Christmas

   Christmas this year was so fun! I love having my baby girl! It totally brings back that giddy feeling you had as a child wondering what Santa brought you.  But now I am just Santa. Our festivities started with a friends party on the 23rd. We had a fun white elephant gift exchange. On the 24 I had a family lunch in with my moms side of the family. Then that night we went to Jaron's parents for our traditional huge dinner and seeing Christmas lights. We usually go to SF to see the festival lights but with all the construction work this year we just went to Thanksgiving Point. (I know it sounds silly why wouldn't we do that in the first place since we live right by it, but it's all about traditions. lol) Alexis loved the lights! We ate yummy crab and steak. Then opened pajama's. They got a Wii and gave it to the kids early so we played it that night and the Michael Jackson game. That was the funnest game I have ever played! I am dieing to get it now! We all took a turn even my father in law. My brother in law Tyson was the funniest to watch. He got so into it. It was my best Christmas Eve in my older person life. (I don't consider myself an adult yet ha)

    I could not sleep Christmas Eve I was SO excited for Alexis's first Christmas! We had her open presents the last 2 days so she knew what to do when the big day came. Santa brought her a bike/walker thing. She LOVES it! I am very happy with this purchase. Then she opened a ton of presents. She got a ton of clothes and some fun toys. Jaron and I had told each other that we would not get each other gifts... Well after black Friday we got us some things and it was all down hill from there. So I got Jaron golf clubs yeah finally! And a few other little things. I actually sewed him some stuff. I was very proud of myself... don't look to close I can't sew straight. Jaron got me a Mommy's ring. It has Potato Bug's birth stone in it. I love it! I got some other fun things such as a pink shake weight (ever since the South Park with the shake weight Jaron is obsessed.)

    After we opened presents at our house we went to Jaron's parents. We all got spoiled there. Lexi got the cutest rocking horse, a ball pit and some really cute clothes!!
    Then it was down to my Mom's. And of course got spoiled there too! My mom went crazy with sewing her clothes. She got a few fun shape toys as well.

   Then we had a great Christmas dinner at my dads house. And of course got spoiled there! I got this fun whisk and that was Lexi's favorite thing to play with.

   Then off to home. Lexi was so tired and onry when we got home she did not even want to play with any of her new toys. So as of for next year we will be doing things different. We will not be going everywhere parents might have to come to us so Lexi can have more play time.  I loved Christmas with her! It was so much more fun having my baby girl and getting stuff for her. It will only get more fun as she learns more about Christmas and actually knows what is going on.

Florida

Alexis and I flew out to Tampa Florida last to week to meet Jaron there. He had been working there for  few weeks so we went on his last day of work. It was a lot of fun!! I had a lot of anxiety about flying there with a baby with out help. Well it wasn't a piece of cake. We got stuck in Minneapolis because of all the delays, cancellations, and plane maintenance problems. We finally got on the last flight out of there for the day and got to Tampa late that night. It was kind of crazy but luckily my sister in law works for Delta and helped me stay sane by changing my flight after problem after problem. Then I got a litlte extra bonus and flew first class there. Lexi is pretty lucky to be 9 months old  and already have had that luxury. lol
   So we get to Tampa and we go to meet Jaron and I had not even seen him yet before I hear Lexi yelling "DA! DA!" and flapping like crazy in her stroller. It was the cutest thing ever!
     My aunt, Kiersten lives there so she was nice enough to let us stay with her. She showed us all around the city.  We went to Pass-A-Grille Beach with her.  There were a lot of sea shells there.  Alexis was the first to put her feet in the water, which was not a smart idea. She screamed because it was so cold and would freak if we would put her down. Jaron wouldn't even get in the water because it was so cold. I would hold Lexi and stand in the water and she loved that, to watch the waves come up and bubbles. We also saw wild dolphins swimming about 40 feet from shore. That was super cool!! After that we went to St Pete Pier. It has a upside down triangle building at the the end of it.
   I had the ultimate test of being a mother... so far. Alexis got sick on the trip. She woke up in the middle of the night puking, not spitting up, really projectile puking. She did this 4 times one night. It was not fun. My poor cousins room. She let us stay in it first we took over it by our bags then my baby throws up all over her room and on her blankets. The next morning when Lexi woke up and I was holding her and with out any warning she puked all down me. I had pedalight, formula, crackers, and peaches all down me, on my face and in my hair.  She was just fine after that.

   The last full day we were there we went to Clearwater Beach. It was gorgeous. The sand was so fine and water so clear.  Alexis wanted to play in the sand that day. She kept trying to eat the sand and we kept telling her No and she kept getting mad. So we finally let her. Her face was so funny. But she did it again.  It was so fun. It was 72 degrees so not super hot but not cold like it was at home. My mom was getting 2 feet of snow so I would send her pictures of my view just to rub it in.

    It was sad to leave but I was excited to go home to all the fun Christmas events! We again had trouble getting home because of maintenance problems with the plane. But I was ok because I had Jaron with me that time. We barely made our connection in Atlanta. We had 10 min. and if you have been to Atlanta that is hard to make. But we didn't wait for stroller and we just took off running. It was so funny. We hopped on the subway thing and ran up the stairs and all over. It was crazy but we did it! I couldn't believe it! If we hadn't we would have had to spend the night in Atlanta. We got home around midnight on the 22nd well I guess that made it the 23rd. I enjoyed myself so much! It was so nice to get away!

