The Titas family

Recent Pictures

2011-02-24T20:34:00.002-05:00

The first snowman of the season. It was finally
not too cold to be outside for longer than 5 minutes.
Unfortunately our snowman only lasted a day.
We had a heat wave the next day and all the snow
melted.

Alexis wanted to see what Frosty tasted like.

Alexis spent some time at the science center. She
was deep in concentration at the time.

Emily has become such a ham. She
will seek out the camera and give her
best "cheese".

18 months already!!!! When did she
start looking like a little girl?

Poor Emily!!!

2011-02-24T20:15:00.003-05:00

A few weeks back Emily decided to give us a little scare. As Dean and I were cleaning up the kitchen after dinner, Emily decided to give her climbing skills a try and got up on the chair. Standing up backwards she tipped the chair over backwards and landed right on her face.....nothing to break her fall but her nose. It happened so fast that we only knew something was wrong with the scream. Now I am not one to worry about injuries too badly. I usually will try and brush it off not making a big deal about things. Dean is used to me being the calm collected one so when I said we probably should go to the hospital, he got a little more worried. Emily's poor face started to swell right away and her nose was bleeding......not a great amount luckily. Of course she wouldn't let us put ice on it so I wasn't sure what else to do. I really thought she had broken her nose so I thought we should get x-rays. I also didn't know about letting her go to sleep. The main thing that was on my mind was "concussion". So we all piled into the car for a trip to the ER. To make a long story short, we got in to see the doctor right away and proceeded to have x-rays taken. Boy was that fun!!!! (sarcasm) One popsicle and a $200 co-pay later we found out that Emily was going to be fine. No broken nose.....but a pretty significant bruise. The pictures show it a little better. Emily was a real trooper through all this and Alexis thought it was fun heading to the hospital and having a popsicle too. Needless to say Emily is no longer allowed to climb on chairs. A fairly expensive and painful lesson.

This picture was taken about 4 days after the initial
fall. She's such a trooper.....and still smiling!!!

I don't think we went out in public for 2 weeks.
I didn't want any "questions" !!!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

2011-01-12T19:58:00.004-05:00

Well Christmas and New Year's has come and gone so quickly again. It's always been my favorite time of year and one that always is gone before you know it. Dean, the girls and I spent a nice Christmas here in Cleveland with Dean's family. We spent the morning opening presents and then went over to his parents for a great dinner. The kids had a great Christmas and of course received too many gifts. The next day we started our trip down south to some WARMER weather. We ended up driving this year and actually it wasn't too bad. We left Sunday morning and got to Florida by Monday around 3pm. The 20 hour drive went well as the girls were little angels. I knew that Alexis would be fine with movies, books and other activities but what do you give a 1 year old to do to stay busy for 20 hours in a car seat? Emily was awesome though. She took nice long naps and watched a few movies with Alexis. She read some books and ate. As long as she has food she is fine. Anyway, we made it to Naples and had a great time. Nana and Papa enjoyed some quality time with the girls. They were able to go swimming, head to the beach, visit the manatees and even go to the zoo. Needless to say they stayed very busy.
Dean and I were even able to get a round of golf in too. The week went fast and we really weren't ready to head back to the cold. We hope to get back soon, especially since it has snowed more days than not since we've been back.

Emily and Nana after taking a bath.

Alexis was teaching Nana how to play Angry Birds
on the IPhone. Let's just say she's a tad bit addicted.
Is that bad?

Papa reading Emily a book before getting ready
for bed. Emily LOVES books!

Opening presents at Nana and Papa's house on
Monday. Emily got a new stuffed kitty that
purrs and even walks.

Alexis was all about Toy Story 3 and Legos this
year. I think I enjoyed putting the legos together
as much as she did.

Christmas morning at YiaYia's and Popou's house.
Alexis got a Unicorn pillow pet from MeeMee.

Emily got into opening presents a little more than
last year. Sometimes I think she liked the paper
more than the gifts.

They started the morning out with their stockings.

Alexis sitting on Santa's lap on Christmas Eve.

This was going to be our Christmas Card this year
but I was a little late so I just decided to try again
next year.

A week before Christmas we had Breakfast with
Santa. Alexis you can see was very excited but
Emily wasn't as big a fan. Maybe next year.

Alexis concentrating on making her Christmas
wreath.

"I Love Pancakes......No wait, I Love FOOD!"

The levy in North Olmsted finally passed about
a month ago and Alexis is now able to ride the
bus to school. 1/10 was her first bus ride to
school. It was a little colder than the typical first
day of school.

Emily all bundled and ready to go out and play in
the snow. She reminds me of the kid from The
Christmas Story. I'm sure she wouldn't be able
to get up if she fell.

Tae-Kwan-Do

2010-11-14T15:16:00.002-05:00

Alexis and Dean began taking Tae-Kwan-Do this week. Dean wanted to find something that they could do together. Saturday morning was their first class and they were both looking forward to going. I thought Alexis looked so cute in her little outfit. I wasn't able to go and watch because Emily was napping but I am really hoping to see them in action. Alexis came home and was anxious to show me all of her moves. She was showing me her jabs and her kicks. After only one class, I was pretty impressed with what she already learned. Dean came home and I was impressed he could still walk. He's not the most flexible person that I know and I know how sore I get after using muscles that I haven't used in a while. Seems like he did pretty well as well. His instructor even said that he was pretty flexible. I have to admit that I wasn't able to keep a straight face after hearing this. They are anxiously awaiting their next class next week.

Alexis showing some of her moves before class
on Saturday morning.

Halloween 2010

2010-11-14T15:04:00.003-05:00

Emily was a little bumble bee this year however
she really didn't want to wear her hood.

Alexis was the "purple witch"! I didn't even know
there was such a thing. This was the only picture
we could get of the two of them. Emily just
won't sit still anymore.

This is Alexis's stash! Wow is all I have to say.
She's sure to have candy at least until next
Halloween.

Alexis and Tyler(neighbor) on their way to get
some goodies.

The kids had a great time this year for Halloween. The weather worked out for another year. I've heard stories from Dean about trick-or-treating in knee deep snow. We just had to wear sweatshirts. I couldn't ask for much more at the end of October. Emily made it around with us for a little while before her little hands became little ice bricks. I dropped her off and then continued with the other two kids. I was happy with Alexis's selection as I've been eating more of the candy than she has been eating. Maybe that's because I only let her have 1-2 pieces a day. I'm usually not that big of a candy eater but if it's in the house I'm likely to eat it.

Summer Zoo Trip

2010-09-29T21:42:00.002-04:00

Alexis and our neighbor's son Tyler are pretty much inseparable. From the early morning to the evening they are usually together. We took a trip to the zoo a few weeks ago and here are a few pictures of them at the Dinosaur exhibit.

Wow what a big mouth this is???

Alexis and Tyler got to ride a camel. She really
enjoyed herself. I joked with her and told her that
she smelled like a camel.

Alexis and her "self portrait".

Alexis's 1st day of Kindergarten

2010-09-29T21:29:00.002-04:00

It's hard to believe it but Alexis has started Kindergarten and she LOVES it!!!!! She's been going now for about a month and fits right in. She loves her teacher and wants to take something to her daily. Yesterday she wanted to take her an apple. I thought that was only in books and movies. Everyday I see her it's kind of bitter sweet to see how fast she's growing up.

Alexis and her new school outfit. She loves the
camera just like her sister.

Best buddies Alexis and Andrew waiting at the
bus stop.

Dropping Alexis off at school for her first day. This
year she's not able to get bussing because we live
too close. She's hoping that next year she'll be
able to ride.

And off she goes all by herself. I even asked her if
she wanted me to walk her up. She said, "No mommy
I can do it by myself". I must admit that I had
tears in my eyes as I was pulling away from the
school.

Summer Happenings

2010-09-29T20:59:00.005-04:00

Well I know it's been quite a while but I've finally downloaded several pictures from the summer. We had a great summer but it went by soooooo fast. Now we are already in fall and I can't quite believe it. Here are a few of the pictures from the summer.

Emily is thoroughly enjoying her lunch! Good to
the last drop!!!

Cheeeeessssseeeee!

As most of you have seen, it was difficult to get
the kids all together. At least Miles and Naomi
know what camera to look at.

Emily had a blast opening her birthday presents.
She seemed to like the paper more than the
presents like most 1 year olds.

Emily was not a big fan of the birthday hat. It just
so happened that the strap snapped just as I was
putting it around her chin. Wasn't sure if she
got snapped or not.

We celebrated 3 birthdays at the end of July.
My father in law has a birthday on the 29th and
Emily and I share the 30th.

Emily is quite the ham. She loves the camera.

Papa and Nana were able to spend some time
up north with us this summer. The girls got to
spend some quality time with them both.

Nana was able to stay the month of July and really
was able to get to know Emily. The girls had a
blast.

4th of July celebration. 2nd cousins Brayden and
Zac, Alexis and Emily, and cousins Andrew and
Niko. Believe it or not we did not plan the color
scheme. Pretty impressive huh???

Recent Events

2010-06-08T21:34:00.003-04:00

Well another month or so has passed so I guess it's time for me to post another blog. I think I have started out the last few blogs indicating that I would be better at updating my blog. As we can all see, I have not kept my word. I don't know what it is but I always find it hard to sit down and get anything done. Anyway......what's new in Titasville. Well Alexis is doing well. She's ready to start the summer swimming season with a bang. No more swimmies and even swimming with her head under water. Such a big girl. She's really into polly pockets now. We were lucky enough to come into about 100 dolls with clothes from a co-worker of mine who was getting rid of them. These have been toy of choice for many weeks now. We have to make sure that Alexis is good at picking up all the small pieces since Emily is quickly putting everything in her mouth.
In a few weeks, Alexis will be starting Safety Town which she is so excited for. She feels like such a big girl and is always talking about kindergarten. She is continually asking how much longer until she gets to ride the school bus. My little girl is growing up too fast.
As for Emily, she has been rapidy growing and doing new things every week. Currently she is crawling.....more quickly everyday. She has even made it up the stairs without my knowledge. I found this out by making the mistake of having Alexis keep an eye on Emily while I went to change clothes. Wouldn't you know, Alexis got side tracked and Emily found her way upstairs all by herself. Let's just say I know now to take her with me.
Emily is also pulling herself up on furniture and furniture walking around the house. Pretty soon she'll be walking I'm sure. She's about 10 1/2 months now and when looking back at Alexis's book, she was walking by then too. My days of nice relaxing time sitting around a pile of toys is over. We'll be exploring the house and everything else a little more now.
As for Dean and I not much has changed. We're still both working and looking forward to golf season. I was able to get out the first time yesterday after work. It's much harder for both of us to get out together so taking turns is the best way to do it I guess. I just wish I had more girls around to play with.
I guess that about covers it for now. I'll try and get back to writing soon but we all know I'll probably talk to you in a good month or so. Take care!!!!

Updated Pictures

2010-06-08T21:20:00.004-04:00

Emily is sure growing fast! Pulling herself up on
everything already.

Mmmmmm Dinner! I think I have more in my hair
than in my mouth.

