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Happy Birthday to my favorite boy in the whole wide world! I love you so much Simon!
I spent a bit of time last night going through my layout files on the computer looking for stories to share today.
When I didn’t see exactly what I wanted I turned to the physical scrapbooks lining the shelves here in my office. Flipping through those books was an immediate emotional time warp – taking me back to 2003 and 2006 and 2004 and 2002. I don’t pull those albums out all too often, but man oh man they so full of stories and love and creativity and simple evidence of our existence.
I am so, so thankful that I’ve had the opportunity to do what I do: the photos, the words, the products, the documentation. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to truly express how much scrapbooking has meant to me in my life.
It all started because of a tremendous amount of love for one little boy who made his entrance nine years ago today.
![Two Peas](http://www.avantlink.com/gbi/10513/24901/21775/26723/image.jpg"width="120"height="240"style="border:0px;"alt=)
Have a ‘Lego-licious’ Birthday Simon!!!
Happy Day!! 
How truly wonderful it is that you have all of these gorgeous pages to document Simon’s life. He’s one lucky little boy. Happy Birthday Simon!
What a beautiful boy…so loving seeing him grow up in photo’s and your awesome inspirational yum yummy scrapbooking technique’s. Happy Birthday Simon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Happy Birthday, Simon!
Happy Birthday Simon! You are one awesome boy!!!
Happy Birthday Simon! May you and your family have a very blessed and memorable day!
Happy Birthday Simon! The world is a better place with you and your family in it!
Hi Ali, I am always so moved and inspired by your words and pictures. Happy, Happy Birthday to Simon!! I have 3 special needs grandchildren, one with Asperger’s so I have some idea of the road your family has traveled. And you have traveled with such love and grace, seeing your blessings all along the way.
Wow! Happy, Happy Birthday, Simon! Having a January birthday is awesome (I have one too!). He will treasure all those memories captured so spectacularly in the LOs. He’s a very lucky little boy.
Happy Birthday Simon!!! Have an AWESOME birthday!!!
Have a lot of fun & eat a lot of cupcakes!
Happy Birthday Sweet Simon!
You are now the same age as my youngest son, Ethan (who also happens to love Legos, Star Wars and Harry Potter!) May your day be filled with all of the things you love: family, friends, Legos, Star Wars, Harry Potter, bagels and cream cheese, tostadas, and birthday cake!
Maybe its because I have two boys of my own, growing so fast that I almost can’t keep track…or maybe its because I remember seeing most of these layouts for all the time I’ve followed you…but this brought tears to my eyes. A beautiful reminder about why we scrapbook. Happy Birthday Simon!!! And Happy Anniversary on Parenthood, Chris and Ali!!!
Your article, is one of my “little joy of the day” ♥
It’s primarily a message of “Happy B-Day” for your son, but also the ‘simple’ message but so *sigh* written by a woman, scrapbooker & MOTHER…
I wish I could scrap much than I actually do… So that, I could tell me one day “wow”, flipping the eyes clouded with memories, smiles, the album of a lifetime about my daughter Maxine.
I’m already a mother blossoms each day more alongside her. I’d like to be the woman, who, with all her love & creativity transmits this fabulous present to her daughter, her family… *sigh* (again
)
Thank you so much Ali for your message & Happy B-Day to Simon.
PS: Sorry for the ‘approximate’ translation…
Our very best birthday wishes to you, Simon!!
Hugs and love from,
Alexandra, Hannah and Wyatt
I looved looking at all those older layouts. I remember most of them. Think I started seeing your work about 2003 because I remember that one. Happy Birthday to your little man!! How wonderful!
What a beautiful walk down memory lane…
I remember getting an email (through 2Ps) in December 2002 complimenting me on my scrapbook pages and sharing how you wanted to begin this hobby to document your new son’s life.
So, thank you to Simon… Mostly for being such a cool kid. But also for facilitating a treasured 8+ year friendship. Love you, A.
Always a joy to catch up with Simon! Happy birthday sweet boy, Jo x
Happy Birthday to you, Simon!
Happy Birthday Simon!!!
Per molts anys, Simon.
Happy Birthday from a frosty cold (-35 this morning) Northern Minnesota!! Hope you have a wonderful day full of wishes that come true.
So cool to see these. Happy day to the little dude! xoxo.
Yay! Have a happy 9th Simon — and many, many more! =)
I read this and felt a bit verklempt…topic to discuss, Simon’s NINTH birthday and how TIME FLIES! Go.
