Busy, busy, busy....

I admit it, I've been a HORRIBLE blogger!  We are just too busy enjoying life to sit down and blog.  I find myself updating facebook and instagram regularly with our day to day activities since I can do that on the fly from my phone, but sitting down to actually update the blog is a bit more challenging since Makenna decided she is really done napping.  That only leaves the evenings and I've been busy catching up on lots of other things....planning a 4th birthday party (how is that even possible?), catching up on work, updating Alex's 6 month photo book for the Texas Fan Club, the list goes on with plenty left to do.  But I FINALLY uploaded a bunch of pictures so I figured I had no excuse....

So, what have we been up to?

Making daddy breakfast in bed for our anniversary.....

Finally, warm enough to sit on the front porch in the morning.....my new favorite and Alex's too! 

Makenna's last day at ECCEC preschool!  Isn't it crazy how much she's grown since day 1?!

We'll miss her awesome teachers!!

Having fun at Lexi's Kitty Cat birthday party

Chilling in our stripes...

Being silly with mommy...

Discovering nature...

The boy LOVES the tree in our front yard....

playing naked in water table....

and being silly...

back to that tree again.... so glad I got these because after the rain & winds we've had the last few days all the pretty flowers are gone

trying out sissy's pink trike.....and loving it!

A little Memorial day red, white and blue (and orange spit up)

Pirate park fun...

and our first bike ride to the Pirate Park...

Teething fussiness and snuggles with mommy...

reading to brother...

Brewer games with daddy....

and LOTS of playing with the neighbor kids (but no pictures to show for it)...

any questions?  

Alex's nursery

I just realized that I never did post the pictures of Alex's nursery... I took all the pictures of it months ago, but with tax season got a little too busy to actually sit down and post them.  My only regret is that I didn't make it more baby-ish, but it is growing on me:)

I wanted to go with a baseball / star theme

I don't have a good shot of this book shelf, but daddy insisted on lining it with all his bobble heads....

Can't forget the racing sausages..

We actually have daddy's Brewer trash can from when he was a kid in Makenna's room.  Even though Alex has the baseball themed room, he insisted Makenna keep that one and we buy a new one for Alex.  Silly daddy!

I actually made these tie backs myself from an old baseball.  Pretty proud of that one, although it was kind of a pain to figure out how to get them to tie back to the baseball holder and still be able to shut them when I need to.  I ended up using hair rubber bands wrapped around the baseball and it works great.

I made these with a few canvases and a little mod podge.

Daddy's touch was to add the Brewers of course!

I still need to fill the last of those 3 frames with a picture but I'm thinking the 6 month pics will need to go in there.

Love this little lamp I found at TJ Maxx

We received this from our church family and it hangs over the light switch

His baseball mobile - Makenna used this same one.  The only thing we had to switch out was the middle - it had a racing sausage on it but a leg cracked off so we replaced it with a Brewer baseball.

There you have it!  Thankfully since we didn't do it overly baby-ish this should last him quite a few year.  Now we just have to make sure he likes baseball!!

7 months

Well, little man, it's that time again.... 7 months already!  I was nursing you just the other day thinking - oh no, we are very likely already over half way done with this!

I must say this past month has been the best yet - I really just love this age and I love how very happy and sweet you are all day, every day.

Your smile is absolutely contagious!  You don't have the slightest glimpse of stranger anxiety - today we were sitting at your sister's ballet class and you kept looking over at the ladies behind us, trying to catch their eye, smiling away.  You have the best smile, buddy!

I'm a little apprehensive to write this as I don't want to jinx anything..... but mommy has gotten THREE straight nights of solid sleep!  On Saturday night, you slept through the night!!  I was convinced it was my mother's day present, but then you did it again on Sunday night.  I thought maybe that was just my birthday present (my birthday was Monday), but then last night you only got up once and all it took was daddy going in and putting your nuk back in and you fell right back to sleep.  Are we finally figuring out this whole sleep thing?!  I sure hope so!!  Though I must admit, I really don't mind seeing your smiling face in the middle of the night.....

You are getting really good at sitting up and just the past few days you've really come a long way.  You can sit for quite awhile before you topple over - usually it is when you are reaching for something.

You've started eating more solids....mommy still has intentions of making your own food but haven't quite gotten the ambition (or time) just yet.  You are getting less picky and have tried bananas, avocado, mango, carrots, squash, peas, green beans, rice cereal and squash.  

You LOVE to be outside.  We had a few warmer days this month and took a few trips to the park.  You could sit in the swings all day, wind blowing in your hair, taking it all in.

You are still in a size 3 diaper and are wearing mostly 6 month and a few 9 month outfits.  Your hair is finally starting to grow back, too!  You still have a little dark patch of hair that never fell out on the back of your head.  

Makenna:  Your sister, or "sissy" as she likes to refer to herself as, is soooo crazy in love with you.  She still gets a little jealous from time to time, but she loves to be with you and to make you smile.  When she comes in our room in the morning, the first thing she asks is if you are up and if she can go in your room and say hi to you.  She goes in and says "goood morning Alex!" and you get the biggest smile on your face!

She has eased up a bit on your toe lint, which is nice though she will still come looking from time to time to see if she can check your toes.  Ew.  

She is so sweet to you, buddy, and I just love to see your relationship grow.  She thinks it is pretty cool that you sit next to her at the table and the other day I caught you two holding hands at lunch.

She is starting to have so much fun with you, Alex, and I'm sure it won't be long before you are chasing her around the house.

Mommy:  You have certainly stolen my heart, little boy.  You are the sweetest, happiest, cutest boy I have ever seen.  I still have a hard time leaving you when I go to work in the mornings... I hate missing out on seeing you do new things and see your personality really start to come out.  I'm so thankful that your Daddy works so hard so that I can afford to take a few days off a week to spend with you and your sister.  

Mommy has been trying hard to come up with a pet name for you that will stick....Makenna and I came up with Xander-Monster for awhile, but it just didn't stick.  So, you are called a variety of names - most commonly buddy or Alexander Brooks.  

Daddy:  Alex, your daddy is crazy about you.  He loves to spend time with you and he always makes sure I don't hog you so that he can spend time with you.  

You put this GIANT smile on your daddy's face that I'm pretty sure he saves just for his buddy - boy.  

Alex, we love you and can't get enough of you little boy!  You bring smiles to our faces all day, every day and we are sooo thankful God saved you just for us. 

On to the 6 month pics....

Such a big boy sitting up all by yourself!

You did great until you realized you could play with the ball....

And again... you did great until you realized that was a sticker on your chest.....

Mmmmm...... destroyed!

Happy birthday Alexander Brooks!!  We love you!!