a fun-filled weekend

We had a very fun-filled weekend. On Saturday I hosted a baby shower with the Geneva Girls and 2 others for our dear friend Audra. I am so excited for Audra to become a mom and for her to experience all of the joys of motherhood. Audra is one of my closest friends and I can't wait for our daughters to become friends as well.



Rochelle came into town from Caifornia for the shower and on Sunday she & Victor came over for a playdate with Kenzie & Lexi. Victor is 7 months older than the girls but they still had a fun time playing together. He was very sweet and shared his Woody doll with them and his kisses outbalanced his shoves :) Kenzie was actually very outgoing today and really wanted to play with Victor. Lexi was more observant at first but at the end she and Victor were hamming it up. We wish that Victor still lived down the street so that we could all get together more often.



Despite it being the second weekend of Spring, we woke up to snow this morning. Thankfully, even though it stayed in the 30's throughout the day, the sun was out and melted the snow quickly. We bundled up and went out for a family walk up to Ault Park and soaked up the sun.

Welcome Spring ...

... we're so happy you've arrived! It has been a very.long.winter. I am not sure if it really was longer and colder than any previous winter that we have experienced in Cincinnati or if it just felt that way since it was the first winter we experienced with children. Sure, the first snowfall was fun and the first few times we bundled the girls up in their thick down coats, hats & mittens we couldn't get over how cute they looked, but that lost its appeal about 2 months ago. We are so ready for spring ... to shed all of the layers and to enjoy some fresh air & sunshine!





The daffodils are starting to bloom, the grass is turning green and we have even had a few days of sunshine & blue skies this past week. Despite persistent head colds (excuse the runny noses in every picture :)) we have seized the opportunity to spend time outdoors. Kenzie & Lexi are loving it! They love playing with their cozy coupe and swinging on the back porch. They love going for walks to the park in their wagon. They love sitting on their new swing in the garden. While this is the second spring that they will experience ... it is the first one that they will truly get to EXPERIENCE. I am so excited for them to witness the trees go from bare and brown to lush and green. To let them smell the flowers and to WALK in the grass (yes, we have 2 walkers now ... although Lexi is still a bit timid). Oh, Spring how I've missed you! I am so excited to introduce you to my girls!

Celebrating One Year of Life!

Kenzie & Lexi - Last Saturday we celebrated YOU! We kept the party fairly small ... Omi K, Granny & Papa Gene, Becky & Mac, Sara and our closest friends in Cincinnati - our friends from Geneva and their children ... but for me it was still a big deal. I love throwing parties, especially to celebrate my two precious little loves! It was a special day that I will always remember.


























I loved watching you both during the party. I loved how you reacted so differently but both seemed to enjoy yourselves. Lexi - you were once again a social butterfly. You held your own with the other kids at the party (even though they were all older than you) and played with them for over an hour; cooking in your kitchen & having a tea party. You were so confident and blabbed the whole time assured that everyone could understand you. You weren't a huge fan of your birthday cake but you enjoyed sitting at the table with everyone. Kenzie - you were a bit overwhelmed at first by the number of people in our house. You weren't upset but you were happiest when you were in the arms of an adult - although you were happy to be passed around and to visit with new people. When you weren't being held you would walk all around and let out random yells. You LOVED your birthday cake and really enjoyed sitting at the table with everyone - I think you thought we were in a restaurant. After eating you warmed up and stated interacting with the other kids.

Looking back at your first year of life, I realize that there are definitely periods that are very hazy ... like those first few weeks of sleeplessness, those weeks when you were going through the witching hour. I remember these days but are somewhat of blur ... they seem like they are memories from much longer ago. On the contrary, I also have some memories from the past year that are so clear, that they are etched in my mind and will always stick with me. The first night in the hospital when I was nursing both of you and you started suckling in sync. The moment a few weeks later when the two of you grasped hands and locked eyes as you were feeding. The moment that Lexi sat on her own for the first time and the look of pride beaming from her face. The first time Kenzie belly laughed as I was changing her. They aren't necessarily big moments or milestones, but they are the moments that have made this year so special, the moments that have bonded us as mother & daughters and as a family. I will forever treasure these memories from your first year and am so excited to see what your second year will hold. I love you both to the sky & back, forever!

