Merry Christmas!!

Sing Out

Hi,

 

A friend of my dad's wrote this song and asked if I would sing it for him. It was fun to work on a new project with he, my dad and their other music buddy. And you may even hear it someday being sung by someone seriously famous. ;)

 

You should be able to just play the mp3 from the email.

 

Happy Friday!

 

Lisa

ps-that's my pops on guitar

 

     

Alex is officially a one year old

Hi Friends and Family,

 

It's been a wonderful month with Alexander. (You can click on the links to see pictures of our little man!).

 

Alex got his first haircut. It seems that he is already in need of another! His hair grows quickly.

 

Lisa's cousin Brian got married on Coronado Island and so many relatives were able to meet him.

 

I (Lisa) took him to La Jolla Shores to play with his buddy Jediah. And he also met up with his buddy Vatche for a playdate. He's been to the zoo a few times too.

 

On my 30th birthday we took him out to breakfast with us, which was a special treat. And he had lots of fun at his first birthday party.

 

Alex still loves to take baths, play in boxes, brush his teeth, practice his surfing, make important phone calls, climb on things, suck on things, eat with his hands, play in the toilet, swing, go to In-n-Out, push his tractor around, sit in his new chair, and play hide and seek. He's such a cute little boy. 

 

Thank you for being involved in our first year with Alexander. It's been a blessing!

 

To see pictures from the month click here. Click here for videos.

 

And for the First Birthday Party.

 

love,

Jeff, Lisa and Alex

 

You Tube video of my dad and his jug band

If you know my dad, Tom Fitting, or are into old school blues music...you gotta check this out.

 

We found two videos of him playing & singing in the Metropolitan Jug Band in Oregon over 20 years ago (I was a baby).

 

He is on the far right. He's so cool!!

 

Beedle Um Bum:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxFX3_zaRtk

I can Beat You Plenty:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DqLTYjfVeM&feature=related

blessings,

Lisa

New Videos of Alex!

Alexander is 11 months old

Hi Friends and Family,

 

Our munchkin is 11 months old and he is so much fun!

 

I'm trying something a little more interactive for those of you who would love to look at all the pictures but just don't have time ;)  Click on the links as you read for a more "virtual tour" of Alexander's month!

 

This last month he has learned so many new skills and is having a lot of fun with his growing independence. We had him dedicated at church, and we took pictures and video, at the end of last month which was a blessing!  Alex likes to push the laundry basket and boxes around the apartment. He also likes to climb on them and anything, or anyone, else that is "climable". We call him Turbo because sometimes when he's on a mission he can move so fast you have a hard time keeping up with him! We officially babyproofed all the cabinets. You will see him getting into cabinets and drawers in the pictures. Alexander also loves to play with electronics like phones, cameras and the computers. He will frequently grab my hand and move it off the mouse so he can then play with it. And he likes to reach up and "type" on the keyboard. He loves to clap his hands and to say "bye bye" accompanied by a wave whenever he gets the opportunity. Often once he gets started saying bye bye, he says it to everyone he comes across until we get to the car. It is so cute! Today he waved and said bye bye to Jeff, who was on the phone and couldn't see it but appreciated it nonetheless.

 

I (Lisa) have been taking him to the pool regularly and, on his own, he learned how to blow bubbles. He also likes to crouch down in the tub and blow bubbles there as well. We just started taking a toddler's swim class and he has learned how to hang on to the side of the wall by himself and to pick up toys on the bottom of the pool within his reach. He generally loves being in water. He is still getting used to the ocean waves but loves to eat sand; no surprise there. We have been teaching him sign language and today he told me when he was "all done" after breakfast. It was so sweet to see him communicate with me in that way.  He loves to feed himself and actually prefers it to having me feed him. Even more exciting news is that he has started walking!! He took his first step over the weekend and just tonight takes steps at a time on his own. He's an absolute jewel. Alexander has such a friendly and loving personality. I love taking him out in public because of all the smiles he puts on people's faces. They love to talk to him. If you've been able to interact with him recently, I think you know what I mean.

