Christmas is Coming!

Alexya helped me decorate the tree this year. She put on all the ornaments...except the very top ones..and she did a great job! I was suprised actually at how well she placed them...without really doubling up any or breaking any. ;) She was very proud when she was done and wanted me to take a picture of her by her tree.

Then she wanted me to take one of her by the tree and by the stockings.

Mommy and a handsome Santino on Thanksgiving at Mimi and Papa's house.

A beautiful picture of princess alexya in her new snow white dress (thanks Aunt Jeanne and Uncle Paul, Torrie and Preston for all the beautiful dresses!) She's worn it every day but one since she got it for her birthday.

Alexya Turns 3!

Her birthday party was a small, but really fun day and she had so much fun just playing with her best friends, aunts, uncles, grandparents and cousin! She requested a My Little Pony themed party and so I got all the decorations including pony balloons, plates, hats, napkins, etc and even a My Little Pony pinata. Aunt Candice even made her My Little Pony cupcakes! It was really cute watching them feast on the cupcakes and beat the pony pinata as hard as there little 2-3 yr old arms could swing the bat! Alexya had so much fun and got great gifts (thank you everyone) and wants to do it "again!" :)

Just finished her cupcake and decided to have a lollipop!...hasn't even wiped the frosting off her face yet...more sugar, more sugar please!

The Pinata before it was beaten apart by savage 2-3 yr old girls! (just kidding of course we/daddy had to beat it open for them!)

Cute Shots

Driving Papa's Porsche!

My two snow bunnies ready for Aunt Candice's wedding in Tahoe and playing in the snow!

Dr Apts & A New Kitchen!

Alexya and Santino went to the doctor together today & he's trying to catch up to her I think...

Alexya: 3ft tall and 30lbs (3 yrs) (percentile: 23% & 46%)
Santino: 2 1/2 ft tall and 22.3lbs (9 mos) (percentile: 92% & 72%)

The cutest part was when we had to wait to get their shots...and I had told Alexya if she was brave and got her shot she could have a lollipop. So, kids were going in screaming and coming out crying and Alexya kept asking if it was her turn yet...then finally it was. So Robert took her in and Sonny and I were waiting and waiting...she comes running out and screams, "Mommy, I got my shot and it didn't even hurt! Look I got a lollipop!" Everyone in the waiting room laughed and I think I was in shock! I am VERY proud of her and Sonny, since he only cryed a little bit when they stuck the needle in, but not too bad. I think it was the best doctor visit we've ever had. :)

Here they are playing with the new kitchen we bought Alexya for her birthday (gave it to her early).

A picture after I finished building it....the kitchen was only $80, but putting it together was at least $80 in labor I think! ;) Overall, I did a ton or research and even had help (thx debbie) and this one seemed to be the most reasonably priced and still good quality.

I think it's a very good investment in future play time that won't require mommy or daddy's involvement = free time = priceless! :)

Santino's 1st Halloween

Dressed up as Tigger (alexya's costume from last year) and very cuddley with daddy. Sonny went trick-or-treating too...he got to ride in the stroller and watch his sister climb the steps to each house and get candy... he had a great time and even got his own glow stick!

Pictures with his sister...which he thought were funny...

Alexya, Santino and Kara (in the lion costume). The cousins all dressed up for halloween!
(Matt has a very cute one of Sonny & Kara that as soon as he sends me I will put up) :)

Alexya's Halloween

She got up and painted her pumpkin....

Got dressed in her Princess Cinderella dress...

Went to Mimi and Papa's house for trick-or-treating and got tons of candy!
Even make some new friends since she loved to chat with any kids who were walking up to a door at the same time as her. She even told one little girl who was about 7yrs old, "you're a princess for halloween? I'm a princess too. I'm Cinderella. You have a glow stick? I have a glow stick too." The conversation would have kept going except the door opened and they were given candy...then it was goodbye. She got scared at a couple houses, but was very brave and didn't let that stop her from getting her candy! I think this is the perfect age to take them trick-or-treating because we actually had a lot of fun! :)

Papa, Mimi, Sonny & Lexy

Pumpkin Patch

We have a family farm right by our house...(hmmmm, never knew this until recently)....that has a pumpkin patch and does hay-rides etc. We went with our neighbors (inc Lexy's BF Jasmine) and had so much fun! We brought home 2 pumpkins to carve...Alexya wants Robert to carve "jack" in one and "sandy" in the other...(from nightmare before christmas).

Can you feel the love? ;)

October Playdate

We had a pumpkin carving playdate at Catherine's house (thanks Catherine for hosting & thanks Debbie for doing the carving! haha).
Sonny loved the kitchen.

