Alex 29 months, Zachary Newborn

This month has brought a lot of change to our family.  We welcomed a new addition to our family, Zachary Thomas Mikos on December 7th.  Alex continues to be a lot of fun and remains our sweet little boy.

Alex has really enjoyed his first semester at St Brigid Day School.  He has made some new friends and even has a new little girlfriend, Anna Grace (as mentioned in a previous post).  This was his first school performance ever.  It was for Thanksgiving and they sung The Whole World in Our Hand.  In the picture above Alex is looking for us...

This is when he finally spotted us!  You could hear him say, "That's my Daddy, that's my Mommy!"

After he found us he still wasn't interested in signing, he just wanted to check out what everyone else was doing.

After a previous bad hair cut, I was so glad to have Alex get a good haircut again I had to take a picture.

Alex is just like his father, keeps things neat and tiddy...

Video:  Alex 'getting organized'!!

Trent happy to help out with his baby brother Spencer.

Peter and his mini-me.  Alex has really gotten into wearing these Cars rainboots I got him.  We have like them as well because they are the only shoes Alex can put on his own.  So he is wearing them everywhere lately!! 

Alex's first visit with Santa was way more successful than I expected.  He wasn't scared at all and even told Santa what he wanted for Christmas - a ball.

Alex actually asked to hold Spencer (and had fun doing it).  Hopefully this will carry forward to when his brother arrives.

Alex helping Daddy put the star on the top of the tree!

My sweet boy asleep in the car.

Writing with his new pencil and paper he got a Trent's Birthday party.  Alex loves to write, color, and do crafts.

Alex lighting his Advent candles.  He loved to blow the candles out.

Alex in his Christmas outfit from Grandma!

Alex in his second school performance - singing Jingle Bells.

Last picture of me pregnant at home.  This was December 7th around 12:30 before we headed to the hospital.  Hard to believe there is a 8 lb 5 oz baby in there, huh?

My last picture with Alex as an only child.  He looks real concerned - doesn't he!!  :)

So here is the story... Pete and I were both working from home.  I was in my 39th week and so ready for this baby to come.  I had fully expected it to come early since Alex had come 2 1/2 weeks early so being 39 weeks and 2 days I was about over it all.  I was finally starting to think I'd get to my due date and maybe go over it.  It was 11:30ish and I had gone upstairs to talk to Pete and see what we were going to do for lunch.  Pete had to leave at 11:50ish to go get Alex from school so we had to come up with a plan.  I was laying on the bed in our office/guest bedroom talking with Pete about what we should have for lunch.  I asked him to come over and talk to my belly because I hadn't felt Zachary move that much and I was just ready for him to come out.  So being silly Pete came over and talked to Zach telling him to come out.  We finished up our conversation and had decided what we wanted for lunch so I was getting up and off the bed when I felt my water break.  At first I was like no - this can't be happening - but it was ON!!  It really couldn't have worked out more perfect (even though I had been worried about the worse case scenario for weeks).  It was Friday afternoon.  Alex was at school but Pete was about to go get him.  We all ready had the sitter planning to come over to watch Alex in the afternoon while we worked.  Pete was getting ready to head into a weekend of working that he wasn't looking forward to and I had all ready handed off all my work so I didn't have that much going on.  The only bad part was that Lisa was working so she did have to leave work a little early to come get Alex.  But overall it couldn't have worked out better.  We had to go to the doctors office first just to confirm my water had broken.  The doctor said there was no doubt as a pool of water formed on the office floor as she checked!  It was on!  We stopped and got something to eat and then headed ot the hospital.

By the time we got to the hospital it was about 2/2:30.  My goal was to not have an epidural like I did with Alex.  I gave it a real good effort but when things started getting slow at 4cm and the contracitons were geting really intense I gave in and got an epidural.  I have to say in the end I kind of wish I didn't do it.  It definitely helped with the contraction pain but I still had a really bad lower back pain that was almost as bad.  Then I ended up having a bad headache for about a week after having the baby (not 100% sure it was related since all the doctors said it wasn't but still I didn't have the same issue with Alex).  After I got the epidural the baby arrived about 45min/an hour later.  Zachary Thomas Mikos arrived at 8:34pm on Friday, December 7th.  He weighed 8 lbs, 5 oz and was 22 inches long.  The deliver was easier than Alex - I felt like I hardly pushed (only about 6 times) before he came out.

