Building and Destroying

 Alexander has started enjoying building things. 

I think though, the reason he builds anything is so he can knock it down.  Boy, does he LOVE to knock things down :)

X Mess

This little boy is definitely in the mess making stage!  Every time I turn around, he is in to something messy!  It is funny that this type of mess would have really stressed me out with my first and second children, and it just makes me laugh with my fourth.  I do get tired of cleaning up after him, but it doesn't make me upset.  I know he will grow out of this phase soon enough and it will only be a memory.  

This was a glue stick before it became purple earwax :)

Colorado River

 The river is incredibly low this year!!!  In the past when we have gone it hasn't been very comfortable because there is no where to sit on the side of the river...just lots of shrubs and trees.  Also it is usually deep and rushing fast.  This year was so nice because it was so low there was actually a little beach to sit on and it was shallow almost all the way across.  I didn't let the kids go more than 4 feet from the bank because the current picked up quite a bit after that, but Jackson went right to the middle and swam against the current.  

We weren't planning on Alexander getting wet, so we didn't bring a suit for him.  I don't know what I was thinking...of course he would want to get wet.  We ended up stripping him down to his nakedness.  He was in heaven!  I parked myself on a towel, sipped water, and enjoyed snapping pictures of the action. 

Magformers

 My kids love building things.  They also love destroying their buildings.  However, they don't love it when their siblings destroy their buildings.  The older ones are respectful of each others creations, but with Alexander around...nothing is safe in our house.  I am not very sympathetic when it comes to Alexander destroying their things.  I just tell them that is what happens when you have a baby in the house and if they don't want him to ruin it, they will have to be smart and figure out a way to keep their building safe.  Sometimes they haul the building materials into their room and close the door, but more often they just try to keep him occupied with his own building and if he is quick and gets to theirs, they just build it over again.  

Nicholas was particularly proud of this building and requested some pictures before Alexander woke up from his nap :)