This is My Little Girl - My Pride and Joy!
Stephanie Michaela Henning

My sweetheart was born caesarean on July 7th (her paternal grandfather's birthday) in 2005 at Cagayan de Oro, Philippines and named by her mother (Genevieve, "Gen") after me (Steven Michael). She was six weeks premature, and was afflicted with congenital heart disease. She's vulnerable to infections and has heart murmurs that feel like her little heart is trying to jump out of her chest, but you wouldn't know that underlies her infectious little smile and happy-go-lucky days. She is sooo good natured, and sooo spoiled!

November '06 - Of course she's a big hit here in the Philippines - being apparently the only one of her kind seen by many Philippinos. One of our favorites things is to say "Hello" to all the girls at Ayala Mall. Filipinas are especially fond of Stephanie and seemingly can't resist approaching her with "Hello Baby!" and big smiles.

April '07 - This is me at 21 months. You wouldn't know it but since my open-heart surgery on the 30th of January, I've more than doubled in size. Maybe Dad will put something more about my ordeal here but for now I think it's still too soon for him emotionally to rehash my trauma. I'm sure the hardest thing ever in his life was handing me to the nurses to be taken away to the operating room, but here I am, very much alive and well, thanks to the wonderful doctors and staff at Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok!

August 31, 2007 - Today is a very special day - one I'm sure my father will remember for the rest of his life. We were watching my favorite dinosaur, Barney, and I went over to dad and kissed him on the cheek! Too bad we don't have a picture of his face to put here instead of mine. I'm sure it would be priceless. No doubt it's been a long time, if ever, that he has known such unconditional, unadulterated, 100% pure love. As Barney says, "You can see it on his face!".

September '07 - Saturday (9/1) is my grandmother's 89th birthday. This is me almost 2 months after my 2nd birthday. The doctors did such a good job fixing my heart. Everything is growing, including my hair! We've moved to a beautiful home right on the water and out of the city. It is so peaceful and the air is so clean, and no traffic! There's birds and puppy dogs and fish! Dad is teaching me how to drive the car now - well, kinda. He still does the brakes and gas pedal.

November '07 - One of the many things that makes me smile is a ride in the country with mommy and daddy. There's a road that leads west out of Cebu that cuts across the island over 'mountains' to the other coast. Takes about 2 hours one way and we always get sweat corn! If you click on my picture, you'll see someone's home behind me.

April '08 - Time is flying by and I am certainly enjoying my 2nd chance at life. Daddy bought me a new inflatable swimming pool to take the place of the pool at our last house and I swim almost every day. I'm starting to speak a few words but it has been a little confusing hearing two languages, but I'm a smart girl and I make my parents proud! I kinda dumped Barney for Dora. He's for little kids. I'm getting to be a big girl now and pretty soon I'll be 3!

July 7, 2008 - What can I say? The chocolate ice cream cone won the first round, but I gave it my best shot. I actually prefer bananas, apples and watermelon, and I could eat spaghetti from JolliBee every day! Dad found some hard-to-find macaroni and cheese at the grocery store. Barney says kids like it so I guess I do. I am 3 years old today and already have my eye on a singing career. Look out Miley Cyrus!

September '08 - This is my Grandma Henning on her 90th birthday! Doesn't she look great?! I haven't met her yet but I hope to soon. Daddy tells me that he is very fortunate to have her for a mother and he hopes that I will grow up to be a lot like her. I have a good start, sharing at least one thing in common: We both love my dad very much!

October 19, 2008 - I may only be 3 feet tall and weigh 35 pounds, but I can take dad out (6-3, 240) with something so simple as a profound "Hi Daddy!" when he gets back in the car from his brief jaunt to the convenience store. If I'm the center of my universe then certainly my father is my Christopher Robin. I am so happy and content to be here and now.