Firefly's Story---You're Three Years Old!

In honor of your birthday, I thought it would only be fair to tell your story, since I told Cowboy's story on his.

Your story is so interesting, Firefly. It's quite an adventure.

It all started in Florida, where we were living when Daddy was transfered and had to work in far away Washington (state) for the Navy for ten months. He did come home for a Christmas visit, and during that visit we decided we would try to sell our house, so we could move to live near Nanny and Poppy, hoping he'd get transfered there when he was done in WA.

Thankfully, Daddy was transferred to a place near our new house, and he moved in with Nanny and Poppy. Unfortunately, by that time it was almost your due date (about six weeks before), and our house in Florida had still not sold, so Poppy and Daddy came for a visit, and we packed a lot of our stuff and loaded up a big moving van.

 

 We also loaded a trailer with our two horses, two potbellied pigs, three dogs, and two cats. Then we loaded up my car with the kids (Bubba, Tex, Ladybug, and Cowboy), and headed out of town. Imagine how excited we were when a few hours down the road, Mommy got a call on her cell phone, and our real estate agent told us we had gotten an offer on our house! What perfect timing...God's timing. I guess He was just waiting for us to be out of the house before it sold. We negotiated the offer and agreed on the sale while driving.

We had to stop for the night at a hotel because it was an almost twenty hour drive with the loaded down horse trailer and moving van. We stopped near an Equestrian Center, where the big boys (Daddy and Bubba) camped out for the night with the animals. Mom and the kids stayed cozy in a nice hotel room and had a delicious hot breakfast! The next day, we left to drive the rest of the way. Fortunately, the trip had few problems, other than being a long one. By the time we arrived at your grandparents' house, I was exhausted and went to bed, while poor Daddy had to unload the trailer at the storage facility, set up pens for the animals, and return the trailer (which he did the next day). The next day I was very tired and rested most of the day. That night I woke up feeling terrible and wound up telling Daddy we needed to go to the hospital to get checked.

It's a good thing we went, because it turns out I was in labor, even though it was six weeks early. I guess the trip just made you want to arrive, too! And arrive you did, without any trouble or problems (except for having to sign a sales contract for the house while I was in labor!). In spite of being an absolutely for sure six weeks early, you were perfectly formed and ready to meet everyone. Oh, you were so pretty, so sweet, and so tiny. For about a week, we had some difficulty regulating your temperature and had to be extra careful that you didn't get too cold, but that just gave us all a good excuse to hold you often and cuddle with you.

We still love to cuddle with you, sweet Firefly. You are the most precious little lady, and the apple of our eyes. We so appreciate your helpful spirit, your grateful heart, and your spunky tenacity. And now, since we have Baby Boo, you aren't the littlest one anymore, and you are becoming a wonderful big sister, playing with Boo and showing him how to do many things. We all love to watch you guys play together and pray that all of you will be best of friends forever.

We love you so much, dear one. You are in our thoughts and prayers always. You are our sweet little lady, Firefly, and growing so much every single day. Just don't grow up too fast...

Hugs and Kisses and lots of sqeezes.

Love,

Mom

Happy Birthday, Princess Firefly!

If Cowboy had a Buggy Birthday, Firefly had a

Fairy Princess Tea Party Birthday.

When she got up in the morning, Daddy was home long enough to give her birthday hugs and kisses. Next, Mommy gave her a pretty princess dress (handmade and bought from the consignment store for only $4.50!) and a pair of golden slippers (consignment store, $3.50, Old Navy). We have discovered that it is more fun for all of us if we "bless" the birthday girl/boy all day with their presents one at a time. We set a budget, and theme, and see how much we can get of quality stuff centered around this theme. By giving the presents bit by bit, it not only stretches the enjoyment out all day, but it gives the children a chance to appreciate each one on its own.

 

 

Needless to say, the dress was a big hit. I think it is adorable on her. She donned her crown and twirled until she was dizzy. Then she went off to find Prince Cowboy and Princess Ladybug to play with her. They set up a breakfast "tea party" in the kitchen after each picking a doll to join them. Ladybug brought Rosie, my old dolly, Firefly brought her Susie (a talking Baby Alive doll) from her Poppy, and Cowboy even brought one of the girls' baby dolls (he later insisted it get dressed in blue so it could be a boy, then he named it James.)

 

After breakfast, the Three Amigos headed off to play in the front room while Tex and I set up a few of Firefly's gifts...a folding Tinkerbell table and chair set, and a Fisher Price musical tea set. We added Nilla wafers and very diluted Earl Grey tea for authenticity, then called them in.

What joy on all their faces!!

