Lexi's First Birthday

By the time Lexi turned one it felt like we had overcome so much. We wanted to celebrate a very hard year and the most beautiful little girl with a big party. I hand made invitations that said "Believe In Miracles" on the front. We partied at the Fosters with our friends and family and it was a joyful time.

Lexi's hospice nurse who we hadn't seen in months came. She brought Sara, a young girl not yet 20 who's baby boy had died a couple years before. I had met Sara in those early days when we thought we would lose Lexi. She gave Lexi the tiara she wore in many pictures. Having her there was a reminder of the gift we had been given in more time with Lexi.

Even though Lexi didn't really eat other than drink milk because she struggled swallowing safely we let her taste things. At her party she got her very own cake. She liked the frosting and was as cute as can be licking the cake.

When I next went to my special needs parent support group I shared about Lexi turning one. These groups started out every month by us passing a timer around and talking about life for our 3 minutes. When I said we celebrated Lexi's first birthday the whole room erupted in applause. They all understood how crazy the beginning of this life is.