Lincoln James: Two and Half

It's been a few months since Lincoln's last update. Since he will be two and half on January 31st (time goes by way too fast!) I thought it was time for a little update.

My favorite things about two and a half include...

baking cookies with my little man...and his inability to keep his tongue out of the cookie batter! (rest assured any cookies you receive from us are made with a little extra love!

that any older gentleman with a beard is referred to as "Ho! Ho! (Santa)" 

how every single game of play or pretend involves him coming to "save the day" with his firetruck, police car, helicopter or garbage truck. 

that he takes his fire truck, garbage truck, teddy bear, lovey and new dinosaur from nana to bed with him every. single. night. (thank goodness for double beds or I don't know how everyone would fit!) 

that every time we play "hide and seek" he feels the need to giggle and talk loudly so whoever is "seeking" will be sure to find him! 

his genuine concern when he thinks anyone is hurt or sad and his immediate response of "no cry" followed up with a kiss to make you feel better. 

his excitement in helping daddy with any home improvement project that we may be working on (and daddy's amazing ability to include him on each one!). 

And, because this is real life, and if we're being honest, there are also a few things I'm not such a fan of when it comes to being two and half. 

Here are a few things that are not my favorite about two and a half...

that we no longer sleep through the night. That darn "big kid" bed has been the worst for sleep regression and we usually have a visitor pitter patter into our room around 2-3 AM every night. 

the word "no." NO explanation needed ;0) 

that he's growing up just too darn fast and I can't freeze time. 

In all honesty, Lincoln has been the best toddler! So easy going and even tempered (that's saying a lot for a two year old!). And, anyone who knows me, has heard this before....for as difficult and as frustrating as it was when our little man was a baby and dealing with the separation anxiety and reflux, etc....he has been the easiest, most good natured toddler. (I'm knocking on all the wood that typing those words didn't just jinx me). 

We love you so very much little man! Now stop growing so you can stay my baby forever!! 

2016 in Review

It was another great year full of highs and lows! 

We kicked off January with a trip to the Museum to see the Legos exhibit. 

In February I got a girls trip to Arizona to visit my bestie! 

In March, we took Lincoln to his very first St. Paddy's Day parade and had a visit from the Easter Bunny!

In April, we celebrated daddy's birthday and in May we celebrated Papa's birthday and Mother's day! 

In June, we headed down to California to celebrate my baby brother's college graduation and took a trip up to Sonoma. 

We also finally finished our "mini" kitchen update in June! 

July was a big month! We went out to Hat Island for the 4th of July, watched movies in the park, threw my sister a bridal shower, and our little guy turned TWO!! 

August was another fun month. We sold our house and celebrated my baby sister's wedding!

In September we headed to the Spokane County Fair and celebrated our 4th Wedding anniversary. 

October is my very favorite time of the year and the beginning of all the holiday festivities! We headed to the Pumpkin patch, bought a new house and also had some family photos taken. 

In November, Lincoln and I went on a mommy/son date to Daniel Tiger Live! We also celebrated Thanksgiving with our family and found out that Lincoln will soon have a new cousin, set to arrive in June 2017! We also headed up to Greenbluff to pick out our family Christmas tree. 

December was our most eventful month with a trip to the North Pole and sledding!  Kevin and Lincoln went back east to visit his grandma and great grandma and Lincoln got to go to the Air Mobility Command Museum and saw the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center. And last but not least, we celebrated Christmas! The best one yet.  

New Year's Eve 2017

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a happy and safe New Year's surrounded by loved ones. We spent the holiday with some friends and it was perfect. We had a delicious dinner...crab for the seafood lovers, a steak for me, caesar salad, garlic mashed potatoes, garlic bread and Red Lobster Cheddar biscuits. The champagne was flowing any my girlfriend made yummy champagne jello shots!

The kiddos were dressed up in matching PJs and we counted down to midnight for them around 8PM thanks to the Netflix New Year's countdown. They spun noise makers and blew poppers and they were all tucked in and asleep by 9 PM so the parents could enjoy the evening! We played some games, watched some movies and just barely made it to midnight!

We also ended up staying over so it was so much fun to watch the littles wake up, and run around the house together, while the adults nursed their headaches from one too many glasses of champagne ;0)

We started off 2017 perfectly. After a lazy morning, we headed home to get ready for the week and to head back to work/school after a perfect week off. Family naps were had for all and we woke up to takeout, chatting about our resolutions for the new year and playtime, before an early bedtime for everyone.

