First Birthday Bash

Mommy w/ Alex's new diamond earrings
Sharing cake with daddy.

Alex and Uncle Tyler






Playing with her music center

Sitting pretty on her singing chair & table

On Saturday Nov. 24th we celebrated Alexandra's 1st birthday, one week late. I am glad that we postponed the party because she was 100% better and had a lot of fun. We had about 25 people, friends and family that came to the house. It was a simple party, with snacks, cake, ice cream and opening of presents. There are so many years to come that we can have games and activities for everyone to play. She received lots of musical toys, books, outfits and her first pair of diamond earrings from Papaw and Memaw. I had to hold back tears when I opened the earrings. It means a lot to me for my daughter to receive her first diamonds, especially from my father. After presents, we sang to the birthday girl. She didnt care to be the center of attention while we sang. She just glared at everyone with a lil evil eye. We gave her her own special cake. She didnt want to touch it at first, so Daddy placed her hand in it. then she wanted to share with me and Daddy. She kept pretty clean, with only cake on her face and hands. And she liked it very much, especially the icing.

Not so happy birthday

Alex turned 1 year old Nov 16th. Who ever knew this would be such a terrible first birthday for her. It started Wed afternoon when the babysitter called Doug to tell him Alex had a very high fever after naptime. He picked her up and took her home where she dropped her fever by one degree. That evening we were home with her and she acted perfectly normal except she had a high fever. Now this is her first fever ever. So I was extremely worried because we had never dealt with this before. Thursday I stayed home with her and was able to get her fever to break in the early afternoon. Around 8ish that evening she started to break out in a terrible blotchy rash. We called the emergency line for the dr and was advised she had roseola. I had heard of it before because my friend Jennifer's son Zach had it. It was no longer contagious since her fever had broke. She would get rid of the rash in a few days. Okay so now we were worried she would have a rash on her birthday and at her party. I can deal with that. She went to the sitter on Friday and by 2pm I received a call advising her rash was worse and on her face, swelling her left eye. I rushed her to the dr. After the dr checked her out she determined that she had a different virus (dont even ask what it was called because it was such a long name). The rash causes large and small red patches all over. Well it sure did. All we could do was give her medicine for her uncomfortableness and benedryl for the swelling. Plans for the party were still a go. By saturday morning, we woke up to her having purple hands and feet. The on-call dr recommended we take her to the immediate care to check it out. We did and they determined that she was so swollen and the rash was so bad, it was turning purple. Her blood was circulating just fine, we would just have to deal with it. We decided to cancel the party because she was so cranky and uncomfortable from itching. She wasnt napping well and would be handful during her party. Saturday and today, Sunday, we are trying our hardest to help her out with the itchiness, giving her medicines and also oatmeal baths. Of course everything is temporary. She is very cranky and cries all the time. Not the baby we know. We never have had to deal with something like this. Doug and I are so stressed and worried, we arent eating or sleeping well. And neither is Alex. We are hoping she gets well enough for a party next weekend.

Halloween Pictures

Sorry it took me a while to get these up. Normal hectic, busy schedule keeping me away from the computer. Alex did really good during her first trick or treating. Her and Lance rode in the wagon together. He was the most adorable chicken. We gots lots of candy.

Alex's first Halloween

Tomorrow will be Alexandra's first halloween. We are ssoo excited. We bought her costume about a month ago and have been impatiently waiting. I have already dressed her up and taken a few pictures. And Yes-I did tear up when I first put the costume on. She is just so darn-cute. Tomorrow night we plan to meet up with Rick, Kari and Lance to walk around the neighborhood.
Tomorrow Alex will also have her first Halloween party at daycare. Daddy has the honors to dress her up and take her tomorrow. Im so excited for her. I hope she wears her costume well.
Lastnight we carved pumpkins. We undressed Alex down to her diaper so she could "help" us. But she didnt want any part of it. She didnt care for how the guts felt and how the seeds stuck to her. She only enjoyed picking up the pieces and feeding them to Lucifer. So daddy and I finished the pumpkins by ourselves.
Tomorrow I will take lots of pics and post them for all the see.

Time to plan a party...

Today Alex is 11 months old... wow-how time flies when your having fun (literally). It's absolutely crazy to me that she will be one year old next month. I look back when I was pregnant on how I used to look forward in the future and wonder how much our lives would change with a baby. It still boggles my mind that I am old enough to be married with a baby. I just don't feel old enough but when I look at others my age and even my parents when they were my age, I guess I am old enough. I just never thought I would actually grow up and do "adult" stuff. It was always a dream of mine to get married and have a baby. And now that my dreams have come true, I couldn't be happier. I am still as happy and ecstatic and emotional as the day I had Alexandra. It's like I'm dreaming and I pray that no one pinches me because I don't want to wake up and want to stay in this dream.
So I have been planning her party since the day she was born-seriously. I catch myself wanting to do extravagant things but then realize she is only one. We have sooo many birthdays in the future to do all these things. I just want the day to go well for her and hope that its a memorable one for Doug and I. I have had the decorations packed up in a closet now for months, ordered the cake about 3 months ago, had the invitations ready to send out for a few weeks ... and now its time to officially start inviting everyone. Our family on both sides is rather small. Our family members are scattered throughout the US, in Florida, Ohio, Colorado, etc... so the actual amount of people who show up will probably be small. But it doesn't really matter the number of people, it matters who shows up.... so now the stress begins for me and wont end till the party is over and the last guest has left our house. Sorry Doug- just be nice and agree with me and you will live through it.

Alex is on her way...

Alex is now starting to walk w/ the help of toys. She loves to walk behind her elmo walker or her other toy-what ever you want to call it... She is also starting to use the couch and other furniture to walk. She might be walking by herself before her first birthday.