I'm a natural water baby. I've already been
swimming in the "big" pool.

Alexis spending some time up front in the plane that
Dean used to fly. Maybe a future pilot???

Emily just love the camera. She could be crying, see the
camera and then instantly turn into a big cheesy smile.

Mommy and her little girl at the Columbus zoo.
Alexis was on the boat so we were waiting to wave.

More Pictures of Our Trip to Naples

2010-04-26T22:17:00.005-04:00

Emily's first time to the beach. I tried everything
I could to keep a hat on this kid. She did seem
to enjoy herself though.

Alexis always has fun at the beach. What was even
better is that my cousin was in town for Todd's
wedding and his daughter Molly and Alexis got
to spend some fun time together.

This is hat number two. We might be able to keep
this hat on long enough to take this picture. Emily
looks like a little chunk in this picture.

Alexis and Papa drawing pictures of each other.
They had so much fun together.

These four kids had so much fun together at the
rehearsal dinner. My cousins' two daughters and
my cousin Kevin.

Emily is such a ham. She is still pretty clingy
though. Won't go to too many other people still.

Emily was all sprawled out taking an afternoon
nap. I love baby pictures when they're only
in their diapers.

Nana made a fun playroom for Alexis inside the
closet, polly pockets and all. She spent hours in
here playing by herself.

Emily thought she would be funny and pull out
all the books from the bookshelf. Aren't messes
so much fun?

My brother is "Married"

2010-04-26T22:00:00.003-04:00

Well my brother is officially hitched. He and his new wife Debbie were married last weekend down in Naples. We had a blast and are so excited for both of them. It was such a special day and can't believe it has come and gone so quickly. Alexis was so excited to be a part of their big day. And she even made it down the aisle without too much trouble. The only thing that I had to get her was a new pair of "Twinkle Toes" shoes. Who knew kids would work for shoes. Anyway here are a few pictures of the ceremony and the party afterward. We wish them both the best and I will be reminding them often how anxious I am to have another niece/nephew. I know stop and let them enjoy themselves for a while. Enjoy the pictures.

I was so proud of Alexis actually making it down
the aisle.

Todd gave me the honor of doing a reading for them.
Don't they look so happy?

All smiles at the reception. Every time I look at
this picture I can't believe my little brother is
old enough to be married.

Spending a little time with the "Newlyweds".

Alexis was a little tuckered out towards the end of
the night. I guess she did a little too much dancing
and had a little too much sugar. Her favorite food
group is "sugar".

Who's Who?

2010-03-31T21:48:00.000-04:00

Emily's Christening

2010-03-21T14:28:00.001-04:00

Emily at the beginning of the ceremony with her
Nona and Nono. (godparents) She wasn't in too
bad of a mood yet.

Emily usually likes naked time, however she wasn't
sure what she was in for. She soon found out and
didn't like it one bit. Mommy had to step in a try
and calm her before the "bath".

"Mommy what are they doing to me"? She didn't
care for the full submersion.

Alexis was part of the ceremony and got to carry
a candle. She wanted to make sure no one was
going to be watching her though. That was the only
way she said she would help.

I'm really not so sure about this!!!!!!

Now I really want my mommy!!!!!!!

It really is something. Emily has become so
clingy lately that it's mommy or nobody. Let us
just say that she is ready for this to be over and
she wants her mommy.

See......Now I'm all better. I told you that all I
wanted was my mommy. Doesn't she look so
sweet and innocent?

Dean and I with Emily and her new godparents,
Arthur and Eva.

Last weekend we had Emily baptized. The ceremony was beautiful and went very smoothly.
That is other than having Emily scream the entire 45 minutes. Some people say that it's good to have the baby cry during the baptism because it lets the devil out. I say that is great and all but it's tough to just stand there and watch your kid scream and not be able to do anything about it. I think it would have been funny if we passed out ear plugs at the beginning of the ceremony since I could have bet that Emily was not going to like the ceremony at all. For one thing, someone other than mommy has to hold her the entire time. Secondly, I have to get naked, have oil rubbed all over me, get completely dunked in a big bathtub and then put a big gown on. All this without having my mommy hold me. Lets just say that she made it through the ceremony just fine and seemed pretty relieved to be done. The pictures above are a true showing of just how everything panned out.

Alexis's Birthday and Random Emily Pictures

2010-03-21T14:01:00.004-04:00

Emily just learned to blow raspberries. It just so
happened that she learned with carrots in her
mouth. Just glad I wasn't wearing white.

You mean I'm supposed to swallow this and not
spit it out? That's no fun!!!

Emily being little miss smiley. Alexis actually took
this picture. Not too bad for the little one.

Alexis blowing out her candles. I can't believe she's
already 5. Boo Hoo!

Alexis and her MeeMee. This is pre-haircut. She has
since decided that she no longer wants to grow
out her bangs. This was after mommy told her
that she would have to do her hair everyday.

Sisters. Emily has been sitting up for
about a month now and loves watching
her big sister play. She wants so bad to
play with her too.

Aren't I just so cute????

In the past few months, we have been doing well. Looking forward to the weather breaking so the kids can get outside and expel some of this energy. Emily is growing so fast....already 7 months old. She's been doing a little more every week. She's starting to show her personality a little more. She is very clingy lately and I guess you can call her "Mommy's girl". She really won't go to many people other than myself, Dean and the babysitter. I'm not kidding. She screams bloody murder even if her aunts or her yiayia (grandmother)holds her. It's nice and all that she wants me but it really would be nice to have a break once in a while.
Alexis turned 5 a few weeks ago. She has been asking to turn 5 for the past 6 months. When she finally is able to say she is 5, the first thing she asks me is "How much longer till I'm 6 mommy?" I swear this kid wants to be a teenager and driving already. Scary how soon it will come too. She is counting down the days until kindergarten starts and is able to ride the bus to school.

2010-02-03T20:02:00.003-05:00

Are you looking at me? I love my new seat.
It moves and everything.

Alexis and her first snowman. Do you actually believe
that this is my first "real" snowman too!!!

It was actually not too cold to be outside so we
enjoyed some time in the snow.

Daddy took Alexis sledding this year. She had
way too much fun and couldn't go fast enough.
I was okay staying at home with Emily in the
warmth of the house.

This is Emily's new favorite place to "hang" out.
She's even beginning to jump around too.

This was New Year's Eve at our house. We had
a pajama party and it was pretty low key. The kids
could have made it longer than the adults.

Christmas Pictures

2009-12-29T16:48:00.006-05:00

Alexis and Emily in front of the tree. Don't worry,
I didn't make Emily wear the hat in public.

Alexis finally sitting on Santa's lap.

All of the cousins singing Christmas carols waiting
for Santa to come.

Wow look at those big eyes!!! Are you looking at me?

This was by far Alexis's favorite present....from Nana.
She sits on her horse "Chocolate" daily and can even
feed it. The best part is is that it doesn't poop!!!

Mommy and Alexis waiting to open the goods.

Emily was even getting into the fun of opening presents.

Merry Christmas to all!!! We had a wonderful Christmas and hope that you all did too. It's amazing how quickly this day comes and goes especially after a whole month or two of planning.
We didn't have a white Christmas but the snow did end up coming, only a few days later. Alexis was so much fun to watch this year with opening her gifts to actually sitting on Santa's lap this year. Oh how kids change so much in just a year. Last year she enjoyed Santa from afar but this year "no fear". Here are a few pictures of our Christmas celebration.

Better Late Than Never

2009-12-28T15:10:00.002-05:00

This is Emily with my sister-in-law to be Debbie.
She's not as cooperative with taking pictures lately.

Emily chillin while Alexis rides all the rides at Disney.
We all had such a blast.

Getting ready to ride Pirates of the Caribbean.
Alexis was a champ riding all of the rides in the park
except for Space Mountain.

Daddy and Alexis in front of the castle at the Magic Kingdom.

This is the only picture we took with any of the characters.
They are nearly impossible to track down around the
park and the lines for pictures are longer than the lines for
the rides.

We made our way down to Naples the Saturday after Thanksgiving for a nice long visit with Nana and Papa. While down south, we spent a day at Disney.......Alexis's first. She had such a blast. She was a real trooper wanting to go on all the "fast" rides. We were able to take Emily too which was nice and she was even able to ride on most of the rides too. The other days in Naples were spent relaxing and doing Christmas shopping. It was a nice relaxing week, one that went way too quickly.
Uncle Todd and soon to be Aunt Debbie came over for quite a few visits so the kids got to play with them. It's hard to believe that my little brother is going to be getting married next April. It still doesn't seem like he's old enough. It was great visiting with the two of them like always and we look forward to April and the wedding.
The flights down and back were uneventful. The kids really were champs on the plane. They slept both ways so we really couldn't ask for anything more. Once back in Cleveland, we had to get back to reality and work too. Why is it that the work weeks seem to go by so slowly and vacations are over before they even begin.?

Happy HIalloween a little late!

2009-11-04T22:05:00.006-05:00

We had a great weekend this past weekend. Alexis really enjoyed trick or treating. She spends every afternoon dumping out all of her candy, organizing it and then picking out the one piece I allow her to have. I know I'm mean with only allowing one piece but she would eat the entire bag if I didn't stop her. This kid loves candy.
Emily is doing well. She had another check up and has finally gained some weight. She's finally up to 10lbs. 10oz. We've been taking her every two weeks for the past 6 weeks for weigh ins. She was only gaining a few ounces at a time and the doctor was a little worried. She really wasn't eating there for a while. I had to give up nursing completely and switch to all formula so she could bulk up. At least she's gaining and a little more pleasant too. She's starting to really sleep well at night. She goes down around 8-8:30 and usually will only get up to eat once around 4-5. She will usually go back down after eating. I must say that Dean has been such a big help with late night feedings. We have been pretty lucky to have two kids that love to sleep and love their beds. Emily is really becoming more animated too. She is typically smiling whenever you talk to her. She loves her play mat and is starting to play with her rattles too. She still hates her baths though and screams bloody murder throughout the entire two minutes. I try and get her in and out as quickly as possible because that's all my ears can take. Once she's out, she calms right down and is back to smiling again.
Anyway, here are a few of the more recent pictures of the kids. As you can see, Emily is starting to get a little "chunk" in her face and she even has a double chin. Finally:)

Alexis loves her little sister. She's such a little "mom".

We only had to take about 20 pictures to try and get
both looking at the camera and both smiling.

Emily starting to hold her head up a little better.

Running is EVIL!!!

2009-10-08T22:38:00.004-04:00

Ok so I thought I would take a nice leisurely jog this past Monday evening before I had to take Alexis to gymnastics. I had done this same jog several times in the past. Unfortunately this jog will likely be my last forever because running is EVIL!!! While running thinking about what I was going to have for dinner, I guess I stepped off the uneven sidewalk and rolled my ankle rather severely. I was barely able to make the walk home. By the time I did get home, I had a baseball size ankle and really was in some severe pain. I was afraid to take my shoe off because I didn't really know to what extent I had injured my foot. It's now been 3 days and I'm walking a little better now. I didn't go to the doctor but was planning on going if it didn't start to feel better after a couple of days. Today I'm doing much better and even able to walk around without much of a limp. The worst thing about the ankle now is what it looks like. I had to take a few pictures just so I could remember how ugly my foot really was.

