The blog wins again!

Over knitting of course. I really don't have much time to myself anymore, Alexiss has been wanting all of my attention, even if it's just sitting with her while she plays. Of course, if I decide to do more than sit, she wants to get involved, so I ... just.... sit...

Alexiss has a new little boyfriend, Kaleb has been around since I first started taking her to Moms and Tots but recently they've started to talk and "hang out". Today it seems, Kaleb saw Alexiss out and about the neighborhood and cried until his mom brought him over to share a romantic wagon ride with her.

This is what happened when we tried to get a video of her dancing (she's only done it a few times so far). The blackness is Alexiss trying to put the lens cap back on.



Hard work pays off and practice makes perfect when it comes to high chair seat belts, it only took her a year to learn to snap it together, and was she ever proud of herself! The first success had us looking at each other amazed before Mark grabbed the camera to see if we could duplicate it. (sorry for making you all turn your heads, it's a good way to force you to stretch!)



To conquer some nasty diaper rash I'm trying to get Alexiss to drink more fluids, after tonight's fun and games drinking from my cup, it just be the way to go instead of trying to follow her around with a sippy cup.



Here we are showing off Alexiss's new winter duds.

Home with my girl on a Wednesday

Here I sit on a coolish Wednesday morning, looking at the snow on the ground and waiting for Bubba to wake up. She's roused a few times but I guess she couldn't muster the motion to totally wake up. Tea in hand and finally getting a chance to update. Although I suspect that she'll wake before I'm finished, and this screen will sit for awhile, half done and waiting.

Friday we go check out a day home in Carseland for Wednesday's. It's the little things that impress me and make me feel okay about people, when I was on the phone with this woman yesterday, Bev, kids in the background were gently and nicely asked to quiet down for a few minutes so she could talk... and they did... and she thanked them. Yeah, the little things.

What a spin our lives took this year, and what a challenge! I didn't always handle things with the most love and humor in my heart but we all got through and now find more reasons to laugh together than to struggle. Even nights with three bed times aren't met with the same frustration and approach, I still confirm it's bed time, but if Alexiss doesn't settle we find things to laugh about until she settles in. Usually the laugh and the talking is enough to settle her in, stuffed puppy in hand and cuddling galore.

When Alexiss was first born, my faith in anything spiritual took a dive just because it seemed I could not get a break...nor would I always take a break when offered. Sleep deprivation is a baaadd thing. Some may have said post-partum depression but I knew it came back to missing something that I loved, I love sleeping! These days I can't sleep from worry, but that's different, it's not someone else not letting me sleep.

(by the way, she's up and muttering.. I'll have to go soon...)

These days, my faith is back, but my trust is not. I can handle bad things in life that happen to me, I can tough through them, learn from them and not hold resentment. I'm not so trusting with Alexiss's life. I don't always trust in faith that things happen as they should, I don't always trust that everything is for a reason. I want her to have good things in life, to not struggle, to not be pained, I want her to have love, laughs and life.... end of story.

There was a time in life, I took everything as it came, I lived with no regrets, I let the past go. I didn't fear or resent death, it was a part of life. With my Dad dying so young (I'm much older than he will ever be) I know we are mortal and age isn't always a factor. I lived that if I died tomorrow that I'd be okay to go onto the next phase of my journey. Now, not so much. I'd be pissed right off.

(ohhh, she could be brewing a "package" for me first thing this morning. Good thing to get out of the way I think, eh?)

I still worry about SIDs, (silly at age one, I know), that's what keeps me awake, listening to her breathing through the monitor.

It's had a similar effect on Mark, but in case, he's become more thankful for what he has and has a new motivation for life, to watch Alexiss grow and provide all he can to ensure that happens, love, a roof over our heads and food on the table. There is a new worry in there as well. Ah Mark, what an amazing man he is! So grounded and centered, so balanced. Never imposing his thoughts on others, never judging. I'm glad Alexiss has him for a Dad.

(okay, I must go and see what she's up to and start our day home together. Chances are we'll be chasing pets, eating... maybe napping... and walking from room to room. Her new thing is to grab something cloth in both hands. That provides a huge tripping hazard, so Mark and I hold up the slack behind her and follow.. from room to room to room to room.)

Happy Wednesday! I'm going to go spend it with my baby girl!

Up she goes!

My options for today's nap were knitting, putting away clothes or updating the blog. The blog won, well.. family won. :) It's great to hear that all of you are enjoying the blog, I feel bad that I don't get much time to update it, and when I do it's usually only pictures, but then, that's what you're here to see, no?

Here's the reason I don't get much time in a day anymore..



the lil peach is totally mobile! Friday night she surprised us by standing without anything to help her! I made such a big deal, she kept it up. The crab walk only lasted one night before she had it totally mastered. Now there's no stopping her!

