Herman House Happenings: Sienna Grace Turns Three!

I know I'm a little late with this post but we've had strep, colds and other nasty things going around our house...unfortunately most of it was for the Birthday Girl.

Miss Sienna has turned THREE! She has been looking forward to her special day and her "pawty" for a very long time...in fact she asked for a birthday party for Christmas. For months she has planned on her "Hello Cat" (she didn't know the technical term for "Hello Kitty" : ).

Mama scoured around for all the Hello Kitty themed birthday items we could find and on Saturday, March 31st we had her party! Unfortunately the entire week of her birthday Sienna was battling a fever of 100-104 WITH medication. We finally found a doctor who did a strep test and sure enough, our little girl had strep and so Thursday afternoon she started antibiotics and was feeling much more like herself by Saturday party day.

Sienna had a family party this year at an indoor playground geared for kids 7 and under and she loved it! There was plenty of time to play, jump, run, eat and enjoy ice cream cake. She loved having "Happy Birthday" sung to her and was a pro at blowing out her candles.

As I was thinking about her special day I wanted to review the notes we had received about her from China before we brought our precious girl home. Here's what I found about her in her file when she was the age of 6 months:

Personality

"She is quiet and is a very lovely little girl. She enjoys playing with the children next to her crib and seldom makes troubles".

I remember thinking that God must have made a mistake when he had this sweet, quiet little girl born on "April Fools" day. How unlike her personality...until we got to know her. Sienna for sure is destined to be the "class clown" and while she is still a very lovely little girl and enjoys playing with others, she can at times "make troubles" and is not very shy and quiet anymore. Very frequently her "double dimple" smile is plastered on her face as she runs around her world at full tilt. Everybody knows when Sienna is here.

Sienna, at three you like:

Bologna, Hello Kitty, cheese sticks, chocolate, french fries, trains, your stuffed puppy, blue jeans, movies (NOT the "Christmas one"), Dora the Explorer, the color blue, swimming lessons, and most of all your sister. You refer to her as "my best friend" often. I hope this will be the case for the rest of your life.

At three you don't like:

Baths, clothes other than blue jeans, sweets other than chocolate, vegetables, being carried when you want to walk, sharing anything, having your face washed, going to bed, not being allowed to do things 'byselfs'.

You can follow directions in long paragraphs and you speak very clearly and abundantly. Some of your key phrases lately include: "That's ridiculous mom", "Daddy has a problem sitting still", "Hmmm, no, I don't think so", "Yes we really do have bologna, it's in the other freezer", "I likes you, you're my best friend" or "you're annoying" (yes, from a child that was not even 3 yet!).

At three you LOVE:

Your big sister with a passion and want to be just like her. You enjoy going to Sunday School and Wednesday night church with her and you long to be in her classroom at school. You always want to keep up with her and you do a good job! You know how to "pull her chain" and you love doing that too!

As I looked further in Sienna's "China File" I came across the following paragraph that made me shed more than a few tears:

The Hopes of the SWI (Social Welfare Institute)

"We hope for her the love of mother who strongly, warmly and excitedly hoped for Xiu Yue (Sienna). A family that is warm, harmonious and completed. As now she is a child without the love of mother and family, this is so lucky for her to find one. We sincerely hope she will become your daughter and give you the lovely and naïve smile to make you feel happy indefinitely. We also hope you, as loving people, could give her a real family".

Sienna, you were definitely strongly, warmly and excitedly hoped for. You now have a family that is harmonious and completed. You have the love of a mother and a father and a family and we are the lucky ones! You are our daughter and we love your lovely and naive smile (even though it is now usually a knowing grin) and yes, you make us happy indefinitely. You do have a real family! We are blessed beyond words by the gift of you.

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

2 Corinthians 9:15