Alex,
You are three years old now! We have done so much in the past 6 months and you have grown and learned so much! Here's what we were up to:
At the end of January, we visited my friend Chuck's firehouse. Chuck is a firefighter and he showed you all around the station. You really loved seeing the fire engine and you sat in it and wore a firefighter hat. You were a little overwhelmed at first, but it didn't take you long to really enjoy yourself!
The winter cold continued on for a while this year, so we had many days where we were stuck inside. Thanks to your Aunt Elizabeth, that was not a problem. She bought you some train movies that you absolutely loved! 'All About Trains' and 'Roar of the Rails' were frequented in our house. Even your brother got into it during tummy time:
You also started watching the Jungle Book during those cold winter days. It became your favorite movie and we sang Bear Necessities (or as you liked to call it "Bear Cessities") all the time! Dad's favorite way to wake you from a nap was to play The Bear Necessities really loudly.
(this picture was actually taken in the summer, but you never tired of The Jungle Book)
You also just loved playing in your room. You had so much fun with your trains and you absolutely loved your firefighter hat. You wore it all the time!
We also played a lot of games together while we were stuck inside. You especially liked the game Aunt E gave you for Christmas:
You also still like to help me cook. Whenever I'm in the kitchen making dinner, you are right there with me.
(this one was taken in the summer - you still liked helping me then too!)
Despite the cold, we still tried to get out as much as possible. We frequented the Magic House, the Train Store and America's Incredible Pizza since they were all indoor activities. You really liked to get out of the house and so did your mom.
Magic House:
Train Store (you got your face painted for Frisco Friday - Gram and Poppy came with us too!):
America's Incredible Pizza:
You and Declan sent out a cute Valentines Day Card this year. Your dad and I have so much fun putting you guys together and fortunately for us, you were still somewhat cooperative this year (thanks mostly in part to the sucker we let you have) . Here are the cute Valentines pictures we got of you two.
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We also celebrated mommy's birthday in February. Your dad and I went out to dinner, but when we got back to your Grandma's house to pick you up, we were able to celebrate a bit more and you and your brother helped me blow out the candles. I am one lucky momma!
Once early March rolled around, the snow was finally melted and we ventured outside. There was a train show in Eureka, so your Aunt Elizabeth, Alyssa, Paw Paw, Dad, Declan and I headed out to check it out. Before the show, we stopped at a little shop where there was a train just outside. You loved the idea of seeing a train up close, but as it approached, the loud noise scared you and you weren't that big of a fan. You still liked trains after this experience, but just not up close and personal.
A little overwhelming:
At the actual train show, you were a big hit. It was full of a bunch of railroad junkies who really knew their stuff. And in walks this little 2 year old telling them all about it. Thanks to the movies that Aunt Elizabeth gave you, you knew quite a bit about toy trains and you told them all about it. It was hilarious to see your eyes light up as you saw a Hiawatha in person. It was even funnier to see the adults eyes bug out to find out that you knew what a Hiawatha was! It was a great day at the train show, but by the end you were absolutely exhausted. Both you and Declan fell asleep on the way home.
Just a couple weeks later it was St. Patrick's Day and the weather was absolutely beautiful! We headed downtown for the St. Patrick's Day parade. Gram, Poppy and your Aunt Elizabeth all met us down there. It was a great day!
Later that night, I was in the mood for some mint ice cream after seeing all the green at the parade. So we went to Oberweis. Why is it that mommy's ice cream always seems to taste better than your own ice cream? Oh well, I really didn't mind sharing with you:
By the end of March/Early April, the weather was consistently nice enough that we started going to the park more often. We went to Suson Park with your friend Braden. It was so much fun! After you guys played, we went to the hillside and ate a picnic lunch.
We also went to Bohrer Park and you and your brother played together:
And dad was excited to take you to Watson Trails Park:
In early April, your Auntie Jackie came in town to meet you. You and Jackie really hit it off! You guys had so much fun together! We went to the Zoo and Adriana's together. You also had fun with her at Gram and Poppy's house. She brought you an Easter basket and you two played together all weekend. Hopefully we'll be able to get together with Auntie Jackie again really soon!
While Jackie was in town, we also kicked off Easter. It was the week before and we went to your daddy's high school, DeSmet, for Palm Sunday Mass and an Easter Egg Hunt. Since it was so rainy on the morning of the hunt, it was moved inside. You didn't seem to mind and found a bunch of eggs!
