Busy Day

It turns out that speeding thru the gym was just the beginning of an adventure filled day for our Alex...


Along with "helping" Daddy get the mail and change a lightbulb, he also swiffered for me, cleaned out a kitchen cupboard (asking for water in every cup he found), wiped down a dining chair (after he spilled on it, but that's beside the point) and put away a few groceries!

He also did some gardening:
(yes, he got a bath - hooray for Grandparents giving us a night out)

And some vacuuming:
(he's a very helpful little boy)










That or they were all distractions for a little boy who's teething and has a cold. Whatever the motivation, he loves to help! If only we could trust him to scrub toilets...

Life with (I mean) AS a toddler!

This is life as a toddler:

It's a Two Speed life.

Going (above), and Sleeping (yet to be captured on film).

Fashion challenged, but surprisingly coordinated...

How funny is my boy? I guess that's what I get for leaving my shoes in the living room!

The funny part is that when he started walking around in them I was on the phone with Stan so I got a little play-by-play action.

(In sports commentary style)

"He's playing with your heels, OH...

he's got one on...

he's lining up for the second, YES...

YES, he's got it - and he's making good speed."

(As I hear clack, clack, clunk, clack, clunk in the background and demand a photo!) And then he filled his diaper. haha

Good Morning Daddy

Most mornings Stan wakes to Alex fussing from his crib. It's not really screaming, that would be much more dedicated. It's really just fussing.

Friday, "Daddy" was the word of the day, but Alex had yet to use it to call him. It was just another word - he hadn't figured out it's power! But he's now put it all together...

This morning Stan got to wake up to Alex calling his name! "Daddy"

This morning, Stan sent me a text message to relay that Alex let out "one fuss and 2 daddys". Stan was so thrilled that he jumped up and ran into Alex's room before he could start fussing again!

Hooray for Daddy!!!

Mornings with Alex are really special. He's a little extra cuddly, he loves to sit with you and watch a show or read a book. He asks for his milk and some cereal to munch on and alternates playing and hugs almost equally. He's just so content. Life is good for the baby.

I felt really special this weekend when Alex demanded that I get up with him. Stan was trying to let me sleep in, but how could I refuse? We had a lovely morning all hanging out in our PJ's.

Who needs sleep when you could have hugs from your baby?

Big Boy

It's funny how we take for granted the simple things we do every day.

Drinking from a straw, for instance... about a week ago, Alex learned to drink from a straw.

We went to lunch at our favorite mexican restaraunt http://www.freddieslacabana.com/ after church and had forgotten his sippy cup. As I was giving him one straw-worth at a time he started to suck the water in!!! Breakthrough!!! So, I offered him the straw in the cup and he couldn't have been more proud of himself! He all but drained the cup. We all clapped and oohed and aahed, congratulating him on his latest achievement!

This always makes me laugh. We forget the things that kids have to learn. Walking, stabbing food with a fork (and then actually making it to your mouth), putting your arm thru the sleeve in your shirt... pooping...

I had never laughed so hard (B.C.) as the time that friends were expectantly asking their daughter "are you pooping?" in the middle of a restaraunt.

It doesn't even sound weird when I say it now... how'd that happen?

But when did we stop cheering each other's accomplishments?

I went to the craft store today and only bought the fabric I needed for my project... Where are my oohs and aahs? Do you have any idea the will power I demostrated? I should get a high-five or something.

And it makes us feel better too - when we cheer him on we feel like we were a part of the accomplishment. Like we did it too.

This picture is from last night. Stan was grilling hamburgers for dinner so Alex & I were sitting at the patio table keeping him company. Alex wanted to sit and have a drink just like Mommy.

I love these moments.

I took a drink, he took a drink. I put my glass down, he put his down. I stuck my tongue out at him, he stuck his out at me... oh, and he said Doggie - with the 'g' and all! "daw-gee!" Too cute.

Keys?

Yesterday Stan called me at work stating that he had a problem. My immediate response is of course, 'is everyone ok?'... the following conversation not only left me in stitches, but I laughed so hard I fell off the fence and decided to start this blog. I hope you will all enjoy. Mostly however, this is the easiest way this working mom can think to keep track of all the incredible, messy, lovely adventures that are coming our way with a toddler in the house!

So, the conversation went like this:

Stan: Yes, we're all ok. Alex took my keys and hid them.

Tracy: So use your spare set.

Stan: That was my spare set.

Tracy: Ok. Well, did you ask him where he put them?

Stan: Yes, he said "Kss", then ran away laughing.

Tracy: Did you watch where he went?

Stan: Yes, he's not helping. I think he knows exactly what he did.

Tracy: (muffled snickers) Did you look in the trunk of his toy car? Did you pick up all the blankets? The cracks of the couch? Did he put them back on the table? Did he put them in a box, because I was trying to teach him to put things in the boxes?

Stan: Great (with a healthy dose of sarcasm)... No, I shook all the boxes.

Tracy: You could always call Amber (his caretaker) and beg her to pretty please pick him up for you?

Stan: No, I'll find them.

So, I laughed some more and we hung up. I got a text message from Stan about 2 minutes later saying he had found the keys. Alex put them in his monkey backpack.

One of my younger brothers hid my Mom's keys all the time. He would stash them under his pillow at bedtime so she couldn't go anywhere without him knowing... I'm going to say that Alex put them in the backpack because he was getting ready to go. But it's all speculation. And I'm still laughing.

Hooray for Grandmas!

Today, Cindy & Grandmother Searls watched Alex while Stan & I were at the North American Christian Convention.  They went to Deanna Rose and out to lunch, had a nap and went swimming!

In the afternoon, Alex went over to the curio cabinet in the back of the livingroom, pulled out one of the drawers, and turned it over.  He then proceeded to grab a garden sprayer, stand on top of the box, and sing into the sprayer like it was a microphone.  He then put the sprayer down and clapped for himself!

Grandmother laughed so hard telling the story ans Cindy acted it out - garden sprayer in hand!  Hooray for Grandmas!