Another Day in Paradise

As many of you have been doing, the LaBrue Crew has been preparing for another Christmas together. Who would have ever thought.... jk
Christmas time and December in general is always such a crazy time...but yet so fun! Kyle, Alexa, and I ventured to Kansas City last weekend to visit family and to celebrate an early Christmas with my Dad and his wife Marchelle since they won't be able to visit on Christmas.
Alexa had soo much fun running around and playing with all her cousins and their toys. She's getting so grown up and she doesn't need me there to hover around her anymore to make sure she's "ok". It was hard for me to just sit back and relax and let her do her own thing. That's not to say there wern't some disputes between the 5 cousins but sure enough they seemed to work it out on their own. Whenever we're in a large room with a bunch of people Alexa just takes off and doesn't even care where Kyle & I are. It was nice to come home and try to enjoy some time at home before we leave again for our other Christmas in Willard.
Unfortunatley, a few days ago I started getting sick and in turn Alexa started feeling pretty crummy too. But like the trooper she is she is still runnin' around hammin' it up for everyone just to see them smile. (Just like her Daddy)
Let me just say it's so nice to have my sweet mother-in-law nearby to help relieve my in my time of need while Kyle works.
Knock on wood Kyle hasn't gotten the sickness yet....it's really hard for me to resist loving and kissing on my little girl and amazing husband all in the name of not getting them sick.
Kyle has been such a help taking over my responsibilities while I'm under the weather and on top of that still taking such good care of Alexa & I.
Earlier tonight Kyle requested Puppy Chow so as I was making it Alexa was playing around in the kitchen and I looked down to find her sitting on the Chex cereal box scooting around on the floor like it was a car. I tried to get some good pictures but she wouldn't hold still long enough.
I swear that girl is soo creative and can make anything a toy. We all know she gets her imagination from her Daddy, because there isn't any in my blood.
Puppy Chow complete and Alexa doesn't even like it, instead she insists on picking up the pieces one at a time out of the bowl and handing them to Daddy so he can eat them. She was pretty proud of her role as the chow hander outer, until Kyle got impatient with his rations and had to hold the bowl himself. Now she's feeding mommy the chow one at a time until a sugar over-load starts to induce and I have to put the bowl out of her reach.
Yep, we're all just kind of existing and trying to get over this sickness that Alexa & I have but doesn't mean we can't still have fun in the process.
Needless to say, there aren't any pictures of us lately because no one looks good when they're sick but stay tuned for following posts and you may be in luck to catch a glimpse of the cutest little girl there ever was.....and yes, I'm talking about Alexa. : )

Florida Pictures

Alexa haning out pool side. Her favorite spot. She loves sitting on chairs and pretty much anything she can.

Swimming with Daddy. She fell a couple of times & went under, she didn't really get scared or anything but I for sure did.

Here is the Pink Shell Resort where we stayed. Our room was the third floor up on the left.

Posing for a family picture after the wedding.

Alexa is all smiles but when it comes to holding her down for a picture it's a little more complicated. Lucky for us whenever she is near water she's very very happy but hates when we hold her hand or just hold her in general.

Again, with the chairs. She's a climber and got up & down there all by herself. She's growing up sooo fast.

Here is Kylie giving Alexa a kiss...or is it the other way around?

Picture Perfect

The white sand was beautiful and not hot at all so it was fun to walk around bare foot. It's just that when you want it off of you it's not so easy.

Here is a picture of Alexa a couple of days before we left. I had just painted her little piggies for the first time and we were trying to show them off.

Mommy & Boo Boo's newly painted piggies. Not too much longer & we'll be going to get pedicures together! : )

Pretty Pink Toes in White Sandy Beaches

As most of you know Kyle, Alexa & I recently went to Ft. Myers Florida for 5 days to attend his cousin, Kelly's wedding & to get together with all of his brother's & their families.

Alexa did great on the plane ride playing for the 1st part and sleeping the 2nd half. We left Missouri in coats & toe covered shoes and when we got off the plane in Florida we stuck out like a soar thumb. The weather was beautiful and I couldn't believe it was the middle of November.

Alexa loved seeing her cousins Kylie & Tyler again and we even got to meet her new cousin, Jordan (Jeremiah & Sharon's Son).

