Look Who's One!

Fast forward 6 months from my last post. . . .

Look who turned one! It's hard to believe a year has come and gone. Alexa has changed SO much! It always amazes me how much change occurs during the first couple years of life.

 

 We had a fun family party for her with lots of yummy treats and tons of family (somewhere around 35 people all together in our tiny house). I love first birthday's when they get their own cake to devour or demolish. . . Alexa was excited when she saw it, dipper her hand in then proceeded to suck her thumb for a minute. Then she kept leaning forward eating a bite, then sat up and looked at everyone and kept repeating that until she had enough.

 

She is such a good girl now! The first 3 months were rough with colic and all, but she is SO good now, you almost wouldn't even know she was around. The kids love to hold her, carry her, and help with her (and often fight about helping/carrying her, etc). She can pull herself up and walk around furniture. She does not see a need to walk yet. . .and don't think she will for a couple more months:) She likes playing peek-a-boo, give high fives, and dance when she hears music (the funniest was when I was at a store and was carrying her on my hip, all the sudden she starts squeezing me with her thighs and head bobbing to the overhead music). She is a mommas girl (and Grandma Jenny's girl). If I am in site she usually wants me (I can't deny I love it:) but not in a bad/annoying crying way, just a little "uuuhh, uuhh" or "Maaaa." She loves to be tickled and teased too. She is such a joy and we are so glad she is in our family.

Finishing dinner before the big 1.0 birthday party!

 

Birthday crown and tiny 2-layer white cake with real butter cream frosting. Yum!

 

We had cake pops (chocolate and white w/ almond extract). They are not cheap to make and were more time consuming then I thought, but they were delicious. Brock made his fabulous chocolate chip cookies. I made another cake (white with cream cheese/whipped cream frosting with raspberry fruit sauce to put on top) plus a cranberry apple crisp, and 3 types of ice cream. Tons of treats (but most were gone by the end of the party!!!).

Cousin Clayton and Alexa are only 3 weeks apart.

Avery and the birthday girl.

Dad, Mom and birthday girl.

Cousins Josie and Dax.

Cousin Riley and Aunt Becah.

Thumb tastes even better with frosting on it!

Some of the audience:)

And there she goes!

I love how she didn't use her hands much. It was super funny to watch!

Almost done. Bath time then presents.

 

 

5. . .now 6 Months Old!

Alexa is now a 1/2 year old! My how time flies. It's been so busy I haven't blogged for 2 months, but did manage to take some pictures of her when she turned 5 months. She discovered her hands and started putting anything she could grab into her mouth; including her toes:) She still does that now that she is 6 months old, but is doing even more. She is such a happy baby with the squishiest thunder thighs. She loves mom and cries when she sees or hears her and wants to be picked up. . . making it challenging to get things done sometimes.

Lexi recently found her tongue and loves to stick it out, she also learned how to blow raspberries. The kids think it's fun to see her do new things. She can sit by herself too for several minutes. She like to eat food now, and has tried several fruits and a vegetable or two and seems to like them all so far. She only made a face once when she tried sweet potatoes. She is such a little joy to have around and we love her so much! She now weighs just under 20 lbs and is still a tall little lady. She usually wears size 12+ months (we don't grow small kids around these part;)

Just love this face!

Big brother and baby sister.

6 months

5 months

4 months

3 months

2 months

1 month

newborn

MAW Easter Egg Hunt

The kids had a fabulous morning today at the Make-a-Wish Easter Egg Hunt at the zoo! It was a snowy morning but the kids had a blast dancing, finding eggs, meeting the Easter bunny, playing games, getting their faces painted and warming up with some hot chocolate and cookies. Alexa was a champ and slept in her car seat/stroller all bundled up. Her cheeks were a bit cool but otherwise she stayed toasty. Thanks Make-a-Wish!!!

 

4 Months Old!!!!

4 Months Old

3 Months Old

2 Months Old

Alexa is 4 months old! Time sure seems to go by so quickly. She seems to change everyday. Her favorite thing now is to put anything she can get her hands on (and especially her own hands) into her mouth. She loves playing with her toys, and of course putting them in her mouth. She has grabbed her toes a couple of times, giggles, smiles, and overall seems to be much more aware of everything. She loves to kick in the bath too. She LOVES to be held and talked too and isn't happy some days unless she is getting toted around. . .the kids think the Baby Bjorn is pretty neat, but she is getting so heavy it makes for some sore shoulders. She still has a hoarse cry and is a little raspy at times. Poor thing has been stuffy and hoarse most of her life! She gets frequent nasal saline and the bulb syringe to the nose. We were giving her Prevacid for reflux, but she was constipated so tried stopping it, but she was a cranky girl again so I think we will continue it for a few more months or more. We all love her and are excited to see what new things she will learn next. It's amazing to see how much a baby changes especially in the first year of life!

The girls. Poor Brady is always at school when we break out the camera. One day I will get all 4 kids in a picture together:)

 

A little late. . . but here she is at 3 months!

Alexa has certainly changed and grown so much! She is such a happy baby now. You just have to look at her and talk and she usually lights right up. . .much different from her first 3 months of screaming for hours every day. The post is a little late since she will be 4 months on the 19th, not the picture though:) It was taken a few weeks ago. It's been pretty busy around here. Brady, Lauren, and Courtney started swimming lessons 2 weeks ago, and it seems super busy with that addition. They go M-Thurs from 510-540, which BTW us a horrible time,but the only one available in there skill level. They have done really well, and totally love it! We will have to keep practicing and sign them up for more lessons in the spring and/or summer. Brady also started Karate a week ago, so needless to say it IS busy around here!

3 months old

2 months old

1 month old

Newborn