Next major update, in progress, expected to be completed by 11:00 pm EST on Dec 9, 2002. At the moment new pictures, new length, weight and head circumference, new artwork, and a comparison between one year old Cindy, Rob and Alex are already available.

Alex Has Fun with his First Birthday Cake

After Alex got off the phone with his grandparents, Rob and Cindy gave him his first birthday cake. Alex started cautiously, but with the first bite he discovered this strange brown thing in front of him was actually very tasty, and mere seconds later he was digging his hands deep into the cake, and then smeared most of the cake over his face, but he actually ate a little too and he liked it!

Alex's Birthday on November 19

It's hard to believe, but Alex is already a year old on November 19. For this special occasion we created a electronic guestbook, where you can write up a greeting, a wish or a message for Alex, and we would like to invite you to do so!

Ain't he the cutest!?

Alex keeps getting cuter and cuter and more and more fun. People are still very interested in pinching his cheeks, and so far Alex still seems to like all this attention. But not only does he look very cute, he also makes very cute noises, such as his contagious laugh or his rolling Rs. And he behaves very cutely too. He loves to bounce to music, he loves to come close to you to play, to climb on you, or to be lifted up.

He is very interested in the world around him, and he has a particular fondness for birds and trees. Outside, he will all of a sudden lunge backward or turn around because he thought he heard a bird.... It makes holding him quite a challenge!

First Steps

Alex is beginning to makes steps by himself, without holding on. He had already made one step by himself every now and then in September, but the first time we saw him take two steps was on October 5. Since then, he has improved on his two-step record, by making three and sometimes even four steps! The signs are that he will be walking soon, perhaps even before his first birthday.

Of course, now we are hoping that he will start walking soon because it will be fun to see him do it, but it will also mean that he can get around a lot faster, and can get to things he should not be getting to in less than a blink of an eye.

Sleeping like a baby

Alex is getting used to his bedtime routine: Cindy changes him while Rob prepares a bottle, Rob puts him in bed and reads a few Dutch stories to him, while Alex is drinking his bottle. When Rob is finished telling a story, he switches off the light, pats Alex on his back and wishes him welterusten (good night). In about half of the cases, this is the signal for Alex to try and find his current favorite sleeping position and fall asleep. In the other half of cases, he makes some protesting noises, and goes to sleep then. Every now and then, though, he apparently does not want to go to bed and makes this fact well known to us, and probably also the neighbors...

Favorite Games

Alex is discovering all sorts of new games. His current favorites are opening and closing cupboard and closet doors. Open, close, open, close, open etc. He can be entertained by that for quite a while, until all of a sudden he becomes interested in the contents of the cupboard... But fortunately Alex listens well, and when we say Nee, Alex, niet aanraken or Don't touch, he will usuall let go and not touch for at least five seconds. Apparently, Alex is so well trained that sometimes when he is about to touch something he has not touched before, he will first look in our direction to see if we are going to tell him not to touch it.

Another game he really likes is playing catch with a soccer ball. Alex knows what the word ball means (and conveniently, the word is the same in Dutch and English), and when we ask him to find the ball or to get the ball, he usually does. Ball is also the first word that Alex has used, although in Alex-talk, the word is ba.

Changes to this Website in the Past Month

Nov 19 Added pictures of Alex eating his birthday cake on this homepage.
Nov 17 Added new first things, and a electronic guestbook, and we invite you to send a greeting to Alex.
Oct 16 Major update, with new homepage, new pictures, a new closeup, new length, weight and head circumference, new artwork, new movies, and new sounds.

Next major update: Dec 8, 2002

Do you think you may have missed something? Check our list of previous homepages. If you want to be informed when this website has been updated, send an email to webmaster@robandcindy.net.