Three.

Harper has only been here barely a year, and I cannot believe she is already 3.

Time sure files when you're having fun!

We had a little birthday party at our house for her, and invited some of her friends.   Some of our guests were from our china playgroup, and others from our neighborhood playgroup.

We didn't have a huge party planned.  We kept it pretty low key by today's birthday party standards.   It was a "tea party-ish" theme.

The morning of her party, we got the family room transformed into her own private tea room.  After she woke up, she quickly ran down to sit at the table.  She could not wait for her party, and wanted her friends to come now.

We tried to change her focus -  mainly so she would quit asking us every 20 minutes when her friends were coming - and got her dressed.
We then took her first ever birthday picture next to the banner my friend, Shelly, made for her.  Shelly had given it to us at our shower that our friends and neighbors had thrown for us right before we left for China last year.

In no time, our guests started to arrive!  While we waited for everyone, the kids colored, played with play dough, and had a good time.

Once everyone had arrived, I wanted to get a group picture before I forgot about it.  It was like herding cats, but we managed to get a decent picture.

It was time to eat, so we had everyone find a spot at the table.....

Lunch was served by Harper's big brothers....

Next came Harper's favorite part: cake!  

Harper LOVES to sing "happy birthday", and I thought she would sing along with us.  Instead, she started to crack up!  She thought it was hilarious that we were all singing to her.  I wish I had gotten it on tape.

After the cake was eaten, Harper opened her presents before everyone left.  She was so overwhelmed, she didn't know what to open first!

Then, before we knew it, the party was over.  It was so fast and furious, but I loved every second of it, and I KNOW Harper did too.   For the rest of the night, she went around saying, "Happy birday to Hahpor".

Throughout the whole day, I kept thinking of her last birthday.  The one that we missed by just 3 weeks.   When I look at the pictures from her 'party' last year, it still makes me sad.  I remember wanting so badly to be with her last year when she turned 2.

We sent her the birthday cake, and I wonder if we hadn't, would they have celebrated her birthday? Did  she even know what a birthday was?  I also wondered if she knew the other two boys in that picture?  Not sure, but I pray those two boys have found their forever homes and know what it feels like to be part of a family that loves them.

Back to the present......

Harper was pretty good at showing us how old she was by holding up two fingers.

  Once she turned 3, we started working on holding up 3 fingers.    

We taught her how to hold three fingers in a row up, but as Harper style, she does it her way.  She holds up the two first fingers, holds down the ring finger, and then holds up the pinky.  I laugh and say it's her way of showing she spent her first 2 years in China (first two fingers) and 1 year home (pinky finger).