I love how the simplest of things make the children so happy. We were very pleased with the table. It is sturdy and easy to set up and take down. We also love the cute tea set. Our only complaint with it is that FP put holes in the side of the teacups, so if you tilt the cups the wrong way when there is real liquid in them, you get dribbled on. I realize they wanted to discourage children from filling up the cups, but isn't that the point of a tea party set? The kids have adapted by holding the cups backwards. I think I will try to fill the holes with clear caulk. Otherwise, it is a really sturdy and sweet toy.

Our next fun surprise was the arrival of Nanny and Poppy with the cupcakes. (My mom just loves that she is retired now and can come over in the middle of the week). She made Firefly some sparkly Tinkerbell chocolate cupcakes. We have discovered that cupcakes work wonderfully well with the age the kids are now. They are simple to make, easy to distribute, and fun to eat!

Once Nanny and Poppy arrived, it was time to open cards and gifts from other family members. Firefly was so sweet during this process. She was absolutely enthusiastic and grateful about every card and gift she recieved. Yes, even the cards that did not have money in them! She'd say, "I love it! It is so cute!" and look at each and every picture on the cards, asking what the words said, and wanting to know if she could color them.

Next, we opened the gifts from Nanny and Poppy. He insisted he was going to buy her another dolly, because that is what she kept asking for (even though thie girls already have several since I never threw any of mine away!). He spent a lot of time choosing the perfect one at Toys r Us. It was very sweet of him and my mom. I guess grandparents get to spoil the grandkids if they want to, huh?

Oh, she loved her new dolly at first sight! It is a sick dolly who needs her mommy to take care of her and make her feel better. My kids love to play doctor and make all the babies and animals well again, so it was a good choice. See how much she loves it? She decided to name it Abigail.

Bubba gave her a doctor kit, to help make the babies all better, and she also
received an outfit and baby bottle for her new baby.

Here's a nice picture of us after unwrapping the presents. My mom took the picture, so she is not in in. :-(

 

Here are a few random snapshots of the other children.
Cowboy is entertaining us by being silly.

Here is Ladybug showing off her favorite doll, Rosie.

Firefly is getting birthday hugs from big brother, Tex.

Next, they are off to find another surprise from Mommy and Daddy...

the latest Tinkerbell movie, The Great Fairy Rescue.

Butterfly and Ribbon wands from the Dollar Tree

make great party favors;

a bag of popcorn, and cups of juice make for a perfect movie afternoon.

We thought the movie was very well done. The story is well-written, the animation is excellent, and the main human character is sweet and kind, sincere and hard-working. Each of the characters learn valuable lessons about sticking together, always doing your best, confessing your mistakes and fixing them, and using your natural (God-given) gifts creatively. Even the work-absorbed father learns to put his daughter first and to believe in more than just science. There are lovely nature journals throughout the movie (really detailed ones) and tea parties in several parts, so it fit in with our theme perfectly...a Fairy Princess Tea Party...with a little bit of education thrown in as a bonus!

After eating lunch, we sang the birthday song to Firefly and
served up cupcakes with ice cream cones on the side. !

Tex doctored his cone up by rolling it in chopped up dark chocolate Snickers (a treat from his grandparents). We did have the foresight to change out of the princess dress BEFORE serving up the chocolate cupcakes. Thank goodness!

Time to go outside and search for bugs (and fairies!) and
burn off some of that sugar we just ate.
Then back inside for story time.

But wait! There is one more late arriving gift
 from Grandma Pooh in Iowa.

Oh, how special! It is a pink coin purse with Firefly's
very own hankie, golden angel coin, and six dollars in it.

She loves it!

The boys head off to Uncle L. and Auntie K.'s house to deliver a surprise from Nanny and Poppy for their new baby, Little Bear, using mom's Suburban. Nanny stays behind and reads the kids books after they put on their "new" (used) Tinkerbell PJs for the girls ($2 a pair at the consignment shop) and sports ball PJs for Cowboy (free...hand-me-downs, but new to us!).

Our Fairy Princess's last gift for the day is a Tinkerbell book about the movie that includes both the nature journaling and the tea party in it. We love it!! I hope this will inspire them to really get into their nature journaling this year. I can remind them, "Think of Tink..."

Meanwhile, I fix the kids homemade pizza and get Boo ready for bed.

Prayers and tuck ins, then the exhausted ladies
have an hour to visit before the guys get back.
What a perfect day it was!!

Who needs a big, expensive party when you already have
a house full of love?

Happy Birthday, dear, sweet Firefly.

You light up our lives immeasurably and our love for you overflows.

You are precious to us, perfect in our eyes,
and oh, such a pretty little Princess.

Daughter of the King of Kings. We love you.

Blessings to you all,

Heather