Happy Birthday Emma!

Today our littlest love turned two!  Emma is just amazing and the Lord has been so gracious in weaving our little family together as only He could. Sweet baby has been through so much in her two years....much more than anyone should ever have to deal with....abandonment, loss, trauma, surgeries, loneliness, being taken away from all she has ever known, and so on we could go.  BUT today, we choose to focus on the good and the life that she has now as a Nelson.  I think she's pretty happy here!

Emma loves to sing and dance. She tries to sing along to several songs and especially loves the ABCs and to sing the blessing.  As soon as she gets in her high chair, she immediately puts her hands together and starts to pray. It's precious. The prayer must quickly be followed by food, because girlfriend loves to eat.  She is my best eater by far and we haven't really found anything that she doesn't like.  She loves fruits, green beans, and anything sweet. All that has led to her 3 pound weight gain since she has been home! She is still a tiny little peanut and is in the less than 2% for her height and weight. She wears mainly 12 month clothing and some 18 months. 

She started speech therapy this past week.  She will meet weekly in our home with her therapist to hopefully help her catch up to where she should be for her age. It's no huge surprise that she is behind due to her mouth and obviously the fact that she has only been exposed to English for the last 4 months!  She understands everything you say to her and soon she will be able to communicate more effectively what she wants from us with words instead of the grunting and pointing. She is a stubborn little booger and makes the "grumpy baby" face when she doesn't get her way. She wants all the attention on her...all the time.  You can imagine how well that goes over at times!  She mimics everything the big two do...for better or worse.  She thinks she is so big. 

We have been blown away by this little one and feel so blessed by her. Happiest of birthdays sweet Emma. You are loved deeply!