Why this teen welcomed her new baby cousin with an original painting

Thirteen-year-old Lexie Zielsdorf knew a secret.

At her aunt’s wedding shower, almost no one knew what the new baby would be named.

But Lexie did — and she incorporated the baby’s name, Josephine, into an original painting she made for her aunt.

“She couldn’t show anyone the name because she was keeping it a surprise,” Lexie said. “I felt special because she got to tell me, and she hadn’t really told anyone else yet.”

After playing games at the shower, Lexie gave her aunt the painting as a gift. They hid the painting from other guests to keep the name a secret.

Josephine was born in early July, and Lexie got to meet her a few weeks later.

When she was painting, Lexie said she tried to create an image of what the baby might look like when she’s older. That meant some guessing, but she was right about at least one thing.

“She does have a lot of hair,” Lexie said. “So she does kind of look like that.”

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Lexie said she included her aunt’s dog, Frank, and cat, Oliver, to complete the painting.

“I usually just paint for fun or to show my emotions,” said Lexie, who lives in Rochester, Minnesota. “I really love giving art to people because they really love it and they hang it up.”

Lexie’s step-grandmother, of Center Point, encouraged Lexie to submit her artwork to The Kids Gazette. Want us to feature your child or grandchild’s work? Email us at kids@thegazette.com.