Shayla's Nine!

PICTURE: Shayla wanted to "dress up" for her birthday so she put on this dress. I put a candle in her sandwich and sang to her for which she shook her head and tried not to giggle at me.

Shayla started stirring, around 5AM, as she slept restlessly beside me. About 5:30 she asked me what time she was born. She opened a present, four books I picked out for her, this morning before Shayne left for work. We were on a two hour delay and Shayne said the weather was to worsen so we may be home all day. I figured we'd better open up those books so we would have some great entertainment if we closed today. Shortly after 8 AM she declared, "I'm nine!" We recorded her height on the wall and she's just a teeny-weenie taller than Christi was at nine, about a few inches taller than I was at nine. (She's actually the same height I was at ten.) We really appreciate our school district recognizing "Shaylauary" and giving her the day off today. She couldn't be any happier about that! She's convinced Christi helped God create the perfect conditions to give her a great day - snow and no school! She said, "Who wants to go to school and pass out cookies for their birthday when they can have the day off? I'll pass out my cookies tomorrow and make a snowman today!" Thanks so much to the sweet blogger Erin N. We will be playing "Wacky Words" tonight when Shayne gets home tonight, yipeee!!

We also think today (Shayla's birthday) is the perfect day for our dear COSI friends as they are flying back into the US with their baby!! They will be AWESOME parents!! I remember Jenn driving with Traci out to Philadelphia back in February of 2006 to help me with Christi. Jenn was reading a book about foreign adoptions. After MANY setbacks and struggles, they now have their baby and I pray for smooth travels home and a wonderful new life for them all! We hope to catch them this weekend for a bit so we can finally see this precious, loved, little one who just took its first steps. God is good!

A sweet blogger, Jill, pointed out to me that Shayla's little face is poking through Christi's legs in Christi's 9th bday picture where we are holding her up. I had to laugh! I'd never noticed that and Shayla thought it was so funny too. She did not remember doing that. What a hoot!