The Big Boy Bed

This week I finally excepted it.  It was time to get rid of the crib.  Before we left for California Alex had been climbing out of his crib for a few weeks.  He was still good about taking his naps but when he was done he would climb out and come find us.  I knew he was ready for the change but didn't want to make any changes before we left.  When we got back from our vacation it was a few days before Alex remembered he could climb out of his crib.  I was hoping he would forget for the next few years and we could keep him in a crib forever.  I just couldn't believe my little boy was ready for a real bed.  On Friday we finally made the switch.  The whole time Brandon was taking down the crib and moving the bed into his room, Alex was so excited.  I kept explaining that this was his new big boy bed and he seemed to understand.  We made the change in the morning so that nap time could be "practice time" if needed.  However, we were shocked when Alex went right down for his nap without complaint and slept about three hours.  We are lucky parents! 

 Checking out his new bed for the first time. 

 We finally had to wake him up from his nap and this is how he was sleeping.  Curled up and the top of his bed.  I don't think he gets the concept of a pillow yet.  

 This is his "waking up face."  He probably gets that from me. 

This is just more proof our little boy is growing up and it makes me so proud of him but a little sad too. 

Alex Turns 2!

 While we were on vacation Alex turned two years old.  So as soon as we got back in town we celebrated.  I can hardly believe Alex has been with us for two years now.  It was been so much fun watching him grow and learn.  He has developed a hilarious personality and is such as sweet, loving child.  I can't wait to see how he changes in the next year. 

Our families were kind enough to join us for a little party.  We opened presents and ate cake and ice cream. 

Another birthday means another amazing cake from Brandon.  Alex loves Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and because of our recent trip to Disneyland we decided to do a Mickey themed cake.  We found the idea on Pinterest and Brandon did all the work from there.  It turned out amazing!

Alex is still working on being able to hold just two fingers up.  It is cute to watch him try and figure it out. 

I thought it was fun to compare his first birthday to this year.  I was surprised at how similar he looks to a year ago.  Although, I was sure glad he got a lot less messy this year.  He mostly enjoyed chewing on the fondant rather than eating actual cake. 

 This was one of the few toys we let Alex play with before it was off to bed.  He loves all things Toy Story and loves his new Woody Doll.  Alex also got a Slinky Dog (shown in the background), a basketball hoop, baseball tee and mitt, a Toy Story Memory Game, a bubble machine, and even some prizes from Disneyland from his Aunts and Uncles.  All in all it was a great birthday! 

Here we are singing Happy Birthday to Alex.  I love this video because it shows all the love and support we get from our families.  It was so great that we could all be together to celebrate our little guy. 

San Diego

After spending a glorious three days in Disneyland we headed to San Diego.  We were staying at Brandon's great Uncle Kink's house who passed away last fall.  It was our last chance to spend some time there before they sell the house.  We packed a lot of things into the week we were there and had a lot of fun. 

We took Alex to the beach for the first time.  He was a little unsure about the sand at first but quickly decided he liked it.  It was kind of a cold day but we all got in the water anyway.  Because it was a little cool we didn't stay too long but it was fun while it lasted. 

The next day we went to the Wild Animal Park.  This is a little like a zoo except for the animals aren't in cages but instead get to roam in big open areas.  We took a tram ride around the park to see the animals. 

The next day we headed out to some tide pools.  It was a lot of fun exploring the area and finding creatures in the water.  We found a lot of pretty big crabs.  Alex was not a huge fan of the crabs but he did like splashing around in the water and climbing on lots of rocks. 

Alex loved having Mikah around all the time to play with.  They would get pretty crazy together running around the house.  To calm Alex down we would sometime put a movie on our bed.  He would watch an entire movie, snuggled up with his new Jack doll and his "Dee Dee."

 On Monday we went to Sea World.  I have not been to Sea World since I was very little so it was a first for me and Alex.  We saw lots of shows, saw lots of amazing animals and even rode a few rides.  It was a hot, but fun day. 

 Poor Alex spent a lot of the vacation in his stroller.  Most of the time he was very patient but occasionally he would start to squirm to get out.  He loved running around any chance we would let him. 

 Watching the Shamu show. 

 At the end of the day we gave Alex this shark as a Souvenir.  He was so excited when we gave it to him.  He snuggled it and started talking in a scary shark voice.  He has slept with it every night since. 

 Heading out of Sea World Alex decided to climb into the back of the car instead of in his chair.  (He is roaring at us, not crying). 

On Tuesday morning Brandon and I got up a little early and were able to go to the San Diego Temple and do a session.  It is famous for being an especially beautiful temple so I was really excited not only to see it but to go inside it.  Brandon and I really enjoyed being there in the temple together.  Thanks for babysitting Clements family!

After attending the Temple we met up with everyone else at the beach.  This time it was a little warmer but the water was still pretty cold.  We had a good time playing in the sand and getting some sun.  I was relieved that Alex really behaved well on the vacation but while we were at the beach he had a moment of crazy.  He went over to the cooler that had everyones open cans of pop on top of it and started hitting them all off.  He is a crazy kid sometimes but that's why we love him!  

Our last day in San Diego we spent at the San Diego Zoo.  We had such a good time there and it is a pretty amazing zoo. 

 The highlight of the zoo was of course seeing the Panda.  We must have caught him at a good time because he was very active and put on quite the show.  I could have watched him all day. 

 Alex finished another day asleep in his stroller. 

Overall, we had such a great time in California.  It was so much fun to spend time with family.  We did so many fun things and loved watching Alex experience so many new things.  We can't wait to do it again!