Alexa gets NU gear from Jen!

My college friend Jen was in town and came out to visit us -- and meet Alexa! And being the good Northwestern alum that she is, she brought tons of NU gear to outfit Alexa! She now has an adorable purple NU infant cap, a purple Northwestern sweatshirt and a purple hair bow! Thanks, Jen!

We spent the afternoon having lunch and walking around Bethesda. Here are Alexa and I at lunch!

And CLICK HERE for a video Daddy made of us at lunch.

Finally, CLICK HERE for another video of Alexa lovin' her mirror!

Another rainy day!

Rain, rain go away! Luckily, I had lunch plans so we still were able to get out of the house. I met my college friend Julia and her adorable daughter Michaela for lunch. We had a nice meal during which Alexa slept the whole time. Yay!

We then headed over to Barnes & Noble where I checked out books on baby sleep training. Here are the ones I am looking at... If anyone has recommendations, I'm all ears! Please leave a comment or e-mail me. Thanks!

Healthy Sleep Habits, Healthy Child

The No-Cry Sleep Solution

Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems (By Richard Ferber)

Sleeping Through the Night

The Sleepeasy Solution

Oh, by the way, if you are looking for photos... My camera battery died yesterday at Kristin's place! And I left my charger in New Jerey... So... We have some coming up, courtesy of Daddy's iPhone. But hang tight, it'll be a few days until I get my camera back up and running!

Alexa meets her new BFF - Kaitlyn!

Today was a big day for us! I took a shower. I ate breakfast. I made cookies. I picked up dinner from Chicken Out. And then I drove Alexa to Alexandria to visit my friend Kristin and meet her new baby girl, Kaitlyn Marie!

Luckily, Alexa slept for most of the drive. It was her FIRST trip to Virginia! We had a great visit with Kristin and Kaitlyn. Can't wait to go back and see them again!

Also, check out the size difference between our babies... They are exactly 7 weeks apart. Kaitlyn is 7lbs/14oz right now, so she's roughly the size Alexa was at birth. Alexa is now 11 1/2 lbs. It's hard to imagine she was once that small! Time sure does fly...

Alexa's first playdate with a BOY!

My friend Kelly came over today with her baby boy! Cobb was born a couple weeks after Alexa but he came out weighing 10 pounds, 3 ounces! It was raining outside so we couldn't take a walk and instead hung out inside. Here are the babies - How cute are they?!

Cobb checking out Alexa...

Alexa hits on Cobb!

Whew! What a day!

On Tuesday, I headed to my weekly PACE mom's group. We meet from 10 a.m. to Noon at a nearby Temple, everyone sitting on the ground with pillows in a circle. There are about 11 moms and two leaders and we have a different topic each week. So far the best part has been meeting the other moms!

Most of the other babies are around Alexa's age. One little girl, Avrey, was also born on 9-9-09! And another baby, Drew, was born just two days later. We were all at Sibley but for some reason never ran into each other!

At today's class, we talked about sleep and I found out that the definition of "sleeping through the night" is actually just FIVE HOURS. Geez. In that case, Alexa is almost there since she just went down for four hours last night! I'll be happier when she's closer to eight.

Another tip I picked up was that we should establish a bedtime routine, like a bath, storybook and nursing. We are hoping to get that started soon. We also heard that it's better to put the baby down before they are asleep so that they can teach themselves to go to sleep. Hmm. Scared to try that... I don't want her to cry!

I also heard about a book called Secrets of the Baby Whisperer, which one of the mom's swears by. The book says that babies operate along a simple E.A.S.Y. schedule: Eat, Activity, Sleep, then Your time. I might want to check that book out...

After the session, we all went to lunch. And then... Alexa had a massive diaper blowout!

I was taking her out of my Moby sling to put her into her car seat when I realized that her poo had escaped her diaper and was all over her - and me! It was awful. And to make matters worse, I was in such a hurry out the door that morning that I forgot my wipes!

Luckily, another mom came to the rescue with a handful of wipes. Needless to say, I now have travel wipe containers stashed in the car and every bag we own! And I am now packing a complete change of clothes every time we leave the house!

Live and learn...