Just a little swollen....the left one if you can't see
the difference. (Sausages vs. fingers)

Now this is the beautiful swollen foot. All I have
to say is "Ouch"!

Cape Cod

2009-10-08T20:12:00.005-04:00

This past week we had a family trip to Cape Cod. Dean's cousin was getting married so we had a Titas family destination wedding. We decided to drive since it wasn't that far away. (10 hours) Both of the girls were troopers. Emily had a pretty good trip, with only a few crying episodes. I guess for a 2 month old that's not too bad. Alexis was going to be the flower girl in the wedding. She was prepared for the past 2 months. (At least we thought she was) When the time actually came for her to walk down the aisle, she bowed out and decided she was too shy to actually make it down. At least she looked the part though. She did make it out on the dance floor and was a dancing fool the whole night. Here are a couple pictures of our trip and Alexis in her dress.

Alexis did decide to walk into the reception with her
ring bearer by her side.

Alexis and second cousin Zac cheesin it up for
the camera.

Alexis being brave around some rather large
geese in Boston.

Alexis and Zac practicing at the rehearsal.

Emily is getting a little smiley with the camera.

Some more recent pictures of the girls!!!

2009-09-28T11:16:00.003-04:00

Alexis all ready to head for gymnastics. I'm surprised
she let me do her hair!!!!

Tummy Time....I HATE TUMMY TIME!!!!!

This is my favorite place to be when I'm not being
held.

See....I told you my favorite place.

I guess tummy time isn't so bad sometimes!

P90X

2009-09-19T13:23:00.002-04:00

I have decided to get back on the work out horse after taking a long reprieve for pregnancy. I have been anxious to get started. I know I'm crazy. I should enjoy the time off and relax. Has any one heard of this work out...P 9oX. If not it's awesome. It's a 90 day everyday workout routine that is supposed to help tone and strengthen. You should see some of these before and after pictures of people that have completed the work out. All I have to say is "WoW". I just hope I can continue be consistent with completing the exercises. I know it's going to be much more difficult once I get back to work full time and then come home to take care of two kids. I am going to try and do the best that I can. I'll keep you updated on my progress. Maybe I'll be on the web site some day with a ripped body. HA HA. I just hope I can get back into shape.

Recent Pictures

2009-09-19T13:13:00.002-04:00

Hey are you looking at me???

Hi Daddy!

I'm not afraid of big teeth. Are you?

This so happens to be a T-Rex...Alexis's favorite.

1st Shot Today

2009-08-31T20:02:00.007-04:00

Well Emily had another doctor appointment today....her 1 month check up. She is doing well and growing like a weed. She's grown a whole inch in length and is up to 9lbs already. I guess she's an eating champ. It's hard to believe that a month ago she was wearing preemie diapers and not able to keep a pair of 0-3 month pants above her waist...They usually were dropping below her knees. I guess that is the way kids are wearing them these days.

We're starting to get a little more of a routine down lately. These past few days, we've been transitioning Emily into her crib at night. She's been sleeping about 4-5 hours at times. I'm really only having to get up once around 3 or 4 to feed her and then we try to get her back to sleep. We have a few crying spells but usually that only lasts about 10 minutes or so. I don't mind the whole getting up as long as we can get her back to sleep. There were times when we were spending 3 hours at a time in the middle of the night with her eyes wide open looking around saying hello world. Hopefully we're past that.

I've been trying to take some more pictures lately but she isn't really doing a whole lot at this stage. Hopefully soon we'll be able to catch some smiles. Here are a few of the pictures I have taken lately.

Trying to get a little "tummy time"

My first bath in a big bath tub....I can do without!!!

I love my Nana and I sure love to cuddle.

My Meemee came to visit me too.

I love my big sister. I sure hope she shares all of

her toys with me!

Starting to get the hang of it....I think!

2009-08-19T17:18:00.002-04:00

Ok well it's been almost three weeks since Emily was born and I think I'm starting to get the hang of this baby thing again. We're not quite on a consistent routine by any means but we seem to be getting used to each other more and more each day. My parents have gone home so we are on our own this week. It was so nice having them here to help out with everything. It's tough to try and make lunch or dinner or other things done around the house while trying to hold an infant. I know I'm supposed to put her down and let her cry sometimes but when she turns blue after crying so hard, I don't have the heart to leave her there crying. I guess the house work will have to wait. Alexis has been so helpful too. She'll run and get me a diaper or a burp cloth. She'll try and keep Emily entertained for me. She hasn't gotten too jealous yet either telling me to send the baby back. So far so good.

It's amazing how quickly the days go by now that there are two kids. There are days when I look at the clock and it's already 3pm and I still haven't had a shower or gotten dressed. I know it will all get easier. Everyone said that with two kids, it's not double the work but ten times the work. I now see what they mean. It is all worth it though, especially when I look at their smiling faces....even though it may be gas.

The nights haven't been too bad. Dean has been great and taking the first shift. I will try and give Emily her last feeding....around 10-11 or so. He'll take her downstairs and try to get her to fall asleep with him. He'll bring her back upstairs around 3-3:30 or so for another feeding. For the past couple of nights, Emily will eat and then just lay back down next to me and fall back to sleep. I know I'm not supposed to keep her in our bed but it's just so much easier. With some luck, she'll fall back to sleep and then want to eat again around 7-7:30 or so. I really can't complain because I know it could be worse.

Anyway, I'm working on getting some more pictures uploaded so I'll try and get some up soon.

More Pictures of Emily

2009-08-03T19:06:00.002-04:00

Emily just seems to be slightly larger than Alexis's

doll. Hard to believe how small she really is.

A first smile??? No just a full belly!!!

She really crossed her legs all by herself. Check

out those big feet and long toes!

This was our ride home from the hospital. She

wasn't a happy camper for most of the trip.

Baby Emily Has Arrived!!!

2009-08-01T09:34:00.003-04:00

The Titas family was graced with the arrival of Emily Grace Titas on Thursday, July 30th. Yes that so happens to be mommy's birthday too. She weighed in at a whopping 5lbs. 14oz. and was 19.5 inches long. Just a week early too. Labor and delivery were smooth as can be. I woke up Thursday morning around 4am to my water breaking and headed off to the hospital a little later. My contractions started once I got to the hospital and my epideral couldn't have come fast enough. I did have to wait until around 8 or so though. I think I felt enough of the contractions in those two hours to last me a lifetime. Anyway, once my epidural was started, I was all smiles again. Labor moved on very quickly at that time. I was already 10cm by 10:30 so we had to get the doctor quickly. I had to push a whole 3 times before she entered the world. After the first push, the doctor told me to stop so she could put her catching equipment on. Once she was ready, two more pushes and out she popped. Boy if every birth could only be that easy. I know there are many women out there cursing me but I really can't complain. Anyway, we are all doing well. Here are a few pictures of the first days.

Last Day of Work!!!!

2009-07-24T22:14:00.002-04:00

Well today I started my maternity leave early. It's a great feeling knowing that I can take a week or two to relax and get some things done. I don't know why but with this second child, I'm not quite as nervous about getting things done. Don't get me wrong, I am still nagging Dean about things that he has to do before she arrives like everyday but I guess I'm a little more relaxed this time. I'm still feeling pretty good. I'm just ready to be able to walk without a waddle and bend down to pick something up without the feeling of falling over. I will be sure to keep everyone posted on her arrival. I'm hoping the weather will cooperate over the next few days with some sun so I can spend some time at the pool. I know that soon enough doing that will be much more difficult. (Countdown is 14 days)

Back Together Again

2009-07-11T10:16:00.004-04:00

It was so nice to get together again this past weekend with Cheryl and Natalie and awesome to finally get the kids together. We went up to Cheryl's husband Tim's parents place and spent the evening together while the kids played. We all had such a great time. I love how that after all this time, we can pick up where we left off like no time has passed. All the kids really hit it off too. Sophie, Naomi and Alexis became quick friends. I can only hope that we can get together again soon. I think Alexis's favorite part was riding in the back of the gator with Sophie's goppie. She still talks about it and asks why we don't have one. The inflatable jumping house was a big hit. The great thing is is that it is portable and you can take it anywhere. I may need to look into getting one. Anyway, here are a couple pictures of the evening.

Alexis and Sophie enjoying some smores

Who doesn't love firecrackers????

The 3 girls enjoying their ride in the gator. Noah

is in the background. Too many girls around.

Cheryl and Megs catching up together. It was great

to be able to spend some time together.

Sophie, Alexis, Noami and Noah posing for a picture.

Alexis really took a liking to Sophie right away.

Maybe they'll be roommates in college too.

More Recent Pictures

2009-06-29T21:40:00.004-04:00

I was looking through some of our more recent pictures and came upon a few to share. The first picture was of Alexis when she decided to put on her pouting face. I hate this face. It makes me feel guilty and tend to give in a little more. The next is her "Cher" look. She found a pair of Dean's old aviators to go along with the beautiful wig.

The soccer pictures were from the first week since she decided she didn't want to play any longer. I love the picture of her in uniform. I just wish she would have worn it a little more. Oh well. Maybe sometime later. The last picture is of me of course. I'm about 34 weeks with only a few more to go.

I know....Finally!!!

2009-06-24T20:47:00.003-04:00

Ok Ok......I know I have been really bad about blogging lately. I have every intention of putting a new story or subject in and then something comes up. Lame excuse right??? Anyway lets see....what have we been up to? Well my pregnancy is progressing relatively quickly. I've only got about 6 weeks to go. Hard to believe but I am definitely ready for this one to be over. I have been much more uncomfortable this time around. I even had to break down and buy one of those belly bands to try and give me a little more support. I mean some days I am not even able to walk. I was beginning to wonder how long I was going to be able to work. I'm really trying to hold out for as long as I can. Anyway, we still need to do a lot to get the room ready. Dean has been so busy lately that I have to take a back seat with all of his other projects. I hate waiting but I guess at this point I don't have a choice. I mean I'm pretty much useless at this point. I will definitely keep you better posted as the date of arrival comes closer.
As for Alexis......she's been quite the busy little girl. We tried a bout at soccer this spring but didn't have any luck. Lets just say that my daughter has a mind of her own and won't let you or anyone else change it. Soccer was supposed to last 8 weeks but we only made it through 2. The last game that she "played" in she spent in the middle of the field with her arms crossed pouting. It was kind of funny because you've got all of these girls running after the ball right past Alexis as she stands there and watches. When we asked her why she wasn't playing or didn't want to play anymore, she said that she didn't like when the other girls took the ball away from her. I guess she didn't really understand the whole concept of the game. When I think about it it makes sense. We spend toddler years telling them to share and not take things away from other kids. I guess it can be confusing for a young one. Needless to say, we didn't waste any more of our Saturday mornings at the field watching Alexis do nothing. Oh and we did get this game on video. I'm sure it will be priceless as she gets older.
We've been spending a great deal of time up at the pool so far this summer. Alexis is fearless this year as long as she's wearing her swimmies. Last weekend she was jumping off the diving board all by herself. It's a good thing because I'm not following her off and I sure can't wade in the water that long. I think I may sink.
Dean has been busy busy lately. I think I see him less now than when he was flying. I guess that's a good thing since he makes nothing unless he's working. He's become quite the carpenter lately. It seems like he's got a new job every week. If anyone is looking for any furniture let me know. I'm always trying to "pimp" him out as much as I can. HeHe.
I guess that about catches you guys up a little with what we've been up to lately. I will do my best to stay up on my blog. I will even try to get some more pictures up soon too. I hope everyone else is doing well and enjoying their summers.

