Happy Birthday, Baby

Our boy turned one last weekend. So hard to believe! It was a joy to celebrate this precious child who is such a gift to us. It was also much harder emotionally for me than I had anticipated. The lack of fanfare surrounding his special day was really difficult for me, and I felt the distance from many loved ones keenly. Tim was good to remind me, though, that what he needs right now is for us to love and celebrate him, and it's true that he was delighted at the three of us beaming at him and singing happy birthday multiple times! So I dried my tears and we had a wonderful day. The picture above was taken the night before his birthday, his last night of "infancy". I'm so sentimental!

We began the celebration with cake the day before his birthday at our team's pray and plan meeting. Everyone sang happy birthday and he got his first taste of sweet...the surprise and approval that passed over his face was quite amusing! For Emmy's first birthday, I made an organic-whole wheat-applesauce kind of cake, and, contrary to what the books say, it tasted pretty bad. We had to put Cheerios on it so she would touch it! So we bypassed that this time and he got the real thing...



We went to lunch on his birthday at a nearby Vietnamese restaurant. The birthday boy was a big hit...
Here are his two ladies-in-waiting, one to feed him his pumpkin and green beans and one to wipe his mouth. And don't miss the seven other women gathered to watch him eat his lunch! These children do not lack for attention!

That evening we had a nice dinner, then apple crisp with yet another round of the birthday song, and opened a few gifts...

A few notes about our boy heading into his second year...As you can see, he still loves his dog. That's putting it mildly. Sleeping does not happen without one of Dog's paws in his mouth. He loves to stand, but is not interested in walking yet. His confirmed words (at least approximations) are: mama, dada, dog (he also makes a barking/whining sound when he sees a dog), bath, brush, bye bye (with accompanying wave) and more (with sign). We don't know his weight or height yet, as we'll go to the doctor this week. He loves to read, especially when the books have flaps to open. He loves to play in the curtains- we have some that go to the floor and he is delighted to hide in them and peek out. He smiles and laughs a lot, and he's cuddly as can be. He loves to explore, bang things, climb stairs, and play with his sister. He is generally adorable.

Happy birthday, baby. May the Lord bless you and keep you.
We love you.