Happy Birthday S!

Wow, seven years old today. Hard to believe my baby is seven. She has grown to be such an amazing little soul. She is intelligent, capable, charming, creative, humorous, kind, beautiful inside and out and so much more! If she only knew how many lives she has touched and how happy she has made so many people. Bless her little heart.

Happy Birthday Baby Bear! We Love you!

S through the years.................









One Year Old

















Two Years Old






















Three Years Old
















Four Years Old
















Five Years Old















Six Years Old





















Seven Years Old

A Passion for Horses

S started showing a great interest in horses at 2 1/2. I thought it would be a passing phase as with


many other interest. Lets see, there was gymnastics, and ballet, and tap, and Tae Kwon Do, and swimming off and on, right now it's on :) But horses have been a constant. From the time she realized she could ride them she has been asking for lessons. Well, she was a bit to young so I made sure I brought her to visit local horse farms where she was able to interact with them, still thinking this is a phase and will pass.


WRONG, she now wants nothing more than to own a horse. When asked in Kindergarten what she wanted to be when she grew up......."A horse owner" Whatever makes you happy baby girl! At this point I started to look around for a place for riding lessons. Not as easy as you would think. It took me six months to find a place that would give riding lessons to a child this young. And we are so glad we found The Farmhouse Center. They are the best!


I know I am late in posting as she actually started lessons last April, went to horse camp for four weeks this summer and is now continuing with her lessons. Her first lesson was on a beautiful sunny spring day in April. They had her on a mini which I was happy to see, or thought at the time it was a good idea..............NOT. The cute little mini was mad his friend was out in the pasture frolicking around eating grass and took off on a mad dash throwing my baby to the ground. I sucked in so much air I choked, then stood helplessly as her riding coach got the mini , as to prevent him from trampling my baby, then going over to Shea who by this time standing up. I kept thinking "there is no way she is going to get back on that horse. I don't want her to get back on that horse. She needs to get back on the horse, no she doesn't, yes she does, no she doesn't, it's up to her, I hope she doesn't, I hope she does...........she looked at me with the same determination I have seen on her face so many times (along with scratches from the rocks she fell on) and got back on. She looked at me again once she was back in the saddle (OK, now would be a good time to hide my fears). I gave her the thumbs up with tears in my eyes (that she couldn't see by the way!)

OK, sucking in more air, and now praying that Clay (that was the little mini) wouldn't buck my baby off again. He didn't, and after the lesson, S told me that "Clay just got cranky because his friend was eating grass. I wasn't scared mama, that is why I wear a helmet. He was just being silly and next week they said I can ride one of the big horses!!!!" Come again? To me, big horse = longer fall. WHAT? Of course this is coming from a person who has always been nervous around large animals. My little 40 pound baby girl was not giving up. I certainly did not want my fears to rub off on her so I agreed and told her how proud I was of her. And I truly was so very proud of her. What a spirit she has!


Fast forward, eight months later to the present. I have relaxed....somewhat :) Actually the horses she is riding seem much more gentle than the rather spirited mini's. She has this way with horses. It amazes me to watch her with them. She has no fear. She will walk into a pasture full of horses that tower over her and get to business brushing, talking, and feeding. She talks to them like they understand her every word and sometimes, I think they do! Seeing her on this huge animal, watching her control a horse by herself just amazes me. She knows every horse at this farm by name and personality. One day she took us into the pasture where all the ponies are so she could brush them. I had JT with me (strapped in the stroller because for those of you that know her well, she would have been rolling in the poop) and the ponies would come stick there muzzle on her face checking her out. I think Shea sensed my nervousness (even ponies have big teeth ya know) because she said "Don't worry mama, that one is gentle. Don't let C near her though because she is a nipper"

I have a feeling that someway or another, horses will always be a part of Shea's life. I am so glad she has found something that stirs such a passion in her. Whatever makes you happy baby girl!

Sticky Situation

I am so incredibly proud of my baby girl. We had a pretty sensitive subject come up while playing on the playground before school and we were discussing it when we got home. A peer came up to JT's stroller and asked "is she from Chinese?" We explained that she was from China and she is Chinese American. He then asked "how did you get her" We explained that we went through a long process to adopt her and flew to China and bring her home. The next question he asked "Was she just standing there" No, she wasn't standing there. She was being well cared for by many adults that loved her while she waited for us to come get her and bring her home to her forever family. Seeming satisfied, he responded with an "oh" and ran off to play.

