Flashback Friday....A History of Alex

To bring Alex's birthday week 2011 to a close, I thought it only fair to do a photographic flashback summary of some highlights from his last three years...These are in no particular order.  I just picked a random sampling of photos from the past.  Enjoy!

 Meeting big brother

♥ My fuzzy haired boy ♥

 

 

photos by Sweet Potato Photography

 

Alex with his beloved "fway"

He had this strange infatuation with Aunt Wendy's fuzzy socks!

photo by Antiquities

Dirty Boy

1st Birthday

At his baptism with Godparents, Aunt Wendy, Uncle Noah and Aunt Tiffany

And somehow, in three short years, the little spud above grew into this handsome little boy.  

How does that happen!?!?

Another First....Field Trip!

Alex got to go on his very first field trip in nursery school today!  They lumped the two classes together to go all as one so he got an extra special day out of this week (he usually only goes to school M/W/F) and was able to see the friends he made on Open House night before we switched classes on him.

We met at Partyka Farms at 9:45 and got our apple picking adventure off to a quick start!

The whole class (and parents) took a tractor drawn wagon ride out to the orchards.  Mrs. Grimm led us in a spirited rendition of "The Wheels on the Tractor" while we bounced our way to the apples.

 

 

 Once in the orchards we learned all about what the apples are used for (the Jonagolds they were picking today would be sent to Motts to be made into applesauce, sold at Wegmans' Food Marts locally, and hauled off by Peterson Farms to be cut up into apple slices used in McDonald's Happy Meals!). 

We learned where the Jonagold variety came from (it's a mix between the Jonathan and a Golden Delicious).  And we learned the proper way to pick an apple (Everywhere your finger touches on an apple leaves a bruise so you want to twist it at the stem). 

We got to meet and talk to an experienced apple picker, Louis who has been traveling the harvest circuit for years perfecting his apple picking speed, skill, and finesse!  He was impressive!

Then we got to get into the action with our own picking! 

 The best part, though, was yet to come!

The EATING!

A quick wagon ride back to the store and then we got to feed our apple cores to the goats!

 

Just when you thought the fun was over, we got to play on the playground!  What a fun day at the farm!  I'm so glad the rain held out for us and I'm even more grateful for having the flexibility at my job that allows me to participate on these fun excursions!  I wouldn't want to miss these moments for the world!

 

Alex at Three.

Alexander Kevin - 3 years old

September 27, 2011

It's no secret of course, but Alex, you have a smile that simply lights up my world.

Among your favorite things are trains, tractors, trucks, and balls! You’re definitely an athlete in the making with a natural affinity towards hitting, throwing, running, and kicking butt!

You are an avid artist and LOVE drawing and painting…especially all over yourself. You hold a pencil/pen/marker perfectly and even “sign” your name by writing an “o” and a very deliberate “x”.  You can also spend hours playing with Moon Dough or Play-doh.

You started school this month and love it! You are currently one of only two boys in your class with 5 older girls. You think your teacher’s name is Mrs. Cole. (It’s actually Mrs. Grimm...Mrs. Cole is Nate's teacher.) Your backpack is Thomas and you’re currently learning the colors (starting with Red).

You can count to 20 (and sometimes more) and recognize/name the letters that spell your name.  When you see your name written you'll say "It says, Ax-AN-der" - even though it usually just says "Alex".

You have no fear when it comes to climbing, jumping, flipping, spinning, hanging, etc.  We even signed you up for acrobatics this year to encourage the inner monkey in you.  Besides that, you LOVE dancing so it all works. (You don’t even need music playing but if a good song comes on, you will drop everything to get up and wiggle it).

You are definitely my “shy boy” when it comes to seeing strangers or meeting new people.  You eventually warm up, but it takes a while.

Much to our surprise, we have successfully done away with your pacifier using the nightly “We Don’t Need No Pacifier” song/dance.  It's a huge hit.  Even went platinum on the Parenting charts, I think.

In the past 6 months you have come a LONG way in the potty-training arena.  I'd say you are 95% potty trained, with the exception of nighttime which we're conquering night by night.  Not to mention, you look so stinkin’ cute in your big boy boxer briefs, I can’t even stand it.

You do still say “far fuck” for fire truck, but I'm okay with it.  It's adorable and makes me smile.  Other things you say ridiculously cute include: "paper", "diaper", basically anything that ends in an "er".  You say it with a French flair: "Pay-pair", "Dye-pair"....it's awesome.  I also love when you say "I on it, Sir!" when I ask you to do something!  In fact, you speak not only clearly and in complete sentences, but in complete paragraphs, using correct grammar, appropriate adjectives, and exquisite detail.  For example, this morning (instead of simply saying "I crashed") you said "Uh oh!  I just crashed my ATV into this trailer right here, Mom!".  Pretty impressive.

You sleep every night with "Big Fuzzy Blue Blanket". She’s 4 times as big as you but you’ll wad her up and drag her all around the house. As you fall asleep you find her “fluffy” side and pick at her so when you wake up there are little blue fuzzies everywhere (thus, Digger FUZZ Bucket).

In the past year we've worried about your size.  The doctor's say you're ok but you are tiny.  As long as they're not concerned, I will love every last bit of your itty bitty package.  You're the only kid I know who can literally WEAR OUT your clothes, though.  You still wear clothes I saw you wearing in photos from your 2-year-old post last year!

You've been put on iron supplements and ultimately was sent to a specialist to have your iron levels tested repeatedly when they weren't improving.  We've been to the emergency room for a mystery 105+ degree fever.  And you've come down with every strain of random childhood disease possible (Hand, Foot & Mouth, Croup, Coxsackie Virus, Whooping Cough, Fifth's Disease).  In three short years, you've had it all :)  But we love you to pieces.

You have about 10 nick names, all of which fit you to a "T" so of course they have all stuck and are used interchangeably!   Whatever name you're going by though, you make us laugh, smile, even burst with joy on an HOURLY basis.  "Two" proved to be a challenging year for you with your burgeoning attitude and independent streak, but I love the little man you've become.  Your personality SHINES and I can't wait to see how you grow in the years to come.