Bubble Trouble

The Easter Bunny brought Lexi some bubbles in her Easter Basket (along with a lot of candy). We have spent a lot of time playing with the bubbles in the yard, and I can't get enough of her tiny little voice saying "Buh-bows" - it's too cute!

New York Sickly

Paul had to go to New Jersey and Long Island on business at the end of March, and we thought it would be a GREAT idea to go up the weekend before his business meetings and spend the weekend in New York City (BONUS: we were leaving on my birthday - so I would get to spend my birthday WEEKEND in New York!)!

we should have just stayed home.

I had been home with Lexi, who had the stomach flu, Wednesday and Thursday but we were still confident that she was well enough for us to leave town Friday afternoon. Lexi went to Nana and Papa Dunaway's and Mommy and Daddy were off for our first non-Lexi vacation!

when we got to the airport for our 1 pm flight we found out it had been delayed 2 hours, subsequently causing us to need to rebook flights so we could make another connecting flight into NYC from Atlanta. We waited in the Wichita airport for over 2 hours with NOTHING to do.

When we got to Atlanta, things starting going downhill - Paul got the stomach flu while we were on board our flight from Atlanta to New York. We made it, (with only minimal sickness and whole lot of tears) finally, to New York around 1 am. Happy Birthday, indeed.

After a speedy (wow, those cabbies drive fast!) trip across several boroughs, we made it to our hotel around 2 am.

The next morning, Paul was feeling a little better but I was starting to feel less than amazing. We still ventured out on a very cold windy morning to see what we could make of the big city! We were able to see Central Park, 5th Avenue, and Times Square before I admitted defeat and returned to our hotel, having come down with the stomach flu myself.

I was sick most of the day Saturday, and Sunday morning but was able to pull it together for one last attempt at sightseeing. We were able to wander around Manhattan (our hotel was in a great location on 6th Avenue) seeing much of what we did the previous day, including Bryant Park and Rockefeller Center.

I had a hard time with the air - it seemed like everyone smoked, the street vendor carts stunk, and there were too many different people who had not been introduced to deodorant yet. Other than that, we were overwhelmed by the building heights and number of languages we heard being spoken. We didn't shop because the heat in the stores made me sick (this is maybe the most tragic of all, I know!).

Coming home was even eventful - My flight home Monday got delayed for over an hour because there was GUM on a seat! Seriously???

Paul had it worse - his flight was supposed to arrive Tuesday evening, but continued to get delayed until it was finally canceled around 11 pm and re-booked and rerouted for Wednesday morning.

We doubt we will be vacationing again very soon, but here are the very few pictures we took while we were in NYC!

Times Square

In Lexi's honor, the giant Toys R' Us ferris wheel in Times Square

Times Square

Rockefeller Center (it's not as big as it seems on TV)

 

less than lovely - with the ice skaters

Radio City Music Hall

Catholic Cathedral on 5th Avenue

Atlas

New York Public Library

TIFFANY'S!!!

Because I'm a dork . . .

 

 

Bryant Park

Peek - A - Who?

Well, this week Lexi had the stomach flu, so Lexi and I got LOTS of time together. One of the little things that made her feel better was this board book, called 'Peek-a-who' - we read it so many times that she started saying the words.

Ummm . . . Just Dance

Alexis loves to look at her "look-and-find" books - especially the one with all the Disney Princesses. Yesterday, when we asked her to find the different things on the page, she would say, "Ummm . . ." before pointing them out. Not sure where she picked that up.

Lexi also LOVES to dance, she's just not quite got the hang of that whole balance and coordination thing yet.

Down in Fraggle Rock

For all of us who remember the 80's, Fraggle Rock was, I'm sure you'll agree, one rockin' show! Lexi's hair is finally long enough (at almost 20 months of age) to start styling and our current favorite 'do is straight up pig tails. She sort of reminds us of Red Fraggle with her wispy, flyaway hair!

In Finnish, it's pronounced ammuu

Lexi is learning her animal sounds! She can tell us what kitties, cows, and tigers say(meow, moo, and raa, of course)! When I asked Paul what animal sound we should work on next, he said giraffe.

Just for fun:

a link to the world's largest multi-lingual list of animal sounds

http://www.eleceng.adelaide.edu.au/personal/dabbott/animal.html

He's playing fetch . . . with my kid

Lexi and Roxy playing fetch with Daddy on a Sunday morning

Snow Angel

Friday January 29th was a SNOW DAY (at last!)! We finally were able to wrestle Lexi into her snowsuit and get her out to play in the snow. It was semi-successful; she thought it was fun to push around the broom and help shovel the driveway, but wouldn't wear her mittens and really disliked having snow on her boots. She loved throwing snow into the air and yelling "Wheeee!" when it came down around her, though!

 

 trying to get a picture with Daddy

throwing snow in the air

 
trying to get a picture with Mommy

Lexi is such a good helper!

Wonderful Ones

Everyone talks about the "terrible two's" but what about those delightful little tantrums that children throw BEFORE that magical 2nd birthday?

Lexi's latest action when she gets in trouble is to simply throw herself on the floor and lay there, totally limp. This can occur for serious offenses ("Alexis! DO NOT open the door to the garage and go exploring with Roxy!") or minor transgressions ("no, you don't need another cookie"). Everything is dramatic at our house right now, which I'm guessing means that her "two's" will only be much worse. So for now, I guess we're experiencing the Wonderful Ones!

What a wonderful world, indeed . . .

Why I Love My Dog . . .

I love Roxy because she puts up with a LOT! Roxy is 4 1/2 years old and about 50 pounds. Alexis is 1 1/2 and 27 pounds. Roxy could easily push Lexi around if she wanted, but she won't.

Roxy and Alexis have always had a very special bond. Even when Lexi was just a tiny baby, Roxy felt the need to check up on her while she was sleeping in her crib. If someone came over to meet Lexi, Roxy would sit with her head in their lap the whole time they held Lexi, watching over the baby. We used to frequently ask Roxy, "Roxy, where's your baby?" and she would run to wherever Lexi was and check on her (sniff her, lick her ear, just watch her, whatever). I love my dog, because she loves my baby girl.

However, as Lexi has grown, Roxy's role has gone from observer to partner-in-crime. Alexis adores Roxy, and Roxy allows this because Alexis keeps her well fed with her table scraps. Lexi gives Roxy more kisses than she does her own parents, and asks about Roxy when she gets up ("where Ra-Ra?") in the morning if Roxy isn't there to greet her in her bedroom.

This afternoon, Roxy earned herself more 'I love my dog' bonus points and a few extra treats as she patiently allowed Lexi to decorate her back and head with 14 multicolored sparkly plastic bangle bracelets. I love my dog.