This is the Place!

Chicago Part 1

2010-07-21T12:22:00.008-05:00

Our good friends Nefilinda and Fernando decided to just drop by and visit us. It took them about 16 hours to drive to drop by so we decided we better make it worth their while and went to explore the grand city of Chicago! We were being extra adventurous and took the train to the big city which did end up being a lot more relaxing for everyone than driving. Alexander got so excited to see the train. We had looked at plenty of trains in books and I had even taught him the sign for it, which he showed with great excitement when we boarded the train. It was a 5.5 hour trip up there, much of which was spent going up and down the aisles, waving at people.

This is Chicago's Union Station which I thought was beautiful. It was the craziest and busiest train station I had ever seen outside of Europe.

Outside of Union Station

Across the street from Union station, the famous Sears Tower (now Willis Tower). It is the tallest building in the Western hemisphere.

After dropping off our bags at the hotel we headed to the Contemporary art museum. I always love these museums because you never know what you are going to see. Some good, some weird, but also some that really get you to think.

My favorite was this exhibit where the artist used barrels of water in a dark room, to show reflections of what was happening in some villages in Africa. You could not see the pictures because they were hanging above the barrels pointing down. You had to move around and squat down to capture different parts of the images. Very creative!

This exhibit was called Yours and Ours.

Later that evening, the museum hosted a free jazz concert on the terrace. We could sit anywhere we wanted to in their sculpture garden and listen and relax. There was a huge turnout of young families with kids just soaking in the culture and the city at sunset. This is why I love big cities!

Nefilinda and I posing during the concert

Many of the nicer streets and boulevards were beautifully landscaped.

This was our dinner that first night: the famous Chicago deep dish pizza. One slice would do you, but that one slice was heaven!

Day 2: We enjoyed another free activity in Chicago: The Lincoln Park Zoo. Alexander loved looking at all the animals. His favorites were the monkeys and gorrillas because his favorite book right now is A day in the Jungle which showcases these primates. Dad also was enjoying the monkeys.

Gardens at the Zoo.

Waiting for our bus, I thought everyone had the look of, " We have been there, done that.

We are experts at this now."

Alexander's first Merry Go Round ride. He picked the Cheetah all by himself.

Loving it!

On the way back to the hotel after the zoo. Fun but exhausting morning.

Part 2 to come....

Moving in Week

2010-06-21T20:49:00.002-05:00

Well it has been quite hectic since I last wrote. We have been staying at Mick's sister's place in their basement since we got here May 15th. A month later we have finally moved into our own place. We were supposed to be moved in by the beginning of June into a different place but the previous tenant decided he didn't want to move after all and I found this out 2 days before we moved up here! I didn't know you could do that. In College Station that would be unheard of. But they are a little slower paced here and less formal. It actually worked out better because we are in town closer to everything such as the library, pool, park, and family. It isn't the biggest place but it suits our needs for the time. It does have a huge yard though which is what sold it for me, AND IT IS NOT AN APARTMENT! (Pictures coming soon). I feel I have paid my dues with apartments and are through with them if I can help it. It just feels good to be in our own place and it is fun to arrange everything. I love change:) (To a certain degree of course)

It took me long enough!

2010-06-12T22:02:00.009-05:00

Well I have finally started blogging again after almost a year hiatus. I have plenty of excuses though... Which one would you like? Not having access to internet other than library and then have internet slower then dialup or just the classic " I never had time ". Now that internet is greatly up to speed and hopefully time is getting better, I really want to start bloggin more regularly especially since we have just transplanted to a whole new world called.... ILLINOIS (pronounced il-in-oy not il-in-oyss (Mick would want me to put that in))

So yes we have left the great state of Texas and made the great move up north looking for opportunity. After all the packing, getting everything together, lo

ading, and actually making it here 2 days and 18 hours of driving later, I have new respect for pioneers. It would have been a cinch really, but a hyper 1 year old always throws a twist. I was worried because many a time we have gone ten minutes to the grocery store and he is already whining to get out of his car seat. So driving for longer than that scares me at times. Suprisingly, he did better than he ever has! I don't even try

to understand, I just accept it as a blessing:)

We got to southern Illinois about a month ago and have been in transition waiting to move into a house. (Sad to say it is just a rental, but hey it is steps up from being in an apartment) Hopefully we will be able to move into our house this next week and really settle in. In the meantime we have kept ourselves busy. All 5 of Mick's

brothers and sisters live in the small town here of about 9,000 which makes it alot of fun. And Grandma is only 2 hours away instead of 16! Here is some of what we have been up to:

Coloring with cousin Laken (whose house we have inhabited for the past month)

Playing at the local "Tot Lot" (Dad is having too much fun)

Who was this slide built for??

