Polar Bear Birthday Party

Another year has come and gone...time please slow down!  You wanted a polar bear birthday party, so I accepted the challenge.  I think you had a great day as we celebrated you and your precious life.  Happy 6th Birthday, Sophie Sugai!  We love you more than words could ever express!

One great thing about Sophie wanting a winter themed birthday party...I hit the stores after Christmas and got some SUPER cheap decorations!!

Add  a little polar bear here and there and she was EXCITED for the polar bear party

Keep Calm and Love Polar Bears...I have a feeling this will come out every winter. :)

Had to get creative with the polar bears...got some sparkly paper, cut out a polar bear and added it to the flowers.

Polar bears in the tree branches

Sophie's birthday banner

Decorated the mantle with white and snowflakes...even found a polar bear ornament

Party favor bags

Polar Bear Paw Cupcakes

Snowflake Cupcakes

Snowballs on a Stick

Thin Ice Cookies

Snow Covered Fruit

Snow Flurries

Arctic Circles

Polar Bear Food

Hot Chocolate Bar...hard to really enjoy with 70 degree weather

Polar Bear Cookies my sister made...she thinks Pinterest is the devil!! :)  

Playing in the backyard--such a silly boy!

Love this boy

Such a goof!

Bryson came to celebrate

Along with Lily

This girl melts my heart

Getting ready to run the Icicle Relay

Runny so fast!

Getting ready to have a "snowball" fight

Bryson kept getting me...so I had to tickle him!

Josiah got me while deep in conversation with Kyrie

Planning his next attack

Singing "Happy Birthday"

Opening presents

Such a BIG girl---love her so much

6 years old

Well, I can't believe our first daughter is 6 years old.  It seems just like yesterday that we were waiting for your arrival. 

You entered this world as a dark haired  squishy baby.  When I first saw you and your dark hair, I thought finally a baby who looks like me.  By nine months, your hair lightened to a light brown with some blonde highlights looking more and more like your Daddy.  

Even though you don't look very much like me, we definitely share a lot of the same characteristics.   I love how you are cautious in unfamiliar settings, but once you get familiar with your surroundings you live and love passionately! There have been times in my life where I wasn't comfortable with who I am...wishing I was a little more outgoing...wishing it wasn't so hard for me when I am in new situations.  But because of you, God has shown me that it is OK to be cautious in unfamiliar settings.  It is OK for me to sit back and observe what is going on.  And at the same time, He has challenged me to put myself out there, so I can model for you to handle uncomfortable situations.  God is definitely using you in my life to grow me in areas that are hard for me.   I have enjoyed watching you grow in school...doing addition and subtraction, writing short stories, and getting more detailed with your drawings. It makes me so excited to see how much you love school and love to learn.  I am so thankful that we get to go on this journey together.  I love watching you run...watching the wind blow your hair with no worries in the world.  You have such a carefree spirit.  We see this mostly in the way you dress.  I have enjoyed playing soccer in the backyard...seeing you have a confidence...a confidence that doesn't show up in unfamiliar settings...as you run around keeping the ball from me. I am proud of you for wanting to try something new.  I pray that in a few days as you experience your first practice, you will have that same carefree spirit and confidence that you have in the safety of our backyard.   But if you don't, know that I will be right there cheering you on, walking with you and completely understanding your cautiousness because chances are I will be feeling the same thing!

These are just a few things I love about you, Sophie Sugai!  I thank God everyday for you and what He is teaching me as I parent you.  I hope you will always know how much we love you and how honored we are to be your parents.

Here are a few pictures from our photo shoot...such a pretty girl...inside and out!

AWANA Award Night

This past year you have been attending AWANA at Community Baptist Church in LaGrange, NC.  You have done a great job memorizing your verses each week.  Remember it isn't about just memorizing verses, but applying them to your life.  We are so proud of you, Sophie Sugai!!  We love you so much...keep up all the hard work you have done!

Sophie getting ready to go to the AWANA Award Night

Sophie with her class...a few kiddos are missing

Sophie getting her ribbon saying she completed  Cubbies...can't believe she will be in Sparks next year!

Celebrating with some ice cream

Sophie with her teacher

Sophie with her other teacher, Ms. Martha

5 years

Well, we are 10 days shy of your 5th birthday...WHAT!?!?  I was able to get your 5 year old pictures done early...WHAT!?!  You have grown so much in the last year.  You are excelling in school...reading fluently, adding and counting, writing sentences.  Your favorite subject is science.  I love your excitement for life whether it is playing outside, doing your school work, helping others...you just have a passion to embrace life to its fullest.  The Lord continues to grow you into who He wants you to be, and I am so honored to be a witness to that growth.  So, take a few minutes to enjoy these pictures...you wearing a polar bear sweater dress and a polar bear vest.  We got this special outfit because you LOVE polar bears!  

Thanksgiving 2014

Things I am thankful for:

Watching football; Blaze the dragon; Aurora, my polar bear friend; playing in the shower; Glacier, my polar bear; Mommy teaching us; playing outside; Josiah; Awana; reading books; Tobias; pajamas; Mommy and Daddy; Pa T and Lin-Lin; Daddy got to teach us; visiting Mimi and Bup-Bup; drying dishes with Lin-Lin;

the Bible; people being able to make beds; Kyrie

4 years old

Well, another year has come and gone!!!  I can't believe that we welcomed you into this world 4 years ago.  Since coming into this world, you added so much to our family.  You have made me a better mommy.  I love your compassionate heart.  When you see someone...your baby sister and brother upset, you go to comfort them.  I love your reserved spirit in new situations...I see this maybe turning into a discerning spirit.  Even though we are working on you not shutting down complete in new situations, I see it as a positive.  You use caution...once you get comfortable in the situation, you tackle things with full force...another thing I love about you.  I love when you put your mind to something, you don't give up.  I wonder where you got that trait from?   You continue to grow in so many areas in school...your reading is improving so much.  I love how you change your voice for the different characters in the story.  You are excelling in math...can count to 100, you know the simple shapes like circle, square, etc. and the more complex ones like trapezoid, quatrafoil, etc.  Your handwriting and coloring are improving so much.  You are starting to spell words on your own.  A lot of times, you just pick up information as I teach Josiah...even though I try to keep his teaching time separate from you.   

Sophie, I am so proud of the young girl you are turning into.  I look forward to seeing how you grow and who you will become.  I pray that you will always submit to the Lord and seek Him for guidance.  Happy Birthday, Sophie Sugai!!  We love you so much!

Here are some pictures from her photo-shoot:  

Such a beautiful little girl!

Sophie with Aurora

Kyrie with Aurora

Such a silly boy!

Sisterly Love...melts my heart