Pass-A-Grille Beach

My Aunt and Lexi

St. Peter Pier

Clearwater Beach

Eating sand

After eating sand

Worlds Largest Bowling Pin

First time on a plane

Pony

Alexis's hair is coming in more and more. Or the few strands she has is just getting longer. But a few weeks ago we were able to get a pony to stay in hair. Just a little one, but it was there all day long! I was super excited!

9 month Update

Little Miss Alexis is now 9 months old. These last 9 months went a lot faster and have been so much more enjoyable than the last 9 months! She is so big now. I have seen a lot of new babies lately and I can't believe how much smaller they are than her. I took her into her 9 month old appointment last week. She weighed 17 lbs 2 oz and was in the 25%, her height was 27 1/2" in the 75% (where did she come from?), and her head is in the 50%.  She looks like a normal chunky baby so it's hard to believe she is in the 25%.

She is getting stranger danger. I have spoiled her so much that now she thinks I have to carry her everywhere or she will cry. So yep, I keep spoiling her. My right arm is going to be buff and my left will stay all flubbery.  She is such a Mommies girl! The last week Jaron was home I was really busy so he had to watch her a lot and after a few days she was freaking out and wouldn't leave my lap with out crying for 2 days. I do love that she is so attached to me but when this mommy needs a break it doesn't work so well.  Even though she is a Mommies girl, Alexis does LOVE her Daddy! No one can make her smile bigger than him. All she has to do is flash those gums to him with a big smile and she can get anything out of her dad.

She no longer says any words but ugh and grunts and growls. If she really is upset she will cry "MA!" But rarely do we get anything else out of her. She loves standing up and dancing! I don't think she will be a huge crawler before she is walking. Her army crawl hasn't progressed in the last month, where her standing/balance has. I talked to the Dr. about her not crawling and just walking because of that study. He said he thought that study was useless and not to worry if she isn't that into it. So I'm not pushing it anymore. She gets all over the house though between rolling and the army crawl both. I was worried about her getting into the Christmas tree and she hasn't because she hasn't figured out that the presents a re wrapped in paper. She will love Christmas morning and playing in the paper mess! Last thing to add in the monthly update is that she will not put her tongue away. It is always hanging out of her mouth. The tooth I thought had came in I guess didn't but you can see it so I think that will be cutting soon because that is where her tongue always is.

The Barrel Christmas edition has arrived!

So guess what?! The Barrel Christmas issue has been released! Go check it out! It has great Gift ideas, recipes, fashion advice, assistance for Christmas, Funny Potty Stories, Christmas Around the World, and so so much more! If you have forgotten I am the co-editor and The Managing of all Things Zebra Print. (it even says so in the credits) Go check it out and tell everyone you know because all the cool kids are doing it! If you would like to be apart of this fun magazine or be a sponsor let me know. I can make this happen!

Addison's Birthday

It was Addison's Birthday yesterday. She is now 12! I can not believe this! She was 1 when I started dating Jaron! Jaron, Alexis and I went and pulled her out of school yesterday and took her to Chucky Cheese for lunch. We were the only ones there. It was a lot of fun! She just ran around and played whatever she wanted. Alexis had fun except when her dad played the basketball game. You know the one where there are a couple of balls and you shoot them over and over again as fast as you can. She would scream. I don't know why. Chucky Cheese didn't scare her. She rode on a few of the little rides. Afterwards we took Addison shopping for a rock star outfit for her Birthday party on Friday. She was so excited it was so fun to take her!! We also went to dinner at the Olive Garden with the family for the big day. She kept telling the Waiter well you know I am the Birthday Girl. She is such a funny girl! I love her to death!

Thanksgiving weekend

     Thanksgiving has come and gone. We enjoyed the holiday weekend! It started with round 1 at Jaron's moms house on Thursday. Lots of yummy food with family! I couldn't move after I ate!! It was Alexis's first Thanksgiving and she was not into any of the food. Not even the normal stuff she loves at home. Jaron shoved sweet potato's in her mouth and made her so mad. After that she was like don't even come around me with food! My mother in law did a great job on the food and sent us home with so much yummy left overs which is my favorite!      I sent Jaron and Daniel black Friday shopping. It was a success. You can read about the funny details at http://mylifeasarealhousewife.blogspot.com/2010/12/black-friday.html.
    Round 2 started off with a stop at the craft fair in SF. Then off to my Dad's. We didn't have a Thanksgiving dinner just a normal one. They didn't want us to get turkeyed out. We usually go to the light parade but this year with it being 14 degrees and having a 8 month old we decided it wasn't a good idea. Maybe next year! They did light up the Salem pond so we drove around that and Lexi loved that! She was all about those lights!
   Round 3 happened at my Mom's house.  My step sister was there with her new baby! I was so excited to see my new niece! She is 7 weeks old and still so tiny! She weighs what Alexis weighed when she was born right now. It makes me feel like I have a giant baby now seeing how small she use to be to how big she is now! We ate yummy turkey and ham.  My mom made homemade rolls, cinnamon rolls, and pumpkin bread that she sent home with us! I love the holidays! Alexis loves pumpkin bread!! I think that is her favorite thing she has ate so far.

   I have great family that I am so Thankful for!