Happy 5-Month Birthday, Alexa!

To celebrate, and to get out of the house before the next snowstorm rolls in, we took Alexa downtown for lunch. And since she's a big girl now who can sit up, we decided to try out the restaurant's high chair. Check it out! She loved it!

After lunch, we got cupcakes at Georgetown Cupcake. I was all set to get red velvet again... But then I HAD to get Lava Fudge. Same amazing frosting on top. But creamy fudge in the middle of the chocolate cupcake. HOLY AMAZING! (Alexa is frowning in the picture because she wanted to her her own cupcake but mommy told her she had to wait and share mine...)

So anyway, after today's adventure with the high chair, we've decided to set up the high chair that Aunt Jen, Aunt Kelly & Uncle Ben got her. We don't plan to start solids until Alexa is 6 months old, as is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and World Health Organization, to name a few. But in the meantime, she can get used to sitting in her high chair!

Alexa's elusive laugh!

Alexa first laughed out loud on New Year's day. Since then, she does it but it's hard to catch. It cracks us up when she gets going. Below, finally, are a couple really short videos of her laugh!

Click HERE and HERE to hear Alexa laugh and laugh!

Alexa is trying to crawl!

Today was a wonderful day! I started off by taking Alexa to the mall for Stroller Striders. I ate so much over the weekend (caramel popcorn!) that I had to work out! Then Daddy and I took Alexa downtown for lunch and a walk along the Capitol Crescent trail.

Here is adorable Alexa in her stroller with Daddy!

She loves that giraffe!

Thanks Aunt Kelly & Uncle Ben for the cute "Tree Huger" onesie!

When we got home that night, we put Alexa on her mat and she started something new... Getting up on her knees!

First she rolled. Now she's trying to crawl! She's not going anywhere yet, but it's not for lack of trying. Once Alexa rolls onto her tummy, she pushes up to her knees. She even pushes back on her legs like a "down dog" yoga pose! Oh, and she's also rolling from her tummy to her back now. Oh, the progress!

Click HERE to watch a 40-second video of Alexa "swimming" on her tummy, pushing up on her arms and then pushing up on her knees!

Click HERE to watch a 40-second video of Alexa pushing up on her knees, then rolling onto her back and playing with her ball!

Click HERE to watch a 60-second video of Alexa rolling back onto her tummy and then using her knees to scoot forward!

Sophie the giraffe = Baby Crack

I caved in. All the moms I know swear by this rubber toy giraffe named "Sophie." One by one, every baby in my mom's group got one. One mom declared that it's now her go-to baby shower gift. Another mom reported that immediately upon receipt, the giraffe went straight into her son's mouth. One mom got FOUR of them as gifts!

Truly, something must be up with this giraffe. Not wanting Alexa to be the ONLY baby without one, I caved in and bought her one. Of course I was not about to pay full retail of $22 for a rubber chew toy! I got it on Amazon for $15. It took her a couple of seconds to warm up to the giraffe...

It actually looks more like a dog chew toy than a baby teether! And it smells like rubber! But "Sophie la garafe" comes in a fancy box from French toy manufacturer VULLI. Enclosed in the box is the story of how this toy came to be.

The little giraffe was born on May 25, 1961... Saint Sophie's day. That's when Monsieur Rampeau came up with the idea of designing a giraffe toy. "Such an exotic wildlife figure would be a first on the market, and its size and shape would be ideal for a baby's small hands to grasp."

According to the manufacturer, the giraffe was an immediate success. "Young mothers straightaway saw that she was a must for their children... When the first signs of teething appear, Sophie the Giraffe helps baby stop crying!"

The giraffe is made in Rumilly in the Haute-Savoie region of France using a "traditional" process that involves more than 14 manual operations. She is made from 100% natural rubber derived from the sap of the Hevea tree.

According to the box, the toy stimulates each of baby' senses!

SIGHT: The dark and contrasting sopts all over Sophie the Giraffe's body provide visual stimulation and make her easily recognizable to baby.

TASTE: Sophie the Giraffe is very flexible and has lots of parts for baby to chew (ears, horns, legs). She is perfect for soothing baby's sore gums when teething and is completely safe. Made of 100% natural rubber and food paint.

TOUCH: Sophie the Giraffe is perfect for baby's small hands. She is very light and her long legs and neck are easy for baby to grip. She is very soft to the touch, just like baby's mummy, stimulating soothing physiological and emotional responses.

SMELL: The singular scent of natural rubber (from the Hevea tree) makes Sophie the Giraffe very special and easy for your child to identify amid all her other toys.

So, um, it looks like Alexa likes her new toy. Click HERE to see just how much she loves her giraffe!

