Alexander at 23 months...

Yup!  You read it right.  My little guy is really almost 2!!!  My good friend Tracy has 2 boys (Jaxson and Brandon) and she keeps a journal of all the funny things they say and do.  Since the day Alexander was born I keep thinking, I have to write this stuff down!  Well, the other day I finally started!  He has really started doing some funny things (not really SAYING funny things yet- but that will come.)  Here is my list:

-He laughs when he hears a car honk it's horn

-Says "titty" for "pretty"

-Says "ah-ti" for "thank you"

-Favorite phrase, "uh oh"

-Everytime the toaster oven beeps when it's done he looks at you and exclaims, "oooOOOOOooo!"

-We were at the post office on Saturday.  I had Alexander sitting on the counter, and the teller gave him a dinosaur card with pictures and facts on it.  He looked at it for a minute and then leaned over and tried to swipt it in the credit card machine!  How fast they learn!!!

We love you...

interesting thoughts...

As most of you who read my blog know, my family (Dad, Eileen and Jamie) have moved, as of September 7th, to Malaysia for 7 months due to my dad's job.  If you didn't know, then hey- guess what?  My dad, Eileen and Jamie have moved to Malysia for 7 months due to my dad's job!!! 

I have had some interesting thoughts over the past few days since they have been gone.

Thought #1: God has a sence of humor!  Before my dad started traveling there for work I have talked or heard about Malaysia maybe 3 times in my life.  I mean, when does an obscure country like Malaysia come up in daily conversation- or even school!?!  Twice in the past two days Malaysia has been mentioned in coversation that has NO RELATION to my family and from people who don't even know they are there!  Once was on the Part I Season Finale of Top Chef ("Hail to the chef!") when they were talking about food they were eating in Singapore.  A finalist said there was a heavy Malaysian influence in the food that they were eating.  I just smiled and thought of my family!  Cool huh?  Well the next one gets even better!  I have a new recruit prosepct for my Mary Kay business and she is from Africa.  She might want to move home in the next few years and wanted to know if MK was in Africa so she could continue to build her business.  Shelley (my director) and I were looking online at a list of countries that MK is in and she asks me, "Hey, where's Malaysia?"  I immediately exclaimed, "That's where my family is!!!"  Again, I smiled and thought of my family!  Then I proceeded to tell her that it was just south of Thailand and Vietnam!  How smart am I?!?  (Thanks for the tutorial Dad!)  I think it's so cool that God is keeping us connected.

Thought #2: How is it possible to feel more connected to someone who is on the other side of the world vs. a 6 hour car ride away?  It's interesting!  Over the past 5 days I have thought of, prayed for, wanted to talk to, talked about, and even dreamed of my dad, Eileen, and Jamie more than ever before!  ...interesting...

Well, Dad, Eileen, Jamie- I love you very much!  Know that we are all thinking/praying/dreaming/talking about you all...

PS. Oh yea...Jamie- the Cowboys suck just as much when you're in Malaysia as you are in the States!!!

On the road again, and again, and again, and again!

Wow what a summer it has been!  I have traveled more this summer than the last two combined I think!  Even though it has been more on-the-go than ever it has been wonderful to see family.  Let's start at the beginning shall we?!?

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Over the 4th of July we all (meaning Brad, Alexander and myself, my brother Joel, his wife Bri, and their son Isaac, my sister Leah, her husband Matthew, and their daughter, Abigail, and Mima-my dad's mom) traveled to Maryland.  It was a combo 4th of July weekend, surprise 50th birthday party for my dad, and a farewell get-together.  (My dad, Eileen and Jamie are traveling to Malaysia for 7 months for his job starting in September.)

At the 4th of July parade in their neighborhood.  High 5 to Cappy!

Jamie looking overly enthusiastic!!!

Alexander was extremely ill for that trip.  It was no fun for him... :-(

Getting "pushed around" by Abigail!

Even though it was super stressful having a sick kid, there is always respit in margaritas!  Here I am with Bri, who had a fruit smoothie because she is PREGNANT!  (Better you than me girl!)

We had a great party for my dad.  He was born on Christmas Day so this year Eileen had a great idea to do a surprise 50th birthday party in July!  Everyone contributed something special.  I thought I could make a cake, and here it is!  Fit for a sailor man!  It was such a fun party. 

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My next trip was to Dallas, Texas for my annual Mary Kay Seminar.  Actually it was to Rochester, then Dallas, then Rochester, then home!!!  I brought Alexander to my mom's house where she and her mom (thanks Nanny!) took care of him while I was away.  Aside from a horrible poop incident they had a great time!  I forgot my camera at home, so unfortunately I don't have any pictures.  At seminar I got some great awards.  I was the number one consultant in my unit for sales AND recruiting this year! 

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Our next family trip was to Pennsylvania for a family reunion on Brad's side.  His grandma turned 70 and his great grandma turned 90!  We stayed at a hotel and had a great time.  Alexander loved the pool and running the halls.  He also had fun with the elevator buttons!

