Hooray for one-and-a-half!!

Alexa playing with pop beads before her 1st day of BSF (Bible Study Fellowship).

Yesterday, we celebrated one-a-half-years of joy with Alexa Hope. She had a clean bill of health at the doc’s and has grown a bit from her last visit just three months ago. She’s now a “hefty” 21 lbs 8 oz (35%) and 32 1/2” long (74%). That means she gained two pounds and two inches. Hooray for our lil’ A & thank you, Lord, for your provision.

As I share so often, Alexa continues to amaze me by how much she is learning. She IS a sponge. Her vocabulary continues to grow – so much now that I can’t keep track of her new words very well and she’ll repeat anything you say. But don’t expect to hear much from her. She is pretty shy unless she knows you really well. I love that we can communicate with each other though. And it’s always a delight to watch her personality continue to blossom – even when that personality exerts a bit of will.


Playing peek-a-boo behind the glass in Daddy’s new office at OU.


Striking a pose with Mommy’s sunglasses after bath time. Sorry about the flash. 


Alexa agreed to stop spinning the chair so Mommy could take a picture.


After not wanting much to do with her pink Mickey ears at Disney World. Alexa decided they were pretty cool when she saw herself in the mirror.

It’s been an exciting month with a mix of downtime and playtime. We rested a bit after Disney World and having visitors at our place. Then, we spent five days in Dallas with Mimi & Pop (After our Subaru decided to give up the ghost. It’s fixed now). We started going to a weekly playgroup with kiddos her age and now she’ll attend BSF with Mommy every Wednesday as well (Mommy’s really excited about this). We sang our Bible verse this evening, “Your Word, O Lord, is eternal.” Psalm 119:89.
One of Mommy’s best friends from CO visited and we had the privilege of meeting up with her and her three children as well as two other high school friends and their kiddos for a playdate. And, Alexa spent an entire day with her Aunt Hol, Uncle Mark, Ry-Ry and Layton so Mommy & Daddy could go to an out-of-town wedding. I asked my sis if she ever asked for us, and my sis said “no” (with a little smile of satisfaction). Alexa loves her cousins and we’re so thankful they love her too!!

ALEXA FACTOIDS
- I believe she currently has eight teeth (three molars are popping out).
- Alexa loves pointing out the anatomy of the body. Her favorite body part at the moment is the "elbow.”
- She can jump now with both feet off the ground . . . momentarily. It’s hilarious. Her vertical is as impressive as Mommy’s!
- She asks to hear “boom boom” as soon as we get in the car. It’s a Michael W. Smith song I listen to with a pretty impressive drum introduction (it’s not called “boom boom” either). Our girl likes it loud and with a beat. She must get that from Mommy.
- She loves to play in the “dut” (dirt") and do “puzahs” (puzzles).
- She calls herself “Lexa” and will say “shuus me” when unexpected noises come out of her body. Of course, Mommy has to ask her to say this.
- She’s like to say “dokie dokie” for “okie dokie” and she’ll say “kay” (short for okay) if you ask her a question and the answer is yes. For example, Mommy:  “Would you like a cracker.” Alexa: “Kay.”
- She would probably stay in her crib all day. She is happy as a lark and quiet as a mouse until I finally go in and check on her. We’re so thankful for her sleeping habits.

Here are a few more pics to sum up the last month.


I call this pic evidence of a great nap. Can you see the handprints on her forehead?


Alexa loves wearing these cute Robeez mice shoes from Ama. She’s quite a shoe fashionista. We just about missed these precious shoes before she outgrew them. Mommy has to create a better system for organizing her clothes! But it’s hard when my girl is so little. Her actual age and clothing/shoe size rarely coincide.


Call me weird, but I just love this pic of lil’ A. The wind, the motion in her dress . . . sort of reminds me of a Hummel figurine.

HANGIN’ IN DALLAS WITH MIMI & POP

Playing at a park in Dallas. Look at the little girl waiting on lil’ A to climb through.


Alexa finally commits to crawling through the tunnel.


Peeking through a tire swing to see Pop & Alexa. Notice the placement of her finger.


Intrigued by Mimi’s earrings. Alexa enjoys jewelry – she’s just like her Nonie (late great-grandmother). Our motto – if it’s brilliant, flawless & cuts glass – we’ll like it!

A PLAYDATE WITH LONGTIME FRIENDS


Leigh Ann King, Alexa, Caleb King & Debra Simonini enjoying some chalk art.


Debra Simonini holding her happy niece, Karis Mills.


Alexa giving it a go on a rocking horse. She’s digging Mommy’s panhandle roots.


There were actually eight kiddos and four mommies. What a blessed day!


Such a sweet pic of Leigh Ann King with her son, Caleb.

A DAY WITH THE COUSINS

Working an alphabet puzzle with Layton at the soccer field.


Chillin’ with Rylen’s soccer teammates.


Hey Mommy, could I hang out with my cousins more often!?


Cuddling with Uncle Mark at Rylen’s volleyball game.


I desperately wanted a pic of the two of us together, but settled for Alexa’s impression of a frog catching flies. Gotta love it!

One-and-a-half years of laughter, joy & adventure with a little girl we love deeply . . .
We’re humbled. We’re grateful. We’re blessed.