Second Christmas

For Lexi, this Christmas was absolutely wonderful. She finally started to grasp the entire concept including Christmas music, Santa Clause, baby Jesus, decorations, treats, and of course gifs. What could be more fun than lots of excitement, attention and toys?

Houston Zoo

We went to the Houston Zoo for a few hours on Christmas Eve because we were looking for something fun to do that did not involve holiday crowds. Steve & Granddad wanted to be outside so they could enjoy the cool weather, so this turned out to be a great idea. Lexi loves being around animals and we all had fun watching her.

Anticipation

Protective Big Sister

On Monday, I had to take Jordan in for a blood test. Nothing special, it is mandatory in Texas. I hauled Lexi and Jordan into the hospital. I filled out papers and did my best to keep Lexi entertained (without touching the colorful vials) while we waited for the lab tech to set up.

When the tech asked me to sit in the chair with Jordan, Lexi realized that something was going on that she wasn't a part of. She started whining and begging me to let her sit in the chair. The tech told Lexi that people who sit in the chair get poked and that it wasn't fun. Then, she proceeded to poke Jordan's heel. As you would expect, he started crying. Lexi gave the tech a really dirty look and said, "Don't do it." The tech told her that she has to, but Lexi kept repeating herself. I told Lexi that Jordan would be fine in a minute.

When it was over, I called Steve to tell him the story. Since then, Lexi has been saying "Lexi said don't do it." The funny thing is that I was the same way about my brothers.

Bubble Bath

Bath time has become a daily event in our house. It is just one of those things that must be planned out when you have a new baby. Lexi takes her baths in the roman tub in our master bathroom. That way, I can hop in the glass shower next to it and accomplish two things at the same time. Jordan sleeps in his carrier, which sits on the bathroom floor. He calmly ignores all the commotion.

Adjusting To Her New Life

When an only child suddenly has a baby sibling to deal with, their world is rocked. You never know quite how they will react. The idea is introduced and explained as much as possible during pregnancy, but it is even a difficult concept for the parents to envision.

I pictured Lexi having both moments of greatness and moments of insanity. Fortunately, I am fairly impressed by how well she is handling this big change. Don't get me wrong, she has had insane moments, but they have never been directed at the baby. She is gentle and sweet with him. He doesn’t get the kind of attention she craves anyway. It is me that is getting the brunt of her small bouts of hostility. She seems to be testing her boundaries, which is fine.

It started off with an extra dose of daddy’s girl, while I was in the hospital. She would come in my room and be very sweet, but made it clear that he was the one she wanted to take care of her needs. Her desire to be Miss Independent grew. When was released from the hospital, she shrieked with joy. I was showered with hugs and kisses. She kept saying, “I missed you, mommy.” Since then, she goes back and forth. All last week, she sucked up to Grandma and her dad, which helped with my recovery. She can be very sweet and loving to me, but she can also play deaf and will shout at me for no reason.

Overall, I am pleased with the way she is handling the new member in our family. She even picked the best person to take her frustrations out on. I absolutely did not want to have to protect the baby from her. Plus, she needed to turn to others for extra care. It was a wonderful time for her to grow closer to her Grandma and dad. As for me, we’ll have plenty of time to work back into a normal routine and she realize that her life is even better than it used to be.

New Blog for Little Bro

As you would probably expect, Lexi's brother has his own blog:

http://jordanteetee.blogspot.com/

One day, I'll get a chance to spruce it up a little.

Christmas Cowgirl

At the Hospital

Lexi has a new little brother who fascinates her at times and she wants to ignore at other times. While I was in the hospital, she got to spend lots of time with her idol (dad). I swear that taking of him made her grow up quickly. From being more independent to increased language skills, I was just amazed.

Here are some pictures taken at the hospital. Just pretend I am sticking to their advice about not picking up more than 10 pounds. She needs a little more love from Momma.

Jingle Bell Girl

Lexi has really embraced everything that has to do with Christmas. In fact, several times a day she blurts out that she wants me to sing “Jingle All The Way.” She even sings the chorus while doing various activities. Unfortunately, like everything else she starts doing, I can’t seem to capture it on camera. I guess in 3 months I’ll have a video clip.

Santa, Santa, Ho - Ho - Ho

While at the mall getting some Christmas shopping done today, we saw that the line for Santa (at the Bass Pro Shop) was short. Although, we were not prepared, we decided to take a few photos anyway. You never know if/when we'll get another chance (because I am "taking it easy" as instructed by the hosptial). As you can see, Lexi was fine until she was cruely placed on Santa's lap. Let the fun times roll!

Hanging Out with Dad

One of the best things in life is having a child that loves to spend time with their dad, especially when you are pregnant and need a break. Lexi is all over her dad whenever he is here. She loves to help him clean out his truck, work in the garage, water the lawn, and cheer/yell while watching football. One of her favorite lines is, "I copy dadda." She certainly does.

Sick Girl

Last Saturday evening, Lexi started showing signs of a cold. We had gone to a birthday party for toddler twins and she didn't act quite like her rambunctious self (yes, we were spreading the germs). She also had a little runny nose. Sunday came with a few more signs, but it wasn’t until Monday that she clearly was not feeling well. She had laryngitis and was simply miserable.

Anyone who has been around a toddler knows that this brings a whole new personality, a crabby stubborn one. She has been whining, crying, and demanding things that she doesn’t even want. It has basically been a week that does not make for pleasant blogging. I guess reality shows are popular so I could have presented the interesting situations that way, but I have tried to keep her in a more restful state while I work on organizing and cleaning the house (a.k.a. nesting).

Hopefully, next week I will post pictures that do not include snot and other fun things. For heaven sake, there is the whole Thanksgiving thing to think about.

Down Time

Lexi woke up from her nap and wanted to play, so we had a little down time in our day.

Day on the Farm

Saturday, we took a little trip out to Dewberry Farm with our friends for fun and rural experiences. Ok, so mostly fun without any of the hardwork. We had a great day and will have to mark this event on our calendars for next year.

Trick-or-Treat Queen

Lexi became a real professional tonight even though it was her first time going trick-or-treating the normal American way (in a neighborhood). I think it only took one or two houses before she realized what wonderful things were in store, with a little help from her buddies (Avery & Camden). They all ran up to the houses anxiously waiting for more & more treats. It was hard to hold them back.