleluia." Alexander loved his, and didn't know exactly when to shake them, but loved shaking when everyone else did. Here's a look at the "Easter Outfit" - -

Don't get me started on how hard it is to find cute dress-up outfits for boys!!!

After church we came home and I started on lunch. We had one of those yummy honey-baked hams with the brown sugar glaze, corn, green bean casserole, rolls, strawberry-pretzel salad, and angel food cake with frosting and strawberries for dessert. Needless to say, this was also our supper tonight. :) It was SOO yummy!!

Tonight Alex was wired! We were changing the sheet on his bed, and Andy laid the mattress on the floor after he changed the sheet. Alex began jumping on it, and just being crazy! We did shoot a couple of videos, enjoy!

Jump!

Sorry that it's been so long - I've been trying to catch every extra minute of sleep that I can - -

We shot this video a few nights ago, and finally have time to upload it. Alex "rotates" with his toys - one week it will be anything he can throw, the next the animals in his farm, the next his stuffed animals, and this week it was his zebra. What was really funny about this, was that the zebra has music that goes with it, but Alex has learned how to turn it off. He began jumping on it, heard the music going, got off of the zebra, and then went around to the front to turn the music off. Then he got back on, and this happened. He really got some air!!!

Cheryl (Andy's aide) just dropped off an Easter Basket for Alex - thanks, Cheryl! Mom, I thought you'd enjoy some of it's contents.......

Have a Happy Easter everyone!!

What a Difference A Day Makes!

Boy am I thankful for the power of prayer and modern medicine! Alexander woke up this morning a new man! I was so worried about him all last night, but he slept well - only woke up at about 3 because of his congestion and coughing. After more medicine, he was right back out. This morning, he was all smiles, and back to his normal self. He did cry a little when Dad dropped him off at childcare, but was all smiles the rest of the day (we called to check in on him).

Here's a shot of him eating some supper:

Tonight Alex decided to go for Squiggles again, with the safety of the gate between them. She's just on the other side of the gate, sitting towards the right side. He crouches down so he can see her from under the bar in the middle - and has a HUGE grin once he turns around. Such a different boy from last night!!

Once again, thanks to all of you who sent e-mails and phone calls, and most importantly, said prayers. We are on the mend!! :)

- - A couple of you asked about whether we have decided to go forward with tubes or not - we are waiting for now, at least until this summer to decide about tubes. We have heard so many horror stories (as well as helpful stories) that we're following our Dr.'s advice and waiting until summer to see what he's like then. Our Dr. said that most kids will outgrow the infections around 20 months, so we'll wait and see - unless it gets really bad between now and then. Thanks!

Happy St. Patty's Day!

Hope that all of you had a good St. Patrick's Day - our day here started out well......

I got a call at 6:00 this morning saying "NO SCHOOL" because of the snow! We only got a couple of inches here in Ord, but I think that it was worse over in Custer County (where Sargent is). Everything west of us was closed, and I heard that visibility was pretty poor, so yay for a snow day! I was looking forward to spending the day with Alexander.

Unfortunately, a "bug" has hit. Last night, as I kissed him goodnight, he felt warm to me. We took his temp - 101 - and gave him some Tylenol. I figured all of the excitement from the weekend had caught up with him. He slept fine, only had a bit of a coughing spell in the early morning hours.

Once he got up, it was not our normal Alexander. He was so very, very hot and his eyes just looked "out". He seemed very pale and crying/whimpering most of the time. He did eat some toast (I wanted to keep everything pretty bland in case it was something tummy-wise), but didn't eat with his normal "gusto." We gave him more Tylenol at about 7, his temp was close to 102 (but that was after sleeping and having nothing all night). At 9, he was still warm, so I alternated with the ibuprofin. I continued on with the every 2 hours until finally, at 3, I decided to call the Dr. I waited because he would be seeming to be feeling better and then would crash. The Dr. got us in at 4 - and I bet that almost all of you can guess what it was - - ear infection. Only this time, his throat was all closed off and very red. The PA couldn't get a good look at it, but she did decide to put him on antibiotics because of the infection in his ears, and if he has something else going along with it, the antibiotics will take care of that, too. She also gave us a decogestent/cough suppressant because he was having a hard time breathing. (With the scare of all of the cough things the past few months, I was a little leary - but she (and both Dr.'s) reassured me that this one was safe - he would be fine as long as we followed the dosing.)

So tonight we continued on with the Tylenol and ibuprofin, as well as the antibiotic and decongestant at bedtime. He didn't eat too much tonight, but he did drink lots of water, which is reassuring. I'm sure we'll have a famished boy in the morning!

