Alex is EIGHT!

No matter how many times I say it, it just doesn't seem possible that my beautiful daughter is eight years old! I remember almost every single detail from the moment I woke up that day until I finally held her in my arms. In some ways it seems like yesterday, yet in others it seems like a lifetime ago if that makes any sense at all. I think I posted in her birthday post last year that I used to get sad when her birthday would roll around. Sad for the milestones she hadn't developed, sad for what was supposed to be that wasn't. But this year I really, really enjoyed her birthday. We had a party for her yesterday and she was surrounded by so many people that love and care so deeply about her. It was also very obvious that she knew the day was all about her. Anytime someone said Happy Birthday to her she giggled, or flapped her arms and then would look up at the Happy Birthday balloon I hung on her chair as if to say, yep, that's right, it's MY Birthday!!! She clearly enjoyed her party and it was a joy to watch her and to have all of our family and friends there to celebrate her.

Here she is primping for her party...

And with her Papa and MeMa...

I love this picture of her, clearly excited!
My in-laws drove in Friday night, and my mother-in law baked and baked and baked...here's a sampling of all of her goodies!

Alex got a visit from her dog and buddy Sadie - the bond the two of them is definitely unexplainable!

Totally loving being the bell of the ball...

Grandma and Grandpa from Rochester...

Her birthday cake...

And a picture of her actually EATING her birthday cake! I have waited EIGHT years to see her enjoy cake! And boy did she eat, and enjoy her cake...she ate the whole piece!!! That in itself was the best gift I could have gotten on her birthday.

Getting loved on by MeMa, Papa, Aunt Dana and cousins Abby and Emily

I wanted to get a picture of all our family and friends that were there to celebrate, but it was quite hectic and that never happened. She got some of the best gifts this year - between my parents, Aaron's parents and my girlfriend Dana she's going to be the best dressed second grader! Aunt Dana bought her the 40th Anniversary set of Sesame Street DVD's...HER FAVORITE. Her therapists made a donation to the Angelman Syndrome Foundation in her name, her best friend Jule gave her a talking photo album, her nurse Audretta, Miss Jennifer and MeMa and Papa gave her great new toys. Miss Katie and Mr. Aaron gave her a great set of pj's, her friends Sherri and Jenni gave her awesome therapy balls and made her 57, yes FIFTY SEVEN new bandannas for her to wear...to name a few, it was a sea of presents!

This morning when she woke up Aaron and I went into to her room and sang Happy Birthday to her and she was, again, all smiles and excited. They sang Happy Birthday to her on the bus, she got her birthday mentioned in the announcements at school over the loud speaker, had a book in the library donated to her and I went in to visit her and her friends and brought cupcakes.

She was quite sassy today, and very, very happy!

There were quite a few different cupcakes and I asked her three times which cupcake she wanted and each time she pointed to the same one. When I took it out of the box and brought it close to her she grabbed it and literally tried to inhale it!

It's definitely been a great birthday. Yes, the journey we started on eight years ago has been challenging, but when you see how happy she is, how loved she is and how much joy she brings to everyone that is involved in our lives, I know we are all very, very blessed.

Happy Birthday my sweet Allie Bean. Daddy and I love you way beyond words sweet girl!!