Pudding Anyone???

The other day I was reading on line things that you can do with your toddler and looking for ideas to do during the day, because frankly I sometimes get very stir-crazy if I can't talk to another adult or get out during the day to break up what Nicole calls "It's Yesterday Once Again". Does anyone else get like that? If so, please call me. Chances are that I am feeling the same way. Please don't get me wrong, I LOVE to be at home with my little boy, who is growing up way to fast, but sometimes you need some small thing to brighten your day, or you forget how blessed you are to be able to stay home with your little ones. Enough said, here's the story....

As most of you know I have one picky eater sometimes, especially if it is something new to eat and even if it is sweet. He didn't want to eat his birthday cake, and he didn't want to eat his Valentine cookie, but I have discovered something that he does like to eat and will go at it with full force. Sometimes I will ask Alex if the food is good and he will enthusiastically say, "MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM". That is one thing that I do want to get recorded, because he will sometimes be eating and just make little sounds to show me that he is enjoying the food.

Anyway, I was reading online about activities to do with your toddler and I came across pudding painting. Instead of finger painting (which I don't think Alex or I am ready for yet), use pudding to paint. I dabbed a bit on his high chair tray, and this is what happened. Also don't be alarmed at that big orange mass of food on his tray, that is a pile of sweet potatoes. He eventually ate those with a dab of pudding on top of them.

Duck, Duck, Duck, Goose

We had the chance this weekend to go to Lake Conroe and just kind of hang out. Here are some of my favorite pictures from this weekend. We got to feed the ducks and got hissed at by a few geese. It was fun to just be together as a family.

Pictures of My Little Valentine

I made Alex a Valentine cookie yesterday, but just like his birthday cake he didn't want to eat it. He just put his hands on the icing, and kind of stared at it. I did manage to snap a picture or two of the whole event. Happy 2nd Valentine's Day my little love.

Valentine Tag Response

Okay, I had been tagged by Trisha too and haven't yet responded, so when I was taged a second time, I knew that I needed to take some action. Marielle's parent's blog about a Valentine Tag was the perfect motivator to get my bottom in gear. So here is our story...
How long have you been together? We began dating Oct. 12, 2001 right after I moved down to Houston to teach school. This year we will have been married 6 years.


First time meeting Eric’s family
How long did you date? We dated for 4 ½ months and then were engaged for 2 ½ months.
How old is he? He is 34 years old.
Who eats more? I think that he does, but sometimes I give him a run for his money.
Who said "I love you" first? Eric did. He said it to me one night about a month after we started dating. When he said it to me, I wasn’t ready to say that to him yet and then about a week later I wrote it to him while we were talking online to each other.
Who is taller? Eric is. He is 6’2”.
Who sings better? Is this a trick question to try and get us to perform solos in church? I had better not comment on this one.
Who is smarter? Eric if it comes to facts, figures, or math. Me when it comes to remembering places, people, and events.
Who does the laundry? I do. I actually enjoy doing the laundry except for the hanging clothes.
Who does the dishes? I do with the help of my trusty dishwasher.
Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Looking at the bed Eric usually does. Sometimes we switch off and trade.
Who pays the bills? Eric
Who mows the lawn? I usually do, and then Eric edges it.
Who cooks dinner? I do, but we both plan the meals.
Who is more stubborn? It is a tie. I think that we are both stubborn in certain areas.
Who kissed who first? It was a mutual event.
Who asked who out? Here is where the story gets a little tricky. Eric and I were in the same FHE group in our single’s branch here in Houston. We finished working at the Bishop’s Storehouse one night, and unbeknownst to me Eric was waiting around to talk to me. I got to talking to some other people who were there and then actually left first to go home. When I got home I saw that Eric had called. I called and asked him what I could do for him. He asked if I would be interested in going out with him on Friday. I knew that there was an activity that night at Galveston, and asked him if he was planning on going. He said that he had thought about it (secretly he really didn’t want to go). So I asked him if I could catch a ride with him and then maybe we could go out the next night. Eric is overjoyed with the turn of events. Not only was he nervous to see if I would go out with him on a date, but now he has a guarantied two date minimum with me. I was excited to go out with him, because I had wanted to get to know him better since I moved into the ward. We never did go to Galveston that Friday, because it got rained out, so we went to dinner and then ended up talking for what seemed like forever. Saying yes was the best thing that I could have ever done.
Who proposed? Eric did in his living room, and then for the real proposal later that night at the beautiful Houston Temple.


Our engagement photo
Who is more sensitive? I would probably say that I am.
Who has more friends? I would say that I do. Eric is the type of person who doesn’t have a large number of friends, but he has lifetime friends. He is a quiet, strong guy until you get to know him well. When he opens up to you then he is sometimes crazier than I am.
Who is the first to say that they are sorry? We are probably tied on this one.
Who wears the pants in the relationship? Alex

Happy Valentine’s Day, Sweetheart!!!

Breaking News... Alex is Officially Walking!!!!