Thomas (almost 4), Alexya (almost 3) and Isabel (just turned 2) had so much fun making crazy faces (thx thomas) and eating cereal. Sonny tried to keep up with them & Thomas actually played with him for a little while. Zoey (Debbie's new baby girl) didn't come this time and Catherine is like 9 months prego and due around Lexy's birthday...so next playdate should be a lot bigger! :)

Alexya was her normal bossy self, but lucky for her, Thomas and Izzy are very mellow and put up with it.

If only photoshop could paste some smiles on these two.... Really they had fun, but this was obviously a serious moment I was interrupting.

Sonny & Kara

Here are some new pics of Sonny and his cousin Kara! They are only 3 wks apart, but she is normal size while he is super size. They actually had a lot of fun playing together and sharing toys and touching each other's faces. It was really cute to see them interact and it's really nice to have them be so close in age! Erica & I did a good job coordinating our pregnancies ;).

Kara is a little energy ball (like Alexya) and loves to dance and jump around and even flip flop around on the floor while laughing. She really entertains herself and loves to keep moving....good luck to Auntie Erica & Matt when she starts to crawl.... She's got the most beautiful big blue eyes and a heart melting smile. Such a cutie! I love my niece! :)

Finally got a picture of it....TOUCHDOWN!

Daddy & Sonny (notice the Godfather shirt daddy picked out for him...since that's what he's named after) ;)
http://www.thegodfather.com/

Stealing Free Time to Update the Blog

Sorry, I've been forgeting to take pictures lately....but I will definately put up some of Alexya and Santino in their halloween costumes. Alexya is going to be Cinderella and Sonny is going to be Tigger (alexya's costume from last year...yes he is that big already).

Anyway, some updates include Sonny is holding onto furniture and "cruising" around one handed. He tried a couple times to stand up from a sitting postion and can do it and then falls down, but I'm very proud of him since that's still really good! :) He also can now chew banana chunks and cut up sweet potatoes...he gets very excited when he can feed himself...and so do I (since then I don't have to do it). Also, I taught him to throw his arms straight up in the air when ever I say "touchdown" so he's totally ready for football season.....even though the Raiders aren't!!! :(

Alexya is a queen at negotiations and bedtime involves the following conversation: "Alexya it's time for bed." "No, mom. I watch one more show." "No, it's bed time...let's go upstairs and I'll read you two books." "OK mom, one more show and ONE book." How do you argue with that??? She always figures out a way to get what she wants. She also remembers everything! Like if I say, "if you're a good girl at the store you can have a treat after." After an hour at the store & I completely forgot about our deal as we're getting into the car.... "I a good girl at the store mom?! I get my treat now!" The list goes on and on, but you get the point.

It's really amazing how different Sonny and Lexy's personalities are...but how they just love each other. I really love how, even though she likes to beat him up sometimes, she tells me she loves him all the time and even will sing to him when he's upset and it works! He calms down the instant she starts singing! :) I can't wait to see how they are together as they get older.

Some other awesome news that I don't think I posted yet is that my sister is engaged! She is going to be getting married to Darren on March 20, 2010 and I get to be the matron of honor! :) Alexya is going to be the flower girl again & she is very excited since it's going to be in the snow. Candice is buying her wings & a silver head band so that she can be a snow angel. Lexy's cousin, Riley, is also a flower girl and so they will be snow angels together! :) (sorry if I ruined the surprise Candice, but it's such a cute idea I had to spill the beans!)

Oh, ya, and lastly, I had a birthday last month...so I'm another year older....blah. Robert's parents offered to watch the kids after a Raider themed BBQ :) thanks thoughtful husband! We ended up going back to our house and playing cards with my sister and darren and long story short... ended up drunk and dancing in my living room!! It was the most fun I've had in a long time (my dad & sush's wedding), since I got to be me (well, drunk me) and not "Mom" for a night. thx frank and theresa! :) BEST IN-LAWS EVER!!! :) :) :)

Visiting Grandma & Grandpa

Here's Lexy swinging (her fav thing to do). (yes, it's a bandaid on her face).
We stayed for 2 1/2 days and had such a great time with Grandma & Grandpa! Alexya had fun picking black berries and playing in the creek and on the playground set. Sonny had fun being held and crawling like an animal trying to catch one of the dogs! Mommy had fun relaxing for once and having awesome meals prepared for her and not having to do any dishes! Thanks mom! :) We had such a great time since Alexya is finally old enough to enjoy alot more things on her own and I don't have to be constantly watching her and keeping her from hurting herself! It's a perfect getaway and we're going back soon! :)

Here she is looking through Grandpa's binoculars at all the birds and trees (and "tomatos in the trees").

Here's Santino trying to relax, but making a growling face!

And....finally passed out!