Family Henderson: Two!

Our best girl turned two. The time is flying by. This is the sweet, tiny girl who we anxiously awaited during the hottest summer ever in 2011. The girl for whom we chose a name at 22 weeks gestation because there was a serious risk she would be born too early and we wanted to have a name to call her as soon as we met. This little girl is a real character and a true delight. She's brought us so much joy, it's hard to imagine life without her. She talks endlessly and loves her brother fiercely. She loves eating and swimming. She likes to do art everyday. She sings the abc song while playing the ukelele. She's a Daddy's girl, who salves her mama's ego with lots of kisses and "I love yous."

This strange pale blonde creature is more than we could have ever hoped for, precocious and sweet, clever and friendly, crazy funny and a little tough. Not a day goes by that I don't reflect on the good fortune that delivered her to us against hard odds.

She celebrated her actual birthday on September 4 with little festivity. She got to open her present from Wyatt which was a stuffed toy mama and baby penguin. The Ws love to watch youtube videos of real penguins, so it was a special inside gift. We had a little party for her at the splash pad down the street this weekend. Mostly family and some school friends. Wallis and Wyatt both woke up a little after 6 a.m. this morning, so Wallis was exhausted and didn't enjoy her party too much. But Wyatt had a great time, since several of his friends came to the party because their little sisters are in Wallis's class. It was a very low key birthday but Wallis had some rainbow decorations and a rainbow cake, so life was good. She also got a tiger, a backpack, and an orange guitar (ukelele) so all her material desires were met.