Seventh Heaven

Lexie had a birthday a month ago, and I wanted to make sure we highlighted her special day. How old you ask? SEVEN!!! Are we old enough to have a seven year old? The parenting update I get described this age: "Congratulations on another step down the road toward growing up. Sevens are delightful to be around." And to summarize, it said this is the "payoff" time of parenthood, the time when a child is not needy and difficult, as in baby/toddler/preschool years, nor defiant and reckless, as in the teenage years. This is the time where children actually like to be around their parents and learn from them, as well as mellowing out enough to help and contribute.

Ahh, sounds wonderful. And I honestly have noticed a lot of these qualities coming forward in Lexie lately. She is maturing into quite a young lady, with lots of aspirations and a bright future.
Lexie was very excited to open presents for her birthday. Thanks again to the grandparents, great-grandparents, and aunts and uncles for making the present pile full! Lexie had a lovely time enjoying her new items, and she was actually very excited about clothes!
Lexie requested her favorite breakfast of scrambled egg sandwiches on toasted English muffins. She even got it on the "Happy Birthday" plate. She loved the decorations on her chair, too.
She really wanted a special treat for her class to celebrate her birthday at school, so requested cinnamon rolls. School policy says only store bought food, so I was off the hook ;) But the class loved the bakery cinnamon rolls, and she was ecstatic. (I spent the day making her birthday cake, instead.)
We then went out to dinner as a family to her favorite restaurant: Olive Garden. She loves Fettuccine Alfredo.
It was a bit late after dinner, but we had to have cake! Lexie really wanted strawberry shortcake, so I tried my hand at Angel Food Cake from scratch. It turned out okay, but I think my kids like the store-bought kind better! At least it looked pretty, and the berries and cream were great.
Make a wish!!!
As each child approaches and passes another birthday milestone, I always seem to look back and remember how much they have grown and changed. Lexie was such a sweet, beautiful baby, which was a big relief with my turbulent pregnancy and delivery, and then recovery. I had desired this baby so much, she was an answer to prayers even if I had to go through the worst pain and hardship in my life to get her here. Lexie was a very alert and responsive newborn, and just wanted to take in the world around her and interact with people. She was a delightful baby and everyone loved her to pieces.
This is Lexie's 1-year-old portrait. She has been dainty and girly from the beginning. She loves to run and be silly, but also loves to dress up and look pretty. Her fun, charismatic personality was blossoming and she wanted to know anything and everything and TALKED in full sentences.
Lexie loves to be the center of attention, but somehow she managed to move over enough to let Gavin in, too. She has always loved babies and little kids, and her nurturing spirit just seems to reach out to them, even when she was small. (Here she is just two years old!) While having a sibling hasn't always been easy for Lexie to deal with, she does love her brothers.
For now, Lexie lets me guide her in fashion choices, and when I find an outfit or dress I love, she gets excited too. This picture shows one of my all-time favorites on Lexie, her Easter dress when she had just turned three. A couple of weeks ago we went on a Girls' Day Out, and Lexie was excited to go shopping for new clothes. She is such a girl! It is fun to have a little companion who wants to learn everything I do.
Lexie definitely loves to be silly. She loves to try to make people laugh. Her favorites are knock-knock jokes right now! Here at her 4th birthday, she was just as funny as ever.
And then here is age 5... Lexie definitely has a cautious, shy side when you first meet her. She has always had this trait, but has come a long way from when she was little and would scream and hide in a new place or around someone that just came over! But once she warms up, watch out! She will be hyper and show off, just the opposite! (Hmm, anyone who knew me as a child would attest that I was a spaz, too!)
These are Lexie's 6-year old portraits taken by my friend Carissa. (She does such a beautiful job!) Lexie is such a smart bean. She is reading in the top reading group at school and readily learns new things. In fact, her favorite thing to do at school is "research" with her friend Savannah, and look up interesting facts about something they want to learn more about.
And here she is now, as a sassy, bright, beautiful 7-year old. We love you, Lexie, Happy Birthday!