Happy Birthday, BellaMei!

Our little caboose is 3!

I bought this whiteboard to hang in our dining room to help with homeschooling during the Stay At Home order.  Before e-learning starts, we've been using it to post a simple schedule, menu, and to remind us exactly what day it is. 🤪  As sweet as BellaMei is... she has also put us through the hardest Terrible Twos we've ever been through. 😆 Braylee said, "She was just sweet, then sour, and now she's more sweet than sour." 😁 So I'm happy and sad. Happy that there is light at the end of this hard tunnel and sad that we really won't have a baby in the house anymore.

Xiaoyun has watched me make a lot of cakes while she's been here. This time, she said she wanted to learn how to do it too, so I let her help me add the rainbow colors to the side of the cake.

Snuggling and sleeping with mommy on her last night of being 2.

Brielle made the cake drawing for her little sister.

Some of BellaMei's cousins FaceTimed or sent videos wishing her a Happy Birthday. She acted shy every time.

We had planned a donut party for months. I explained to her that we had to cancel the party due to the "sickness going around." BellaMei suggested, "Everybody take medicine and then they come to my donut party?!" If only it was that easy... In the last week, she started asking about a rainbow cake. I figured I might as well give the girl what she wants, and we can still do a donut cake in the future hopefully.

She LOVED her cake!

Her first gift had a rainbow shirt, Chinese book, and things to help with quarantine- play doh, paint, and sidewalk chalk. 

Brynna made a matching game for BellaMei.

Gramma sent over a bag of treats. Juan has trouble sharing. 😉

As a special treat for BellaMei's birthday, we decided to switch up our social distancing location.  The girls hadn't left the house in 17 days.  We went to my parents' cabin/lake which felt like a safe option since it's secluded and outside.

Bag Lady even needs her bag to fish. 😆

Mamaw & Papaw sent a gift too!

Our precious little girl spent her 1st birthday in a foster home/orphanage.  She spent her 2nd birthday at Disney World and now her 3rd birthday under Stay at Home orders with her family. Each special in its own way. 🥰

This tiny boss baby is stubborn, strong-willed, and calls out every possible perceived unfairness towards herself. 😄 She's also smart, talkative, snuggly, super sweet, and the cutest little thing ever.  We love our BellaMei BIG! Thankful to celebrate her today!

Quarantine Birthday

Still a little bummed that I didn't get to spend my birthday on the beach as planned, but my family made the best of it and made my birthday special. They served me breakfast in bed and handed me the schedule for my birthday!

Goodness, this girl makes my heart swell! 💗

I feel so lucky to be surrounded by all of these beautiful faces!

Braylee made this awesome cake!

Beilyn crushed geodes and glued them to this box for me. 😍

Beilyn had to translate her card for us. 😉

BellaMei drew balloons for me.

Xiaoyun drew me a picture.

Brielle's card made me cry. 💖

It says, "Dear Mom, You are the BEST mom I could ever hope for. You make me laugh, you cheer me up when I am feeling sad or upset. Thank you for being a mom that is best for me. I LOVE YOU with all my heart! Happy Birthday."

Brielle also made a paper doll mom.

Brynna made a bracelet for me that says "Blessed" in morse code. 💜

Krista got me a new puzzle that's a camping scene!

We finished the puzzle after dinner, minus the one piece that was probably carried off by a small child...

Then we watched the movie "The Boy who Harnessed the Wind." I definitely recommend it! It was also a good reminder that while we are under "Stay at Home" orders, we have so much to be thankful for- plenty of food, clean water, and a safe & warm place to sleep at night.

So my birthday wasn't on a sandy beach, but it was still very special! I loved getting to spend it with my favorite people!