Merry Christmas from the McLeans

This has been a year of new beginnings and sad goodbyes. We saw the wedding of Meghan and Trent, a new life for my brother Paul, and the death of Grandma Joy. It brings tears to my eyes to know that each of these occasions brought peace to our family. Although Grandma Joy's passing was a sad event, it bought peace in our hearts to know she is sitting up high in heaven with her love. What can I say about Meghan and Trent? After four years of dating long distance, I am sure the hassle of traveling and being apart coming to an end has brought peace in their life! My brother Paul, who has endured a lot for the last year and a half is on the road to recovery. Our family is eternally grateful for this second chance in life. We love Paul and we are praying each day for his continued success.
As 2007 comes to a close, we want to wish everyone who visits this blog a happy Christmas and a joyous New Year. We want to thank everyone who has made 2007 such an eventful and wonderful year. We want to especially thank God for the blessing us with good health, family, and friends. We are so thankful to have such a happy and healthy little boy. There is not a day that Mike and I do not look each other and say how lucky we are. Thank you to our families who continue to support us and is so generous with their love. We want to thank our friends who still talk to us even though we can be so consumed with parenting, we forget to reciprocate!
We pray that your 2008 be filled with joyous surprises, beautiful sunny days, and the knowledge that each day is a gift.
From the deepest of our hearts, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Cheers!

Hawaii Vacation

So, as most of you know, Mike, Alex, and I went on a week-long vacation to Maui. My parents kindly invited us to join them and who could refuse a vacation in such a beautiful place? Although the weather did not cooperate with us, it was still wonderful spending time with my parents, Auntie Abet, Uncle Bob, and my brother Paul. Alex provided a lot of entertainment by showing off his dancing and singing skills, "blowing" away his Aunt and every other person who would be blown away, and generally being the goofy toddler he has become. He loved exploring the resort grounds and being admired by passer-bys. He definitely brought a lot of smiles to the other vacationers.

Like I mentioned, the weather did not cooperate with us. It rained almost 100% of the time with a few bits of sunshine here and there. We were still able to do quite a bit. A bike ride down Haleakala volcano was beautiful and breathtaking. We hopped from one store to another in Whaler's Village (literally hopping as to avoid getting soaked). We sampled various restaurants and enjoyed the fresh seafood. Yum! The rest of the family took the Road to Hana while Mike, Alex and I stayed within the confines of the resort. Alex isn't a fan of long car rides.

Overall, it was a worthwhile trip. Alex got to spend time with his Grandpa and Grandma which is what the trip was mainly about. Alex loved sitting up high on Grandpa's arms and watch the world around him. Now, we're back in cold, snowy Denver adjusting to normal life again. Mike has been in Seattle for the last few days and I am eagerly anticipating his return. It gets lonely around here without him.

Hope everyone is enjoying the holidays. Christmas is coming soon!

Here is the link to the Hawaii Pictures:
http://www.flickr.com/gp/18481625@N00/W6THK5

My life as a SAHM

I always thought I would be a career woman. The modern woman who could balance work and home. I thought of stay-at-home moms as mediocre, lazy, unmovitated. Why would you want to stay at home? There is a whole world to conquer! I never knew that I would eat my own words. I really thought I would go back to work after having Alex. I researched daycare facilities. Mike and I even alloted some money especially for covering the costs. But, each day I spent with Alex, the thought of going back to work seem to move farther and farther away from me. I couldn't fathom the thought of placing him in a daycare, thinking of my helpless little baby and the exposure to germs and sickness made me sick to my stomach. I know there are many women out there who do not have a choice but to go back to work. I respect those women and I also respect the women who choose to go back to work because they want to fulfill other goals and dreams. We are all different and I have learned to not judge those who make different choices from my own.
As Alex grows and enters toddlerhood, it has just reinforced my decision to stay home. This is the stage where he is discovering the world and is finally grasping a lot of concepts and I am simply amazed. It's funny how little things like learning how to blow a whistle, stack rings, and point to body parts is such a momentous occasion. I am so happy that I can witness these discoveries. I just shake my head and say "Wow" each time Alex does something new. I thank God every day that he has blessed me and Mike with a beautiful, happy, and healthy little boy. So, that's my little blurb about my life as a stay-at-home Mom. No, we're not lazy, unmotivated, and mediocre. We are working hard raising our children and also enjoying each moment before they think Mommy and Daddy are crazy and mean :)

Super Jealous

So, I am not the jealous type. I try not to be at least. Especially when it comes to Mike. Yes, he may have the glamorous job at Microsoft, he may have the brains of a genius, and drive a superfast car. But I like to think there is more to be jealous about me than him. For example, I spend hours and hours with the cutest little boy on earth, Alex, I enjoy the outdoors by taking walks and going to the playground any time I want, I can pick from our many choices of delicacies (oreos, cheez-its, mac n' cheese) any time of the day. Yes, there is much to be jealous about me but not this time. This time Mike has shouted from the hilltops "BOOM!" (our little exclamation whenever we have "one-upped" each other). What is it you ask? I'll tell you what it is. As I type this, Mike is on the 21st floor of the Marriot Marquis overlooking Times Square in New York City! Yes, the lights of Broadway are flashing before his eyes. New York City has been one of the top places I have wanted to go to before I die. And Mike has beat me to it! He has promised me that he will take me some time in the near future. I can tell you it is not soon enough. I have always had a love affair with New York City. It seems to be a world of its own. I guess what draws me most to the city is the artists that live within. The actors, musicians, writers. It seems like the greatest works are born in the Big Apple. I've always fantasized living in Soho trying to fulfill my dream of being a Broadway actress. But alas, I am here in Denver. I still could not be happier. So, yes I am jealous. I admit it. But, it'll pass because in just a few short weeks I will be basking in the sun on the beautiful beaches of Maui. BOOM!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

My little lion!

