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Dear Alexis,

Here we are again...another year, another birthday. You are growing up so fast! Too fast!! The time just melts away.

Each year you continue to learn and grow and generally amaze me at every turn! You have such an amazing outlook on life and you inspire me everyday. The way you look at the world and the people around you is truly incredible. You have the most positive outlook and look for the good in everyone, even if it's very hard to find. You're my little Pollyanna in more ways than one.

This past year you discovered your love of the ocean. Apparently that's genetic, because you most definitely got that from me! You had been to the ocean several times before when you were younger, but last summer we drove over to the beach for the day a couple of times and you were in your element! You were finally old enough to appreciate the environment and have a rocking good time! I love to see you discover new things.

As you get older you have so many things going on and sometimes I wish things would just slow down, but life marches forward. You started yoga and love your classes, your teacher and your friends you've made from attending. You continue to be involved with girl scouts and church, throwing yourself in to everything you do 150%. You've taken classes, you've gone on adventures, you had your first sleepover at your friend's house, you had your first sleepover at home...In short you've been busy living life to the fullest and enjoying it all as it goes by. I like that about you.

This coming year brings more adventures your way...a trip to Frisco, NC in September for a week on the beach, New York City in October to celebrate my birthday, just to name a few. I will continue to watch you meet the world head on, making friends and having fun along the way. It's fun to see you breeze through these things with ease and aplomb, smiling and laughing, making memories as you go. I like this about you too.

The most important thing to remember as you embark on 9 and steam toward 10 is that you should always hold on to your fascination with the world. Life will never be dull for you if you keep that interest in the things around you, and caring for the people you meet, that comes so naturally to you. You have an amazing spirit Love and you need to hang on to that. Don't let anyone ever make you be less you because they don't understand where you're coming from. Remember what they think doesn't matter, the only thing that matters is what you think, and you're such a good person deep down inside that you always, always have that going for you.

I often tell you that you're my favorite, and you in turn tell me, "But Mom! I'm you're only!" in which I reply, "It doesn't make it any less true!" and believe me it doesn't! You are the light in my world, the wonder in my existence and I love you with all my heart! Never forget.

Mom

Dear Alexis,

How is possible that 8 years have gone by since the day you were born? It seems like it was just yesterday that I was writing the missive for your 6th and 7th birthdays! Time passes so quickly and seems to more so now that you are in my life.

Eight years ago today you blazed in to my world and it changed me forever. Before you have children people will tell you how much it will change not only your life, but you as well. I knew things would change, but I didn't understand the extent to which that was true. Before you were born I knew love, but I don't think I even came close to understanding what love actually was. Once you arrived I had no doubt that I completely grasped what it was to love someone. Parents always say that their kids have changed them, but you truly have changed me and I think for the better.

As trite as it might sound you are my sunshine, just like the song I sing to you so often before you go to bed. I see the entire world through your eyes and things that I have long since gotten over the wonder of look brand new through you. You bring the shine back to the simplest of things, a flower, a butterfly, a book, a song. I love looking at things through you. You completely change my ideas on a regular basis. You challenge me in the best ways, even on days where I am over your drama and just want to sell you to the circus! Even on those days you can still amaze me in big ways. I love that about you.

I loved seeing New York at Christmas through your eyes. I can't wait to see a Broadway show through your eyes this fall. I loved that we had been on the streets of New York for less than 10 minutes and you turned to me and said, "Mom I so want to move here!" You see life as an adventure and life really should be just that. I've loved watching you learn and grow. Everyday you learn something new and many days you teach me a thing or two as well. I like that about you.

I've mentioned before how caring you are, but it still amazes me how much this grows with you. You are my little empath. You feel in ways that astound me, in a good way. If someone is happy, you are happy with them. You reflect their joy. If someone is sad, you'll cry with them and do anything you can think of to make them feel better. You are the most caring person I've ever known. This is another thing I love about you.

I worry sometimes that you are too empathetic and the big bad world is going to come in an squash you like a little bug. My heart broke for you at Papaw's funeral. You were devastated, partly because you were and partly because you were feeding off of the sad energy in the room. As I held you close and told you everything was going to be ok, you got this look on your face like you knew it was true. It wasn't until after the funeral that you stopped crying, but you realized that life hands you things you might not like, but you have to muddle through. You always pull yourself up. I love that about you.

