Last Post of 2011!! CRAZY!!

I can't believe this is the last post of 2011!! This year has certainly flown by.
Let's see...where did we leave off?!! Oh yes..Halloween, then comes Thanksgiving!! We celebrated Turkey day the day after thanksgiving and thank goodness after the Aggies BIG loss on Thanksgiving day. We were able to drink and eat our sorrows away but we spent it with the immediate family which is always nice and relaxing. Lexi was very eager to help out. She went through a phase of carrying around a stool so she could see us doing everything!

Which included Thanksgiving dinner!!

Here she is helping her "Auntie" make the Green Bean Casserole.

So, what is new with Miss Alexis Victoria?!! Hmmm...what isn't new with our princess. She is not only day potty trained but decided to night potty train herself because she didn't like waking up wet BUT it involved us getting her used to getting up and going to the potty by herself if she wants to go at night. We had a few days there where she woke us up to go potty. Now, the light stays on in the bathroom so she doesn't have to wake us up. SCORE!!! She is doing very well in school and is starting to take interest in writing letters and is asking us "what that word says and which letters are in it". As we get closer to the BIG THREE, we of course are going through the 20 questions phase which keeps mommy and daddy on their toes quite a bit! We really don't have any more temper tantrums but she has been going through a phase of whining when she doesn't get her way because she now knows we have figured out when she is scheming us!! And of course we will always continue to battle the "listening" part but she's getting better at listening to us even when she doesn't want to do it. She is always very curious and you can hold a full on conversation with her which has made things super easy especially with little man getting ready to be on the move. She is still in her "DORA" phase but this year she when she sat on Santa's lap(it only took 3 years), she asked for a bunch of princess stuff, like dolls, dresses, nail polish...that kind of thing. She really has taken an interest in watching Disney movies in which we are grateful for a change of programs. But she will sit through an entire movie like Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and most recently Tangled. She loves all the holiday specials though so we are pretty much on repeat with those right now with our DVR.

Daddy was off one Friday so he took Alexis to see Santa and then they went to Build a Bear so she could build one for her brother. That is her gift to John this Christmas. She definitely has coordination skills with a matching baseball outfit on the bear.

She continues to amaze us with her personality, creativity, humor, and just her knowledge of how the world works. For example, when it rains, she tells us that the trees/grass/flowers are happy because they were thirsty!

When it finally got cold in Houston, she LOVED wearing her "Poofy" jacket as she called it when it was time to head out the door to school.

Pajama day at school...yes..that's right..SILK DORA PJ'S!!! (From Gigi)

Our awesome little girl!!! She has become way more girly these days in wanting her hair up and wearing her "pretty shoes" that I had to find on Amazon of all places!

We had quite the little helper when it came to decorating the house this year for Christmas. She was so excited to open new boxes, put ornaments in a certain spot on the tree and helping mommy find a spot for everything. I just loved it when we had everything up, she sat down and looked at everything and said, "Momma, the house looks beautiful!! I loved the way you decorated it. I will be sad when Christmas is over and everything has to go back in the boxes." 

 PRICELESS!!

She really does help out a lot with John and is happy to do what we ask if we need her help on something. She can't wait until he starts crawling!! Not sure if we are ready for 2 mobile kids!!

We had several family Christmas gatherings so far and the first one she got a chef set, complete with apron, cheft hat and cake with serving utensils. SHE LOVED IT!! And it goes perfect with her kitchen at home.

Playing on the floor since Little man can sit up now.

Here Lexi is at her second family Christmas and she is so pumped about this bucket full of animals!! She loved it!! She also got a singing/dancing little dolly that made her and John laugh. She had pajama day the same day of this gathering and the only way I could get her out of her Dora PJ's, was to put her in a dress. I wasn't going to make her dress up, just jeans and a Christmas shirt but she wanted to go all out. We have plenty of dresses so NOT a problem.  

Our big girl!! Can't believe she's almost 3!! Who would've thought she started out as 5 pounds 7 ounces!

Me and my Lexi Bug!!!

