Baby No More (said no mama ever)

He wasn't quite 8 months old the first time we saw his face.  The next 10 months we watched him grow in pictures.  June 19, 2014, he turned one.  In an orphanage, There was no one to sing him "Happy Birthday," decorate his room with balloons or pray over him as he fell asleep that night.  My heart ached as we celebrated his birthday nearly 8,000 miles away.

But not this year.  

When Samsel woke up in his own turquoise bed he was surrounded by our family tradition of birthday balloons.  He was pretty excited.  What two year old doesn't love balloons! 

 He missed out on a smash cake for his first birthday, so we added that to the menu!  Smash cake and train decorations. Family and pizza.  Just a few of Samsel's favorite things.

 Sweet boy new exactly what to do with his first birthday presents.

And cake!  He doesn't have quite the sweet tooth of his mama and oldest brother but he still seemed to enjoy his cake.  Especially after we gave him his fork. He wasn't to keen on using his hands.   

Samsel was flooded with fun presents; stuffed animals, side walk chalk, play chairs and a balance bike.  He's on the balance bike every time the garage is open!

Definitely a perfect first birthday party for our sweet two year old baby.  And you can tell me all you want that he's not a baby any more but to his mama, he most certainly is still a baby.  We have a lot of baby moments we missed that we need to make up.

Sweet boy,
Today you are two.  And today, like every day I marvel at the fact that you are ours.  You, dear Samsel, are a treasure.  A gift.  You're mischievous and smart, sweet and full of love.  Sam, you have the most tender heart when someone else is hurting and the silliest smile when you're doing something naughty.  You're full of life and start each day with a smile and the exact same question, "Daddy work?"  You love your daddy, brothers, cars and cheese.  And me.  Joining a family when you're 18 months old and have no idea what is truly going on must be impossibly hard.  I can only imagine how confused you were.  But we did it, you did it, darling boy.  Each and every day you give me and Daddy the chance to show you we love you and always will; that we'll never leave you.  And we won't.  And I'm thankful for every day that we have to prove it to you.

From the first picture we saw of you, you owned a piece of our heart.  That smile, those eyes.  You are ours.  And we sweet boy, are yours.  Forever.  Happy 2nd birthday, little one.  I can't wait to celebrate each and every one with you!