7, really?

Happy 7th Birthday Helaina.  My oh my, where have the last five years gone?  At this time 5 years ago we were waiting for our travel approval.  On February 27, 2008 we celebrated little Men Ying's 2nd birthday with a ladybug cake and popped the rest in the freezer for when our daughter came home.  Little did we know that the very next morning on the 28th we'd get the call saying our travel approval had arrived and 8 quick days later, we were on the plane to China.

Sleepyhead still in bed.  "How old are you today?"  7 fingers old.  Warm and snug under her new Monster High comforter.  As a surprise, I put it on her bed last night while she was still downstairs.  When she went upstairs to go to sleep she opened her bedroom door and there it was.  Squeal, hug and happiness.

"Can I have turkey sausages and toast for breakfast?  It is my birthday so I should have sausages."  I put a candle in her toast and sang happy birthday to her.

Absolutely have to get dressed up for school when it's your birthday.

We had Helaina's family party on Sunday.  She came downstairs to Monster High balloons, Monster High tablecloth and Monster High paper streamers decorating the house.  Shrieks of delight.

Nothing like getting presents when it isn't even your birthday yet.

So, what else could possibly have been put on the cake but Monster High.  We wouldn't tell Helaina what design was on her cake and made her wait until it was time to sing Happy Birthday on Sunday.  She suspected Monster High and was right.

Singing Happy Birthday with her cousin at her side.  Never saw 2 little girls more anxious to get their hands on those frosting balloons.

Ah, time for teary eyed reminiscing.  Here's our princess 4 days after we brought her home in 2008 on Easter.  She was 2 years and 24 days old, so sweet and so accepting.  Even though she was a hefty 27 pounds, she looks so small to me.

Fast forward 5 years later and here she is - an energetic bundle of excitement that never ends.

I could look at pictures of Helaina when she was younger for hours.  I remember this moment so well.  Easter Sunday 2008, we sat her on the kitchen table, put a plate of snacks in front of her and she chowed down with both hands and demanded more (notice she's got a cracker in her right hand waiting to stuff in her mouth).  To this day I think that she took to us so well in China because we fed her!  Happy Birthday Helaina Marie.  Love you more than anything.