Baby's First Christmas

     We've enjoyed this Christmas season with Alex and letting him experience all of his firsts! We tried to stay in the holiday spirit for him, too, which involved decorating the home a little more and doing some trips! We didn't get a big Christmas tree, just a little thing, but it worked! Active baby + Christmas tree- yeah.

   

Visiting Santa Clarita

Our fireplace decorations with our little tree (which was knocked over a few times anyway)- and yes, Alex's was blue since the paint smeared and I got lazy ;)

Town Center Mall

Nativity Scene

     We kind of missed Santa Clarita, so we paid a visit and planned on seeing Santa that afternoon. However, the line at the mall was ridiculously long, plus, the lady at the front with the balloons who was supposed to be guiding the line, was letting people cut. It just wasn't fun. So, we passed and instead took him to our local mall on a weeknight.

     We weren't sure how he would react to Santa. We were in line at our mall for a good hour-hour and a half, but it wasn't all bad. Alex was laughing and all smiles at everyone around him, cheering the crowd up. There was another baby girl around his age named Charlie, and the two of them just stared at each other laughing and laughing. SO cute. Everyone was laughing too. I eventually walked to the Starbucks and bought some spiced root beer and a mango smoothie for us.

     Alex's reaction to Santa?

      He thought Santa was the funniest/coolest thing ever. The moment we handed him over, he went for the beard. He also grabbed at his gloves and tried eating them. Then he went for the glasses- all while laughing. He had an absolute blast. Love this dude!

     On Wednesday evening, we headed to Bakersfield and stayed until Saturday afternoon. Alex was able to experience his first Christmas! While he didn't sleep very well while there (different environment, different crib, mommy and daddy sleeping in the same room, etc), he had SO much fun with his cousins and family.

    Christmas morning: So many toys and fun stuff! Gary and I also got some really neat gifts!

Smiling! Yes, Gary did get new socks, LOL

My cute dude in his new sweater

I love this! Looks like he's plotted a master plan. 

Exploring new presents!

Bow!

All tuckered out! It's the only nap he would really take. 

Yum!

What's in here, Daddy?

Presents!

     Anyway, we had a good time and a lot of fun! Then the next day, we went to John's Incredible Pizza, where Alex had a blast with his cousins, our friends Jeremy and Emilee and their two boys, and lots of other people!

SO fun! He was holding on tight!

Playing with Dad

I can play, too!

Helping shoot baskets

Having a blast!

    Anyway, we enjoyed spending time with friends and family. What a fun season this has been!

First Thanksgiving

       Alex celebrated his first Thanksgiving! Wednesday evening, we headed to Bakersfield where we stayed the night and visited family. Alex had so much fun hanging out with his cousins, aunts, uncles,  great-Grannie, and Nana and Papa. He spent a lot of time with Uncle Quinn and had a blast with him. Thanksgiving day, my dad was sick! First time ever he's been sick on a holiday. So, I helped out in the kitchen and made the stuffing and green bean casserole (all from scratch). Quinn and the exchange girls, Elene and Tanaya, helped out with meals as well. We were sure busy! But Alex was in good hands while we cooked a good chunk of the day. He ate bananas with Quinn that morning.

Yummy!

Smiling at Quinn!

     After a fun, busy day, we all had the delicious food that evening. My brother Devonn, his wife Carla, and their three kids came over and joined. My sister Jazmine and her cousin Tiffny also joined for a bit before heading out. Lexi (4),  the youngest of the three kids, was SO excited to play with cousin Alex. Seriously. And Alex absolutely loved Lexi. He would look at her and just laugh. She could be talking or just hanging out and he would laugh just by looking at her. So when she played with him, it was the best thing ever. She wanted so badly for him to sit in the highchair and eat, so we put him up there and she helped with giving him some mashed potatoes and a little bit of pumpkin pie with whipped cream. He pretty much lunged at the spoon it was so yummy!

      The cousins also took turns playing with him, and at one point, overwhelmed, he put on the saddest face and cried. I took him to soothe him, but he stretched for Gary. Okay, fine, kid! Here's your dad! Anyway, dad made it better, of course.

     I'm so glad Alex is an easy traveler. When he's not sleeping, he just sits there in his car seat relaxed and/or talking to himself, just content. 

All tuckered out! He prefers his thumb to the pacifier, which he stopped caring about around 3 months. 

      

     Anyway, my brother Devonn took a lot of really good professional photos, so once those are sent I'll post them! But for now, here is a good family picture!

We all seem to be smiling the best in this one! Cousin James is holding little Alex.

      Anyway, we headed home that evening since Gary had a half-day at work the next morning (the stock market has a rule about not being closed for 2 consecutive days), and passed out that night!

     So, a few more updates while here! Alex is 6 months old today! His checkup is on the 5th, so I'll update his stats then.

   He is also on the move!! Like crazy! He crawls so quickly now, climbs up on everything, can pull himself to standing, and is just so cuddly and sweet. 

  

Crawling!

  

Um, we had to lower his mattress last night! Grabbing the mobile isn't supposed to happen!

Another reason we lowered the mattress. This is him crying after he stood up and didn't know how to get back down! Eventually he'd fall backwards and slam his head on the other side. We taught him to fall on his butt.

He loves this booster seat!

Exploring!

