Winter Fun

Every year my parents take my entire family out for dinner, ice skating, and to see the lights at Temple Square. We always have so much fun, especially ice skating. This year Alek was able to ice skate and he had the best time. I knew he would enjoy it, but I had no idea how much. Every time Rafal stopped to give himself a break, Alek would say "No!" "Go, go go!" He had so much fun that when it was time to go, he was so mad. He and my niece Addie would have skated all night even though it was so cold and the rest of us were all ready to go inside and get warm.

Alek loves playing in the snow, especially with his dad. When it started snowing a couple of weeks ago, I couldn't get him dressed fast enough. He had so much fun sledding down the driveway and building a snowman that it was hard to get him to come inside. Now that we haven't had snow for awhile, he is very disappointed, especially since his snowman melted. He always says "More snow." Hopefully we'll get a little more so he can go and play in it again.

Rafal was so proud of his snowman that he checked it daily to make sure that it was still standing and had its eyes, nose, and mouth in place.

Big Brother

I can't believe how big Alek is now. He's talking so much and doing so many "big boy" things. He's no longer my little baby, he's now my little boy who's going to be such a great big brother. I am having another baby and am due May 19th. We are so excited. I've been telling Alek for awhile that there is a baby in my tummy, but he really didn't understand until we went to hear the baby's heartbeat. As they were trying to find the heartbeat, he was watching intently wondering what they were doing and as soon as we heard it, he said "baby" then lifted up his shirt and pointed to his tummy as well. Now if you ask him where mommy's baby is, he points to my tummy. Then you ask him where his baby is and he points to his own tummy. It's so cute. I know that he is going to be so helpful since he has had plenty of practice helping me take care of Ryker. We're curious to see if this new one looks and acts like Alek or is the complete opposite. We find out in January what we're having and we can't wait. I think it may be a girl since this pregnancy has been so much easier. When I was pregnant with Alek, I was sick everyday, sometimes all day for six and a half months. Nothing sounded or tasted good and it was hard to keep anything down. With this pregnancy, I don't always feel so great first thing in the morning, but I only throw up occasionally. Sometimes Alek will even lean over the toilet and pretend to throw up as well. I guess we'll see whether I'm right or not in a couple of months. Whether we have a boy or a girl, I will be so happy to have a healthy new baby.

A Little Late

I know it's almost Thanksgiving, but I am just now getting to my Halloween pictures. Alek had a great Halloween. He was a Dalmatian Puppy and loved his costume. I was surprised that he kept the hat on all day. We went trick-or-treating at Rafal's work and my sister-in-law Jen's work on Friday and he loved it. He was a little confused at first when someone else would give him a piece of candy, since he already had one, but he caught on quick. On Saturday, we carved our pumpkins in the morning and then we got together at my sister Desi's house for enchiladas and trick-or-treating. After about 15 houses, Alek had plenty of candy and was ready to go home. He had a lot of fun and I know that he's going to love it even more next year.

At first Alek was hesitant to get his hands messy while carving his pumpkin, but soon was having a great time.

I carved the spider and Alek's happy face pumpkin and Rafal carved the ghost.

Alek the Dalmatian and Ryker the Monkey.

My parents, brother-in-law, and nieces and nephews all dressed up for Halloween.

My sister Brianna and her husband Mike were Rock Stars. They looked great in their spandex.

Thank You Rafal

I have to say that I am truly lucky to have such a wonderful husband who as I type this is upstairs putting Alek to bed. We have trained Alek to only fall asleep for naps and bedtime with the aide of mommy and daddy (BIG MISTAKE). Lately he has only wanted me to put him to bed and sometimes he takes a while to fall asleep and then I get tired and end up going to bed shortly after, getting nothing done that I had planned. Rafal is working full time and going to school full time, so he's pretty busy and tired by the time he gets home, but he still makes time to play with Alek, clean up dinner, and maybe relax a little. I really appreciate all that he does to help me out. He is a wonderful husband and father and I couldn't ask for anyone better. Thanks honey, I love you and appreciate all you do.