It's just so hard when he's hurting and there's nothing that I can do about it! When he looks at me and begins to cry becaue he hurts, it just breaks my heart! I wish that I could take his pain, aches, and sickness away, but all I can do is hold him and try to alleviate some of his pain. I just hope and pray that he will get over this so very soon, and be back to the wonderful happy little man is usually is.

He's sleeping well now, so we will pray that it continues on through tonight and he wakes up a "new man" tomorrow.

Duck!

This weekend we went to Lincoln to visit family. My grandparents' church has a HUGE craft fair twice a year, and we met my parents and sister from Missouri and had a nice weekend catching up.

While at the craft fair, Alex had all sorts of people to look after him! Grandpa Dave bought him a package of suckers, and he had a red one that was ALL OVER!! Down the front of his shirt, down his forearms, all over the person who was with him - - messy!! I was wearing a light green shirt, so the red showed up nicely. I tried to decide what was the lesser of two evils - red handprints on my shirt, or big water marks as I tried to clean it up.......

Another thing that Alex LOVED at the craft fair was a colored duck. Every time he saw them he would say "Duck" or "Quack, quack, quack." Even the craft fair ladies thought that it was hilarious. Again, Grandpa's job was to spoil (as is the job of every grandparent) and bought Alex the green duck. The lady offered to paint his name on it, so now he has his own personalized duck! While we were waiting for the paint to dry (which you all know how long that takes), the ladies offered Alex a "temporary duck" - - nope, we wanted OUR duck! Not even another green duck could fool him - he knew that he needed THIS duck!! So here's the picture of the much-awaited for duck.

When we got home, Alex wanted to show his new duck to Squiggles. Andy and I still laugh about it as we re-write it here. Alex was sitting on the floor, emptying the contents of his Easter Basket (also from Grandpa and Grandma), he grabbed the duck, yelled "DUCK" at Squiggles, and threw it at her. It hit her in the side. She had a shocked look on her face, and then ran off. Alex looked over at the two of us with a look that said, "Well, I told her to duck!" Too funny!

This game continued much of the night. I think that Squiggles did get a little tired of it, though. She was sitting on top of a pile of blankets we have in the living room. Alex walked over to her, she hissed, he held out his hand, and WHOMP, WHOMP, WHOMP! (Aunt Sarah frequently refers to this as "Boxing Kitty") She smacked Alex three times with a sharp right hook. Thankfully, she's declawed, so there was no harm, but it did bring a tear or two from the little man. I think that it was more shock than pain - but for tonight, he maintained a three-foot distance and threw his softball and football at her.

Just when I thought we were all beginning to get along........ :)

Ketchup!

Tonight we went to Arby's for supper out. Alexander enjoyed his supper - especially the fruit! I must say that I am impressed with the healthier choices that are available in "fast food" places - - Alex had a roast beef sandwich, apples and grapes, and milk. He didn't seem to care too much for the bread of his sandwich, but LOVED the apples and grapes!

Once he finished both of those, he saw some extra fries on the table. He reached for one, so we gave him a few. He had noticed that I was dipping mine in ketchup - and he just NEEDED to try it! The french fry ended up being a "get the ketchup from the cup to my face" tool. It was the first time he tried it - and he's a fan!

This ketchup DID come with mess - - here are a few shots!

Silly little man!

I know - I am sorry about the last little bit on my previous post...I know that I left quite a few of you "hanging." Here's what we know so far: I am due early November (the 2nd) - so I am only a couple of months along. I have been feeling fine, a few cramps now and then, and a little nausea (but no sickness), but nothing that is preventing me from doing everything "normally." When the little one arrives, Alex will be just two - he was born on the 31st of October. When we told Alex about all of this (which I am just SURE he remembers every word of), we asked him what we should name the baby. He said "Acta" (Pronunciation: ahk-tuh, with a little bit of the loud throat-clearing sound as the "ac" came out) - so I guess the little one has a name! I doubt it will last more than the 9 months, but for now, Acta it is.

If you have any other questions, I'd be happy to answer them! Just drop me a line!

Bike Ride!

The weather here today was BEAU-TI-FUL!!! I hope that all of you are experiencing the same outstanding temperatures that we are.

It was 65 when we got home, and we decided to dust off the bikes and go for a ride. We were finally able to find someplace that sold toddler helmets (Wal-Mart only has 3 years and older), so we were finally able to go for a ride. Alex was good with the seat and being strapped in, but once the helmet went on - we had issues.

He was crying so loud that the neighbor across the street (who was reading on her porch) asked if everything was okay......yeah, just a cranky baby! Once we got going, he settled down a little bit, but would still whimper every few blocks or so.