Cheers to 2017!

Ice Skating!

I had a week off from work, and while it filled up quickly with plans, I wanted to set some time aside to take Lincoln ice skating for the first time. We headed downtown on Wednesday afternoon to hit the ice!

I have fond memories of ice skating down at Riverfront Park's Ice Palace and could not wait for Lincoln to try it out. I knew it was likely that we wouldn't last long (and I was right), but it was so much fun getting him out on the ice for a few times around the rink.

We started out by renting our skates. Toddler size ice skates are seriously the cutest! And made our way outside to the rink. I took Lincoln around the rink a few times and was a bit wobbly having not been on skates in over 10 years, but we made it without falling!

After just a few laps, Lincoln looked at me and definitively said, "All done." I asked a few times if he wanted to try with daddy or with both mommy and daddy and he said, "No. All done." After that Kevin took a few turns on his own and I did a few more laps of my own and we headed out. We were only down there for about 45 minutes, but it was fun while it lasted!

I think next year will likely be even better to get him up and on skates...here's hoping!

Christmas 2016!

I'm not sure about you, but I am definitely not ready for Christmas to be over! Holidays are just too much fun with a little one around and I'm holding on tight to all the Christmas feels over here.

Since we're currently buried under about 2 feet of snow, it's easy to do! We're enjoying holiday eats, playing with all the toys Santa brought us and sipping on hot cocoa and eating peppermint sticks like it's our job. You can bet we will continue to do so until we ring in the New Year too!

I wanted to share some of the (very few) photos I took on Christmas Eve and Christmas day. I was too busy enjoying all the holiday feels to take too many photos. We started out Christmas Eve with a fun brunch downtown at Madeline's. My sister Sara was spending Christmas with her in-laws so we wanted to spend some time with her before she headed up to the mountains. Brunch was delicious and kept us full throughout the afternoon as we headed off to Christmas Eve mass and then my parent's Christmas Eve party.

We opened presents with the family on Christmas eve and headed home to wait for Santa! Little man put out Christmas cookies and carrot sticks for the reindeer and was out in about 2 minutes flat.

The next morning, we woke up to Santa's arrival! Little man was stoked to see all of the toys Santa brought and we spent the morning playing with them before the family showed up for cinnamon rolls and quiche! After a Christmas breakfast with the family, we all settled down for some quality naps before heading back down to my parents house for more food! (We do a whole lotta eating over the holidays and we more than pay for it by the time January rolls around).

The day after Christmas, we've started a new tradition where all the adult kids (aka my siblings and I) head out wine tasting to avoid the post-holiday return frenzy. Last year it was my little brother and I. This year, Kevin joined us as well, which meant somehow post holiday wine tasting also turned into post holiday beer tasting (no one was complaining).

I hope each and everyone of you had a wonderful Christmas! See you next year!

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas filled with Peace, Joy and Love, from the Alexander's! 

Card design via Minted

Little Man Says

As Lincoln is talking more and more these days, I want to write down and remember each and every adorable moment. Especially when he's in this stage where his "words" aren't necessarily the right "word." Below is a collection of some of my favorites at the moment!

December 2016/ Lincoln Age 2 and half. 

When asked what he wants Santa to bring him for Christmas:

"Stinky Ho! Ho!" (Garbage Truck Santa) 

When asked something and he doesn't quite understand:

(Raising his hands to his sides) "I dunno mama I dunno" 

At the end of the night, as we get ready for bed:

Me/Kevin: What book do you want to read? 
Lincoln: "Baby book. Paw Patrol"

He LOVES looking at the photo album from the first year he was born and always asks to see the "Ho Ho" (santa photo) of him.

At all times during the day:

"mama lay (play). daddy lay (play)" 

"No popor (porter) No!" (Poor dog can't catch a break).

When asking to put on a TV show and as we scroll through the options on Netflix:

"Wait Wait wait wait wait wait. No no no no no no. Uhhhhh!!! "(when we finally land on what he wants)


While watching his favorite show (Little Einsteins):

"Pat Pat Pat." (On TV: Raise your hands into the air) Ast off!!!!! (Blast off!!)

And finally at the end of the day as we lay down to go to bed:

Me: I love you Lincoln
Lincoln: "Lub You Mama" *Kiss*