Play date with Catherine!

Alexa has known Catherine for almost her whole life! They first met when she was 5 days old. She had her first play date with Catherine. And they hung out many times over their first few months! So it was wonderful to get the girls together again. Alexa shared her new trampoline. Catherine loved it!

Alexa also shared her new car... As in, let's both drive it -- together!

July 4th Bike Parade and Party!

What a great Fourth of July! We set off early for a Bike Parade with Alexa's cousins. We didn't have room in the car for Alexa's trike, so we decorated her red stroller instead. Check it out! Alexa wore her sunglasses and loved playing with the free stickers. But it was a VERY hot and humid day, so we cut the parade short and headed home.

Also this weekend, we joined Alexa's friends Catherine and Charlie for a July 4th Party! Alexa loved eating chips, opening the cooler, and dancing and giggling with Catherine. They kept running down the hall to Catherine's room and laughing. It was so cute!

Surprise visit from Catherine!

We were very fortunate that the big snow storm did not knock out our power. But many of our friends were not so lucky. So we invited our friends to stay in our guest room with their daughter, Catherine, who is Alexa's age. That made this morning really fun for Alexa! She showed Catherine all her toys, including her kitchen. Too bad we had to go to work because the girls looked like they were having fun!

Update: Catherine and her parents came over again tonight since their power STILL has not been restored. So the girls got to play for a little while Saturday morning as well! Fun!

Alexa is already hitting the books

Gotta study hard for daycare! Not really. Here is Alexa before school, reading one of her favorite books. This book was a gift from her friend Catherine. Meanwhile, Alexa is sporting a cute T-shirt that was a gift from her friend Kaitlyn. Alexa is so lucky... Just 1 year old and she already has several lifelong friends!

Birthday Party #3 (Catherine turns 1!)

Alexa was excited to go to Catherine's birthday party today! As you might recall, Catherine is Alexa's first friend! Alexa met Catherine at her first doctor's visit when she was only five days old! Also, her first play date was with Catherine when she was about two weeks old. Catherine is 11 days older than Alexa and a strong walker! She gave Alexa a few tips... They were adorable to watch!

Click to enlarge!

After some yummy cupcakes, the girls took a dip in Catherine's baby pool! They LOVED splashing and getting wet. They were giggling and squealing in delight. Don't take my word for it, here's a video!



Some more adorable pictures of our bathing beauties. Also at the party, Alexa got to meet baby Ellie, who is 3 months old and the daughter of two other co-workers, Kim and Ken. She was adorable in her bee outfit. A little too small to go in the kiddie pool, but she watched the big girls!

Click to enlarge!

A wonderful day with friends in Bethesda

Today was a busy but wonderful day! We walked into town to meet Coleen, Andrew and their baby Drew for lunch. Blythe and Avery joined us as well! Alexa and Drew had wonderful time eating snacks in their high chairs. What good little babies!

After lunch, we walked to Bethesda Row for a street festival called Imagination Kids. At the festival, we ran into friends Mary Clare and Catherine! It's been a long time since Alexa has seen her old friend Catherine. Look how big she's grown!

What a wonderful day. It was hot, and so Alexa slept really well! Yay!

Another AP Baby play date!

Today we went over to our friend Mary Clare's house for another play date with a bunch of babies born recently to my former co-workers: Catherine, Will and Harry! We all got together back in December. The babies have all grown so much!

And, as you can see from the pictures yesterday of Alexa and Avery, a big new development in Alexa's world is that she is noticing other babies and taking an interest in them!

Here is Alexa with one of her first friends, Catherine. They were so cute! Both reaching out toward the other one. Adorable!

MORE Babies! Alexa has so many friends!

Today we had another big play date! This time, it was a lunch get-together with six other current and former AP moms. Our seven babies ranged in age from 12 days to 4 months, including three girls and four boys. Alexa (14 weeks today!) was the third oldest, after Luke and Catherine.

Here are the babies sleeping in their car seats when we first got there...

And now, here are ALL the babies!

Left to right: Will, Catherine, Luke, Alexa, Eli, Brooklyn and Harry!

Below are few close-ups of the older babies...

After all the excitement of the photo shoot, Alexa and Catherine had a good time playing with Luke's toys!

Later, at home, Alexa relaxed on her chair.