Here's a picture of the "happy" man - - (we tried a cork to muffle the screaming)

And a picture of us riding together! (It was a little odd riding with extra-shifting weight on there - I had always been used to riding by myself and adjusting for only me - it takes a little bit of practice having someone else on the bike with you!!)

Julie, our childcare lady, sent home this picture today. I don't know when she took it, but it's a crawling-days one. (The date on the back says 8/26/07) I don't know where that outfit came from, but I can't imagine the dark hair and chubby baby in that one!

Speaking of baby - -

Weekend in Omaha!

This weekend we went to Omaha because I had a bridal shower for a friend of mine who I worked with at Head Start. She's getting married in May, and her shower was at the Melting Pot, which is an awesome fondue place! We had dessert - and it was such a nice time to catch up with some of the ladies I used to work with.

We did take a shot (with Alex once he and Andy came to pick me up) with Jenniffer on the left, Michelle (bride-to-be), and Alex and I.

That night we went over to Ameristar (the casino) just for the food. They have an outstanding buffet - and we all ate WAY too much! Alex loved all of the choices he had, and he ate more that I have seen him eat in a long time! He had cooked carrots, broccoli, roast pork, meatloaf, macaroni and cheese, yeast rolls, strawberries, and then on to dessert! They didn't have any high chairs there (boo!), so he was in a booster seat next to Andy or I (we alternated eating and Alex-watching). I was the lucky one to be on the other side of the table when Alex started to eat his ice cream......Take special note of the ice cream on Andy's sleeve......

Then back to the hotel for showers and baths! Yucky mess!!! (Stick, stick, stick!!)

In the car on the way home this morning, Alex was so very ornery! He had his blanket, and after he had taken his nap......when I turned around this was what I saw.........

I also took some video - he was making the strangest noises!! He coughed quite a bit after doing this, so it must've hurt his throat!!!

On to another week!!

Nice Shot!

This morning, as we were getting ready to go meet Daddy for lunch, I was looking for Alex's sippy cup so I could refill it and take it with us.

I looked in all of his "normal" places - and looked in all of the places that he had been playing for the last hour or so. No luck.

Finally resorting to getting a new sippy out of the cabinet, I walked by the sink.

Now if I could only teach his Daddy the same thing!! :)

New Place for a Nap??

This morning Alexander was being QUITE silly - and he carried his blanket and lovey over into the corner - and proceeded to become very sleepy while he was there! He didn't take a nap, but I think that he has a new favorite spot!



Silly boy!

Updates!

Sorry it's been a while - it was a crazy week, but I'M ON SPRING BREAK NOW!! :) That's one of the things that I LOVE about being a teacher! Andy's not talking to me right now, so I'll understand if a few of you have the same sentiment.

Anyway, now I have time to update!

This video is from a few nights ago - Alex got a hold of Andy's water cup - and had a BLAST! Especially watch towards the end when he splashes himself - then "All Done" and then he points to the sink (to the left of the camera) as if to say, "Put this in there now!"

Andy shot this video, I am not sure what Alex was doing, but it's funny how he is just in his own little world! (He had just sat in something wet - for those of you who are curious!) :)

Tonight, Alex and I were sitting on the couch. He had his cork and lovey, because he was a little sleepy. I asked Alex if I could have his cork, and he shook his head 'no'. Andy then asked if he could have it, and Alex took it out and threw it at him.

This is where it landed......

Nice shot!

Stir Fry!

Tonight we tried stir fry for the first time. We were out grocery shopping and I was looking at the frozen veggies, and realized that we hadn't tried it with the little man yet. Because he loves his veggies, we decided to give it a go!




Did he LOVE it!!! He even ate a few pieces of chicken mixed in with it! Before he was all finished, it was ALL over - nose eyes, hair, chin, sleeves - - such a mess!! Here's a close-up of the mess!

Okay, Dad, what hilarious saying can you come up with for that?!?! :)

This Says It All!

We found the most adorable shirt the other day for Alexander, but it's short-sleeve, and I thought that we'd have to vacation to Texas or South Africe before he'd be able to wear it. But, it's supposed to be 72 degrees today (YAY SPRING!!!), so we decided to let Alex wear it today. The shirt says it all - - (this was the best shot we could get as he ZOOMED around!!)





"my parents are exahusted" in case you can't read it.
Alex also pretended to be Daddy this morning - Andy left it sitting on his nightstand, and although Alex couldn't figure out how to turn it on (thank goodness), he had the right idea!



Sorry we haven't posted much the last few days - it's been somewhat hectic - I'll explain later! :)