Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Gym

I am making it a point to start working out for real now. I have talked about it but really did nothing about it. Now three times a week I will be going to the gym for mommy time. My selection for classes are limited since I have to take it at night when Nick is home to watch Alexia. I am going to take a Step class twice a week and a yoga class once a week. Really those were my only options other than work out by myself. I am not god at self motivation so a class is great for me. Yesterday was day one. i went for my first Step class. As it turned out the instructor was sick and the Zumba instructor took her place. I really liked it when I didn't look in the mirror so see how horrible I was. I got a good workout with it and I am sore today. The instructor teaches during the day so I won't be able to take her class again until May. She is graduating in May and will have a job so he will be teaching at night then, yay. As for the Step class, I am going tomorrow to see how it is. Everyone there was telling me it is pretty intense so hopefully it will whip my butt into shape for this summer.

When I got home I cut out the pattern for my new sewing project. I hope it makes my life easier when it is all done. I unfortunately I ran out of thread so it won't be done until I go get some more. Until then I am starting a few more projects, including my curtains. My curtains need blackouts put in them and Alexia's needs blackouts and to be shortened. Here is a little sneak peek at my project that needs thread....

Going Dental

I found out that the base community center has a free dental clinic for kids on the last tuesday of every month. Even though a lot of people will say it is too early for Alexia to go, I still went thinking it couldn't hurt. It is free, it is there, and a small percentage of kids do have problems this early on. Alexia loves to brush her teeth, but as you can imagine it is a 1 year old brushing her own teeth. She doesn't do as thorough of a job as I would like. She hates it when I help her out, but I have to. The dentist there said it was a good idea to bring her just to get checked. He said her molars are coming in(one actually broke through today and it looks like the other one will either latr today or tomorrow) He checked her out, brushed her teeth, did a fluoride treatment, and got some stickers and a cool bag-o-goodies. They let her pick and she picked two of them, lol. We gave the second one back. But now she has a new tooth brush with a travel top, toothpaste with fluoride, floss (pretty sure we aren't going to use that yet because she bites!!!), and even a timer so she brushed long enough.

Monday, March 28, 2011

In a week

So I haven't posted in over a week, sorry. A couple of things have happened since the last post and hopefully in sequential order (Sometimes I forget when things happened):

Alexia and I tried to go to the local public library and see what their lapsit program was all about. Kids three and under get to go into this little room with a stage and the librarian reads some stories and sings some sing-a-longs. Great concept, every single kid in that packed room loved it and sat and listened except for one. Can you guess which one? My little angel decided the stage was her playground and that the big drapes were her play things. One song in and we were out of there due to a meltdown after the dreaded word "NO" was released upon her. Once we were out and she was free to terrorize she was fine. My little free spirit just does not sit still. There is no watching TV or movies in this house. It is go go go to wherever she pleases. I guess that is why she eats more than I do most of the time. Here are some pics of her at the library.







I also finished my first baby bundle for our friends that are having a little girl in June. I forgot to take a picture of it because I was so excited it was done. I boxed it up and sent it out as soon as I could. I hope they like it. I have a close friend having a baby in August and she is finding out at the end of this month what she is having. I am making her a bundle as well and I will make sure to take a picture. I am adding one more thing to the bundle, a car seat cover. I will be making one for the June baby as well. I just wish I found the pattern for it before I sent out the package. And once this bundle gets done, my other friend is due April 16th and once the baby is born we will know the sex and I can make a bundle for him/her. I am going to be an expert at this baby stuff soon.

Alexia has mastered going down stairs now. She used to just run to the stairs and hope for the best. We always caught her so she had no idea about falling down the stairs. Well that all changed when we went to the playground. If you look at the first picture there is a lovely red bump on her head. She ran down the one ( luckily only one) stair on the little gym. Everyone just heard a bam and then some crying. Luckily she was fine and stopped crying quickly and ever since then she sits and scoots down stairs.









A big thing that happened is that Nick came home, YAY!!! Alexia was funny when she saw him, she just kept on smiling at him. Everytime he looked at her, she smiled all sweetly. The day after he got home is when the daddy's girl came about. Nick couldn't do anything without Alexia. If he walked into another room she would start crying, probably thinking we was gone again. I am pretty sure Nick loved it, lol.



