Any Given Sunday... :)

Doug and I had a great outing with Alexa on Sunday...lots of walking downtown, brunch and even the mall. She was a trooper, loved seeing all the people and sites and also slept quite a bit. Isn't she a little sleeping beauty (biased Mom talking--hehe)?

A tired babycakes after a long day :)

Alexa & I on State Street for a casual stroll (obviously Doug snapped this photo while we were walking).

Doug holding Alexa as she takes in the sounds and sites of our favorite casual restaurant the "Old Fashioned"

One bundled baby girl :)

Hope you are having a great week!

Kate & Alexa (my blogging buddy)

A few recent photos!

What a busy wild time!
Alexa is sitting on my lap with me as I post this...She is staring at the photos, so the 'photo descriptions' are from her. :)
Enjoy!

Daddy dressed me this morning...can you tell?! :) Hehe

BUT...he loves me and I'm Daddy's Girl , so I don't mind :)

This is my Great Aunt Frud & Uncle Fred who came in all the way from Charlotte, NC. They brought me so many sweet gifts including my new favorite GUND Teddy Bear, "Goldie" (Aunt Frud gave my Daddy one when he was a baby too!)

This is my sweet Great-Grandma Lydia and me (the first time she held me). Mom startled me with the flash on her camera. My Mom takes so many pictures of me, you'd think I'm a celebrity.

Mom, Dad & I partying :)

One of my Mom's Best Friend's, Erin, Paul and her Mom &Dad. ERin flew in from Virginia to hang out.

Photos of Alexa at 2.5 weeks old!

I am typing with one hand these days...holding Alexa!

Here's a couple updated photos of Alexa at 2.5 weeks :) She is such an ALERT baby girl and loves to always be on the move with her Mom and Dad! Alexa has the cutest expressions and we are just having a lot of fun learning all about her. And like most new parents, Doug and I are also learning how to adjust to a new sleeping routine (or lack of one--haha).

HUGS,

Kate & Alexa

Introducing Alexa Katherine Smith

Introducing...Alexa Katherine Smith!

09.28.09

Kate and I are overjoyed to announce the birth of Alexa Katherine to the world. She's gorgeous weighing in at 7 lbs 12 oz and 21 inches long.

39 Weeks--Baby Update!

A picture that Doug took of me in front of our fireplace after dinner with friends on Friday night. I was EXHAUSTED (not my best picture), but you can see how big I am/my belly is!

Well, we are 39 weeks and one day! And, according to my doctor, it looks like Baby Girl Smith will most likely be arriving rather fashionably late. Although her official due date was 09/27/09, it appears that she will have an October birthday instead. We are SOOO excited to meet her, so waiting a FEW more weeks feels like forever right now, but we are very happy to learn that she is in great position for birth and that at 38 weeks she was already estimated to be 7lbs. My Mom tells me that I, myself, arrived two weeks late and was well over 9 lbs. SO, she just might be following in my footsteps in this way?! We will see... :)

~Kate

Last Couple of Weeks in Pictures...

Celebrating Mom's birthday on September 7, Labor Day, and her actual birthday!

Mom, "Grandma" (one of my nieces only thinks she can ONLY be "Grandma"...not "Mom"--LOL) getting help from her grandkids with her candles.

Nephew, Liam (Valerie & Steve's son), and Niece, Alyse (Derek & Michelle's daughter) awaiting birthday cake #2 for Alyse.

BROTHERS: Blake & Doug...grilling out in our backyard after the Farmer's Market last Saturday. It was a beautiful day :)

Blake & Doug

Remember when I said I was going a garden this year? Well, here are just a few of the tomatoes that came from that (Literally...just a few!)

Yummy! A tasty way to eat local and go green :)

Happy 4th Wedding Anniversary! :)

Happy 4th Wedding Anniversary to my best friend and husband, Doug!

As I said on my Facebook post this afternoon...

"4 wonderful years of marriage to a great man and a baby girl on the way this month. Happy Anniversary to a spectacular husband and soon (VERY SOON) to be Daddy! I love you, Doug!"