Hiking at Garden of the Gods

Attending Aunt Gatha's crazy Roller Derby Bout

It has been busy, I do miss everyone back in Texas, but I do not miss the heat. I will do my best to keep up with this so I can stay in touch better with everyone. Wish me luck!

His smile just melts my heart:)

2009-05-28T11:58:00.004-05:00

Truth, Justice, and the American Way!

2009-05-28T11:33:00.004-05:00

For Memorial day, Mick actually took the day off from working and had the chance to spend the day with Alexander and I. We were seeing what there was going on in town, but come to find out there wasn't much so we made our own fun. We had tons of pancakes at the church Boyscout Breakfast and then afterwards went to Walmart to get a few things and that is when he saw it....All 4 Superman movies on one DVD!

Mick has been looking for all of them in a set for so long, mostly to get me to watch them and become cultured in Superman history. So he finally sat me down and I was educated with Superman 1 and 2 to start with. Boy have the graphics changed since the 70's!!! But you have to love old movies like that. You are entertained just by the cheesiness. I have to say it is a great movie for Memorial day in a way because Superman fights for peace just like our troops who are our real life superheroes! I feel very blessed to be in this country and the values which we strive to uphold for every citizen.

Moments

2009-05-12T13:08:00.005-05:00

Alexander trying to stick his tongue out

Just looking cute;)

Life has been pretty good around here. Alexander and I just continue to get to know each other and I love him more and more each day. He just had his one month check up (he is actually 6 weeks, but who is counting;) He has really become quite chunky. He weighed in at 13 lbs and measured 24 inches. I think he is already starting to flirt with the nurses with the cute grin he likes to show every now and then. He has had many new experiences, one of his favorites being that he got to be a part of his Aunt Nefilinda's wedding (who looked absolutely beautiful).

He marched down the aisle with dad and me right behind him as part of the wedding procession. He also had the chance to spend the afternoon with his great grandma and great aunts who spoiled him rotten.

A month ago he arrived....

2009-04-23T14:21:00.005-05:00

I know this post is a month late, but better late than never, right? Well, my little Alexander William came in the kind of early morning of March 25. We weren't expecting him for another week, so it was a little bit of a surprise. He also came quite fast for our first baby according to everyone. I woke up with contractions around 12:30 that morning and by 1:30 they were only five minutes apart. I decided it was time to wake Mick up and get going. I wanted to have a natural birth (something I had been preparing for through classes and reading for the past nine months) so that meant staying at home as long as I could before going to the hospital. Well, I was getting restless at home and just wanted to walk around, plus get some snacks to munch on. Well, the only place that can satisfy both requirements at that time of the morning: HEB!!! I love this store. So at 2:30 we are cruising through HEB, with me stopping every 4-5 minutes to deal with the next contraction. The only people in the store were the stock boys and I am sure they were wondering why a pregnant lady in labor was walking through the aisles. It was an adventure none the less. Well, we checked out and I felt I still had a few hours before I wanted to go to the hospital so we went back home. As soon as I got out of the car, the contractions started getting really intense, so I told Mick to get back in the car and we needed to go! We got to the hospital by 3:30 and by 7:34 our little bundle was here weighing in at 8lbs 1 oz, 21 inches long! I think it was the only time I thought Mick was actually going to cry... but he didn't. Men have to be so macho sometimes. It was a pretty uneventful birth, which was fine by me.

The past month has been one of the hardest months and yet most rewarding months I have ever experienced. Alexander has given us so many laughs and enjoyment already and I look forward to many, many more to come. He truly is the best gift I could ever receive.

Funny Moments

He was once a little peanut...

2009-03-22T16:14:00.010-05:00

I realized (and many others have pointed out) that I haven't really posted pictures of my pregnancy so I finally was in the mood to do so today. I figured I needed to do it fast because the end is near...it could be tomorrow or still a few weeks but I better do it because after that most posts will probably be dedicated to Alexander for awhile.

The Pregnancy in Retrospect

The DAY!!!

We found out unofficially on July 17, 2008. I found out that morning, but Mick had already left for school but I knew I had to tell him. I called him up and it was about 5 minutes before a test. I think he did okay on that test but I am sure I distracted him a little.

At the beginning

On August 12 (which also happened to be our 4th wedding anniversary), we confirmed that he was indeed there and the best way to describe him was he looked like a little peanut.