Happy 4th Birthday Alexis!!!!

2009-03-11T19:22:00.003-04:00

This past weekend we celebrated Alexis's birthday. It's hard to believe that she is already four. I don't know where the time went. It's amazing to look back at the last four years and see how much she's changed and learned. Kids are funny. They are like sponges that crave to learn more and more each and every day. Alexis had a few friends come and help her celebrate. She really had a blast and wishes she could have a party every weekend. She's already talking about her next party and what she wants to do when she turns five. I wish this kid would just slow down for a second. What's the big hurry with growing up so fast. I wish I could turn back the clock again and be at least 25 again. Then maybe I wouldn't be so darn tired all the time and complain about my sore back and creaky knees. Thanks to all that came to celebrate with us. Natalie, it was great to see you and Jeff and Naomi too. We'll be sure to have you all back soon.

We're having a......

2009-03-11T19:19:00.002-04:00

GIRL!!!! For all of you that don't know, I had my ultrasound this past Tuesday and was able to find out the sex of the baby. The good news is is that everything looks good so far and they've even moved my due date up a few days to the 3rd of August. The less time I have to be huge in the dead of summer the better. I'm just about to the half way point already. It's hard to believe how quickly this pregnancy has been going. Anyway, thanks for all the well wishes. I'll keep you posted on any new news.

Kalahari Weekend

2009-02-15T15:19:00.002-05:00

This past weekend, Alexis, Dean and I spent part of the weekend at Kalahari which is a ginormous indoor water park. It really is overwhelming how large this place is. This was our first experience with something like this before and we really did enjoy ourselves. We met up with some friends to spend the day with as well which made it even that more fun. There were about 10-12 huge water slides, mostly for bigger kids. They did have a smaller "kiddie pool" that was a little more Alexis's speed. She was able to work up the courage to try the wave pool.....that was until Dean couldn't catch her from slipping through the inner tube and completely sinking under water. That seemed to completely terrify her for the rest of the time at the park. Needless to say we spent the rest of the time at the kiddie pool. Dean was able to go on several of the slides. I only tried my luck at the rather large 4 person raft slide. I figured I'd be better off watching from the sidelines. Needless to say, we had a great time. Unfortunately my photographer "Dean" was only able to get two whole pictures of the weekend so there's not much to show off what this place was really like. We'll try to do better the next time we go. Anyway, here are the two pictures we have.

Alexis tends to love the "baby" swings

This was the extent of the height of the slide for Alexis

Bowling Anyone????

2009-01-27T20:43:00.004-05:00

We took Alexis bowling with her cousins the other day and had a blast. She seemed to catch on pretty quick. Alexis was able to get the ball all the way down the lane without too much trouble. There were times however when we didn't think her ball would make it all the way down the lane but after long periods of waiting, her ball did make its way down without a problem. Whoever invented bumpers is a genius. I remember when I was a kid and they used to put actual tubes in the lane. Now a days they just lift up these rails and there you go, "bumpers". I'd like to think that my scores wern't influenced by the bumpers but I'd be lying if I said I didn't take advantage of them once in a while. Anyway here are a few pictures of our day.

Look at that form! Wow!

You mean I'm supposd to watch my ball too???

First Appointment

2009-01-15T19:44:00.006-05:00

Well I had my first doctor appointment today. It seems like so long ago when I had to do this the first time. Everything is going well. I was able to hear the heartbeat today which I find pretty exciting. I have read what they say about the heart rate and by the "sounds" of things, I feel as though I'll be having another girl. I know you can't believe all those old wives tales but they were right last time. This time she said it was around 167 which seems so fast. Time will tell and since I'm not very patient I will have to find out what I'm having as soon as I am able. After my appointment I had to run down to the lab and give about a third of my blood. Why on earth do they need so much stinking blood. I felt like I was going to pass out just watching them. I would think by now I would be a little better at this whole giving blood thing. Anyway, just trying to take it easy and stay "warm" these days. I'll continue to keep everyone posted. Oh and I'll try to keep up with the "belly pictures" Candace. I'm not sure that I want to remember those though.

Alexis's Big News!!!!

2009-01-06T19:20:00.006-05:00

Well I thought I would update everyone on the newest happenings in the Titas family. Alexis has decided that being a big sister would be the best thing ever so.......on Christmas morning we told her the news. We are expecting baby number two sometime this summer. Alexis has been so excited lately talking about how she's going to feed the baby and change the baby. I think that four will be a good age when she can actually be helpful. I really thought we were going to be parents of one forever but we were lucky enough to be able to grow as a family. I will keep everyone updated on the progress of baby Titas. As for now, I'm feeling pretty good. Not sick at all really which makes me very happy. I'm getting to that "fat" stage now where I'm not quite showing yet but my clothes are feeling a little tighter than before. It could be all the desserts I've been eating though too. Anyway, the due date is August 7th or so. It will be nice to have some time off in the summer when it's actually warm and I can do stuff outside. I will be sure to keep everyone posted.

Alexis wore this shirt Christmas morning with her announcement
"Big Sister"

Merry Merry Christmas!!!!

2008-12-29T20:56:00.004-05:00

We had a wonderful Christmas this year. It's amazing how quickly this day comes and goes. We enjoyed our time down in Florida for the week before. Alexis got to spend some quality time with Nana and Papa and Uncle Todd. The weather was wonderful so it was tough to make our way back north. We spent the week playing golf in 80 degree weather and then had to come back to 8 degree weather. I still ask myself everyday in the winter why I live up north? It was difficult to adjust but at least I have that opportunity. Anyway, here are some pictures of our week of festivities. I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas too!!!

Alexis showing off her new game for her leapster.

I wish I could have had a car like this!!!

Alexis and her new "Fancy Nancy" doll.

Alexis and her Uncle Todd cheesin it up.

Papa giving Alexis a big bear hug.

Our upcoming trip!!!

2008-12-10T17:52:00.002-05:00

Well we're trying to start to get a few things together before taking off to Florida this weekend. We will be spending a week in the warmth and sunshine and get out of this so called wonderful winter weather. I am really looking forward to it. A week off of work is worth it even more. The only downside to our trip this year is that we will be driving!!!! Yes I did say driving. Ever since my husband decided to take this leave of absence we do not get flight benefits anymore. BooHoo!!!! 20 hours in the car with a 3 year old should be interesting. I'm hoping that I have enough for her to do so she doesn't drive us absolutely crazy the entire way down. She's usually pretty good in the car. I'm bringing lots and lots of movies. We're planning on stopping overnight in Atlanta and staying with some friends. Then in the morning we'll finish our journey. Mom and Dad are looking forward to seeing Alexis....and us too. They have a new puppy now that Alexis is dying to see too. Anyway, I'll update on how our ride down was. I hope I can say uneventful.

Ice Skating Part 2

2008-11-30T10:00:00.004-05:00

Ok so we tried ice skating again this weekend. We ended up going with some friends this time. Alexis did much better this time around and didn't even make us push her around the whole time. Here is some video footage of the evening.

Sweatin to the Oldies

2008-11-30T09:43:00.003-05:00

Ok so the other night we caught Alexis teaching her friend from next door the best way to work out. It still amazes me that she is able to set up the dvd player and the tv to play a movie. Alexis enjoys working out with mommy when she is attempting to advance her kickboxing moves. She decieded that showing Tyler would be fun too. We were all in the other room talking and just caught a glimpse of both of them in action without them seeing. Luckily the video camera was close by. Here is some footage of her skills.

Ice Skating

2008-11-13T19:38:00.003-05:00

Dean and I took Alexis ice skating for the first time last weekend. We had a blast and Alexis did fairly well once she realized she wasn't able to walk on the ice like she's walking on the ground. We went up to our rec center where Alexis takes gymnastics. They have open skating every weekend in the winter. It really reminded me of all those times I went roller skating back home as a kid. They had music playing and everyone was skating around the rink in a circle. Just like old times. They did leave the lights on though and they hadn't started the hokey pokey yet by the time we were leaving. HeHe. I think ice skating may be a little more dangerous than roller skating. I had forgotten how uncomfortable ice skates are though. I did not wear high enough socks so I had blisters on my ankles. Unfortunately Alexis didn't have high socks either. Oh well. You should have seen the little skates in Alexis's size. How cute were those. Here are some pictures of our evening.

Alexis holding on for dear life.

Daddy doing a little teaching.

Look mommy, all by myself!!!!

Using a cone for a little extra support.

Taking the easy way around the rink. This was
by far her favorite way to get around.

Happy Halloween!!!!

2008-11-01T17:12:00.006-04:00

We had another wonderful time trick or treating this year. The weather was great again this year and we didn't even need our winter coats. Alexis tends to be very shy with new situations and going up to strangers, even to ask for candy. She got the hang of it about half way through the night. We have way too much candy and really need to get it out of the house before I eat it all. Here are some pictures of the kids in their costumes and our pumpkins this year. I think carving the pumpkins is Dean and my favorite part of Halloween.

Alexis and Tyler ready to get some candy.

I want some candy or some cookies.

Cousins resting after bringing home a huge stash.

Alexis carving her own pumpkin just the right size.

I don't know why her pumpkin needed spikes....
I guess it's for the "fear factor".

Ooooooohhhhh!!!

Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-20T22:26:00.007-04:00

We had a fun filled weekend this past weekend. We spent Friday evening at "Boo at the Zoo". This was the first time I had been. Other than it being cold, we had a great time. It was neat to see all the animals awake and moving around. We even heard the lion roar. On Sunday, we went up to the pumpkin patch for our annual day of fun. They have inflatables and a hay ride. They have a straw maze for the kids to run through. Needless to say, by Sunday night I was ready for bed. Here are a few pictures of our weekend.

Alexis and Tyler (our next door neighbor)

Weeeeeeeee!!!!

The cousins not cooperating for the camera

Is this Cookie Monster????

I want some cookies!!!

Taking a ride on the back of a wolf.

Sorry but I had to put this one in. It happened just
as I snapped the picture. You should have heard all
the parents.

