Shelby Grace turns TWO!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHELBY GRACE!!!

My baby girl is two years old. There are moments when this is really hard for me to comprehend. There are so many thoughts I have about how our lives have changed in the last 3 1/2 years and what used to be 'normal' and 'home' for us, has changed drastically. Despite the fact that we live on the other side of the world now, our world was rocked in a good way when Shelby Grace entered our lives. I don't think either of us expected the roller coaster we would experience over the next two years. She has challenged us, stretched us, frustrated us, entertained us and filled our hearts with so much love and joy all at the same time. It's hard to remember what life was like before she came along but I am so glad that she did. Life just wouldn't be the same without our special gift from God.

Shelby Grace only turned two but it seems like she is going on 20 or 4 like she shows in the picture. :) She is so independent and will try to do anything her brother does, plus some! She talks up a storm these days creating all kinds of sentences. She can put on her Crocs by herself and has even learned how to flip her jacket on this week and can pull up the zipper. She sleeps in a big girl bed now in which she is sleeping so well in and she even climbs up onto the changing table by herself (not necessarily a good thing :) ) when it's time change her diaper. Shelby Grace loves to sing and dance and is addicted to Elmo these days. She knows the words to many songs and her favorite is very appropriate, Happy Birthday :). Shelby Grace can go from throwing an incredible tantrum to being the sweetest girl giving you sweet kisses and snuggles.

As much as mommy tries to dress her up like a girl, she is more boy than anything. She likes her baby dolls but that is about the extent of her girliness. Shelby Grace loves her big brother and wants to do everything he does including dressing up like super heroes, play with cars and balls, jump off the couch or do flips in the grass. She doesn't play dress up with her girly dress up clothes mommy got her but instead with the clothes out of Zachary's drawers. Grandma sent Shelby Grace her own Batman and Spiderman costumes so now she can fight crime with the best of them!

She does loves baby dolls and all things water. The ladies Sunday School class at our church back home who have "adopted" our kids, sent money for her birthday so we got her baby doll with her own bathtub.

This year mommy wasn't up to doing a huge birthday party and since she doesn't really understand the difference right now, we just had a dinner party with our "Korea family." Of course, we still had to have a yummy Elmo cake!

I'm pretty sure Shelby Grace sang long with everyone when we sang happy birthday to her.

She blew out both candles all by herself!

Can you see Grandma in the background on Skype??
I am so thankful that God has provided a family away from family here that we can celebrate our special days with. Shelby Grace probably only needed her little buddy Sara at the party but the rest of our "Korea family" are important too.

Shelby Grace was loved on with more gifts. I had to giggle when she got these two book, one Dora and one Disney princess. She looked at them and put the princess one back in the bag. We really do try it with the girl stuff! If it had been Mario or Lightening MacQueen she probably would have kept it out of the bag. :)

She got some fun "Korean" gifts this year. Another bath baby doll but this one came with the special Korean bath scrubber and head towel for the jimjilbang (bath house). She also got a stuff Mr. Moo. He's a radish that is all over Korean television these days. She wasn't sure about him at first but now loves to hug on him.

My little girl is growing up and I can't seem to stop it but I do love watching her grow and learn each day. I love to hear her little singing voice and collect all her popos (kisses) at night. She amazes me with her determination and is so not like her mother. She definitely gets that from her aunt Sheri. I know she will grow to do great things in life and I can't wait to see what that is for her except I wouldn't mind for life to slow down just a bit so I can enjoy my little girl a little longer.
Happy Birthday Shelby Grace! We love you!