Update: I thought her adorable pink Ralph Lauren onesie was a goner after that. But, no. Shout and OxyMagic to the rescue!

Birthday Pictures!

As is now our monthly tradition, we took photos on Alexa's 2-month birthday! Which shot do you like the best? Vote for your favorite in the comments section or by e-mailing me!

#1 - What? You want me to look at the camera?

#2 - How about I strike a pose!

#3 - Yawn! I am tired already...

#4 - Who, me? Smile? How about this cute baby expression?

#5 - Alexa smiles for the camera!

Happy Birthday to Alexa!

Alexa is two months old today! Or, should we say she's two months "young"? In any case, her birthday meant it was time for a few things... Starting with a bath!

She was all smiles! Alexa loves taking a bath...

Is that a shaka sign she's trying to do?

Also today, we went to the pediatrician's office for Alexa's 2-month check-up! Here's how much she's grown:

Birth weight: 7 pounds, 12 ounces

1-month: 9 pounds, 7 ounces

2-month: 11 pounds, 5 ounces

WEIGHT GAIN (in the last month): Almost 2 pounds!

Birth length: 19 3/4 inches

1-month: 21 3/4 inches

2-month: 23 inches

LENGTH GROWN (in the last month): More than 1 inch!

Alexa also got her 2-month shots. Here she is right before the shots!

After her doctor's visit, we celebrated her birthday by meeting up with six other moms in my Mom group for a walk along the Capitol Crescent Trail. It was a gorgeous day out and the walk was so nice.

I then went over to my friend's house and after a nursing session we went on another walk to the Starbucks near her house! What a great day. Tired me out! Hope it tired Alexa out too!

A great fall day!

Our friends Libby & Dan came to visit us today! We then took Alexa out for her first brunch. At Cafe Deluxe. It was hysterical because EVERY table had a stroller or high chair! Did I mention yet that our new town is VERY family friendly? Here is Alexa all dolled up!

After brunch, we checked out an open house down the street. Then we took Alexa on a walk to... Starbucks! It was so warm out that we had to take off her cute sweater... But look at those eyes!

Photo shoot in Samantha's outfit!

Of course no family gathering would be complete without an Alexa photo shoot! So we got Alexa back in her special outfit, the one that her big cousin Samantha wore home from the hospital. Check out this cuteness! First, we had some playtime!

Then... The photoshoot! Alexa and her cousins...

The girls!

Our family!

Another great day with Alexa's aunt & cousins!

We had a great day today! Alexa got all dolled up and we went for a walk to downtown Bethesda. The weather was fabulous and we had a good lunch and spent some time shopping!

Later that night, Alexa put on her new Yankees World Champion tee shirt to hang out with her cousins!

Alexa welcomes her cousins to DC!

All dressed up and ready to welcome cousins Samantha and Jason! This is a special outfit because it was worn home from the hospital by Alexa's oldest cousin Samantha. Stay tuned for more on that outfit.

Unfortunately, due to an accident at lunch on Thursday, Alexa had to do an outfit change. Here she is with cousin Jason.

And cousin Samantha.

Check out this cute pink soccer ball that she got from Aunt Missy!

"So does this mean I have to be a soccer player?"

Instead of playing a game of soccer, we went for a walk.

The day ended with some playtime with cousin Jason and Daddy...

A perfect ending to a busy but fabulous day

Today started off great. We slept in! Alexa and I did, at least. Daddy had to go to work. Then we went to the Zoo to meet up with some other moms I know from my prenatal yoga class. We saw elephants and lots of other critters...

On the way back, Alexa and I stopped in Rock Creek Park for a diaper change...

Then after a nasty spat of howling, she finally fell asleep. Here is the view I have of her in the back seat. (Taken while parked.)

Upon returning home, I got several packages! Her birth announcements have arrived! Then Aunt Chimmy came over, followed by Daddy's friend Billy, who both got a sneak peek at her birth announcement!

Then Mommy went out to a RESTAURANT for a birthday dinner with Aunts Chimmy and Elizabeth! Yay! Girls night out! (Yes... I left Alexa home with Daddy, Billy and a bottle...)

We got home at the top if the 7th, just in time to see Mo clinch the Yankees' 27th World Series title! Daddy showed Alexa, who was thrilled.