Lunch with Cobb & Catherine!

Monday was a nice relaxing day. We met Cobb and Catherine and their moms for lunch in Bethedsda, then went across the street and painted more pottery! Here we are with our babies!

Alexa's first night of Hanukkah!

Today was a big day for us! Alexa and I met some friends for lunch in downtown Washington, D.C. We got all dolled up for the occasion and hit the road.

So here I am, dressed up and pushing a baby stroller, which did not fit into the doorway! We finally got into the restaurant and as I was trying to squeeze through the crowd... Excuse me... Excuse me... Alexa decided it was the perfect time to start SCREAMING at the top of her lungs! Well. That sure got people to move out of my way! Hahahaha. Talk about an entrance!

Once we sat down, and I took her out of her car seat (aka, baby torture device) she settled down and we had a nice lunch! Here we are with Alexa's friend Catherine and some former co-workers of mine. What a nice lunch!

Later that night, we introduced Alexa to Hanukkah. Daddy led us as we lit the candles and said the prayers!

Then Alexa got to open her first night of Hanukkah presents! She got a backpack and book about the Guggenheim from Grandma E. What awesome gifts! Here is Happy Alexa after we opened the gifts!

Another play date with Catherine!

We spent the afternoon at my friend Mary Clare's house, where the babies took turns eating, fussing, sleeping and PLAYING! Here they are on Catherine's activity mat!

Alexa and Catherine's play date!

Oh my cuteness! Will you look at these over the top adorable babies?! I went over to my friend's house today and we let the babies "play" -- Look at them! So cheerful and full of energy! What happy babies!

They LOVED this colorful toy ball!

To see more, click HERE for a video of the cute babies!

And, if you noticed above, Alexa is wearing her new Baby Legs! I got them a while back but didn't think they would fit her. Well, I saw a mom at the baby sling class last Friday with her newborn baby in them and I couldn't wait to try them! How cute is she?! I mean... How CUTE?!

Another great day for a walk!

Gorgeous day out again, so my friend Mary Clare came over with her baby Catherine for another walk. This time, we decided to break out our Baby Bjorn carriers. Our babies immediately fell asleep! So we made it to Starbucks and back with sleeping babies!

Oh, and we stopped at the Wiggle Room to pick up another Boppy nursing pillow so I can have one upstairs and one downstairs. Only $15! Score!

Finally, click HERE for your adorable Alexa video of the day!

Great day ... Rain or no rain!

And rain it did - All day! But we still had fun. Here is adorable Alexa the Great on Friday morning. She was in a good mood!

Click HERE to watch a 19-second video of her giggles.

The first thing we did was take another bath! And what better time than now to break out this adorable duck bath robe from Alexa's Great Uncle Richard! How adorable?

I mean... Seriously. How ADORABLE is she?!

Once we were all bathed and bundled up, we headed over to Mary Clare's for another play date with baby friend Catherine! Look at these adorable babies, only 11 days apart!

Speaking of getting bundled up, we broke out this infant car seat cover, a great shower gift! Thanks Janelle!

Alexa's first play date!

My friend Mary Clare brought baby Catherine over today for our first play date! Catherine was born at the same hospital as Alexa, only 11 days earlier. And the same doctor delivered both of our girls! Here we are with our strollers, before our walk!

In case you have to ask... Yes, we walked to Starbucks! Duh. Can't wait until our next play date!

Alexa's first pediatrician appointment

Good news! Alexa is gaining weight! While she was born weighing 7 pounds, 12 ounces, Alexa lost some weight in the hospital. This is common with babies, but the doctors don't like babies to lose more than 10 percent of their birth weight. Alexa had dropped to 6 pounds, 15 ounces at discharge, which was right at 10 percent.

However, on Monday at our pediatrician's office, she was up to 7 pounds, 2 ounces!

My milk came in on Sunday and she has been drinking her fill, which probably accounts for her sudden upswing in weight. Yay for Alexa's hearty appetite!

Also at our pediatrician's office, we ran into friends Mary Clare and George -- and their new baby Catherine Mary Elaine! Catherine was born on Aug. 29, delivered at the same hospital and by the same doctor who delivered Alexa!

Here is a photo of the two babies. Looking forward to play dates with Alexa's new friend Catherine!