Picking Pumpkins

My family took a trip to the pumpkin patch in Santaquin to pick out our Halloween pumpkins. We rode in a wagon out to the pumpkin patch and then had a great time trying to find the perfect pumpkin. Alek went right for the big pumpkin, but when he realized he couldn't lift it up, he found one that was just right. He loved picking up the pumpkins and kept changing his mind as to which one he wanted to bring home. We had a great time and were able to find some pumpkins. This year Alek didn't try to eat his pumpkin, but he still thinks that it's a ball.

Riding the wagon to the pumpkin patch

Helping Dad carry the pumpkin

Finding one that was just the right size

Sitting with all the pumpkins

3 cute little pumpkins: Ryker, Alek, and Asher

18 Months Old

Alek is now 18 months old. I can't believe how fast the time has gone. The doctor said he is perfect. He weighs in at 25 pounds 12 ounces (49th percentile) is 32 inches tall (42nd percentile) and has a head circumference of 47 1/2 centimeters (42nd percentile). He is one busy little boy. He's always on the go, running most of the time. He loves to play with toys, especially balls and is throwing them and dribbling them everywhere. He is really starting to talk more and more. He can say Ma, Da, ball, bubbles, bathtub, book, uh-oh, oh no, more, and even some Polish words. He loves to jibber jabber especially when talking on his cell phone. He can also make several animal sounds. He is a happy little boy who loves to give hugs and kisses to everyone. He loves to play with others and just started going to nursery. I'm sure he would be fine to go on his own, but I prefer to stay with him to protect him from some of the little meanies in there. He loves to watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Shaun the Sheep. He loves to dance and will turn on the music and shake it. He loves to read books, especially The Wheels on the Bus, Shoo Fly, and Biscuit books. His favorite animal is a sheep. He loves to go and visit them and is constantly saying "Baa." It is so much fun to watch him grow and develop. He is growing up so fast and we just love him so much.

Potty Time

A couple of weeks ago Alek started expressing some interest in the toilet, not just to put his hand in or flush it, but to actually sit on it. One day he climbed up on the toilet with the lid down and sat there for a few seconds then ripped off some toilet paper and wiped himself. I thought it was so cute that I asked him if he wanted to go potty. We took off his diaper and he sat there for a while, got some toilet paper, wiped, then flushed the toilet. After that, he kept wanting to go potty again. I let him sit on the toilet several times and although he never went, he was having fun and I wanted to encourage this interest in the toilet. If he wants to potty train early, I'm all for it. After all, that would mean no more diapers. I bought him his own Royal Potty which plays four royal tunes as a reward. It has a sensor and so when they do something in their potty, the music plays. Alek thinks it's great. He's been sitting on it and pretending everyday a couple of times a day and then today, he actually peed on the potty. The music started playing and I started cheering. He kept smiling and then had to see what he did. I think it was just luck that he peed on the potty because once he got off he also peed a little bit on the floor and then again on the potty, so he doesn't know yet when he's all done. So we'll see how it goes. If he's not ready yet, that's fine because he's still so young, but I definitely didn't want to discourage his interest, especially because boys usually potty train much later and it can sometimes be very difficult.

Alek on his Royal Potty

Alek on theToilet

What's Cookin?

One of Alek's new favorite things to play with is his kitchen and dishes. While I cook dinner, he cooks as well. He even has an apron just like mom. He loves to put the pretend food in the dishes and place them on the stove. He does a great job sharing his food with me after it's all ready. He is really into mimicking everything, so it's cute to watch him cook. He loves his dishes so much, that when it's time for a bath he usually brings a few with him. Who knows, maybe one day he will be a chef who will cook for his mommy.

Busy Start to Summer

June has already been a very busy and fun month for us. Here's what we've been up to.

