Hanna's birthday was this past week. She has waited for this birthday for a long time. She's kept on saying, "When I'm twelve..." or "Only 2 more years until I'm twelve...". So now the big day has come and Hanna is very excited to be grown up!!
In our church 12 is a very big birthday. You graduate from Primary (the class for children) into Young Women (the class for youth 12-18). She has been so excited to enter Young Women.
She got her Faith in God award (a program for the children to develop faith, talents and service). She's the first one in our ward to recieve it and we were very proud of her hard work.
Hanna loves the temple. She loves the peaceful feeling there and has waited several years to go inside. When you turn twelve, you can go into the temple and do baptisms for the dead. Hanna already has her recommend and is so excited to go!
In our church 12 is a very big birthday. You graduate from Primary (the class for children) into Young Women (the class for youth 12-18). She has been so excited to enter Young Women.
She got her Faith in God award (a program for the children to develop faith, talents and service). She's the first one in our ward to recieve it and we were very proud of her hard work.
Hanna loves the temple. She loves the peaceful feeling there and has waited several years to go inside. When you turn twelve, you can go into the temple and do baptisms for the dead. Hanna already has her recommend and is so excited to go!
This is the Salt Lake Temple. It's Hanna's favorite because it looks like a castle!
Another thing that happened this week is that Hanna started her period (I'm telling you this with permission from Hanna). She's a lot different than me-- I was embarrased, but she is very excited to start this stage of her life. As for me, I'm starting to feel "old". It doesn't seem that long ago that I was at this stage-- Hence the songs on my playlist reflet growing up. Because my little girl is growing up!
Another thing that happened this week is that Hanna started her period (I'm telling you this with permission from Hanna). She's a lot different than me-- I was embarrased, but she is very excited to start this stage of her life. As for me, I'm starting to feel "old". It doesn't seem that long ago that I was at this stage-- Hence the songs on my playlist reflet growing up. Because my little girl is growing up!
Hanna loves flowers! When she woke up in the morning of her birthday, she found a vase of fresh tulips.
She has been waiting to open her present from Grandma & Grandpa Wheeler for over a month (It's been sitting up on my book shelf).
She got a fairy watercolor art kit. She really liked it! She also got a lot of other presents, I just didn't take pictures of them. She got movies, books, a puzzle and craft projects.
She had an eclectic birthday dinner: crab, shrimp, lasagna, corn on the cob and watermelon
Part of having Autism, is that they will fixate on things. Hanna's fixations change. For a couple of months she'll have to get the mail every day and she'll write several (4 or so) letters to her relatives a week. That will stop and another fixation will start. Her fixations though almost always involve movies. She has to watch a movie every day or she gets upset. She'll watch the movie, print pictures from the movie off the internet, listen to the soundtrack and songs from the movie and paint the characters from the movie.
Her latest fixation-- The Incredible Hulk. So she wanted an Incredible Hulk cake. We found an edible picture to stick on the cake. She was very excited about that.
The cake
Lighting the candles
I was trying to get her blowing out the candles, but the flash kept delaying.
Cutting the cake
This is the piece Hanna cut for herself! One of The Hulk's face!
Hanna is a great artist and amazes everyone! It's her favorite activity! Here are some of her latest projects.
Hanna hard at work.
Snow White and Cinderella
I think this is Gingersnap from Strawberry Shortcake
And of course-- The Hulk. Which is hanging in her bedroom!
Now she's working on a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, but it's not done yet.
We are very happy that Hanna is in our family! She is a happy, delightful girl who loves the world around her. She is very gracious and loves to help others. She struggles with Epilepsy and Autism. She struggles with the side effects of medication and the social aspects of Autism, but is learning patience while still having a zest for life. She is growing spiritually and developing faith! It's really fun to watch. We love Hanna!!
Fun Facts:
Favorite Color: Red
Favorite Movie: The Incredible Hulk (for now)
Favorite Book: The Deltora Quest Series
Favorite Food: Seafood
Favorite Song: Disney Music
Favorite Activity: Painting
Other Fun Activities: Go to the Zoo, Gardening, Crafts, Travel, Sports, Puzzles
Favorite Scripture Story: The Birth of Jesus
When She Grows Up: She wants to be an Explorer and to Study Animals, collecting them for the zoo.
Other Talents: Art, writing in cursive, she's really good with animals (we call her our bee charmer), she has a kind heart, she really tries to make good choices and choose the right, she's very helpful, putting her testimony into words, and writing.
2 comments:
I can't help but get a little teary eyed at the fact that they are growing up. I was just thinking how much fun she was when she was Lauren's age and now she is a young woman. I am excited for her but a little sad that the time is going by so fast.
That made me cry!
Jason looks thrilled in the picture with the cake, lol.
Hanna is an amazing artist! WOW!!!!
Happy Birthday Hanna!!
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