As you can see, he also started solids because he kept grabbing at our food- and he's learned to swallow his spit instead of drooling everywhere.

Yum!

Are you sure I can play with this?

Okay, awesome!

       

     Anyway, we'll update more later after his 6 month stats! 

Halloween, Updates, Etc.

 Alex's first Halloween! He definitely makes a cute Tigger!

Our Trunk-or-Treat theme was Hundred Acre Wood

   For Halloween itself, we watched the new X-Men movie, then went down the street to the coolest house in the neighborhood- Boney Island! This house was completely decked out. All of the skeletons were singing and dancing and/or talking. It was complete fun entertainment and definitely family-friendly! Apparently this family has been doing this since 1997. And the treehouse? Coolest treehouse I've ever seen. There were light shows and all sorts of fun things.

     Anyway, this boy has been improving everyday! He's ALMOST there on the crawling! He can move a few feet, then launches himself forward. He knows the leg part and just needs to coordinate the arms better. I'd say next week he'll get it and will definitely be on the move by Thanksgiving. He can also sit up (with assistance getting there). He now sleeps from about 8:30pm-7am, then goes back to sleep around 8am and sleeps until 10:30. We didn't get the fun extra Daylight Savings hour, but oh, well!

I'm working on it!

Still playing around with solids (once or twice per week). Definitely loves the carrots!

I get to face forward in my stroller!

Happy guy!

  Also, for my birthday on the 25th, Gary and I took my dad and the foreign exchange students around the Subway stops in Los Angeles- including Little Tokyo, Chinatown, and the Hollywood area. My mom stayed home with little Alex, so it was nice getting out with my hubby!

Us!

 Anyway, I've been working on getting back into shape, but decided to not be so hard on myself. I joined Total Woman Gym and Day Spa and I'm loving it. The daycare staff are SO sweet and good with Alex. I go in the afternoon when it's pretty dead so usually it's just him and maybe another kid in there. That way they can focus on him and not 20 other kids too, LOL. Of course, you can't just show up with your kids- you typically have to call and make an appointment (you know, to prevent too many kids), but it's still nice having mommy time without watching Alex at the same time. I've started running again, but slowly. I've also been using the Stairmaster, then Elliptical when my knee is starting to act like a jerk. My favorite thing to do is hit the weights though. It's not a Gold's Gym when it comes to weights as there aren't as many, but it'll do! 

Okay, time to rest! The flu has hit me. Gary received his flu shot, so fingers crossed he hasn't caught it. Luckily Alex seems to be okay so far!

 

Date Night! Short Post.

     

   Ah, the joys of a nice date!

     Gary and I are in the process of hiring a sitter. We've interviewed one girl already, and have a couple of more on the list. Luckily, last weekend, Devonn, Carla, and their kids (my brother's family), came down to stay during a Saturday so Gary and I could go out. It was nice! It was our first date since Alex has been born.

     We first got massages at a little parlor not too far from here. There are so many massage places, it's insane. This place was called The Massage Clinic. We each got more of a deep tissue massage, which hurt a little at first, but then eventually became relaxing and totally what we needed. I was a little sore from it, but it was worth it.

  After our nice massage, we hit up the Cheesecake Factory at the Sherman Oaks Galleria where we enjoyed good food and, of course, delicious cheesecake. I totally should have taken pictures, but, alas, will do it next date.

    Anyway, I love my husband! We need to do this more often!

Growing Too Fast

      Does Alex really have to start growing so quickly?? About a week ago, it was time for him to move to the crib. He was waking up every couple of hours in the bassinet, wriggling around and desperately trying to roll over and get more comfortable. Finally I put him in bed with us so he could just nurse next to me, but then he was waking up every hour. We assumed it was his 4 month sleep regression phase, and we were tired!

     Finally, I decided to give the crib a try. I put him in footie pajamas and placed him in his crib after our bedtime routine. He rolled over onto his side and was out! For 10 hours! Thinking it was just luck, he slept 12 hours the next night and about 11 after that. He will only sleep on his side and tummy now. But when he's out, he's out. Sometimes he'll wake up once or twice to eat, but he's still sleeping most of the night.

He started off on his back on his favorite music mat. Now he rolls all over the floor.

After keeping us up all night

Rolling in the crib before I put the clean sheets in

  Anyway, since has "graduated", it was time to add his name to the bassinet's history of users on my side of the family. The earliest I saw was 1941, but my mom assures me there's a 1939 in there. Some of the names are faded and I didn't feel like straining my eyes.

     Alex also got to go to the zoo yesterday, his first time! My first time at the LA Zoo as well. He slept a good chunk of it, but he was awake to see the zebras, giraffes, gorillas, orangutans, and a few others.

Checkin' out the giraffes

Saying hi to the lazy (or bored) orangutan

      He also has been napping great in the crib and sometimes in his swing (sometimes- he usually needs his chicken lovey blanket to get to sleep in there). I try to nap with him but usually find myself laying down with my eyes closed for an hour. Like earlier. Now I'm blogging and will try again- though he's been out for 2 hours, so I know he will wake the moment I drift to sleep. 

Playing with Daddy

Fishies at the pet store- his first time seeing them!

Smiling on his way to his doctor's appointment- had no clue he was getting shots.

      

     He just keeps growing! Do they always do this? Can't he stay small?