Two weeks ago Grandpa and Grandma delivered Alexa's dollhouse. Grandpa has made four dollhouses and a lighthouse now - one for each grandchild. He has been working on one or another for the past sixteen years. They are all wonderful and Alexa is thrilled with hers. What a special gift! Tonight was trick-or-treat night here and we had a great evening. I was worried about the weather but it turned out perfect. We started the preparations this afternoon by carving our pumpkins (grown in Grandpa's garden of course!). I had a great helper.
Then a quick supper of jack-0-lantern pizza.

And we headed out to hit the neighborhood. Trick-or-treat night is one of Alexa's favorite days of the year. For her it is really more about getting out to chat with the neighbors than the candy. She loves it. She was Rapunzel this year and loved the hair. We ran into Ella who is in Alexa's class at school and we walked around the neighborhood with her and her mom. We had a great time.

Then exhausted we returned home and sampled a couple candy and Alexa is now fast asleep.

By the way her joke was: Why was the baby ghost crying?

Answer: He missed his mummy!

Happy Halloween!

It is hard to believe that summer is over. We had a good one. We made a trip to Chicago to see the cousins and had a wonderful time. We took the train and water taxi downtown and visited the American Girl store. And yes Alexa now had her own American Girl doll.We took a trip to Colorado and had a fantastic time. We camped, hiked, shot our bows, rode a train, had a snowball fight and panned for gold!
Alexa enjoyed a snowcone at the Boone County Fair!

Then it was time for the first day of school. Alexa is now in the first grade.

Four years ago today I saw my first picture of Alexa. I remember the moment I got the phone call like it was yesterday but it is hard to remember life without her. She keeps me very busy.

I have had several people tell me that I have not updated my blog in a while. What can I say? I am tired!

I love to share stories and pictures of her though and here are a couple from the last few months.When Alexa announced she wanted to be a bumblebee for Halloween I was worried but I found just the right costume! She loved it-especially the stinger that attached to the back. She "stung" a few people while she was trick or treating. We had a beautiful evening and she had a great time as usual. Neighbors that we only talk to on Halloween night mentioned that they have been waiting for her. She will carry on quite a conversation with everyone and sometimes forgets to pick up a piece of candy! Next year she has already decided that she wants to be Rapunzel. (Tangled is currently her favorite movie.)

Alexa loves spending time with Mom - unless of course I am making her behave and then she wants a new family because I am the worst mom ever. She would like a mom that wouldn't make her behave. If you know of any let her know. I do think that she would miss me though. She crawls in bed with me about 6am every morning and wants to play pretend and I have to hold her hand as she goes to sleep at night.

We had some fun building a snowman this winter. Unfortunately this one only lasted one day. Alexa was very disappointed that he melted during the night!

In March we headed to Florida to see Grandma and Grandpa. The weather was perfect and we headed to the beach every day. Alexa loved it. So did mom!

Easter day was very nice and we headed outside for a few pictures. Alexa loves the flowers so we cut some and bring some inside every few days.

Alexa is doing well in school. It is hard to believe that she only has nineteen days of kindergarten left! We are already planning some summer activies and I promise I will share some!

I have to share a couple things about my amazing daughter. During the first week or two of school Alexa's class talked about losing baby teeth and getting big teeth. One night about a half hour after she went to sleep she comes downstairs with a really sad look. "Mom, I am having sad dreams." I scooped her up and carried her upstairs and we sat down in the rocking chair to cuddle. She started to sob. When I asked her what was wrong she said "I don't know how to grow big teeth." We had to talk a long time about that one.

Another day started out really warm so I did not send a jacket to school with her. It really cooled off during the day and when I picked up Alexa from daycare she told me she got really cold during the last recess at school. Imagine how bag I felt when she looked at me and said "Mom, is that what happened to the dinosaurs?" There is always a jacket in her backpack now!

Last night we picked up some corn from a stand on the way home. I set the bag on the table and headed upstairs to change my clothes. I heard water running and wondered what she was up to. When I went back downstairs I found her cleaning the corn! Wow!

Alexa started kindergarten this morning. She had been a little nervous but by this morning she was very excited and I was the nervous one! Yesterday we could not find her glasses. We have never lost them for more than 5 minutes before but yesterday I could not find them. I finally located them about 11pm. Then this morning she decided her new shoes did not fit so we had to hurry to decide on another pair. We got to school right on time and she went right in to the classroom, looked back at me once, and I told her to go sit down in her chair and I left. I left trying to hold back tears. I really did not think that I was going to cry but there I was in the parking lot wiping tears from my eyes! School is out at 2:55. I can hardly wait to go get her and hear about her day.

The summer is flying by. I can hardly believe that it is already the middle of July. We are having a great summer. We have made it to the pool a couple times and Alexa LOVES it. On Tuesday she started putting her head under water. She started with her face and then dunked her whole head under, over and over and over again! She loves it!

We started the summer with a trip back to Illinois to celebrate McKenzie's 18th birthday and graduation. Deb's family took us to their pool and Alexa had a great time swimming with her cousins.

Then Alexa had a week of Vacation Bible School. She is still singing the songs she learned. She goes to sleep listening to the CD every night.

Next was the family reunion in Nebraska. The last one was shortly after we got home from China so Alexa has changed a lot! She loved re-meeting the extended family and especially enjoyed playing with Robin's girls and Mason.

We had our first camping trip. It was great. We slept in a tent. We went swimming in the lake - which Alexa loved and went out in the canoe a couple times. We did just a little fishing - I caught a 10 inch bass. It was too small to keep but a lot of fun.

We went shopping for school supplies on Wednesday. Alexa is ready for Kindergarten now. Question is though - is mom ready for a kindergartener? We can find out her teacher's name on August 2nd. This is starting to become real. She is now getting excited too.

Tonight she is having her first sleepover at someone else's house. She is staying with her friend Aubrey. I had to work tonight and tomorrow and the regular evening/weekend babysitter was busy and Bill was out of town so Aubrey's mom (who is one of Alexa's day care providers) said that she could keep her tonight and tomorrow. Alexa called me this evening and she was having a great time. I am a little lonely. It is our first night apart.

Next up for the summer is a reunion with some families that have children from Alexa's orphanage. We will meet them next weekend. We are really looking forward to that.

We had a very busy May - and lots of fun. This evening Alexa decided to put on all her jewelry for supper. I had to take a picture! We attended Kate's senior recital. Alexa wants to play the bassoon and sing at concerts now. She had a great time playing with Sky too.

The next day was Mother's Day and Alexa made her first loaf of banana bread. We took it over to Grandma Russell.

Alexa got her first pair of glasses last week. She wanted purple. This was the first pair she tried on and she had to have them. She got them just in time to wear to the last day of preschool. They lasted 27 hours! She took them off when she was playing with water - so they wouldn't get wet - and stepped on them. The did stay dry though!

Memorial day weekend was her dance recital. Grandma and Grandpa Emry and Kate were able to come to rehersal day which made that extra special. After the recital the next day Bill gave Alexa flowers. She was thrilled!

So it has been an exciting May. I just hope June will be as much fun!