The many faces of Lexi

Lexi makes so many cute faces, and I thought it'd be fun to document a few of them.

Lexi's signature face.
This is one face she definitely gets from her daddy! She makes this face often and it is the cutest thing in the world! This picture was taken during a weekend we spent in Norman with our best friends!

The tired face.

We were leaving the zoo, and Lexi was about to pass out. She slept soundly the whole way home. 

The 'Why do you insist on taking my picture for the upteenth time?!' face.

I just can't resist those blue eyes. I mean, LOOK at them!!

The guilty face.

We were at our friends' house, and I was getting things ready to make her dinner. I look up, and see that she had taken half of the wipes out of the package. 

The busy face. 

Lexi loves coupon-cutting day! Keeps her busy forever!

The 'again-again' face.

She loves to be pulled around in this little tote. Who wouldn't? Maybe Keith will agree to take turns with me one day?

The Happy face.

Yes, all it takes to make this girl happy is a dog bowl filled with dog food that she knows she isn't supposed to have.

LOVE LOVE LOVE every single one of these faces!!

Sunny Days!

I really do need to get better about blogging the day-to-day stuff so I have record of it. A couple of weeks ago, we took Lexi to see Sesame Street Live. We weren't sure how appealing it would be to Lexi since 1) She had only seen part of an episode of Sesame Street, and 2) She is only 10 months old.

We went in with the expectation that we would leave when she had had enough, no big deal. I'm not sure who was more excited to go, Keith or Lexi. Keith had not ever been to a live performance like this before. I've been to several growing up since I had two younger brothers who were obsessed with Big Bird.

Lexi didn't just LOVE it, she sat still for the majority of it, and clapped her hands along to some of the songs. It was SO cute, and Keith and I were so excited to get to experience this with her. We always hear people talking about how they don't do 'this or that' with their kid(s) because they are too young to remember it anyway. Our philosophy is that regardless of if our child remembers it, we will. And you better believe we have the pictures to preserve the memory even longer. Here's to more sunny days...

10 Months

Sweet Baby Lexi,

The closer we get to a year, the more emotional I get. This has been the best 10 months of your daddy's and my life! Your personality blooms more and more each passing day, just as we fall more and more in love with you. You wake up happy in the mornings, and we bring you to our bed and let you roll all around. You also like to do this at night when you are fighting your sleep. It's really funny...you are ALL over the place when you are overly tired. You are a content baby who could probably go all day long without a nap if we let you, but we know you need your sleep. You nap great when we are at home, taking two 1.5-2 hour naps.

Just in the last week, you have started to eat your table food/baby food better! We don't give you a whole lot of purees anymore, so I steam your veggies/fruit and let you feed yourself. Your favorite fruits/veggies include: sweet potatoes, celery, carrots, green beans, blueberries, peaches, bananas, kiwi, apples, pears, and broccoli. You also like bread, chicken, cheese, yogurt, puffs, grilled cheese (just had this for the first time this last weekend!), and oatmeal.

I know I've said this before, but you absolutely LOVE being read to. If I sit down with your books, and you have to crawl over to me from where you are at, you freak out thinking you won't get there in time. You can sit still for a LONG time as long as we keep reading. I love that you love books!!! It makes my teacher heart happy. Your favorite toy continues to be Violet and your shapes. Most of the time, you are too busy to play with toys. You would rather get in 'your' cabinet and explore, or have us chase you to the nearest cord/outlet while you squeal and giggle.

You think the dogs are funny. Aunt Nicole and Uncle Andrew's dogs are staying with Nana and Pop right now until they move into their new home, and you are loving it! You especially love Joe and Roxy (the big labs)! You crack up when Aunt Nicole plays fetch with Roxy. It is adorable. When you see other babies in church, you try to communicate with them. Sometimes this is with your scrunched face, other times it is with a bunch of babbling. Your new tricks include pointing and looking up when asked where the fan is, signing 'more', 'all done', and 'dog', and clapping when we ask you to clap. You also LOVE to say mama over and over still! ;)

We recently learned that you travel best at night. If it is day, you know that you could be out playing, and do NOT like being stuck in your seat. At night, you fall right asleep, and travel like a champ. We have a trip to NY planned for the end of April, so we are hoping you do great on the plane just as you did at 6 months. It should be interesting now that you are mobile...(fingers crossed!)

I truly cannot explain the love that explodes for you! Your daddy and I say all the time, we are not sure what we ever did without you. You are a constant state of pure joy, love, and sweetness. Thank you for filling our home with all of these things! We love you SO much!