My dad, sisters Desi and Brianna, Rafal, and I all ran/walked in the 5K race to kick off Art City Days. After the race they handed out a lot of great prizes, well most of them were great. My dad was the only winner in our group and he won a giant mushroom for his lawn. He calls it his "major award" and has proudly displayed it in his garden.
After the race it was time for the baby contest. I'm proud to say that Alek won 2nd place in the 14-17 month age group. He got a medal, his picture in the paper, and we were in the parade. Alek loved riding on the truck and waving to everyone at the parade.

We went to the Art City Days Carnival and had a great time riding rides and eating great food. It was so rainy on the day we went to the carnival that we had to wait for it to stop before we could go. When we got to the carnival, hardly anyone was there so we didn't have to wait in any lines. Alek rode a few rides, but cried on two of them and tried to stand up to get off. He started out fine, but I think that when I waved at him each time I saw him he thought I was leaving and started crying. I guess we'll have to try again next year.

We took our annual trip to the zoo with Desi, Addie, Sadie, Asher, Brianna, Jen, and Ryker. Alek loved the zoo this year. The animals were definitely more active and we had a great time seeing them. Alek would get so excited that he would pound on the glass and open and close his hands to get the animals to come over to him. Alek rode the carousel and the train. He kept switching animals on the carousel while he waited for it to start. On the train he sat next to Rafal on the seat and put his arm on the arm rest. He thinks that he's so big.

Rafal and I celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary. We had such a busy weekend that we ended up just watching a movie. We decided that we'll go out to dinner another weekend.

Alek had his 15 month doctor's appointment and is a healthy boy. He weighs 23 pounds 11 ounces (39th percentile) is 31 and 3/4 inches tall (71st percentile) and has a head circumference of 47 1/2 cm (60th percentile). Alek is no longer a fan of the doctor's office and doesn't even want to sit on the scale to be weighed without crying. He cried through the whole exam. We took Ryker to the doctor as well and at only 5 months, Ryker is 21 pounds 1 ounce. Alek better watch out because pretty soon Ryker will be bigger than him. When the doctor started checking Ryker, he started to cry and so Alek started with the sympathy crying. Thank goodness Rafal was there to help me. As soon as we were done, both boys were happy once again.

I'll be teaching preschool in the fall so I'm busy planning my curriculum. I'm excited, but at the same time I really enjoy staying home and not worrying about a job. At least it will only be a few hours 3 days a week, so it shouldn't be too bad. I hope that it works out well and it will be nice to have a little extra money so that I can supply Alek with his new wardrobes and maybe even buy something for myself.

Summer has just begun and already we've been so busy. Hopefully it will stop raining so much and we can spend some time playing outside and relaxing a little.

Alek's New Bed

Alek has been sleeping in our bed every night for a couple of months now and we decided that it was high time he started sleeping in his own bed. It all began when Alek decided that he didn't want to let me hold him and snuggle him to get him to sleep. So, I started laying next to him in our bed where he let me snuggle and kiss him until he fell asleep, then I would move him to his crib. This worked well for a couple of months, until he decided that he would much rather stay in our bed all night. The truth is that I was so tired of constantly getting up that I let him sleep with us so that I could get some sleep, plus I absolutely loved snuggling with him. After a while he also started taking naps in our bed and they were 2 to 3 hour naps as opposed to his 40 minutes to 1 1/2 hour naps in his crib. It was nice to be able to get ready or get something done while he was napping. We tried to put him back in his crib a few times, but after a couple of days, he would get an ear infection or he would get sick and so I let him back into our bed. He actually became terrified of his crib and would freak out and hold on to me for dear life if I tried to put him in. He is not one that likes to be contained at all, so I decided that maybe we should convert his crib into the toddler bed and then see if he would sleep there. I told myself and Rafal that by the time he was 15 months, he would need to be sleeping in his own bed. Surprisingly, I followed through and Alek has been sleeping and napping in his own bed for 5 nights now. The only catch is that Rafal or I have to sleep on a mattress right next to his bed. I read an article that said that when transitioning kids back to their own beds, it's a good idea to sleep in their room for a week so that when they wake up they can see you are still there, so that's what we're doing. Rafal and I take turns sleeping on the mattress and when Alek wakes up and sees us or feels our touch, he goes back to sleep. He likes his toddler bed much better than his crib and I love sleeping in my bed without him. The other night, Rafal slept in Alek's room and I slept in my bed by myself and had the best sleep that I've had since Alek was born. I think we'll probably end up sleeping in his room longer that a week, but it is so worth it if it means that he will now be sleeping in his own bed. We're still snuggling with him on the mattress to get him to sleep, then moving him to his bed, but at least he is in his own room. Next step, putting him in bed and letting him fall asleep on his own. We're taking baby steps, but at least we're making some progress. I honestly don't know who these things are harder on, Alek or us.