Want to see more? Click HERE to watch another video of Alexa and her giraffe. This video actually shows a developmental milestone that my book said to watch for this month: Baby will start to protest when a certain toy is taken away.

Oh yes, she doth protest the removal of Sophie!

Our little sitter (sort of)!

So I'm not sure if this counts as sitting? She can't get into this position on her own and she can't lift her arms up. But if I sit Alexa up, I can get her to balance on her arms and sit on her own! She's been doing this for a week or so? I call it her tripod sit. Check it out!

Of course, Alexa can also sit on her Nod chair!

And here is a picture of her in her laying in her stroller! Today was a holiday, so I met up with some other women in my mom's group, then joined Daddy for a walk along the Capitol Crescent trail. What a great day!

We used the JJ Cole Toddler Urban BundleMe that I got NEW at the Wiggle Room consignment shop for $15 (usually $59)! It matches the JJ Cole Infant Urban BundleMe that we use in the car seat. The liner zips up like a jacket around Alexa to keep her toasty warm!

The grey padding that you see cushioning her head is the JJ Cole Body Support, which I got on sale for $14 (usually $25)! Our pediatrician recommended it to protect her neck and keep her head from bumping around too much. Sure looks cozy to me!

Alexa rolled over! And she laughed!

Not at the same time, but she had two firsts today! First, this morning, she was cuddling with us in bed and when I gave her some room, she rolled over! Daddy and I were both there to see her first roll. It was amazing!

Then, later in the day, while we were at Starbucks, I was bouncing her on my lap. She likes to stand on my legs and jump up and down. She laughed: He-he-he! It was so cute!

Now... The video proof!

Last night, she TRIED and TRIED to roll over... But to no avail! With everyone watching later this morning, she tried again but ended up just flailing about in a new DANCE... It looks kind of like jumping jacks on the floor!

Finally, she rolled over! Click HERE to watch! Below are some photos extracted from the video to give you the play-by-play.

After he roll, she did another happy DANCE, which could also be mistaken for an exercise routine. What a great start to 2010!

Some big developments in Alexa's world!

Every morning, we have been coming downstairs after Alexa nurses so that she can play on the activity mat while I make and eat breakfast. She loves it!

Here are some key development milestones that she is working on this week...

1. Being able to play independently. This is important. She needs to be able to entertain herself. And by the looks of it, she is getting good at it! She kicks at the toys on the activity mat and squeels in delight as they move. It's pretty funny to watch!

2. Practicing her head control. Look at her go! She can hold her head up 45 degrees when on her tummy!

3. More head control work. She holds her head up when being burped on our shoulder and if you sit her up and hold her or prop her next to pillows, she can hold her head up on her own. Look at how adorable she is!

4. Practicing turning over. Look at her hips in this photo. This is the second time that she has rolled her hips over like this... It looks like she is practicing being able to roll over!

Let's talk Details!

How far along: 20 weeks/3 days

Total weight gain: 11 pounds (up 1 pound since last week!)

Maternity clothes: Oh yeeeeeah. Got the GAP maternity pants but only like one pair, so am returning the other. It's really hard to find comfy work pants! So far my Target and Ann Taylor LOFT pants are my faves! I also just ordered a bunch of maternity tops from Target that were on clearance, free shipping and buy 2 get 1 free! I got 13 tops for $100! Go me..... Plus, I go this totally cute top that I am wearing today! Love it!

Stretch marks: No.

Main symptoms: Bigger belly. Still sort of tired. Bathroom trips have picked up again! Arg!

Exercise: Prenatal yoga on Sunday.

Best moment of the week: Finding out that we have a little princess on her way! And seeing her on the sonogram screen. She's already soooo cute!

Movement: Definitely feeling baby Lima! Usually after I eat or when I am still, like sitting at my desk or reading in bed at night. It's great!

Food cravings: Frozen fruit bars! Cookies! More cereal!

Gender: Girl!

Labor signs: None.

Belly button in or out? Still in.

What I miss: Being skinny! Hahaha. Maybe I'll get this T-shirt!

What I am looking forward to: Being really, really big and pregnant!

Weekly wisdom: Target is the way to go on maternity clothes!

Milestones: Found out that Lima is a girl! Had our Week 20 sonogram and appointment. Finally caved in and got some pregnancy pillows. Also purchased two new books, Baby Bargains and The Happiest Baby on the Block. Reviews to come!

Let's talk Details!

How far along: 19 weeks/ 1 day

Total weight gain: 10-13 pounds (up 2 1/2 pounds since last week! Eeeek!)

Maternity clothes: Maternity pants and tops are becoming more and more comfortable and a necessity. I just ordered two new maternity pants from GAP. Hope they fit!

