Thursday, November 02, 2006



HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALEX!!
Alex is 19 today-hard to believe!! Hope you have a wonderful day-wish you were here so I could fix your special birthday dinner. Your first birthday away from home, so sad...

Here's what I wrote in my journal on 1/12/87: "Lee and I decided last night to have another baby. If all goes as it has in the past, I should be pregnant this time next month. It's taken a while to come to this decision. We are real comfortable with the four we have now and it's so easy to do things. I have been reading lots of church books and scriptures lately and have come to believe that we have no good reason to not have more children. I'm not too old, I'm healthy, we can afford more and can give a child a good, loving home and the Gospel. It finally seemed to very selfish and ungrateful to not have another child. Since I came to this conclusion I have felt so peaceful and excited about a new baby. " Alex was born 10 months later on 11/3/87 in Fortuna, California. She was my only epidural birth so it is truly a blissful memory. I started going into labor on Nov. 2nd in the evening and since we were 45 minutes away (I wanted a certain doctor so was willing to go the distance), I went in to be evaluated and the contractions stopped. They decided to keep me overnight and start me on Pitocin in the morning. I had an IV started in the about 1:00 with Pitocin, then the epidural and literally felt nothing until it was time to push her out at 3:15. I was playing cards and laughing on the video most of the time. A great experience-much different than my 4 previous childbirths. This is what I wrote about her that day: "She's a dinker-5 lbs. 13 1/2 ounces - so cute! We named her Alexandra Lee and will call her Ali or Alex- all I can say is, why did I wait so long to have another one? I love her to pieces!! Everyone is crazy over her and is always hanging around waiting for her to wake up so they can hold her!"

Alex has been a pure delight for Lee and I. She has always been confident, usually happy and very, very mellow. I used to say I could count on one hand the times she got upset with me. It's gone over to the second hand now. I'm not sure if she's not as mellow or I'm just more frustrating. When she was born the couple in the room next to us had a boy and I remember Lee asking if they wanted to trade. The funny thing is Lee has been so attached to Alex since she was born. She used to call him every day at work and want to know what they were going to do that day. He made her sack lunches every day and would draw pictures on the bags. Everything was centered on Alley Cat. The worst thing that happened in his life is that she grew up. I remember him playing Barbies with her, their riding bikes together after his work and her sitting almost on his lap in his truck. He about died when she turned 10 and all of that suddenly ended, on her part. She dropped him like a bad habit and he still hasn't gotten over it. The best part for me was that was when she became my girl. We have shopped together, gone to the lake together, gone to movies and lunches, amusement parks, Lion King, Wicked, Back Street Boys and 'N' Sync concerts and watched tons of reality tv together. It has been so fun and I miss her so much. She's always been my excuse to have a great time.
I am so proud of how strong in the gospel she's been and what a great example she's been to everyone around her. She is smart, beautiful and fun to be around. I love you so much, Alex. Have a wonderful birthday!

10 comments:

Kasey said...

Happy Birthday, Alex! Mom, you brought me to tears. What's crazy is that I remember all the stuff with her and dad and they were like two peas in a pod. I'm so excited for Alex to have all the college life experiences, but I am so sad for you guys to lose your baby! But, I must say, she was a great one to end on! You are the best girl ever Alex. I love you!

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Alex!!! You are such a sweet wonderful niece and wish you had lived closer to us. You and Kelsey would have had some great times. I love reading your blogs. Have a great day!! I love you, Aunt Julie

Jami said...

Happy Birthday, Alibaby! You are the cutest and Pam, I love your birthday blogs!

Heidi said...

I am a horrible journal keeper but I love that you have written down how you felt before conceiving Alex. You have inpsired me to be better at it (at least once I think about starting a family) because that is really beautiful and great to be able to look back on.

Pam said...

Heidi, I am the worst journaler so your comment made me laugh. I have one journal for 30 years of marriage and it's only 1/2 full. Luckily I got on a kick when I had each baby!!

Alex and Mitch said...

Mom- I am sooooo glad you listened to the promptings of the spirit and had me! I can't imagine being in any other family and know that there isnt a more loving family out there. I must say, two blogs about me in a row..I feel special! Although they are a little on the bitter-sweet/sadish side. I miss you so much and can't wait for you to come for thanksgiving.

Lani said...

happy birthday alex! I loved this post Pam... it makes me excited for when the time comes for me to have kids! I love every single one of your kids like they are my own sibling and miss all of you like crazy!

Jen said...

Pam, once again your blog made me teary! This is so sweet. What is the age difference between Alex and Lindsey? Was it hard to start over?

Pam said...

There are just 3 years between them so it really wasn't hard-I had just started enjoying that independence again.

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Alex! I can't wait until it is my birthady to see what Aunt Pam writes about me. Oh, wait I guess she isn't my mom she is my aunt.
-Heather
P.S.- I love that you let non bloggers publish comments now!