Lullabies

Alex and I were putting Isabella to bed tonight. We were singing songs and saying our prayers. When he was a baby, I made up a silly song that I always sing to him. He wanted to sing it to her tonight.

Do you know how much I love you?

Do you know how much I care?

You're my pumpkin.

You're my pie.

You're the apple of my eye.

Do you know how much I love you?

Do you know how much I care?

You're my pride.

You're my joy.

You're my little baby boy...

When we got to the last line he laughed and said to Isabella, "No, you're my little baby girl. You are my sweetheart!"

As if that weren't enough to bring me to tears, then he told me he wanted to sing her another lullaby. And here are the words he sang as he held his baby sister's hand...

Go to sleep.

Go to sleep.

Go to sleep little baby.

Close your eyes.

Snuggle down.

And rest your little head.

Shut your eyes and go to sleep.

I will give you a kiss goodnight.

When you wake up and see the sun,

you will have my wish.

I asked him where he learned it, and he said from Max and Ruby. I have spent the past hour trying to find it online so I can see the real words, but I cannot find it. I guess the real words don't really matter anyway. What matters is how much my little boy loves my little girl. There is nothing else in this world that matters as much as this.

Alex-isms 5

Sometimes I think Alex doesn't listen to a word I say. But I could not be more wrong. He quotes me on a daily basis, and in the correct contexts too!

• I have been known to say to Jay at the end of a long day, "I am so done!" He was mad at Jay and told him, "I am so done with you, Daddy."
• His friend Brody was upset the other night and Alex told him, "You just need to calm down."
• Alex has been saying a bad word or two lately. I have threatened to wash his mouth out with soap, and actually followed through with it once. Tonight Jay said "stupid," and Alex didn't miss a beat..."Momma, get the soap and wash out Daddy's mouth. Daddy, your mouth will burn!"
• I HATE whining! Alex gets NO WHERE with me when he whines. Tonight at dinner, Jay kept telling him to eat. Alex looked at him and said, "I will...if you stop whining."

Alex-isms 4

It has been awhile since I have written an entry - life can really get away from you sometimes. But thankfully, I have been keeping notes on some of the funny things Alex has been saying lately.

• Alex is Mr. Literal. He loves to correct other people every chance he gets. For instance, "I didn't hurt my finger Mom, I hurt my thumb." "It is not a diaper Mom, it is a pull-up."
• Alex has a way with words. Sometimes that boy can melt my heart. The other day he said, "You are the best Mommy I ever had in my whole life." And he can break my heart too. I always tell him that even when I am mad at him, I still love him everyday. Today he was mad at me and said, "Mommy, I don't like you on any days." (He later changed his mind-Thank GOD).
• Alex is up-to-date on current events. Whenever Barack Obama comes on television, he says, "That's A-Rock Obama. He is our President."
• Alex is interested in learning about God. Last week after we said our prayers I was telling him how God watches out for us. He asked me, "Where is God? I can't see Him." We went to church on Sunday. It had been awhile since I have taken him with me. We were a few minutes late. We were standing in the back. He said, "Come on Mom. Let's go in. We are missing all the fun." Then he pointed to the priest and asked, "Is that God?" Once we were seated in the pew, he was sitting quietly. The little girl behind him kept talking to him. He turned around and said, "Shh! You have to be quiet in here!"
• Alex is very detail oriented. When he tells a story he gives you all the details. For instance here is his rendition of what happened the other night when the smoke detectors went off, which he tells anyone and everyone who will listen. "You know those round things (smoke detectors)? Well, Daddy was cooking on the grill. And he opened the door and smoke came in. And the round things started making a lot of noise. And they were saying FIRE! FIRE! And daddy was trying to hush them. I was crying. Momma had to drive Izzy Bizzy and me around the neighborhood. We were looking for deer. Then the fire truck came and the men - one was wearing a green shirt - came inside to check out the problem. Then they said everything was okay and there was no fire. So then it was okay for us to come back inside. Daddy let me stay up late and watch Clone Wars and Scooby Do. I fell asleep on the couch. The next day I got a fire truck toy!" Not only is his story detailed - it is accurate too!

