Crazy for her cousins

Vic and I were on babysitting duty Saturday, and we had a jam packed day with three kiddos in tow. So that's what it feels like to be a family of 5!

Having her cousins Matt and Courtney around is always exciting for Alexis. They shower her with attention and probably leave her wishing she was able to crawl to keep up with them! 

Keeping an eye on the big kids. 

They look like they're having a lot more fun. 

Vic thinks her sun dome (which already broke) is a lot like the bubble baby.

The first of many days at Penfield Beach - 

Vic and I have now converted from Sasco 

to the "children's beach". Big step folks!

My buddy

I love you too, Alexis

To Longshore with Tessa

We joined Paige and Tessa at Longshore in Westport on Thursday. What a great summertime spot - the beach, the pool, a playground and walking trails. The little girls were happy to catch up with each other and so were their moms. And everyone was thrilled with the return of the sun.

and family too...

Nanny and Grandpa visited earlier this week to catch up with Alexis and let me tend to the final details for my wedding next Friday. Lexi started off feeling shy, but by the end of the visit, she was trying to take Nanny's necklace and Grandpa's belt as her own. Baby girl - "you had them at hello".

Fun with friends

Alexis's "older friends" keep her on her toes. She just loves watching what the big kids can do.

A day in the land of teething

Victor's Video

Lexi and I created a photo slideshow on the computer and shared it with Vic yesterday for Father's Day. But just when I was beginning to think I may be tech savvy, I now simply can't figure out how to get it onto the blog. 

Well - after several attempts, here is a link to it. You just type in the URL below and it should work. Please pardon the appearance/shakiness, I literally had to videotape it while it played on the computer screen and then upload that file. But you get the idea. Point is, he is one amazing dad, and we love him all the way to the rainbow and beyond.

http://sharing.theflip.com/session/66a0899196a1b5ff124cc866371032bc/video/4689466

Daddy's Day!

Alexis is sure one lucky girl to have such a special daddy. She smiles the biggest, squeals the loudest, plays the most whenever her father is in the room. But, I think his smile is even bigger! Thank you Victor for the wonderful person you've always been and the wonderful father you are.

And, thank you also to Grandpa Mike and Grandpa Tom. You have loved, supported and encouraged us through the years and have shown us the kind of parents we wanted to be. We love you both!

Movin On Up

I was talking to my sister (Aunt Wendy/Lexi's Godmother) yesterday. She's an avid reader of the blog, though she's never left a comment on it. Talk about a call to action Hanks family... :)

She can't believe 7 months have come and gone with Alexis in our lives. She said that Vic and I might not notice the small changes quite so much since we see Lexi each and every day. But for Wendy, Carl and the kids who see her every few weeks, they are amazed at how much she's growing and developing. Made me think about how everyone on the "outside" must feel about how quickly our little girl is growing into a big girl. I think these two series of photos below paint the perfect picture. Time sure flies when you're havin fun:

Coming home from the hospital - 

2 days old and swimming in her infant car seat

June 17th - Last day in her travel system

Lookin like a big girl in her new Britax!

Hope she's comfy as she'll be in this for several years

I take this same pic of Lexi on her birthday each month 

to keep track of how she's changing.

Here she is (above) at 1 month

And now at 7 months

Staying still is a thing of the past

Happy 7 Months, Alexis!

Happy 7 Months Alexis Rose! 

You are one FUN little girl. These days, you are on the go. You really don't like to stay still for very long. Instead, you love to sit and roll and scoot and kick those legs with excitement. When the mood strikes, you are a chatterbox "talking" to us, blowing bubbles and even making little kissing sounds. You're really starting to show your determined personality, straightening your arms and making little fists when you want something. Your latest project is attempting to crawl. You start out sitting up, then fall face first, then push yourself up onto your arms, and that's where you get stuck. You can scoot backwards, pivot or hang out in the push up position, but so far, no crawling. We bet it's just a matter of days or weeks before you will be one mobile baby girl (hello, baby proofing!)

You love to eat, and these days you love to sleep. You fall asleep with no trouble at all for your naps. In fact, you squeal with delight when you see Mr. Owl waiting in the crib. And, bedtime bootcamp seemed to work, as lately you sleep about 12 hours at night! A little tooth looks like it's about to pop (the constant drooling and hands/toys/keys/wallet/anything you can find that go into your mouth also serve as hints to this). You are so curious about the people who surround you. You smile with delight when daddy gets home from work, you love to touch our noses, our cheeks, our hair. Whenever a friend comes over, you immediately grab for them. You might be a little shy around strangers, but after a few minutes, the chit chat begins. And, if you're a little bit tired, you'll rest your head on my shoulder for just a second, and I melt. 

You now reach your arms up when we come to pick you up, and again, we just melt. Did I mention that you are determined? This month, you are determined not to have mommy leave the room for very long. Thank goodness your jumperoo and "Baby Moves" dvd are still entertaining for you when I really need to get some work done! Several times a day you remind us that you can hold the bottle yourself, you're starting to grab the spoon from us at dinnertime, and you try your hardest to claim control of the remote and phone. It seems that you are running the show around here, and we wouldn't have it any other way. 

Each day with you is better than the last. Will you ever know how much we love you or how many hours we could spend simply watching you? Happy 7 Months to our ladybug, our sweet pea, our facey facey, our Lexi Bear!

XOXO,

Mom and Dad

Thanks Ashley for the beautiful pillow - 

it matches my notecards perfectly!

I like putting just about anything 

in my mouth these days

including my foot

This hide and seek game is a new favorite of mine

My first tooth MUST be just around the corner

Mr. and Mrs. John Hamilton

What a wonderful few days we had celebrating John and Kate's wedding! The setting was beautiful, and the company was even better. Alexis served as honorary flower girl, so even she joined in the fun.  Congratulations to a great couple - thinking of you in Hawaii right now!