A Carousel Ride...or two.

This should have been posted a LONG time ago!! These pictures are actually from April 21st, 2012.

Recently, we took Lexi to the zoo. We bought a membership so we plan on going often while the weather is so nice. It is a fun outing for us to do while Keith has some time off before residency (the calm before the storm). This was Lexi's first ride on the carousel. Keith rode with her first, and just happened to pick the one animal that did not move up and down. She enjoyed it okay, but we thought she would enjoy it more if she was able to ride on one that actually moved so I rode with her next. She was having fun, and very content in the beginning, then....things turned. The pictures speak for themselves.

My baby is ONE!

Lexi Elle,

This post will be less of a stats post, and more of a reflection of your first year. As I sit and ponder over the first year of your life, I cannot help but hold back tears. This year has been (by far) the fastest, craziest, sleep-deprived year of my life. Most importantly though, it has been the BEST year of your daddy and my lives. We have truly relished in every second with you. Some may even call us baby hogs. I often hear people are like that with their first babies, but I'm 100% pretty certain that we will always be like this. We are so proud to call you ours, and thank God every day for you. We even have a special song we sing when doing so.

I keep having to remind myself that you are ONE. One whole year. 365 days. Where did time go? I remember vividly checking into the hospital on the night that I was to be induced. Your daddy and I kept discussing how we were leaving our house as two, but would be returning as three. Such a crazy feeling filled with butterflies. I didn't sleep the whole night before you were born because I was so anxious to see your beautiful face and hear your sweet, innocent cry. And today? I still get anxious to see your face, and hear your cries and giggles.

It truly is incredible watching you grow, change, and learn each day. Every day is new and different. I can honestly say that there are no bad days. You have learned so much this year, and we are so proud of you! In addition, you have taught your daddy and me how to be parents. We hope and strive to give you a childhood filled with creativity, love, laughter, joy, adventures, surprises, and traditions. Our hope for you is that you will become a young person who is able to stand strong in this world while being surrounded by so much diversity and choices.

Thank you Lexi for bringing a smile to my face each day, for making me laugh more than I can count, for loving me despite my ungiven talent of singing, and most importantly for making me a mom. I'm so blessed and honored.

We love you to the moon and back again! Here's to the next year of your precious life. Thank you God for allowing us to share every second with you.

Lexi's First Easter

This is WAY way late, but I wanted it recorded for memory keeping. Lexi's first Easter was the perfect reminder of God's love for us. Our day started with waking up late for church. I'm going to go ahead and be one of those people and make up an excuse for why I woke up late, haha. Keith was working nights during this times, so all of our schedules were jacked up because of this. We live in a tiny small house while Keith is finishing school, so when one person isn't sleeping well, we all aren't.

The Easter Bunny was very generous in leaving Lexi's goodies in the living room the night before. Once Lexi woke up, I scooped her up and carried her to the living room careful not to wake Keith. I didn't even get a chance to turn the lights on before I caught the little stinker already digging into her goodies. ; ) The bunny brought a swimsuit, BOOKS, a cute, cuddly bunny, and a crawl tunnel! Sorry Lexi, no candy this year! ; )

Keith woke up before lunch and we ate a yummy lunch at my parent's house. Afterwards, Lexi went down for a nap and we met Keith at his parent's house for dinner. I should also mention that Lexi had her first Easter egg hunt earlier in the week at my mom's office. She had skipped her afternoon nap that day, and was SO tired, but she was still so cute and sweet. Afterwards, we went to Steak 'n Shake. She was cracking us up signing 'more.'

We are incredibly grateful for the precious gift of eternal life and salvation, and God's little reminders of his love through our miraculous child. Every child is a miracle in my eyes, and if you are a parent, I am sure you agree. I just cannot fathom having a child without having faith...and thankfully, I do not have to. This was the best Easter ever thanks to my little Easter egg!

11 months!

Happy 11 months sweet Lexi!!! Hard to believe that in one month we will celebrate the day you were born. SO many emotions come flooding through me as I think about this. For now, we won't go there. I don't have any kleenex handy. ; )

Wow, this month you have really taken off with lots of new tricks! Your sign language vocabulary has grown. You can now sign eat, more, hat, all done, milk, dog, and water. You still say mamama and dadada. Not too long ago, I was telling Gus, "Stay Gus!" and you mimicked me, "Tay Guh!"I am certain many will not believe me on this, but I just know you were doing what I was doing. You even pointed at him as you said it. It was SO adorable, but then again, what don't I say that to?

You have four little teeth. Your top teeth have broken gums, and are poking through. The top teeth were a little more tough for you than the bottom as you would sometimes cry for no reason which is not like you at all. Poor baby!

We ask you to do all of your stuff, and it is so fun to watch. We can tell you to clap your hands, kick your feet (kick kick kick kick kick), point to the fan. On a recent trip to New York, your daddy taught you to climb the stairs, and now you want to climb everything in sight!

Things you love right now: phones, throwing your sippy cup on the ground, being chased, playing in the refrigerator, crawling fast, swinging, watching Roxy fetch for sticks while swinging, birds, Baby Einstein, feeding the dogs, books, being outside (you even pat the door to go out), ipad/computers, phones, tomato sauce, chicken, apples, puffs, yogurt, pureed sweet potatoes, yogurt melts, cheese, yogurt, and bananas.

Things you do not care for: broccoli, peas, being restrained (highchair, car seat, stroller, you name it...), diaper changes, and getting your face wiped.

We are in the full blown plans for your first birthday party. It has been lots of fun to plan, but still very tough. I tell your daddy all the time that I cannot believe my baby is this big already!!! Your daddy always says if we could freeze you right now, we would. You are just the light of our lives, and we would not trade you for the world! We love you to the moon and back.

XOXO,

Mommy & Daddy