Baking Cookies

Two posts in one day!!  :)

Alexa and I decided today would be a fun day to make cookies.  At last it is only in the 50's outside (for the high) and it's finally feeling like holiday season.  Plus, Alexa doesn't have school this week so I better figure out some way to entertain her.  Enjoy the pictures (and I will say, it sure is hard to get a lot of pictures with dirty hands from baking and trying to keep Alexa from eating the cookie dough with raw egg in it).

All read to bake in her apron and with her spoon.

 We took the easy way today and just used a ready mix that we just added egg and butter.  Alexa is dumping it in the bowl.

 Mixing...

 Helping to spread flour on the table.

 Having fun making a mess.

 So much fun!

 Oooh and sprinkles!!

 Lots of sprinkles!

 Yummmm!

 Yes, this girly likes sweets!

 

And this is, by far, by favorite picture of the day!!  Alexa constantly refuses to look at the camera and smile.    I told her that if she wanted another bite of cookie, that she needed to smile at the camera first.  She put her hands under her chin to pose!!!!  

Smarty pants!!

Nora had a big job to do while we baked.  (Yes, it was PJ day here)

Words

I just posted that subject and thought, well maybe that is not the best subject line and might gets hopes up for you all.  Alexa is still making progress on her "words" but this is called words because it is just an update with word and no pictures.  I know you all prefer to see pictures and I will get some on here.  Right now, they're so scattered on the computer and email that I don't know where to start (since I'm so far behind on the blog).  I'll probably just start posting pictures from here on out and apologize for the big gap.  Sorry!

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Updates on Alexa.  She is so much fun!  Her personality is growing like crazy and I love it!  She loves to laugh.  And she loves to be silly so that she makes me laugh.  She has made me laugh so much in the past month.  It's been great!  I hope a lot of you get to see Alexa over the holidays because you'll be amazed how grown up she's gotten in the past few months!  Alexa is doing GREAT in school!  She goes full days and has adjusted so well.  She loves her teacher and I'm very pleased with her therapists and the school as well.

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Nora is growing up so much too!  So fast!  She is 4 months now.  At her 4 month check-up, she was 12 lb 12.5 ounces (30 percentile) and 24 3/4 inches (66 percentile).  Last week, she started rolling over from back to stomach!  I am so blessed that I can to experience the same appreciation and excitement that I got (and still get) when Alexa hits milestones.  It's hard to explain, but we just really appreciate everything now.  So much joy we feel through both the girls!

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We had pictures taken of the girls and hopefully will be getting the edited pictures back soon.  Be excited for your Christmas card this year!  There are some really cute ones of both the girls!!  (If you'd like to be on our Christmas card list because you don't normally get cards, please send us a card or just send me your address.  I'd love to send you one.)

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Happy Thanksgiving to you all!  Be thinking of us as we fly both the girls to Kansas this week.  :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALEXA!

HAPPY 4th BIRTHDAY to our sweet little girl.  If I had only two words to simply describe her, they would be COMPASSIONATE and PERSEVERING.  

She is the most compassionate and sweet 4 year old that I know.  Everyone that meets her will comment on her endearing smile.  She loves to say hi to new people.  We took her to lunch for her birthday today and she was waving at a random lady standing across the room.  Alexa is so loving too.  Believe it or not, the first sign that she taught herself (we were completely amazed!) was crossing her arms across her chest to say "I love you" or "hug".  One random day, Adam came to give me a hug and Alexa crosses her arms and says "awww".  The sweetest thing.  She says "I love you" and gives "hugs" to her family and friends.  She'll even do the sign and say "awww" with a concerned look on her face when she hears another child or baby crying. 

Love her compassion

Alexa's perseverance has been obvious since she was born.  Many of you may not know, but when she was born, she was not breathing.  Her first APGAR was rated a one.  The nurses asked Adam if he wanted to cut the cord and he said, "no, just get her breathing".  When she was born, we were anxious to hear her first cry and we didn't get to hear that for probably a minute, but it felt like several minutes.  Luckily, she was strong. Her APGAR came up quick and they never had to take her to NICU.

We didn't know anything was wrong with Alexa, developmentally, until she was about 5 months old.  And since then, she has come so far!  Doctors and therapists had no idea if she'd crawl, walk, or talk.  She started crawling in July of 2009.  She was 21 months old.  She started walking on June 8, 2010.  She was 2 and a half.  We're still working on the talking, but she does have some words and signs so she'll get there.  It's interesting being in a new city with her and meeting new people.  Everyone keeps saying how "strong" she is that she'll fall down while she's walking and she doesn't even cry.  She'll get right back up and keep going!   

Love her perseverance

(On a side note... I know it's been a month since I've updated.  I actually started a new post yesterday but couldn't finish.  The past three weeks have been busy.  Adam has two weeks of working long hours to meet a deadline which meant two long weeks at home for me.  But the difference between this job and his old job, this was temporary.  Thank goodness!  :)  Then this week, three of the four of us are sick.  Alexa has missed 2 and a half days of school.  Fun birthday, huh?  But I'm hoping she'll make it back tomorrow.  And thankfully, Nora has stayed healthy so far!  My goal next week will be updating the blog.  Wish me luck!)

Sweet Nora Smiles

Pictures

These pictures are from a few weekends ago when Grandma and Grandpa Munsch came to visit... sorry for the delay...

Yes, her room is a mess... but it is a cute picture of Jojo and Grandpa!