6 Months Old

Dear Isabella,
Happy 6th Month Birthday. Six months ago tonight visiting hours were over, and Daddy and I were alone with you for the first time. Our sweet tiny baby girl. We touched your little face, hands, and feet. How things have changed. Now it is you who reach out and touch our faces and our hands. And you love to hold onto your own little feet.

This month you went on your first family vacation. We went to South Seas Plantation on Captiva Island in Florida. We had a great time, and you loved putting your feet in the sand. You weren't too happy about the pool though! We also celebrated your first Valentine's Day, "Our Little Love."
You have become such a little Momma's Girl. If you are awake, you want me to hold you. You have been crying at nap time and bedtime until I pick you up. You still smile at everyone, but if I am there you want me! I absolutely love it, but I get nothing done. I have been putting you in the sling. You are as happy as can be, all cuddled up next to me holding your Giraffe. I am cherishing how much you need me and want me all the time. I can't imagine a time when it will be different.

The past 6 months have been the best of my life. I can't believe that in six more months we will be celebrating your first birthday. I hope the time goes slowly, but if the past six months are any indication, I know it won't. I promise to savor every moment.

Love you Busy Bee,
Momma

It's My Potty...

Exciting news in the Beynon house! After months, and I mean months, of ZERO interest in potty training, Alex has now decided to "get the hang of it." (His words not mine!) Tuesday he came home from school and put on his Spider-man undies and that was that! In just a few short days, he has gone from needing me in there reading to him to needing "privacy." And his "wee-wee" is now a "wiener." We have had a few minor setbacks: "Momma, my legs are all wet." "Momma, it just came out!" But other than that he is officially a BIG BOY!

5 Months Old

Dear Isabella,

It was 5 months ago today that you came into this world. And I know I say this every month, but where has the time gone? I feel like every time I go to get you out of your crib, you are bigger and your smile is brighter.

That smile of yours is the most beautiful thing in the world. Your eyes, which are still as blue as can be, smile right along with that cute little bow of a mouth. The phrase "Happy Baby" is used to describe you all the time!

Everyone always comments on your blue eyes and fair skin. Your Nana and your Pop both have blue eyes, so that is where you get yours. I wonder if they will stay blue? I am guessing the fair skin must have come from your Grandma John and your "Great-Aunt" Kathy. It certainly didn't come from Momma. Your skin is so sensitive too. You get rashes and eczema all the time and even had hives this month. When I give you a bath, I put baby oil on you and you are so slippery to hold, but it seems to help!

This month you tried rice cereal for the first time. You like to take the spoon away from me and put it in your own mouth. You also tried formula - but that is when you broke out in hives. We hope you are not allergic. We have to wait a few weeks to try it again.

We have been working on napping and sleeping in your crib. You were sleeping through the night, but then you started waking up every few hours. I think that had to do with having a cold and a cough. You seem to be feeling better, so hopefully you will start sleeping longer at night again.

We get such a kick out of watching you reach for things now. You love to reach your little hands out to your toys, to our faces, and especially to Alex's hair. Sometimes you grab onto it, but he doesn't even mind. You can do no wrong in his eyes...yet (ha ha).

You are our little doll. I say "our" because if I ever call you "mine," Alex always corrects me. He says you are "Our Baby." And he is right. You not only fill my heart with the joy of being able to watch you learn and grow, but you are the most important thing in the world to your daddy and brother too!

Love You Sweet Cheeks - Momma

Alex-isms 3

Today my Alex-isms are in categories.

