Happy 10th Birthday, H!

Birthdays for adopted children can be tricky occasions, so I wasn't sure how H.'s first birthday with us would play out. She had two requests (at least one of which was heavily influenced by TM's nearly constant talk of his own birthday). She wanted a beautiful cake and puzzles. 

Here is the 'beautiful cake'. (Yes, there is a piece missing. A. can't eat butter cream frosting.)

She was quite happy with it. For a few minutes we weren't sure that she was going to be happy about sharing it with everyone else, but in the end she was fine with it.

Blowing out the candles:

Laughing when the candles relit after having been blown out. (These are the same candles we used on P.'s birthday cake last month, so it wasn't a complete surprise.)

And then there were gifts. TM raided his stash of flashlights and wrapped one up for her. Unasked... it was all his own idea. She was thrilled with it.

Clothes from Grammy and Grandpa.

But wait, there's more in the bag from Grammy and Grandpa, A. helped to fish it out.

Two small stuffed dogs that were not let out of her grasp the rest of the evening.

More presents...

There were books and puzzles in the remaining packages.

(Very calm) watching brothers. God is working in TM's life in amazing ways. Calm and birthdays are not two words that I have come associate together in the past 6 years.

G. is modelling the twirly dresses I actually finished. I was going to take a picture of the two of them together, but L. had a nosebleed so her dress had to go soak in the basement.

A very happy girl.

H.'s pleasure and joy at the celebration of her birthday were contagious and it was a lovely celebration. When I was tucking her in at bedtime, she said to me a couple of times, "Me so happy, Mommy!" 

That about sums it up, I think.