Those look great, you must be very satisfied with your seedlings :) Be sure to let us know what kind of blooms you get from your crosses...

New to azaleas - how do you make babies?

And while I am at it, how do I root cuttings? In water, sand? Please help. thank you!

Ok. Everyone has their own different method of growing zaleas. Most use a plastic bag method. I just plant the seed in my special rooting medium(Hiwassee river sand) in pots. I don't get many that way, but the ones that do survive are special.

About rooting. The best rooting method would be a mist system. Besides that, Mike Creel on the picture link of the Azalea group on yahoo groups has picures and instructions for rooting in soda bottles. I've never had any luck with the garden bell method with azaleas. For me, the easiest method I have found for beginners is air layering...which looks like this.
(Trying to root a difficult rose)
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You cut a 1/2" ring around the stem and remove the outer layer of tissue. Use wet moss for packing. What you're looking for is callous buildup which looks like this.
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That callous will EVENTUALLY form roots.

Gardenias are extremely quick(few weeks) and easy to air layer. Azaleas take forever ('bout a year I guess.
These are pics of an air layered azalea...it took so long, my moss walked away from the cut.

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It DID live through the winter(planted) and even bloomed.