Nags Head Summer Vacation

We took our first family vacation as the four of us to Nags Head, along with 3 other families. All of the guys (dads) were fraternity brothers together 10 years ago. We rented a big oceanfront beach house that had it's own pool and hot tub. There were 7 kids... 6 years old, 5 years, 3 years, 2 years, 16 months, 8 months and 3 months. Needless to say, it was chaotic, but a lot of fun! We are already talking about next year's trip!

Alexandra's first swim

Landon playing in the pool

Alexandra getting dry after her swim

Daddy and Landon playing in the pool. Landon loved when we would throw him up in the air. He loved to jump off the side of the pool too.

Alexandra laying on the beach towel during the sunrise. She was so calm and relaxed.

The sunrise...feet in the sand...holding my baby girl. Life is good!

Mama and Dada with Alexandra in the pool

Our first family photo!

(not really happy that we're in our bathing suits, but I'll take what I can get!)

The boys....Jason, Kerry and Lou

Dave couldn't make the trip since he just started a new job. :(

Four Generations

December of 2008 I found a Four Generations photo frame and got one for myself, my mom and my Gram for Christmas. It it really important and sentimental to me that my grandmother is still alive and that my son and daughter have photos with and hopefully will remember and know their grandmother (and grandparents). Maybe because I have fond memories of my great grandmother and hope the same for them. Everytime I come home, I now make sure that we get a photo of the four generations. Here is our latest!

July 4th weekend visit to Pittsburgh

We went home to Pittsburgh over the long July 4 weekend to see our families and so everyone could meet Alexandra. We spent the first few days with Jason's family and then the last few days with my family. On Saturday, we had a family picnic at Jason's parents house. Alexandra did great, as she got passed around. She must have been enjoying all of the attention because she slept great!

Alexandra with Uncle Tom

Alexandra with Uncle Allen

The Burke Boys...Tom, Jason and Allen

Aunt Danny and Alexandra

Aunt Danny is known in the family to relax the crying babies and put them to sleep.

No different here! She still has the magic touch!

Baby and Daddy

Landon playing in the pool with Aunt Dot and her granddaughter...it was the first time Landon even touched the water - sitting with Aunt Dot.

Hanging out with Grammie

Landon having fun at the pool

Our baby firecracker!

Happy Father's Day!

We decided to go to a local pool on Father's Day to keep cool during this hot, hot, hot summer. We've been meaning to go, so today was a perfect day. Landon was very timid the first hour we were there. He was a little scared and didn't want to go in. Finally, Jason kinda forced him into it and he LOVED it! We did our best to keep baby Alexandra cool, and she also did great!

Alexandra: "Does this suit make my thighs look big?"

Landon jumping in the pool to Daddy.

We got Jason a burger press for Father's Day. He was very surprised and very excited!

Daddy LOVES burgers!

After we ate burgers, we enjoyed the Father's Day cake that I made for him. It didn't turn out as well as I would have hoped, but it's the thought that counted...and the second Father's Day cake I made in a 24 hour period...don't ask about the first cake. Ugh!

Daddy and his little girl

Alexandra eating her hands

I just love when new babies figure out that they have hands and start eating them. Well, Alexandra is at that point. She LOVES her hands and is trying to figure them out. She'll suck them, pull away, smack herself in the faces, try to suck, smack herself, pull away.... it is very amusing to watch! I love baby's determination!

Grammie & Pappy Visit

Grammie and Pappy came to visit for a long weekend since they didn't get to spend much time with Alexandra when she was born since she was in the hospital with me and they were helping take care of Landon that weekend. It was a really nice visit for Landon since he got to play with Grammie and Pappy more too. It was an especially nice visit for Jason and I since we got to go out on a Date on Saturday night! Much needed!!!

Playing together?

Madelyn's birthday party

One of Landon's friends, Madelyn, (I'm friends with M's mom, Christina) turned two so we went to her birthday party at her house. The kids had a lot of fun playing outside and inside when it was too hot. The funniest part of the party was cake time. It was really cute that the 4 kids sat together at the little table and were eating cake. Definitely a kodak moment!

Alexandra Smiling

Alexandra has reached the milestone where she loves to smile! I just love her gumy little grin. She's so cute!

Happy 1-month Birthday, Alexandra!

Well, we are still trying to figure Alexandra out at this point. She was good at first, but now is a little difficult. We have figured out that she is very sensitive to when I have dairy products, so no ice cream for me! She is still having crying fits so we are trying to figure those out since we pinpointed the dairy problem. Maybe she's just a fussy baby? Maybe she is just a lady with a whole lot to say and express? Who knows, we love her anyway!

And her dark brown hair is falling out and some blonde peach-fuzz is making an appearance. Maybe we'll have another blonde hair, blue eyed child?!?!?!

Maymont Park

It was a beautiful day (and ended up being too hot) and we wanted to take Landon somewhere to run around and have fun, so we went to a local spot - Maymont Park. It's like a mini-zoo that is run only by donations. It is a really nice place and it was the first time we took Landon so he could appreciate the animals. (We took him when he was a baby, but he slept the whole time.)

Landon and the waterfall

Landon looking at the fishies

The bear taking a swim. Jason and I think that was the closest we have ever been to a bear. It was really cool!

Run, Landon, Run! He's a runner and we caught it on the camera! Too funny!

Nice form, Buddy!