Mommy & Daddy

9 months! Holy Moly!!

My sweet little Lexi,

If I had a pause button, I would press it down now. You are SO stinking cute right now with the funniest personality! You have started making goofy faces including a full nose scrunch (like your daddy), and blowing your nose while doing so to get us cracking up. The more we laugh, the more you scrunch! You are a busy little baby these days, and it is rare for you to 'sit' in one spot for too long. You're my little shadow, following me from room to room...hearing your little hands cross the wood floors and then seeing your little head peek around the doorway = cuteness overload!

Things you absolutely love to do right now: scrunch face, play 'Where's Lexi?,' talk and sing to yourself and to us, SWING, eat puffs/yogurt melts, eat any finger food, play with your sippy cup, be chased while you crawl to things you aren't supposed to (cords, electrical outlets), play with Violet the dog, READ (post on this coming soon), and pull Gus's tail.

You are still not a fan of riding in the car, sitting in your highchair, and the vacuum. Oh man, do you hate the vacuum! I just have to wheel it out for you to freak out! It's sad. I usually have Daddy take you outside, or to Nana and Pop's house to distract you, but if he isn't here, I just strap you in the Ergo, and you're good. As long as you can watch the vacuum while in our arms, you are okay. You turn your nose up to some baby purees if we give you finger foods first, so we have to be careful how we feed you so you eat plenty.

You're still a wee one, weighing in at a whopping 15, 10 and measuring 28 inches, but healthy.
You're a smart little baby that continues to amaze us each day with all of your new tricks! Each day is a new adventure that we are lucky to share with you! Our hearts are over pouring with you in our lives.

XOXO,
Mommy & Daddy

My little Valentine. (a little late)

I realize Valentine's day was a few weeks ago, but I had this typed up and forgot to post it! I wanted to go ahead and post so I'd have it for when I go back and look at my posts. This Valentine's Day was simple and sweet. Isn't that the best way to celebrate?! Keith brought us both home cards and goodies that he placed on Lexi's play mat. I felt bad I didn't even notice until Keith kept giving me weird looks. I made us pasta that night (Lexi too!), and we plan on seeing a movie soon (The Vow).

The first three pics are Courtesy of my lovely sister and brother-in-law

The Girl LOVES to swing.

The weather has been SO nice here lately. Crazy weather for January, but nice to say the least. Lexi and I have been taking full advantage of it and going to the lake for jogs in our jogging stroller we got for Christmas. After our run this week, I decided to let Lexi swing at the 'big kid' playground. The girl LOVED it!!! It's our new tradition to stop by the swing sets after we run. Today, Keith had the day off so we went just so he could see her newfound joy. She didn't disappoint with that smile. Oh, I love this girl.

8 months

Dear Lexi,

You turned 8 months old yesterday! That's 2/3 of a year...so bittersweet. Every stage you enter is my favorite. You are SO fun, happy, energetic, nosey, busy, curious, cute, silly, and sweet. You are gobbling up baby food now. You eat three 'meals' a day along with EBF. I'm guessing you probably weigh around 15-16 pounds? We'll find out next month at your next pediatrician appointment.

You are wearing 6-9 month clothing and almost always have a bow in your hair. People keep asking me how I get you to leave them on your head. My answer? You have had them on since day 1. HA! Actually, you do try to pull them off at times, but other times? I think you enjoy having one in. It makes you feel all girly-girl! ; )

Things you love right now: babbling (babababa, dadadada, mamamama, blowing out your mouth against your lips (does that make sense?!), being outside, being lifted way up high and brought back down carefully, apples, sweet potatoes, oatmeal, mum mums, books, being read to, the remote control, cell phones, paper, your shape sorter, and necklaces.

Things you are not a fan of: Anything that restrains you (highchair, carseat), avocados, loud noises such as when someone gets a new trash bag to put in the trash can, blenders, vacuums, and your blue whale bath toy you got for Christmas.

We love toting you around wherever you go and are pretty sure you enjoy it too! If we are just running in a store or two, your daddy prefers to just carry you, and you love it. As I said earlier, you are so curious! You love to be able to look around at anything and everything. It's cute. You love Mr. Gus and try to tug at his fur. He doesn't seem to mind too much. You are scooting everywhere including under furniture! haha...'Lil Nicole.' sigh.

We love you so much Lexi and LOVE watching your sweet personality develop more and more as the days go by. Here are a few pictures in your monthly onesie photo I took of you.