Happy Birthday, Madeline!

My baby girl is seven today!  Wow, 7 - that sounds almost impossible.  Yet, here we are!  We are so thankful for this day!  Birthdays are such milestones that many times I take for granted.  In so many countries the infant mortality rate is unbelievable (and yes, here in Memphis - the highest rate in the country).  It truly is a miracle to survive the first year.  We consider ourselves very blessed that we were faced head on with the fact that we may not have a full year with our first born.  We realized that not only Madeline, but each of us, does not know what lies ahead.  We cannot count our days left together.  So, we try to make the most of them seeing what a beautiful gift we have in each new year. A year to learn more, give more and serve more.  To live beyond ourselves.  Definitely a reason to celebrate!

OK, too much philosophy, sorry!!!! 

On to my favorite part of a b-day post -- the newborn picture!!!!!  

Here is Madeline just about an hour old!

One year!  HUGE celebration!  Not even two months after surgery....

Two years old ...

Three years old...

Four years old...

Five years old .. 

Six years old....

Seven years old!!!!!

Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream party!

Waiting for friends to arrive!

Mr. Mark explaining the freezer temperature ...  We all learned something - ice is ALWAYS at 32 degrees, and ice cream is about 10-12 degrees!  So, the freezer was 5 degrees!!  Never know what you can learn at an ice cream parlor - that's why it's really important to go often!!!!  Ha!

inside the freezer! 

making a waffle cone!

Happy Birthday!

Madeline's friends from school...

Sweet Lindsey!

Wonderful cousin, Lauren Ashley...

Other wonderful cousin, Parker, and super brother, Eli!

Daddy and baby sissy!

Madeline celebrated with our St. Louis family 2 weeks ago when were there (super fun!).  Our Jackson family was able to join us at the ice cream party!  Nonna and Dada came a little early to open some presents -- chocolate, May Barbie, a new book, Nonna-made hair accessories and a Dorothy doll!

a book all about Tennessee symbols!

We went out for pizza with Aunt Dessa, Uncle Steven, Lauren Ashley and Parker!  That was super fun, too!  They gave Madeline a "spin art" set.  This has been a hit!  We played with it twice when we got home and once this morning!!

This morning, Madeline woke up running into the dining room saying, "I'm seven years old!!!"  Eli actually woke up 20 minutes after her (he's usually the first awake at the crack of dawn!).  He met her in the hall singing "Happy Birthday!"  It was pretty sweet and definitely did my heart good because they were at each other's throats at our pizza dinner!

She opened a big box of dress up dresses Eli and Susanna had picked out at a consignment shop.

Then, she opened a REAL stethoscope from us along with a doctor white coat!

Madeline also opened up some wonderful cards from friends and family!  

Thank you for making her feel so special!!!!

We made cupcakes for the grown ups at the party, but didn't actually need them because the ice cream cake was plenty.  So, we are going to take them to our cardiology friends at Madeline's check up this afternoon!  Then, on to a Mexican restaurant (always her choice when she gets to pick) for dinner!  

A super wonderful birthday!