I've told you before, but I still hope that all your dreams come true. You have such big ideas about the world and how it should be. You want to make things better. I really like that about you. I hope that you never lose that wide eyed wonder of the world. I hope you go and see and do. Don't end up regretting the things you never did. Do them! You'll regret what you didn't do much more than the things you did even if they don't turn out the way you might have hoped. One thing that will never change is that you can learn something from any situation, whether it be good or bad. The important part is to learn and move on to the next adventure. Trust me, there will always be another adventure, all you have to do is hope, dream, look and find. Enjoy life! You only get one.

The most important thing to remember is that I always love you. I am your biggest fan and your most ardent supporter. I will always be there to listen, to hold you when you cry, to help you understand the things that might seem completely incomprehensible, to help when you need a hand. I'm so glad that you came in to my life. I'm so glad that you are you. Never change to suit someone else. It's essential to be yourself. If you have to change to have a friend then they aren't worth having and aren't a true friend to begin with. You are amazing just as you are.

Love,

Mom

I love fall. It's one of my all time favorite seasons. The cool crisp air, the beautiful leaves that create a canvass of color across the landscape, big pumpkins, steaming apple cider and fresh apples oh my! It's just a really fabulous time of the year!

But you know what I miss?

Flips flops and no shoes! I hate shoes, I'm a barefoot kind of girl and always have been. So now that the weather has grown cooler and it's time to pull out real shoes again I'm not so happy about that part of the season. I have had on real shoes exactly zero times since late April/early May! I slid on flip flops if I was going out and if I was at home I was barefoot.

Now this doesn't make me like Fall any less, the good of the season more than outweighs the bad, and I actually like cold weather much better than hot, which some people think is odd, but I really will miss my flips flops and bare toes!

I love these colors!

I wish they lasted longer! I love fall!

I got a tattoo, or in other words this was my birthday present to myself!

I'm very pleased with the results!

This is the pewter button it is designed around:

If you live in Maryland and want a tattoo I highly recommend Alfie at Marks of the Spark Tattoos in Frederick! He's awesome!

Thanks to my friend Leann for spending the day with me and being my tattoo buddy! I've had an awesome birthday!

Dearest Alexis,

Seven years ago today you were born. How is that possible? Most days it seems like it was just yesterday that you were wrapped up in that little hospital blanket, looking for all the world like a little glow worm. You were here and you were mine. I was thrilled! Seven years later here we are!

A lot has happened in your world since last year. You finally got to see "your" Statue of Liberty and you were thrilled! The look of awe on your face is one I will never forget! You truly love that statue and it amuses me the levels of your adoration. Don't lose that ability to look at the world through eyes of fascination as you grow. That is an amazing quality that you posses and I hope that you never lose it!

We also traveled to Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. You had a ball on this trip and of course your favorite part of the trip was standing next to the ocean at the Cape Neddick Lighthouse. You are so my child!

We also enjoyed two trips to Tennessee, one planned, one unexpected, as well as various day trips to locations from DC to Western Maryland. You like to get out and go. I love that about you!

Your birthday party got canceled when you developed a fever and a rash. We thought for a bit you had chicken pox, but it ended up being some generic childhood thing instead. At first you were very sad, but we had a small party with Grandma, Papa, Uncle Jason and us and you quickly came around. You finally decided it was "The best birthday party ever!" I'm so glad you can take a bad situation and make it something more! This is also a good skill to have. I hope it sticks with you as well.

I still wish for you all the things that you want to see and do. I hope we get to take that trip to Paris soon. I can't wait to see your eyes light up when you see the Eiffel Tower. I hope that you see it for the first time at night when it is all lit up and sparkly. I also hope we take a trip to Hawaii as that is your latest location of interest. I hope that the world is always at your feet. It is...Never forget that!

You truly are a very special individual. You have so many friends and have the ability to make new ones everywhere you go. You have an open heart and an open mind, two very important things to have in this life. May they go on with you as you grow and learn. You are smart, funny, loving and lovable. You are the perfect mix of all of what life should be.

You are a star. You are my star. May you always shine brightly. I love you in ways I can't even explain to you, but know this...I will always love you.

Love,
Mom

A big thank you to Jamison's dad and all others who have served, or are serving, our country. Thanks for all you do!

Happy birthday to you!
Happy birthday to you!
Happy birthday dear Katherine!
Happy birthday to you!
And many more!

Hope you have a fabulous day! May all your wishes come true!