Zachary just after he is born.  For now we are calling him Zachary.  We called Alex, Alexander for a few weeks after birth so who knows if we will shorten it to Zach - I'm sure we will.  Although Alex ony calls him Zachary so that might stick - we'll see.

Pete's first time holding Zachary!

Here are some pictures of Alex at his cousins.  He ended up just staying Friday night and most of Saturday.  Here he is cutting babies hair with a saw!

Playing Doctor with Dr Lea.  Love how Trent is over in the corner waiting for his turn with Dr Lea.

Playing outside!

Saturday Pete picked Alex up and they went out to dinner on our typical night 'Out'.  Here Alex is signing the bill!

Almost looks like he is smiling!

The two pictures below are Zach and Alex.  Was trying to pose Zach just like Alex so we could see the difference in looks and size.

Zach ready to head home.  The hospital stay with Zach was soooooo different.  With Alex we got there Wednesday night and left Sunday and we had several complications along the way.  With Zach it was super easy.  Got in there Friday afternoon and was out of there Sunday just after lunch with not a single complication (except for my headaches).

Video:  Alex and Zach meet for the first time!

Say cheese daddy and Zachary!!  Alex has really gotten into playing with his little camera.

Holding Zachary for the first time. 

He was all ready to feed him as well!

Video:  Alex feeding Zach

Timing really worked out with Zachary.  Tom and Lauren had planned to come down Sunday the 9th of December regardless.  It really just worked out that it was the night we brough Zach home!!

 

Special time with Daddy, Grandpa Mikos, and Lauren at the mall.  They rode the choo choo train, visited with Santa, and rode the carousel.

Alex's second visit with Santa went about as well as the first this year.

Part of the main reason for Tom and Lauren driving down to Georgia was to bring this horse that Pete and Lauren had as kids.  It had been moved from Nancy's to Tom's earlier this year and Tom was itching to get it to Atlanta.  Renee bought Alex some boots and a hat to go along with the occasion.  It was fun for all!!

Video:  Alex gets a horse

Alex wasn't sure what to think at first. Especially since all the adults were acting crazy (there is a video of this that I didn't want to post but will probably load to YouTube at some point).

He slowly started to get into it!

Video: Alex ridding the horse

This is one of my favorites.  We were all in the small bathroom for Zachary's first bath at home.  Alex wanted to 'help' me so the whole time I was giving him a bath he kept his hand on my arm.  So cute!!!

 

Alex has named the horse Browny and as you can tell he loves his horse!

Shorty after Zach was born we had our favorite photographer Nikki come in to take some pictures for us...

Alex - 28 months

More fun with Alex.  This kid is so amazing.  He is really talking up a storm.  Even the girls at daycare are surprised at how much he is talking and asking questions (Pete says he gets that from me).  He will ask the same question over and over and over.  I've finally learned if you turn the question back to him he will answer it no problem.  Here is an example of our conversation the other day...  Alex:  Where are we going?  Me:  Out to eat.  Alex 1 minute later:  Where are we going?  Me:  Out to eat.  Alex 30 seconds later:  Where are we going?  Me finally catching on:  Where do you think we are going?  Alex:  Out to eat.  Then that keeps him quite for about 5 minutes.  Then it starts all over again.  I love it!

He really has gotten into talking on the phone.  At least the fake phone.  If you give him a real phone he just puts it up to his ear and really doesn't say anything.  But with a fake phone he will at least say Hi to the person he is talking too.  Now that he is at both Church pre-school and daycare he has a girlfriend at each place.  Annabelle is his long time girlfriend at daycare and now he has a cute little girl name Anna Grace at pre-school.

Video - Hello Anna Grace

We went to an Art's festival in our area and they had a Home Depot workshop.  We'd thought we'd give it a try.  Alex enjoyed himself and made a good mess in the process.

He built a tool box.

Using the hammer made me a little nervous but he was pretty good at it.

Of course when he saw the purple paint there was no question what color his tool box would be.  The boy is obsessed with purple.  It is the only color he gets right all the time.  Everything he does is about the color purple.  He was helping me Christmas Shop the other day and everything he wanted to pick out had to be purple.