Stretch marks: No.

Main symptoms: Tired. Spacey. A protruding belly.

Exercise: Ran the Cherry Blossom 10-Miler on Sunday and then did prenatal yoga.

Best moment of the week: So many! Attending a good friend's wedding, taking Lima Bean on the Cherry Blossom run, and enjoying a great Passover seder with good friends.

Movement: Feeling small "flutters" of movement but still not sure what it is!

Food cravings: Cereal, almonds, chocolate, red meat (had to have fajitas last Friday!)

Gender: You all are pretty split on whether Lima Bean is a boy or a girl! Interesting. Less than a week until we find out!

Labor signs: None.

Belly button in or out? Still in.

What I miss: Being able to wear more clothes in my closet and my cute dresses.

What I am looking forward to: Being able to take Lima Bean out in a jogging stroller!

Weekly wisdom: Enjoy every day because this pregnancy is going by so quickly! Let's see if I still think that at 30 weeks...

Milestones: Our condo is under contract and has passed inspection! Now, we just gotta buy a house... and a car... and a crib. But one thing at a time!

Let's talk Details!

How far along: 18 weeks/ 1 day

Total weight gain: 7 1/2 to 10 1/2 pounds (+ 1/2 pounds since last week)

Maternity clothes: Still wearing bella bands over my existing jeans and two pairs of work pants. Now wearing my Ann Taylor LOFT maternity pangs often. Also, wearing my new black dress maternity pants, yoga pants and casual khaki capri pants from Target. I need to get more maternity pants, they are MUCH more comfortable!

Stretch marks: Nope.

Main symptoms: Having to go to the bathroom all the time is back. Hair is soooo long. Belly continues to grow, little by little!

Exercise: Ran 5 miles and did prenatal yoga on Sunday!

Best moment of the week: Our fabulous dinner with Papa Bean and Grandma Bean at Obelisk. A night to remember!

Movement: Still feeling air bubbles and other weird things in my belly but not sure yet if it's Lima Bean or not.

Food cravings: CHOCOLATE! Thank you to everyone who sent chocolate-covered mac nut candies. YUM!

Gender: Wow, we now have 13 votes! Only 13 days left before we find out! For those of you who are of the betting kind, you should leave a comment below with your guess so that you are on record with it and can earn bragging rights if you guess correctly!

Labor signs: None.

Belly button in or out? Still in!

What I miss: Not being able to eat goat cheese and pigs in a blanket apps at events.

What I am looking forward to: BOY or GIRL? I can't WAIT to find out!

Weekly wisdom: Have heard about a book called Baby Bargains that is supposed to be GREAT for when you are making purchases... Almost at that point! (Note that the 8th Edition JUST came out with updates for 2009.)

Milestones: Put our condo on the market, held our open houses and are now considering TWO offers! Updates to come... Cross your fingers!

Let's talk Details!

How far along: 17 weeks/ 2 days

Total weight gain: + 7-10 pounds (up 1 pound from last week!)

Maternity Clothes: STILL wearing bella bands over my existing pants, which are totally unzipped. Eeeek! My Ann Taylor LOFT maternity pants have become a twice-weekly favorite... NEED more maternity pants ASAP! Still doing OK with regular tops and sweaters.

Stretch marks? Nope

Main symptoms: My co-worker shrieked this week that I "popped." Not sure if I have, but my belly is getting more noticeable. Having WEIRD dreams. Still pretty forgetful. Bouts of being emotional. Hair and nails growing very fast, strong.

Exercise: Barre Technique class with weights and leg lifts on Thursday! Prenatal yoga on Sunday.

Best moment of the week: Hearing Lima Bean's heartbeat at our doctor's appointment yesterday! It was strong and loud and made us proud!

Movement: Maybe, but not sure. Have felt weird feelings in my tummy that remind me of being on a roller coaster...

Food cravings: Still frozen yogurt and ice cream. And almonds. Apple sauce. Cereal. Rice with tomato sauce. Have I mentioned frozen yogurt?

Gender: We find out on APRIL 15th! So get your vote in early... :-)

Labor signs: None.

Belly button in or out? Still in.

What I miss: Running hard and racing in races. Passed on running in the National Half Marathon last weekend and was sad to miss the fun, especially since my friend Judes came down from Boston to run the race with me!

What I am looking forward to: Finding out if Lima Bean is a boy or a girl!

Weekly wisdom: Discovered The Breastfeeding Center for Greater Washington, which offers FREE breastfeeding classes to expecting moms!

Milestones: Sent in our check and registration form to sign up for the July 12 Childbirth Education class at Sibley Hospital!

Let's Talk Details!

