In a way 9 years seems like an eternity ago, but when I look at that sweet girl's face, it could be yesterday that I brought her home. I'm sure you have heard the story. Daddy in Iraq. Mommy in Maine. Baby born via c-section. Daddy meets baby, when he goes on leave, when she is almost 8 months old. Home for good when she is 10 1/2 months old. God is good. All the time. Even times like this. I still get so emotional when I think how gracious He was bringing our little family back together. That first year of her life was the hardest year I have ever had. I honestly don't think I would have survived with out my amazing sister-in-law, Dawn, and her family. Okay, now that tears are rolling down my face, I TOLD you I still get emotional about this, let me tell you how this year's birthday celebration went, because it was FUN! But first, here's that sweet face when she was just a few hours old...
And here's another, one of my very favorites, when she is just a couple days old. Check out that adorable red head who was so excited to be a big sister!
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| The girls with their besties |
So when it's birthday day here at our house, the birthday girl is queen of the day. They plan the day's activities and dinner and anything else their little heart desires. So far request have not been outlandish. This year's request was to go to the American Girl Bistro and a trip to the Lego Store in the same mall. Easy peasy!! Mark had to work that day but we made reservations late enough so he could join us. Us girls got all dolled up...haha, pun intended...got Emmalee and Katheryn (Hope's American Girl dolls) and Katy and Grace (Julia's American Girl dolls) ready and headed out. After we browsed the Lego Store, Disney Store and Justice, we headed up to the Bistro to meet our handsome date...Daddy!! What lucky girls we are do be able to dine with a real super hero! (I've told you before I'm a bit biased on what he does for work...deal with it!) He did awesome surrounded by dolls and pink, it doesn't phase him a bit. **Insert contented sigh here** Dinner was great! The food was tasty. The company even better. I love the American Girl company. They are awesome at empowering girls without any pressure of growing up too quickly.
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| Birthday breakfast of pumpkin pancakes and a candle, of course! |
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| At the American Girl Bistro with Emmalee and Katheryn |
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| These chairs are so cute!!! The waiter brought these mugs over so the "girls" wouldn't get too hungry while they waited for their food! |
Julia is taking a cake decorating class and asked Hope if she could make her cake. You should have seen and heard them planning the cake. The only thing I did was make the actual cake. They did everything else and it was so so so cute!!!
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| Crushing Oreos for the dirt |
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| See the grass, flowers, river with fish and the dirt with worms? How cute is that?!?! |
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| Candles! |
Awesome birthday celebration. My baby is 9!
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