6 Month Old and a 3 Year Old Celebration!

Our big William Billiam at a very happy 6 months!
Statistics:
Height:  27 1/2 inches
Weight:  20 lbs 10 oz
Abilities:
He can sit upright on his own, roll over from back to front (and front to back),
army crawl towards objects that he wants or barrel rolls over to them.  He began
eating stage 2 solids.  He still loves to laugh!

We found one rogue box hiding under the piano and Alexander
decided to play with it.  Enjoy, big guy!

"Peek-a-boo!"

William thought his brother was hilarious.  He LOVES watching
Alexander.

Here's our happy guy with his tongue sticking out.  Whenever he smiles,
he sticks out his tongue like a little turtle.

Not only did we have a 6 month old in May, but our big boy turned
3 as well!!  What a monumental month!

"Hooray!  It's my birthday!"
Alexander's 3 year old statistics:Taken from an interview with Alexander himself
What is your full name?
Alexander Isaac Franses

How old are you?
I'm "free" years old.

What color is your hair?
Brown - as he touches it.

What color are your eyes?
Brown - as he touched them.

What is your favorite food?
Grinitch spinach

What is your favorite song?
ABC song

What is your favorite treat?
Popcorn

What is your favorite color?
Blue

What is your favorite animal?
Spider

What is your favorite book?
Green Eggs and Ham

What is your favorite store?
Home Depot

What is your favorite thing to do with Daddy?
 Play silly songs with Daddy

What is your favorite thing to do with Mommy?
  Snuggle with Mommy

What is your favorite movie?
 Finding Nemo.  I like the "sark" (shark).

What is your favorite TV show?
 Henry Hugglemonster

Who are your friends?
Nathan, Judah, Marian, Lucy, Sanders, and Arhan

What is your favorite thing to play outside?
I go to the park.

What is your favorite thing to play with inside?
I like Magna tiles! 

Alexander, playing with his birthday card from Mama B and Grandpa.
It had magnetic fronds that, when using magnetic wand, could help
him to decorate the face of a dog.

For Alexander's actual birthday, we got him an Elmo whoopie pie
from a local bakery.  He thoroughly enjoyed it.

Happy birthday, Alexander!!  For his birthday, my sister Kristen and her
boyfriend Pete got Alexander a fancy shmancy birthday cake.  Alexander
said that he wanted a "dinosaur cake with a rushing river and volcano."
Kristen and Pete made it happen and did not disappoint.

We decided to have Alexander's birthday party at a venue this year, rather than having a party at home.  Since he's older, we figured that he and his friends would appreciate a place where they could run around, see some animals, play on a playground, and eat pizza and cake.  I called a few places and per a friend's suggestion, called Lookout Farm in Natick, MA.  Thankfully, they just opened for birthday parties on the weekend of May 11 and had that day available!!  I was very excited because most places were booked for that weekend.

Another view of the cake.  Alexander was very pleased that there
was a T-Rex on the cake.

However, one of his favorite parts was also that it had "Little Foot"
from one of his favorite movies The Land Before Time.  Alexander
thinks that he is Little Foot.

Our big 3 year old, very pleased with his birthday cake.

Tita Kristen, playing around with William.

He also liked the volcano.

Joseph, William, Alexander, and me at Lookout Farms for Alexander's birthday.

Kristen, William, Pete, and Alexander, having fun.

Since it was overcast that day, there weren't a lot of other people at
the farm.  It worked out perfectly, and Alexander and his friends
pretty much had the entire play area to themselves!  

Alexander loved riding on the caterpillar train.

Tita Kristen, holding William, and chasing Alexander around the playground.

Alexander, checking out the goats.

William got a huge kick out of the goats as well.

He was cracking up the whole time!

The apples of my eye!  Joseph, Alexander, and William....if only we
could have brought Oscar.  :)

There was an awesome little bouncy house, too!  What 3 year old
doesn't love this, huh?

You couldn't wipe the smile off of this kid's face.  It was truly so
rewarding to see how happy he and his friends were during the party.

Alexander said that he was "driving the caterpillar cars" and was
very focused and serious.  Too cute.