Well if the truth be told he is really toddling around. He walks, but it is not all that steady. He has been taking steps for about a month now, but this weekend he has been doing more walking than crawling. He is into everything and occasionally finds new places to sleep and new things to play with. It is hard to get pictures of him walking, because as soon as I pull out the camera he drops on all fours and crawls as fast as he can to where I am and then tries to reach for the strap or lens cap of the camera. I get some really great closeup blurry pictures of his face as he is reaching for the camera. Maybe when Dad comes home from work today we can get some really great video footage of the officially walking "Little Man". Until then these will have to do.

Alex's First Dinner Date

We had the William's family over to make homemade pizzas and then went to their place to play games. It was so much fun making the pizzas and Alex had his first "official" dinner date with Mylea. He is such a ham in front of the camera, especially if he is tired. Say Cheese!!!!!!!!!

First Haircut forLittle Man

Alex got his first haircut on Saturday. It was getting so shaggy and long. I have to admit that I had mixed feelings about it. I loved his bangs and he was my cute little baby boy, but after multiple strangers were mistaking him for a girl, I knew that it was time to take some action.
Here is the before shot

So we grabbed the clippers, laptop, Baby Einstein DVD, and a bottle and went to town. I got him used to the clippers by turning them on and letting him feel them so that when it was time, he wouldn't be scared of them.

He did really well and even though he does look more grown-up he will always be my little baby boy. Here is the after shot.

Lots of Birthday Fun in January

As the New Year begins, so do the January birthdays in our family. Alex turned one on the 3rd. I turned older than that(30) on the 8th, and my brother-in-law has a birthday today. It has been quite busy around here. Last week we had to say a goodbye to Eric's parents who returned to Oregon. It was wonderful having them here to visit. We didn't do much, but we just enjoyed being around each other.
I wanted to post a video of Alex's first birthday party that my friend Trisha made of Alex's first birthday party. It all began early Saturday morning when Alex woke up super early and wouldn't go back to sleep. I thought that this would be perfect, because I can give him a nap before the party started at 11 and then he would be well rested. I don't think that Alex got the memo about going back down for a nap. I tried putting him down a few times before the party started, but he did not fall asleep until about 30 minutes before the party started. Needless to say we had one tired boy on our hands and we were already for some birthday fun. We tried opening some presents first, but had to stop midway and switch to the cake and candles. Eric's family has a tradition of having a lamb cake on the baby's first birthday, so Grandma Stewart brought her lamb cake pan and made the birthday cake for Alex. He wasn't to excited to eat the cake and ended up not really eating the cake at all. All he cared about was having a bottle after waking up from his nap. It was kind of funny watching Alex try and hold the bottle because his hands had icing on them. It kept slipping through his grasp.
He is such a joy in our lives and we can't imagine our lives without him in it. I can't believe that it has been a year already.

Happy Birthday Alex!!!

Holiday Update

I took a break this Christmas and spent it with family. My dad is still recovering from complications that resulted from his knee surgery so they were unable to travel down here for Christmas, so we decided to travel there for Christmas. It was so good to be around them and my dad played the perfect part of Santa Claus. Since he has been in the hospital and in rehab he has not shaven his face and has grown a very full beard. He usually is clean-shaven so it was a shock to see him all ready to play the part. We were able to snap a few pictures of Alex on Christmas Day with Papa Jung.
We left that night and came home for a few days and got ready for our next big adventure. Eric's parents traveled from Oregon to stay with us for a few days after Christmas and to help celebrate Alex's 1st birthday. After they got here we took them to San Antonio to see the temple and the downtown area. The temple is beautiful and Eric and his parents were able to go to a session there while I watched Alex. We then went to see the Alamo and take the Riverwalk tour downtown. I guess we should have checked the schedule for bowl games, because we found ourselves smack-dab in the center of a Penn State and A&M invasion. Luckily we were able to find parking and had a wonderful time there. We traveled to my parents house that night to celebrate Alex's birthday and my parents anniversary together.
Here are few pictures from our big adventures...

Random Thoughts and a very cute picture

It has been a very long time since I have updated the blog and sometimes I don't think that I really have anything to say that is important. My life keeps going on and on mostly it is like a repeat of the previous day. Some days are harder than other and some just fly by so quickly. I often find myself thinking that I have so much to get done, but yet I my to do pile keeps piling higher.
I was talking to Eric the other night and he made the comment that I don't know how to relax and just sit. I must admit that it is very hard for me to do that and take a few minutes for doing nothing but sitting and thinking, napping, or reading. I always feel like I have to be doing something (the laundry, dishes, picking up after Alex or myself, a project, etc.). The other day Eric was off and he literally made me sit down and relax for a few minutes while he cleaned up the kitchen. I must admit that those few minutes were wonderful, so I guess it is okay to relax for a few minutes during the day.
I am trying to get things ready for Christmas and having family in town for the holidays. I enjoy spending time with my family, whether or not it is the family I grew up with or the one I inherited.
Anyway, I have rambled enough now and I guess that I can count this as "me" time today. Here is the cute picture I promised.