I couldn't believe that he would grow in just 9 months into a 6-8 pound baby. Heavenly Father is amazing!

September 12: Head, arms, and body showing

November 4: Got to see him breathe. He looked so content.

November 4: Also found out he wasn't shy in telling us he was boy. I don't think I have seen Mick glow or float on air like he did after this revelation since our wedding day.

December 12: Our last glimpse of him... Ten toes accounted for!

Over the next few months he was certainly growing and changing but I didn't really start to show till about Christmas time

Christmas

January

Beginning of February (He already started to drop. No wasting time with this one)

End of February at my Baby Shower (which was wonderful..will post about it next. Don't worry Tiffany!;))

and even with a week and half left, I feel like my basketball keeps growing and not sure how my skin can stretch anymore!

March 22: The here and now!

This pregnancy has just been wonderful and the neatest experience ever. I feel privileged to be a woman and be able to have this responsibility and look forward to meeting my little bundle of joy soon.

P.S. My other "little one", Booger, has been feeling left out of all the excitement and has decided that the cradle will be hers and Alexander will just have to find some other place to sleep. Good try!

My Little Active Alexander

2009-01-30T13:53:00.002-06:00

Just sitting here doing my usual lines and circles in AutoCad and then I get kicked! But not by anyone in my office of course but the little person inside of me. Boy can he pack a punch. Luckily it isn't painful, more ticklish. On top of that his daily hiccups have set in as well, so it starts to become a rythym. Hiccup, Hiccup, punch from one side then the other, hiccup, hiccup. As I look at the calendar on my desk with the days counting down.. 61 to be exact (if you can actually be exact).. I get excited that he will be here so soon but then that means we won't have these small moments that only I can feel and know about and it saddens me that they will soon be at an end. I have started to cherish every move I feel. It is my way of getting to know him for now and just know he will be quite the character. I love being a mom!

Finally a new post..for a new age!

2008-12-13T20:41:00.010-06:00

After about a month and a half of having computer problems and then our computer dying and getting a new computer, I am posting once again. Yeah!

This past week was quite an eventful week for many things but the pinnacle was December 10... my 26th birthday! I thought it was just going to be another ordinary birthday but Heavenly Father sent a special gift: SNOW!!! Some may not think that that is not such an exciting thing but I love this stuff and don't get to see it much, especially living in the part of Texas we do. When I looked out my window it looked like a dream come true, even though it was just a sprinkle. Well, there was more in store for the day. I got to work not really looking forward to work

itself because I sit at a computer all day, drafting and it can get quite boring. Well my computer thought it was time for a break (permanent break that it is) and decided to call it quits. It wouldn't turn on and continued to making a very high pitched squealing noise along with clank clank every few squeals. I thought only dying animals could make these noises. I

called the computer guy and he told me my hardrive just gave out and that they were going to have to replace it but it wouldn't be done by today. Luckily my data was able to be saved but I couldn't do my regular job so I got put on Christmas card duty which was so much better! It was like a mini vacation which lasted till Friday! Amidst stuffing envelopes with Christmas

cards

for all of our clients, we had a holiday luncheon Texas BBQ style and I also received two deliveries of the most beautiful flowers from my husband and my mom. And to just add the icing to the cake, it started snowing all over again and this time there were HUGE flakes and it lasted for hours which meant it was time to make a snowman! Later on Mick went and got the most scrumptious Strawberry Chocolate Mouse birthday cake and had some close friends/neighbors come over and devour most of it.

Needless to say it was the perfect ending to my perfect day!

Changing

2008-11-04T14:24:00.002-06:00

I got this article in my email today and even though my little one hasn't come quite yet, I look forward to my life and perspective changing as some of these parents have described it. If there are any moms that would like to add their own please comment!

Thirty-two things that change when you have a baby
by Rebecca WoolfLast updated: October 2008

What changes when you have a baby? A better question may be: What doesn't change? Here, writer and mom Rebecca Woolf lists her most notable post-baby observations. Then scroll down to read our favorite comments from readers about how their babies changed their lives.

1. You finally stop to smell the roses, because your baby is in your arms.
2. Where you once believed you were fearless, you now find yourself afraid.
3. The sacrifices you thought you made to have a child no longer seem like sacrifices.
4. You respect your body ... finally.
5. You respect your parents and love them in a new way.
6. You find that your baby's pain feels much worse than your own.
7. You believe once again in the things you believed in as a child.
8. You lose touch with the people in your life whom you should have banished years ago.
9. Your heart breaks much more easily.
10. You think of someone else 234,836,178,976 times a day.
11. Every day is a surprise.
12. Bodily functions are no longer repulsive. In fact, they please you. (Hooray for poop!)
13. You look at your baby in the mirror instead of yourself.
14. You become a morning person.
15. Your love becomes limitless, a superhuman power.