From One to Three

2008-10-12T21:19:00.002-04:00

Dean and I became parents of 3 children this weekend when we watched our nephews overnight. It sure is eye opening how different times are when there are three children to watch over. Alexis and Andrew played together all day and did pretty well. We didn't even have to break up any arguments, which are far too many these days. Nicholas is only one so he needed a little more attention. We tried to stay busy outside since the weather was nice this weekend and I knew the kids would get more tired out so naps would be a cinch. The kids cooperated and went down for naps pretty easily and Dean and I even got to catch some of the Ohio State game uninterrupted (although there wasn't much to watch that was exciting). Bedtime came and went pretty smoothly as well. I think we were all in bed and asleep by ten. It's amazing how much of your day is consumed with more than one child. I don't think I even got anything done around the house. Oh well, we had a blast and enjoyed our time together. We'd be happy to watch them again. But I can be sure that those parents with twins or more really do have their hands full.

Buckeye Weekend

2008-09-30T09:22:00.004-04:00

About a week and a half ago we were able to take Alexis down to her very first Ohio State Game. That was the weekend we played Troy state. My parents were in town and we all had a great time. The weather was perfect, the Buckeyes played better than they did the week before and we got to see some of mommy's friends. Alexis got her hands on a pom pom and was cheering the entire game. She even got into it and was yelling "Go Defense". She still doesn't know the difference between offense and defense though as she was yelling "go defense" even when we had the ball. At least the fans gave her a little slack since she is only three. The part about sporting events that Alexis loves the best is the food. She knows that the stadium has hotdogs and soda and candy. We even introduced her to dots. She would only let me have a few bites before she told me "these are mine mommy and you can get your own". Ok little miss thing. Anyway on our way back to Cleveland we made our stops at Grinders and then Graeters for dessert. I really look forward to those two places. They were both as good as I remember. Here are a few pictures of our weekend.

Nana and Papa on our walk to the stadium

Mommy and Alexis in our seats before the game

"Go Defense", I mean "Go Offense"!!!

Daddy and Alexis outside of the stadium

Alexis reading her books on our drive down
to Columbus.

Slacker

2008-09-12T19:23:00.002-04:00

I know I'm no good at staying on top of my blog. We've been staying somewhat busy these past couple of weeks. Alexis is back to doing gymnastics but now it's a class where we just drop her off and then pick her up 45 minutes later. I think she was more ready for this than I was. What if I miss her actually do something I haven't seen before? I have to just hear about it rather than actually see it. We also started swim lessons too last night. This class the parents have to stay in the pool with the kids. She really looks forward to this class.
Last weekend Dean and I played in a golf outing on Saturday. Although we didn't win, I did win the longest drive and closet to the pin for the ladies. It's always nice to bring home extra money so we can pay for the babysitter. They sure are expensive these days. We actually have our Titas Golf Outing this Saturday but unfortunately it's supposed to rain all day. I do have some rain gear but I don't know how fun it will be playing in the rain. I did hear a saying once about it never raining on the golf course.
Last Sunday Alexis and I went up to see Nicole and watch Chelsie run through her course. That was pretty neat to see. Alexis loved to watch all the dogs run and jump over the obstacles. Some of those dogs are really fast.
What else......Oh pretty big news. Dean has decided to take a 12 month leave of absence from flying. He is looking to pursue other things. He is really interested in flipping houses. Right now we have one that's almost finished and another one ready to start. I must say he is much happier doing this. The down side is we don't get the travel benefits anymore. I don't know what I'm going to do now. We had planned on going to Florida in December and from the look of ticket prices over the holidays, it looks like we will be driving. We'll have to wait and see. I am really going to miss the travel benefits but I guess it's better to have a happier husband.
I guess that about covers the last few weeks. I will do my best to stay on top of things a little better.

Weekend Travels

2008-08-25T20:20:00.004-04:00

Some of The Robinson Family

Alexis having her favorite sandwich--PB and Nutella

The view from our seats

Alexis catching some shut eye on the ride home.

This weekend Dean, Alexis and I made our way up towards Detroit to meet up with some new friends that we met while on vacation in Michigan this year. On our drive up we were able to visit with some cousins from the Robinson side in Huron, Ohio. They were there on vacation for the week spending some time at the beach. It was great to see everyone and actually get to know their kids a little better. Unfortunately my cousins live all around the country so it's very difficult to get together and catch up. We had a great time and wish we could have spent a little longer with them.
After lunch we jumped back in the car and made our way to "Suburban Detroit" as our friends have so named it. (Bloomfield Hills) We had plans to play golf as soon as we got there and have dinner afterward. (We didn't win the scramble but I did win the longest drive though. HeHe) On Saturday afternoon we headed to the Browns/Lions game. The game sucked because the Browns played like crap but we had great seats. 40 yard line about 20 rows up. The players sure look a lot bigger from that perspective. We had such a great time. I think the best part of the weekend was they had a sitter all lined up to watch the kids and let us enjoy some adult time. I think Alexis was happier to see us go so she could play with her new friends. Here are a few pictures of our weekend.

Update on the Poison Ivy

2008-08-24T14:59:00.002-04:00

Well it's been about a week of *#@% since I discovered the rash on my arms and legs. They have now become open weeping sores that don't seem to be getting better. I can honestly say that I have never had poison ivy this bad. I think I've been thru about 2 bottles of calamine lotion and several rolls of gauze and wraps. I was living on Benadryl daily to try and keep the itching at a minimum but it always makes me tired and never with enough energy to do anything. I finally decided it was time to get to the doctor and get some relief. I have been doing some reading online about treatment and how long this agony can last. It seems that steiroids are the only thing that helps get it out of your system. Luckily the doctor thought it was bad enough that he prescribed me two weeks worth of prendizone. Hopefully I'll be able to sleep a little better soon. Some people report that within 24 hours relief is seen but then some say up to a week or two more. If it's going to be another week or two then I may have to take up a job where I can sit in a warm bath with epsom salt or baking soda all day. Well wish me luck on a quick recovery.

Kiddie Park

2008-08-19T19:33:00.003-04:00

I am a little late at putting these pictures in of our trip to the Kiddie Park but I guess late is better than never. A few weekends ago we made our annual trip down the the Kiddie Park. This is the one where all the rides are for kids 50" or smaller. It is still one of Alexis's favorite places to go. She is getting to be daring these days. She even went on the roller coaster which I was shocked about. This kid has no fear. Boy wouldn't that be nice. I think the older I get the more scared I get about the silliest things. Here are a few pictures of our trip.

I hate weeding!!!

2008-08-19T19:19:00.002-04:00

Ok so I really don't like to weed. Besides ironing this is my least favorite chore. When I was a kid I used to just kick the weeds around and make it look as though I had weeded. I don't know if my parents ever caught on. Since I am in my own house now I feel the need to actually pull the weeds out with my hands. Once the last weed is pulled, my back is screaming at me, my knees hurt and both of my hamstrings feel as though they have been wraped around my head. I swear I will go back to the old way of weeding soon and just buy round up.
The point of this story is this past weekend I was weeding the back yard to prepare to put in a flower bed. Well I woke up this morning with what looks like (and feels like) poison ivy all over my arm. Man I have never itched like this before. I feel like those poor kids from the movie "Overboard" who couldn't concentrate or do anything but scratch. I had to leave work early today just because I couldn't stop itching. And to top it off there is really nothing that cures poison ivy except time. Uggghhh!!!! I really think I'll be reverting back to my old way of weeding now.

American Idol???

2008-08-05T20:04:00.003-04:00

Ok so I don't normally post pictures of my kid naked in the bath tub but I thought this was too funny. She has become quite the singer lately and a dancer too. I don't think that she gets it from me though. I usually wait until the car is empty before bellowing out the words that I think are being sung. I really don't know where she got the whole "shake your booty" idea.

We're Back!

2008-07-27T08:30:00.004-04:00

Our home for the week

The kids taking in a movie

Alexis taking a ride with Pete and Mary

Enjoying the sun

That's us trying to make our way up the sand dunes

The group enjoying the evening

Papa and Alexis skipping stones

Breathless view from the green

Alexis and Mommy ready to ride

Well we made it back from Northern Michigan last night. We had such a wonderful time that seemed to fly by. Isn't that always the case??? My parents flew into Cleveland last Friday and we left on Saturday morning. Dean's family joined us as did my uncle and his family. Our cabin was right on Glen Lake which is one of the more shallow lakes in Michigan so it wasn't too cold to swim. We were able to enjoy the beach and sunshine several days. My uncle rented a boat four of the days that we were there. We all tried water skiing and tubing which were awesome. I was very pleased to say that no one got hurt. Both my parents even tried their luck at the skiing. This was only the second time I've tired to water ski and I was able to get and ski for a while. I was using muscles in my body that I didn't even know I had until the next morning when I would wake up and not be able to move. It felt like picking up a softball and throwing without even warming up. I know most of you can relate with that. Tubing was fun too. Alexis even rode with me a couple of times around the lake. She laughed the entire time especially when she was bouncing up and down on the raft.
Three of the other days we played golf at some of the courses around the area. Dean's sister Mary was nice enough to watch Alexis for me so we could all play together. The views from the course were amazing. Many of the holes overlooked Crystal Lake. The water up there in those lakes is amazing. So blue. I felt like I was in the Bahamas at times. Except no salt water so no salt in the eyes.
I have always wanted to go to a winery and do some wine tasting. There are several winery's around the area so we made our way to three of them. I know it's not Napa but some of the wine was very good. Then again I guess I'm not that picky and I don't know a whole lot about wine. But needless to say, we had a great time tasting all the different flavors. Alexis even had a few tastes. This child really loves wine. It's kinda scary.
On Friday we made our way to the Sleeping Bear Dunes. These are gigantic sand dunes that we are able to climb up and down. They are about 450ft. high and are at a 60 degree slope. I swear that we were looking straight down. The view was just amazing. We were on the side facing Lake Michigan. I was here once before when I was younger and it was much easier then. I was out of breath after ten steps up that incline.
During our stay we got to know some people that were staying next door. They had two young kids which worked out really well because all of the kids kept each other busy and the adults got to relax with a few beverages. We really had a blast and were sad to have to leave. I definitely would love to go back. This was my kind of vacation; beach, sun, golf, beer and naps. I'm ready for another vacation but unfortunately it's back to reality.

One More Day!!!

2008-07-17T21:27:00.002-04:00

Well I have one more work day until VACATION!!!! Yeah!!!!!! I am so ready for some time off. We will be heading up to Northern Michigan on Saturday morning for a week staying on a lake. I'm going to take time to play golf, enjoy the water and sun and get some rest. Nana flew into town on Wednesday and my dad comes in tomorrow. Dean's family is heading up tomorrow and my uncle and his family will be coming up as well. It should be so much fun. I can't wait. I will try and take lots of pictures too. I found our other camera so now we have two. It was under Alexis's bed. I wonder how that happened. Anyway talk to everyone in a week.

Pool Fun

2008-07-07T21:29:00.002-04:00

On Saturday we had Dean's cousin, his wife and their two kids over for the day along with Dean's brother and sister's family. We spent most of the afternoon enjoying the sunshine and warmer weather up at the pool. The kids had a great time as did the adults. They played most of the day in the big pool but did spend some time in the baby pool tool. Alexis is getting to be quite the little fish. She is losing her fear of the water which is a good thing and a bad thing at the same time. She is very close to swimming on her own. She jumps in from the side of the pool even when no one is paying attention. She now puts her head under the water and holds her breath. She goes back and forth from me to the steps while underwater. It's going to be so nice not to have to be a buoy for Alexis to hang on to. Anyway here are some pictures of our day.

