A Birthday Celebration!

Happy Birthday, Alex!



Alex, age 3

Yes, my baby is turning 15. 

He is pretty awesome, plays instruments, sings, acts, makes the best butter popcorn I've ever had.

Alex has a tender heart, quick mind and an endless source of humor.

This is a pretty big deal. 

Some of you may remember Alex from the picture above.

He was still learning to talk and communicate.

He had about 20 words and I am pretty sure 10 of the revolved around trains.

Where do I start with celebrating Alex's life?

This kid is an amazing testimony to God's miraculous work.

Here is just a tiny glimpse into his journey.

He had a dangerously high bilirubin count (23) shortly after he was born.

Alex never was able to take a bottle and had to be fed through an eye dropper when I wasn't around.

He was put under anesthesia at 18 months to test for glaucoma.

Alex walked at 19 months due to low tone in his legs.

He was entered into EI services at 2.5 due to suspected PDD-NOS (mild autism).

Alex was still receptively and expressively delayed in communication at age 3 (amongst other things.)

He participated in an expensive exclusive preschool run by an SLP and OT at age 3.

Did I mention he had a sleep disorder that woke him (and us) up every hour....until age 5?

This just scratches the surface.

But, gosh, he was (and still is) cute as a bug!

He was the squishiest, most huggable, loveable toddler/preschooler you ever met.

It makes perfect sense that he is super intelligent, right?

And those birth defect eyes! 

Who wouldn't melt in those giant pools of chocolate brown?!?!

By the time Alex was in kindergarten he had lost all his diagnosis.
He was placed in the gifted program in third grade.

Alex is our odds breaker, our miracle, our reminder of what God can do

 in and through us if we just trust Him.

I thank God for Alex everyday. 

With all the struggles. 

He is our joy giver.

I can't wait to see what God has in store for the next 15 years!

Fun memories:

Jingle bell, jingle bell hey!

Rolling down hills, hugging lamp posts and laying on concrete

Seminary wide man Alex hunts

Tucked in sweatshirts

Toast and water diet

Bell ringing on his new bike at 7 a.m (on a Saturday) through the seminary apartment complex

after he successfully learned to pedal a bike

Belt obsessions

SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT!!!!

Thomas the Tank Engine

George of the Jungle

Blues Clues

Penguins on Scooters

Capes and bicycles

Darth Vader

Endless (and I do mean endless) costumes

Beanie Baby worship services

Chef Alex

"Hey! Who put this meat in my hamburger? That's bisgusting."