On August 5th, 2013 we celebrated Mia's 8th birthday. It also marked 9 months since we brought her home and exactly 3 years from the date she was found (August 4th, 2010) and enrolled in the city's orphanage (August 5th, 2010).... hence the reason she was given the birthday of August 5th.
I find it interesting that both Mia and Austin were in the hospital during the same time frame (summer of 2010 was when I was on hospital bed rest with Austin for 2 months). After he was born he spent a month in the NICU and came home in early October. Mia spent 2-3 months in the hospital after she was found so from August- October or November.
Mia seems to remember that she was in a hospital in China (even though she was sedated for a lot of it) and is very curious about her tracheotomy scar on her neck. One day she was holding a hand mirror and admiring how long her hair was getting when she noticed the scar. I am not sure if it was the first time she noticed it or not. Since then she has asked me about it periodically. She wants to know, "what happened?" As far as I can tell she has no memory of her accident or her life before her accident. From what I have been told trauma can block out memories and I am pretty sure her accident must have been pretty traumatic. Maybe someday she will remember. It does sadden me that she can't remember her birth family at all...especially considering she spent 5 plus years with them. I do know they must have taken very good care of her and loved her very much as evidenced by her sweet personality. She inherited many great qualities from her birth family....an outgoing personality, a determined spirit, a fearless attitude, and is extremely photogenic:) There have been so many times I have thought, "I wish they could see her now." They would be so proud of her.
Back to Mia's birthday. Mia has been looking forward to her birthday ever since January.... since that is when Ryan and Ashlyn had their birthday. We didn't do a lot for their birthdays. Ryan went out with some friends to lunch and a movie and Ashlyn had a sleepover with a couple of friends but other than that we didn't make a big deal out of it. Even so, Mia could not wait for their big day to be over! All day long, she kept asking me if their birthday was over yet (Ryan's was on Jan. 11th and Ashlyn's was on Jan. 13th). And when I told her it wasn't over yet, she was visibly upset:) Someone mentioned that I should celebrate her half-birthday. While it sounded like a good idea.... I was tired, I was overwhelmed and at that point so much of my energy already revolved around Mia (and Austin) that I could barely celebrate Ryan and Ashlyn's actual birthday.
On our calendar at home we cross out the dates after they are over. Mia noticed this (she notices everything actually). She noticed how we cross off all the dates after they are finished including crossing off Ryan and Ashlyn's birthday after it was over. Even though her English still wasn't that great (she had only been home 2 months) she made it very clear that when her birthday came we were NOT to cross it off afterwards. Too funny:)
So, knowing how important her birthday was to her I decided we should celebrate on her actual birthday (even though it fell on a Monday). We rented out a pavilion at a park and had pizza, ice cream and a pink Power Ranger's cake. Mia loved every moment of it. In fact, I have never seem someone enjoy their own birthday quite as much as she did. She LOVED it!!!
Ashlyn knew just what Mia would love to have for her birthday:)
Ryan, not so much:)
She also had her ears pierced on her birthday.
A few weeks ago, Mia went on her first vacation as a Schrader....she is such a great traveler!
We stayed at the BIG BLUE house in the OBX
Mia loved the beach
Loved the ocean
Really loved the ocean!
But the best part of vacation is family...
Mia has the best cousins ever!!
Having fun at home
And then more cousin time!!!
Fun at Durand Beach on Lake Ontario
So thankful the kids had so much cousin time this summer!
FAM JAM 2013 at Victory Highway.... on the last night these kids got to put ice cream on papa's head!!!
In the midst of the fun, Mia found time to get her teeth cleaned at Papa's office
Look mom.... No cavities!!!!
Japanese steakhouse (night before Mia's birthday) was a hit with everyone!
Austin loved it too!!
It has taken a while but these two have become such good buddies. It has been neat to watch their relationship form over the last few months. In the beginning there was a lot of jealousy between the two and I worried how adopting out of birth order would play out. Later it became sort of a monkey see, monkey do relationship where whatever one was doing the other had to do it too....and now they just like being together. 
I can't say it enough.... I love my family!!!
