Emma Grace's Birthday-Part 2

Emma Grace didn't want to miss a single moment of birthday fun so she made sure to get up extra early on this special day! Our fun started at 6:15am with a birthday serenade to our earlier riser! We enjoyed a new family tradition-Andy and I made a poster full of ways we've seen God's faithfulness to EG over the last year. We read through the poster and prayed for Emma Grace. Our hope is that she and Jack will find their birthdays a great reason to stop, reflect and celebrate God's goodness to them year after year! After breakfast we enjoyed a little gift opening and some webcam time with Kacki and Poopaw. Thank you guys so much for the gifts. She loves them and she walks around with her Little People, which she calls, "Xiao Peng You's" (Chinese for little friends), saying, "Kacki gives 'em." The thermos has already become her favorite cup! After a fun family morning, we took our celebration outside...to see our real Xiao Peng You's! One of her little friends is Xiang Xiang, Milk Grandma's grandson and he just turned two as well. I convinced Milky G that we should do a joint birthday party in the courtyard for the two of them. I brought the cupcakes, music, and balloons and she brought the bananas. Jack received lots of love at the party as well. Something about chubby babies makes Chinese people melt. Here's how he feels about being called chubby...The only other non-cupcake-eating attendee besides Jack was Isaac. Sorry boys, maybe next year! I told our friends a little about the way Americans celebrate birthdays and why and how we as a family celebrate and then we started with the main attraction. (at least to the American kids in attendance)...THE CUPCAKES!!Julianna, Lydia, and EG scarfed their cupcakes but the Chinese kids weren't so sure about the whole gooey chocolate thing! Xiang Xiang wasn't sure about this whole American Birthday deal! Feng Yuan was a little upset about the chocolate on his hands! Milky G's bananas were a much bigger hit. Why does she always know how to out-do me?

One of the moms we hang out with is great with kids. She led them in some fun Chinese songs and games. Here they are riding the train.The rest of EG's birthday was low key. For dinner we had tacos, beans and rice...one of her faves! (Though she did throw up at dinner. Not sure what that was about. Too many cupcakes maybe?) She had 2 mini cupcakes at her party but none the rest of the day...surely it wasn't the cupcakes!?

Happy Birthday Emma Grace! We love you so much and we are so thankful God has given us you! You make us laugh. You make us depend on God. You thrill us with your curiosity. You delight us with your sweet little voice when you say things like, "I love pink! I love green!" I love that song!" You surprise us with your humor! You are a gift. We love you sweet one. Happy Birthday!