Happy Birthday Bee!

Happy Birthday to you!

Happy Birthday to you!

Happy Birthday Dear Bee!

Happy Birthday to you!

 

You're 6 years old! Wow!

Like I said, how did you get to be 6?  I can't believe that you are 6.  Time goes so fast.  I saw your picture for the first time just about a week after your 1st birthday, you celebrated your 2nd birthday here and now here you are celebrating your 6th birthday.  At times like these I get so nostalgic, a little sad.  Someone once said, "Why would you get sad?  They are supposed to grow up."  Yes they are supposed to, and of course I wouldn't want it any other way.  But even as I am enjoying each new phase of girlhood I miss that baby time.

We had to schedule a little vet appointment for Jia to have her next set of shots and this was the only night that worked so after I got home from work we brought Jia to the vet.  We found out that she now weighs (with her harness on) 4 pounds.  I'm not sure how precise their scale is and I haven't weighed her here, but she's growing.  She had 2 shots and the vet tech said she was a perfect patient. 

When we got home the neighbor girl who is in Bee's class at school came over to join us in our little party.  This year I borrowed an idea from a sister and asked the girls if they want, instead of a big party, some money ($50)  in addition to their present.  Bee opted for the money and said she was saving it for a DS.  I thought it would be fun for her to have one little friend over so we did invite the neighbor friend.  It was very hard for me not to still buy all the cute birthday party stuff.  I did break down and buy just a little. 

Just a little excited!

Deep breath now and blow! 

I see that the birth family candle did not get into any of the pictures.  We did have it lit and talked about why we light it.  She doesn't seem to really totally understand what it means yet to have a birth family somewhere else.  She can say it and talk about it, but I don't think it has quite connected yet.

Sweet girl.  She wanted chocolate cake with chocolate filling (frosting).  I had forgotten that she wanted chocolate frosting, but she did get chocolate cake and was very excited when she saw the cake.

The only thing Bee wanted for her birthday was a DS.  I kept telling her that that's a really, really big present.  At one time she told me, "If you get me a DS, you don't ever have to buy me another birthday present."  I said, "Never?"  She replied, "Well...til I'm 8." 

Gee and I talked and thought maybe she wouldn't mind if we use part of the money that I was planning on giving her and buying her a DS instead of other smaller items and the $50.  We did decide to do that.  

I figured that being as the only thing she had thought of and dreamed of and talked of was a DS, if I wrapped it in just its own box she would know right away what it was.  So I wrapped it and then put it in a Ramen noodle soup box and wrapped that, and then put that in a potato chip box and wrapped that.  We got to gift opening time and told her that she has to open the one we gave first before her friend's gift (we knew she was getting a game from her).  She opened it and she said very graciously, "Oh, potato chips."  Gee told her that being as she liked chips so much that we would get her a box. She smiled and said, "Oh."  She only had one present from us so then she picks up the present from her friend and I quickly had to say, "Oh, before you open that, why don't you open your chips and share with us."  So she very patiently says, "Oh, ok."  She opens the chip box and says with a big laugh, "Oh, another present in here!"  So she opened that and laughed again and said, "Oh, I got soup! Ha, Ha, Ha. Giggle!"  Then she noticed that the plastic was ripped and she saw that there was not soup in it.  She finally got to the DS and of course was so excited. 

Then she opened the gift from her friend, which was a game.  Auntie Jen had also sent games from them and Grandpa Jack.  She ended up getting 2 of the same game and she right away said, "Oh, here M, you can have one of them."  I told her that was a very sweet thing to do, but it's her birthday present and she really doesn't have to give it away. 

After the party was done, I explained that we had used part of her $50 and bought a DS being as we knew that she wanted one so much.  I explained to her that she can decide - does she want to keep the DS, or does she want us to bring it back and we can pick out something smaller and then get $50 too.  She thought about it for a minute and then grinned and said she would like to keep the DS. 

And so another birthday has come and gone.  Thank you, God, for the gift of this child!