 

For pictures from the month click here.

 

We love you!

blessings,

Jeff, Lisa and Alexander

Alexander's dedication

Hi Everyone,

 

Here is a link to pictures of Alex's dedication: http://jesusislord.albumpost.com/2008-07-27AlexandersDedication?page=1

 

And for the video: http://whoarethenewmans.blogspot.com/2008/07/alexander-jack-gets-dedicated-to-lord.html

 

Much Love,

 

The Newmans

Alexander Jack Gets Dedicated To The Lord

Alex is 10 Months Old!

Dear Family and Friends,

 

What a fabulous month we've had with our little man!! He's an absolute gem.

 

During his 10th month we believe that Alex actually understands what he's saying when he calls out "mama" and "dada". It's very cute. He will call out to me as he chases me around the apartment to get my attention. He has also mastered chewing this month. He still gets baby food but also really enjoys cut up fruit and cheese. Now he'll eat almost anything I lay down on his tray. He LOVES to feed himself, even if it gets EVERYWHERE. I've found that it's easier to give him drinks out of a cup without the lid, but we will need to work on mastering that technique for sure.

 

Alex will stand up for a couple seconds but prefers to walk around furniture and walls. He loves to unroll the toilet paper and play with the toilet handle so we now have to make sure the doors to the bathroom are closed! He still loves his bath and gets all excited when I'm filling up the tub. He wants to play with the water that's pouring in. :) It's so cute to watch.  For some reason, Alex thinks it's hilarious to throw himself on the ground and roll over and will look at you after he's done to make sure you saw him do it.  Very entertaining.

 

I have been teaching him sign language and he has recently begun to understand me (or rather, I have begun to realize that he understands me), which is so much fun. And just this last week we realized that he's started to wave to us, but we were confused at first because it looks like he's waving to himself, which is still really cute. Today he looked at Jeff, waved and said "hi", which he loves to say all the time. Sometimes he says wow, which is cute too. Basically, Alexander is CUTE!

 

He makes friends wherever we go and gets so excited when people talk to him or acknowledge his excitement at meeting them.

 

Jeff and I celebrated our 2 year wedding anniversary http://jesusislord.albumpost.com/2008-07-15Our2yearweddinganniversary (check this out for a little surprise http://jesusislord.albumpost.com/2008-07-12Our2ndAnniversary%21) last week and Alex was able to spend some time with his cousin, Aidan, which he absolutely loved. He stayed up until 8:30 just to hang out with Aidan! He was also able to spend some time with Jeff's family from Arizona http://jesusislord.albumpost.com/2008-07-16VisitwithJeffsFamily.

 

We are so blessed by him and thankful to have him in our lives. If you are in town this weekend (Sunday the 27th) and available we'd love to invite you to his baby dedication at 11am at our church, Horizon Christian Fellowship: http://www.mypunchbowl.com/parties/320871-alexander-s-baby-dedication.

 

Pictures of Alexander Jack: http://jesusislord.albumpost.com/2008-07-19Alexanderis10monthsold%21%21?page=1

 

Love,

The Newmans

 

PS-my apologies for not responding to so many of you who shared wonderful updates about your families!!

Check out my Zannel widget!

Alexander has had a fun-filled month!

Hi Everyone,

Alexander has had a fun-filled month!

He learned how to stick out his tongue and now does it all the time when he is excited. Alex loves to pick up little pieces of anything off the floor with his little pincer grasp. He also learned to drink out of a sippy cup this month, although I think it's more entertainment for him than practical. One night he figured out how to get himself up to a sitting position from his back and so the crib was lowered and it was only days after that when he started to crawl. We have been trying to keep up with him by babyproofing our house. Alex's newest thing is that he loves to stand up wherever he possibly can. We think he really wants to stand on his own because he will let go frequently and eventually plop to the ground.