SOOOOOOOO....what in the world is going on with John James?!! Well, we are definitely having a hard time keeping him well. Since he turned 4 months his poor ears just can't seem to stay well. He was diagnosed with his 4th Double Ear Infection today as well as an eye infection which according to the DR go hand in hand. So, we will start talking specialists or tubes(maybe) when we have our follow up with the DR after this round of medication. He doesn't get all that fussy and his sleep/eat patterns don't mess up but his nose just becomes a faucet. Sometimes he runs a fever and sometimes he doesn't. But it sure seems we have been at the DR way more than we were with Alexis. All the DR visits during the first year...AHHH!!

Other than his ear infections, John really is a happy go lucky baby..very smiley and flirty!!

We had our 6 month check up and he was 19 pounds and 27 inches long. He got 2 teeth when he turned 6 months and was able to sit up by himself at 7 months. And now that he can sit up, roll, the new thing is to inchworm all over the floor but backwards. We don't go forward yet but he's starting to rock and pick up his backside so we will probably have a crawler in a few months. We will all be happy since he is so bored staying in one spot and being able to get to where he wants to go and also seeing what his sister is up to.

Figuring this stuff out....

Class of 2031 and 2033 right here!!

Gotta love a little man in a beany!

I'm not sure how he is only 19 pounds!!

Rolling, Rolling, Rolling, we never find him where we leave him and he's never in the same spot in his crib after a night. He's always at the opposite end, facing a different direection or somewhere else!

This guy loves to reach and grab things. He will purposely lean over and try and grab whatever you are holiding or just play with your face/glasses, shirt if it has a zipper, ANYTHING!! So, we now have to make sure we tell Alexis to pick up all her toys because he will now roll/inchworm his way over to what he wants to check out.

He loves to stand and bounce/dance. He can shake those hips for sure. Getting ready for a bath here but I couldn't resist not taking pictures of my little man with no shirt on and his jeans.

Daddy on the floor playing with the kids. Notice how John is reaching for Lexi's hair!

Since we have a not so good napper on our hands, we have had to get creative with how to get him to sleep during the day so he doesn't become a complete nightmare and not end up napping at all during the day. He gets frustrated that he can't get comfortable when he's tired and this stroller seems to knock him right out. But he only naps for 30 minutes at a time!! Even if it's in his crib. Perserverance!!

All happy that he can sit up by himself!!

Rocking the mohawk.

Opening his first Christmas present

But who needs presents when I can just chew on the paper!

GIVE ME THAT CAMERA MOMMA!!

Seriously, I think I have had this green bow on my head long enough!

A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!! SEE YOU IN 2012!!

Happy Halloween

We definitely had a WONDERFUL Halloween this year. Alexis got so into it and their school always encourages the kids to wear their costumes for a day of fun and lots of candy of course. Daddy took the kids trick or treating while mommy stayed home and gave out candy to over 120 kids!! Crazy!!

Alexis is still in the Dora phase but is really starting to get into all the princesses so we let her pick her costume out this year and the winner was Snow White at the costume store. She loved the whole dressing up and actually kept her headband in all night. The red shoes she wore for her school pictures also went with this costume so she was really excited about getting to wear her "pretty" shoes again.

We had to "cut her off" in terms of going to more houses since it was getting late and she had school the next day but more importantly, her basket of candy was getting full!! What a difference a year makes. Last year she made it to only 5 houses, this year, it was close to 20!

Daddy got to "pick" little  man's costume this year so of course being the Star Wars junkie that Joe is, John went as Chewbacca!!!

My poor little prince...but he got a lot of compliments on his costume(go Amazon) and Alexis thought he looked like a Lion! LOL! I have to admit, the first time I saw him with the hood portion of his costume on his head, I couldn't stop laughing since the "fur" stood so high on his head and while I'm laughing at him, he is giggling at me, so it just made it that more awesome.

Trying on the costume when we got it....just right!

Getting ready to go trick or treating in his "Lexus" with his big sister and Daddy.

He loves his stroller!! And passed out after an hour in the stroller and riding around the neighborhhood while his big sister got her candy.

We look forward to both of them walking and talking next year and being able to do more things together. Our red wagon will be put to good use next Halloween!!

More posts to come..still very behind!

School Pictures

So, we were a little skeptic on how school pictures would go since we requested that our little angels be photographed together but it seems they like the camera whether they are together or separate, therefore we spent mucho $$$$ on pictures!! I guess we can't get lucky every year so we took advantage of the awesomeness!!!