Kudos to you today, Ali for being a mom. For following your heart that is the difference between you being Ali Edwards, JD (or whatever initials may have followed) and being Ali Edwards, mom, storyteller and life artist. This day is as much about Simon as you if you ask me!!!! Cheers! Heidi
And for the record, it might seem that I would be crying at the gorgeous LOs, passage of time shown thru storytelling, or having an inkling of how much you adore Simon based on my adoration of a Joshua David (and a Samuel Joseph but my oldest came to mind first) in my own life but actually I cried (and then laughed at crying) related to your paragraph about how thankful you have felt to do what you do and how scrapbooking has changed your life. Reminded me of a cliche…way to keep your eye on the ball. Focus on the critical element/s is the difference between a strike out and a home run. Or at least I’d like to think
Happy birthday, Simon! I’m grateful to him since he was your inspiration to start scrapbooking – because YOU’ve been a major inspiration to me – more than you can ever know. This IS an amazing hobby/craft/art. Sometimes I think we forget how important is really is – not JUST fun!
Whenever I get that fleeting feeling that this is somehow a frivolous waste of time, I always think of how much it would have meant to me to have pages and pages of stories about my grandparents and parents – or anyone I love! SO worthwhile! Thanks for all you do, Ali. It means a lot. 
…and come to think of it – it would have meant worlds to me if, as a child, then a teenager, then a young adult and so on if I’d had these kinds of expressions of love directed towards ME to meander through from time to time. What a gift!
Happy birthday Simon!
Happy, happy birthday, Simno – and happy ‘birth’day to you, Ali! x
Happy Birthday, Simon!!
Your pages are priceless, Ali.
What lovely layouts and memories. Happy birthday Simon!
Happy Birthday, Simon! I feel the exact same way when I look at my scrapbooks, Ali. It’s an amazing gift we’ve created for our families and ourselves.
Happy Happy Birthday, handsome boy!
Happy Birthday Simon (and Mama!) What a lovely way to celebrate. I know we spend a portion of each birthday at our house reliving stories as well. Thank you for sharing yours.
Happy day to all of you
Hope you all take away special moments from celebrating to hold close. I agree – words are hard to find when explaining how/why documenting life is so meaningful. It’s just a feeling for me – a feeling of “this is true.” 
Happy Birthday Simon!!! I hope you have a great day!!!
Happy Birthday Simon!!!! You are a precious boy!!
Wow! I nearly cried looking at all those layouts. How precious to have so many great memories captured.
Happy Birthday to your little boy!
Wow! Happy Birthday Simon! Nine years old and the reason all of us are here reading and inspired to scrapbook! That’s a lot to accomplish in nine years! But the next nine will be even better!
Well, that’s annoying! Bet…BET the next nine will be better. And the next and the next…Oh the amazing places you will go! And the joy you bring to your mom as she gets to watch and document it all!!!
absolutely gorgeous. Thank you so much for sharing. I too have a special little boy (21 mos) that lights up my life and gives scrap booking a whole new meaning.
On another note, you are truly inspirational and I love your blog/posts (is this the part where I say I am a first time ‘caller’ and love your work). Anyway, take care. thanks again and TGIF!
Happy birthday Simon!! Hope you enjoy your birthday and parties today and this weekend!!
Happy B-day Simon! Thank you Ali for sharing your little man with us!
Happy Birthday Simon! I hope you have a great day and don’t forget to give your Mom a huge hug!
Ali you are a wonderful!
Happy Birthday Simon–love watching you grow! I have a son just a few months older than you who also LOVES Legos, it’s so fun to read about your adventures!
Ali- the lay-out you posted for 2009 is one of my favorites. Didn’t you do a tutorial on that one for us? I poked all over your blog but couldn’t find it. Can you share that link that again, or at least the post where you first shared it? Thanks bunches!!
Have a great birthday week-end! Carol
Absolutely perfect. <3
Happy Birthday, Simon!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SIMON! It’s been fun watching you grow up! I hope your day was wonderful!
Such a beautiful post… I have happy tears in my eyes! Love this craft that we are so obsessed with.. and this is why.. the stories.. the memories.. the legacy…
Happy Birthday Simon!!!!
WOW……made me cry, missing my son. Enjoy these days because they grow up so fast. Your pages are inspiring me the make an album for my kids.
Happy Birthday Simon!!! May all your birthday wishes come true.
Happy Happy Birthday – to Simon & to you, as you celebrate the day you became a Momma.
Love this post – amazing seeing the pages all together like that!
Happy Birthday Simon! And what a lovely reminder of the special gifts are scrappbooks are.
Happy Birthday, Simon.