Alexander came into my life a month earlier than expected. I always said that there was someplace he needed to be. He still lives each day trying to do as much and say as much as he possibly can. Nicholas is my littlest angel. It's funny how hard it was to decide when to add him to our family. We wondered if we could ever have enough love for another child. We forget though that they come to us full of love. Instead of trying to find enough of our heart to share, we have found that our heart capacity has multiplied. What a joy to have both of them in my life.   - click on picture or baby shoes to go to Our Family Photographs and view more photographs -

As with everything else in this world, my relationship with Alexander goes through periods of romance, disillusionment, and joy. I loved his newborn days. I remember holding his tiny hands while simply watching him sleep, waiting for hours for him to open his eyes. Now I watch him for hours, just waiting for him to close his eyes. I loved the fact that his newborn feet were so tiny that even the smallest socks were way too big for him. Watching him smile for the first time, and mimick me as I made funny noises for him - now that was the romance!

Who would have thought that this same little soul would be the same baby who ripped off the wallpaper in the kitchen, flushed a whole roll of toilet paper down the toilet, cut a hole in my living room couch with scissors, and colored our bedroom door with permanent pen. This little angel became that kid in Emergicare you were always glad wasn't yours. I found it so unbelieveable that my little boy was the one yelling at the top of his lungs "No, it's our turn now! Get back in your chair!" as the nurse called other patients back to the exam room. For the first time, he brought me tears of frustration.

But he's also the toddler (now pre-schooler) who tells me he loves me, and greets elderly strangers with a warm "Oh, it's you. You're here" and a hug. He's the little boy who sang "Happy Birthday" to our jack-o-lantern at Halloween because there was a candle inside it. He was the patient three-year-old who explained to the ear doctor that he had two little elbows in his ear - much to our surprise there really was something in his ear (a small piece of kleenex stuffed inside which he quickly removed). He's a commanding supervisor as he directs a one-year-old and two-year-old in a game of catch, insisting that "everyone must share" (not realizing that they haven't even learned the meaning of the word "ball" yet, much less "share"). He's the same little boy who blows kisses at the checkout ladies at Wall-Mart and is eager to share with everyone at O'Charley's that he's going to get a new baby in his house... months (maybe as long as a year) before I was even pregnant... or even considering it (maybe our new baby was his idea?). I loved his excitement as I taught him the Chicken Dance and the Macarena. I loved hearing his laughter as he learned to blow soap bubbles, blow kisses, dress himself, and learn to use the potty. I watched him walk into the ocean for the very first time... and saw him search for a tiny sand crab which had escaped from the palm of his hand. The excitment in his eyes as he ate popcorn while watching his very first movie in a movie theater, laughing in all the right places could never be replaced in my heart. Alexander is such an actor. He's very dramatic and very exciting. He could love anyone. He knows no strangers. And because of him, neither do I.

It is so easy to see with such a small child what God surely must feel with all of us. Even when he does something very, very wrong... my love for him continues. It is never in doubt. It is truly unconditional.

Alexander tells his first joke.  What Alexander wants to be when he grows up.  Alexander talks about his nose.  My favorite thing to hear from Alexander.  Alexander's goodbye message. (these are wav files... you will need a device such as Windows Media Player to listen to them)

 

 

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