My Baby's All Grown Up... And Saving China!

Okay, so she isn't saving China. But that is what Shawn said to me when he caught me crying about how she is getting bigger and going to Kindergarten and such. (Supportive. I know.)

Skylah turned 5 today. Tonight, actually, and not quite yet. But she is in bed now, and so we will let her believe she is really, truly 5 years old.

Skylah's birthday has been celebrated 3 times so far. Her teacher informed me it will be celebrated when she goes to school tomorrow, too, since the Kindergartners go to school every other day, alternating boys and girls, during the first week. Which was fine with me today. It let me spend the entire day with her.

And since Shawn and I could not figure out what to give this precious girl for her birthday, we let her shop today. What did she pick out?? A Webkinz. Even though her friend gave her one days prior during the first celebration. She picked out another one. She is hooked. She now outnumbers the other two by at least one.

To commemorate her growing old enough to leave me for 8 hours a day and go into the arms of another person, who I know cares for her, to teach her and guide her from now until next May, I made her a replica (from what I can remember) of her first birthday cake. A Sunshine.

Our pictures, digitally taken were also digitally lost, from her first birthday (along with several other events from that year). And so I made this cake again so I could have a picture of it! Weird, I know. But it made me sad that I didn't have her sunshine cake pictures from her first birthday. So, here's Mr. Sunshine Cake... #2. I made her a Sunshine cake because of her name, and because she has brought so much to our family.

Make a wish, Skylah!! (Her shirt is wet from a spill at dinner and face red from the sun the day before.... not the best for pics, but she is still a keeper!!!)

Celebration #2 was with Grandma at Sunday dinner. She brought one of Skylah's favorite treats!!

We love donuts in this family!!

And then Skylah got to open Grandma's present. We all loved it!!!

One of the cutest dresses (and bloomers) I have ever seen!! Grandma did an awesome job!!! Totally a Skylah outfit. She sported it very well for the camera, too!

I really don't know where she learned to do that. Like I said, though... a keeper!!

A little history on Skylah...

Shortly after Ranoah entered our lives things changed a lot. Going from one to two children was a unique experience of it's own. But experiencing "real" parenting, as my mother-in-law put it. That's what threw me through a loop. (Zach was the easiest, sweetest, quietest baby in the world. Not at all what should have prepared us for round 2.) Along with that, having Ranoah affected my health a bit as well. Soon after having her, I sold all the baby stuff. I declared I was done. No more. Ranoah is one of the sweetest babies, girls, people I know. And had I known the weirdness my body was going through at this point, I may have reconsidered then. But, I didn't. And my loving, supportive husband let me sell it all.

Well, we knew that was the wrong decision very shortly after. (Well, he knew before. But it hit me like a sack of bricks.) We were still missing one. Really?!?!?! Yep. Our earthly puzzle wasn't complete yet.

We knew Skylah was the missing piece before she came. But having her in our arms... in our family.... changed EVERYTHING. Each one of our children bring something to the circle that is our Eternal Family. I am so glad to have each one of them in our lives.

Happy Birthday, Skylah!!!