Special People

Sweet friend, Aor, is in town from Florida so several of us (Ms. Vickie, Aor, and Lei) enjoyed an afternoon of high tea. Aor brought a special Thai high tea along with Grass Jam. Yes, it is made from a special grass in Hong Kong. She recommended we pour syrup (notice Karo on table) on it to flavor it. She was right.

Alex supervised and taste tested a batch of gooey butter cookies for our tea. She loves to watch and help mommy cook. I look forward to the day when she can participate more.

Got to give a shout out to our babysitter, Kayla. She lives down the street and has helped out a ton in the last several months for mommy time, date nights, meetings, etc. So thankful for her! She and Alex have a good time together.

Rose deserves a spot on the blog as she keeps Alex several mornings a week in the gym childcare. Alex loves Rose and Rose loves Alex.

Playdate with Bella and Gabi


Helping get the mail after our small snow and ice last week.

Fun Times

Future dancer...Alex has started holding her hands out like a ballerina or up above her head and turning. When she does, she laughs so hard. Unfortunately, this video was taken right after her biggest giggle fest while spinning. She got so worked up that she started hiccupping. So funny! She entertained herself for a while in every room doing this.
Caroline, Mr. Jack, and Alex in the nursery with our church. Mr. Jack greets the kids every week. They love him!

Friends, Jeremy and Sha Jackson, came to Little Rock last week for Jeremy to interview with UAMS. We got to spend Friday with them in which we loved catching up with them in person (and not just their blog). Their sweet little boys below didn't make the trip, but just thought I'd steal a pic from their blog to show. Unfortunately, we forgot to take pics so the above one is from their blog as well. Alex enjoyed Sha so much. She asked about her the entire next day.

Part of Alex's Christmas from both sets of grandparents and us. Chris put this together by himself with the help of a neighbor to get it into the backyard. Thanks again Jason for helping transport it from NLR Toys R Us!

Not only did we think this would be a great gift for Alex because she loves to swing and be outside, but because it will come in handy next summer when Baby Rock 2 arrives and we are grounded at home more next summer.

Our tree looks "interesting" this year as we didn't put balls on the bottom 1/4 or so...just soft and unbreakables so Alex could enjoy them. She loves to cup the koala, kangaroo, and pinocchio (souvenirs from Australia and Italy) in her hands and kiss them. Alex loved helping us decorate the tree. She has done suprisingly well with the tree and has not tried pulling it down or tearing the ornaments off.

We had the privilege of babysitting Gracie. As we read books to Alex and Gracie before bedtime, Gracie tried to eat the pages while Alex wanted to hug and kiss Gracie. They are so sweet together. And I must say Gracie is probably the easiest baby I have ever been around: so pleasant, content, hardly cries...she whimpered for less than a minute when we put her to bed and then she was out.

Play date with Taryn, Andrew and Seth at Fellowship Bible Church's indoor play area. We tried Rock Creek's indoor play area and decided it was more for big kids...or either we don't need to go in the ave when school gets out as the older kids trampled ours.

Enjoying the Fall Festival with our church about a month ago.

At the "ice your pumpkin shaped cookie" station, Alex sat down and just started eating the cookie. ha! We had to show her it was for decorating first.

She had a blast at the festival with all the balloons, people, etc... I think her favorite booth was picking the rubber ducky out of the water for a prize.

Playing at The Wonder Place

Alex loved the scarf section of The Wonder Place. You put the scarves in one hole that has air pulling the scarves through. Then, they shoot through this contraption and spit out from another spot.

Playing Music

Playing with Sand

14 Weeks and Showing

Yes, at 14 weeks preggo with Baby Rock #2, I am showing a bit. I was not showing at this stage with Alex. I've read that showing early with the second (and plus) kiddos is normal, but it's taken me some time to accept it. ha! I will post a pic when hubbie finishes his grand rounds this week. I am excited because we will find out the sex of the baby in one month from today. Chris convinced me to find out with Alex the gender and now I can't wait to find out for this one. Any thoughts...do you think it is a boy or girl?????

More Thanksgiving Pics...

Thanks to sis, Robin, and Grandaddy for the pics!

Grandmother with Amber and Alex. Chris' cousins, Amy and Kelly are in the background.
Grandmother taking the cousins for a walk after T'giving lunch. One cool thing about Thanksgiving is that my mom and sister's family come to Chris' parents house for T'giving lunch and to visit. It is great for us all to be together. Chris' Aunt Tammy's family comes too along with his sister's family and his grandad. Big group and growing with all the lil munchkins. Chris' grandad and my brother in law, Steven, are in the background.
Alex and Amber hanging out in the leaves and playing with their matching baby strollers from Grandmother.
Amber and Alex playing with hot wheels and an old car station that used to be mine and Robin's. They really liked playing with it especially when Chris played too.
Alex and Amber watching Dora. This was Alex's first time to actually sit and watch most of it.
Sweet cuz hugs

