Manipulation

I should have know it wouldnt take long before the creating would begin. I just thought we would be sewing, not computing!

As soon as I loaded the picnic & "evening festivities" pictures on the computer, JB & Daddy D made the mad rush to be the first/best to make our cute baby even cuter!

Okey(s) from Muskogee

Reinforcements have finally arrived. Jenny Brown & Stretch have invaded Wheeling, and they are here to stay. Or at least until we get tired of crafting or the fall semester starts, whatever comes first...

Stretchy is on Summer vaca from Oklahoma State & JB hated her job, quit and decided the best place to begin her new nomadic life would be with me, in West Virginia. I think it is fantastic that JB recognized that her job (and Oklahoma) were making her miserable and was pro-active to fix the situation. Way too often I find myself, and see my friends, just accepting what they have, rather than making the necessary changes to find/make/achieve what they want. Baby's got sauce.

To celebrate their arrival, we met D @ the work pavilion for a picnic. What fun! We even got to see Daddy in his uniform; so cute!

Zander LOVED the pavilion. Literally, he was trying to eat it... How much wood would a woodchuck (which we saw by the railroad tracks) chuck, if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

He also LOVED papa stretch. And showed his affection by spitting up on his head. That was pleasant. Seriously stupendous.

Of course, that didn't stop Stretchy from putting the lil' plum back up on his shoulders for a better look at the shortest train ever!

Alexander loved the train. He was mesmerized. As soon as he spotted it coming up the track, he couldn't take his big blue eyes off of it! Followed it the whole way off into the distance. I wonder what he was thinking?

After our picnic, we headed to the book store in search of craft-spiration. I never knew there were so many craft books, with so many pretty picture. Almost too much for a girl to handle....

But now it's back to work. JB & Stretch headed north to visit the kin folk. And I'm headed back to the kitchen to make some more Strawberry Jam & finish pureeing Winter Squash for Zander. Yum!

Sitting on Top of the World

Zander's starting to get pretty good at sitting up, playing with his toys. Of course, he would still prefer to stand, but that will come soon enough.

When he is on his belly, he plants his feet on the blanket & pushes his rump up in the air. Kinda like a Downward Facing Dog yoga position, except he balances on his head, rather than his hands. So cute!

And he also does rapid fire push ups and a Yoga Cobra Pose.

I guess he was paying attention to the Wii Fit Yoga last month when my mama lent us her machine. :)

"Family Weekend", Daddy renamed Father's Day!

Our pediatrician suggested we introduce spoon feeding @ 4 months, but everything I've read, and with Jenn's experience, we decided to wait to introduce rice cereal until around 5 months (I couldn't wait until 6!). The APA says the risk of developing food allergies is greater the earlier solids are introduced and that you cant beat breast/bottle nutrition before 6 months.

Last week we introduced carrots. And did that boy like them! Yummy!

I'm so excited to keep introducing new fruits & vegetables! I'm hoping that with solid foods, Alexander will start spitting up less! How great would that be?

So, in anticipation of his new baby food diet, I pureed & froze single servings of carrots & sweet potatoes for the little guy to eat later. Denis & I made the rounds to all the local farmer's markets on Saturday looking for more local, organic veggies to cook up for Zaney, but all we came home with was yellow zucchini.

I got so excited about making the baby food for Zander, I finally got my act in gear & cooked up the strawberries we picked last weekend in PA and can a few jars of jam. D just called & said blueberry season starts July 20 in WV... I guess that means we'll have to get cooking on the wine next!

Last time JB & Stretchy came to visit, Jenny made Alexander a colorful birdie that I was supposed to make into a colorful mobile... I never made the mobile, but Zander LOVES to play with the birdie!

He also LOVES to play in the Waleski Kiddo's old bouncy car!

He's kinda like a pimp, laid back, cocked to one side, rollin' through the back yard..

After a very busy, chore-filled weekend, we all relaxed in the back yard with the BR couple, their babe and the neighbors... unfortunately, we stayed up watching the fire way too late!

"No, I want hug!"

Moldovan Men?

What do you think, does Alexander look Moldovan? Just a little extra tongue:).

A field hand @ a princess party

Zander Bob made his first trip to the "big" garden in Central PA last weekend. Daddy, Baby, Blake & I made a quick trip to pick strawberries before heading over to Sarah's birthday party.

Zaney wasn't too good at picking the strawberries, but he pulled a few pounds of leaves & stems for daddy.

It was great to have Blake with us in Carlisle. He's spending some time visiting his mama in TN & traveling the country before he starts working in New Orleans in July.

Saturday afternoon was another great birthday party @ Jenn's house. All the girls dressed up like princesses & Ethan was the only prince. He loved it! Blake said it was great birth control!

Lindsey & Mike made their first trip back to Carlisle as a cute married couple, too bad they didn't make it into this picture! Connie, Johnny & Jake also came in from J-town & Shannon and her family drove through to say farewell before the Coast Guard floated them off to Seattle.

And, of course, there was cake.... how does Jenn do it? All i know is that I haven't eaten that much cake in a long time. So yum. Mmmmm.

Chillin' with gramps. Boy those were some nice clouds!

A whole lot of celebrating going on!

Surprise, Babushka Anna!


Since Anna decided to spend her 60th Birthday with us in Wheeling, D & I thought it only logical to throw her a surprise party. And boy was she surprised!



Her best friend flew in from Brooklyn for the day to surprise her;

And Stretch, minus the ol' Crafted Chain, came in from Oklahoma;


And my parents, Jenn & her family and our Wheeling friends all helped us celebrate with Anna!

And a few short hours after we closed down Anna's party, everyone was dressed in their Sunday best for Baby Alexander's Mother's Day Christening.

But the best dressed of us all was definately Alexander in our family Christening Gown. My mama & Jenn stitched the gown years ago for Ethan's Baptism & each of the children have worn it for their special day eversince.

And if wearing the gown wasnt special enough on it's own, Alexander also wore a special cross that Denis' aunt sent us from Moldova after having her Russian Orthodox Priest bless it for little Zaney. AND Anna's co-worker, who is an African Priest sent us a very appropriate bib & bootie set to wear... of course, Alexander's gorilla feet barely fit!

The baptism was so special! All of Alexander's little friends were there, including Owen, James, Julie & Colleen. I felt so loved when i looked back & saw our neighbors at church, along with the 2 other young families who dont normally attend that service. It was wonderful! I cried a little, but what else is new?

after church, we headed home for another great meal with great friends. Thank goodness we had leftovers from Anna's party! I think we fed another 16 people on Sunday. My mom said we should have had the men in there cooking, since it was mother's day, but I guess we all know that isnt how it works!

Oh, and did I mention Jenn's cake? One word, Yum!

And then there was a wedding...

Lindsey & Mike Tolino

And what better way to end a great month, than with some breakdancing?