Happy Birthday Lian

Birthday dinner. Notice that Lian is drinking with a straw. This is a big deal, something she couldn't do before her palate extension repair.

Adoption from China $20,000. Palate and lip surgery $60,000. Being able to blow out your birthday candles: priceless.

Opening presents with Grandma Pines

Lian turned 3 on Friday the 28th. We had a little family party for her on Thursday night so Aunt Christy could be there. We all went out for dinner, pizza and ziti, at one of the nicer pizzerias in town, Salvatores. Lian consumed a whole slice of pizza and a plate of ziti, no eating problems here. Her only oddity - she likes to hold her slices upside down, creating mom nerves as the cheese begins to dangle and droop dangerously near her chest.

Then back to Grandma's house to open presents. Lian knows the drill now, having done Christmas and Lela's birthday, so she plopped herself down and began pulling goodies out of bags with enthusiasm. Bad mama had failed to wrap most of the presents that have been in the closet since Christmas so only a few from us, but plenty from Grandma and Auntie. Her favorite; a teddy bear puzzle with interchangeable pieces so she can dress and change his expression. Her speech therapist uses one and she loves it so I had to track one down.

Friday shot by in a blur (part 3 of my root canal & crown) so she opened the rest of her presents on Saturday morning. Big hits were Mr./Ms. Potato Head (also used by her therapist) and new animals for the playskool farm. She and Lela played with the farm for a long time, with Lela directing the action. The animal figurine box was raided and gorillas, sea turtles and dinosaurs were added to the farm life. Gorillas like to sleep on hay bales, bet you didn't know that.

We kept this birthday low key as the big event will be in 2 weeks, her baptism.