Happy 4th of July

2008-07-07T21:19:00.002-04:00

We had a great weekend which went by way too quickly. On Friday we went over to a friends house for a picnic before heading out to watch the fireworks. It was unusually cold this weekend and wound up having to wear pants and sweatshirts all day. Alexis was less frightened of the noise and big booms this year. She usually puts her hands over her ears. I always enjoy the fireworks. It was a pretty good show this year too. Here are a few pictures of our evening.

Privacy

2008-07-04T13:33:00.002-04:00

I was getting Alexis ready to go to school the other day. Well I guess I should say that Alexis was getting herself ready for school the other day. Anyway gets dressed and then goes into the bathroom to brush her teeth, go to the bathroom. You know the usual morning routine. But this time she ended up closing the door and locking it. I attempted to open the door to help her only to find that she had locked the door. When I knocked and asked Alexis to unlock the door, she said "Mommy, I need my privacy"!!!!! I thought I was going to cry from laughing so hard. You really have to wonder where these kids get these sayings. I really don't think that I've used that line but then again, who knows. I may have.

WAKE UP!!!!!

2008-06-25T19:21:00.002-04:00

Recently Dean and I have been having a visitor in our room in the middle of the night. Alexis has been pushing her way in between us sleeping sideways taking up as much space as possible. I know we should take her back to her room as soon as she gets there to keep from starting bad habits but at 3am I am just not in the mood to get out of my comfy bed and escort her back to her room. I'm sure that would turn into another book and another version of our nightly prayers too which would delay my sleep even more. She takes up so much room with her little body that Dean has even gotten up and gone down to the couch just to keep from getting kicked in the ribs. Me, I'm not moving no matter what. Anyway, the other night I woke up out of a deep sleep with this feeling of someone watching me. I didn't even hear a peep. Wow was I shocked to see Alexis standing there staring at me. It was such an eerie feeling. I can't watch scary movies for that reason. Needless to say I wasn't getting out of bed at that point so I just threw her into the middle. I just laid there wondering how long she was standing there staring at me. Only she knows. I think for the future I'm going to hang a bell on my door just to alert me when Alexis is on her way in.

Busy few weeks

2008-06-19T21:40:00.003-04:00

The past few weeks have been pretty busy around here. It's really no excuse for not staying up on my blog but it is difficult when you're busy. This past week my parents came up and spent the week with us. My dad got to play golf everyday and loved every minute of it. All of us got to play together on Saturday and then take in an Indians game. My mom spent the days watching Alexis until I got home from work. We went shopping and spent too much money. For some reason I always spend more money when my mom comes into town. Needless to say we had a great time. Alexis really got to spend some quality time with Nana and Papa. We were all sad when they had to leave. Alexis continued to ask where they were the entire next day and kept asking when they were coming back. We have a vacation scheduled for next month so we'll get to see Nana and Papa again soon. We all are definitely looking forward to some time away. I am counting the days until I have some time off of work. It never seems to last long enough though.

Weekend of Fun

2008-05-28T21:25:00.003-04:00

Alexis has been enjoying every day that is warm enough to get outside and get rid of some energy. We've been waiting many many months to do so and we have been taking full advantage of the sunshine. It hasn't been quite warm enough for shorts and t-shirts but at least we can put away our winter parkas, I think. This past weekend Alexis got a new bike. She had been riding a tricycle but seemed to be ready to move up. Also the little boy next door that Alexis plays with every day got a new bike and we seem to have to keep the same toys at both houses to keep the bickering down. You know how well most three year olds share. So anyway, no accidents yet. I know I shouldn't say this but it is bound to happen right? I mean she is my child. We're trying to limit the amount of injuries by enforcing the helmet (when I remember) and not allowing her to wear her crocs while riding her bike. So far so good. Here are a few pictures of Alexis on her new bike. I was really looking for a light blue schwinn but they don't seem to have any in her size. Let me know if you find any. I think Alexis may have my taste.

What's Wrong With This Picture????????

2008-05-28T21:20:00.003-04:00

Well!!!!!

2008-05-24T19:05:00.002-04:00

It was bound to happen one of these days. Alexis is really into phones. We have tried to give her our old cell phones to try and keep her interests away from the ones that really work. Unfortunately the other night Alexis made a phone call. And yes, it was 911. Now we have really been working on numbers and she has gotten pretty good with recognizing them. I did not know just how well she knew them. (Not that she knew what 911 meant) Well Dean of course grabs the phone away from her as they are asking if everything is okay. Dean just replied "everything is fine", "It was just my daughter playing with the phone". I'm sure this has happened many times before but it always makes me wonder what are the chances??? We will definitely keep a better eye on where Alexis is and just where we have placed our phones. At least we'll know that if ever anything happens, she is prepared to call the right number, Maybe!!!!!!

The New Godparents

2008-05-20T20:52:00.002-04:00

Dean and I recently became godparents for our nephew Nicholas. Typically in the Orthodox Church babies are baptized fairly young so they don't really realize what their crazy parents are doing to them. It is quite a ceremony. First he was completely naked and rubbed with olive oil like he was going to be deep fried. I think Nicholas was pretty much wondering at that point what the heck we were doing to him. Then he was almost completely submerged in a bath of water. Anyone remember "A Big Fat Greek Wedding"? It really is a very nice ceremony. Here are a few pictures of the baptism. Dean and I are both very honored to be godparents and look forward to the many years to come.
(FYI: Alexis was the photographer. Not too bad)

I'm Looking for a Job Mom!!!!

2008-05-11T21:23:00.003-04:00

I took this picture and thought it was hilarious. Alexis likes to do everything that we do these days so I think she's seen us read the paper from this chair a few times before. I like to think she's looking for a job so she can help us buy gas when we cart her around. HeHeHe.

The Rehearsal Dinner

2008-05-11T21:17:00.003-04:00

Here are just a few pictures from the night of the rehearsal dinner. Alexis made friends with the boys who were to be in the wedding also. We had a great time that night too.

The Wedding Experience

2008-05-11T20:42:00.005-04:00

We are back from our trip down to Naples. We had a wonderful time. It flew by of course. Alexis had a wonderful time. The wedding was great and Alexis did a great job. We of course had been talking up the wedding to try and get Alexis as ready as she could be for the big day. Once the big day came, she did pretty well. I had to walk down half of the aisle with her but at least she made it down. She refused to wear the beautiful flower headpiece so her hair looked a little disheveled and like I didn't even do anything with it. But I guess I can't be too picky when it comes to a toddler's hair. At least she didn't have a meltdown in the middle of the aisle. Once the ceremony was over, the m&m's came in handy. She sort of refused to smile for the pictures until we offered up handfuls of those "do anything for" candies. She finally cooperated by the end.

Later on in the evening, Alexis changed from being a shy bashful child to a wild outgoing kid dancing the jig on the dance floor. She was a dancing fool. If she didn't look like me, I wouldn't have even thought she was my child. Needless to say, we had a great time but are glad to be back home. Here are a few pictures from the weekend.

These pictures show Alexis not looking too excited about getting dressed (we did have to wake her up from a nap) to posing with the ring bearer and junior groomsmen to walking down the aisle almost completely covering her face to posing for daddy outside by the water to dancing it up on the dance floor.

Alexis's First Wedding

2008-04-30T19:40:00.003-04:00

So we are heading to Florida this weekend for a long weekend. We will be attending a wedding near Orlando first before making our way down to Naples for a few days. I was beginning to think that summer was here a few days ago but just when I start getting excited, I remember that I now live in Ohio and it doesn't get warm until June. I keep telling myself I will learn one of these days. Anyway, Alexis is going to the flower girl in the wedding and she is so excited. I just hope that she cooperates. She is a little on the shy side these days. Well I guess she has been shy for the majority of her life. We are just very clingy lately. When Alexis is in a new situation or around people she doesn't know, she puts her arm over her eyes and "hides" because no one can see her then. We keep talking about what she will need to do and how she gets to throw flowers and doesn't even have to pick them up. I would think that would make any toddler want to do this. We are also ready to bribe her too. She will do absolutely anything for m&m's so we'll have to see if we need to resort to this. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that we don't have a melt down. I will hopefully have several good pictures no that we have a new camera.

Poutty Face

2008-04-18T19:57:00.002-04:00

Alexis has learned the art of pouting in the recent days. I think she has known about this for a while but now she has learned the appropriate times to use it. Just tonight Dean was having an ice cream bar and Alexis asked for a bite. Since she had just finished her same dessert about 20 minutes early, Dean said no. Alexis then proceeded to tell Dean to "share". I guess she's right in a sense. We do tell her to share everything that she has with others. Not two seconds later, she crosses her arms and turns up her bottom lip and then proceeds to pout. I can remember so clearly when I used to pout when I didn't get my way. I guess I probably still use it sometimes. I wish I had my camera because the face that she gave was too funny. I may have to break down and get a new one here soon if I can't find my other one.

BooBoo Bear

2008-04-15T19:06:00.002-04:00

I don't know how many of you out there know just what a klutz I am but unfortunately my daughter got that short end of the stick. Ever since she was a little baby she has been falling down consistently with more bruises than I think I've ever had. Needless to say, the other night Alexis and I were next door visiting our neighbors and she was upstairs with their son Tyler watching a movie. We just happened to be downstairs talking when "bang". It sounded like an entire bookcase fell down onto the hardwood floor. And no, there was no bookcase. It was just my daughters forehead. As soon as I heard the bang and then a scream and tears, I knew it was my child. Her poor forehead. She had a knot the size of a small tangerine and it was already black. She was a trooper and stopped crying right away asking for her booboo bear. That seems to make everything better. She actually sat with me for about five minutes and let me put ice on it. We made it home in one piece and it was getting close to bedtime. Dean was out of town and I let Alexis stay in my room for a little while so I could keep an eye on her and make sure she wasn't going to have a concussion or anything. She seemed to be ok. I think it was sometime in the middle of the night and I was awoken to another bang and yet more crying. Yes, my daughter seemed to fall out of our bed and onto the floor. She was all right but it really got me thinking about a plastic bubble for her next birthday. Alexis had one tough day but seemed to be back to normal in the morning. I can only imagine what I'm in for since she's so much like me. Many many more bruises I'm sure.

