Spring Break

Alexander had a wonderful time with Grandma Gayle and Great Grandma Ruby over Spring Break. He started eating solids during the day and showed what an amazing eater and sleeper he could be. He worked on his crawling, although he waited until they left to perfect it with one knee and one hand in front of the other. They played alot and had fun. But, those pictures are mostly still on Grandma's camera, so we will have to post them later.


At the end of the week, we had a playdate. The boys are in the same class at daycare and had definitely missed each other all week. They talked and ate lunch together before playing on Alexander's new mat. The funniest thing was that they kept trying to bump heads.

Trip to OKC

Alexander took his first trip to Oklahoma City. Thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Simpson and Great Aunt Debbie, the trip was fun and possible. Jason had what we thought was food poisoning on Thursday night, so he decided to not make the trip for Aunt Robin's 50th. Stephani and Alexander left Friday night to stay at Uncle Marcus's before the Saturday drive to OKC. Stephani got the stomach flu that Jason had in the middle of the night and it looked like the trip would be cancelled. But, mid-morning, we decided to load up and head east so that the 50th birthday would not be ruined.

Alexander did great in the car and had so much fun at GGs house. The OK family tried to corrupt Alexander by making him play on an OU blanket, just to have a picture to take home to Daddy. Not sure if what was the picture or the lingering stomach bug that made Jason puke when we got home :-) (Just kidding).

We were very glad to celebrate with Aunt Robin. She looks like we were celebrating her 35th instead. Wish I had some pictures to prove it. Didn't much feel like taking pics that trip. We look forward to more birthday celebrations with our wonderful family. If Alexander travels like this forever, I will definitely be willing to take him on more road trips. Here's him and Aunt Debbie playing in the back seat on the way back to Amarillo. "Ahhhhhh, gimme five!"

Patty-cake

Pictures of Christmas!

Our first family Christmas was quite exciting in Booker!  We spent a lot of time with the extended family and really enjoyed the low-key Christmas.  The Murphys came through town twice and it was very exciting for them to finally meet Alexander.  Alexander loved spending time with his Aunt and Uncle, Grandparents, Great-Grandmas and Mom's family.

 

Of course, Alexander was the center of attention whenever he was awake.

At the end of the stay, he was sad to pack up and travel home.

Winter Wonderland!

I am very disappointed that the blog has turned in to once a month blogging during lunch at work.  I really need to go get our home computer fixed because the Ipod can't blog.  But, it's another errand that I keep putting off.  Jason has been working more in the evenings and will be leaving town this week for a conference.  Between that, the snowy/rainy weather and actually going to the gym a few times per week, running errands has really been put on the back burner.

So, most people probably log on to see cute pictures of Alexander, not read me rambling on and on.  So, without further ado, here are more pictures of the cutest kid on the block.

Christmas Eve was a crazy day for travel with snow like this.

I think this is the wettest winter Lubbock has seen in awhile.  We got out of school 1 and 1/2 days at the end of January.  It was super cold, but we decided to take pictures outside anyway.

The cold doesn't keep Jason from grilling out...even in flip-flops

Alexander started daycare on January 4th.  Besides catching a few colds and such, he loves it!  Sometimes when we go to pick him up, he doesn't even notice we are there, because playing is just too much fun!  He is learning a lot from his classmates who are all older and more mobile.  This is his teacher, Miss Debra.  He is definitely teacher's pet.

Alexander started eating cereal a couple of weeks ago and started peas this last weekend.  It is hit or miss sometimes.  He has had a couple of really good feedings, but the bad ones are really bad.  Green peas coming out the nose and mouth, is not the most appetizing sight.

Merry Christmas (just a little late)!

We had a wonderful time in Booker for Christmas and New Year's.  The drive to Booker, was horrible!  But, Alexander and Sampson did great.  We left at 8am on Christmas Eve Morning.  Lubbock had been hit by freezing rain and snow, but we didn't know how bad it was until we got out in it.  An hour after we left our house, we made it to the Lubbock Airport.  We thought about turning around, but knew that driving back through Lubbock would be tough and thought that maybe just north of Lubbock, we would be out of this mess.  Alexander and Sampson slept on and off in the back seat and never seemed to mind that we were only going 25 miles per hour and being blown from side to side with the 40 mile per hour wind gusts and the icy roads.  It didn't clear up in an hour and Jason did an amazing job to not end up like the 40-50 cars we saw in the ditches as we drove.  We were in a long line of people travelling that day.  Finally, at Tulia, the ice was clearing up even though the wind was getting worse.

After we had been on the road for four hours, we stopped in Amarillo (normally 1hr 45min - 2hr trip).  Luckily, the parents of Stephani's best friend from childhood live in Amarillo.  We took a nice long stop where Alexander could eat, we could eat and lounge around for a little before getting back in the car.  Also, Stephani's best friend happened to be in town and his brother and is wife and kids came over too.  It was a nice reunion and a good start to the Christmas spirit.

We did make it to Booker in time for Christmas Eve service at Booker Christian Church.  It was great to see everyone there and show off Alexander's new lip for the first time in Booker although most people had already seen it on the front page of the Booker News the day before.  Yes, Alexander is famous, frontpage news in good ol' Booker, TX.

Food, family, games, and fun for all for the next few days.  It was great that Alexander had time with Uncle Marcus, Aunt Lindsey, Great Grandma Ruby and his grandparents.  Thanks to weather in Oklahoma, we also saw Great Aunt Debbie and Don.  Over the weekend Alexander got to meet many more family members even though he tended to be in bed during some of the most fun times of the weekend.

Santa was very good to Alexander.  He didn't know what was going on but had a good time playing with everyone and his new toys.

Ok, I am going to go ahead and post this because lunch at work is almost over and our home computer is still on the fritz.  I promise to add some pictures soon, more about the break and more about how great daycare is going. 

Lip Recovery

Alexander's surgery went well and then he had almost three weeks of NO SUCKING!  If you have ever been around a 4-5 month old, you would know that sucking on your hands, pacifier, bottle or anything they can get in their mouths is the best way to pass the time.  Alexander was given rainbow, floaty-like splints to keep his arms from bending and his hands from their favorite place, the mouth.  Every night at bathtime, the hands tried their best to make it to the mouth.  Mom was feeding him with a syringe.  They really had a system going and feedings were going well.

The Sunday after the surgery, Daddy left for a conference in Florida.  Grandma Gayle and Great Grandma Ruby came to spend the week helping Mommy. While Daddy was gone, Grandma Gayle and Mommy took Alexander to Covenant on Thursday to get the stitches removed.  Daddy came home Thursday night.  The eating system was a little rough at first.  Alexander and Mom and a rhythm with the syringe that took awhile to learn.  Dad's rhythm was different and the first feedings with Dad were not pleasant.  But, then Alexander and Dad got their own rhythm and after Mom had been off for two full weeks, she was able to head back to work to do a little catching up.

While she was working, the boys stayed home and did laundry.

Then on Tuesday, December 22nd the whole family went to Dr. Rowley's office at 3:15pm.  He said the lip looked great!  He gave Alexander the "ok" to go back to the bottle and have his hands back for Christmas.  Alexander's only Christmas wish was to have those hands back!  So, Tuesday night when CMN came to do some more video of their Miracle Baby, we all enjoyed the smiling, jumping, and most of all the hand sucking! :-)

So, Alexander got his Christmas wish a couple of days early.  Now we can all enjoy our trip and our Christmas celebrations in Booker a little more!  We are excited to see family and everyone in Booker.  Merry Christmas to all those we won't get to see before this year is over!!

Merry Eve of Christmas Eve!!