February 2012

Happy Valentine's Day! I hope your sweetie remembered you and you got nice Valentines from your friends and loved ones! My mom and me (mostly my mom) made a bunch of cards for my friends and classmates. I seem to gather more interests as time goes on, so we had to narrow down our choices and decided on having cards that had rockets on them. It was a lot of fun.

I'm now 3 yrs old, or 40 months. My mom thinks it's better we stick with "3 years old," otherwise she said 40 months sounds like a car lease or something. Anywho, I am keeping busy with school, playing, playing some more and having fun attending all these fun birthday parties from Mommy n Me class. My dad still speaks Swiss German to me and I know a lot of words but seem to always answer him in English. We're working on this but my parents wonder how much it will continue to be this way now that I am starting school. My mom smiles when I say talk to her and use "mit" instead of "with." I figure she understands what I am saying, so I'm going to continue using "mit."
Have a good day!

See anything different?

Sometimes I lend a hand with my little sister.

Parties are fun!

Trying to get mom to take Lily so daddy can jump with us kids.

Happy Valentines Day!

January 2012

Happy New Year! It's 2012, can you believe it?! I don't really know what that means, but it's what I hear all the grown ups say. All I know is I'm 3 and a few months, so I am getting bigger each day. Here's some of the fun we've been having since Christmas time.

We started the year off with a museum visit where we tried our luck panning for gold. All I got was a wet T-shirt and pants from getting carried away swirling the water. Yep, it was so fun!

We have had a really sunny winter and had fun getting the first ripe lemons off our recently planted lemon tree. Yummy!

In school we made dragons in honor of the Chinese New Year. Mom took me to the park so I could show her how it worked and mine danced really hard because it was a windy day!

I asked mom, if I flew direct, how soon would this get me to Opa & Grosi.

I love helping dad & mom fix things around the house--and if all our weekends are any indication--we'll always be busy! That makes me happy because I love to help with my own drill and hit things with my hammer. :)

November & December 2011

Now that I'm 3, I guess I figure I'm a bit too grown up to blog on my day to day events. But, here I am at my mom's request updating and enjoying myself. I'm sitting here thinking, "Mmm hmm....good times." These fun times continued right up until the end of the year. We were Blessed to have visitors, then be visitors ourselves with friends and relatives as we made our way to Grandma Laura's house for Christmas.

In school, we learned about Native Americans and we got to pick names for ourselves. Imagine my mom's questioning look when she picked me up from school with this label on my chest.

This was my contribution to our table for Thanksgiving--our center piece. My parents got tired of telling me it was for decoration only and they wouldn't be cooking it to eat. That reminds me, I have to ask where mom stored it for next year--it better be in a safe place!

Caught up in the Christmas cheer, we blasted some "Alvin & the Chipmunks" music (much to the chagrin of my dad) and started our tree decorating.

Next was the cookie-making part of the season. I forget how many batches we made but it was fun using my dinosaur & airplane cookie cutters.

Play break from I-40 on our trip to Grandma Laura's.

Speaking with Samliclaus about my good and not so good deeds.

Rounded out the year by helping my mom make some cards for friends and family. Hope your Holidays were good and merry. We had a good time with all my cousins, uncles, aunties and grandmas in Arizona and New Mexico. A'hee'hee!

October 2011

Yippee, it's October! Boy, I don't know where to begin because it's been such an exciting time! First of all, we went on a nice trip to celebrate with my dad's family. We had so much to do and so many people to see as we were part of a wedding, Baptism and it was also my 3rd birthday! I try my best to show that I am three years old with my fingers, but sometimes only two fingers show up. Mom says it's better than just one. (confused look)

I am running around telling anyone who will listen to me that we went on "two different" US Airways planes! I also am doing a lot of translating for people now that we're home as I tell them all the things I did in Swiss German. I got to practice speaking quite a bit with my Opa, Grosi, Gotti and all the wonderful family members we got to see.

Now that I am 3, I am in the stage where I ask, "Why?" Sometimes I throw my mom off and ask, "Why not?" at times she thinks it does not make sense. For example:
Me: "Mom, when are we going to have yogurt with daddy?"
Mom: "We have to call him first."
Me: "Why not?"
Mom: "That doesn't make sense Alex, maybe asking plain, 'Why' or 'How come' might work better."
Me: (She's going to regret telling me that, as that's all I'm going to be asking til I get finite explanations.)

This month also marks other important dates in our lives. My parents were married this month. I suggested they celebrate this day by me singing "Happy Birthday" and them having balloons. I don't know what an anniversary is, so this seemed the best way to celebrate. It also marks when my Grandpa Harrison passed away. Sometimes I feel like I know him by my mom telling me stories, but I cannot remember meeting him. He sounds fun like my Opa and daddy.

When we returned from our trip we were already attending Halloween gatherings. My mom put together my costume from things we already had at home, and it looks like this will be my outfit for the remaining parties. As long as I don't have to wear the "specs" the whole time, I think it will be fine.

I seriously could go on and on and on but I'll share some pictures with you instead, and if you want to come visit, I'm sure we could arrange a slide show. I have so much to tell you!

Isn't my birthday cake cool? It's a choo-choo train. Thanks Melanie!

Playing around...

Mary gave me this "Chocolate cow cake" and I ate the eyes and part of the hind first. Was yummy!

Gondola ride--had my map in hand and was ready to explore.

More cowbell?

Happy Halloween!

September!

