Quick Trip 2011 (no, not the convenience store)

..though I love QTs! Chris calls it my "church" because between the one on Hunt Hwy on the way to work and the one by us in Queen Creek, they've become my "rituals". But that isn't what this post is about. There were no QTs within hundreds of miles on this "quick trip".

At the tail end of my Spring Break, Chris, the baby and I took a quick trip to Utah to visit his sister AnneMarie. Alexander got to meet his cousin's Carson and Maren, and he even met his cousin Jacy! What I loved about the trip? Well, lots of things. The weather was awesome. It's Spring, but it was nice and cloudy and they had rain and SNOW. It is so nice to go to a place that isn't always hot and sunny. Sure, it gets warm there, but only when it should get warm there. Not the rest of the year like here in Hell. It's also so quaint and beautiful there with the architecture. Even the new buildings have character. No rocks for landscape. No beige gross houses that all the look the same. Even the houses there that do look the same have character. Unlike here.

But this isn't a complaining entry. And it was nice to come home back to my QTs! lol Alexander experienced his first snow there. Isn't it beautiful?! I know Chris thought it was beautiful too, even if he won't say it out loud.

Spring Snow March 25, 2011
Alexander and Daddy

He met his cousins Carson, Maren and Jacy. That same day we went down to Provo and visited Jacy in her apartment. We had some fun conversations about the dynamics of siblings and birth order.

Jacy and Alexander March 25, 2011

Carson caught holding Alexander (Carson liked to be more aloof about holding the baby). I need to dig up pictures of Chris and I with brand new baby Carson! lol

Alexander with his Aunt AnneMarie 3/25/11

With his cousin Maren 3/26/11

Mommy and Alexander 3/26/11

Carson, Maren, Alexander and Doggie Dexter.

Carson went to the prom right before we left to go home! Here he is ready to go!

Before we left for Utah, here are some pictures of Alexander on his 3-month birthday. One picture is off center because I would get him to smile, then he would stop when I got behind the camera. So the last one, I didn't look through the camera as I wanted to keep him smiling.

3/22/11 Age 3 Months!

This one is just funny:

Smiles!

And another from yesterday, a few hours before we came home:

Three Months Old TODAY

Today is 3/22/11, which means Alexander was born exactly 3 months ago at 8:57pm.

One of my biggest heartbreaks is how fast times goes - especially with babies. It's even harder this time around because I know Alexander is my last one. (:cry:)

We are really enjoying him and he is quite the chunky monkey!

(Above, left) All happy and slobbery on his brother's 7th birthday (3/17).




About 2 Months old:

6 Weeks:

1 Month:

3 Weeks:

2 Weeks:
3 Days / Christmas Day:

Brand New:

Babies, Birthdays and Bowling!

"Twin" Cousins
Sunday March 13th, Mikelle, Christian and Alexander met their cousin Skylar for the first time! She was born December 6th, about 2 weeks before Alexander!

This one is a fun angle. I'll make them do it again when they're 18!

Christian with his Aunt Kariann

Mikelle with her cousin Skylar

Okay, this was supposed to be Christian and his cousin Skylar, but it turned out to be him holding his little brother. Okay. It's all good I guess!

Spring Break Part I - Birthday Celebrations!

The kids have Spring Break for 2 weeks, while I only have it for one, the second week of the kids' Spring Break. Therefore, Mikelle spent a couple days with her friend Katie this week. On Christian's birthday on 3/17, we decided to get Mikelle back via "Red Robin" (yummmm!) so we could have an impromptu celebration, even though we'll officially celebrate it today.

Liz helping Christian with his birthday balloons.

Mikelle and Katie - BFF's! They've known each other since they were 3 and 4 years old!

Alexander (age 12 weeks) in his Green Monster Jammies on St. Patricks Day/Christian's Birthday. And no, he cannot sit up on his own yet. Daddy and the doggie are helping.

Birthday Bowling 3/19
We went to the bowling alley today because that's what Christian said he wanted to do to celebrate it. His friend Corbin came along as well as his Aunt Kariann and his new cousin Skylar. As you can see, the babies got into the bowling:

No really - they did! See?

The birthday boy bowling:

Christian and his friend Corbin.

Boys being boys! Christian, Alexander and Corbin.

Mikelle bowling.

And I think Christian really likes the present he opened from his Aunt Kariann and Grammy!

Kariann holding Alexander.

And my almost 3-month old can bowl already!


(and before And before anyone freaks...NO... he's NOT really holding the ball, and my hand was away for a millisecond while Chris took the picture. No babies were harmed in the taking of this picture....)

Lucky Seven!

Seven years ago today, the end to a crazy pregnancy and crazy labor brought me this little St. Patrick's Day boy and he was born with just about the same amount of hair he has now!

I think of the "roller coaster" talk towards the end of the movie "Parenthood" and that describes our life with Christian. (click here and the whole clip is here) From the get-go, we saw his fascination with gadgets, beeps, buttons, and "how things work". We saw his speed and how fast he developed in just about everything. His intellect was amazing and impressive while at the same time we wanted to pull our hair out (and still do).

We love this little guy, and thankfully, he keeps us laughing through all the adventures. From the funny things he says to the crazy things he does, we know we have quite a wonderful spirit in our hands. I always say, "he's going to grow up to be something amazing...if he lives that long!" Or if I live that long, for that matter.

He is a loving little brother who loves his sister (as you can see here), and no one can annoy her in just the perfect way that he does:


Despite that Mikelle calls him "annoying", they have a closeness and want to be together, even if being together creates more noise and drama than apart.

And he LOVES his little brother and LOVES being a big brother.


Although I am a bit worried about what little diddies Christian will "teach" Alexander:



We love you Christian. There isn't a dull day with you around. And we adore how loving and sweet you can be! You impressed teachers in pre-school because you kept saying, "I love my Mom...." "My Mom is soooo pretty..."

Yeah, keep saying things like that, Christian! Even if I don't believe it myself!


Sure, it's hard to get you out of our bed. It's hard to keep you away from the scotch tape. But that's part of the roller coaster.

I look at how you've grown, Christian, and I wonder where the last seven years have gone. You're almost a big second grader and you're already reading well into the second grade level! You use words like "gravity" "phlegm" and "resume". And you've always been so insightful and fascinated with things that we wouldn't think of to be intrigued by. That's what's so fascinating about you.

Happy Birthday Christian! Stop growing so fast!