• Weeks 1-4
• Weeks 5-8
• Weeks 9-12
• Weeks 13-16
• Weeks 17-20
• 5 Months
• 6 Months
• 7 months
• 8 months
• 9 months
• 10 months
• 11 months
• First Birthday
• 12 months
• 13 months
• 14 months
• 15 months
• 16 months
• 17 months
• 18 months
• 19 months
• 20 months
• 21 months
• 22 months
• 23 months
• Second Birthday
• 24 months
• 25 months
• 26 months
• 27 months
• 28 months
• 29 months
• 30 Months
• 31 Months
• 32 Months
• 33-34 Months
• 35 Months
• 36 Months
• Third Birthday
• March 2005
• April 2005
• May 2005
• June 2005
• July 2005
• August 2005
• September 2005
• October 2005
• November 2005
• December 2005
• January 2006
• February 2006
• Fourth Birthday
• March 2006
• April 2006
• May 2006
• June 2006

• Main Alec Page

13 Months

We celebrated your 13 month birthday by stealing dad away from school and going to Taughannock Falls State Park. It was such a beautiful day out, we just had to play some hooky. Dad put you in your backpack and you were in your glory. You smiled and laughed the whole time - so happy to be up high and bouncing around. You also had fun hitting dad on the head :)

Alec, you have made your dad the happiest guy in the world. You say "da" now for him. You see him and say "da da da da da" With this funny high pitched tone on the first few syllables. If I say "Alec, where is dad?" You go to the front door and pull on the handle yelling "da da" - because he always comes home through the door!

Oh Alec, you are a handful now! So much fun, but such a stubborn boy! Today you had your very first store meltdown because I wouldn't buy you what you wanted. Well, you didn't understand we weren't buying it, you were just so frustrated and angry and didn't understand why I was taking the toy away from you. But it was a Dora the Explorer rolling suitcase filled with colorforms and art stuff for much older kids - not for babies! YOu didn't understand, you just thought it was a suitcase - and you love suitcases! It was quite a struggle to carry you through Target with you arching your back and screaming at the top of your lungs. I felt bad because you couldn't understand, but I had a glimpse of what is to come!

You were funny at Target as well though. As we were coming down the aisle you saw a big cage of balls and you saw them and started screaming "ball, ball, ball" But then you saw the suitcase and weren't interested in anything else anymore.

Tonight (4/1) you said a new word! You said "mo" when you wanted more tomatoes at dinner tonight! I was so excited! And you seemed to be making half of the sign language sign for more, only using one hand instead of two. This communication thing is pretty cool Alec.

You are really starting to climb on things.

At Tot-Spot this week you were your normal, adventurous self. Driving the plastic cars around, going down the slide, getting into everything. But this was the first time you discovered the parachute. It's a big brightly colored piece of fabric that the moms hold and wave up in the air and the kids run underneath. You had always been somewhat ambivalent or even scared before. This time you were running all around under it, laughing like it was just the coolest thing you had ever seen. Then you got hold of the small one and were running around throwing it over your head and laughing. You crack me up sweet baby.

Alec, your vocabulary is just growing by leaps and bounds! We were watching Baby Shakespeare and a cat came on and the video was saying "CAT" and you walked over, pointed and said "KA". I was so proud! And it also relieved some of my guilt for letting you watch TV. Then on the way home today (4/3), we pulled into the parking lot and I said "Alec, we're home!" and you said "HO" - You amaze me!

And yesterday (4/5) you tried to say apple when we were having a snack, but then you got confused and kept calling it a ball! Then we were reading a farm book when we were shopping at Michael's and I wa naming the animals and after I said goat, you yelled "GO". I think you must be brilliant.

We went to a petting zoo today at the Vet school. They had cows, horses, a camel, llama and baby ducks. You thought it was all pretty cool. Though I am not sure if you understood that these ducks were the same as your bath ducks :) I can't wait to take you to the zoo if the weather ever gets nice!

Best thing ever happened tonight (4/6). Absolutely the best thing ever. You gave me kisses! For awhile now when I say kisses, you would come over and offer me your cheek. A few days ago you started putting your open mouth to my cheek - not quite a kiss and rather slobbery and messy. Tonight, you put your lips together, made smacking noises and kissed my cheek! It was the sweetest thing ever. And then you kept on smacking your lips and making the kissing sound. You were so cute Alec! I teared up of course.

I tear up easily these days - you are accomplishing so much and growing so big every day! Today you helped me build a tower of stacking blocks for the first time. Usually you try to destroy it before I have it built, but this time you would take the next bucket and pile it on the tower. You were so proud of yourself and so was I!

You have completely mastered the word more. Whenever you want more of something you just yell "MO!" and then when I give it to you, you say "Mo" very quietly in this sort of amazed voice, like "Aha, she understood me, she gave me what I wanted, this is so cool!"