Thank you to everyone who celebrated with us! You have been such a special part of Kenzie & Lexi's first year! A special thank you to Omi K, Granny & Papa Gene and Becky & Mac for making the trip to Cincinnati for the celebration - it wouldn't have been the same without you. An extra special thanks to Sara (the girls' wonderful Nanny) for not only taking such great care of the girls over the past 6 months but for also taking all of the wonderful pictures of the party :)

1 Year Stats & Highlights

The girls had their 1 year checkup today. They did very well until it was time for the finger prick and 2 shots ... then the tears started flowing. Watching them get shots never gets easier. Overall the doctor was very impressed with how the girls are doing and said they are right on track and beautiful .... smart doctor :)

Here are their stats from the first year:

Mckenna Grace
Birth - 6lb 5oz, 19 1/2"
2 weeks - 6 lbs 7oz
2 months - 9 lbs 14 oz, 22"
6 months - 16 lbs 5 oz (55%), 25 1/2"(50%)
9 months - 18 lbs 11oz (50%), 28"(60%)
12 months - 21lbs (50%), 29 1/4"(55%)

Alexandra Cate

Birth - 6lb 1oz. 20"

2 weeks - 6 lbs 5oz

2 months - 10 lbs 4 oz, 22"

6 months - 16 lbs 15 oz (75%), 26 1/4"(70%)

9 months - 19 lbs 4oz (60%), 28" (60%)

12 months - 21lbs 3oz (55%), 29 1/2"(60%)

I still can't believe they are one year old already and that my little bitty babies have grown into 21 lb toddlers. I still have moments where I am in complete awe that these TWO girls are really my daughters. I am so blessed and so thankful!

Some 1-year highlights:

• Kenzie you just walk all.day.long. Every day you seem to pick up a new trick. Yesterday you would walk around carrying the largest/heaviest object you could find (the silverware basket from the dishwasher, a full water bottle, etc.) and you would practice putting it down and picking it up while standing. Today you learned how to pivot and practiced this over and over and over.
• Lexi you continue to be our climber. You climb up and down on the couch all day. We have to be careful that you don't climb over the back of the couch. You also love to climb up the steps. The other day you climbed onto your elephant push toy in order to use it as a step stool to get up onto the ottoman. Watch out!
• You both have 8 teeth and are great eaters. You still eat some baby food, but you definitely prefer feeding yourself finger foods.
• You can both wave hello and goodbye, will blow kisses (at times), and love to clap especially when we are singing "If you're happy and you know it."
• You both still love to stand on your chairs and look out the window, but it seems that climbing in & out of your new playhouse is your favorite activity of the moment. You chase one another and have so much fun together.
• You both love your evening ritual with Daddy. Right before we go upstairs for bathtime, you girls have "naked time" and Daddy will chase you and you giggle and squeal in delight.
• You are both signing "more" and are babbling all day long, but your only real words are "dada" and "mama"
• Kenzie you give big sloppy open mouthed kisses and as soon as we get home you both walk or crawl over to us and pull up on our legs reaching up for big hugs. Love it!

Here are some pictures of the girls playing with some of their favorite birthday presents:

They love their play house from Aunt Becky & Uncle Mac ... they play in it for hours, chasing each other in and out

The amazing wagon that Papa Gene built for the girls on its inaugural ride

They also love the swing that he built. They are so lucky to have such a talented grandpa. He also built them an amazing toy chest which I LOVE because it stores so many toys.

Riding in our cozy coupe together. Thanks Tara, Kevin, Brooke & Gavin!

happy 1st birthday!

Kenzie & Lexi – You are 1 year old! I cannot believe that I am now the mother of two one year olds. One year ago today, I was so excited to meet you. You were already loved, but I could never have imagined at the time just how much that love would grow. Our life has changed so much over the past year. Everyone always says that once you have kids your life will never be the same, but I don’t think you can really understand this until you become a parent. Becoming a mom has been both more challenging than I could ever have imagined (I definitely underestimated the extent of sleep deprivation and did I really think that I could fly to California by myself with both of you while on maternity leave?!?) and SO much more incredible than I could ever have imagined. I definitely underestimated the love and sense of completeness that I would feel with the two of you in my life. I think I had a pretty wonderful life before you were born (an amazing relationship with your father, a loving and supportive family, a network of incredible friends across the country and globe, a great job and home), but since you two were born everything is just better, more complete, brighter. You make me look at things through fresh eyes and appreciate everything more. You bring sunshine to every day and my time with you is the most important part of my day. Kenzie & Lexi – Thank you for making me a mother and teaching me how to love more completely. I love you both to the sky & back forever! Happy 1st Birthday!


I took the day off of work to spend the day with you on your first birthday. Mom (Omi K) was also in town and we had a great day together. I decided at the last minute that I wanted to have some pictures taken of the 2 of you on your actual birthday so we took you to Picture People at the mall for some pictures. I am just not a huge fan of formal portrait style photos but I am happy to have captured you at exactly one year. We brought along some smash cakes for you, but neither of you was too interested in the cake... I think the cakes were too big and intimidating. We will try again at your birthday party this weekend. Looking forward to celebrating YOU TWO with family & friends!