And from our readers...
1. "You discover how much there is to say about one tooth." — Ashley's mom
2. "You finally realize that true joy doesn't come from material wealth." — Anonymous
3. "You now know where the sun comes from." — Charlotte
4. "You'd rather buy a plastic tricycle than those shoes that you've been dying to have." — Sophie's mom
5. "You realize that although sticky, lollipops have magical powers." — Roxanne
6. "You don't mind going to bed at 9 p.m. on Friday night." — Kellye
7. "Silence? What's that?" — Anonymous
8. "You realize that the 15 pounds you can't seem to get rid of are totally worth having." — Brenda
9. "You discover an inner strength you never thought you had." — Ronin and Brookie's mom
10. "You no longer rely on a clock — your baby now sets your schedule." — Thomas' mom
11. "You give parents with a screaming child an 'I-know-the-feeling' look instead of a 'Can't-they-shut-him-up?' one." — Jaidyn's mom
12. "Your dog — who used to be your 'baby' — becomes just a dog." — Kara
13. "You take the time for one more hug and kiss even if it means you'll be late." — Tracey
14. "You learn that taking a shower is a luxury." — Jayden's mom
15. "You realize that you can love a complete stranger." — Dezarae's mom
16. You find yourself wanting to make this world a better place. — Arizona
17. If you didn’t believe in love at first sight before, now you do! — Ciara

Spying on the baby

2008-11-04T09:22:00.003-06:00

For all who would like to know, Mick and I had our ultimate ultrasound yesterday and found out we will be having a boy. Mick of course is very excited and ready to get him started on a hammer and drill. This might sound funny but seeing the ultrasound made me feel like we were spying on our baby. Here he is, in his own little world doing who knows what (because I can't feel him yet) and we got to have a peek without him knowing. (Or do they know....) He was wiggling everywhere and wasn't always being cooperative for the angles we needed. We were also able to see that he has Mick's feet because his toes are really long and the second one is longer than his big toe which does not come from me. All the same I felt like we were really connected as a family and our first real moment together and we also have it on DVD! I love technology. I hope to post pictures within the next few days when my computer is back up and running.

Radio Station Contests

2008-10-07T11:23:00.005-05:00

I never had much thought into actually entering those contests on the radio till this past week. My thought process was, " What are the odds of winning? Certainly I will never be one of those lucky people." Well I got wild and crazy and unlike myself and decided to do it. Our local radio station has a weekly drawing for all the bussiness here in town for a free lunch for 10 at TGIFriday's. So I submitted our name for the fun of it and low and behold got a phone call on Friday afternoon saying we had won! I don't know about you, but I feel that radio DJs and news anchors from the local news are like Hollywood celebrities, so when I heard the DJ, Dee, from the radio station on the other end of the line I nearly fell out of my chair in excietment. I was on Cloud nine the rest of the day and weekend and yesterday when we actually got to have our lunch. What I didn't know was the DJ's were going to be eating eating lunch with us as well. That just tops my list of cool things that can happen in College Station. Well it was the greatest lunch and I was nervous the whole time. I have to be the silliest person but oh well!

KO and Dee - My College Station Celebrities!

The Very First Post! (Hopefully not the last)

2008-10-02T13:07:00.003-05:00

Well everyone else is doing it so why not me? I am such a follower....I guess I will jump right in!

This year has defintely brought a little bit of excitement to the Place household. Mick will be finishing up his last year of school at Texas A&M and trying to find that most wonderful job we have been dreaming about the past 4 years. Not sure where we might end up. I think our ultimate goal is to get to St. Louis/ Illinois/ Missouri area because our parents both live up there and we love the scenery. Plus they actually have seasons up there, something that doesn't always happen here in Teaxs.
Another piece of excitement is that we are expecting our first child!Yeah! We have been married 4 years and I am sooooo ready. Baby Place is due on March 27, 2009 at 2pm. I really don't have an exact hour, although it would be nice if the baby would just let you know, but 2 sounds good to me. We will find out November 3 what the baby is which will allow me to start making some choices about boy/girl stuff. There are just so many important decisions to be made about colors, etc!
Well I guess this is a good snippet for now. Until later...