[grumpyskirtgirl]

Today is our little guys 1st Birthday. I am hoping that they celebrate it somehow in Guatemala, but I think I am a little delusional.

We have our tickets for what will hopefully be our pick up trip next month already booked. But we aren't there today.

I just needed to tell people who would understand. Thanks for listening.

[Ms.Judi]

Happy First Birthday

[Ms.Judi]

HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY to your adorable little guy!!!! You will still have so many Firsts to celebrate when he comes HOME FOREVER. He will be in your arms very soon. HUGS!!!

[IH8MEAT]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

We missed our little guy's 1st too, but we sure made up for it on pick-up!!

[dac_cincy]

Sending you hugs on this day. It is hard, but I would not be surprised if they are celebrating his birthday with him, it might not be what you would do, but I am sure he is being loved and celebrated today.

happy first birthday to him and congratulations on having tickets for next month already booked. Time will be flyign by until you hold him.

Love to you,

[JoshGuat]

Happy 1st!! We missed our sons too, but we have had so many 1st since he has been home You will have that too

[jbpollock]

Happy birthday to your little one.
I remember last year how I felt on Ian's birthday. I felt comfort in telling myself that his foster family got to celebrate that birthday with him but we would be celebrating all the rest with him. I somehow felt maybe his Foster Mom deserved to have that ?? That may not work for anyone else but somehow it brought me comfort. I had to tell myself the same thing when we missed his first 2 Christmas too. I told myself anything that made my heart feel comforted that there may be a reason. Here we are coming up on his second birthday and are busy planning his party and what is the first thing I think about?? His Foster Mom and if she will be sad when his birthday comes this year.
Once they are home and in your arms the celebrating never stops.
Hope this helps in some little way.
We also celebrated Ian's birthday last year with his older brother (also from Guatemala). So we had cake and went shopping to buy him presents for when he came home. That helped all of us!!

[WVUMom418]

We had so hoped to have Angela home for her 2nd birthday, now we just watched her 3rd birthday pass without having her home. I know exactly how you feel, just try to keep reminding yourself that once you have your little one home you will make up for all that lost time.

I so hope you will get your little one home very soon.

[jimanddarla]

We missed Abraham's first birthday. His foster family had a party for him with a cake and friends of their 9yo daugher over. We missed his BD by almost a month. When we picked him up we asked his FM (who has fostered 36 children!) how many 1st birthdays she has had to celebrate with children she was fostering, and she said that Abraham was the first.

Things have slowed down so much that I think these FMs are spending more time than usual with these children. Maybe you'r little guy got a big celebration!

Also, like Barb and John, we also felt like Abe's foster family "deserved" to have his first birthday with him. We told them that they could have the first as long as we got the rest

Have a great trip, Tina, when you do go down there next month!

[nathansvolunteers]

Tina,
I'm so sorry.....these milestones are such tough days. But I wanted to share my story with you because maybe you aren't so delusional after all.
When Camille turned one, she was still in Guatemala. At the time, we were told we would never bring her home. So here I was, sobbing my eyes out, thinking she would never be home, and thinking the foster family didn't even know when her birthday was.
Fast forward a couple months....the adoption decision was reversed...we were on the pick-up trip, and her foster family pulled out an envelope with pictures of her first birthday party!! Not only did they KNOW, they had one heck of a bash for her....all her extended family was there, she had a big Dora pinata, a beautiful party dress and dress shoes, and an awesome cake! And the foster Mom took pictures for us to keep so we have memories of her 1st b-day to share with her. It was fabulous.
Missing these days is hard. But next year will be even sweeter!!!!!


Hugs,
Cindy

[devildogwife]

So sorry you're missing it.

[Waiting4Zach]

I missed Zach's first birthday also. I know how hard it is. Make sure you celebrate here for him and take pictures for his book. Zach's foster mom gave him a birthday party and made me a tape for me. Hopefully you will get the same.

[robandjulie]

I'm sure his FF is celebrating in some way!

Agreeing with so many others, esp. Barb & John. I highly recommend celebrating this day at your house even though he's not home. For Jorge's we had a cake and sang to him and filmed it. We also went to build-a-bear with DD that day and made him a special friend. We have a bit of a tradition in our house of recapping past birthdays on the next one and for Jorge we'll at least be able to show him we had a party and were thinking of him and celebrating his life.

We also felt like it was nice that he could celebrate his 1 year birthday with his FF who had spent that year with him. I know it would be great to have him in your arms on this day, but like others we felt like it was good for him and them to have that day together. It's frustrating and awful that this process wasn't done 6 months ago and it wasn't even an option for him to be there for his birthday and I'm not saying you have to feel that way at all, but I guess as long as you're in this spot it may help to put some silver linings on it.

Funny enough, we had our birthday party here for him and had a chocolate cake with white frosting with blue lettering and strawberries. When we got his birthday photos from the FF (oh yes, there was a big party: pinata, cake, party hats, the works) his cake there was nearly identical. I'm sure he's having a great day; hopefully you can, too.

[ana-mom]

We missed both our girls 1st bdays by 2 weeks.

We celebrated their days without them home and had another party for them when they arrived - a 1st birthday / welcoming party.

Happy first birthday to your dear child.

[susy...patience]

I'm sure the FF is celebrating with him & you can celebrate in your heart.....I agree with prior posters that for them the news is bittersweet.

I was in Guatemala with foster family on my way to see DD when they told me she was out of PGN. I was so, so excited but they seemed sad....they told me it is so, so hard to give these children up after they have spent so much time with them.

I hope your PU trip comes very, very soon...