The Black Spidey and Little Lion

Grandma and Lil' Lion

Alex is cracking up at Mom!

World Series!

So yeah, I have been totally slacking on my posts. Mike kindly reminded me last night that it had been 1 month since my last post. There have been a few events that does warrant my neglect. For example, Mike's mom visited us a couple of weeks. A dentist appointment, a hair appointment, hmmm...I guess that's it. Not much of an excuse huh? Okay okay, well I guess here's a quick recap on the goings-on in the McLean Family camp.

- Mike's Mom took a quick visit to Colorado to see her grandson. Even though it has only been two months since she's seen him, there has been tremendous development in his physical and mental abilities. For example, he WALKS! Another is his communication skills are fast developing. He can now sign "more", "eat", "milk", "help" and "done". He can also understand basic questions and commands such as "Where's your drink?", "Show me the banana", "Clap your hands", "Give mommy/daddy a kiss". So cute!

- My Mom also paid us a visit a a few days after Mike's Mom left. Yes, the grandmas are in need of an Alex fix! As I write this, she is still here and has been a tremendous help. She's watched Alex two nights in a row because of a Halloween party Mike and I attended and we also saw a baseball game called THE WORLD SERIES! Yes, even though Colorado lost, we still had a blast watching the Red Sox win the championship game!

Beautiful Fall Weather

Hooray for Fall! I love it! The leaves are changing, there is a chill in the air! I even love wearing fall clothes--my brown corduroy jacket, boots, scarves, all of it! Anyway, we drove up to the mountains this past weekend to see nature's fireworks on display. It was breathtaking drive up through Evergreen, winding through the mountains, and passing a beautiful lake. Here are a few pics.

Alex the Walker!

Alex took his first steps last Thursday! It took a lot of coaxing and bribing (do you want the remote Alex?, the cell phone?...come and get it!) but he did take a couple of unassisted steps on his own. It was only today that he decided that walking was a cool way to get around! Here's a quick video. Be forewarned, he likes to talk!

Tagged!

So, it's been an exciting weekend so far. We weren't looking for excitement. Excitement found us. Mike and I were enjoying a nice, quiet Friday evening when we were greeted by flashing police lights outside our house. Apparently, there were kids spraying graffiti all over our neighborhood, including our house. They seem to be friendly vandals, spraying the words "HI" on our front door and a little red heart on Mike's white truck. Aww...how sweet. However, they were not as nice to the rest of the neighborhood, spray painting obscene images and words on fences and cars. The police patrolled the neighborhood and even went into several backyards with their K-9 unit (including ours!). There were helicopters combing the area as well. We were in our own little East-L.A :) Apparently, the suspects are four young African-American girls dressed in block hooded sweatshirts with backpacks carrying spray paint. They have not apprehended them and I hope they will get caught. It definitely is a bummer to be greeted by vandalism as you pull into a home that you have worked so hard to keep and maintain. Oh well, it could have been worse right? I did get my 15 seconds of fame because I was interviewed by a local television station. The story was also featured in many of the news stations in Denver.

Here are the links:
http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=76950

L.A Birthday!

Yes, Alex celebrated his 1st birthday a 2nd time August 25th. What a spoiled baby :) My Auntie Abet was kind enough to host a party in her Glendale home on Saturday. Alex seemed more at ease partly because he was now used to having numerous relatives and friends handle him. He even gladly dove into his cake (hands and feet!)

So, I actually wrote a whole other blog a week or so ago but the darn computer lost my draft :( So, I got really lazy and delayed writing another one until I was settled back in Denver. Alex and I spent a week and a half in Cali and it was a blast! The day after his party, we celebrated my Uncle Bob's 60th birthday by throwing him a surprise birthday party. We Filipinos love our parties. My Auntie Abet pulled it off perfectly. Alex was even on his best behavior despite staying up till 10:30 p.m! That's late for a baby whose bed time is at 7 pm. The weather in Cali was a bit warm (high 90's and even a few 100 degree days) that it made going out quite a daunting task. However, we did enjoy a day at the beach and even cruised around to check out those famous Malibu beach houses.

