Eve of 2 Years old

Flash back to a year ago… we were eagerly awaiting our trip to go to China to get our precious daughter that we had dreamed of for years!  We tried to send her a birthday cake but could not due to the Chinese New Year being so close.  We dreamed of our daughter, wished good things for her, and prayed that she would be well taken care of until we were able to travel to get her.  Now in the present… we have been home with her 10 months and life has never been the same!  Tomorrow Lexi will be TWO!  She will have her very first birthday party on Saturday with family.  I’ve been planning like mad even though it is just family and there is no one to impress… just me wanting to do the very best first birthday party possible for our darling daughter. She will most likely not remember but the pictures will record the date of the very first birthday we celebrated with her.  I almost feel as if I’m planning a wedding because I’ve been so consumed with details like I was when Sara got married and then it’s also comparable to the birth of Brennen (the first grandson).  I remember being like this with Sara’s first birthday party as well.  I just had such strong motherly feelings about the whole event.  I guess it just goes to show that I couldn’t love Lexi anymore than I would had if I had given birth to her myself. I don’t look at her as an adopted child.  I see her as our daughter, Lexi.  When faced with the fact that she was adopted I feel PROUD… proud  that we sought her out, worked tirelessly for her, traveled across the world for her and brought her home.  Adoption is a wonderful thing.  It touches so many people in so many ways.  I hope someday that Lexi will know how much life she brought to Geoff and myself as well as my family. 

So what was Lj doing on the eve of her 2nd birthday?  She told our neighbor Pat using her hands that she was 2.  She also told Carolyn.  (Ahhh…. yes!  We have been practicing for a few weeks to get her to do this…. I guess it’s the teacher in me!) Lexi also started to decorate her pink “Christmas Tree” with birthday dots that my brother and I made at school today.  (he did most of the work while I taught students!)  Her tree is looking very birthday festive although we still have work to do.   I have to say her birthday is bittersweet…. she will be TWO!  I missed out on the first 13 months of her life and now she is venturing into toddlerhood and I am already missing the baby stage.  When you compare Lexi to her ownself just 10 months ago, you already see DAY vs. NIGHT.  She continues to loose her “baby-look” and shows more signs of the independent 2 year old every day.  I guess looking back from experience and then thinking of Lexi in the present, she will be just like Sara … my little baby girl… always. A child that I will always love and cherish no matter what.   As an adult with parents who are just like this with me, I can think of no greater gift.  It’s okay to not completely grow up in our parent’s eyes… it’s just our way of hanging on to some of the greatest moments in our lives.   The blessings given to us via our children.