Q is for Queen

This is James posting - Alicia suggested I be a "guest blogger" some time ago and while I've been putting it off, this past week put me over the top.

When Alicia and I were just dating, I knew she was a princess and tried to treat her like she deserved.

Let's not get carried away though—there’s no "yes, your highness!" and "Right away, your majesty!" There's no royal turn-down service and to be honest, sometimes it's all I can do to remember to open her door for her. But let's be honest--she's something amazing and deep down, I know it.

So what happens when the princess grows up? That's right--she becomes a Queen.

This past week we have had the boys for Spring Break. I’m working full time and going to school full time also. So guess who gets to take over? The Princess. Let me tell you—it’s no small task. But Alicia understands how important this time is to me and after all, it’s Alicia: Overachiever Extraordinaire.

The Challenge:

• 2 competitive boys


• adjusting to dad’s house


• love stick swords and poking eyes out.


• Special talents: collecting bugs, spreading glorious mud, acquiring wild pets, and getting the upper hand.


• No video-games


• No TV


• No corporal punishment


• Oh yeah—and each comes with a hidden stash of candy

But wait—there’s more— how about a 3-month-old-baby, still nursing, with thrush, and she has to work one of the mornings and leave her charmingly inept prince in charge of the troops & castle while he works from home.

Princess work?

The Results:

• Each night one of us got to pick out our favorite dinner and she bought, prepared, and served it to us.


• She also fed the missionaries.


• She decided Grey could throw a party for his friends at our house on Friday and “was so cool!”


• The house stayed pretty much orderly throughout.


• The boys both had 1-on-1 time with each of us.


• Baby’s still happy and growing.


• She spent time teaching Aidan how to read


• We had a PHENOMENAL date night.


• She managed to let me sleep in till 10:00am on Saturday.


• Sunday, while I was at meetings, she got all 3 boys to church early and delivered a home-made hot sausage egg McMuffin…with cheese. Melting, dripping, cheddar cheese


• Both boys wrote in their journals and posted on this blog (their own words).


• We dyed Easter Eggs


• Family trip to Arena Sports for free!


• Cousin sleepover where the kids stayed up late partying in a tent built in our living room


• Not a single complaint about the 4 taquito-fed minnow guests which lived rent-free in her Tupperware

The background in this picture is not lost on me.

We joked after the boys left about how surprisingly well everything had gone. It wasn’t till then that I realized that all of this had been done with an amazing amount of grace.

In many of the fairy tales I love, there is a theme of the prince growing up to face his kingdom duties. Usually the luxury-laden royal child resists the royal responsibility and seeks adventure or escape, but in the very best of these tales, the prince or princess rises up and takes on the duties of the kingdom –often with grace and elegance.

When we got engaged, I hoped I had chosen a Quality princess. Alicia got this big “Q” for our wedding party and it hangs in our entry-way. I love that her last name is Quigley now and that she helps govern our little Quigley kingdom. I’m a bit proud of our Quigley name and love that she bought (and painted) the “Q”. But the more I know her, see her work, and the way she carries herself, I the more I realize that in our house, Q is for Queen.

Thanks for an awesome spring break, Darling.

from Aidan

The first time I saw Xander was in the hospital. When he came out he was so cute. I loved him. He had a cute face. I loved holding him. He was 0 months old and now he is 3 months old. Now, he smiles really cute. I like to play with him. I like changing his diaper and picking out his clothes. Sometimes he crys and it makes me sad, I try to help him not cry; I put his binky in his mouth. He has very long naps. I like when he wakes up so he can play with me. I like when he gets on my bed with me. I am so excited to see him when I come to Dad and Alicia's house. He is so happy when I am here.

I was so happy to see my new baby brother

I was really happy when I picked out his clothes

from Greyson

The last couple of months have been super exciting and fun! We had a new person from heaven come and be a family member to us. His name is Xander G. Quigley. He's so cute and I am so happy to help him and be his older brother!

Although he does spit up alot--sometimes all over his face.

Also all the holidays have been awesome! Spring break has been exciting! We had to choose our favorite meal that we would make on different days of the week. (Mine is Shrimp alfredo!)

On Friday we had a big party with my friends and made pizzas',we played games and one of them was hide and go seek in the dark!

All in all I think/know that these have been some pretty exciting months!

a name and a blessing

The last week of March Xander was blessed in our ward by James. He was given the name Alexander Gordon Quigley. I was reading back in my journal the other day and in September I had written that we liked that name. I can't remember at all how we came up with Xander, maybe I heard it somewhere (I use to text James' names whenever I heard them at gymnastics or swim lessons of the kids I nannied, in books, or at the grocery store). We thought Xander was cool and James likes that the name is long enough that when Xander's old enough if he wants to go by Alex or even Alexander he can (I hope that he'll always be called Xander!). When we found our we were pregnant I told James if our baby was a boy I wanted his middle name to be Gordon. All of the boys in our family have family names that are also prophet names and the name Gordon fit: after of course President Gordon B. Hinkley and it's also my dad's middle name.

Bruce Gordon and Alexander Gordon (one day old)

our beloved Prophet (he feels like a grandfather to us)

one of the all time best pictures of little Xander

outfit: Dressed in White booties: made by Janean Carter

we have a 3 month old

3 months old

smiling at Grandma Karen

big brother Aidan picked out his outfit

I knew it would go by fast, but this is ridiculous. Time has sped up and I'm not sure if I like it. But, I do love having a 3 month old. I love when Xander was brand new, he was so little and precious and fell asleep on me every time I held him...but, it was a lot of work. These days life are still hard at times, but I think we are getting the hang of things. I felt that by 12 weeks we finally getting a hang of it (I didn't expect it to take that long). I feel so blessed for every day and I try to cherish these times because he is growing up so fast.

Here is what our 3 month old is up to:

• 
  
  Xander sleeps at least 8 hours at night and numerous 1-3 hour naps through the day


• 
  
  He is pretty good at nursing, it has been a LONG, hard road, but he is a trooper and each day we (both) get better at it


• 
  
  He loves to suck on his fingers, fists, arms, anything he can find


• 
  
  He takes naps in the swing (but our blessed swing broke and this week his nap time have struggled a bit)


• 
  
  He falls to sleep for the night on his own, I think it's smart how he knows it's night and time for a longer sleep (he might be a genius!)


• 
  
  He has thrush, and has for months, we can't get rid of it


• 
  
  He has a darling dimple on his left cheek, his smile is too die for, sometimes when he smiles he even does this cute shy look where he puts his head down


• 
  
  He knows his brothers and loves the attention he gets from them, they adore him


• 
  
  Xander-mander has to wear a swaddle in his car seat or he'll cry the whole time, very occasionally he can go a short distance without freaking out, he also wears the swaddle to sleep


• 
  
  He has a pretty consistent eat, play, sleep daily routine


• 
  
  He takes a bottle and always has, but that allows us to have a babysitter every week and that is AMAZING (we love our date night)


• 
  
  Now the gross stuff, he spits up a lot and it's nasty and he only poops every couple days and it is usually a big deal and requires all that he is wearing to soak in the sink


• 
  
  Xander spends his day getting loved, kissed, and adored...we all love this special little guy