Sunday, October 3, 2010

Celebrating Jeremy's Second Birthday

Dear Jeremy,

I am officially the mother of a TWO year old! Even though your birthday was earlier in the week, we waited until Saturday to have a small celebration with our family. Since we were celebrating a special occassion (YOU!), we decided to dress you and your brother in your traditional Ethiopian outfits.


Can I stop here to say what a handsome little guy you are? Your smile is wonderful and it lights up a room!


It was so fun having you dressed in your traditional outfits, because in walked Nana to the party, all dressed up in HERS! I thought she looked so beautiful in the dress she bought when we were in Ethiopia!


We had cake and ice cream for your birthday, and you blew out the candle all by yourself!


You have a great sense of fun...




...and we're just crazy about you! When it came time to open presents, you thought it would be just as much fun to climb on top of the boxes as it would be to open them!


I love the way you're looking up at your Daddy in this picture:


You love him! Even though you know his name is Daddy, you usually call him "Baba", as you have since we adopted you in Ethiopia. "Ababa" is Amharic for "Daddy", and you just shorten it to Baba. Frankly, I love hearing you call him "Baba", and it won't hurt my feelings at all if you never stop. We were told by an interpreter who met us at your first doctor's appointment here that you have a 20-30 word Amharic vocabulary, and I just love hearing you speak Amharic. You are constantly asking me for "Babo" (bread, food), and saying "che-che" (sit here, or pick me up). I know these words will soon fade and you'll be speaking English before we know it, but it's sweet to hear these words you learned in Ethiopia still coming out of your mouth.


Happy birthday to my big boy! I love you so much, and I'm overwhelmed with gratitude to God for the gift that He gave me when He placed you in our family and made you my son.

May God bless you in this new year of your life!

Love,
Mama

8 comments:

Court said...

Happy Birthday, Jeremy! It looks like you had a wonderful birthday.

Oh, Tracy ~ I remember celebrating Maggie's first birthday with us - it was when she turned 2. There was just something so amazing about that day. I know that your day was special too! Many many more wonderful days like this to come!

Jill said...

He is SO STINKIN' HANDSOME! And the funny thing is that his pictures don't even do him justice. He is YUMMY!!!

Hey Jeremy...who's your favorite aunt? JILLY!!!!!!

Laura said...

Happy birthday, little man. He looks SO happy, Tracy, and so do all of you.

laura said...

Hey, guys! LOVE your updated pics! the boys look so happy and healthy!

I saw you posted a comment over at our site (littlehoffman.blogspot.com) and said you might have some pics of our girl.

Can you email me and maybe we can see if you do?

laura@brightontheirworld.org

Thank you!

laura

Anonymous said...

What a special little boy! Love the outfits and Nana's too!! What a fun day!!

God bless,
Laura

Unknown said...

Oh my, you always know how to make me smile and cry and breathe a deep peaceful sigh as I dream about our future child.

Dana Cheryl said...

He is beautiful! I guess I should say handsome but still that smile... So much happiness radiates from your little boy. He loves his home and his family and that smile says more than words ever could express.

How wonderful for him to have balloons and cake and presents in brightly colored paper and to finally be home...

J said...

What gorgeous pics. Looks like he had a GREAT birthday.

Regarding Baba, if you want him to keep saying it, just refer to Brian that way. :) Maya came up with "Dado" for Ted all on her own, and we thought it was cute and encouraged it. She still calls him Dado, and she's 14 1/2.