How far along: 16 weeks/ 1 day

Total weight gain: + 6-9 pounds (up 2 pounds from last week. eeeek!)

Maternity Clothes: Still wearing bella bands over my existing pants, although they are now completely unzipped. My Ann Taylor maternity pants are quickly becoming a favorite... Might need a few more maternity pants soon!

Stretch marks? Still in the clear.

Main symptoms: My slowly growing belly is pretty much it. And I can be terribly forgetful sometimes. Post-its have become my new best friend.

Exercise: Prenatal yoga on Sunday.

Best moment of the week: Telling my friend since preschool, Tina Bean, about our news!

Movement: Is it gas or is it Lima Bean? That is the question...

Food cravings: Yogurt. Ice cream. Almonds. Chocolate. Specifically, chocolate and toffee covered macadamia nut candies from Hawaii. (Hint! Hint!)

Gender: Only FIVE people have voted in the poll?!?! Come on guys... You are running out of time!

Labor signs: None.

Belly button in or out? Still in.

What I miss: Soft cheeses like gorgonzola or goat cheese or brie... Yum!

What I am looking forward to: Our next prenatal appointment next week, on March 25th!

Weekly wisdom: Chewing gum, especialy tropical flavors, is great for inbetween meals.

Milestones: Signed up for a 6-week prenatal yoga class.

Let's Talk Details

How far along: 15 weeks/ 1 day

Total weight gain: +4-7 pounds (no change from last week because I lost 3 pounds from a nasty stomach flu on Friday, then promptly gained 3 pounds back a few days later.)

Maternity Clothes: Just wore my new Ann Taylor Loft maternity pants and although they are a little loose, they are super comfy! I also wore my new v-neck red top from A Pea in a Pod over the weekend because it's long enough to cover my unzipped jeans. Most days, I wear bella bands over my regular pants though. 

Stretch marks? Nope. Nada. None.

Main symptoms: I'm starting to love the 2nd Trimester! Not as many bathroom trips, not as tired, no more heartburn or dizzy spells and less nausea! Hurray! 

Exercise: An hour on the elliptical machine last Wednesday, prenatal yoga on Sunday and an hour of running/walking on the treadmill on Tuesday. Plus, we walked from our place to Georgetown and back (4 miles) on Saturday while the painter was at our place.

Best moment of the week: Papa Bean singing Roy Orbison's "Anything you want, you got it, baaaaaby!" to my tummy. So cute!

Movement: Tons, but unfortunately I'm not feeling anything yet! 

Food cravings: I have been loving toasted pita with cheddar cheese, just like when I was a kid.

Gender: Still no idea, but I have a feeling...

Labor signs: None.

Belly button in or out? Still in, but I noticed this week to my amazement that it's not as DEEP as it used to be. Hmmm.

What I miss: OK, fine, I'd sure like a margarita! 

What I am looking forward to: Having enough of a belly that people get out of my way and offer me a seat when I get on a crowded bus. Hee hee.

Weekly wisdom: Ice cream or frozen yogurt can solve just about any problem!

Milestones: Got information on a labor class at the JCC in June and a childbirth classes at Sibley Hospital in July, both of which we are planning to sign up for; tried my first prenatal yoga class on Sunday.

Let's talk Details

Below is a list that I hope will become somewhat of a weekly check-in on my symptoms and details. You know, because I know you re all on the edge of your seat to find out the status of my belly button. Here goes...

How far along: 14 weeks/ 1 day

Total weight gain: + 4-7 pounds

Maternity clothes? Still using Bella Bands on pants but just purchased a few tops. Also, just yesterday ordered a pair of black maternity pants from Ann Taylor Loft.

Stretch marks? Nope, but I'm itchy all over. Will be going through my Arbonne lotion in no time!

Main symptoms: Still going to the bathroom a lot and very burpy, but not as tired, and not as much heartburn or dizzy spells. Slight nausea in the mornings before I get food in my belly.

Exercise: Ran a slow and easy 6 miles on Sunday.

Best moment this week: Hearing Lima Bean's heartbeat via doppler at my doctor's office. Last visit was on Feb. 25, so exactly a week ago.

Movement: Not yet.

Food cravings: Frozen yogurt from Yogato!

Gender: We have no clue... But we have our guesses! Our family members do too!

Labor signs: None.

Belly button in or out? Still in.

What I miss: This is unbelievable but I have lost my appetite for sushi or wine, so I am not missing much right now!

What I am looking forward to: Having a cute obviously pregnant belly so that people don't look at me like I am a cow when I go to the gym!

Weekly wisdom: Take it one day at a time...

Milestones: Put Lima Bean on the waiting list for daycare and started this blog!