We stayed at the Pink Shell Resort right on the beach and our Balcony over-looked the most beautiful view I've ever seen. We heard the waves of the ocean crashing on the beach as we slept! So all together there were 9 adults & 4 kids... Belle & Jerry, Verle (Papa), Westen, Amber, Tyler, Kylie, Jeremiah, Sharon, Jordan, Kyle, Alexa & I. It was a lot of people to coordinate timing with but we were pretty successful.

Kyle & I took shifts taking Alexa back to the room in between swims so she could get a nap in. Becaeuse we all know how important those are for the little kids & everyone around them. haha

She loved swimming in the pool & ocean and didn't mind the saltwater at all. She is little miss social so she would walk right up to random kids at the pool to play with them & one little boy was even lucky enough to get a kiss on the cheek.

The resort had different activities for kids to do & on one evening they had the Crab-Tona 500 races. This involved each kid picking a hermit crab & naming it and cheering for it as it raced to the edge (finish line) of the table. The funny thing is Alexa was last in line to pick so she got stuck with the last crab. We named it Boo-Boo & cheered it on and guess what...Yep, she won 1st place!

Boo-Boo was the fastest crab of them all! Alexa didn't seem to care until we all started cheering in celebration & then just wailed because we scared her so bad! 1st prize- ice cream sundae...that she didn't even eat! : )

We got lots of sun & I think I got enough for everyone.

We got there on Thursday & left on Tuesday. Kelly & Travis' got married on the beach Sunday afternoon & their rehearsal dinner was Sat. afternoon.

I had a blast hanging out with my family & their kids. Our nephew, Tyler, around age 10 has a passion for food & G.I Joe action figures. While waiting for the wedding to start he asks me "So if there was meat at the rehearsal dinner last night, do you think there will be meat after the wedding today?" I couldn't stop laughing. I assured him there would be meat, and as promised there was.

We had a blast and it was nice to have Grandma there to babysit. It was hard to head home & see people still laying by the pool. I was wondering what Alexa would think when we got home & she realized it's life back to normal & not near as exciting as vacation was.

But don't worry she was excited to see all of her toys again & her own room & bed, as was I.

When the freezing cold weather hit us as we stepped back onto Missouri grounds it was very very tempting to not turn around and move back to Florida...the thought did cross my mind.

Better Late Than Never Pics & Updates

A pre-halloween trick or treating session at home so we can get all the cousins together in their costumes! If you couldn't tell Alexa was a bear for halloween so we saw it fitting to stick her with her collection of bears in her bedroom!





Instead of door-to-door we did bedroom to bedroom and paraded Preston, Ashlyn, Alexa & Addison and made them beg for candy so we could say "ahhh how cute" and take tons of pictures!
What else is Halloween for anyways?




Alexa's 1st Birthday Party. The girl was flooded with gifts and needless to say she was a little bit overwhelmed but her oh so sweet cousin Ashlyn stepped in to assist and I think got more excited than Alexa. I think Alexa was just wondering why all those people were at her house and why they were all starring at her.





Here is Mommy trying to rassle her down so we can try to get a good picture to send in our thank you notes! It was quite a lot of work...more than I expected but we did get a good one in the end!

Happy Halloween !

The LaBrue Crew had a great Halloween, even though we celebrated it on Friday, so Kyle could take me to my Rob Thomas Concert in STL Saturday night. I don't know why it's so fun to dress up our little kids like animals and parade them around but it's sooo cute! Aunt Michelle was sweet enough to loan us this bear costume that Alexa loved! We had to pin a bow on her head so she didn't look like a boy bear...I had a complex about looking like a boy when I was a little girl so I am making up for that! My friend Jill and her baby Kambrie and son Tanner accompanied us, along with Grandma Bell, Shannon and baby Addison. The outlet malls do a Trick or Treating thing where they give candy from the stores! Alexa loved it..I don't think she's ever had candy before...except for her cousin Ashlyn sneaking her some at her party but she became quite attached to holding a piece of candy in each hand all day! She got a lot of loot...that Kyle and I are still eating! : )
After the outlet mall Kyle & I took Alexa around to some people we know to show off the cutest little bear in the world! It was a fun and at the end of the day I realized Alexa was working up a sweat in that costume but she didn't seem to mind! I think she'll grasp the concept of Halloween and trick or treating better next year!

