Back to School!

We are off to a great start this year! Alex is loving his new school! We switched him to the preschool at our church to better make it our home. He did great on the first day with no tears! 100% improvement from last year!
He was most excited about using his new nap mat. (Old school didn't take naps) This is crazy talk since he doesnt nap. I think he realized after the first day.
The second day he was a little more hesitant and we had some tears but not anything that lasted longer than a minute after I was out the door.

my attempt at a sibling shot...its all love here

Ellie and I have been enjoying our one on one time! We went shoe shopping the second day and had fun!



I have been so enjoying picking Alex up everyday and hearing all about it! He is so much better about remembering and verbalizing what happened at school. He is signing songs he learned there even! He was VERY proud that he knew his teachers names- Miss Sharon and Miss Susan. I think they worked on it a lot the second day. (They happen to be twin sisters.) He does seem to be doing the art and writing too! I will have to post some of the cute stuff coming home in his folder.

our first homework assignment. mommy was pleased with her work

The other day he says on the way home- Does Ellie want to play guns? Me- No I dont think so. Why? A- Cause my teacher says we have to play guns at home.
Great. I have that kid. I swear we don't promote guns here!

This was Ellie on her "first day of school"- I have decided to do the Moms group at the church and so Ellie went to her "class" that day. She did great and I was so proud of her! and really, could she be any cuter! She wanted to wear her backpack!

Since those early days Alex has not been a fan of going to school really. He is such a homebody and still hates to get ready in the morning. BUT everyday when I pick him up he says that school was FUN! and has a smile on his face! Well, all but Tuesday when I was like a minute late and he was worried about me coming to get him! :( oops! Mom of the year I tell you!

summer fun with Alex

I have not forgotten about you bubba...we have had a fun fun summer and I just need to throw a few random pics up about it all!

First Movie Theater Experience- Cars2. You were timid but super excited and did really great! This event was followed up by another trip to Cars2 with Papa and then a trip with Daddy to see Pooh. (Sweet part was that they tried to see Rio and it was sold out and Alex cried. Not bratty cry but sad cry. So Travis took him to see Pooh at the other theater. I mean, really, just broke your heart. He told me all about it when he got home- Momma, they sold out. No more tickets.)


lots of trips to HEB...this was the day I stupidly got you the car cart like you wanted. never again. but yall were cute! (this is sooo old! I can tell bc ellie has NO hair!)

whataburger!

You love the pool. Hands down fav summer activity. Loved your goggles and this day decided that you would prepare by eating lunch in them. :) I love ya!

We went bowling for the first time! with some new friends- his daddy is an old friend of mine from middle school! If you know Andy Boerckel, you know this is his boy! :) Anyway, it was so fun! and you loved it once you got the hang of the ramp. I should have known since you love all sports!




We did some baking...you are really into it now and LOVE to lick the spoon, bowl, and everything you can get your grubby lil fingers on. One benefit of dairy and egg free baking is there is no worry with this! and its encouraged you to try new things including chocolate- which you have learned that you like! yay!

We went to the circus! Met up with our good friend the Stacers before the show! It was all fun! and only doubled your interest in animals! (BTW, I was really impressed with the show! They couldn't be more right with the slogan- a show for all ages!) Ellie did...okay....the people behind us probably hated us. She liked it all but it was so much it was a little bit of overload. Just tried to shove food and drink in her most of the time.

Totatlly stole these pics from Kathryn.

Alex wasn't in the mood for pictures that day. He was way more interested in the 25$ spinner souvenirs.

Most mornings you could find us cruisin' the hood since Alex learned that he could go all around our neighborhood circle on his bike! It was great to get out before it was too hot and let him get some energy out.


your love for sports is incredible really. you love to read sports illustrated at the table just like Daddy. And you get excited when the new one comes!

we did a lot of indoor baseball, among other sports, and you are pretty good too. yes, this is why my house is so boring decor wise. we live in a gym I tell you.


we got a super fun package from the fam in California that included this large zoo animals. The kids were in love at first sight! Alex has since been obsessed with them and plays with them daily. He also has adopted "lion and cheetah" to be his posse going everywhere with us and to bed with him every night. He has been asking to go to the zoo a lot lately and I assure him we will be there soon (as soon as it cools off just a little more).