S missed the whole event on the playground as she was busy playing. We were discussing this at home in the evening, and she over heard us talking (boy she has good ears, she's like super sleuth!) and asked what happened. Immediately my guard went up as there was some potential for this to upset her. Yet I didn't want to hide it from her as I do believe situations like this can prepare her for how to handle situations like this when we are not with her. In the past she has been pretty private and is uncomfortable by other people asking personal questions about her story or her sisters.

Her response to all this was "I guess he doesn't understand adoption" in a very nice matter a fact way. Wow, not what I expected. I have tried so hard to prepare her for situations like this as I knew they would happen. I was not convinced I had done a very good job. She amazes me with her maturity!

A Toothless Grin

S lost her first tooth! We thought for sure at the end of Kindergarten (May 08) when fell off a slide and bumped her front teeth, she would lose her top front teeth first. The dentist even thought they would fall out soon as she hit them pretty hard. So I rushed to have her photo's done to capture that "baby face" all kids lose once those adult teeth start coming in. Guess what, she still has her top front teeth! The tooth she lost is the very itty bitty lonely tooth she had on the day I met her in China back in November of 2002. I remember loving that little bitty tooth when she gave us her big gummy smiles in China. I remember when she loved to sit on the bathroom counter to brush that little tooth. Now, not so much :)

In November of 2002 I found myself wondering what this beautiful baby girl would like, what she would dislike, what her personality would be like, when she would walk, when she would talk. And I got those answers all to quickly because she is growing up all to quickly. I have decided to stop asking when and just enjoy each moment before they are gone.

S has a million great things about her. But the one trait that stands out most often, is how incredibly thoughtful and kind hearted she is. Whether this trait came from her birth parents, whether it was learned, or a combination of both, I am so glad she has this capacity to think about others feelings. And to take it a step further and do things she knows will make others smile. She does this all the time for friends and family. I am so proud of her.

After a long discussion about what size the tooth fairy is, and ultimately deciding she is the size of tinker bell, S went to work making her a hat, a house, a couch, and a purse. She spent an hour last night making "surprises" for the tooth fairy. And when she was done the questions came, do you think my house will keep her warm from the rain? What if she doesn't have a floor to put the house on will she have to sleep on the cold ground? Do you think the hat will be to big for her head? Do you think she will like her surprises? Do all kids make surprises for the tooth fairy? How will she get into the house? Will I be able to see her? And on and on and on. I swear, she was more excited for the tooth fairy to come than she has ever been for Santa!

There was even a note to go along with it. This is what is said:

"Dear Toothfariy,

My name is S what is yours? Please leave me a note if you can. If you can't, that's OK. Have a good night. Love S P.S. bring some helpers I have a surprise for you!"

OH, I dread the day when S stops believing in these magical things. Bless her little heart.


And, in true "letter from Santa" style, I went on to create a letter from the tooth fairy. And it was the letter of all letters. S put her heart into her surprises so I felt it only fair, I put my heart into this letter for her, complete with pixie dust :)


Dear S,

Congratulation s on losing your first tooth! It's a beauty! I can tell you have brushed it well for the past 5 1/2 years! Keep up the good work.

My name is Flutter, thanks for asking! Oh S, you are so thoughtful. I LOVE all the surprises you left for me! The house you made is perfect for me. It will surely keep me dry and warm in fairy land. I will put it right on top of my soft moss floor. It will be the most cozy house in all of fairy land!

How did you know I love hats and crowns? I can't wait to start my flight home with my new hat on my head! And the purse is adorable! All of my fairy friends will be so jealous! I think I will use it to carry your tooth back to fairly land. Then it will be just perfect to hold my change.

Do you know what I will do with the mirror you left me? I'm going to hang it in my new house! Isn't that a good idea? I just ate the yummy blueberry you left me. That hit the spot! You thought of everything! You are such a kind, loving, little girl. No one else has ever left me such wonderful surprises!

Now you make sure you keep taking care of you baby teeth so I can come get them when they fall out. And take care of your big teeth so they will stay with you forever and ever! Don't forget to brush and floss, and your mom was right, you should always use your timer!

Now if you happen to have a itchy nose or sneeze today I must apologize. I think I left some pixie dust on the tip of your nose when I kissed it!

I will be back soon! I love you!

Flutter


p.s. I did bring my helpers as you asked me to in your note and guess what? I laid on the nice comfy couch you made me while my helpers carried me back! It will be perfect for my new house!


S loved this letter so much, she made a bed and an outfit for the tooth fairy and left another note asking her to visit. Ohhhh what did I start!!??



The Hat:


The House, the hat, the purse, the blueberry, and the note:






I'm sooooo EXCITED: