Santa!

Alex got to meet Santa this year at the Santa Experience in the Mall of America. We went to a nice dinner at Kokomo’s Island Café and then headed over to see the bearded legend. There was a line for our “appointment” but Alex kept himself busy by running around the lobby and playing Peek-a-Bo barn on Brent’s iPhone. According to an onlooker, he is “very technologically savy for a baby.” As we crept closer to Santa’s location, Alex got more and more interested in the jolly voice behind the curtain. And finally, it was our turn! Santa walked off the “set” while the cheerful camera assistant got Alex settled in a cute rocking chair and handed him a book. Alex was too busy looking at the book to notice Santa swooping in behind him. They took a few pictures this way but none of them were cute. The real action started when Santa lifted Alex from behind and put him on his lap. Alex was instantly on guard and was like, “Who the heck is this guy!?” He arched his back to escape, but to no avail. He was stuck. They got a couple great shots and Alex was free. We got suckered into buying the video of the event and a picture. Well, mommy got suckered into it. The whole experience was a blast. I am proud that my social son handled himself so well and hopefully next year he will give a tug on the ole’beard! If you look closely... he is trying to pry Santa's hand away. Pretty cute!

Videos!

I finally captured Alex walking on video. He tends to pump his arms for momentum and kick out his little feet. He is getting so sturdy! We were watching Sesame Street in the background... rather loudly apparently! Be sure to check out his sweet PJs!



Here is a video of Alex throwing his Vikings football against the hallway wall. HOO-TA!

I will miss you Aunt Angie

Alex's Aunt Angie passed away on Sunday, October 24, 2010 from leukemia. This picture was taken on May 30, 2010 and as you can see... she was glowing. Alex had no idea what was going on at the Mayo clinic the day that tragedy struck, but we will be sure to tell him stories of his aunt as he gets older.

Angie wasn't much of a "baby person" but kids adored her... including Alex. When Alex was still an infant, I finally got Angie to hold him at a family gathering. Alex had just finished a bottle and Angie unwisely started playing with him by swaying him UP and DOWN. Big mistake. Of course Alex threw up on her. It was definitely funny.

Angie also couldn't resist buying Alex gifts. To name a few- she bought him homemade blankets, a Playskol puppy for Christmas that he still cuddles, and a great outfit for his first birthday. The outfit was very grown up... a polo shirt, jeans, and brown shoes. SUPER CUTE. It was the first pair of shoes that really fit him and he wore. And Angie didn't even need to try them on him... they just fit. The first time Brent and I went to try on shoes for Alex we tried on 3 pair before finding a pair that fit across his wide, pudgy foot.

Angie loved reading this blog... and she loved her nephew. We will all miss her dearly.

Finally, an Update

A lot has happened since the last blog post… my family stayed with us for 3 weeks and got to know Alex. We went to cousin Jenna’s wedding in Wisconsin. We went to the park numerous time, Lake Calhoun, the Apple Orchard, on a train ride… lots of fun events! I can’t promise this post will be filled with pictures, because it won’t, but it will give you an idea of what the past few months have been like for Alex since he turned a year old. I will try to add some photos of my parents stay and other events but no promises! Maybe I can convince Brent to add photos... :)

Grandma and Grandpa Bryant were with us from August 5th to August 25th. Alex LOVED every moment of it. They thought him where his nose was and Crazy which consists of rubbing his hands on his head. Unfortunately, he usually does Crazy while eating dinner and ends up with goo all over him! Oh well. He’s having fun.

He loved his Aunt Georgia too (AKA Auntie Emo or Emo Monster). She would tickle him and snuggle him and Alex just ate it up. Now when he sees his aunt or grandparents on Skype, he really gets excited and you can tell he is quite attached to them. The time they were able to be here was awesome.

Grandma and Grandpa Bryant bought Alex a Piggy Bank for his birthday and I am proud to say Alex has enough control to put quarters and nickels in his bank. He loves to hear the planking as the coin hits the ceramic. Anything loud really gets him going.

Around Labor Day we switched daycare which was a huge decision for us. Now Alex plays trucks and seems to very well adjusted to his new environment. He isn’t just happy to see the daycare provider, but all the kids too. There seem to be more boys around and he really enjoys the “boy things” like trucks and tinkering with tools. He seems to do a lot more organizing of books and toys. He can stand at his shelf in his bedroom and just re-organize everything from one shelf to the next. Very quietly, very steadily just moving his brush from the place mommy keeps it to a better one. Of course, the next time I go to look for the brush… I have no idea where it is but I always smile when I find it!

The past few weeks Alex has wanted blankets. No particular blanket, but he loves to snuggle into a blanket, especially on mom and dad’s lap. He is a smart little guy. He knows how to put his favorite DVD in and get it going. All of a sudden he goes to the Blu-ray, opens it up, inserts Baby Road Trip, and then the familiar music starts and he starts bouncing up and down. Alex really enjoys music. He sways his head back and forth and sways…. Even with more mature music like the Canadian Tenors! He just loves music. He is also getting more and more into playing with our family dog Marty. He actually throws Marty’s ball for him now and gets super excited when Marty goes to get it and brings it back. Then Marty gets super excited and starts racing around the living room. And then Alex gets even more excited and starts squealing with delight.

Total clown show.

Alex has also started walking about two weeks back. We have no video proof, but people have seen it and my parents and Georgia have witnessed it on Skype. He will not allow us to videotape it. The moment we get the camera rolling he drops to a crawl. Funny guy. He is building up his confidence but doesn't seem too eager to abandon the crawl at this point. He's pretty chill so it doesn't surprise me at all.

The fact of the matter is that Alex is a happy baby. He is a delight and I feel blessed to have such a remarkable son. He is curious, adventurous, and just plain fun.

Alex's First Birthday

As promised, here are some pictures taken on Alex's birthday last Friday. Brent and I both took the day off. When Alex woke up, we let him sleep in of course, we headed out to breakfast at Perkins. I got food that Alex could easily share and dad got a blueberry muffin to share with Alex. So... he had scrambled eggs, breakfast potatoes, fresh fruit, muffin, and apple juice. What a big boy!

After Alex took his morning nap, we set up his gifts in the living room. We got him a little pop up tent from IKEA. We also got him some Thomas the Tank Engine DVDs and books. He is a big fan. Here are some pictures... he started off with some tentative exploration...



He really liked his Birthday Boy balloon...



"HI DAD"



After Alex fully woke up and got going we headed off to Como Zoo. We hit the Carousel first. Here is a picture of Alex looking at the carousel.



I have to admit, Alex was pretty freaked out when the carousel started moving. That thing was fast! But he knew daddy would keep him safe and started to enjoy himself.



A picture of Alex in the new Polar Bear Odyssey. Unfortunately, that was all Alex really liked in the actual zoo. Too many people to really see any animals. It was also really hot so all the animals were sacked out in the shade. Needless to say, we didn't stay very long!



Of course, we had to ride the train before we left in Como Town! If you are wondering, Alex stole my spoon I was using to share Iced Lemonade with him and didn't give it back. Teether.



This is a picture of Alex on the ride home. And yes, he took a bite out of his balloon. No more balloon. And if you are wondering, yes he still bites his parents.



Here is a picture of Alex after he ate his chicken nuggets. His hair looks really red in some photos and this is one of them!



Alex is growing so quickly into a little boy. He is a delight. He smiles all the time and just to prove how social he is, his first official word was "Hi." He says hi to random strangers and they seem surprised and pleased by his greeting.

We are moving away from using a bottle. He has only used one three or four times in the past two weeks. He likes the sippy cups but sometimes he just needs the comfort of a bottle. What else? We bought a canister of 12-18 month formula but after that is finished he will switch over to whole milk. He loves to eat whatever mom and dad are eating. And we MUST share with him. :) Alex is so funny.

Lately I have been making him 1 scrambled egg, 1/2 piece toast, and fruit for breakfast. He eats like a champ but is slow and super messy. Lots of wardrobe changes again.

In short, Alex had a great birthday. He of course won't remember it, but it will be a day I will never forget.

Almost a Year Old

Alex is just moments away from walking independently, climbs stairs, says "Hi" cheerfully, and is eating more and more big people food. He is truly a delight. Here is a picture of his very first real peach. He took a hesitant bite, took the skin out of his mouth and put it on his table, then ate some meat. He repeated that process a few times and then eventually went back and ate the skin. He ended up eating half the peach! He has had lots of diced peaches, but a real peach was a real treat!



He is, unfortunately, still biting his parents. He has 8 teeth now and they are all sharp! He brushes his teeth now with mom in the morning. I started saying "Ahh..." while brushing my teeth to get him excited about this fun new habit... so Alex does it too! It is really sweet.l Of course, he cries every time I take it away from him. Here is a picture of Alex enjoying brushing during a morning bath.



We have had lots of fun in the sun this summer. Our friend Beth bought Alex a wading pool for the backyard and he enjoyed it immensely. We also got some lake time in with family. Just this past weekend, Alex got to try out a slip and slide with the big boys!






Alex is meeting all kinds of babies! Below he is saying Hi to cousin Owen.



And "HI" to Isaac Alexander!



Friday we will be taking the day off of work and daycare to go to Como Zoo. Hopefully we will get some good pictures and post them as well.

Enjoy the video of Alex walking behind Simba:

Alex Climbing the Stairs

Alex is such a big boy that he climbed the stairs TWICE tonight! We caught it on video the second time around. My oh my we are in for a world of trouble. He is 10 1/2 months old and is already climbing the stairs.