What We've Been Up To

It's been almost a month since my last blog and although there has been plenty to blog about, I just haven't wanted to spend my little bit of spare time on the computer. Here's what we've been up to lately. Alek is now 14 months old and has really started talking. We're not quite sure what he's saying all of the time, but every now and then we recognize a word in Polish or English. He's also using some sign language to communicate. He signs "more" for just about everything. It doesn't always apply, but he thinks that if he signs "more," then he'll get what he wants, and he usually does. He also knows how to sign "please, milk, and thank you." Alek has become quite the little climber and loves to climb on the kitchen chairs and then up to the table. He can climb off of our bed, but can't quite climb on yet. He loves to play outside with all the neighbor kids and his favorite toys are his lawn mower, his broom, and his stroller. He's been sick with the flu twice in the last two months and even though he was throwing up, he was still a happy little guy. He's usually always happy and content, but lately has started throwing a few fits when he doesn't get what he wants. He has also become quite the little helper. He loves to throw his diapers and Ryker's diapers in the Diaper Genie. He also throws his pajamas in the laundry basket. He loves to empty the dishwasher and is great at handing me the dishes. He loves to sweep and mop and get a wipe and clean everything (He is so my child). He loves his cousin Ryker and helps hold his bottle, put his plug in his mouth, burp him, and hand him his toys. He also gives him lots of loves and kisses. Alek absolutely loves the water and we've been swimming twice already. He doesn't care if water gets in his face at all. He will swim until he turns purple and then will finally let me warm him up before he's ready to go back in the pool. Well, that's what we've been up to the past month and hopefully I will get into blogging again.

Alek 14 months Ryker 4 months
Alek pushing Ryker in his stroller.
Ryker looks like he's twice the size of Alek.

Alek and his buddy "The Ryk-Man"
Alek holding and loving the Ryk-Man. Thank goodness Ryker is so good natured and puts up with Alek constantly loving him and bonking him with toys.

Sick Alek
I knew he didn't feel good when he sat in the chair and fell asleep.

My Little Helper
Alek helped me make cookies and also lick the bowl.

A Day at the Farm

We went to the farm at Thanksgiving Point and had a great time petting and feeding the animals.

Alek loved feeding the goats corn. He stuck his whole hand in the goat's mouth and would laugh when it would lick him.

Good thing we had his plug since he was trying to eat the corn as well.

Sadie and Alek.

Alek collecting his favorite thing, rocks. He also likes to try and eat them.

Sadie on the pony. When she was done riding, she had to walk around and pet all of the ponies.

Alek loved riding the pony. He was petting it and talking to it after his ride.

Addie riding the pony. She was so happy because she got to ride it twice.

Ouch! That's Gonna Leave a Mark

We spent the nice warm day swinging, having a picnic, going for a walk, and playing with friends. Alek was having such a good time until about 5:30 when he came face to face with the driveway. He was playing with a basketball and chasing it down the driveway. The good news is, he caught his ball, the bad news is he rolled right over it and skinned his head and nose on the driveway. He cried for about 30 seconds and then he wanted to play with his ball once again. It looks worse then it actually is, but I felt so bad for the little guy. He plays hard and has the bumps and bruises to show for it. At least he gets right back up and is ready to go again.

