Happy Birthday Alexis!!

Alexis turned 2 years old yesterday!!!

She had so much fun at her Hello Kitty party at Grandma and Grandpa's house.  Even though she refuses to smile for pictures, she had a blast playing with her cousins and eating ice cream cake!!

Alexis's 2nd birthday - slideshow dvd

Almost 2

Alexis went to the doctor today for her 2 year check-up.  I tried to prepare by reading her "Corduroy Goes to the Doctor" book for a couple days and practicing shining a flashlight in her ears and mouth.  She also practiced taking deep breaths so the doctor could listen to her lungs.  Despite all this, there were still quite a few tears but at least no shots this time!!  Other than tears, her appointment went great and she is a healthy little girl!  Yep, she's little.  She only weighs 24 lbs, 2 oz which is in the 20th percentile.  She's 34.5 inches tall (75th percentile) and head circumference 19.02 inches (75th percentile.)  

**She loves to draw and color.  She likes crayons but likes markers and pens better.  

**She played with play-doh at school for the 1st time last week and loved it but I'm not sure if I want to get some for home yet.  

**She knows her shapes and about 10 letters.  She can count to 10 but skips 5 most of the time.     

  **Some of her favorite characters are Caillou, Curious George, Dora, Mickey & Minnie Mouse, Hello Kitty and Elmo.

She's very particular about things.  And very observant.  She walks around the house pointing out which things are Andrew's, which are Daddy's, etc.  She loves fruits and vegetables but is picky about what else she will eat.  She used to love spaghetti but now will hardly touch it.  It's so hard to make her meals because I never know what she will eat.  A couple of nights ago I went upstairs with Andrew for a little bit while Alexis was eating dinner and when I came back she had eaten an entire can of corn!! 

She loves drinking from a straw.  She stood on the stool drinking her avacado smoothie for about 15 minutes straight!

Poor girl!  This is what happened when I tried to cut her hair :(

But at least it's not in her face anymore!

We are going to Grandma and Papa's (this is what she has started calling Grandpa)  for a small birthday party.  I still can't believe she's going to be 2!!!!!!!!!!

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And for this little guy.... we snuck him on the scale quick at the doctor's today.  He weighs a whopping 19 pounds, 7 ounces!!  He will definitely catch up to his big sister in no time!

He's finally getting the hang of eating.  We're giving him rice cereal once a day and he loves it!  No surprise there :)

He's balancing really well and can sit up for a couple of minutes by himself.  If I put pillows all around him, he loves to sit and play with his toys!

5 Months

It's so hard for me to remember when Andrew looked like this!!

It was only 5 months ago!  This picture was taken the day we came home from the hospital.  Alexis was instantly in love with her new baby brother.  

Here he is today!  Happy 5 month birthday Andrew!!

What a difference 2 days makes!

Just 2 days ago, it was sunny out and in the mid 50's. I had to work but Albert and the kids enjoyed some time outside.

 

Poor guy.  He had to borrow Alexis's coat because he doesn't have one!

 And today, the temperature was in the 20's and it snowed all day! 

Here she is, all bundled up and ready to go play in the snow!!

 She had a blast!!

How do I know?

Because this is how she looked when she had to come inside to eat lunch!

Christmas is over... but bring on the snow!!

We celebrated Christmas this past weekend with our family in Metamora.

Alexis had a great time playing with her cousins.  I wish we could see them more often!

Her wagon from Aunt Kathy was a big hit with Alexis!

She loves to be pulled around in it...

but she also likes to pull her babies around, including Andrew!!!

I love snuggling with my little guy.  He's getting too big too fast!!

Alexis was modeling our new couch tonight.  I think she likes it!

playing while skyping with Grandma and Grandpa

loves to play in the exersaucer but only for short amounts of time

It's getting harder and harder to get good pictures of Alexis. She doesn't like to look at the camera or smile.

~~~~~~ And here's one of my favorites:

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We have only seen snow once (I think) this year and it was barely any.  Tomorrow we are supposed to get a couple of inches and I'm kind of excited.  We bought Alexis a sled and I think it would be fun to watch her play in it.  We didn't really take her out in it last year to play much but I think she would really enjoy it this year.  One day of snow will be enough though! 

2 under 2

Life with 2 kids under 2 years old is hard.  I can't say this for much longer.  24 more days to be exact and I will have a 2 year old!!  That sounds so crazy to me!  Everyday is a new adventure and I never know what's going to happen.  Alexis is growing up fast and is learning new things all the time.  She is so smart, beautiful and the sweetest little girl I could ask for.  She quietly lays in her bed every morning and after each nap until we go in to get her.  Until today, that is.  I saw on the monitor that she was awake from her nap so I went upstairs and started a load of laundry quick.  Just as I was finishing up, out came Alexis from her room!  She opened the door herself, walked out and said, "Hiiiiii!"  Then she walked straight over the to gait, opened it and started going downstairs.  Wait... what?!  When did my almost 2 year old turn 5?  I thought we had already baby-proofed the house!  What do we do now?  She's pretty good at going up and down the stairs but the thought of her doing it without anyone with her still scares me.  I already have about 10 mini heart attacks a day... like when I turn around and Alexis is standing on the kitchen table, or when she is pulling a knife out of the dishwasher, or when she dives off the couch head first.

I am very thankful that Andrew is such an easy-going and happy baby.  It won't be long and he will be into everything too.  Recently I have said many times that I wish he was old enough to be walking and running around with Alexis and playing.  Today we were at the mall shopping and I was so thankful he was so content (for over an hour) just relaxing in his carrier in the stroller.  He slept on and off and when he was awake, just looked around and never made a peep!  Just this week, he has started to sleep through the night!  I was shocked when I heard him awake this morning and I looked at the clock and it was 7:30!  He slept for 11 hours!  Woohoo!  Alexis has been sleeping in later too.  She usually wakes up between 8-8:30 but for 3 days last week, she slept until 9:30!  

Speaking of sleep, I have to be up for work in 7 hours... I better go to bed now because I never know how the night will go.  Hopefully Andrew will still be sleeping when I leave for work but you never know.....

I hope I don't wake up to a little girl coming in my room.  I'm thinking that will probably happen someday.  I'm just not ready for that.... not tonight :)      

more Christmas pictures

Skyping with Lolo and Auntie Kristine who were in California visiting Uncle Alex and Auntie Priscilla

Thank you Lolo and Lola for the Jeep!!

Drew was mesmerized by his new toy

Alex found a way to reach the french fried onions on the counter!  She loves them!!

Happy New Year!

Well, it's the beginning of a new year and I'm still catching up from Christmas.  This Christmas was a lot of fun with Alexis.  She loved all the trees, lights and presents!!  Grandma and Grandma came to spend the weekend with us and we had a great time.   

She loves playing with Grandpa!

She's getting pretty good at Angry Birds!

Alexis was so excited when she saw the Jeep that got from Lolo and Lola.  Daddy has already taken her outside to test drive it a couple of times.  

Drew loves it too!

What a stud!

I caught Andrew smoochin' on Alexis's baby

Grandma and Grandpa got her a cabbage patch doll.
I had to hide the baby's pacifier because she won't keep it out of her mouth!

this pic is courtesy of Alexis :)

She loves to bake cookies in her new kitchen 

This is a new activity table.  One side has a train and the other has lego's.

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He's such a happy little guy...

even at the doctor's!!

Two peas in a pod

He's been sitting up so well lately so we put him in the exersaucer to play.