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!!