Here we are, well into September! It has been a wonderful month of small and big beginnings and celebrations. To begin with, I started going to school--preschool! As my mom said, "Like anything new, it will take time to get used to it." The first day was a bit hard, but once I learned the name of my teacher, I stuck by her until I found a really interesting toy, and before I realized it, it was time to go home with mommy.
Other cool things taking place this month are lots of birthdays:
Happy Birthday, Daddy!
Happy Birthday, KJ!
Happy Birthday, Kara!
We had a good time celebrating my dad's birthday. We had yummy chocolate cake and sang to him every time we had a slice. I think he was touched by my singing to him, but maybe a little embarrassed, too. Either way, I had fun and plan to sing that birthday song a lot more.
That reminds me--we're also starting the "Big 3" birthday party celebrations. My play buddies and myself are all about to turn 3, so we've been busy looking our calendar and it's filling up with parties!
As the month has progressed, we started to have cooler days, so for the remaining warm ones, we took full advantage and got out the water toys. I managed to have lots of fun in the water, and in the mud. I believe my mom quoted me as saying, "Mom, mud makes me happy." She tried to look happy for me, but I could see the worry in her eyes.
I'm also doing better with my sister. I even try to help read some of my favorite books to her while mom and dad do things like make breakfast or dinner. I still get a little excited and scream or yell songs, and of course, it still startles her. When will she learn I just can't control my excitement sometimes?!
Anyway, I hope you have a good rest of the month. Take care!

That's me all ready for my first day of preschool.

That's me telling my mom to frame my first official piece of preschool art work. (She will, too!)

Keeping my sister distracted and teaching her about trucks while mom and dad make breakfast.

Playing outside on a beautiful summer-like day in the water...and mud.

Enjoying time with my new whale of a friend in the jumping house.

August 2011

First, I apologize. I keep running behind with this blogging business. Soon it's going to be September!
Second, Happy Birthday,Guetti Harley!
Third, Happy Birthday, Tisha!
Now, I hope you are having a good month. Our summer has been on the cool side weather-wise, but now it seems to be playing catch-up and we're having some really warm days. I don't mind though. You know why? Because, on really hot afternoons my mom doesn't want to cook and we get to sit on the front porch and eat cold cereal for dinner. I think that's one of my favorite things because we sit outside and I can yell, "Hello!" to people walking by, or comment on cars & trucks driving by, too.
Our August got started off on a cool note as we went to Seattle to attend a wedding. It was so much fun. I was so excited to ride in the airplane, on a light rail, a bus and even a ferry. There were so many interesting things to see and the people were so, so nice. Thanks, Seattle!
These days I am a big sponge absorbing whatever information I can on trains, planes, dinosaurs and, more recently, rockets and space shuttles. I ask to go to the library often as I can borrow 1 DVD of my choice, and as many books as my mom is willing to carry. There's so much to learn and I try to explain what I learn at the end of the day to my dad. Sometimes he looks at my mom as if to say, "What's this kid on anyway, he hasn't stopped talking since I walked in and he's so excited I can't understand half of what he's telling me?!" Mom just smiles as if to say, "Welcome to my world," and then she tells him what I've been saying.
I'm learning more Swiss German as well but forget to answer my dad in Swiss German, but rather revert to English. Sometimes I get all the languages confused and often ask my mom, "Is this Spanish?" She finds this interesting.
I'm also quite busy learning about being a big brother as well. I learned when my sister cries that you can get her to quiet down sometimes by talking really softly to her and asking her questions like, "Awww, what's wrong with the baby?" I really want to pick her up and hold her like my parents do, but I think she's almost half my weight by now and that's a bit too heavy for me to carry easily. I guess I just have to get bigger.

Taking in the scenery from the light rail.

Enjoying the sunset & view with daddy.

Mapping out where to go next...

At Aiki Beach loving the water and all the rocks I can throw...

Quick check-up on my baby tiger.

I...am...a...r-o-b-o-t.

May-July 2011

Yeah, yeah, I know...but, I have a good excuse! I'm a big brother now and boy is it a lot of work! It's got our whole house in a "tizzy" (G-ma Laura's word) and we're gradually adjusting to everything.
It's a lot of work being a big brother--there's lots to be aware of when you have a baby in the house. For example, you should try not to poke the baby's eyes because they will need them to see. Another thing I've learned is babies don't like it when you jump on the floor right near them when they sleep.
I was very excited to become a big brother and when my sister, Lily, came it took awhile for me to really believe I had a sister and not a little brother. My parents chose to wait to see what they were having, so my dad said I had a 50-50 chance of guessing correctly. It also took me awhile to call her by her name and not our cousin's name who was born a month earlier. By now, though, I think I've gotten it all down.
Prior to her arrival, we had some good adventures. I'll tell you about them when you see the pictures. Meanwhile, I hope you are enjoying your summer. I am!

That's me enjoying the view of the "zeppelin" nearby. I got a cool eraser from the Goodyear folks when we visited.

I finally got to meet my new sibling and see where mom and dad were hiding out while I entertained our guests at home.

Dad and I still keep our special time together. Here I am enjoying some flights coming into the local airport. I have to be careful of my ears because they are loud, so I plug them when a big plane takes off or lands.

Checking to make sure she's still there and not playing when she should be napping.

Helping dad put a chair together--I love using tools.

Got all my beach gear out to play with the sand but am "working" on the lawn in the backyard.

Another hard day of "work" in the backyard. Dirt + Sweat = Bath time for Alex