Nine is sublime!

** Still loking for Birthday photos arggg

Olivia turned 9 on December 26 and these last couple of months have really been amazing for her. She has accomplished so much these last 5 months. About a month before she turned 9 we set a family goal to fast for Olivia so that she would have the courage and determination to stop sucking her thumb, as far as habits go this is a very tough one to break!! When Olivia was born she had a hicky on her wrist of where she sucked in the womb, a habit she had before she was born, we even have sonogram pictures documenting this! So for a month we would pray at every family prayer and every personal prayer for this goal. Then when the fast Sunday approached we all new what was on our families thoughts. Sunday came and went with no real change. Then the following Tuesday on the way to piano lessons I saw Olivia about to put her thumb in her mouth, she paused and then put her thumb down. I knew at that exact moment that she was ready! I told her Olivia do you feel that in the air? She said what mom? I said it is something amazing you are done sucking, this is it! And to celebrate we need a reward, I will take you out to get a pedicure and you need something else, what should it be? She said I would like to wear mascara to church for a month. I said done! With the help of the family prayers and the strength she got from the Holy Ghost she did it!! All before she turned nine! My sister Lindsey told me that amazing things happen after kids get baptized and they have the Holy Ghost to help them always, she was right, we consider it to be a great miracle in our family.

For her birthday we had her best friend from school over, friends from church and her some of her cousins over for a cookies and a hot chocolate party. This was the first year we had her birthday before Christmas. Usually her birthdays consist of a family gathering, I mean it is Christmas time after all. She always gets a cake and presents but usually we don't invite friends because it is family time. So she was so excited to have friends. We made a ton of sugar cookies and icing. We ate pizza and decorated cookies. Then we took beanie caps and decorated them with felt flowers and buttons. The girls were very creative. We played holiday music and served the hot coco in tea cups and talked in British accents. It was a very fun all girl event.

Olivia amazes me. She is confident, independent, helpful, nurturing and so very smart. One of her best qualities is she forgives freely and doesn't hold grudges. She is beautiful inside and out. When she sets a goal she goes for it and tries her very best. I never can predict what Olivia will say or how she will react she is unique, we call her our spice, she adds flavor to an otherwise boring day. I love you Livvey Jane and consider you to be a young woman of great strength and courage. Love and Hugs always.xxx000xoo0