Flying Trip to Bismarck

We went flying twice this weekend, we just flew west a ways on Saturday and then brought the plane back to Minot (normally I keep it hangared in Kenmare, 50 miles NW). On Sunday, we went flying with our friends Suzi and Ron and went to Bismarck for lunch and then did some sight-seeing on the way home. Suzi (a budding hobby photographer) took a ton of pictures with her camera, and let me upload them right to my computer. So, here's the pictures. There were too many to name them, but there are some really great ones where she used some special features on her camera. So here's a few cute pics for your enjoyment.

On Saturday evening, we went to the 5th Ops Group auction--Andy was an auctioneer. We only got one item from the silent auction, which Andy got me for my birthday. It's a wooden plaque of the poem High Flight--one of my favorites.

In other news, Alex has found a new favorite food--pears--but he still really likes his peas and squash too. He doesn't seem to be a huge fan of the cereal anymore, so I mix a little in with the fruits and veggies. He still loves drinking water out of his sippy cup, or anything out of any cup for that matter! He does a great job of sitting up to play and it starting to really like that better than laying down it seems, so I put him down with pillows around him for when he tumbles.

Alex is 6 months old!

Here's our little boy, he turned 6 months old on Sunday!

He went for his six month checkup on Monday...here are his stats: length-26 1/2 in. (37%), weight-17 lb 2 oz (36%), head 18.43 in (12%). We have a new pediatrician here at Minot and I like him better than the old one. He said Alex seems to be doing great.

Since we got back from our trip last Tuesday, we had a busy week. Grandma and Grandpa McElvaine came to visit on Thursday evening and left Monday morning. We went flying on Friday and they babysat Alex Friday night so we could go to the Colonel promotion party at the O club (Shan Kruse got picked up 2 below). Saturday and Sunday Andy played in the base golf tournament, and Alex and I hung out with the grandparents. Saturday night they watched Alex and Rece (Heather and David's 15-month old son) while we all went out to dinner for Kerry's birthday. Sunday we took Alex to the zoo. He had a good time and enjoyed the bears especially. By the time we got to the pigs, he cried and fell asleep.

Alex is starting to eat some new foods. I made him a bunch of baby food on Sunday (to freeze), but we are just doing a new food every few days to make sure he doesn't have an allergic reaction. So besides the fruits (peach, plum, cherry) we've given him in the little feeder (you put a chunk in the netting part and it has a handle so they can hold it and eat and not choke) he has started his first pureed food of peas. There are lots of pictures of his enjoying his peas...he really liked them!

Trips to FL and TN

Alex got to see the beach for the first time in Florida when we went to Fort Walton Beach area for Seth (and new wife Jen) Olson's wedding (Andy was the best man). He was pretty happy to watch the waves and even to sit in the water a little. Keeping the sun off of him was a full-time job, so our beach trips were pretty short. He also enjoyed the pool at our condo. He did great with the plane rides, car rides, new places, and tons of new people playing with him. We also got to visit with some old friends from Barksdale, Jean, Will, and Jaya Bellamy who live in Panama City.

After a week in Florida, Andy returned to Minot, and Alex and I went to Knoxville, Tennessee to visit Grandma and Grandpa Brooke for a week. The grandparents had a great time playing with Alex as he is much more playful and interactive than last time they saw him in person. He had a good time watching the Olympics with Grandpa and keeping his eye on their bird, Charlie.

We got back on Tuesday and are getting ready for a short visit from Grandma and Grandpa McElvaine, who arrive Thursday evening.

While we were gone, Alex was sleeping in a travel bed which is basically a pad with a velcro-on soft bumper around it. He started rolling up on his left side and hugging the bumper and falling asleep that way. Then he learned to roll over from his back to tummy too. So the first night at home in his crib, he woke up 3 times crying because he had rolled over to his belly (which he still doesn't like to be on). The next night, though, he set a new record for longest sleeping on his own when he slept for 10 hours!! I guess he probably won't do that every night but that was pretty nice. Alex also discovered that he likes peaches as he latched onto one I was eating. He pretty much tries to eat everything that you eat or even just hold or have in front of you.

He turns 6 months on Sunday, and has his 6 month checkup next Monday, and then we'll start more foods (he's still just doing oatmeal/rice cereal). I'm going to attempt to make his food, we'll see how that goes!

Here's the pictures from our trip.