Fall Fun

Yeah for fall! We have had a great start to my favorite season. Alexander started eating rice cereal. He seems to like the taste of it and has even figured out how to open wide, but he doesn't quite have the whole swallowing thing down yet. We had a nice evening with the Nicolls as they passed through town and met Alexander for the first time. Last weekend we had some fall fun at Southern Belle Farm in McDonough, Georgia. They had all sorts of activities for the kids and kids-at-heart: hay ride, pig races, petal go-carts, and a corn maze. Steven and I celebrated our 4th anniversary, and Alexander did great with his first non-family babysitter.

Sounding Off

Several weeks ago baby giggles began to fill the Gladden home. Little Alexander's giggle warms the heart, and you can't help but giggle right along with him. He especially thinks his daddy is hilarious (I have to agree). But, as those of you who have had little ones know, life is not always peaches 'n cream. A few days ago Alexander learned a new, not-so-soul-pleasing sound. He quickly figured out how to use this "screech" to get mommy and daddy's attention. Check it out... yikes!

Alexander's on a Roll

Alexander rolled over for the first time last week. I have been trying to capture it with the camera ever since. He's getting a lot stronger and doesn't seem to hate tummy time quite so much. His new favorite thing is the floor activity mat. It has a mirror attached to one side, and he thinks that baby in the mirror is so much fun to play with! It has been raining A LOT the past week, so we are looking forward to a new weather pattern that will let us get back outside for our daily walks. Enjoy the pics!

Doctor, Daddy, and Decorating

Alexander turned 4 months yesterday. He had to go for his 4 month doctor's visit. Dr. McMath says he is doing great. Alexander is even on the percentile chart now! He weighed in at a whopping 12 pounds 13 ounces and is 23 1/4 inches tall. Our big man had to get more immunizations yesterday and was just miserable most of the afternoon. When his daddy got home, he was a sight to see. His face was a little puffy from all of the crying but he kept smiling at his daddy... it was priceless. Some of you may find this hard to believe, but I finally finished decorating Alexander's nursery. He loves all the trees in his room, and he often talks to the trees on his bumper when he wakes up from naps. Have a great holiday weekend!

Daddy's Photography

Steven has a real talent for taking pictures. Last week we turned our house into a studio and used whatever we could find to set up pictures of Alexander and our family. I think they turned out really well... thanks Daddy!

Jane Visits

We had a great visit with Erin's friend Jane last weekend. It is always awesome to spend time with her, and we were so glad she got to meet Alexander. We think this bear towel is adorable (thank you Dee and Steve Williams)!

Bedtime Stories

Alexander loves his daddy. He talks to his daddy, and he thinks it's a blast when they sing together. Here is a video of Alexander telling Steven stories right before bedtime. He has outgrown the cradle that has been by our bedside since we brought him home (thanks Ian and Beth for letting us borrow it). Last night was his first night in the crib in his room. I told Steven our tiny baby is all grown up... he laughed and said I still have seventeen plus years until I can truly say that.

Ceiling Fans

Now that his neck is a lot stronger, Alexander loves to use his new found head movement to check out everything when you are holding him. He especially likes to look up and has developed quite a fascination with ceiling fans. He talks to the ceiling fan in our living room frequently, and I think he has decided they will be BFFs. Check out the video!

A Fun Weekend

We had a great time last weekend in Auburn visiting with friends and family. Our friend Rob gets the Superstar Award for being the first of our guy friends to hold Alexander... and he looks so HAPPY! Alexander is coming up with new and adorable sounds daily that crack us up. Last night we were practicing to sing the Happy Birthday song to my nephew and Alexander joined right in with his own rendition. We were rolling. What a cutie!

Our Mini-Vacation

Yamaha furloughed its employees last week. While this wasn't the best of news in this economy, Steven and I saw it as an opportunity for a week together we wouldn't have had otherwise. We decided to take Alexander's first mini-vacation to Asheville, NC. We toured the Biltmore, spent some time at the North Carolina Arboretum, and then headed to Knoxville for a visit with Steven's Uncle Russell and Aunt Diane in Knoxville, TN.