Alex loves to bounce on me. I used to let her bounce on my belly until recently as Baby Rock 2 probably doesn't appreciate that. She also loves to ride on my back. So funny as she doesn't hold on well so it is a lot of work for me, but she laughs the whole time.
Alex giving sweet kisses. We often tell her that is "very loving." I should add here that Alex has refrained from biting lately and resorts to kissing me instead. Every once in a while, she slips in a bite and gets sent to her crib for one minute. That seems to work as she screams her guts out and hates to be separated from Mommy. She follows our "talk" afterwards with kisses.
Grandaddy reading to Alex and Hunter

Thanksgiving

Several of you have asked for a blog update. Well, we are having some camera issues. Our camera blurs many of the pics we take so most of my pics from T'giving didn't turn out. I am waiting for my sister to send me some to post. Chris' dad sent 2 of the below. Unfortunately, I have no pics to post of Alex with Grandmother, Mimi or Grandaddy right now. :(

Also, I am so behind in posting that I have more pics than I can post of other stuff. So, I will just post a few now and if I ever get the energy to fight our slow, quickly overheating computer, I'll post the others. Hence, we have computer issues, too.

Thanksgiving... We traveled to MS to visit family. It was a short, but sweet visit in which we ate way too much. Just when you think you're full, it's time for dessert and you can't pass up dessert on T'giving. So, I have been working out every day since I got back and am feeling better. I took off working out while in MS - mistake! I learned my lesson and hope to eat less at Christmas in MS. :)

Alex did better on this trip than any other as far as riding in the car. We contribute it to her facing forward now and that we let her watch her Signing Time videos some. However, when she got tired of reading books, talking, napping, playing with dolls and toys, and watching videos, she just chewed her toes. ha!
The grandkids posing for a Christmas pic for Mimi's Christmas card
Hunter, Alex, Aunt Cathy, and Anna Cate
Chris reading to Alex and cousin Amber before bedtime
Alex being cute... I realized I don't have many naked shots of Alex to bribe her when she's 16 so I'm on the watch now. :)

New Babies and Playing

I just can't keep up with posting as so much happens in a day/week. I finally got ultrasound pics of Baby Rock 2 last Thursday (excuse the quality of this one). He/She measured at 11 weeks 4 days last Thursday and the due date read at June 8. He/She was wiggling so much and we could see legs, arms, hands and feet....so cute. We find out the sex at my next appt on January 8. :)

Difference in pregnancies so far:
1. I have been more tired this pregnancy. I contribute it to chasing, picking up, and being attentive to a toddler all day along while keeping my same activity/exercise level, cleaning, cooking, errands plus breastfeeding. My energy is coming back slowly, but I have been sleeping a ton to keep up with the demands (going to bed b/w 8-9 and napping most days).
2. I have craved more foods this time. (Last time I only craved pickles for a couple of weeks in the beginning and I was not interested in sweets.) This time, I have craved olives, cheese, breads, sweets, etc... The cravings may slow down now that weaning is in progress.

Update on weaning:
Day 5 - a few more tears and tugging on shirt, but it stopped soon after some cuddling and brecky was served. Had to tell her "mommy doesn't have any more milk for you there."
Day 6 - she was playing in bed when I went to get her. I played with her some and then she saw her sippy cup on dresser and asked for it, not me at all!
Day 7 - same as Day 5
Day 8 (today)- Chris got her out of bed and he had a sippy cup with him. She did fine and happily came in the kitchen with him for Saturday pancakes. :)

As far as my milk production, it has stopped and the milk finally started to recede. Day 3 and 4 were the most painful as they were engorged, but every day since has gotten better. My doc recommended a tight sports bra and ice packs. I've been wearing a tight sports bra almost 24/7. I tried some people's recommendations about using cabbage leaves for a little bit one day and one night. I don't know if it really does anything except a cold pack feeling initially. Chris said it was an old wives tale and didn't do anything. ??? I don't know how long before I have no milk at all, but I am feeling much better!

Another new baby is Reese Abigail Ramsey who was born yesterday, Nov. 21, at 7:33 pm measuring at 7 lbs 2 oz and 18.5 inches long. Reese is so precious, hardly makes a peep, and has a head full of black hair. Alex was enthralled by the baby, but was just as much or more interested in playing with Reagan, Reese's big sister.

Layla and Jason right before she started pushing... she looked way too good at 10cm. I was in no condition to pose for a pic at that point with Alex. Granted, I had no meds.
Visiting Baby Reese today as we just missed her last night.

Reagan being motherly and wanting to feed Alex her drink. She does this just about every time they are together.

Alex hugging Reagan as they rock.

When we went to visit Layla yesterday at the hospital, it was almost time to push. So, Reagan and her Aunt DD went to the cafeteria to eat with us. The girls had so much fun playing together! a bit too much fun in the hall when we went back as they were asked to clear the hall. yikes...