Okay, everyone clap...I finally figured out how to once again upload pictures on our blog...successfully! Alexa is officially one year old as of yesterday! She's walking great and even almost half running! She's even started to say a few words like "ball" and today I got her to say "Thank You", granted it wasn't perfectly clear but I still think my kid is a genius!
We had a blast at her first birthday party here at our house last Sunday. I def. went overboard for a Sesame Street first birthday party that she'll never remember but it was still fun had by all. My oh so sweet family traveled from far and wide to spend the weekend with us and attend her birthday party! It was crazy but it was fun! I can't believe how big my neices and nephew have gotten!
It was a big day for Kyle and I because we took her last and final scoop of formula! Yayyy! That stuff is worth it's weight in gold but now we've made the switch to whole milk!
Alexa's personality is shining through more and more! She automatically goes to whatever she's not supposed to at all possible chances! She loves giving kisses and loves, especially to her stuffed animals. She's a very loving and happy baby and loves to be the center of attention! And just like her daddy she knows how to work the crowd!
So we celebrated her birthday early because it was actually on a Wed. I tried to make it special as we drove down to Springfield for our family pictures at Portrait Innovations! I don't think she even knew anything was different...except she did get to turn her car seat around and go forward facing! She didn't know quite what to think she just kept starring at Kyle and I and the road ahead of her like something wasn't right. I also didn't make her do anything on her birthday that she didn't want to...that means no brushing her total of 5 teeth and no vitamins that morning! But then I kicked myself in the butt the next day because apparantley she thought that it was her new routine! Oh well!
I am anxiously awaiting Saturday because my swee husband got 4 box seat tickets to the Rob Thomas concert in St. Louis. Granted it's on Halloween night but Alexa needs some Grandma time anyway :) I also have the pleasure of my big sis Shannon and my good friend Jill and my husband to share the joy of the concert with! Don't worry we're changing Halloween to Friday night (because we're just that cool) so we can still dress up our babies like furry little mammals and parade them around to show them off...which is what it truly is because Alexa & Addison can't even eat candy!

So I understand this is a long post but I did have a lot to catch up on so surely you guys can understand...and hey I'll never know if you skipped through everything just to see the pictures!...unless you have a guilty conscious!

Here are some of the many family pictures we had taken yesterday...

I know, I know. There's still no pictures but no one had any suggestions with my little computer problem and I can't handle the frustration of doing all the work of loading them and it not working out again! So you'll just have to make do with my words!
I can't believe it I am seriously planning Alexa's 1st Birthday part! Just thinking about it makes me get a little sentimental! She has grown up so fast and she just keeps getting more and more fun everyday!
She's walking now and getting better and better! She's also quite the little flirt! She has learned how to wave..but she only does it on her terms! The other day we were at the mall and this little boy her age walked up to her stroller and she waves at him and then leans in a gives him a kiss! She's startin' way tooo young! My heart can handle this yet! I thought I was safe at least until she was a teenager! I guess not!
We are anxiously awaiting her Sesame Street Party and I am putting a lot of energy and effort into something that she won't even remember but that doesn't seem to stop me. She loves giving kisses and so far she does it on command..except her version of a kiss involves just leaning in and touching faces! She loves hugging her stuffed animals and kissing them! She has also gotten quite attached to her water baby (one just like I used to have) and she will push her around in the stroller and sometimes stop and lean in for a kiss. However, she isn't so quite of the vacuum still. She doesn't cry (gratefully!) but she will shimmy over to the tallest peice of furniture for safety, only if she can keep her ! Last time though her baby and stroller were right in the path of the vacuum and I could tell she didn't really want to but she summoned up the courage to run over frantically and push her baby to her "safe" spot out of the way of the vacuum! What a good little protective mommy, and she's only a year old!
Along with her first steps came the urge to get into more things she's not supposed to! Kyle & I recently purchased a new front loader washer and dryer and she loves sneaking into the laundry room and just watching the clothes spin around and around! She likes toys but even more than that she likes wobbling through the house and finding random things and making them her treasures which creates a big mess sometimes but oh well she's too cute! As long as she's having fun and safe I really don't care! She loves buckets and purses and just bags in general and even if they're too big she's still determined to carry them around the house...even if they don't belong to her! I could go on and on about her and all the cute little things she does but words don't do her justice! You'll just have to come visit and see her in action!