Baby Picture Comparison

 Today we celebrated my grandmother's 87th birthday. I passed the picture below at her house and thought that it looks a lot like Alice. It's ME! Mark usually gets all the credit for our baby's good looks. I now see she's like me too. Do you see it?

Merry Christmas 2010

We're starting a tradition with our baby girl. Every Christmas Eve we'll open a new Christian Christmas story and read it together before bed. The Legend of the Candy Cane highlights the "J" for Jesus, shepherd's staff who heard the good news, red for the stripes on Jesus' back at the crucifixion, and white for how our sins are washed clean by His blood. What a great reminder!

our Christmas card

I'm Dreaming of A White Christmas. . .and it may actually come true here in Alabama this year. It was white last week in Maryland (pictured above).

Here We Come A Caroling. . .last weekend with our church. What a fun time (and cold)!

cousin babies: Adelaide, Alice & Julia

Santa knocked on my parents' door tonight. I'm amazed he had time on such a busy night.

The many expressions of Alice- Enjoy!

We love you, Alice!  - Mom & Dad

quick road trip up I-95

We visited our friends Nate, Anna, and Samuel Bird in Wilmingon, Delaware this weekend.  We visited the Hagley Museum where the Du Pont family began their gun powder business.  Below is the one of the mill buildings made from local stone along the Brandywine River.

Sweet Alice is beginning to get a little more adventurous.  I think she is going to keep her Daddy busy as she gets older.

One of the many Du Pont family homes.

The Philadelphia Bank Building.....

The Liberty Bell.........

Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution were created and signed.  The big chair in the middle of the room is the real chair George Washington sat in during the signing of the Constitution.

Around the House

It's her first day in the jumperoo and she likes it already.

 I wonder if Jackson's aware of what's coming his way when Alice starts to crawl and walk. So far, he's pretty cool about it all.

I'd only left Alice for 4 hours until Sunday when I flew to Chicago for the RSNA convention and my first day on the job with Bar-ray. I only stayed until Monday evening but it felt like a long time. I enjoyed seeing former coworkers, dealers and customers there.
Mark did a GREAT job with Alice--feeding from a bottle, naps, even buying diapers in the right size and brand, reading books, going on walks, etc. He did forget her 10:00pm "dream feed" but an amazing thing happened: she slept from 7:00pm - 7:00am for the first time!! What in the world do they need me for? :) Just look at her, sitting up and happy as can be. She's drooling all the time and gumming everything. I don't see teeth but expect them to appear soon. This weekend we'll try rice cereal for the first time. I bet she'll love it because she watches every bite I take at mealtime.

It's been a wonderful five. . .

It's been 5 great years since Mark and I got married. . .

And one day after our anniversary Alice turned 5 months old. . . 

Thanksgiving in Union Springs

delicious sides from Mark's family in south Alabama

getting love from 2nd and 3rd cousins

the weather was delightful -- such a departure from our Boston-based Thanksgivings!

Aunts Elizabeth & Abby

Mark's whole family (newest addition, Mark B., to join 8/2011)

Great-grandaddy Holmes

our night at the lake -- a great day followed when Auburn beat Bama!!

the Bird's house

Alice and I went to visit our friends, the Bird's, in Delaware. Notice how Alice and her boyfriend are now holding hands. My, how they've grown.

We took Amtrak to get there and I realized it's so easy to travel by train. It lulled her to sleep and there were no crazy security lines. Our trip was a little longer than expected but really such a treat. I start my new job next week so the days away with Anna's hospitality meant the stresses of the recent week seemed less overwhelming.

Alice's Baptism

 Mark and I made a big commitment on Alice's behalf this weekend: Do you now unreservedly dedicate your child to God, and promise, in humble reliance upon divine grace, that you will endeavor to set before her a godly example, that you will pray with and for her, that you will teach her the doctrines of our holy faith, and that you will strive, by all the means of God’s appointment, to bring her up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord? We said yes and hope to bring Alice into a life that honors the Lord from an early age. It was really special to have Alice's grandparents with us. I bought a baptism dress before I married Mark and loved seeing our daughter wear it beautifully. I never imaged what my child would look like so to see her in it was amazing. It's hard to believe how much I love her.

                             

Fun Weekend with our Parents

Mark and I had both of our parents visit this weekend for Alice's baptism (in another post). We went to Annapolis on Saturday to enjoy the perfect weather, crab omelet by the water, and tour the Naval Academy. It's Monday now and we went to Mount Vernon before they flew out. They've started decorating for Christmas and constructing a cool gingerbread replica of the mansion.

our group shot in the window reflection

my dad and cheerful Alice

Mark & his dad