Last week was super busy with Halloween. Last year she was way to young to go out, we did little more than put her jack-o-lantern bib on her. This year I found the cutest bear costume!

Olive is working out great! I heard from another Mom that goes to Moms and Tots and she said Alexiss and Olive are getting along wonderfully. Day care is hard to come by out here, specially someone you can really count. We're still having problems on Wednesdays, Olive can't do it on Wed. Mark stayed home one week, and I found a neighbor last week, this week is up in the air.

This is us trick or treating, we visited Krista. This is the woman that watched Alexiss this past Wed.


Marv (pictured) and Grace gave Alexiss her first sucker, she knew just what to do...and we knew just when it got to the stick to take it away. Marv and Grace host the weekly Bible study Mark attends.


This is just before going out trick or treating. It took some work to get a good picture. Alexiss was being a bit fuzzy..oh..fussy. heh.



Alexiss and her brood. Puppy, baby and puppy all in hand and settling in to watch some Baby Einstein before bed.


Cindi and Matt came for a visit, this is Alexiss eating her first Dorito. She was so charming, she would swap her soppy chip for Matt's crunchy chip then give him a kiss. How could a guy resist!

Love! Love! Love!

I'm starting to understand why couples have more than one child, Alexiss has become a cuddly loving sweet adorable beautiful funny silly light of my life little person and I love who she's becoming. I never want to be without her.

I cannot seem to listen to news stories of young toddlers anymore, good or bad. It's too close to home and I personalize way too much. The bad ones turn my stomach. So much promise, potential and love in young toddlers. I even found myself smiling at a couple and their 6 monthish son in the grocery store. Some of the smile was out of love and some was out of support.

This morning she woke me, so I went about the normal routine.. diaper, bottle, blankets and cuddles. Now, I'm always cold when I'm tired, so thought nothing of it, my concern is usually for Alexiss these days, so I went to the thermostat too turn up the furnace a bit. A few presses of a button and... nothing! A quick look at the temperature to discover it was 17.5! I was sleepy so it took a few minutes to register that the furnace wasn't working. bah.. I'm thankful it wasn't too cold last night. So, on went the gas fireplace, opened went her door and back to bed I went!

We're fortunate to have a local jack-of-all trades. He's here now, Alexiss is napping and I'm hearing the whoosh of the furnace! A good day I must say!

Awww, my little camo panted mechanic in the making! Aren't we proud Pops?



Out in the wagon! Alexiss lurves her wagon!


The baby with her baby! So cute!

Talking of love, I'd read a study done of the effects of the word "love" on water. Seems the molecules reacted differently when the water was in a clear container with a piece of paper with "love" written on it (facing inward). So I put a sticky note on my water bottle at work. For some strange reason I mentioned it to a male co-worker.. who now has "Love! Love! Love" on his water bottle.. and has been singing "Love, Love, Love" by The Beatles all week. Positive energy is such a strong thing!

I leave you with a few pictures (not of Alexiss) that I think are beautiful.

Our little girl is growing up!

Big week with lots of showing off!

Still no time to do anything more than post pics and videos, but having fun at any rate!

Sleep shnack, sleep sack!

Today I went out and bought a sleep bag, you know it's something I need when I go out after work shopping, heck, anytime I go shopping.... it's something needed.

The night's are getting colder and Alexiss's room along with it. I for the life of me thought "Why wasn't this a problem last year" before remembering we meandered around her big crib in our room last year.

Monday night, three bed time's later and 12:00 at night before getting her settled, Tuesday night a wake up "come warm me" cry at 1:30. Needless to say... this Momma couldn't put words together to make a sentence at the end of my workday today. (Typing words is so much easier than actually making my lazy tongue say them)

I came home last night to Alexiss wanting to play and Mark lying on the couch curled up freezing cold (it could have been the 102 F temperature... ya think?). So tended to him, I did, play, I did, cooked and pureed food, I did.... dishes.. I didn't. bah! So there!

Well, bedtime looms. Oatmeal bedtime shnack and hopefully a dry sleep bag to try out tonight!

Happy Birthdayyyy dear Alexiss (Ali, Lexy, Bubbaaaaa)

I've had best intentions to update, at the very least with pictures, since returning to work, but I haven't had the brain power or physical power (typing does take energy ya know!). I figured it had gone on long enough and while Mark puts Alexiss down tonight and the dishes air dry, I thought I'd pop by to share birthday pictures..... it's the least I can do.. really...

Happy Birthday to you...
Happy Birthday to you...
Happy Birthdayyyy dear Alexiss (Ali, Lexy, Bubbaaaaa)
Happy Birthday to you...

Well, heh, Alexiss is still awake, Mark didn't make it and my second attempt didn't make it either. Alexiss has had a cold and I suspect she's just plain uncomfortable. So, it's going on 9:30 now. You know I totally understand why parents can wake up their teenagers when the teen sleeps late. It's payback for all the long nights when they are babies.