Memorial Day weekend

Click on "Mommy's Blog" to see what we were up to over the weekend.

Mother and Son

Mischief and Fun

Alex is becoming more and more interactive. He is crawling quickly, climbing like a pro, and wants to sample everything within arms reach. He is up to 22 lbs, 11 ounces and has 8 teeth! He is curious, smiles easily, and clearly loves people. Right now he is playing in his crib while I am waiting for him to fall asleep... he likes to play before bed time every other night now. He just plays happily until he is tuckered out... then I creep in to cover him up. He sleeps with his butt stuck up in the air and his arms and legs tucked under him. Very sweet.

Here are some recent pictures of my growing little boy:


This one was taken in Chisago. We all go together for Mother's Day. Ashley and Alex had a good time with each other... and the moms did too! :)


Alex climbing up on a storage tote. If you are wondering... this storage tote is needed because Alex kept getting into our shelf with our nick nacks and pictures. Needless to say it was safer for everyone to get a tote and hide the stuff until he not only knows the word "No" but listens as well.


Alex playing with his mobile in a whole new way. This picture was taken a night by the way. Alex was supposed to be sleeping.


Alex was saying, "Hi Daddy! See what I can do?"


Alex getting his legs going with Simba. He is getting better and better at standing and Simba helps a lot with his diligent practicing. He also likes to crawl behind Simba on his knees. And of course, big bro Marty is supervising in case things get out of hand.


Alex terrorizing the linen closet. He adores making a mess of my already messy closet.

Walk 4 Animals

On May 1st, we went on a 5 mile walk in support of the Animal Humane Society. It was a great day! Alex really enjoyed supporting his big brother Marty and loved seeing all of the different dogs, cats, bunnies, ferrets, and even a baboon! He was smiling all day and especially like the big dogs!

It was windy and bright out... just the right kind of weather to expect in Minnesota in early May.


Picture of the boys waiting on the shuttle service


Yes, Alex and Marty are both on my lap on the bus!


Hum...


Makes sense to me, right?


Alex hanging out at the half way point


Boy does he love his daddy.


Picture of the crowd and many dogs.

March of Dimes, March for Babies

Alex and I recently walked on April 25th in the annual March for Babies to support research to help premature babies or babies with special needs. This year it was located at Boom Island. It was a dreary day, but Alex and I really enjoyed seeing all of the babies we raised money to support! It is such a great cause and I am sure we will enjoy it even more next year!

Here are some pictures from the day:



Alex with Vikings Cheerleaders!


Happy little guy


The Crowd


Pleasant views...


Mom and baby


Alex passed out cold on the last leg of the walk. He was exhausted!

Climbing

Alex has really started to climb. He climbs on things like boxes and Mom or Dad, he climbs under things, and he is starting to feel more and more confident up on his hands and knees. He is still Army crawling, but he is starting to understand there is a better and faster way to get around.

I love the picture of Brent and Alex because there is a story that quickly developed. On the trip, Alex started biting. He bit me twice on the way home and drew blood both times much to my dismay. I was told I wasn't moving fast enough. Last night was the first time he bit daddy.... right in the upper thigh almost immediately after we took this picture.

We are calling him "Vampire Baby." He likes it.

Alex's First Vacation -- To Kentucky!

We recently traveled to Kentucky to see Grandpa and Grandma Bryant- and boy were they happy to see their grandson! They hadn’t seen Alex since he was 1 week old so I am sure they cherished every moment with him. It was awesome because he recognized them. We Skype often enough that he sees their faces and hears their voices… the wonders of technology.

Alex had a great trip – other than being stuck in a car seat for 4 days! He did really well considering and was happy to just touch things at rest areas and flirt with EVERYONE that came in his line of sight. Alex does not discriminate that way. He is such a cutie pants.

On Easter Sunday, Alex got pretty sick. He was projectile vomiting all over the dining room and running a fever. Brent laid down with him for a nap but he wasn’t quite himself for the next day. Then on Monday Brent got the same bug, and then Tuesday I got the bug! It was a family affair of puking and feeling icky for 24 hours. Luckily, my parents didn’t catch whatever we had. Other than that, the trip went well. We got to spend plenty of time sitting on the porch enjoying the weather and Alex even got to see ducks and chickens for the first time. We also took a walk to the catfish pond on my parent’s property which he seemed to enjoy.

The best part for Alex, of course, was spending time with his family. He loves getting snugs! He seemed to develop a stronger attachment to mommy throughout the week and is officially a “Momma’s Boy.” Overall it was a great trip. Kentucky is just beautiful and it was awesome to spend a holiday with my parents, even though the star player was sick and missed the Easter egg hunt. My friend Tabitha and her family were there as well, so they at least got to enjoy the hunt. Alex and her youngest boy, Taylor, really hit it off! Taylor literally hit Alex, and then Alex bit him! It was awesome!

Enjoy the pics of our travels…