The next week we celebrated Easter Sunday. You woke up and checked out your Easter Basket:
Then we went to mass at St. Martin's followed by a delicious brunch at your Grandma Gerry and Paw Paw's house. Then we went over to your Great Uncle Thos's house. You had a lot of fun at both Easter Egg hunts and you really enjoyed all the time you got to spend with your cousins:
You love bridges and trains and diggers. Lately you have just been talking our ears off in your car seat mentioning every bridge, train and digger you happen to see. It's funny. Here is a typical car ride:
Speaking of bridges, you put your hands up every time you go over one. You also make sure everyone else in the car puts their hands up. This has begun a Friday tradition for us. Each Friday, after I pick you up from school, we go over the JB Bridge. Then we make it a true "Fry"day by stopping at McDonalds to get some fries. It has become something we both really look forward to every Friday!
Now that Declan is starting to get bigger and sit up in the bath tub, dad and I have been putting you in the tub together. You get a big kick out of it! Also, you really love playing with the new tub crayons that we gave you for Easter. Bath time has gotten a LOT more fun lately!
You have also really enjoyed wearing your sunglasses this year. In previous years you would just pull them off as soon as I put them on. This year, you are one cool kid!
This spring you really took notice to and liked mom's tulips. It was really sweet that you always wanted to smell them as we walked into the house:
You also liked to use your new sidewalk chalk this spring. We had so much fun drawing all over the driveway and patio!
We did the Color Run again this year. It was much more fun than last year! Not only was it a gorgeous day (as opposed to the rainy and cold day we had last year), but you also go to ride in a stroller right alongside your baby bro! You guys really seemed to enjoy the ride this year and your dad and I had a great time too!
Declan was baptized this spring too. You had a really nice time at the baptism. You loved seeing the deacon pour water on your brother's head. For weeks after the baptism you asked if a baby was going to get baptized every time we went to mass! You had a great time at the celebration after Declan's baptism with your cousins Will and Harrison too!
A couple weeks later it was May and it was time for Mother's Day! We started the celebration off on Friday at your school with Muffins with Mom. It was a lovely celebration and I enjoyed sitting with you and eating breakfast with you at school:
The next day, I wanted to go to Rooster for breakfast, so we all headed downtown. It was a wonderful breakfast. You really enjoyed yourself and were acting like such a big boy. It was a great Mother's Day gift to me!
After breakfast, we headed over to City Garden. It was a very warm day and since the water in City Garden is heated, you and your brother had a lot of fun playing in the fountains. I had a great time running around and playing with you guys too!
On Sunday, you and your brother gave me the sweetest card and a gift card to go get a massage! It was great! I loved the pictures you guys took with me too!
With it being spring, Grant's Farm was finally open again! You still just love Grant's Farm.
Hands up over the bridge (on the way in):
You still weren't ready to go in the goat pen, but enjoyed feeding them from outside:
Snow cones while watching the Animal Encounter Show:
St. Louis 250 Year Birthday Cake:
Hands up over the bridge on the way out:
Since this particular day at Grant's Farm was to have a mommy Alex day away from baby brother, we also went to Ted Drewes afterward:
With May came the end of the school year and the start of summer fun. They had a nice picnic up at the park to celebrate the end of the school year. You had a blast and you got this cool snake balloon.
Finally it was summertime and we were finally able to do some summertime activities. Our summer was filled with a lot of the following:
Ice Cream:
You LOVE ice cream as most people do. You specifically love "Covered Chocolate Ice Cream". The picture above was at Rich's Frozen Custard. We went there a lot as well as Ted Drewes, Oberweis, and Fritz's.
The Park:
The above picture is significant because it was the first time you were able to climb the wall all by yourself. You had been working on it all last year and this was the year that you finally mastered it. It was quite exciting.
Brother also started enjoying the park with you!
Wiffle Ball and Tee Ball:
We played a lot of wiffle ball at Gram and Poppy's house.
Mom taught you how to run the bases in our front yard:
Feeding the fish:
You LOVED to feed the fish with Gram and Sunny!
The "Water Park":
You loved going to Sylvan Springs spray pool, which you called the "Water Park". We couldn't seem to get you to keep your swim trunks on so you usually just walked around in your swim diaper. This drove dad crazy. I always just let you do it as long as you were having fun. I can't lie though, I'm hoping you will keep your pants on next year :)
The Water Table:
Snow Cones:
Pretty much every time after the water park we headed out to get snow cones. You love snow cones and usually want either red or blue.
With summertime in full swing, of course we celebrated Father's Day. You and Declan of course took some cute pictures for Dad, Poppy and Paw Paw.
It was a great day filled with lots of love for all the dads in our lives.