On Sunday I took a photography class. I had really high hope for this class. It was full and I was the first person on the waiting list. They called a few days before the class to tell me someone cancelled. I was so excited because I really want to be able to use my camera and take great pictures. Well, the class was a bust. I learned nothing!!! All the guy talked about was what he was published in and that once you take 30,000 pictures you will be good. He didn't talk about how to take pictures or how to use your camera. The only good thing about the class was it was in a park that was beautiful and we will be going back once the snow has melted. I also learned what a yurt is. Here is a picture of the class, a yurt, and the park.









Friday, March 18, 2011

Jazzercise

Today I went to my first ever jazzercise class. A friend told me about a free class today up in Eagle River. I was worried how Alexia would handle being in a day care setting. She cried at first but once the music started I didn't hear her anymore, lol. The class definitely made me sweat and it made me totally aware of my lack of rhythm and dance skills. When the class was over we all stood in front of the day care door waiting for the mass release. Once the door opened Alexia and Lily, my friend's daughter, both burst out in tears. Once in our arms they forgot about everything. The lady there told me Alexia cried on and off the whole time but she was easily distracted. I am well aware of how fast Alexia can forget something if something with lights, music, and/or buttons appears. I was just happy they didn't have to come and get me during the class. I quickly figured out why she was good with it all, she had animal cracker crumbs all over her face and shirt. The best "in" with Alexia is food. The class tired us both out.



After the class we had a fun skype session with Alexia's cousins, a nap, and then we got ready to go see Eric Ode at the library. He is a singer/songwriter/author/poet. It was a cute little mini concert and all the kids loved it. Alexia even danced along to the songs. One of the songs got her to do the foot stomping hands in the air dance, so you know she liked it a lot. Here is a video of him from a different concert, but he sang most of the same songs.



Here are some pictures of Alexia at the library before the concert. I couldn't take pictures during because it was kind of an audience participation thing and Alexia needed my help with that.

Here she is being all cool and nonchalant about everything.



Checking out the scenery.



Taking a very important phone call.



Being sneaky because she saw the guitar and she wanted to strum it like she does with Nick's at home.



Alexia loved being able to color.





She can color standing up.



Dress for Success

Alexia's new thing these past couple of days is "dressing herself." She grabs whatever she can from my room and puts it on. She does this without any encouragement or help from me. She figured out how to put things over her head. She also tries to put my sunglasses on whenever she gets her hands on them. And yes, she has both the top and bottom of my bathing suit on.



Did I mention she loves my toothbrush as well. She steals it all the time. This morning I had to brush my teeth with her tiny toothbrush because she hid mine.

St Patty and Name Day

Alexia's name day happens to be on St Patty's Day. I dressed her up in green of course. I had to take pics as well and here she is in her tee.



I have to include this picture because I am a mean mommy and I think it is funny when Alexia falls. She has inherited my grace, or lack there of. This pic was snapped right after the one I posted above. She tried to run away from me and the camera and this is what you get. (Does anyone else have the urge to yell "timber?")



Alexia and I went to the playground again and she decided the big kid playground was way more fun than the little one. It gives me heart palpitations because she runs on it like nothing but there are no sides so she can just run off the whole thing and hit the floor with a big bam. She had fun making me nervous. Here she is playing peek a boo with me.



For Alexia's name day we got her a charm on her necklace. We chose to get the eye for her. As you all know Nick is Greek and the eye is important in the Greek culture. Now whenever Alexia wears it she is protected.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Bounce

Alexia went into her first bouncey castle and as you can see she wasn't exactly thrilled. She had a better time than what this picture shows but it is still a little too much for her right now. She had more fun running around the outside of it and eating a hot dog (my hot dog by the way).



Doesn't she look like a sad, lost puppy? I know it is bad but this picture kinda makes me smile.