Nana Visits

2008-04-07T19:09:00.004-04:00

Nana came into town this past week for a few days and got to hang out with Alexis. She was planning on coming for an entire week but unfortunately the flights didn't work out for her. Only sometimes is this flying standby convenient. Anyway, we all had a great time. Alexis and Nana spent Thursday and Friday reading all of the books in Alexis's room. I think this kid has well over 200 books. With my mom being a teacher, she is destined to be an avid reader. They also got to play with Alexis's doll house and her favorite game, hide-n-seek.
On Saturday, we of course did some shopping and we took Alexis to see a movie while Dean played in a volleyball tournament all day. We saw "Horton Hears a Who". This was a very cute movie and one that held even my attention the entire time. Kids movies these days have more adult humor in them.
Later that night my mom helped me go through my entire closet and clean out all my outdated clothes that no longer look good. I think I've finally gotten rid of most of the clothes from high school. I guess I'm kind of a pack rat. I say "you never know when you're going to need that". Anyway, we were able to fill up about five bags for goodwill and I have a big stack of clothes to take to the consignment store. I've done the consignment thing a couple of times and it's a nice bonus to receive extra money in the mail for clothes you no longer wear. I have a stack of about 50 things to take this time. Hopefully they'll keep most of them.
On Sunday, we just did some last minute running around. Then after dinner we had to take mom to the airport. We wish she could have stayed longer but she had to get back to school. I would have taken some pictures but I can't seem to locate my camera. Hence the reason I haven't put much on my blog lately. Well I'll keep searching and hope to find it soon.

Where's Daddy?

2008-03-30T10:29:00.002-04:00

Alexis and I have been spending a lot of quality one on one time together lately. Dean left for a trip last Wednesday morning and won't be returning home until Tuesday morning sometime. He's been flying a lot in the past few weeks/months. We've been having a great time but I don't know how often we can do these weeks alone. We both miss daddy and can't wait until he comes home. Do you ever feel like you've run out of things to do around the house with your kids? I've been racking my brain trying to be a creative parent but sometimes on the weekend all I want to do is relax in front of the tv and not worry about anything. I know Alexis has more than enough toys to keep her busy and she is playing by herself more often. I do however feel bad when she asks me to read her favorite books for the umteenth time and I just don't feel like it. At least when Dean is home, we can split the reading/playing time. Needless to say, I think we're both ready for daddy to come home. I have to go now because I think Alexis is now trying to get into something that she shouldn't be getting into.

SRATCH ME!!!!!!

2008-03-24T19:20:00.003-04:00

Ok, I don't know how many of you know this but I love to be rubbed/scratched. My arms, legs, back, head. You name it, I'm in. Anyway I think I've created a monster in my daughter. She is no different than I. Every night before we go to bed, we do the usual routine with washing faces, brushing teeth, a few books, and our prayers. Alexis has added a back scratch as well to her list of how to stay up longer. The other night out of a dead sleep I hear Alexis screaming like she had just lost a toe or a finger. I'm wondering what could be the matter. I run in to see what she's screaming about and she states, "Scratch my back mommy". I swear, she is going to turn out to be a pretty high maintenance kid. At least she still had all her fingers and toes.

Happy Birthday Alexis!!!! (a day late)

2008-03-10T21:33:00.004-04:00

Wow 3 years old already. For the past few weeks, Alexis has been running around the house telling us her birthday is coming up soon and that she's going to be 3. Dean even taught her how to hold up three fingers. Needless to say, Alexis had a great birthday. Her cousin and our next door neighbor came over for a small little party. She of course received too many presents. She really enjoyed her doll house and of course her books. She still has to take about 30 books to bed with her and does look through every one before she goes to bed. She received some very cute outfits but of course she wasn't too interested in those. I on the other hand love it when she gets clothes because it's less that I have to go out and get. Anyway, here are a few pictures of the party.

The BIG Snowfall

2008-02-28T19:35:00.003-05:00

Well we were belted with several inches of snow on Tuesday all day and into Wednesday. Alexis does have a snowsuit but because her mommy is a big wimp and always cold, she hasn't gotten too much use out of it. Dean was home with Alexis all day Wednesday so they went out and enjoyed the snow. Why do they have to have all the fun when I'm stuck at work all day? I sure wish I'd have a snow day too but you never get a day off from old people getting sick. Anyway, here are a few pictures of Alexis enjoying her time in the snow. And yes Dean did allow her to swing on the swing set and go down the slide. He's such a softie.

Recent Photos

2008-02-22T19:51:00.002-05:00

I finally took some recent pictures off of the camera and onto the computer. Here are a few of Alexis at gymnastics and hanging out with her cousins. She still looks forward to going every weekend. Pretty soon I need to break down and get her a leotard. Then she'll look like a real gymnast.

Gross

2008-02-18T19:27:00.002-05:00

I thought this title was only fitting for how my day went on Saturday. Alexis and I started off the day as usual for Saturday mornings. We usually wake up and get ready for gymnastics and then eat breakfast. I should have known something was wrong when she didn't want our milkshake that we usually have. (I'm addicted to those chocolate carnation instant breakfast shakes with peanut butter and a banana added to the mix) We made our way to gymnastics and everything seemed fine. We did our warm up circle time and stretching. She wasn't complaining about her stomach or anything. We were half way through the class and Alexis decided she wanted to be done. I guess this was clue number two that she wasn't feeling well because it's hard to drag her out of the class when it really is over. Since I had yet to clue in to how my daughter was feeling, I thought we'd make our way over to Costco for a few things that we needed around the house. (I love this store by the way) Anyway, we got in the cart and made our way into the store and then the flood gates opened. Alexis started throwing up everywhere. I just stood there with my hands cupped trying to catch what I could. I guess my softball instincts took over. I don't know why I thought I could stop everything from reaching the floor. Needless to say, I made sure someone from costco knew that my kid puked everywhere so no one would slip and fall and made my way to the bathroom. Our coats and pants were covered. I did my best to clean us off but there was only so much I could do with paper towels and automated water shutoffs. If it wasn't 30 degrees, I could have kept our coats off and then we may have been less wet but of course it's winter and we had to wear our smelly wet clothes home. I did pretty well at not gagging the entire time. I felt so bad for Alexis because I practically stripped her of all her clothes. I had her take her coat which was turned inside out to catch anything else that might come up. There is nothing harder than getting that smell out of a car or carpet. I'm very relieved that Alexis waited until we got in the store to explode rather than in the car. I would take the thousand eyes staring at me over cleaning my car out in the dead of winter. The rest of the day was just a lot of laying around and a few movies. Not such a bad end to a terrible morning.

Where has the time gone???

2008-02-12T19:25:00.000-05:00

Boy I guess I didn't realize how long it had been since I last blogged. Time sure flies. We haven't been too busy lately. Alexis is finally potty trained, I think. We still have accidents every now and then but I think we've made it over the hill. I think I got as attached to the pull-ups as much as she did. The first time we went out to the store or gymnastics I was a little nervous about any mishaps. I think I asked her about 100 times an hour "Do you have to go to the potty? "Do you have to go potty yet?", "How about now?". I think I may have been a little over the top but oh well. Alexis is still going to gymnastics every week and loving it. I'm definitely looking forward to more sports like soccer and t-ball whenever those may be. I want to try and get her on skis sometime this year. I haven't made any trips home lately but hope to go at the end of the month for a long weekend. I sure could use the break from work and this lovely weather Ohio has to offer. I swear I really need to start looking to move south sometime soon. I am probably the most temperature intolerant person around, except for the geriatric population of course.
Dean has been working a lot lately. I don't know if you realized how much he didn't work last year but I sure did get used to having him around to share the "kid" duty. I think he averaged about 7-8 days of work a month last year. I know it's not fair. It is even harder when I have to get up every morning and he is laying there all cozy and warm. Since when did he get to choose to stay home. I need to rethink this whole working thing. However things have recently changed with his schedule as he is flying charter trips for his company now. They've been very busy with basketball flying teams all over. He actually got to fly Tubby Smith the other day. (FYI: he now coaches at Minnesota) He was gone last week for five days straight and he left again today for a six day trip. I may be bald by the end of the week at the rate Alexis and I are going. I love her to death but man, she sure is busy and at times driving me crazy. Is that bad for a mom to say???? We are currently at the "Why" stage where everything she says is "why mommy?" over and over again. I hope this stage doesn't last too long:)
Today Alexis had her first dentist visit. Everything went well and she sat in the chair all by herself like a big girl. I was so proud of her. The dentist cleaned and polished her teeth and said there were no cavities. Yeah!!!!! I was worried that she was going to scream the entire time. I guess I got lucky this time.
Well I guess we were a little busier than I thought. I will do my best to stay up on my blog a little better.

The Happenings in Cleveland

2008-01-22T20:40:00.000-05:00

We haven't been up to too much lately. These are a few of the happenings in Titas town. Here is a picture of Alexis and daddy playing with the wii. Notice that he has to play Alexis since he has no chance of beating me:) We have been playing a great deal, some of us more than others. Dean is getting to be quite good at tennis however he shouldn't be allowed to play more than 1 hour a day. The other pictures are of Alexis at the Children's Museum. She had just as much fun the second time around. She especially enjoyed playing in the water table. Tell me what kid doesn't like getting wet and playing in water. Anyway, Alexis has been continuing her time at gymnastics and loving every minute of it. I haven't broken down and gotten her a leotard yet. Maybe for her birthday. Where do you get one anyway???? The weather has gotten pretty chilly lately. At least chilly enough for me to not want to go outside much. I really need to go skiing one of these days. It's been a while and I think that maybe if I did something enjoyable outside in the winter, then the 6 months of winter wouldn't be so bad.

The Wiiiiiiiiiiiii

2008-01-10T20:01:00.000-05:00

Well I thought I'd write about why I chose the Mario Bros. background for my blog. Dean and I were lucky enough to get a Wii for Christmas this year. I was unaware of what the Wii was possible of until I spoke to my brother the other night and he informed me of the cool things you are able to do. One thing is you are able to put your memory card from your camera in and it will do a slide show of all the pictures right on the big screen; to music no less. You are also able to access the internet as long as you have a wireless connection. It's pretty neat to just sit on the couch and look at your email on the tv. The other cool thing that it does is allow you to download old nintendo games. So needless to say this is why I have the Mario Bros. background. Dean and I have been playing both Mario Bros. and Zelda. Isn't this a blast from the past. It's funny to run thru the different levels and remember where all the hidden blocks are. Pretty cool. Anyway we've been having a blast. For those of you who haven't tried playing the Wii, find someone who has one close by and give it a try.

Better Late than Never

2008-01-05T19:50:00.000-05:00

Well I finally got around to putting my pictures on the computer. It took me long enough. Anyway, here are a few pictures of our holiday festivities from Christmas day. We had a great holiday and can't believe how quickly it came and went. Alexis is already asking if Santa is coming back soon. I tell her not for a while and we'll have to move to a bigger house to hold all of her toys.
Alexis sure was tired on Christmas Eve and had a hard time staying awake on the car ride home. Once Christmas morning arrived, she did pretty well at opening gifts. For the most part she opened only hers but would have opened everyones if we would have let her.

2008-01-01T18:54:00.001-05:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Christmas Coat

2007-12-23T17:34:00.000-05:00

I thought I'd post a picture of Alexis in her new Christmas coat that her Nana bought her. She just looked so festive in front of the tree that I had to take a picture and send it on. If I don't blog before Christmas, I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year. We may get lucky and have a white Christmas.