Alexis is 34 months in these pictures and John is 5 months.

I was so excited that I found these red shoes on Amazon and that she liked them since Miss Princess is very picky about what shoes go on her feet. Kind of pricey but she needs something besides her princess tennis shoes, so since we had such good luck with the red, I bought them in brown and black and now she won't wear anything else to school! Go figure. ;-)

Her hair had not been cut yet since she was born in this picture!!

This picture just cracks me up especially when Alexis came home from school the day of pictures and said that the photographers put her baby brother in a trash can!! LOL!!

Happy Baby and a big FLIRT!!! LOVES LOVES being around people but definitely is ready for his quiet time at night when he's ready to fall asleep and drink his last bottle.

I know I am cheesy when I say this but I almost had tears when I saw this picture. It turned out way better than we could have ever expected.

  GOLDEN!!!

Many more posts to come!! I am so very behind!!

Overdue Update

Our bundles of JOY

I apologize for such an overdue update!! Time seems to slip away with two parents working and 2 little ones that keep us busy but always happy. Life has been wonderful but in superfast mode since Little Man arrived. The Fall is full of events with season tickets to A&M Football, birthdays to celebrate, tailgating with friends on the weekends, Halloween, etc..and the list goes on!! Joe and I were joking how we are supposed to rest up during the weekend but it is quite the opposite for us right now. Sleep is definitely a luxury right now but our two blessings are so wonderful.

Not sure what John's hand is doing but it was definitely picture worthy!!

A family of 4 is definitely a whole other dynamic and adjusting but we have managed pretty painlessly. We are still trying to teach Alexis that her brother cannot "play" yet since she is asking why can't Baby John can't hold this and why can't baby John play with me? We are so excited about her enthusiasm to have a playmate eventually but explain to her why babies cannot do what 3 year olds can do, so she just settles for tickling him and singing and dancing for him, in which he LOVES!! He's such a giggler right now and recognizes his big sister right away. She gets a smile every time she spends time with him or plays with him. He LOVES to watch her either when he is playing on the floor, in his exosaucer or sitting up in his chair or bumbo.

Alexis wanted to pose!

Little man "talking"

Lexi is sitting in  my lap while I am filming this! :-)

So, what is Mr. John James up to?!! Quite a bit lately since he is getting strong FAST!! He is still sleeping through the night, OK, well, 7:30-5:30, wakes up to eat and then takes a long nap. If we don't get him in his jammies and a bottle by 7pm, he's toast and won't do much of anything! He still won't nap in his crib during the day but Joe and I are about nip that one! At his 4 month check-up his DR found that he had an ear infection in the left ear and fluid in the other ear! So, no shots at that appointment. Of course all this started to happen while daddy was away on business but lucky for mommy, Papa and Gigi were around to help out. John James weighed in at 14 pounds 10 ounces at his 4 month check-up and measured 25 inches long. 50% in both categories. She wanted to start him on rice cereal but since he was fighting an infection, we decided to wait after he finished with his medication. I was telling John's DR that it was so odd he had ear infections since he never ran a fever, wasn't really fussy, and his sleep patterns never changed. It's amazing but such the opposite from his sister! She would run a really high fever, really fussy and missed school. He was opposite on all accounts! The only thing I did notice was he was eating less since he was so plugged up! So, we go on the famous "amoxicillin" and our little man is back after a few days. We had to go back to the DR after 10 days of being on the medicine for a recheck on the ears and to get our 4 month shots and John had gained more weight!! Now, he was 16 pounds, 10 ounces. I couldn't believe it. I guess I'm so used to picking him up, I don't notice the few pounds here and there. He was a champ with the shots...one little cry. This weekend we started him on Rice Cereal in which he loved!! (Alexis absolutely hated it!!) He did really well so now he is eating cereal twice a day plus his 5, 6 ounce bottles. He is definitely getting stronger, rolling side to side and last night we found him on his face! So now he can roll side to side and onto his tummy but not back, YET. John's personality is very bubbly and low key.

This is what happens when you leave your sleepy 4 1/2 month old unattended on his mat while eating dinner.

