Bullet Parade

Reese & Alex

This morning we got up and headed to Virden to go to church with Grandma and Papa to watch Sophia Hawkins get baptized.  It was a nice service and great to see so many people we hadn't seen in a while.  Kyle and Pam invited us to eat lunch and have cake with them.  We really enjoyed ourselves.

We headed home because we just wanted to relax after a very busy weekend.  As we drove through town we remembered the Bullets Softball team was going to be coming through town to celebrate their great season.  We jumped out of the car and got into the stroller and headed up town.  Alex loved loved loved seeing the firetruck and waving at the girls.  We then headed to the school to participate in a pep rally for them.  Alex loved every minute of it and kept clapping and yelling Go Bullets!!  After it was done he asked if he could go talk to the Bullets.  We said 'Hi' to a few, but he wouldn't let me take his picture with any of them.

I'm so glad we live in such a great little community!!

Softball Championship

This afternoon we headed to Peoria to watch the WHS softball team compete in the Class 2A State Finals Championship.  Unfortunately, the girls lost but it was still a fun game to watch.  We watched the game from the bull pen, so I was able to keep Alex and Amelia sequestered!  It worked out great.  Alex loved playing in the dirt and was so excited when one of the umpires gave him a softball to take home.  Maybe one day we'll be back in Peoria watching one of our little ones in a State Final.  We hope so!!

Birthday at the Zoo

Alex yelling at the goat to get off the wall before he falls down.

Waiting our turn for the Merry-Go-Round

Learning about different animal furs.

Love his expression as we go through a tunnel on the train.

Amelia didn't know what to think of the tunnel.

Today was a beautiful day to go to the zoo to celebrate Alex's birthday.  But we had to start the day off right with some birthday donuts!!! Then we headed to the St. Louis Zoo and had a wonderful day.  Surprisingly, the weather was a bit chilly for the beginning of June, so we all wore layers.  One of my favorite parts was watching two of the smaller elephants wrestling and playing in the water together.  Alex loved it all, but he was most excited about riding the train.  He could have done that all day long.  After the zoo we headed to The Hill to eat at Cunetto's.  The kids were so well behaved all day!  We can't wait to go back later this summer.

Happy Birthday Alex!!!

Today our little man is 3 years old!!!  I still truly can't believe how fast time is flying by.  Daddy said the other night that it's hard to believe Alex has been with us longer than we tried to have a baby.  That seems hard to believe, but it's true!!!

You truly are such a joy (99% of the time!)  Daddy says you get your stubbornness from me, but I don't believe it for a minute!!!  You really are trying hard to be grown up and make your own choices, but sometimes we have to remind you that you aren't in charge!!  You have an amazing imagination.  You are always coming up with something to play or do.  As write this I'm trying to think of all the funny things you do and say, and for some reason my mind is blank.  Hopefully, Daddy can help me out.

Right now we are trying to potty train, but you really could care less about doing it.  You are an eating machine, so changing poopy diapers isn't on our agenda of fun these days.  You love to eat waffles or french toast sticks for breakfast.  You love pretty much all fruit and lots of days you choose that over fruit snacks or granola bars.  You like drinking 'nilk' (milk) from a big boy glass, but you still haven't grasped the concept that big boy cups make big boy messes.

Every night at bed you pick which one of us puts you to bed, but you usually pick Daddy (you tell him often he is your best friend).  We have to stay in bed with you and rub your back until you fall asleep.  Sometimes it takes up to an hour to escape your room.  I just try to remind myself that one day you won't allow me in your room.  Generally every night you make your way down into our bedroom, but we have you sleep on your own little Toy Story couch.  You've been doing a great job of not sucking your fingers too.

We started off this morning with giving you just one more present.  A Big Boy Bike!!  You wasted no time figuring out how to ride it.  You really do amaze us!  I could go on and on, but I think that's good for now.  We sure do love you Bugga!!