Mexico!

Well, after weeks of asking "Mama, where dat Mexico go?", Alexis finally got to go to Mexico! We started the trip off with a bang when Alexis threw up twice on the airplane. *** Note to all parents... pack yourself an extra shirt in the diaper bag, because it is not fun to wear a puke covered shirt for a four hour flight.*** But anyways, we finally made it, and here are some pictures from our vacation.

Alexis in the sand... this is on the first day, before she realized that sand makes her hands and feet dirty... and for anyone that knows Alexis, dirty is not an option in her little world!

Gramma Debi holding two little monkeys...

Although Alexis did not like the beach, the sand, the wind, the sun, or the regular pool, she did enjoy the baby pool...

And she loved the park!

Alexis and Gramma Debi with a macaw...

We saw this big guy several times hanging out on the path near our room...

Knocking back a few cold ones...

Mexico is full of sinkholes that are full of water, called Cenotes. We stopped to visit one and took a dip. The water was 70 feet below ground level, and then 150 feet deep. Here is a picture from down below looking up...

Cort and I decided to go in the scary way, by jumping off of a 15 foot cliff into the water. Look closely... that is us on the left side, jumping in!

Visiting Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza...

Parasailing!!!

Alexis with Gramma Debi, Grampa Joe, and Daddy...

Sunrise in Mexico...

February in Chicago...

So what do you do for fun if it is zero degrees or if there are 8 inches of snow on the ground?
Here is what Alexis does...

Catches a free ride...

Makes animals out of play dough...
Yes, of COURSE she made those without any assistance...

Colors with her new smock on...

And sometimes even gets suited up to go out and do some backbreaking child labor... and by that I mean, putting snow in a bucket and pouring it out on the driveway that I just finished shoveling.

Really, the best way to spend the cold winter days is to go to a party! Here are some pictures that are too funny not to share. Ellen is on the left, and Nolan is on the right. Who do you think is older? Ellen! Who would guess it to look at them? Nolan has about 4 or 5 pounds on Ellen, and he is 5 weeks younger. He is a healthy little guy! The babies were very happy to lay in their diapers and let the paparazzi take a thousand pictures.

Alexis and Johnny got in on the fun, too.
Hard to believe that they were that small two years ago.