Showing him how to sit up

He LOVES to giggle and snuggle but has to be around someone at all times. He will let you know when you have left him alone and he doesn't like it. He can just sit there in the mornings and just watch me get ready for work and be so content. He hates being left alone!! Alexis really didn't care. He's getting ready to sit up....his neck is solid and he can hold it up without becoming a "bobblehead". He's pretty solid in his exosaucer and can stand up in it and reach the bottom and has figured out how to bounce in it. And now that he does, he giggles when he bounces himself. He definitely can crack himself up!! It's hilarious.

This pose was comfortable for about a week..not sure why but it was so funny!

Gotta love the pink bumbo chair(Daddy doesn't!!) but he LOVES sitting in it and eating his rice cereal.

We go back December 5th for his 6 month check-up. Can't believe I am saying that! Feels like he just got here.

So..what is Miss Alexis Victoria up to?!! Well, the biggest news has to be that SHE IS DAY POTTY TRAINED!! WAHOO!! What a relief to have one done(and she had to be before she moves classrooms when she turns 3 in January) but she pretty much did it on her own to say the least. We did regress a little bit when John joined us but a few months after that, she got back into it and decided she had enough of the diapers during the day. She even stays dry at nap time. :-)  We are still amazed at how much she wants to learn. She knows her colors, numbers 1-20, shapes and some letters. But now she is starting to put things together like, "the red box has 4 sides" and the number 13 has a 1 and a 3 in it. She's really into asking us what things say, like "Mommy, what does that S say on that sign?" And she is showing more interest in writing letters and when everyone's birthdays are. She is learning the months of the year at school too. And of course we are in the "Why" phase since we are almost 3. It definitely keeps you on your toes! We have alos noticed that she is starting to play more by herself with all her many "houses" that she has. She has Dora dollhouse, a little people family house, a noah's ark, etc. (She's not spoiled) But Joe and I like to eavesdrop on her playtime since a bunch will come out about what happens at school, if someone goes into time out or if she really doesn't like someone. This one little girl at school really likes to play with her (her teachers told us they are together all the time) but when we asked her about this girl at school, she told us that she follows her around all the time and doesn't really like it! What a trip!!

She's such a ham and loves to have her picture taken and then she always asks me to "show her Alexis" on the camera. She's like, that's me!

We used M&M's to help potty train her but she loves Lollipops! This also helped us when trying to keep her ears popped on the airplane going to Tennessee. She actually let me put her hair up here!

She is quite the fashionista these days!! Here she has Papa's boots on.

And the outfit is not complete unless it has a cowboy hat!!

Papa playing his accordion for his girl...she loved this!!

Another development in Alexis's personality is she is figuring out how to get away with things such as: She asked me if she could do something the other day, I said no, and then smarty  pants went and asked Daddy who then said yes(Daddy did not know I had said no)!!! We are really having to crack the whip in terms of discliping her in regards to listening to us. She will hear us but only "halfway" do something such as: If we ask her to pick up her books, she will pick up maybe half of them and the same will go with her kitchen and all the food. She is REALLY good at making a mess but hates picking it up. But yet, she will help pick up at school. Go figure right!

Daddy is still the jungle gym...

Everytime I go to take John's picture, she wants her picture taken too...

So how are mommy and daddy doing?!! We are just trying to keep up with our kiddos. We are so fortunate for their health and all their milestones that they are reaching. Work for both of us is going really well. We have somewhat of a schedule down that seems to currently work for us. We are so lucky that Papa and Gigi live close because we have called them from time to time to pick up the kids from school since we run late and school charges a HORENDOUS late fee. We definitely try to avoid that. But as we get older and our kids get more active, we are finding ourselves going to bed earlier that we "normally" would. Alexis went through a phase in which she was waking up a few times during the night and asking for one of us so finally Joe told her that if she really needed us, to come to our room. Let me tell you how much that backfired. Miss Smarty pants found her flashlight(since she has a nightlight on in her room), got out of her bed and made her way to our room. I told Joe, that is all you since you taught her that!! That lasted for a week but it was definitely tiring waking up every 3-4 hours with her asking for us(we have 2 monitors in our room, one for each kid! Crazy!!) Thank goodness it has toned down.

School pictures are this week and we can't wait to see how they turn out!! The kids will be photographed separately but more exciting...together!! And we are finally ahead of the game..both kids have HALLOWEEN COSTUMES!!!

Stay tuned!