Disney cruise 11/24/2015

Over thanksgiving the Alexander family (with grandma robin and grandpa Tom) went to Miami and on a Disney cruise to the Bahamas for 4 days. You had a BLAST!!! First night you attended the bippity boppity boutique and picked out a princess tiana dress. You had a blast. We stopped at key west and went to the butterfly exhibit. Was so cool to see so many butterflies flying around our faces. Day 2 we went to Nassau and you swam with the Dolphins. Then we attended a tangled musical on the boat. I think you ha too much of a smoothie at dinner combined with no poop for four days and unfortunately you threw up at the end of the show. But after a shower and sleep, you woke up the very next day to castaway cay and we played at the beach allllll day long. You went down water slides and met Mickey and Minnie on the beach. You had all the characters and princesses sign your autograph book. You loved dressing up and seeing all the other kiddos dressed up. We even went to a pirate party and got to see fireworks off the top floor of the boat. The trip was sadly over before we knew it but you had such a sweet time. I tried to con dad into a Disney timeshare but he wasn't having it sadly. Looking forward to your next vacation adventures you little explorer you. 

1st day of pre-k

Ahhhhhh. I know, you will read this over & over again but it's so true when people say don't blink, it all goes by so fast. And it does. I still remember the day I dreamt you up in my mind. What you would look like, how you would act, what I would name you, all the things we would do together. And they are all approaching faster than I anticipated. Today was your first day of school. You are attending water of life in rancho cucamonga. Your teachers name is mrs. Nicole. Your classroom is the garden room. You squealed like a kid in a candy store running into class today. You were SOOO excited. I tried to act excited for you, but I was shaking in my boots. I cried. I walked back two times to see you, both of which you were playing and didn't even turn your back. Those 4 hours without you were long. Eli roamed the halls looking for you, calling your name but to no avail. We missed you like crazy, but I am happy to see you in an environment that teaches you to share, to grow & to learn. I am so confident you are going to be a great student, you really are the perfect little girl. Your favorite things to do ALLLLLL day long is dress up like princess Ariel and play with clip dolls or playdoh. You love to eat popsicles, oatmeal, smoothies, yogurt, peanut buyer & jelly, ice cream (banilla) , play with Eli, and go to Disneyland (your favorite ride is Ariel) . You amaze me and your father EVERY SINGLE DAY with your words and actions. I'm so proud to call you mine and can't wait to watch you grow. 

3 years in the eyes of your father

To my little sweet baby girl. Today, you turned three years old. Three years ago from today you changed my life forever. You changed my life for the better in so many ways. You added meaning into my life that words cannot capture the true meaning of. You have such an innocent soul and heart. I will always be here to help guide you through this "sometimes” -difficult world. I will help in a way that ensures you grow and accomplish goals on your own. I will be here to pick you up; I will be here to encourage you to keep going. I will show you what I can, and you will have the tools to take and interpret life and use it to flourish. This past year you have grown amazingly into this little person that I am joyfully, tearfully proud to call you my daughter. You have mastered potty training, feeding yourself, counting numbers, performing the alphabet, recognizing objects, asking funny questions and having the most fantastic statements. My favorite statement that you say is "that's a good idea daddy". Everyday I come home, something new is happening and evolving in your life, I can hardly take how much happiness you bring into mine, your mommy’s, and your brothers life. You are absolutely an angel that your grandma Deborah Jean has sent down to her baby girl, aka my wife and your mommy.

Your mom and I are running around today trying to get a bunch of stuff together for your party. Honestly, I think you would be okay with not much, but your mommy and I love you so much it makes us feel good to put effort into attempting to make you have a special day. You are aware that you have a party today, you know how to sing happy birthday and are very excited that people will be celebrating you today. You deserve this day as all children do. Soon, you will start preschool, I know it will be tough for you to go, and for your brother and mommy to let you go, but you will go, and you will grow. 

There are many times I pass on places to go with friends and acquaintances, I pass because I love the time I get with our family. Also, on the weekends, your mommy needs a break from the rough and tough weeks you little heathens put her through. There will be a “hopefully temporary” time in the future when you want nothing to do with your brother, mom, or me. I intend to use that timeframe to do many things that I have elected to pass on at this time in your life.  I know that family is the most important part of life, and fatherhood is not only my duty but also my passion in life ever since 4-13-2012, your true birthday. For my dedication and time commitment to my family, you can one day thank your grandpa Don for instilling that in me, not by any words he expressed or any lectures he has given, but solely based on his actions. I aspire to be available to you while you grow as my dad, your grandpa don, was/is to me. 

