Pictures from the Big Birthday Party!

Better late than never!

Last year, the cupcake tradition began. The night before Alexander's birthday party, my cousin Jodie stays the night with us and she and Eric make cupcakes. We all consume adult beverages and wake up with birthday hangovers. We're not sure how long the tradition will last but we'll enjoy it as long as we can!

Jodie and Eric make cupcakes...and then Jodie and I get goofy!

The birthday was a Bob the Builder theme so construction signs and caution tape was vital to setting the scene.

Surprisingly it was a sunny day and I couldn't avoid the glare in the pics!

When Eric and I celebrate our birthdays, we exchange gifts at midnight. Since waking a toddler at midnight is a terrible idea, Alexander opened his gifts from us first thing after waking up.

Jodie and Alexander play with his newest toy while we wait for guests to arrive.

Daddy's waiting too...

Family and friends arrive and the fun begins!






Opening presents

Blowing out the candles. For a second year, Alexander wanted nothing to do with his cupcake.

After awhile, only a few remained to enjoy the fun and stayed to the very end.

Dinner was a success!

Mommy made dinner last night. Yes, you read that correctly. Mommy. Made. Dinner. Everyone knows that Eric does all our cooking and is 100times better at it. But I saw a recipe that tempted me so I had to try it. The good news is that it was healthy AND the boys gobbled it up! Even our picky Alexander couldn't resist, although he needed a bath immediately following the meal. So, if you're ever looking for a super easy dish that even a cooking idiot can make...here you are! Bon Appetit!

Pilgrim Feast Dip
Ingredients:
1 lb ground turkey (or shredded cooked turkey)
1 t cumin
2 t chili powder
1/2 t pepper
15 oz can black beans
15 oz can white corn
Large Jar of Salsa

Directions:
If using raw, ground turkey, brown meat in a skillet adding spices while cooking. Cook until no longer pink. For already cooked turkey, shred meat and put into skillet with 1/2 cup water. Add spices and cook over medium heat tossing often until heated through and water is evaporated. Add beans, corn, and salsa and cook until bubbly. Serve warm with baked corn chips.
Serves 12 per serving.
Cal 90, Protein 5g, Carbs 19 g, Fiber 1g, Fat 3g, Sodium 276mg

Happy Birthday Alexander!

Happy Birthday to our little man.

Born January 18 at 12:56 PM

7lb, 10oz 19inches long

Wishes really do come true.

From the beginning you reached out, grabbed our fingers and our hearts, and have never let go. You are our happy boy who has given sweet smiles, baby giggles, and sloppy kisses to all who love you.

The past two years have been the adventure of a lifetime. May you continue to shine your bright light on others, bring smiles and laughter to their hearts, and always be our strong, happy little man.

We love you!

Family pics today

Two year olds do not like having professional pictures taken. Or at least, our two year old does not like it. This afternoon, he was that screaming, out of control child that people hear outside a photo studio. It took an hour to get six poses and chances are good we aren't doing this again anytime soon.

Here is what we ended up getting...you can see how his attitude changed as the session went on!

We didn't get the last picture, I just like how concerned we look as parents!

16 Things (about Alexander)

My "16 Things"
Lama Mama did this on her blog about herself. I liked the idea but didn't want to make it about me (well, I did but our blog isn't about me).
Rules: Once you’ve been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 16 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 16 people to be tagged. I didn't get tagged and I don't really have 16 people to tag but maybe we have 16 readers following our blog.

1. Alexander was born three days after his due date. Had he been born on his due date, he would share his birthday with Martin Luther King. Ten days before he was born, we had a huge snowstorm and I spent the last days of my pregnancy lounging in bed or on the couch, enjoying the time off from work because I was GINORMOUS. The day we went back to work, I was so uncomfortable that at lunch, I told Mom I was not going to work another day. Turns out I was having contractions and was right about it being my last day; Alexander was born 24 hours after that declaration.
   
2. Alexander did not have a middle name for the first two days of life. Eric finally suggested Wayne (after Batman's Bruce Wayne) and I agreed only because it is also Eric's dad's middle name. Eric prefers to tell people it is after Batman and I let him because I still feel bad about yelling at him during labor.
   