BIG GIRL!!

Good morning all!  I do have some more random pictures to post AND a pretty awesome video of Nora smiling, but that will come soon enough.  It's amazing how my days fly by with the two girls!  Nora's feedings, diaper changes, picking up Alexa from the bus, lunch, getting both girls down for naps, keeping both girls happy until daddy gets home, dinner, Alexa down for bed, and maybe enough time to watch a recorded show with Adam, then we're off to bed.  Yes, I do have some free time while Alexa is in school (between Nora's feedings) and on those awesome days that I get them both napping at the same time, but then I need to grocery shop, pay bills, keep up on facebook ;) and of course, do some cleaning, laundry, and figuring out dinner.  Fun times!  All and all, the adjustment from one to two has not been too bad.  I think it's easier than I expected because 1: Alexa is more work anyway than a typical 3-year old.  Love her, but it is true.  And 2: *knock on wood* Nora has been a pretty easy baby!  Much different than Alexa was and I'm so glad my second is my easy one!  Overall, my biggest challenge so far is just taking both girls out of the apartment and loading and unloading them in the car.  Fortunately, Alexa has been doing awesome and she'll walk while holding my hand and then stand on the sidewalk while I put Nora in or take her out of the car.

Ok, enough rambling and onto our big news!!

Alexa went pee in the potty!!!!!  This is a HUGE deal for us and we're thrilled!  We've had no idea how this potty training stuff will go with Alexa since we don't know how much she'll understand, figure out, and be able to tell us.  However, we've made it the first step and she has gone on the toilet so at least she should know what it feels like and understand what it means when we talk to her about it.  I feel this would be the biggest step for us and once we got there, it will give me more motivation to work with her more consistently on it.  We now know that she can do it!  YAY!!!  What a big girl!!

First Day of School!

 First day of school!  Yay!  Yay for Alexa - I know she's getting bored being stuck at home all day, every day.  By the way, today Dallas will tie for 2nd hottest summer on record.  We will be at number 54 (I think) of 100 degree days or hotter.  The record is like 67 or 69 and there's a chance we'll still get that.  Crazy!  So it makes it hard to be motivated to take both girls out to go anywhere.  Therefore, Alexa is bored!  And Yay for Mommy - maybe Alexa will be a little happier at home in the afternoons because she isn't so bored all day.  :)

Alexa is saying bye to her sister.  Usually just Daddy will take Alexa to the bus but today, the whole family went so I could get some pictures.

How cute is this picture??

Waiting for the bus at the front of the apartment complex.  Of course the buses run behind on the first day so it was about 20 minutes late this morning.

First time getting into a bus!!

Bye bus... see you in about 4 hours...

Misc. Pictures

Pictures with the Ewing's

Short Update

It's been a couple weeks... Here's a little update and I will get some more pictures posted soon.  The first weekend in August, Adam's whole family was here to visit.  I will get some pictures up from that.  We had a great time with them.  They loved seeing the girls and we just hung out and tried to stay cool!  Teddi went back with them that Sunday so last Monday was my first day with no help.  I have been so appreciative of having both my mom here for a week and half and then Teddi was here for about the same amount of time.  I had such great help for 3 weeks total and I can't say thank you enough.  Last week was just the girls and I, and it went really well.  Of course, it was kind of long by the end of the week but I think Alexa is just getting bored at home.  She starts school on August 22nd so that will help a lot!  Plus it was still so hot last week and there is no motivation for me to take both girls out during the day.  I'm really looking forward to the fall so we can get out and do things!  So there's the quick update and pictures will be posted this week!

July 30

Here's a post that will keep you busy.  Pictures, pictures, and more pictures!

These first few are just random pictures from the week.  The rest of the post is from our first family outing that we had today.  Fun times!  Enjoy.  :)

 I could take lots of pictures of Alexa just gazing at her sister.  :)

Alexa has been very busy taking care of her babies too.  So cute!

Nora loves her hands by her face.  She is pretty cute too!

The rest of these pictures are from our family outing today.  We were out of the apartment by 9:00 (trying so hard to beat some of the worst heat of the day).  We went to a park so Adam could show us a boat.  It's pretty crazy that this park with a huge pond and so many trees is in the middle of McKinney.  It was a very pretty area.  We're really looking forward fall, spring, and even winter.  It's just hard to be motivated to get outside in these 100+ degree weather.

Teddi is visiting us for a couple weeks to help me with Alexa.  Here is Adam, Teddi, and Alexa.

Nora along for the ride.  She is still so tiny!

Adam driving the boat.

We decided that Alexa could use a fun adventure outside of the apartment.  We went a few miles east of downtown Dallas to an area called Fair Park.  They have several museums and it is also the location of the Texas State Fair and the Cotton Bowl stadium.  

We didn't go the extra exhibit for the dinosaurs but Alexa was very interested in the big dinosaur at the entrance.

There were several hands-on activities which was fun for all of us.

Not good lighting, but since I'm the one taking all the pictures... here's one picture of Nora and me.

Big bubbles!

There was an exhibit on DNA and as seen in these pictures, an area about genetic mutations.

"TIME TO DREAM"

The kids area...

Yes, daddy let her ride on a John Deere tricycle.  ;)

Working hard...

Fun mirrors (after getting pretty wet from the water tables)...

The four of us!

I'm waving, I promise.  :)

A big stuffed grizzly bear that Alexa really wanted to cuddle with...

Downtown Dallas