Happy Easter

This year Easter is on my Mom's birthday so we decided to get some cute pictures of the grandkids in their Easter outfits for her birthday present. They turned out really cute. We took individual pictures and a group picture. The group shot was tricky since we had 2 babies that needed to be held and Alek who wanted to run away, but it still turned out cute. Thanks to Desi's sister-in-law Brittney who did a fantastic job on the pictures.

The Cousins
Addie (5), Ryker (3 months), Sadie (3), Asher (2 1/2 months) and Alek (1)

Spring Come Soon

I am so sick of this weather! I'm tired of being stuck inside the house looking out at snow. I couldn't believe it snowed today, I mean it's April. Well, we are in Utah and this happens every year, but this year it seems even worse because Alek really wants to go outside. He looks out the window and points to the swing across the street at my parent's house. I keep telling him that when it gets warm, we'll go and swing. Also he has had a stuffy nose and a bit of a cold for 3 weeks now. It starts to clear up, then comes back again. I am constantly wiping and cleaning out his nose. At night it's awful because he can't suck on his plug. I hope that it gets warm soon and stays warm and then maybe Alek won't keep getting sick. I definitely have SPRING FEVER and I sure hope that we start seeing some Spring like weather soon.

Best Buddies

Alek absolutley loves his cousin Ryker. I watch Ryker 4 times a week and he and Alek are best buddies. Alek is so happy when Ryker gets here in the morning. He squeals with delight and gives him kisses. He loves to help wash Ryker in the bath and always throws Ryker's diaper away and puts his clothes in the laundry basket. Whenever Ryker cries, Alek always checks to see if he is all right. Sometimes he even tries and puts Ryker's plug back in his mouth, although usually he gets it in his eye. The other day when Ryker was fussing, Alek went over to his bouncer with a toy and shook it for Ryker, then put his plug in his mouth for him. I was so proud of him because usually he tries to take Ryker's plug for himself. He also loves to rock Ryker in his carseat or bounce him in the bouncer. I'm so happy that Alek has adjusted so well to Ryker and is so sweet and loving towards him. They are going to be the best of friends.

I Love to be Outside

We have been taking advantage of this beautiful weather and spending a lot of time outside. Alek absolutely loves to be outside and gets very upset when it's time to go in. Alek loves to swing and slide. My parents set up a swing set at their house and since it's right across the street, we go there daily. We can't pass the swing set without Alek pointing and grunting. He could swing all day long. Sometimes he even falls asleep in the swing. Hopefully the good weather is here to stay since I know that Alek and I will be spending a lot of time outside.

Happy Birthday Alek!

Alek is now 1 year old. I can hardly believe how fast the time has gone by. He had a fun birthday party with his aunts and uncles and grandma and grandpa. A lot has happened in his first year. He has changed so much and learned to do so many things. He is an excellent walker now, walking forwards, backwards, and in circles. He has 3 and 1/2 teeth right now and more on the way. He's been drooling a lot lately and a little bit cranky. He loves to be outside and is upset when it's time to go in. He's still not a great sleeper unless he sleeps with mom and dad (which is usually every night) and then he does pretty well. He loves to give hugs and kisses and when he wants something he leans his head towards you so you can kiss him. He loves balloons and M&M's. He usually gets a new balloon weekly and goes crazy if he sees them at the store, pointing and grunting. He has such a sweet tooth and the sound of a bag of candy sends him running towards you. You definitely can't sneak anything past him. He's being a picky eater right now and sometimes is too busy to take the time to actually eat all of his food. He loves his cousin Ryker who is only 2 months old, but Alek still tries to play with him and loves to give him kisses. He's a smiley happy boy and he has filled our lives with happiness. Happy Birthday Alek Boy! We love you.

Rafal and I got him a bath toy and a baseball tee.
Rafal sang "Happy Birthday" in Polish and I sang it in English.

Alek's favorite gift.

Getting ready to party with daddy.

The cake was homemade chocolate with chocolate cream cheese frosting.

Alek had his own cake which had M&M's all over the top. He ate most of the M&M's and a little bit of the chocolate cake.

Grandpa singing "I'm the Birthday Boy." He's a little crazy, but we love him.