Our first Valentine's Day

The girls, Tobi and I had a nice Valentine's Day today ... although we were missing our forever valentine. Daddy is in Asia (Japan & India) this week so it is just me and the kiddos. We had a really great weekend. The weather was beautiful and everyone was in a great mood. We enjoyed walks to the park, lots of fresh air and tea parties. We also attempted our first arts & crafts project (a Valentine’s Day card and finger painting masterpieces for Daddy). The girls enjoyed it for exactly 5 minutes and then they had had enough and I couldn’t get their hands cleaned off fast enough :) 11 months is such a fun age. The girls are both changing so much day by day and are constantly making us laugh.

Kenzie you took your first steps on Friday, January 28th, just a week shy of your 11 month birthday. We definitely did not expect you to be the first to walk given that you were the laid back baby with jello legs :) but you proved us wrong. At first you would only take a couple of steps at a time and then lunge forward to have me or the person closest to you at the time catch you, but your confidence and balance are growing day by day and you are so proud of yourself. And we are so proud of you! The week that I returned from Geneva you went through a bout of separation anxiety. If I would leave the room or even your line of sight you would start screaming and bedtime was awful because you would scream when I went to put you down … I guess you were afraid that I would leave again. It made me so sad. Thankfully you overcame this in about 5 days. You get to know new things by putting them in your mouth. You love to feel the textures in your “touch & feel” books with your tongue and will routinely stop mid crawl/walk to bend down and taste the floor (yuck!)…. Let’s hope that this is just a phase. You love your nightly game of chase with “Daddy Monster” and will giggle in delight. You are a little bit shy and can get somewhat apprehensive when “strangers” come to the house or when you are around too many new people.

Lexi, you are not walking yet, but you make up for it with all of your climbing. You love climbing up the steps and are now also an expert at climbing down off of things. You really seem to have no interest in walking … you cruise around while holding on to objects all day long, but as soon as we try to hold your hand to have you walk you develop jello legs and get all goofy on us :) I am sure one day you are just going to suddenly get up and walk. You are our social butterfly. You love being around lots of people – you are a big flirt at Gymboree and whenever we go out to dinner – and when you people come to visit you are constantly babbling as if you are telling them lots of stories. You also went through a spurt of extreme separation anxiety while Daddy was out of town. You wanted me to hold you constantly and would scream and cling to me when I would try to put you in your crib at night. I think you were scared that since Daddy was already gone, that Mommy was also going to leave. It was awful … but thankfully you too overcame this in a few days. You love being upside down and also love playing chase with your Daddy.

You both love going out to eat. Your favorite restaurant at the moment is a casual Mexican restaurant near our house. The waiters always pay lots of attention to you and you eat it up. You also love the cheese quesadilla. You are both great eaters (although you do have your picky days). Kenzie you are our little chipmunk or “Chubby Cheekers” – you stuff you little cheeks full of food while you are eating and an hour after we have finished a meal we will find you chewing on a green pea that you had stored for a snack. Lexi you are going through a phase where you like to rub your hair when you have finished eating which makes for quite a mess and some very interesting hairstyles.

You are starting to play together more and more and I love watching those precious moments between sisters. Of course there are also lots of little spats over toys (or Mommy’s iphone most frequently). You girls light up my life and I am so blessed to have two such beautiful daughters. I celebrate you my loves on this day of love!

Missing my girls on their 11 month birthday...

Girls, you are 11 months old today and I am in Geneva. I knew that I would miss you when I was away from you for the first time, but I didn't realize just how much. I feel like a piece (or two) of me is missing. You both bring so much joy to my day to day life, that a day away from you just isn't quite complete. You are always on my mind and I don't know how I existed fully before you were here. I hate the fact that you have been sick this week and that I haven't been there to hug you, kiss you, hold you. Thankfully I have been very busy this week - lots of productive meetings, dinner at some of our favorite Geneva restaurants - so the week has gone by pretty fast. Being back in Geneva makes me want to take you girls here ... I want to take you on our favorite walking route through the Old Town, to play fetch with Tobi in his favorite "gravel" park across from our old apartment, to watch the boats out on the lake, to pick fresh fruits & veggies from the market on Saturday mornings. I want to take you on your first tram ride to go shopping, to let you taste your first croissant... I want you girls to experience the world and I can't wait for Randall and I to be able to introduce you to new & different places. On the flip side, right now I just can't wait to be home with you tomorrow. I am so anxious that I am not sure I will be able to sleep tonight. Sleep well my dears and prepare for lots of snuggles this weekend. Happy 11 month birthday! I miss you Kenzie & Lexi ( and Randall & Tobi too)!
xoxo, Mommy