Me and Alexander

Alexander and his friend Arhan, playing at the playground

My friend Roshni, holding William whom she describes as a "laughing Buddha."

Another turn on the caterpillar cars!  Here is Arhan, all strapped in.

Sanders and Kian were also very excited and ready to drive.

Alexander joined in once he saw his friends were doing it, too.

Alexander and his friend from school, Kian.

Sanders was super excited.

Annnnnnd off they go!

They didn't have any high chairs, so we improvised when feeding
William his solids.

They're back!

Alexander kept his hands on the steering wheels the entire time.
He was very serious about "driving."

Alexander and his friends loved climbing up into the tree house
and sliding down.  They each did this about 20 times, easily.

Kian's turn!

There goes Alexander, again!

Alexander, chasing his friends Lucy and Arhan.

Sanders and Alexander, monkeying around.

After running around for almost two hours, it was time for lunch!  We had some cheese pizza, birthday cake, and freshly made chocolate chip gelato from the farm.  What a treat!

Alexander is ready to get his grub on.

After running around for so long, we were
all pretty hungry.

Alexander and his buddies, ready for lunch.

It was quiet for a little bit while they were eating.  

Roshni and Kate were helping to encourage the kids to eat up.

Alexander's ready for cake!

Everyone was singing happy birthday to him, and all he could focus
on was the cake.  I don't blame him.  :)

Here's the big guy, blowing out his birthday candles.

He did it!

Alexander's favorite part of the cake is the icing.  He surgically
removed all of the icing and left the cake.

Alexander, digging into his cake...

...and preferring to surgically remove the frosting and leave the rest of the cake.

He loved it!

Alexander and his friends, digging in.

Kian gobbled his slice up!

The Hearnes during cake time.

"More cake??!!"

Lucy and Sanders - two cutie patooties.

Arhan, enjoying his cake, and not feeling the paparazzi at the moment.  :)

Alexander chewing a big ol' bite of cake.

Kristen, William, and Pete, hanging out.

Face painting time!!!  What was awesome about this place for a birthday party was that they have face painting and a music man on the weekends as well.  The kids absolutely loved getting their faces painted and dancing around to the music.

Alexander was shown a list of things that he could have painted on his
cheek.  I found it funny that he chose a spider - even though he's terrified of them.

Little man, sitting still while he's getting his face painted.

Alexander getting his face painted, while his friend Arhan watched.

"It's my scary spider!"

His friend Arhan requested a star.

Arhan made himself comfortable on the picnic table while Alexander
picked his second item to put on his other cheek.

Alexander chose a bumblebee but I wasn't able to get a picture of it,
because as soon as he was done, he got up and ran off to play.

Tita Kristen and William, playing with a balloon from the party.

William really got a kick out of it.

We had an absolute blast celebrating Alexander's birthday party at Lookout Farms.  I would totally have his birthday party here again.  What fun times!

Alexander, digging into his presents from his birthday party
with William and Joseph watching.

Oscar loves to help tear the wrapping paper.

Little William, bouncing around on his jumparoo.

He's like Michael Jordan with his tongue hanging out all of the time.
I would definitely not object to this guy playing in the NBA!

Alexander, playing around in mommy's shoes.

William Billiam, rolling around.

Alexander at his 3 year check up.  Our little guy has grown up so much!

Alexander, cheesing for the camera.

William found my hat!!  His right sock is always missing
because he rips it off right away.  Then, once I find it,
it's always soaking wet because he's been chewing on it.
He's a mischievous little guy.

Williamm at his music class - note that his right sock is missing
once again.

Woo hoo!!  Right before he turned 7 months old,
he started sitting up on his own!  I love this age
where you can sit him up and he's not mobile yet.

William's first reaction to grass - ambivalence.

Pirate baby, Yarrrrrr!!

Once William got closer to 7 months, he had two
teeth come in at once.  He kept making this bitter
beer face, trying to feel the teeth.  I thought it was pretty funny.

It's been a little crazy in our household once again, but we're managing.  Hope all is well with one and all and I'll do my best to keep at this blog until I'm up to date.  Until next time...

Love and kisses,

Nikki