FYI

For those of you who are obsessive planners like me or those that like to shop early for sales like me, I just wanted to pass along info on a feature of this blog you may not be aware of. If you look to the right you will see where it says "VIEW MY COMPLETE PROFILE". That will take you to a page that has "wishlist". Click on that and that will take you to Froogle Shopping List where under "find a friends wishlist" you enter my email of nnejabari@yahoo.com and up will pop a wishlist for Alex. Thought this might be helpful for Christmas and Birthday shopping. Don't pay any attention to the speicific store its from, I just did a search and put up the first one that came up. So if doing on-line shopping, I would do your own search for the item for the best price. Also, for most of the items, e-bay may be your best bet. You can get new-in-box items for less than retail (except for TMX-elmo and other "hot" toys, non of which are on her list except maybe "Lucky Puppy"). Also, Alex is certainly use to gently used items since thats what about 80% of her stuff is, so thats another route to take. We've just been adding things that she seems to have an interest in. She plays with her Schleich animals everyday and her little animal playsets too. Shes really getting into the pretend play so more things for her kitchen would be nice. She likes to do puzzles and loves books(if anyones interested, I can e-mail a list of the books she currently has), especially ones that have flaps or touch and feel and that kind of thing. Size wise for clothes she's in 24 months/2T and it looks like she'll be in that size for awhile. This is in no way a solicitation for gifts, but I know it can be hard since she's not there to know what it is she's interested in and likes to play with. Hope this helps, though time with Family would be the best gift of all.
Stay tuned for a major update next Tuesday as we will be back from DISNEY.

Life is Good

We had a fun weekend checking out the Blues Training Camp. Alex seems to be a hockey fan and is very concentrated on watching the puck. Also did Gymboree Saturday. Boys outnumbered the girls 2 to 1 and there was a bit of shoving going on, but Alex just rolls with it.

She is very excited cause she got a new (well to her)little tikes climber. She can slide more than a foot now-yeah! She loves it and was sliding down and climbing up even while I was still putting it together. Its the perfect size for her and our yard. I'm still on the lookout for a playhouse and should be able to find one this fall, lots of people getting rid of them so they dont have to store them over the winter. Craigslist rocks! I managed to sell the 2 play structures she had outgrown for more than what I originally paid (after getting more than a years use out of them) and less than the price of the new climber-gotta love it.

She's growing up so fast! Here are some of the current highlights. She loves giving high fives and blowing kisses. She pats her leg when she calls for the dogs to come. She calls Rowan Roro and Kylie is more like EyeA. She woofs and moos. Says Mom and Da interchangeably lately. Says hot, ball, bowl, boob (no surprise there)duck, fish, breakfast, sock, out, vroom, this and I'm sure there's more I'm missing. I'm surprised she doesn't say No, cause shes very good at emphatically shaking her head No, which is what she does when you ask her just about any question lately. She still loves her bath though shes a big girl now and usually takes them by herself. She loves picking out her own PJ's. We read Time for Bed every night before bed, she loves the book but doesn't like going to bed. She sleeps with Walt, her pink lovie taggie blanket, and a Glo-e puppy. She loves reading books and coloring. Her favorite song is Laurie Berkners I'm Gonna Catch You. She loves watching Breakfast with Bear cause that has all her favorites like Bear, JoJo, Charlie and Lola, Rolie Polie Olie, and of course the Wiggles. We do piggy back rides now which she thinks are the best. She loves being tickled and loves to laugh at just about anything. She loves pretend play either with her kitchen or little people farm or her favorite-her pvc animals. She loves mimicing everything we do now. Very amusing to see the world through her eyes.

Hugs & Kisses

We're thinking of you Mimi

Love from all of us

Horsie Highlight

The week went by pretty uneventful. No Gymboree on Wednesday since we had the kids Resale. Nothing too exciting, we just picked up a couple of small toys and a gymboree sweater with a dog on it which of course was a big hit with Alex. She kept looking at it and saying"woof". We had a pretty fun weekend.

We started it off Friday night going to look at RV's. I think it would be a blast one year if Troy decides to go into teaching and has the summer off to take an RV tour of the country. Alex had a blast climbing in and out of the RV's and is more than ready to take the wheel and drive.

Saturday we went to Gymboree and she had a blast. She was really in giggle gogogo mode. Then we hit the Mothers of Twins baby sale which is about the third time I've gone and it will be the last. Its a nuthouse and they have tons of stuff, but its not very good. There's one more baby resale the first weekend of October so I'm hoping to find a playhouse and climber for her there. I'm also keeping an eye on Craigslist, but so far the timing hasnt worked out there. Enough on my garage saling obsession. We just relaxed the rest of the day on Saturday.

Sunday we went to the Manchester Homecoming Celebration. Not alot going on, but Alex had a great time playing on the playground. I didnt realize that park had such great equipment so we'll have to hit that one more often. She's throwing out words here and there like when she saw the duck ride at the park she pointed to it and said "duck" before Troy or I did. She always understands what we say and she uses words here and there, she just doesnt seem to have much of a need to use them yet, but I'm sure she will soon. At the homecoming, they also had a fundraiser for a local dog park and people could bring their dogs to the pool! Alex was squealing like crazy watching all the dogs splish and splash. The best part of the day was Alex's first pony ride. I thought she'd be too small but the handler put her on the saddle and she grabbed right on with a big smile on her face. Off she went for a ride around the park on Biscuit. She had a great time and I think Da liked it just as much if not more than her.

Sorry

I know its been ages since I've updated. We've had the sniffles going back and forth for awhile now. I thought it was past, but Alex's nose has started running again. I think she can actually produce her body weight in snot (that's something you wanted know). Because of her not feeling great, we've been taking it easy. A couple of Gymboree classes. We've been trying to go on Saturday so Troy can take her and also so that she has a male instructor cause she's shy around guys. The instructor is pretty crazy though, so I'm not sure if she's wary of him more cause he's a guy or because he's a spaz.

We've tried to hit a few of the local festivals. Festival of the Little Hills in St Charles was a few weeks ago. We didn't stay long at all there, she just wasn't feeling up to it. We went to the Zoo for one of the evening concerts, but spent more time looking at animals then listening to music-big surprise.
This past weekend we went to the Japanese Festival at the Botanical Gardens. That was a nice relaxing time.
Also went out to the St Louis County Fair and had a fun time checking things out. She got a free bear from Build-a-Bear, got to see lots of dogs and animals from Purina Farms and Sea World and Busch Gardens and had lots of fun in the play area with all the Little Tikes Houses and slides. We set up our tent at home and camped out in the back yard. She thought that was pretty cool.

Today we have a big kids consignment sale to go to. Actually a little tikes house is on my list of things to look for, that and a new slide climber. She's pretty much outgrown the little tikes stuff we have now and will definitely need new ones by the spring.

She's just getting bigger everyday. I've said it before, but she just amazes me what a little person she is. Yes she can be a drama queen, but she can also give the best hugs in the world. Lets see, what little quirky things is she doing. Her two latest are whenever she see's a picture of a dog with its tongue out, she sticks hers out and starts to pant. She thinks its hilarious and she's right. She's also started holding her nose and doing "stinky face" when she needs a diaper change or smells something unpleasant. Its pretty funny. Your sense of humor definitely changes when you become a parent.