Alex now has six teeth! When we took our first family vacation to Big Bear Lake, four of his top teeth came in at the same time!

Alexander had his 9 month checkup yesterday and they said he might eventually be bigger than Jeff. He has slowed down in his growth, but is still big for his age. He is 29 inches long (75% for boys his age) and 23 lbs. (~80%). He has a healthy appetite and enjoys breakfast, orange veggies (sweet potatoes, squash, etc.) and dinner but definitely struggles to get down those green veggies. We will be trying some new tactics soon!

Check out new pictures here: http://jesusislord.albumpost.com/2008-06-19AlexanderJackis9monthsold

We would love to hear from you about how you and your families are doing!

love,
The Newmans

Alexander Jack is 9 months old

Alexander is 9 months old.


Father's Day


Big Bear Lake


Aili Noel Garcia


Dana Mittan's Dedication
and First Birthday

Our Wedding Photos

To view wedding pictures taken by our photographer, simply click on the picture above.

Alex thinks it's funny

Alexander is officially 7 months old and cute

Hi Folks,

Well, Alexander is officially 7 months old and cute. We love him!

He had a fun month and has started making all kinds of noises. He enjoys talking (buh-buh, heh-heh, da-da-da, guh-guh, etc) and has started eating solid foods; if you consider rice cereal a "solid". :)

Alex has 1.5 teeth. His second tooth is cutting through right now. No more gummy smiles!

At his 6 month checkup he weighed in at a whopping 20 lbs. (90%) and was 27 inches long (75%). He's wearing 12 month clothes. And apparently he's going to be really smart. That's what the nurse said...and then she said, "his head is off the chart." It's literally off the chart. He can fit into 18 month old hats.

He loves to sit and turn himself around in circles and then either roll to his stomach or back and wiggle around. We're having lots of fun with him.

Story of the month: Alex is very attached to his dad. Every night he has "time with Daddy" when Jeff gets home from work. One evening when Jeff came home from work, he said hi to Alexander and then went to get ready for an event we were leaving for soon. Alex immediately burst into tears as Jeff walked away. I held him and then sat him on the ground next to me so he could see Jeff. He gave us the big frown and crocodile tears started streaming down his face and he continued to cry until Jeff picked him up and held him. This happens regularly as soon as he sees Jeff. He just wants to be held by him at least for a few minutes before being put down again to play. It's very sweet to see the bond already so strong at such a young age!

For pictures of Alex go to: Alexander is 7 months old

For more pictures: http://jesusislord.albumpost.com/

love to you and your families,
Jeff, Lisa and Alexander

Alex attacks the bunny

This cuddly little bunny is no match for the jaws of Alexander Jack.

The Newest Newman

Greetings!

I know that subject heading might get some of you thinking: they're pregnant! No, we're not having another baby...yet ;)

Jeff was recently inspired by the Anderson Arrow (a monthly newsletter we receive from some missionary friends of ours) and wanted a name for our monthly Alexander updates we send out.

Yes, it's that time of the month again when we send out an email with a link to TONS of pictures of our (big) little guy and give you a synopsis of what he's discovered or how he's changed. (If you'd like to watch any of the videos but only have time for one, I recommend "Sucking Dad's Ear." We are sure it will be a Newman Classic and may even appear at his future graduation/wedding/insert-special-event-here).

Alexander is now 6 months old and still loves to smile. Imagine that. He enjoys touching, grabbing, sucking and chewing on anything he can get his hands on and is continually attempting to pick at even the finer details of what he sees (designs on fabrics and carpeting, strings attached to hoods, etc). He loves to grab any part of your face, but watch out: I think he is learning that he can't pull it off! Alexander also enjoys running his fingers through his hair, but of course, his limited mobility makes it appear as if he's scratching his head. I guess that really means he's learned to scratch his head and Mom likes to think that he enjoys running his fingers through his hair. Two cute new things he does is grab his feet when on his back and sit up. He loves to sit up and look at you with this expression that I interpret to mean, "do you see what I'm doing?!". He does roll but we wouldn't consider him a "roller". Alex LOVES his bath and will splash everywhere and then look at you and smile to see if you noticed. It's SO cute.