XOXO,
Kate
(fbc)

A Favorite Quote...

"Life breaks all of us, but

 some become strong in the 

broken places."

-Ernest Hemingway-

Adios Baby Showers! ;-)

Well...Baby Shower season sadly came to an end this past weekend, as my two sisters, Valerie & Erica, and my Mom threw a lovely baby shower for Baby Smith and I at my sister's home in Naperville, IL. :-) They did a wonderful job and were so generous with Doug & I. It was great to see so many of my relatives...aunties, cousins, etc. and to just enjoy the day. Thank you so much Valerie, Erica & Mom!!! :) :) Apparently, I was having such a good time that I didn't take too many pictures, but here are a few below.

I am now nearly 36 weeks along with Baby Girl Smith (time sure does fly!) and motherhood/fatherhood and all the life changes that come with them are rapidly approaching. Doug and I often talk about how much our lives are going to change in the moment when she is born (understatement of the day--LOL!), but we are just SOOOO very excited to meet her and begin to discover who she is. :) We can't wait to see and meet you Baby Girl!

Our niece, Jenna

My Cousin Isabella & Auntie Joy

Opening presents :) I can't quite understand why 'jazz hands' are my default--LOL

Liam & my sister, Valerie, obviously having a good time :)

New Maternity Photos!

Baby Smith is definitely coming soon!

Doug's sister, Kelly, took these couple maternity shots of Doug and I almost two weeks ago after my last shower. The photos were taken when Baby Smith & I were at 33 weeks (now we are at about 35 weeks! Thank you Kelly--you did a fantastic job! We love these and will treasure them always.

P.S. Special Fun Fact: these photos were taken at the location in Barrington, IL where we were married almost 4 years ago. :)

PICTURES GALORE!

Pictures from the weekend!

Baby Shower #3 for Baby Girl Smith given by Doug's side of the family in the North Suburbs of Chicago (Thank you, Allison for being such a fabulous party hostess!! Ahh-mazing details..loved everything!) and our nephew, Liam's, 2nd Birthday party in Naperville, IL. It was a train themed party that was too cute!

I have lots of updates to share on this blog eventually here. For today though... just pictures. :) We also took maternity photos this weekend (Doug's sister, Kelly, took them of Doug & I), and I will post them in a couple of days after I clean them up a bit if your interested:) Baby Smith is growing!

Ultra-Creative Baby Shower Invitation :)

Cute, eh?

Gorgeous table details at the shower

Love this...a "Take Out Candy Bar"

Doug's sister and my sister-in-law, Kelly, Doug's Aunt Marcy (Frud), myself at 33 weeks, my sister-in-law, Allison (the hostess!), my future sis-in-law, Laura, my Mother-in-law, Kathy, and Doug's cousin, Katy (Frud's daughter). Did you catch all that? (wink wink)

My sister Valerie and her son, the cutest birthday boy ever, Liam!

Liam enjoying his Train themed birthday party !

My cousin, Isabella, and our niece, Jenna playing on the trains and looking adorable in those train hats :)

ONU Reunion/Baby Shower #2 :) :)

"Faithful friends are gifts from Heaven. Whoever finds one has found a treasure."

Baby Smith is one blessed girl! We enjoyed another amazing baby shower this weekend hosted by my best friend, Erin, and her Mom :) Every detail was amazing --just take a look at those deserts!!! The shower included so many of my favorite people in the world--my very best friends--all together at once, which was amazing. I had the BEST time, but I have to admit I was very sad for the day to be over and to see everyone go after the day had ended (definitely shed on few tears on the car ride home). All of us live in different states now (two of my best friends flew in for the shower) or different cities, and it is hard to get together these days. I miss all my dear friends everyday (tears again), and I love you all enormously. Thank you SO much for celebrating Baby Girl Smith with Doug & I. :)

MUCH Love,
Doug, Katie (Kate, Wave), & Baby Smith (Baby Wave)

P.S. Here are a ton of pictures in no particular order from the shower this weekend--ENJOY!

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