Our Little Southern Bell is FIVE!!!

We can't believe that Gabriella is now FIVE years old!!  Where has my little 

baby girl gone?  We love the fact that her ENTIRE personality comes shining 

through! My dad has a saying he has used since I can remember and when 

someone asks him how he is, his first response is "If I were any better I'd be 

twins".  Gabriella has that same personality!  She always sees the good in 

people! The glass isn't just half full, it's over flowing! If she sees someone 

who is sick or hurting she wants to help them. She enjoys teaching her friends 

new things and has a heart the size of China; her pre-school teacher, Ms. Kara 

predicts that Gabriella will be a teacher when she grows up.

She LOVES her family!!  She is always talking about her "brodders", cousins, 

grandparents, aunts and uncles and how much she LOVES her mei mei 

Emily..."she's my sister from China". She can't wait to spend time with her 

"famiwly". Family is VERY important to her!!  She is loving and giving yet at 

the same time stands up for herself in a strong, yet nice way....OK, maybe 

with Nick she isn't always quite so nice about it however they are siblings....  

She enjoys playing with all her friends on our cul-de-sac, at church and ohhhh 

her pre-school girl friends!!  

Did I mention she LOVES the camera and having her picture taken?  As I enjoy 

photography and she likes being photographed were a perfect fit!  We were 

heading to the pool on her birthday and she came downstairs wearing her 

Easter bonnet  with her bathing suit.  At first I was taken back but then, I 

realized it was just more of my little southern bell daughter's personality 

coming through!  She loves her sweet tea and cooking.  She is one of the 

most hospitable five year old's you have ever met and did I mention she also 

has a little bit of a southern accent...I don't have any idea where she picked  

that  up LOL!!

Some of my favorite things she does and I don't want to forget is taking her 

shoes and socks off in the car and gently putting her feet up on the seat in 

front of her waiting for us to tickle her feet and tease her about taking her 

shoes off  ~ she would just giggle and giggle!  When she wakes up in the 

morning the first words out of her mouth while she rubs my face is "Good 

morning mama" with the biggest smile you have ever seen! She LOVES to 

cuddle when she is tired!  She hasn't ever really attached to any "thing" 

though she does really like her rubby blanket Auntie Anna made her, and when 

she wants  comfort or to go to sleep she likes to rub my arm, face etc.  I know 

she did this with her foster grandparents in China and she has continued that 

here.  I also like how she still remembers her Grandma China and Yea Yea.  

She will tell us stories about things they did together in China; some of the 

stories sound very realistic, others I believe are ways that she tries, in her 

own way, to incorporate them into our life and family here and I am more than 

ok with that!  She wants to keep their memory alive...this has began to lesson 

over the last couple of months and there is part of me that is sad because 

they have been such an important part of her life.  I also know that it means 

she is HAPPY, and did I mention BONDED to her family! 

For Gabriella's birthday dinner she chose....Wendy's!  Yes my baby girl wanted 


chili with sour cream, sweet tea and a frosty for her birthday dinner!


 Gabriella will have her "friend party" this weekend and her family birthday 


party in a couple of weeks!  

  We love you 

Gabriella Grace Hao and can't wait to see what God has planned for you during 

the upcoming year!