Here is our little muscle man!  One of my mom's clients gave him this wetsuit with a lifejacket built right in.  It works great, and he looks just like a body builder with it on!

Chillin' with Daddy!

Here is the 5 generation picture (spouses included!)

5-Alexander/BJ (Brian James III)

4-Brad/Brian

3-Grandma Natalie (turquoise shirt on the left)

2-Great Grandma Sandy (green shirt on the right)

1-Great Great Grandma Manuel (front and center!)

Back row: Me, Barry, Lydia, Tabitha, Kylene

Who said all 5 generation pictures have to be serious!!!

Me and Kylene taking pictures of their son BJ

Putting Alexander to sleep.  God bless baby monitors!!!

Chillin' with Mommy!

Cousin lovin'!

What a fun time!

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Ok, stay with me now!  One more trip!!!  Since our trip to Maryland was such a bust with a sick kid over the 4th, Dad and Eileen flew Brad, Alexander and myself down for one more visit.  We had a BLAST!  The first morning we went out for a sail. 

I get extreme motion sickness on the sailboat.  So I told my Dad, "If it's moving and it's not on land I'm taking a pill!"  Bonine to the rescue!  It worked and I'm happy about it as you can see!

Alexander was loving Jamie's silly bands.

This is the boat that was on the movie "Wedding Crashers"

This is an osprey nest.  They are HUGE!

"Anchors away Cappy!  I'm ready to sail!!"

Alexander LOVED the swings!  Here he is swinging with Amma.

So ya know the show on TLC "DC Cupcakes?"  Well, I had the "brilliant" idea to go there.  We wanted to go with Brian and Kylene so we decided to meet up at their place.  What should have been a 40 minute drive took us over 2 hours!  With Alexander in the car and not much to keep him busy it was a nightmare.  When we finally did get to their place it was a smooth 30 minute drive to Georgetown cupcakes.  We round the corner of the shop and find this...

A 45 minute line to get IN the door!  And this was my reaction...

We decided to wait it out.  And look...we're still smiling!  Maybe that's because the smell of delicious cupcakes was wafting out of the door!

Now that is a thing of beauty!  They really were delicious.  However, if you ever make it there I highly suggest making a pre-order! ;-)

Alexander was enthralled in Eileen's "Psychology Today" magazine!  I just KNEW we had a smart boy!

We went to the beach, and here is Brad on jelly fish patrol.  They were everywhere...

Here's one that washed up on shore.

Wow...what an awesome summer!  I have, however, made everyone in my life fully aware that we are not going ANYWHERE until Thanksgiving!

Thanks for stopping in!

Love and Hugs

Ok, Folks...we may have a problem!!!!

Ok, Sunday was a lipgloss fiasco, and now he's walking around in my 4 inch high heels!  (And walking quite well might I add!)  Well, at least he's cute!!!

Just like Mommy...

Hi All!  I have been a traveling fool and I will update you on all of my travels later, but while I have a quick second I thought I would share what Brad found last night.  I was in my office making business phone calls, and Brad came in and said, "Steph, you need to see this."  He NEVER interrupts me so I knew this was either really bad or really funny.  Thankfully it was the latter!!!

Alexander got into my purse, pulled out my lipgloss and the rest is history!  I guess (much to Brad's dismay) he wants to be just like Mommy!  I mean, he has seen me do this, oh, about a MILLION times!

This our modest little garden this year!  Brad was very excited about the "Topsy Turvys" that you see hanging.  We have tomatoes in the green one and cucumbers and strawberries in the red one.  Basically, the theory is that the plants grow down so that gravity helps to bring the nutrients right to the fruit. We'll let you know how it turns out! 

Our watermelon plants.  Wow...I guess it's time to weed!!

Our first 2 tomatoes!  The ones in the ground are called "Early Girl" plants.  Apparently they mature early.  (Hence the name!!)

"There are two great days in a person's life- the day we are born and the day we figure out why."
                  -William Barclay
                  Scottish Theologian

MY first haircut!

So, I gave Alexander a haircut this morning!  My hairdresser is in the Bahamas right now and we are traveling to see family this weekend.  He was looking pretty scrubby, so on a whim I got out my huge craft scissors, put on Elmo, and went to town!  Terri (my hairdresser) has given him 2 cuts and I watched very closely.  I don't think I did too badly!  Especially with him squirming, pushing my hand away and screaching like I was pulling his hair OUT instead of just cutting it.

Babysistting Amelia

Brad and I went out to his dad's house last Friday to watch Amelia because they had a wedding to go to.  We had SO much fun!  They live on a lake so we went for a walk to the beach.  Amelia is 10 months old.  For those of you who don't know Amelia is Alexander's aunt.  She is Brad's sister.  Alexander and Amelia had a great time together!

That is one talented Daddy!  Maybe we COULD handle another one...Yea right!!!

This is the best game EVER!

How fun is that?

Pat a cake, pat a cake baker's man...

Do I HAVE to go to bed???