Finally...my turn!

Today was David's 5th birthday.  He has been asking for about 8 months when it was his turn to get a birthday.  He doesn't remember his 4th birthday or at least didn't understand enough to know it was a birthday.  

We picked David up in China a little after his third birthday.  He had received two major surgeries for his cleft lip/palate and could not manipulate his upper lip very well as well as his palate.  Even though he understood Mandarin, he could not speak it. As a three year old he had to get use to new food, new people, new country, show his independence, learn two languages and a million other things.  It is not surprising that when he turned 4, he still did not understand what a birthday was all about.  

He really started noticing that people had birthdays as he saw some of his friends receive gifts from us and have parties.  Then, last September, when Samuel had his 8th birthday the questions started to come.  ''When do I get a birthday?''  So it was then that the countdown began and this weekend came to fruition.  

Now David is, in many ways, the exact opposite to Samuel.  Where Samuel would eat up the attention, David struggled with being the center of it.  Hence the picture below when it was time for him to open presents...he hid.

I finally got him to take a picture with me and the gifts, but he still had a hard time looking at the camera and keeping his had off of his face.

However, my little shy guy loved having a birthday.  We celebrated with Farmor/far yesterday and had several cakes made for him from the church today....he really struggled with them singing to him.   So as his shyness grows stronger we are working out ways to help him enjoy the day and still hide in our chests when he needs too.  He will also have a kids birthday party later this week (5 is a big deal!)

So would you please leave a message saying happy birthday to my wonderful 5 year old.  I think he would appreciate it over the computer much more than singing to him in person.

Blessings,
Laurie