Lonesome Crafting

Today was my first day without Nick. He left 3 am this morning so it has been me and Alexia. Luckily she was great. She had been able to communicate better as the days go by so our days are smoother with her telling my what she wants. It is like she knew was getting bigger since turing one. Her signing has been great and she kinda has a way of saying what she wants. She is very good with her tone since she isn't quite using a known language yet. We went to run some errands and then played a bit at the indoor playground. Alexia has gotten a lot braver with approaching other kids. She seems to gravitate towards boys, which Nick disapproves of. Today the boys she gawked at left early so she decided to shadow some five year olds girls. It was funny how she got just close enough to pretend to play with them without actually playing with them.

After Alexia went to to bed I busted out the crafting supplies to see if I can make a wipes case. I had some fabric left over from a gift set I am making for a friend so I thought I would at a wipes case to it. I made one for Alexia first as a test run. It ended up being very quick and easy.

Little Monster

If you roar at Alexia she will put the top of her drum to her face and roar back with a smushed face. She definitely has the scary factor with that face!!!



Sunday, March 13, 2011

Swimming

Today we went to the pool on base for open swim. Apparently we went at the perfect time and there was only one other family there. Nick and I want to make it a weekly thing for our family. We also walked around the track a bit before we went to the pool. We talked about what our plans are for this summer. We want to go swimming weekly and also get bikes to ride the trails a block from our house. We also want to head up the mountain a bit and go hiking. We have checked out a back pack carrier for Alexia for when we go hiking and also one of those things you hook to a bike and drag behind you. We want to be active so Alexia enjoys being active too. As for swimming we only got one picture and we got washed out by the flash on the cell phone camera so I had to make it black and white. She didn't like the pool at first but after a minute or two she was having fun. She learned to kick pretty well so we will be working on that next time.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Rain Boots

I am so happy that I found Alexia some rain boots. It is already starting to get wet outside because of the melting snow. It will only be getting worse as is warms up some more. I want to get Alexia outside as soon as possible so I went on the hunt. Alexia has little feet so finding something in her size was difficult. I found one pair online but it was $55 without shipping. This pair is actually cuter than the one I found online so I am oh so happy. (And it just coincidentally matched her outfit that day!!!)



Press Here

Mommy is mean and stuck a sticker on Alexia's forehead. This is what happens to her face if you press the button!!

Presents

I would like to thank everyone for the wonderful gifts that Alexia got. I hate to say it but Grandma so kicked our butts in the presents. Alexia like our gifts for her until she saw grandma's and then it was all over. I have a video of her reacting to the gift and once I figure out how to edit the video I will post it. The video is like 30 minutes long to I only want to post a few seconds of it.

Here are the gifts Nick and I got Alexia:

She makes us push this in circles in the living room all day. She also pretends to "tinker" with it.



She loves gathering things and sitting in this chair with all of her "treasures."



This is the library cart Nick and I built for her. We decided to wait to put the wheels on so we can save our walls from any damage. Alexia loves pushing things around now. We will be putting the rest of her books on it and put it in her room.



This is what Grandma and Uncle Joe got Alexia:

They got her this toy as well as all of her fun animal storage boxes that I showed in a previous post. She loves this toy more than mommy sometimes.



Alexia's Nouna got her all of these fun books (One is even a pop up!!)



Lily got Alexia this toy:

She isn't sitting on it because she fell off of it and is fine with just running around it and enjoying the music it plays. When she forgets about the fall she will love being able to ride it again.



Alexia is having so much fun with all of her toys. She is so loved and blessed to have such great people in her life. Hopefully she won't be too spoiled and appreciated all that she has. The one thing I have noticed is Alexia is more than willing to share everything she has. She doesn't show any sign of jealousy or anything like that when someone else plays with her toys. I hope that continues throughout her life.

Monday, March 7, 2011

1st Birthday!!!

I am in complete denial that my sweet little baby girl is now a one year old!!! She woke up on her birthday a different child, like she knew she was older. She did what she wanted and wouldn't put up with the word no. She even refused to nap, which drove Nick and me crazy. We decided to have her birthday low key. I made the cake the night before and we went to Chuck E. Cheese instead of having a party. I was a good idea because we didn't have the stress of planning and executing a party.