April 24th, 2008

This is Alexia...dang she's cute! On the 24th of April she was seven years old. Wow! I can't believe it. Where has the time gone? This is my baby...my real one...the one I had the most brain cells around for. I remember her as a baby more than I do the boys - their babyhood is sort of a blur. And what a great baby! Lexi came into this world with a pound or two headstart on most babies and she slept like a champ. I remember her doctor telling me I needed to wake her up at night to feed her. Well I was a first time mom, but not an idiot. She was hanging on to her chub just fine and the 7 hours uninterrupted sleep helped me hang on to my sanity.

I know there are a million other Lexi's right now in the world, but when Darren and I picked it I had only heard of one. I had a friend named Alexis Brooke and she went by Brooke so I really hadn't heard it used. You see he and I were in love at 17. And one day standing outside by his car in front of my house he told me if we ever got married and had a daughter, that he would want her name to be Alexia. He didn't remember where he had heard it. He just loved it. Alexa and Alexis are everywhere now and I actually love to correct people when they call her one of those names because they usually say, "Alex ee uh...oh that's pretty." Yes...it is, and so is she...inside and out.
This is her on her "Birth" day. It was love at first sight for Darren. He thought she was beautiful. I thought...I thought...hmmm...well I thought she sorta resembled a little woodland creature, but that's neither here nor there.

Alexia's 1st Birthday April 24, 2002. Would you look at that cake? For a one year old? Man I used to be an overachiever.

Her 2nd Birthday April 24, 2003. I made her that dress she has on. The above comment applies here too.

For her 3rd Birthday I think Darren was in charge of pictures, because there isn't a single good one of her looking at the camera. Just kidding babe! -ish. But this picture was taken shortly after she turned three.
Her 4th Birthday, April 24, 2005 was celebrated with family. Oh my did she LOVE this cake!
For birthday #5 she had a friend party with the little girls in the neighborhood. This picture was taken April 22nd, 2006.
Birthday #6 was celebrated Tinkerbell style with a few friends from church and Kindergarten. Grandma Stewart and Aunt Rachelle were here to help with this one.And that leads us to April 24, 2008. She celebrated with the cousins in NM earlier this month over conference weekend. I waited to give her the gifts from us (dress-up suitcase, journal and video) until her actual big day. She was excitedabout them, but if I am being honest the $$ in cards and the PINK Leapster were the hits of the day.

Alexia babe you just remember that your momma loves you - and I thank you for your willingness to help me, your kindness to your family and your sweet smiles and hugs. Happy 7th baby! Love, Mom