Bathroom Business (or Not)

• Alex refuses to go to the bathroom on the potty. I accidently on purpose ran out of diapers. We tried going right to underwear, but he peed right through them and his pants, socks, shirt, and onto his chair. So, he is wearing pull-ups, which he claims hold a little bit of pee and poop. He says he will go on the potty when he is a big boy. He says that right now he is a small boy. And every time I say he is a big boy, he responds, "No, I am'nt. I am just a small boy." When I ask him when he will be a big boy he says, "In a couple of days..." He has been saying that for weeks.
• The other day I took him to the doctor because he had a rash on his face. When we told him that he couldn't kiss Isabella he said, "But it is just so hard not to kiss her." Doctor V. said he could kiss her when the rash on his face went away. He said, "I only get rashes on my butt when I poop in my diaper and it is in there the whole day!" He sure has a knack for turning my words around - What I say to him when he doesn't want his diaper changed is, "If you sit in your poop all day, you will get a rash." He also told Dr. V. that I fell down the steps holding Isabella. I quickly added that it was only the last few steps and I didn't drop her! Hopefully there won't be a knock at my door from Social Services.
• When I told Alex that if he went on the potty, I would be so proud, he said, "Yea. That's the spirit!"

Meany!

• When Alex says something mean, I always pretend I didn't hear him. I say, "I didn't hear you. I hope you didn't say something mean." His response? "I was just talking."
• Or sometimes instead of saying the mean word (usually stinky or stupid), he will say, "You are a uhh. uhh."
• But my favorite was the other day. I was bouncing him on my lap. He said to me, "Stop doing that. It makes me want to say a mean word." Well excuse me!

How Old Are You?

(Or as my sister says, "Not a Normal Three-Year Old")

• We were heading home last Friday after being out all morning. I told him that my friend was coming over with her baby. Alex didn't seem too thrilled. I told him that Bryson was Isabella's friend so he could play in his playroom while they were over. He said, "Good. I really need some alone time."
• When the wind blows he says, "The wind in my ears makes me crazy."

Happy Birthday, Finley Clark

Today, my niece Finley was born. She is adorable and has the chubbiest little cheeks. She is the 4th little girl to be born into the family in 2 years. Alex is the only boy surrounded by all girls. Poor guy. Jay thinks Alex is so lucky, because he will get to date all of his sister's and cousins' friends someday. When I met Jay, the boys outnumbered the girls, but not anymore....Within 7 years, two daughter-in-laws and 4 granddaughters have joined the family.

So, in the words of the Pink Ladies in Grease 2, "The Pink Lady pledge is to act cool,to look cool and to be cool, till death do us part. Think Pink!!" I think it should be the new family motto. Don't you?

Alex-isms 2

Here is another installment of the funny things Alex says!

• Alex put on his sunglasses the other day and said, "Lookin' goooood."
• I asked Alex who made him so cute. He replied, "I did it myself." Later, I asked him again and he said, "Daddy." Then I asked him who made him so weird. He replied, "You."
• Alex had his first bout of the stomach flu. After he threw up for the 3rd time he said, "I am broken." And after the 7th, he said, "I am messed up!" After the 10th, he didn't have anything to say!
• Today we went to the Baltimore Aquarium. (Note: NO STROLLERS allowed - wish we would have known this little fact ahead of time). He said wistfully, "I wish I was a shark, so I could live in the Aquarium." Excuse us!
• Afterwards we were walking around the harbor. Alex was eating an Italian ice even though it was 40 degrees out. I asked for some, and he said, "Momma, you just drink your water. You can get a snack when we get home." He did give me a kiss which he dubbed the "Strawberry Italian Ice Kiss."

Daddy's Girl

Not only does Isabella look just like Jay, especially when she yawns (weird, but true); but she is tall like him too! Today at her four month check-up, she measured 26 inches long. She is in the 95th percentile for her height. Lord knows she doesn't get it from me! She is 13 pounds 4 ounces (50th percentile). Alex was 17 pounds 4 ounces at four months. No wonder why we called him "Meatball." Dr. V. said she is doing well. He said I could start feeding her cereal! What!?? I feel like she is still a newborn. Tonight is the first night that she is sleeping in her crib....the first night in four months that she isn't cuddled in between us. She is not taking it so well. It took an hour of crying before she fell asleep only to wake up screaming an hour and a half later. But she is back asleep now. If she only knew that this is harder on me then it is on her. Time is moving too fast...I don't think I am ready for her to be big enough to sleep in her own room. So, I am thinking that if she cries in the middle of the night, I will go and get her. I mean if she makes it half the night in her own room, that is a good start, right?