3. The first time I took Alexander out of the house, he was two weeks old. We went to Mika's house and Alexander pooped all over their couch and me. We didn't leave the house for another two months.
   
4. We have owned two strollers because when I was brave enough to venture out of the house again, a sleep deprived me left one at the library after a walk with Grandma and it got stolen. Can you blame me for wanting to stay home with my track record thus far?
   
5. We have two cats, Schmoo and Guybrush. Alexander hates Guybrush who always wants to be in on the excitement. On the other hand, Alexander loves Schmoo because Schmoo wants nothing to do with him.
   
6. Alexander loves to go on walks. Sitting in a stroller with food on the tray or out of the stroller pulling you along. Unfortunately, the walks have come to a halt because his walking companion is out of state. He's been known to look for-longingly at the stroller and say, "baa" and "neigh".
   
7. Alexander sleeps 12 hours a night and will take one long 2-3 hour nap in the afternoon. Sometimes, he will nap for 4 hours. We love those days.
   
8. Alexander is a binky and blankie boy. Binkies and blankies are not forever but they are definitely for now. His white WSU blanket is looking more and more like true Cougar colors - Crimson and Grey. It's hard to keep a blanket white when you can't get it away from a two year old long enough to wash it.
   
9. With the exception of taking a bath and washing his hands (OCD anyone?), Alexander hates partaking in hygiene events. Brushing teeth brings screams of terror. Cutting finger and toe nails makes doing the cats claws seem easy. And cutting hair? Forget about it.
   
10. Alexander eats the same basic foods on a rotating basis. Right now, he is refusing just about everything so meal times are fascinating events.
    
11. Alexander loves to sit in the bathroom and watch people go potty. If you are a visitor and he does this with you, having climbed through the cat door after you; we apologize in advance.
    
12. Alexander does not enjoy having his picture taken and will run from a camera if he notices it pointing at him. However, he will spend time looking at his pictures on the computer or talking to himself in the mirror.
    
13. Either he's understanding more words or we're terrible parents who let him watch too much TV, but Alexander has recently taken to talking to the TV during interactive cartoons like Little Einstein and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. He gets so excited when they talk back to him!
    
14. When Alexander gets the hiccups, he thinks you gave them to him and will ask for "more" after each hiccup occurs.
    
15. Whenever you ask Alexander if he is tall enough to go to Disneyland, his response is, "yea, yea" and he immediately runs to the wall where we have his growth chart so we can check his progress.
    
16. Alexander turns two in one week. Damn, how time flies.

I'm still laughing

So yesterday Alex and I are deciding what to have for lunch. We're looking in the drawer at vegetables and decide on some peas and carrots. I place them in a bowl for him and he takes a bite and I head back into the kitchen to grab him some milk. I hear him say, "yuck!" as I start pouring the milk, I turn and start putting the cap on the bottle as he climbs down from his seat heads into the kitchen opens the door under the sink and dumps the peas and carrots into the garbage. I stand there blinking for a moment and he gets back into his chair and sits there like nothing just happened. I look at the empty bowl still in disbelief and ask him, "Did you just throw the peas and carrots away?" he replies, "Yea. Icky." We got a can of green beans instead and he was much happier.

Apologies!

Our apologies to those checking in. After 19 days of the best winter break ever, all of us are adjusting into old routines with Mom at work again. By the time Alexander's bedtime rolls around, Mommy is about dead asleep and Daddy is strung out from his long day with a teething toddler (damn molars). Updating the blog isn't a blip on our radar these days. Updates should be coming soon...after all, someone we know is celebrating a birthday soon!

Party, Party, Party

If you are a consistent reader of this blog, you know we have a group of friends that we hang out with throughout the year. Currently, there are eight kids under the age of six, which makes parties a tad different than before babies arrived. To put it mildly, we do not wake up with hangovers. Not only is it fun for the parents to spend the time together but we particularly enjoy watching the little ones run around, creating havoc. Makes me wonder what it will be like during their teen years. OY!

Playing on the indoor slide with Evan and Addie

Someone in this group is destined to be in a band

Eric holds 6 week old Kieran (everyone say awwww...)

Mama goofing around with the camera

Playing in Cole's room

Cole makes a silly face...and has no idea Alexander is about to get him!

Mommy's take a picture break