Snow Angel

2007-12-23T17:13:00.001-05:00

We had a semi-big snowstorm a couple of days ago and decided to put Alexis's snowsuit to use. We made snow angels and attempted a snowman, although unsuccessful. I was also able to get my exercise pulling her around on her saucer sled. Maybe next time we'll be ready to go and find a hill to attempt. I know I'd have a little more fun with that except I'll probably get just as much exercise carrying both Alexis and the sled to the top. I think that may be a good day for daddy to help.

Cheese!!!!!!!!

2007-12-16T17:21:00.000-05:00

Here's a picture of Alexis, myself and her cousin Nicolas.
She definitely likes to "cheese" it up for the camera.

Alexis's Christmas Party

2007-12-16T17:02:00.000-05:00

Alexis is the one covering her head on the far right in the top picture and with her finger in her mouth in the other. Makes it a little difficult to sing.

This past week at Alexis's daycare, they had a party with Christmas carols and even the big guy himself. Alexis was so excited all week practicing her songs and talking about Santa Claus coming to school. The night of the event was a different story. Alexis made it to her class fine without too much of a tear. She marched right up to the stage with her class fine. Once she reached the stage and turned around, her "arm shield" went up for protection. Let's just say this is her way of "hiding" when she's feeling a little uncomfortable. Needless to say, all the practice all week went down the drain because she was too terrified to sing. Hopefully her next performance will be a little better.

2007-11-24T20:48:00.001-05:00

I love fall and I hate fall. It is a very beautiful time of year, however we have several trees and I really dread the days when we have to go outside and rake leaves. It feels like a punishment that my parents would have used. At least Alexis likes it enough to help. She usually will help pick up leaves and place them on the areas that have already been raked. We're really working hard to get her to put them on the tree lawn. It will be nice when Alexis can take over for me and help her daddy with this chore.

Gymnastics Pictures

2007-11-24T20:35:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. I know this is one of my favorite holidays, especially since I get to eat anything and everything I want. Well I was finally able to catch a few pictures of Alexis while at gymnastics on Saturday. I had to be quick with each snap since she runs around the gym like a wild banshee. She still seems to enjoy herself and really looks forward to it each week. Here are a few of the shots I was able to get.

Gymnastics

2007-11-10T11:58:00.000-05:00

Alexis started her gymnastics class last weekend. I thought this would be a good way to let her run out some of her extra energy. There are about 12 kids in her class all between 2 and 3 years old. It was pretty neat. There was all the real equipment that you see on tv. I always wondered how the gymnasts were able to jump so high during the floor routine. It is really spongy and feels like some sort of trampoline. It made me feel like trying some flips and round offs. I opted not to since I didn't want to make a trip to the hospital. At first, Alexis was not too sure about this whole tumbling thing. Once she warmed up, it was hard to leave when it was time to go. She learned how to do somersaults and swing on the high bar. There was a trampoline and a balance beam too. I think I had as much fun as Alexis did and we are both looking forward to the next several weeks. I'll try and snap a few pictures at the next session.

Happy Halloween a Day Late!!!

2007-11-01T19:08:00.000-04:00

Alexis and Tyler are waiting to get started.

This was too cute so I just had to take a picture.

Patiently awaiting the "messy" part.

EWWWWWW!!!!

These were our pumpkin creations.

We had a great time carving our pumpkins and trick or treating. Alexis loved playing in the shmootz from the pumpkins. She was our cleaner and Dean and I did the carving. I still think she's a little young to play with knives. On Halloween night, Alexis and I went out trick or treating with my neighbor and her son while Dean stayed home and passed out candy. They had lots of fun except Alexis was a little frightened from some of the costumes and I had to carry her almost the entire time. I guess I can figure that I got my exercise for the day.

Pecs

2007-10-29T22:11:00.000-04:00

So you all know the story about Alexis feeding her babies from her pecs just like other mommies. Well we were able to catch a picture and couldn't help but pass it along. I just really hope that none of these feeding practices are being done at school.

Big girl bed

2007-10-22T21:00:00.000-04:00

So we decided to make the jump from the toddler bed to a full size bed about a week ago. Alexis seems to have transitioned well. Instead of running into our room every night taking up half of the bed, she is actually staying put in her bed all night. The only thing that we need to do is leave her door open and every light on in the house. It's a small price to pay for a good night of sleep. I don't know what it was about the toddler bed, but she wasn't sleeping well. She seemed to have all of these night terrors about snakes and crocodiles and didn't want us to leave the room. It was pretty pitiful. The last thing she would usually say before we left was "protect me mommy". Talk about feeling guilty about leaving Alexis alone to sleep in her bed by herself. She sure knows how to make a point. Where do these kids learn these tactics. It's like they know exactly what buttons to push. Anyway, the nights are less painful and I seem a little more rested. Hopefully her excitement about her new bed will last for a while.

Pumpkin Patch

2007-10-14T19:58:00.000-04:00

Today we decided to make our way to the pumpkin patch for our annual fall excursion. This place is pretty cool. They have hay rides, inflatable jumping games, hay mazes and painting. The weather cooperated today too with the sun out and only a cool breeze, not a frigid frost. Here are a few pictures of our fun day.

Obsession with babies

2007-10-10T20:33:00.000-04:00

Alexis continues to be quite the lover of babies. My sister-in-law Lea recently had a new baby boy about 3 weeks ago and that is all Alexis talks about. "I want to hold the baby!", "I want to go and see baby Niko". Alexis is very observant too. Lea is feeding the baby and boy Alexis is right there, watching. Tonight, she and I were sitting on the couch watching a little tv when she takes her baby, pulls up her shirt, and says "I feed the baby with my peck". I really couldn't contain myself. I tried to pull it together but it did take a few minutes. I am really starting to worry about what she does at school. Hopefully she's not being too friendly with any classmates.

More recent pictures

2007-09-26T20:00:00.002-04:00

The above pictures show Alexis and mommy at
the beach and her first excursion to the putt putt
course.

The pictures below show Alexis with her favorite
type of people---babies.

The others are of Alexis enjoying her time at
a playground while in Naples with Nana.

Another Trip South

2007-09-26T19:40:00.001-04:00

This past weekend, the three of us made our way down to Naples to visit the folks. We had a great time and of course the weekend went too quickly. Mom and dad always enjoy playing with Alexis and it's quite nice because Dean and I get a little break. Alexis had a great time swimming, playing with Casey (the dog), playing with uncle Todd and reading books. Since my mom is a teacher, I think there are roughly 500 kids books in my parent's house. Alexis will read them but as of late she has been stacking all of her books as high as she can before they fall over. It keeps her entertained for quite a while. We made our way down to Olde Naples and took a stroll on the pier. We were able to see a few dolphins in the water. The weather held out most days until the afternoon when the thunderstorms would hit.
The trip home was another story. Dean had to leave and go directly to Houston for training which meant Alexis and I were on our own. We've done it several times before, however Alexis was much better behaved. I figured the time of the flight would be perfect. Right around nap time and that would mean Alexis would sleep, right? NO of course not. She fell asleep in the car on the way to the airport which meant once she has been woken up, there is no other sleep to be had. Once we made it through security, we made our way to the bathroom. Alexis did not want to use the potty and she did NOT want to be changed. She screamed so loudly that I think people thought I was beating her. I mean it was blood curdling. I didn't know what to do and I really wanted to stay in the stall until the bathroom emptied. But we didn't and I think we got a few looks. I wanted to say, What the ____ am I supposed to do? Anyway, we made our way onto the plane. It started out okay. We had a dvd player with The Wiggles movie so I thought we'd be set. 20 minutes into the movie, the video went out. So much for that. Now what. I have crayons but they wound up all over the plane. Then the bad behavior really started. I must say I can usually keep my child from hitting and biting when I have a corner to put her in for time out, but how are you supposed to discipline a child in a small seat with strangers staring at you wondering how you're letting your child get away with this. I really wanted to throw her out the window. Okay not really but I did want to pull my hair out and scream at the top of my lungs. Lets just say that was the longest 2 1/2 hours of my life for a while.
All things considered, we had a great trip and enjoyed our time. I know I am always ready for a vacation.

Learning my ABC's

2007-09-06T21:43:00.000-04:00

We have a theory about learning ABC's in this house. It's called see how many letters you can place on your body and name them as you pull them off. Every day we get a little more accurate.

Potty training update

2007-09-06T21:38:00.001-04:00

Well Alexis seems to be getting much better about going to the potty. She's been staying dry for a whole day at a time. The only problem is that she is now addicted to m&m's. She does not forget about her reward at any time during the day. At night before we go to bed, we use the potty before we take our bath and then we get ready for bed and brush our teeth. By this time, I figure she has forgotten about her treat. But NO she reminds me as we're running toward her room. Mommy, I get my 3 m&m's. I guess I can't complain, at least she's going!!!!

Busy Weekend

2007-09-06T21:13:00.000-04:00

Mommy and Alexis smile for the camera

Alexis loves to be in the drivers seat

Catching a cat nap before the thunderbirds fly over

Sorry that I've been slow at updating my blog. We had a busy weekend this past week. Lots of things to do in Cleveland. On Saturday as you all know, college football got off to a bang. Since there is a new big ten channel that is going to be broadcasting several games this year, I (for some ungodly reason don't have that channel and I even live in the freakin state of Ohio) had to go and find the game at a bar. I wouldn't have been complaining as much a few years ago when I didn't have a toddler to entertain, especially near nap time. So we were able to take in the first three quarters and then had to leave before Alexis had a true melt down. We even made it home to hear the great news that Michigan had lost. My weekend was off to a great start by now. Later that evening, Dean and I went with some friends to the Indians game. The Tribe has been playing well and are in the hunt for a playoff spot, maybe even winning their division. We had a great time and the Indians won too.
On Sunday, the air show was in town and we decided to take Alexis since she loves looking for airplanes. She was great and seemed to really enjoy the day. She loved being able to sit in a few helicopters and pretend like she was flying/driving. She thinks sitting in the front seat and steering is better than sliced bread. We were smart enough to bring the stroller and let Alexis get a few zzzzzzz in between shows.
On Monday, we decided to try our luck with putt putt golf with Alexis and my nephew Andrew. We thought they would have a good time. Lets just say we won't be going back for a few years until they are a little older. All they wanted to do was run after the balls, pick them up and place them in the hole. It made it quite difficult to keep score.
We had a fun filled weekend that seemed to fly by but enjoyed it all the same. Once Monday comes, I find myself looking forward to the weekends for some quality time with the family; you know when work doesn't get in the way. Unfortunately we didn't take too many pictures but here's a couple from the air show.

Outside fun

2007-08-25T16:22:00.000-04:00

Here are some recent pictures of Alexis playing outside. She's been riding her bike a little more, however she still would rather me push her. Hey who wouldn't rather be pushed than do all the work yourself. And yes I try and have her wear a helmet. If anyone didn't know, I am some what of a klutz and unfortunately my daughter has my gracefulness. She has fallen off her bike several times before so the helmet is likely to come in handy. We're looking forward to the upcoming fall but not necessarily the colder weather. It's been a pretty mild summer so hopefully the winter will be reasonable as well.