Seventh birthday

      Today is Amaya's seventh birthday. We have so much to celebrate! She has grown into a kind, compassionate, strong, caring, loving, intelligent, persevering girl.  When she was born I was so overwhelmed I couldn't even cry. I held her and took in all her beauty and power. By her first birthday she had overcome challenges and surprised us by crawling and walking with and without her shoe lift! She taught us that her leg would never limit her. She gave us a glimpse into her determined, goal setting, hard working, amazing self! At two she had grown so much! We enjoyed her funny personality, saw her be empathetic to others and kind. At three she became a big sister. She grew up a lot that year and learned to put Lidie's needs before her. We saw her creativity and silliness blossom as well. At four her preschool teachers described her as a "peace maker." She taught us how to face stares, questions and ignorance. At five she had her first surgery and met it face on. She impressed us all by handling it so well! She started kindergarten where she made friends and learned to read! She was growing in so many areas and it was neat to see. At six she showed us how empathetic, helpful, kind, smart, and determined she could be. She decided to be an orthopedic surgeon, and handled her lengthening with courage, grace, strength and endurance. She has been an inspiration to many and made us proud time and time again. 
    As she starts her seventh year I anxiously await to see what the next year will bring. As her fixator is removed, as she walks her first 5K, participates in her first triathlon, and continues to meet and exceed challenges at therapy. I know that she will continue to thrive, blossom and grow! I am proud to be her mama.
     This year we decided to skip a birthday or a big celebration. Although we have a lot to celebrate, we didn't have it in us to plan a big party. And with a fixator on it was hard to think of something to do without risking her getting bumped or hurt. We talked with her and made plans of all the things she wanted to do.
   Last week she started the celebration with a play date with her best friend Mason. On Thursday Josh took the girls to Chuck E. Cheese for some fun.  On Friday her birthday weekend started by some shopping and dinner with her grandparents. On Saturday we had a jam packed day of fun! I made her some zucchini bread then headed off to Los Angeles. We started the day off in Hollywood where the girls looked at and waved and took pictures with the celebrity look-a-like's.  Then we headed to the LA Zoo. Amaya wanted to see the lions so we ventured to see them and enjoyed the animals along the way. A stop in the reptile house was a treat for both girls! From there we headed to the Grove to eat vegetarian food, buy some dessert from a favorite bakery, then had to stop in at Dylan's candy shop. It's the same one that we had visited in New York with Auntie Gwen two years ago. The girls filed a bag each with tasty treats. On Sunday we met her other grandparents, aunt and baby cousin for lunch. It was a fun filled weekend!
   Today she woke up to decorations hung in her room, up and down the hall and all over the living room. There where blue and teal streamers and balloons up everywhere. She had a stack of birthday pancakes and hot chocolate for breakfast. After blowing out a candle she opened gifts and we took some  photos of her. Josh took her to school then later went back so that together they could read a book, Psst! to her class. She shared Mexican sweet bread with her friends and after school she saw Finding Nemo with her friend Mason. She had veggie hot dogs for dinner (her choice) and homemade strawberry cake.
   I spared Amaya some of the fixator stuff for her birthday. I made sure she had no therapy or doctor appointments. But I couldn't spare her from her shower, gauze changing, or locking the bar. The bar was tough. She asked if we could skip it as a birthday gift, but I knew we couldn't since it was so tight. I took twenty-five long, painful minutes to get it in. She fell asleep pretty easily and has been out since so hopefully she'll have a good night's rest tonight. Before she fell asleep she asked to sleep in our bed then said, "Mom, dad. If you two didn't do the things you do to help me, I wouldn't be so close to getting my fixator off. So thank you." And that just shows you what kind of a girl we have, amazing!

At Chuck E. Cheese Josh took this photo as Amaya explained to these girls what her fixator was.

In Hollywood we got to see my old friend Cara (she's not old, but I've known her since she was Amaya's age). I haven't seen in over fifteen years. It was so nice to introduce her to my family and spend a few moments with her. 

The girls posing with Alice and Tinker Bell in Hollywood.

Family photo just before we got in the zoo. 

Lidie with a smile that they were giving away by the front gate. 

Here's the one Amaya picked. 

Here's me and Lidie at the zoo looking at giraffes. 

Josh carried Amaya on his shoulders for most of the way since we didn't bring her wheelchair. 

The girls with my parents after lunch on Sunday.

Here's the birthday girl this morning. Josh took this with her polaroid. 

After school she practiced with her birthday gift. She really wanted a bow and arrow set. 

Here she is with her buddy Mason at the movies.

Blowing out her birthday candle.