Hi!

The kids and I spent the last week in Fort Lauderdale on a mini-vacation while Nick worked. It was a great test for the kids as it was their first long driving trip (4 hours) and their first time sleeping in the same room. They did great in the car and great sharing a room. While Nick worked I took the kids to the pool and park. It was a nice break from our normal routine.

Both kids are doing good. Johnny is extremely busy chasing after his sister and trying to play with whatever she is playing with. He now stands up behind her car and pushes it while he walks. He is determined to do everything she does. Alexandra is talking up a storm. One day on vacation she actually asked me, "Mommy, how was your day?" Its hard to believe I can actually have little conversations with her now.

Now we are back to our normal routine but are counting down the days til we go to Wisconsin for Halloween, can't wait!

Johnny the Barbarian

I have uploaded a video of Johnny. He had taken a break from doing much talking when he started crawling and standing up. I guess he was just too busy! Anyways, he has started talking again. It is not the baby goo-goo, gaa-gaa sounds. Instead it is this barbaric sound that is a cross between squealing and screaming. He does it a lot when he finds something he really likes. In this video he is talking to Alexandra's car which he just LOVES. Some days we swear he does this all day long, to toys, stuffed animals, people or to absolutely nothing at all!

Another week....

Hi! I just love life!

I finally got in my sister's car! I am so cool!

And I got my sister's Dora when she wasn't looking!

I have uploaded two videos of Alexandra. One of them showcases her dancing skills and let me tell you they are good!:):) Right now her dancing primarily consists of her whipping her arms around. I might have to try it at the next wedding we are at. In the other video she is reading two books to her baby and putting her to bed. You might have to turn your volume up all the way on your computer to hear her.

7 months!

Our Ja is 7 months old this weekend! I don't know where the time has gone. For my sisters, family and friends who are expecting their second child, just had their second or want a second in the future, try to enjoy your second one as much as you can when they are little because they don't want to be babies! They want to be like their big sister/brother. At 7 months old Johnny is a speedster at crawling, can pull to a standing position with ease, babbles a lot and is loud, and has 5 teeth! What is he going to be doing at 1? Running, talking and eating a steak??!! We love our Buds and can't to see what he accomplishes over the next 5 months.



Alexandra learned how to ride a trike this past week! She looks so big and grownup riding a bike. She doesn't understand the concept of steering but can pedal like a maniac. She has also entered the "why" stage. I had no idea it started this young. Everyday I am hearing "Why?" more and more. I've quickly learned that they don't really like any answer you give them. No matter what you say they just again, "Why?" You can't ignore them completely though because they will continue to ask you until you acknowledge them. And they ask you "Why" about the simplest things. For example, this morning I told her we had to go to the grocery store. She asked "Why"? I said because we need food. "Why?" Because we need to eat. "Why?" If we don"t eat we'll be hungry. "Why?" Finally I just told her because I said so. I think I am going to be hearing myself say that line a lot.

Where does that Imagination go?

One of the many ways Alexandra, Ioanna and George have entertained themselves! Where does that imagination and creativity go when you grow up? I know I don't have it anymore! They are here one more week. We have had a blast with them and are going to miss them when they are gone.



Here's Johnny! Also known as "Ja", "Jabbah" and "Buds". He is into everything. Sometimes that is good and sometimes that is not so good! He is entertained for hours with everything in our house but he is constantly trying to eat or get into or onto something he shouldn't. He is obsessed with the VCR and cable box. I swear he goes to it fifty times a day. Maybe he's going to be a techie like his Dad!

Baptism

Johnny got baptized this past Sunday. His godparents are Chris (Nick's sister) and Tim (my brother). Tim, Gina and Donovan came down for a long weekend for the event and my parents made a long trip out of it staying 12 days. We had a great time with everyone.



Johnny with his best bud Donovan this past weekend. It was so much fun seeing the two of them together. They were interested in each other way more than we thought they would be.



Now that Johnny has mastered crawling he is attempting to tackle pulling himself up to a standing position. Instead of trying to do it with the couch or a table he insists on using her toys such as her Little People House which provide no support. Many, many tumbles!

(I uploaded a bunch more pictures from the baptism and just hanging out with the Marcos and Grandma/Dietz in an album to the right.)

Crawling & Potty Time!

Johnny is crawling faster and faster everyday. So what that means for Alexandra is that he is starting to get into her toys. She does not like that!! I am starting to hear quite often, "No Johnny!"


Alexandra is starting to show a slight interest in going to the potty. Both of her cousins are potty trained. They sit on the big toilet so she has to sit on the big one too even though she practically falls in every time. (I'm sure when she grows up and is a teenager and learns I put a picture on the Internet of her on the potty when she was little she will be disgusted with me!)