Happy Birthday, Lexi Lou!

When Lexi was just a wee babe, probably about two months old, she and my mom came and visited me up at BYU-Idaho for Mother's week.  That's when I first really fell in love with this precious little girl.  I have to admit, though, it felt a little funny walking around campus pushing a stroller with a little baby in it.  I was convinced that everyone was thinking that I had a baby.  Me!  I was only 18 years old!  Probably made worse by having this Mother/Daughter picture taken.  Haha.  But it was totally worth it.  My roommates and I loved having this tiny little baby hanging out with us for a few days.  How could someone not love that face?

Lexi loves to dress up.  My mom made this dress for her for my wedding and she wanted to wear it every Sunday to church after that.  Between that and the tiara we gave her, she was in heaven.  Also, she loves me.  Isn't that obvious by this picture?  :)

She's also a tease.  A huge tease.  Here we see her stealing a hat (I think Uncle Steve's?) while on BJ's shoulder and refusing to give it back.  It's not uncommon for her to steal Grandpa's hat or somehow find other ways to tease everyone she comes across.  She knows that she's wrapping us around her finger with every tease and smile.

Lexi loves her grandparents.  When we went to visit them at their family cabin, they made signs for us so we'd know when we found them.  All of them were so excited to have Grandma and Grandpa spend a night with them at the cabin.  She loved going over to Grandma's house and I'm sure she misses them while they're on their mission.  But it's gonna be one happy reunion when Grandma and Grandpa and Lexi get to see each other again.

She's also a diva.  This girl knows all the lyrics to every Taylor Swift song and she has no inhibitions when it comes to singing them to anyone.  Nor will she hold back her dancing.  She is one talented little girl when it comes to the performing arts.  She's also taking piano lessons from her mom and loving it.

Lexi is a lot like me in a couple of ways.  For one, she could talk your ear off if you let her.  She can jabber and jabber and jabber and jabber and jabber and jabber and jabber and … well, you get the point.  For another, she loves to read.  Last time she was here, she grabbed this stack of books and sat on the couch devouring them. She probably finished the whole stack in less than a half an hour.  I was shocked when she finished.  She's a girl after my own heart, that's for sure.  No wonder we get along so well.

Lexi is also a huge helper.  She's always loved being a second mama to her little brothers.  Nurturing is second nature to her.  She's super helpful in every way, though, not just with kids.  Whether it's carrying something, cleaning up or helping cook dinner, she wants to be right there helping.  Last time she was here she helped me make tacos.  Here she is cooking the hamburger.  During dinner she "helped" us get Uncle Travis to eat a tomato, too.  Just mentioning that story makes her laugh, which is another thing we love about Lexi.  Her laugh.  It's adorable and contagious.

Happy Birthday Lexi Lou!  We love you!

We'll see you in a month when you get baptized!