He met many different people and even made his first visit to the CPA. This month Alex experienced his first trip to the beach in Del Mar, but I don't think he was really that interested in anything but sticking his toy in his mouth.

We really don't have a clue how much he weighs but Jeff said, "100 pounds." Who's to say? The point is, our guy is probably bigger than the average 6 month old.

Funny story of the month: I recently learned the importance of changing his diaper before getting in the car to go anywhere in case of blowouts. With my new knowledge, I got Alexander ready to go visit a friend and her 6 month old. Everything was great. When we arrived, I pulled him out of the carseat and saw a stain on the seat, not in it's usual place. As I gingerly held him up and inspected everywhere, I was miffed to see a clean baby. Oh well, I thought, and carried him across the street. Much to my chagrin, I quickly discovered that my hand was wet. How could that be?! I discover that he is leaking down his pants and onto my hands. (NOTE: this is my first experience having this wonderful, bodily element on my hands). I ring the doorbell and stand him up on my friend's concrete porch so as not to further taint myself or have any other place on her porch get dirty. When she opens the door, she innocently believes he's just being a cute baby standing on her porch with my help until she sees my hand and my face. (We later bemoaned the fact that neither of us had the presence of mind to take a snapshot of this scenario as Alex was tapdancing on her porch). She ran to get a towel, scooped him up and we both trotted upstairs to adress the situation at hand. I cleaned up and we began the task of taking off the incredibly tainted clothes. This proved to be quite the challenge since Alexander loves to move all around and grab at everything right now. It didn't take long to realize that his entire pigment was changing and wet wipes wouldn't bring it back to normalcy. As she drew the bath, I began remarking on how grateful I was to have this happen at her home instead of in a parking lot where I would be all alone. Alexander was pleased as punch to be taking a bath in the middle of the day and splashed to his heart's content. It was a real bonding experience for us both! (NOTE: for those of you who haven't discovered the power of Oxi-Clean, I recommend investing in a tub of that stuff!).

We hope you had a wonderful month and are enjoying seeing the beautiful wildflowers blooming everywhere announcing the coming of spring! Our love to you and your families! Please let us know how we can pray for you.

Pictures from the month: http://jesusislord.albumpost.com/2008-03-19Alexanderis6monthsold?page=1

Love,
The Newmans
ps-Jeff is excited about his new website http://www.letscripturespeak.com/ and would love it if you signed up to receive daily emails. :)

Lisa Newman Shares About God's Extravagant Love

Guess Who's 5 Months Old?

Well, believe it or not, Alexander is 5 months old.

So here's the lowdown on what's changed with him: At his 4 month checkup he weighed in at a whopping 17 pounds and was 27 inches long. (The carseat goes up to 22 pounds or 30 inches!). He started pulling out his pacifier and is sometimes successful at getting it back in the way he took it out. Poor guy can get frustrated at times, but he's learning! Alex is now the master of grabbing two toys at once and trying to hang on to them with all his might. The challenge is when he attempts to put them both in his mouth at the same time. Ouch. He pretty much tries to grab anything that is within his reach, whether he can see it or not, and then proceed to stick it in his mouth. And he's absolutely still teething, although there are no actual teeth... Sometimes he tries to take a bite out of my arms when I'm changing his diaper. He stopped sucking his thumb a couple months ago and now just sucks and chews on his fists.

Alexander also tries to sit up and now whenever he's placed in his carseat, uses his arms to prop himself up so can sit up and look around. It's cute. He started splashing in the tub but I think finds more interest in looking around for something he can stick in his mouth. He's outgrown the swing but still digs the bouncer, which has these rings he loves to pull off and chew on.