Another new hobby of Alex's is 'going out'.  He loves to go out to eat.  We pretty much go out each Saturday night and there was one night where the ND game was in overtime so Pete didn't want to leave the house so I just ran out to get something.  When I got home with the food and Alex realized we were not going out he started crying... 'I wanna go out'.  I felt so bad for him.  He is such a good boy when we go out though it is really fun.  He loves to take everything in and he really enjoys the experience.

He loves using a fork in knife and he is actually getting pretty good at it.

As you have seen in the past Alex LOVES to help sweep, rake, whatever it is cleaning up related.  He has really enjoyed helping mommy and daddy pick up the fall leaves this year.

So I have a mix of YouTube and blog videos this time around.  This one is of Alex 'working'.  He calls the red thing in front of him his computer (just like what mom and dad work on).  

Lately Pete and Alex have been doing bubble baths at night.  He has so much fun with it.

Alex having fun driving with Ernie.

Lately has gotten SO into marching bands.  He watches the Notre Dame marching band on YouTube all of the time.  We thought we'd take him up to the local high school one Friday night to see what he thought of it.  He LOVED it.

Our neighbor told one of her friends that we were going to try and make it up there to watch the band, she was so nice and came up to us and asked if Alex wanted to touch her saxophone - Alex loved every minute.  Then when he told her he liked the trumpet she got another friend to bring that instrument over so Alex could touch it.  Such an awesome experience.   

Video:  Alex listening to the Marching Band play - they were both behind and in front of us so Alex was checking them out as they played.

Alex in his little fort on the couch.

Alex snuggling with mommy.  He has never been one for snuggling but lately he has gotten better.  He is even more into hugs lately.  He has been coming up to us and saying, 'I need a hug'!  Cutest thing ever!!!!

Little Alex on the Prairie.

Trying on some Halloween looks...

One minute - I'm on the phone.

Dad and Alex heading to the pumpkin patch.

The family on the hay ride.

Alex use to be really good at saying the correct horse sound.  Now he just thinks horses say "Getty up horsey (sp?)"!!  :)

Alex enjoying the playground with Susanna our afternoon sitter after pre-school.  He really loves spending time with her.  They always to fun craft things and have a blast playing together.

Alex loves flowers - especially when they are purple!

GO BEARS!!!

Alex school pictures.  Not that we have a limited supply of pictures of Alex but now that he is at two schools we will get both fall and spring pictures from both places.  I can't believe the prices they charge.  Then this place didn't even let us keep the proofs.  So I took a picture so I'd always have them!!  :)  I know, only me!!

I was pretty darn proud of our pumpkin this year so I had to take a picture.  And the cool thing is that EVERYONE had a hand in making this one, even Alex.

The Mom's group at church hosted a fun Halloween party.  Alex got his face painted for the first time ever.  He was so good and patient!!  

Finished product.

My little Superman at the pre-trick r' treating party.

Alex had a ball trick r' treating.  I had planned to just go to 2 or 3 houses but Alex kept saying, 'One more house mommy.'  He had to be encouraged to say trick r' treat and thank you - he was always to busy taking everything in.  Hopefully he will be a little better next year.

The week after Halloween we headed down to Newnan for another Pumpkin Farm adventure with the Davies.  Alex had a blast with his cousins.  They had a petting zoo and I thought Alex might be interested this time in actually petting the animals but not so much.  Oh well, eventually.

Best cousin shot I could get - Trent, Lea, Spencer, and Alex.  Excited for the 5th cousin in this brew to arrive soon!!  3 1/2 weeks as I type now!!

This is the first time ever that Alex has asked to hold Spencer.  It didn't last long but I was able to get some pictures.

Loved this picture of Alex holding Daddy's finger!

Here is a good video of Alex saying Go Irish!!  Alex has helped pull them to victory many times this year.  Pete couldn't be happier.  

There is a place near our house called Catch Air.  It has bouncy houses, ball pits, kid work out equipment - it is great.  Alex was his usual timid self but I finally got him to jump in the balls (cautiously as it was)!!

Alex working out on the gym equipment.

Fun hat Susanna made for Alex.

He ALWAYS loves to stop and smell the flowers, especially when they are purple.

Video:  Here is another great video of Alex helping with Laundry.  Such a good helper!!

Alex moving the furniture around.

Alex watching YouTube with bear (and yes with a bow in his hair).

Mr Sophisticated is back!!  You know he had to wear it because it was purple.