Happy 8th Birthday, Maya!

Speaking of age, yesterday was the day we celebrated Maya's 8th birthday!  Notice how I said that? It's the day we celebrate her birth, but it might not be her actual birthday.  It doesn't seem to be a big deal to Maya, but she knows she has an estimated birthday.  It bothers her more that she doesn't know the TIME of her birth, since her sister knows (assuming the note the orphanage director told me was left with Zoe is accurate). But she didn't dwell on it, more interested right now in presents than details of her birth.

The fruit bouquet is what Maya brought to school as her birthday treat to share with her classmates.  A couple of weeks ago, I suggested it and Maya thought it was a great idea.  Then, Wednesday she started to change her mind:  "Everyone brings cookie cake.  Maybe I should bring cookie cake. . . ."  (Maya's big on being like everyone else.)

I told her it was her birthday, so she could bring what she wanted -- birthdays aren't the time to make the "it's ok to be different" speech!  But Zoe intervened:  "Cookie cake?  Everyone brings cookie cake or donuts, cookie cake or donuts, that's so boring!  I'm going to bring a fruit bouquet for my birthday!"  Well, that was enough for Maya;  she could handle being different, so long as she could be the same as her sister!

And it helped that the fruit bouquet was a big hit with her classmates!