Happy 7th & 2nd !

Birthdays are a funny thing in the adoption world.  

At least to me they are.

With my biological kids, birthdays mean me reliving in my head the pregnancy & birth.  All the little details that get lost in the day to day.  How we waited and waited, then finally went to the hospital only to find out we were just 3cm dilated.   I can easily tell you exactly what time each of my birth children were born, what the day was like ect.. It's firmly etched into my brain.

Yet 2/3 of my children I did not give birth to.

I don't have any of that information on them. 

With the exception of TheToddler, I didn't even know of their existence until well after their birth. 

So it just seems odd to me to have a birthday and not be able to know all those little details or realize that 7yrs ago my daughter was born , yet I wouldn't come to know her for another 5 ½yrs.   It's just strange.

Maybe it's just me.  I've been known to be weird at times =)

Anyways, as I'm sure you've guessed- this is yet another birthday post..   Somehow the fates were laughing at me when I was blessed with my children.  2 late Dec birthdays, 1 mid January, 2 March birthdays within the week of each other & finally one May bday.  It's like a birthday-palooza ! Thankfully I get February off to rest for a moment but it is a short month after all.

Southern Darlin' celebrated her 7th birthday earlier this week!  Yay!!  This year, she is finally mine..  I know we've talked about it before- how sometimes you gotta fake it til you make it real.. Last year at this time of year, we were still firmly in the faking it.  She'd only been here 6months and we were in the throes of rages galore.

Now we are safe and secure. Life is calm on that front.  She has firmly entrenched herself into the family.

As I tucked her in the night before her bday- we giggled and played for a minute. It was fun and sweet and then all of the sudden quickly heartbreaking.

Momma: Ya know, when you wake up in the morning you're going to be seven!! Can you believe it?!  You are getting so old!

Southern Darlin': But I've only been here for 2birthdays now!

M: That's right! hmmm.... Maybe you're just going to be two not seven.  Since you've only been here for two birthdays..  I'm going to have to rethink all your presents now!

SD: Nooooooo!! :giggles:  Mommy!! :giggles:  I'm still going to be SEVEN! 

M: I'm not so sure.. You were right, you've only been here for 2 birthdays now. I think that makes you just 2..

:giggles all around:

M: Are you excited about your birthday tomorrow? You don't turn 2 every day!

SD: Mommmmmyyy..  sevvven  not twooooo.    I can't wait for my birthday! I think I'm really going to like it this year!

M: laughs..  What? You didn't like your birthday last year?

SD:  No. I was still really scared at my birthday.. but I'm not scared anymore so I think I'll really like this year.

 Talk about ripping my heart out and stomping on it.  I'm so glad that she's not scared anymore but it's heartwrenching that she once was.

Southern Darlin' is a lot of things.  She's adorable and cute.  She's funny and sweet.  She is loving and caring.  She tries her hardest everyday!

But most of all, I leave you with a picture that shows you her to a tee..

Most of all , Southern Darlin' is Happy..  And that's what's most important.

Happy birthday sweetheart!  2 or 7,  I'm so glad you are a part of our family now!

XOXO,

Your Momma