Lexi Grae is THREE!

 

Yesterday was Miss Lexi Grae’s THIRD birthday, and I gotta tell you – I barely remember what daily life was like before she was part of it! Sometimes I scroll through her itty bitty baby pictures on my phone and it feels like a whole lifetime ago!

            I have hundreds of pictures of her from this past year, but I will not make this THAT long of a post. I’m sure it will be long enough on its own! I’ll try to hit some of her biggest moments from her third year of life.

            One year ago, right after her birthday, she had her first whole-Freelan-family Thanksgiving at my parents’ house!

            She was quite the Christmas helper – including helping us wrap gifts! 

            She enjoyed Christmas Day with us – opening her stocking and gifts! 

            And then a week later she enjoyed our New Year’s Eve party with our friends!

            Winter is fun – even if it’s too cold to go outside. That’s why indoor snowball fights with her dad are the BEST! 

            Also fun in the winter? Sledding and running on the lake. (Her mama did not participate in those activities.) 

            She made a few trips to Mom and Dad’s with us to help them pack for their big move to Swiss Village.

            She also crashed our Valentine’s Day date! 

            I did a special project for our church – putting together hospitality baskets – and she sleep-helped.

          We were home for Easter Sunday, and she was excited about all the ham she saw. (Less excited when she found out it wasn’t all for her.) 

            She served on the welcoming committee when Mom and Dad moved into Swiss Village. 

            She helped both of us celebrate our birthdays.

            She helped with our garage sale again – cutest assistant ever.

            She went on her first golf cart ride and LOVED IT. 

            Lexi learned about hammocks and is a BIG fan. 

            She became an assistant boat captain this year and loved that too. 

            She did a good job with family pictures.

            She said a sweet and heartbreaking goodbye to her sister and does miss her.

            She went to visit Ryan’s new office, too! 

            All in all, Lexi had a full and busy year. Her favorite activities include: going for walks (and seeing her favorite neighborhood friends, Miss Janis and Miss Joan), welcoming all guests who come to our home – from delivery drivers to friends coming for dinner, watching TV with us at night, taking naps with us, sitting outside by the lake (unless Hank the Heron comes to visit…they are NOT friends), seeing her Grandpa, ANYTHING related to food (her own or anyone else’s), hugsies – which she gives forever, being fully involved with anything anyone else is doing – from typing to folding laundry to fixing something that’s broken, sleeping in her bed beside my desk, sleeping on our bed, going to Lowe’s, going to Ryan’s work, and really – anything that keeps her fully in the loop of life. I have never met anyone ever with worse fear of missing out than this girl. (She literally sobs when I walk to the mailbox. That thirty seconds is the LONGEST of her life. When I walk back in the door, it’s as though I’ve come home from a 3 year trip.)

            Last night we celebrated her with cake and singing and all kinds of extra love. Lexi Grae, you have brought immeasurable amounts of joy to our little home. Your personality, expressions, and responses to everything make us laugh so often, and you really do give the BEST hugs. Life is richer with you in it, and we love you so.