You started wanting me to take your picture if you think you look funny or cute or I dont know...but I will take it! Then you always want to see what you look like and you smile the biggest smile!

You are my best buddy and I love ya to pieces lil one. I wouldn't trade hanging out with you all day for anything!

Brush Brush Brush Your Teeth

good thing I have a baby coming cause my baby is getting too big :(

underwear, its what you wear under there

or outta there...Ellie LOVES Alex's underwear and went through a phase of insisting that we put it on her. No harm no fowl, and I can feel that this girl is going to want to potty train EARLY! woo hoo!!
you can see Ellie running to get more!
the question is...is Daddy wearing his underwear on the outside? ;) haha

Ellie Love

since I cant keep up with the monthly posts I will just forget the title and consider this an update :)

Ellie will be 17 months next week. This was her 16 month picture (Aggie to celebrate school and football starting! Whoop!)

I am annoyed because this is my second time to write this seeing as the first time it got deleted. Don't they know I don't have time for this.

Here is some video I took last month. Most of it is old news, stuff she has been doing for a while, but I am horrible at remembering what to ask. Maybe I should plan it next time before I turn the camera on. What a concept. Still, I think she is cuter than pie no matter what she says.





A few notes-

- doing really well on words. I was a little worried after her 15 mo. appointment because she really wasnt talking consistently. I asked the dr if animal sounds counted as words- eek! :) so we started to focus on it and she has just taken off...loves to be a little parrot! nothing sweeter than her soft wittle voice. the big difference in her and Alex is that she will try- maybe not even close but she is trying to talk so much more than he did at this age

- going vertical. climbing on the couch and its driving me mad!! It started with climbing on their lil chairs...those get locked up often now. Alex is a horrible example and is egging her on. They are starting to team up on me....get my room ready at the loony bin. She also loves to climb into Alex's bed. Its a pretty cool spot to read!

-obsessed with standing on the stool. Had to get her her own this month. She loves brushing teeth and looking at herself in the mirror...so happy she dances and sings! (Lots of precious pics of this to come!) Its also a good way to get her to eat. She thought she was stealing off the counter but we set it up for her.

- likes to break and pull apart her food before eating it. think it's a copy mommy thing. and all of a sudden, you will get a big melt down if you try to feed her- she is all about miss independent

- still on two naps a day really, until she decides to rebel and throw me for a loop for the day, then we have one cranky baby girl at dinner

- its been so fun that you can follow simple directions, and so cute that you are so proud of yourself. you strut with your head held high and a huge grin! and you love to go show "stuff" to people. I mean, adorable.

- more and more copying Alex. including pretending to lean and pee on the back of the house with him, wants to wear his underwear and shoes (pics to come!), raising her hand when we ask "who wants to ____?!", playing with all his "boy" toys of cars, police men, dinos, and pirates

-always pulling things out of drawers and making a mess...my lil tornado. loves to get the band aides out

-Alex is her best bud. They really have fun together now and miss each other when they are gone.

-loves to read books and is very opinionated about which ones. She will shake her head no and shove the book out of the way if it is not the one she wants you to read. The whole "shaking head no" is a new thing, cute as can be, but could be trouble. I love it when she grabs a book and backs up into my lap for me to read to her.

- she is a good eater most of the time! Eats more than Alex really! They get the same plate and I have to tell Alex that Ellie is going to beat him to get him to eat, and its true! Faster and more!

- not afraid to get dirty (Unlike brother who said, and I quote, "no, I don't want to get my hair dirty" oh dear.) What is summer without a good mud pie?!