Tis the Season.

Thanksgiving is officially over and I can start getting into the Christmas spirit without feeling guilty that its too early! Its no secret that this is my favorite time of year and shh, don't tell anyone but I've been listening to Warm 106.9's Christmas music for about 2 weeks already!

This was the first year we broke down and bought an artificial tree. I love to put the tree up early and with a real one that is hard because they die so quick. I hate the needles that get everywhere and with a 1 year old, I knew those needles would go from floor to mouth and that could make a real tricky situation for his digestive system. So anyway, the artificial tree is doing its justice around here. We don't have a lot of room in our house for a big full tree, so Josh found this tall skinny one and its perfect! Zane isn't too sure about the whole thing, he really so far stays away...I can't imagine that will last for long!

Anyway, its officially Christmas season in the Alexander household and I'm loving every minute 0f it!! Now if I could only get my shopping taken care of!

Black Friday!

Zane and I headed out yesterday morning to fight the crowds and get in a little shopping. Josh was smart and stayed home asleep! This is the 2nd year Zane and I have gone and probably the 10th year that I personally have gone. We didn't get out too early this year because I wasn't going to wake Zane up, I just let him sleep until his usual time and we headed out after breakfast. We only went to two places and trust me, that was enough! I am beginning to think there aren't many deals worth me going out into that insanity for. I might actually bag the whole idea next year...but we'll see!!

Patiently waiting in line at JCPenneys.

Happy Turkey Day 2008!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I have more things to be thankful for than I could ever list, so just know that if you are in my life, I am thankful for you!

We headed over to Gig Harbor to Josh's parent's house for dinner this year (actually, I think we do that every year) and as always it was delicious and I ate way too much! Last year, Zane sat in his bouncy chair while we all enjoyed the meal, this year he was able to be right up at the table enjoying it with us! Zane really enjoyed everything, especially the cranberries!

We hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving as well.

Here is Zane looking at the ads this morning so he's prepared to go shopping on Black Friday.


Enjoying his first Thanksgiving meal!


Good ol' family pic!


Zane with his grandparents.


Zane and uncle Isaac (in town from Virginia).


Zane and great-grandma Alexander.

The Best Night Ever!

Ok, so I know this blog is really supposed to be about Zane and new adventures that go on in his little life and I know you really could care less about me and the adventures I have in my life...but please give me a chance to bore (or maybe excite) you with a recap of my night last night!

November 22, 2008 will go down as a day in history for me! It is the night that NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK came back to Seattle after 15 long years of being out of the limelight! OMG, I cannot even tell you good of a concert it was!! I was one of the biggest NKOTB fans back in the day and I never gave up on that boy band from the 80's! They are back!!!

There are a few changes and similarities from the last concert I went to when I was 13 to the one I went to last night now that I'm 30.

First the similarities:
The guys are still very hot in my opinion!
They still put on a killer show.
The Tacoma dome was full of screaming girls.
I went with a couple people who I had gone to the last concerts with.
They sang the same ol' songs.
I was still able to fit into my NKOTB jacket from 1989.


Now the differences:
The Tacoma dome was filled with screaming women.
There are more sexual inuindoes/gestures in there songs now (or maybe there were then too, but I was too young to know what they meant).
There was alcohol sold at the concert.
I was old enough to purchase the alcohol.
They have a ton of new songs that are just as great as the old ones.
Jordan took his shirt off (OMG).
T-shirts are now $45 instead of $15.
Concert ticket was now $75 and not $25.

I could go on forever, but instead I will give y0u this time to stop laughing at and making fun of me and take a minute to look at the great pictures from one of the best nights in my life!!

Zane's in the dog house.

Literally!! Zane and I went over to my parents house today and they were finishing up a dog house they were building for their dog. As soon as the sliding glass door to the deck opened up, Zane headed right for the dog house! So cute!

Trying to get a good pic.

My cousin Amy was over today with her two little ones. I tried so hard to get a picture of all 3 of them. My cousin's kids (Abby and Alex) cooperated just fine, looking at the camera and smiling...mine on the other hand. This kid (Zane) has a thing of just avoiding the camera and even if he is sort of looking at it, he's not smiling! Ugh, can't wait for this phase to be over!!

Take 1


Take 2


Take 3


Take 4

Bye-bye baby.