I finally took him to get his first professional pictures taken and he was entertaining to watch because he practically refused to smile, which is uncharacteristic of him, because he was so intent on observing the photographer and what she was doing. He loves to just check things out.

Alexander has also discovered that he can make some very interesting noises and proceeds to share them with us regularly. Jeff's fondly begun calling him our little pterodactyl. If you hear him screech, you'll know what I mean!

Okay, so I have to include one funny story: On a very rainy day, I was in the car contemplating how to get him from there to home as quickly as possible. As I was packing and preparing our things, I heard what I thought was thunder, because it lasted 15 seconds or so. Oh how wrong I was! When I jumped out into the downpour to grab him, I was surprised to find that he was already wet! HA! I darted inside to discover "thunder" all over his back. As I attempted to pull off the tainted clothes without getting it all over him and myself, he thought this spectacle quite amusing and burst out LAUGHING at me, which of course got me laughing. Needless to say, he was a mess after it was all over and I called in a neighbor for reinforcements and he spent some much needed time in the tub.

For a link to the pictures, go to: http://jesusislord.albumpost.com/2008-02-19Alexanderis5monthsold.

love,
The Newmans

New videos of Alex

Newman family update for January

Hi Everyone!

This last month went by so quickly! We hope you had a wonderful Christmas with family and friends.

Alex celebrated his first Christmas with us and we loved it. He was quite the trooper being introduced to all kinds of people and enjoyed being held by everyone.

He went to the zoo for the first time on New Year's Day, visited with some of Jeff's family who had yet to meet him, got his first cold (which was probably harder for Mom than for him), and patiently let us take endless pictures of him.

He is so fun! Not only does he love to smile but he has begun to experience the joy of laughter that his parents have loved for many years! His first laugh was Christmas day but just this week he BURST out in laughter at his daddy and it was HYSTERICAL. He has also started drooling like a leaky faucet. Sometimes he'll go through three bibs in a day! (Partly because he'll stick anything in his mouth he can get his hands on, including both his fists).

He loves to play with his hands and talk to his mobile, which has some friendly creatures hanging from it. He also enjoys books that make noise or have fold out flaps. Diaper changing keeps both of us on our toes...now he's a little "firestarter" with his feet, as Jeff fondly calls him. And now that he's over 16 lbs., he's officially moved into size 3 diapers! He went through a phase at night where he'd rub his head vigorously back and forth as he woke up and consequently gave himself a buzzed baldspot on the back of his head. Plus now he has the reverse-monk hairdo going on so he's sporting quite the unique "do". He still loves to stand and, in fact, prefers it to sitting. Strange. But very cute. When he begins to fuss at the end of the day, a sure fire way to calm him down is to stick him in the tub! He LOVES it.

He will suck on his hands, stare at you and talk the entire time. One nice change is he doesn't cry the entire time he's in the car! Yay! He's managed to entertain himself with the monkey hanging back there with him and some little mini-blankets. Alexander has officially "moved out" and has been staying in his room for about one month.

Another blessing is that he has settled into a wonderful nighttime routine and sleeps from 9-12 hours without needing to eat. What a relief for Mom & Dad! (We have been made well aware that this is not always the norm and so are bracing ourselves for future children who may choose to be up every couple hours indefinitely! HA ha.). Our guy loves to dance and play patty cake with anyone who is willing to participate. We think he is going to continue being very observant and social. He loves to talk to other babies and will have conversations with us I wish I could translate!

For pictures of our little guy, go to: http://jesusislord.albumpost.com/2008-01-19Alexanderis4monthsold?page=1 (you can also see other pics of him on the main page of this website)

We know, there are a lot of pictures! But, as you know, we are the Newmans and we love to take pictures!

Love,

Jeff, Lisa and Alexander