Happy Birthday Savanna girl!

the princess and her royal subjects...aka brothers...
her new dollhouse (goodwill, $10...sorry, I'm just so proud of myself...)

the flower ceremony - each of her "men" gave her a pink carnation and told her
why they loved her...


Silas - a sweet speech about how glad he is that she is in our family, and he loves her for enjoying things they like to do (ie, she's not TOO girly)

Josiah - loves her b/c she is kind and pretty

Samuel - got a little too shy to speak, but LOVES to play with Savanna

After 8 years of Thomas the Train, Bob the Builder, Legos and Star Wars parties, the Snead family enjoyed its first "Princess" Birthday today for our very own princess, Savanna Komera Snead. Though we've only known her for 10 months, Savanna turned 4 years old today, and we hope that she was made to feel "one of a kind" special and loved! She recently asked me where her baby pictures were while looking at her brothers' baby albums. It was very sad to tell her that we don't have any photos of her before the age of 3. But I determined then to try to make her feel just as special and loved as her older two brothers whom we've had since birth. So today I'm sharing with you all a slide show that gives you glimpses of her first year with us. The first 4 photos or so were taken before we ever met her....you'll be able to see the progression of her smile in the photos that follow. Many of the photos show a head with no hair, as hers was pulled out by jealous girls in the orphanage upon hearing that Savanna was being placed in a family....you'll be able to see the progression of her beautiful locks in the photos that follow. You'll also see many "firsts" for Savanna - first dance with daddy, first swim in the ocean, first summer in a swimming pool, first Easter, first Halloween, ...and you'll be able to see the progression of her love for us and our love for her.

Happy birthday, "baby girl". You are loved beyond belief...and YOU BELONG!