I packed up all of Zane's bottles this weekend. He's been off the bottle for a few weeks, but they were still cluttering my counter tops. I finally took the plunge today and bagged them all up and put them away until Zane has a baby sibling to use them someday. I don't know why it was a little sad to me to put them away, but it was. I got over it fast and pulled out a sippy cup for him! Now, if I could only bag up all of the left over diapers! Ha ha!

Loves his daddy!

Every day Zane waits at the window for Josh to get home from work. Last week, Josh was gone out of town for a work training, but Zane waited by that window for awhile every day. It was bitter sweet. It was sad for me to see him waiting by the window knowing that Josh wouldn't be coming in that night, but it was so sweet to see him look for Josh; signaling to me he really did realize something was different and that he missed his daddy.





Last night went to Ikea to get a new shelving system to house all of his toys, Zane couldn't wait to help put it together!

I'm a big kid now!

I ordered Zane his first kids meal out at a restaurant last Friday! It was sort of fun! He had mac & cheese and mandarin oranges. I think it was a pretty big portion of mac & cheese for him, so he only ate about 1/2, but he enjoyed it!!! I can see going out to eat is going to get more convenient, but also more expensive for us! Its all good, totally worth it!

Zane's 1st Year Pictures!

If you are interested in viewing Zane's 1 year pictures click on the link below and go to the "Your Proofs" section and type in zalexander in for the password. They will be up on the site for 2 weeks for your viewing pleasure!

I'd be happy to provide my photographer's information for any mom's who are interested, she does a fabulous job and has a real knaack for kids!

I hope you enjoy!

http://www.butterflykissphotography.com/

Kids can be so weird!

Zane got this new riding toy for his birthday and he loves it, but what I cannot figure out is why he insists on only sitting on it if the seat is up. There is a little compartment under the seat to store toys (or sippy cups full of milk...fun to find a day later) and he always lifts it and then sits down. If you put him on it with the seat down he's fine, but if he puts himself on it, he has to lift the seat. Weirdo!



Zane's friend Brooklyn came over tonight and she was having a ball pushing him around on his little tricycle. What we can't figure out about her is why in every picture she is squinting one eye. This is a new trick for her as well. Sometimes kids can be so weird!!

Its the birthday month for Zane!

We had another small birthday party for Zane yesterday (Sunday) for family that were unable to make it to his big party last week. It had been a long day for the kid, so he wasn't as full of as much happiness as he was at his other party, but he still had fun and was still spoiled of course! There is something wrong with the "red-eye" function on my computer so don't mind the weirdness of his eyes in these shots!

On his likeabike (which I had no idea what it was until I mentioned it to a friend who was in aww that he had one...apparently its "the thing" in Germany-where she is from).

12 Month Check-up

Zane had his 12 month well-child visit today and is doing great! The doctor was impressed that he could walk so well, was completely off the bottle and already had 3 words in his vocabulary ("wassat" i.e. what's that, "icky" and "kitty cat"). Zane learned how to clap today while we were waiting for the doctor. Not sure why this was such a big deal to me, but I got so excited when he started walking around the room in his little diaper and clapping. Its so darn cute. It wasn't so cute when they had to poke his little legs 3 times, but I guess not everything can be cute all of the time!

Here are his stats for inquiring minds that want to know:
25 lbs 79%
31.5 inches tall 95%
19 inch head circumference 96%

Which means in 12 short months he has gained 15 lbs, grown 11.5 inches and his head as grown by 4 inches. That's one growing boy!

Birthday Part 2.

Yay, I was finally emailed some good pics of my little man and his cake!!! I hope you enjoy.

Tricycle Time

Josh and I gave Zane a tricycle for his birthday, but waited until today to give it to him. He was on birthday overload Friday and Saturday! He LOVES it. He's a bit too small for it still, but he loves to get on and off of it and to be pushed around the house on it!

His first time on it!


Oh, how I love his smile!


One last ride right before bed!

Happy Birthday Josh!

Josh turned the big 3-1 today!!! I can't believe I am married to such an old man!! Ha ha, just kidding, I'll be joining him in 2 months so I can't make too much fun of him. Anyway, here are a few pics of him opening up his present...a wet suit for when he goes scuba diving! Yippee for him, I will watch from the shore!!!

Chuck E Cheese!

Zane and I went to Chuck E Cheese today for my cousin's daughter's birthday party! Zane had a ball. He would just run from ride to ride! I am not normally a huge fan of this place, but it wasn't very busy and surprisingly it was pretty clean so I guess maybe it was ok for today! The kids had fun and I think that is all that counts, right?!