Another highlight of the trip was my run-in with television host Kat Sadler. Kat Sadler who you say? Kat Sadler is cohost of the Daily 10 on the E! Entertainment network. It basically sums up the top 10 entertainment stories of the day. Yes, I am a celebrity gossip junkie. Anyway, I was sitting at a Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf in a Ralphs grocery store in Glendale. I was happily sipping my ice-blended when I randomly thought how cool it would be to spot a celebrity. Maybe a Nicole Ritchie perhaps? She was pulled over right down the road, going the wrong way on the freeway. I was people watching and noticed this petite brunette and her two young boys picking out cakes in the bakery department. I nudged Mike and muttered under my breath that the lady looked so familiar. Mike of course started to look around saying, "What? Who? Who is she? What is she on? Daily 10? What the heck is that?" I quietly explained my presumption and he urged me just to ask her. So, I quietly approached her and asked her if she was indeed Kat Sadler. She was and she was very polite and appreciative that I watched her show. She was a cool lady. Not a Nicole Ritchie or Paris Hilton, but I doubt they would have been as nice :)

Alex's Birthday Party Pictures

Free MySpace slideshows, photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIKE!

Okay, this is one day late (so sorry Mikey) but HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIKE! It was Mike's 27th birthday yesterday! Hooray for Mike! We celebrated by going out to our fave Chinese restaurant John Holly's. After dinner, we enjoyed a Coldstone Ice Cream cake at home and called it a day :) A little low-key but hopefully we can celebrate a bit more when Mike's family comes out next week for Alex's birthday. Yes, that's right...Alex is almost 1! But, that's a whole different subject. This is about Mike, how great he is, how handsome he is, and how we love having him in our life! You all know what a wonderful person Mike is...as a husband, father, son, brother, and friend. He truly is the best :) Here's a few pics from last night!

Alex eyeing the cake

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Don't let the looks fool you, it was delicious!

Hmmm...I might just try this out.

Alex is a little distracted.

Alex Dancing

Alex seems to be following in the footsteps of the McLean siblings. You may not know that Mike created a trend that is still going strong within his family. Mike was a percussionist in our high school marching band and his legacy has remained strong. His sister's Marianna, Melissa, Monica, and now Melinda have all participated as percussionist as well. Last weekend, on our local channel, they were featuring the high school bands around the state. Not only was Alex mesmerized by the music but started to dance to the music too! Here's the video with Alex and his handsome Daddy!

A big kiss for Daddy!

Future model

Shout out to my people!

Funny video of some Filipino prisoners reenacting Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video!

Eleven Months

Alex is eleven months old today! He is however wearing an 18 month old outfit in this pic. A little too big but eh...who cares? He's a cute little bugger!

More Summertime fun!

Our Little Garden

As I mentioned in my previous posts, Mike and I have been planting away this summer. Check out our little trees!

Maple tree and honeysuckle vines

Emerald Green Arborvitae

Greenspire Linden Tree

My vegetable garden

Clematis Vine and Austrian Pine

Zoo Story

We had a fabulous 4th of July weekend! No, we didn't see any fireworks because little Alex was in bed by 7 pm but we enjoyed a productive yet relaxing weekend. Since Mike had five days off, he was finally able to plant the rest of the trees we had purchased. They are cute little evergreens called green Arborvitae that we planted on one side of our fence. Our once barren backyard is now looking quite nice. I have my vegetable garden, a Greenspire Linden tree, an Austrian Pine, a couple of vines, and now the Arborvitaes. It's going to be our little forest :)
We also had a busy weekend with Alex. We took him to the Denver Zoo on Friday. It was a scorching day but Alex seemed to enjoy every bit of it. He loved looking at all the animals and people watch.
Last but not least, Mike and I had a date night! It was the first time we ever had anyone babysit outside of the family. Our neighbor Mary was kind enough to offer her babysitting services and we were able to go out for dinner and a movie. We saw Transformers which was a visually stunning movie. Great special effects and had its comedic moments. It was a typical Michael Bay film, explosions, sweeping camera angles encircling the main characters, booming orchestral soundtrack...think Armageddon and Pearl Harbor. It was a great movie to see in a movie theatre.
It was definitely a nice treat to have spent the last few days with Mike. Not only was he there to help out with Alex but Alex really enjoyed having his Daddy around. There doesn't seem to be moment without Alex's giggles echoing throughout the house because Daddy was being silly. But alas, all good things must come to an end. Is Labor Day hear yet?

At the Denver Zoo

Watch out there's a pachyderm behind you!

Look Alex it's a GIRAFFE!

A Polar Bear Daddy and his cub

Our little picnic in the back of the car :)

Summer Time Fun!

Summer has hit Denver. It has been a blazing 100 degrees the past few days and what better way to cool off than being in a baby pool? Alex and his neighbor buddy Henry have been doing just that! It's adorable watching these two little boys become friends. It evolved from uncertainty (staring at each other) to a bit of hair pulling and now taking toys away from each other! Ha! Best friends for life :) We are looking forward to this 4th of July weekend, Mike has a record of five days off! Yes! We are planning to visit the zoo, have a little barbeque, splash around the pool, and just general lazying around. Not too bad eh? Happy 4th everyone!

Playing in the pool with Henry
Barbeque with friends
I love my sunglasses!
Hmmm...I want that toy
You want some spaghetti Mommy?