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Mindy Turns 18!

 Our 8th child is turning 18! In no particular order, here are some pictures and memories from Mindy's early years.  Mindy was a pretty happy little girl. The main challenge I remember from those years was trying to get her to eat and sleep. She had a very small appetite and grew very slowly. This was probably related to being born very small and with a tumor on her tailbone. At age 5, she weighed 29 lbs and was 38" tall. Believe me, I was trying to get her to eat high calorie foods constantly. This caused me a lot of stress--I am so relieved that eventually she made it to 4'10" and a reasonable weight and I no longer have to work on this. 

We moved to Germany when Mindy was 9 months.

Probably because of her low birth weight (4.5 lbs.) and her time in the hospital, she was a little delayed with her gross motor skills. She didn't learn how to walk until the week before she turned 18 months.

She loved to chew on toothbrushes.



Here's Frau Czadek following Mindy around at a museum.


Mindy, age 2.





2007:  The great big giant and the teeny tiny girl

Mindy loves to laugh

4th of July, 2007

Carthage, Illinois, 2007

When Mindy turned 3, I tried to potty-train her like I had all her siblings at that age but she wasn't ready. It eventually happened about 9 months later.

When we took her picture, she would frequently cock her head to the side

Sleeping was a challenge for Mindy, especially when she was outgrowing her nap about age 3-4. She wouldn't take a nap but then I couldn't get her to go to sleep early at night. She would put her head down on the table at dinner and go to sleep because she was so tired. Finally when she was 4, the doctor suggested I try giving her melatonin which was very helpful, even at very small doses. I would cut a 1mg pill in thirds and it would totally work even though the doctor was very skeptical the dosage was big enough.

Mindy crashing at dinner, age 3 1/2.

Mindy and Talmage being "tacos". She loved playing with her siblings.

Mindy still loves Spiderman

Garrett helping Mindy rollerblade with Everett in the background

Mindy, age 4, Nov. 2008


Mindy's princess birthday party, age 5. This picture shows how much smaller she was than other girls her age. Mindy was in the 1st percentile for weight and height. Behind her is her friend Abby, almost exactly the same age, at least 90th percentile.

Mindy loved Bear Lake and swimming. She also loved camping and sleeping in a tent.

Mindy had a huge fan in our German neighbor, Frau Czadek. When we lived there for a year, she had adopted one-year-old Mindy as the grandchild she didn't have. She sent us these dresses in 2008 thinking one would fit Camille but Mindy fit that one instead. We dressed Talmage in the other one just for fun and he was a good sport for the picture.

Mindy and Susanna

Mindy and Scott have the same birthday and Mindy has always enjoyed that a lot. Appropriately, Mindy has the most similar coloring to Scott. Garrett is the photobomber in back.

2008

With baby sister Camille, 2008

2009:  turning 5

Mindy's first day of kindergarten with her brand-new, very big backpack.  Incredibly, she is STILL using this very same backpack and plans to use it for her whole senior year. She's pretty sentimental about her stuff.


Mindy loved dressing up in creative costumes all the time.

She was a frog for her kindergarten play.

We're glad you're in our family, Mindy! Happy Birthday!


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