3 sweet sweet years old

My little love you are THREE!!! I cannot believe how quickly the time has passed. I still remember the day we found out I was pregnant. How excited I was, how much I couldn't wait to be your mommy. How sick I was during pregnancy. How afraid I was that I wouldn't be good enough. How absolutely stunning you were the second I laid eyes on you. 7lbs, 14oz and oh so sweet. You were quiet and sleepy and oh so sweet those first few days. Then the REAL Deb showed up. Sassy and screaming and demanding my every second. Me being a new mommy, I just assumed babies were supposed to kick scream and cry allllll day long. One of my mothers friends came to visit you and tried to soothe you for HOURS..and nothing. She suggested I take you to the doctors and then we found out you were a colic kid. Now bounce forward three years and you are the HAPPIEST baby on the block. You love everything. You're enthusiasm for life is contagious. You're learning so fast, talking so well and ready for all the new things that come your way. You love to paint, play with chalk, anything Ariel, thread beads, do puzzles, count to 20 (okay you. Heat a little) , know the alphabet. Your favorite tv shows are little bear, props pig and bubble guppies. You repeat EVERYTHING. When the door rings your running to answer it "who's there?" You mostly call yourself DJ when people ask you your name. When daddy leaves the house you ask him if he's  "going to Home Depot". You love cuddles and hugs. You're learning to share with brother, can't say you're a big fan of it at all. You LOVE Disneyland. "Mommy, we going to Disneyland today?" You ask this at least once a week. We took you lay week on your actual birthday and you had a blast. You are always the center of attention, demanding to be seen and heard. I know I dreamt about you for years before you came but I never knew how much I could love you, how much you could push me, how much you can make me be better and stronger. You have proven to me that I can be a great mother and that I am capable of this intense amount of love in my life. You have brought me joy when there were moments I was sure it wasn't possible. You came into my life at a perfect time, proving to me my mother was somewhere in my spirit and in yours..you help me see her and feel her in you all the time.  

Your hair is blonde, your eyes are greenish brownish. You always tell mommy that "E-lllliiiii and mommy have green eyes" "DJ and daddy have same eyes" you love strawberries fresh from our garden and playing with your cousins . You are the apple of my eye. I love everyday I get to call you my daughter and you get to call me mommy. Happy 3rd birthday Deborah Jean Alexander 

February 2015 --- 34 months old

My sweet girl, you are simply AMAZING!!!  Every signee day gets more and more sweet and special with you. You are talking full sentences and so full of life and love. 

Your favorite character is STILL ariel, you want to play dress up ALL day long. It's more of a battle to get you into regular clothes nowadays. You ask to go to Disneyland at least once a week. Your favorite ride there is "little mermaid". You are really good at puzzles, know your ABC's, can count to 10, love to paint, be outdoors, chase the neighborhood boys, buckle yourself in the car seat, drink smoothies, eat junk food, wear tutus all day long, "play dress up", watch Sofia the first, play with Kendall, FaceTime, take showers, anything PINK , gardening outside with your nana, torture your brother, balloons, chalk, helping daddy pick up dog poop , and help mommy in the kitchen. 

You have a big girl bed, are fully potty trained, sleep well at night! Such a joy to be around and watch you grow! 

December 2014

My gosh it has been awhile since I have updated your blog. You are currently 2.5 years old, and growing leaps and bounds every single day. I spoke once about how you were attending speech therapy but girl, you can talk for DAYYYYYSSSS. Pretty sure your favorite sentence is "I want candy mommy" or "I want chocolate milk momma" "pweeeassse". I am enjoying so much of this phase, but let me tell you the TANTRUMS are real. Every single day you put up a fight, usually over ariel clothes and nap/sleeptime. You have an opinion on everything. "what's this mommy? " so curious about the world around you.
Last night my heart melted. daddy usually puts you to bed but I decided to lay with you after a pretty bad meltdown. you were the happiest little girl ever, kept snuggle your head into my arms, looking up at me with smiles, and then of course gazing into my eyes and telling me "I love you mommy". my heart exploded. I don't know how i ever get mad or sad at you because you're just so gosh darn cute.
you very much enjoy Eli now, sask always for two of everything. "eli wants one mommy" pretty sure sometimes its just so you can eat his too but nonetheless you are a great big sister. you guys love to run the halls with a stick or long ribbon, each of you holding one side until one of you falls. your hair is still golden blonde, your teeth are perfect, your smile can melt anyones soul. You are such a happy kid, always smiling and laughing ( so different from you as a baby). you are fully potty trained with very few accidents. You got a big girl bed this past month. you are OBSESSED with all things the little mermaid. So much so that your cheap dad even sprung for a $80 lamp for your room. You love going to disneyland. You also love watching TV. You can count to ten. You're super headstrong, never doing anything unless you really want to.
We took our first trip to the polar express this year with all of your cousins. You had a BLAST, mom not so much. Traveling with two toddlers alone is tough work. I got no sleep, eli got no sleep, but you slept like a rock. you were really good the whole ride surprisingly, only crying the last hour or so because you were delirious for sleep. We also took your pacifier away recently, about two months ago. You went to the disney store and in order to get an Ariel doll you had to pay the cashier with all of your "dohs' as you call them. after that i was petrified of the days to come but you actually barely asked after the first two days.