Bria's First 4-H Experience

Bria had her first meeting as a 4-H Clover kid this week.  Before we left Nadia was whining that she wanted to go too, so Nathan said she needed to stay with him.  She was quick to inform him that he was old enough to stay by himself.

Bria was so excited when we pulled into the parking lot, and she saw all the other kids getting out.  Inside she was mesmerized.  She just stood there watching all the older kids despite me telling her she could find a place to set repeatedly.  She listened during the first part of the meeting and during roll call she asked when they would call her name.  I told her they may not because she was new.  When they asked all the new members to stand up and give their names she did.  She wasn't shy at all about it! After I explained the voting process a little (that saying "I" meant you agree and "Nay" meant you didn't), she even tried to do participate in that. Luckily she didn't try to say nay to anything.  Then the clover kids were dismissed to do their own little meeting. I told Bria she could go by herself if she wanted, but she wanted me to come. It was probably a good thing because there were a lot of little ones!

We headed downstairs where the kids got to make a button flower by stringing buttons on floral wire.  There wasn't really a right way to make it.  Some kids put all their buttons in a row and others made it more flowery by bending the wire between buttons.  They also learned a little song, "Gray Squirrel;" which Bria was surprisingly shy about singing.  Bria asked a couple times if we could go as the meeting upstairs was running a bit long.  She was ok to wait when she found out she got cookies afterwards.

Once we did get to leave she told me, "4-H is fun!" I was concerned since she had been bored a couple times, but she was pretty proud of her flower.  Guess we get to do it again next month!

Happy Birthday Nadia

When Bria was only 5 months old, I felt an urging to have another baby.  Not wanting to go against God's will Nathan and I stopped avoiding pregnancy and in one month (when Bria was 6 months old) I got pregnant.  We had wanted children close in age originally, but we hadn't really expected them to be only 15 months apart.  9 months later on October 16, we had Nadia! That was 4 years ago.

 Now as Nadia turns 4 it is hard to believe she is only 4. She seems quite mature for her age especially in her speech and thought process.  She certainly still shows a lot of strong will now and then and a lot of drama too.  But when she is calm she can be such a sweet little girl.

She loves anything soft and fuzzy...blankets, stuffed animals, real animals.  You frequently find her "fuzzing" (her word for petting) them.

She loves all animals including bugs and worms.

She isn't frightened by much. She will try most anything once; especially if it is Bria's idea.

She loves her sister and even her brother (although I think he does annoy her quite a bit).

She loves pretending to be a princess, a fairy, a unicorn, or any other number of things, but especially a princess.

She can be a bit competitive and a bit opinionated.

She still has a tendency to be my messiest child no matter what she is doing.

 But she is also a great helper and is willing to take a stand when she thinks something is wrong.  She has a great desire to learn; at least most of the time.  She is a wonderful blessing from God, and she balances Bria out well.  I think both of them benefit from their sister!

 Happy Birthday Nadia! I can't imagine life without you!

Happy Birthday Bria

It's hard to believe 5 years ago today I was in labor with my baby Bria. After 2 years of trying to have a baby and one miscarriage, I had been waiting a long time for this day. Finally after a crazy day of going into the hospital, being sent home, and then going back before I was even discharged, Bria was born at 10:35 pm.  She was breathing too fast and had to go to the NICU for 48 hours for a blood culture.  Even in the NICU you could hear her scream through the whole floor.

She was born with a lot of spirit, and I don't think she has lost any of it! Today as she turns 5, she is a very strong-willed, curious, excitable, imaginative, intelligent, and fun-loving. 

  

She loves babies and kittens.

 She enjoys music, dancing, and drawing as well as playing with her ponies and building with blocks or legos.  

The park is one of her favorite places, and she is never alone.  She has a huge slew of imaginary friends who travel with her wherever she goes.

  
 She can't sit still for long, but she still loves books even if it means she stands while you read to her.  She is starting to read some on her own, and is pretty good with math.  She definitely has her own way of doing things, including solving problems.

She is really just Bria, and that is something not easily defined.  She may cause a lot of trouble, but she also fills us with laughter.  She is a blessing from God, and we love her!  Happy Birthday Bria; you are growing up too fast.