All this summertime fun had one little glitch in it though . . . you got croup. It was no fun for anyone when you woke up in the middle of the night "barking" and even less fun to take you to Cardinal Glennon for some steriods and a breathing treatment at 3:00am. But we made the most of it. You were a good boy sitting in the hospital bed. We watched Tarzan:
On the way home, you felt better enough to still put your hands up over the bridge:
And much to your delight, I set up a little bed for you in the family room so you could rest while watching your favorite movies:
You even took your first selfie (by accident, but still):
At the same time you were sick, Declan and I were going through something completely different. None of us felt very good and we were a sad sight to see on the 4th of July:
Unfortunately the issue I had eventually caused me to have to put breast feeding your brother on hold. I was quite sad about this, but you cheered me right up by taking charge and helping me out. I made a bottle for him and you took it from me and said, "I will feed brother." And you did. Suddenly things didn't seem so bad and you helped me get through a rough time:
Once everyone finally started feeling better, we were able to get back to having fun. We took you to your first Cardinals game. You had so much fun! It was so fun to see your big wide eyes as you approached the stadium and to see the smile on your face as you cheered the team on. We had a bit of a rain delay which was a little scary for you (since there was thunder and lightning), but luckily our seats were under and over hang and we were able to just sit in our seats and enjoy our nachos. You made it all the way to the 7th inning! We also got a stuffed Fredbird for you while we were there as an early birthday gift:
Another fun thing we did was go for your first trip (Mommy's first trip too) to Meramec Caverns. You weren't too sure about the dark cave at first, but with Emilie's mom, Nana, by your side, you were just fine. You had fun hanging out with Audrey (Emilie's niece), Braden and Declan. By the end of the trip, you said you want to go back to that cave sometime. We also took a little boat ride down the Meramec River. You and the other kids had fun feeding the fish and looking at the outside of the caves and at the water. It was a great trip!
Hand up over the bridge!
You are still a big fan of bacon. Every time there is bacon around, you are very happy.
You also love to eat ketchup. There is not much you will not eat if we just put some ketchup on it. Sometimes you try to just eat the ketchup with your spoon and then ask for more, but we are working on dipping food only in the ketchup and not just eating it by itself.
You also still love your Black Engine. You carry it around with you everywhere and you even bring it to dinner with you most nights. Wherever you go, black engine is not far behind:
You love spending time with your cousins. You and Alyssa got to hang out at a 4th of July celebration a couple days before the big day. You were not thrilled with the fireworks, but you did enjoy getting your face painted like a cat and eating the popsicles afterward.
You also love your cousins, Will and Harrison. One day we went to their house to play for a while and you guys also watched a movie. So much fun!
During this 6 month period, you and Declan really started to become great pals. As Declan grows, I can see the bond getting stronger and stronger and it really warms this momma's heart!
You let him play in your crib with you:
You ride in the cart together (you were especially thrilled when he was big enough to ride in the "rocket ship" cart with you):
You wipe his face when it's dirty:
(This picture was taken when he got home from the doctor after being treated with Gentian Violet for thrush. His mouth was all purple and you did NOT like that!)
You feed him:
You read to him:
You help him learn to walk:
And you just like to goof around with him sometimes:
Of course, brothers can be a bit of a nuisance too:
But all in all you guys really get along well and that relationship grows day by day. It is so amazing to watch!
There are so many more little things you are doing right now. You and daddy like to play "Meaty Ribs." Daddy grabs your ribs and sings, "Meaty Ribs!" You crack up and sometimes like to grab his meaty ribs and brother's too! You very often like to call me "Silly Mom" when I'm being silly of course! When Declan would spit up, you would always let me know that "Declan 'spilled' up". You say "ellow" insead of yellow, "oga" instead of yoga and "ogurt" instead of yogurt. When you want to know what something is, you say, "Dis one mommy, dis one!" You call Gatorade "Poppy Juice" since Poppy loves Gatorade. If you don't like something you say, "I can't like that." You want everything to be a "big one." When you want a lot of milk, you ask me to pour you a "big one". When one of us sleeps in, you say we had a "big tired". You love digital clocks and will watch them for as long as we will let you, saying, "Turn, turn?" waiting for the numbers to change. And you have finally started using the potty more consistently. You have not yet mastered it, but you are doing much better and we are well on our way to being completely out of diapers!
We took you to the doctor for your 3 year well child check up and your stats were as follows:
Weight: 29.6 lbs (25th percentile)
Height: 36.5" (22nd Percentile)
It has been such a joy watching you grow these past 6 months! We had so much fun on your birthday too this year . . . stay tuned for the next post.
I love you Pot Pot!
Love,
Mom