I have made you a rice box - sort of a sand box for broke people who live in cold climates :) It;s just a rubbermaid container filled with white rice and you love to play in it, scooping the rice, feeling it, digging like it was sand. It's somewhat messy but for the enjoyment it gives you - it is so worth it. It cracks me up when you climb into the container - it really isn't;t that big so once you are in it, you take up all the rice and it makes it difficult to play. You don't seem to mind though!

Oh Alec, I have been bad about writing in your 13 month journal. What to say, what to say. You are just the light of my life - well most days :) You are developing such a stubborn streak! You know what you want and sometimes you get frustrated if you can't express yourself, and other time you really freak out if I deny you something by saying "not for babies" - if it is something you can;t have, is dangerous, etc. You will scream, arch your back, fall dramatically to the floor and roll round a bit. Quite impressive.

You have resurrected the "drama queen" face. I just love it. You squeeze your eyes closed and sort of grimace/smile. Cracks me up every time.

You are really developing your language. You try so hard to talk, and are becoming quite articulate and you point a lot now. You want to know the names of everything and you try to repeat a lot. Your newest words ar "bear, home, bottle", which sound like "beh, ho, and baba".

You really understand things though. As soon as we put our coats on you go right to the door and are ready to go. I can ask you to go get a book and you go get one. If I say it's time for bath you go to the bathroom, and if I ask you if you want to eat, you walk to your highchair. It is so cool!

The weather has been so crazy this April. We try to go to the park as often as we can, but some days it is just too cold or rainy - or even snowy. Unbelievable! You just love it there though, especially the sandbox. We did manage to go one afternoon with some of your friends and then out for ice cream afterwards. You are so-so on the ice cream but you love to eat the cones!

You are really climbing things now, even mastering getting on your little ride on cars. Though you do get on backwards! It's quite funny. But you can also now make them move by pushing off with your feet. I remember when your feet didn't even touch the ground!

You also have figured out how to climb my step stool, you are quite the daredevil. I think you think it should be a slide and you get to the top and seem to wonder - what was the point?

We went out to lunch with Vivi and Caro - your first real lunch at McDonalds. You got a Happy Meal with a ball in it - between that and all the french fries you could eat, you were one happy baby!

We went on a road trip to Boston with your Mimi and Granddad - I am so glad they came with us. You were so good in the car, but I know it would have been a very different story if your Mimi was not there to entertain you! You just love her - whenever she would leave the car or room you would just totally burst into tears, just devastated. You don;t do that when I leave! I must admit my feelings were a little hurt. Though I console myself with that fact that Mimi says I did the same thing to her with Nan.

On our road trip we stopped in to see your Uncle Brian at college. He loved showing you off to his friends! You seemed most impressed by the ice cream dessert at Friendly;s - you have simple tastes :)

We got you a beautiful, luxurious, wonderful new car seat. I am so happy - it is so much easier to use than your old one and it installs so much easier in our car - I feel you are so much safer! But it is huge and didn't fit rear facing in our car all that well so we decided to turn you forward facing. The first time you sat facing forward you looked so amazed, like you didn't;t understand what cool new thing had just happened to you. You love looking out the windows and watching the cars, trees and houses go by. You are recognizing places now too. Whenever we pull into the parking lot at dad's school you see his building and immediately start yelling "da-DA" The first time you did it I thought my heart would melt. You were so excited to see your dad! But then we went through the McDonalds drive thru and you were just as excited. Poor dad!

We celebrated your second Easter on Sunday (4/20). I tried to hide some Easter eggs around the house but you either weren't into it or didn't;t quite grasp the concept. Oh well. I know next year you will be going crazy running around trying to find the eggs. We went to your great-Nan and Pop's for Easter and for Nan's 81st birthday. We drove down there and went out to brunch with them and Mimi and Grandad. You were such a good boy! And thoroughly spoiled by your great-grandparents and grandparents. They seem to think it's Easter Claus instead of the Easter Bunny! But you sure did look cute in your sailor suit, even if the snaps kept popping open!

You have mastered "feet first" for getting off the bed. You understand how to scoot or maneuver your body into the right position to then scoot off the bed. You are very proud of your new skill, even when you push off with too much force and you sort of go flying or land hard on your rear end. Funny boy!

You understand simple commands like "Bring me a book to read" or "Give the book to Dad to read." We have so much fun!

I probably say this over and over throughout your journal Alec, but I just want you to know what a fun and special kid you are. I know, I am probably biased, but I think you are pretty special. You are just so sweet and kind. Your personality is very even, easy going, but just try to prevent you from doing something you want to do and your stubborn streak comes out! you know your mind, that is for sure. It is a true honor and joy to be your mother Alec. Of course we have our bad days, but for the most part you bring me nothing but happiness. I hope I get to be your mom for a very very long time. My sweet precious baby boy.