Birthday anticipation

I wasn't going to tell Arie about his birthday party until a couple days before hand because he doesn't really understand time yet. It seemed mean to get him all excited for something that in toddlerland was still years away.

But, as I mentioned on my facebook page (thanks for the ideas, all who responded!), we're doing a "Teddy Bears' Picnic" theme and when the book arrived in the mail via amazon, I just could not hold it in any longer.

Invitations! 

So two weeks before his party, I told him about it and started reading him the book. And playing him the song.

Now he's waking up in the morning and asking if its his birthday yet. He's also asking after nap, after meals, after snacks, and just generally anytime he thinks about it. Which is approximately every 97 seconds.

Here's a clip my sister took when Arie was talking to her and my mom on skype during dinner today:



Now it has only been four days, so as you can see his anticipation is still pretty cute.... but I don't know how long I can keep the excitement level up! I'm thinking Arie has another couple days in him before he starts to meltdown and think I'm withholding his birthday from him or that it's never going to get here. He will either develop patience over the next 10 days or the need to see a therapist. Could go either way.

All the kids are bringing their teddy bears with them.
John went to his parents' place and  picked up an old teddy
 from his childhood!
I haven't told him that the adults aren't bringing theirs... ;-)

Hopefully the party will be worth the wait because I'm putting three years worth of energy into it. John and I decided that since all three of us missed out on celebrating the two birthdays Arie had without us, that we were going to celebrate this one three times above average. There will be friends and family, picnic blankets and a craft station, delicious food on paper plates, presents and balloons, singing and candles, and everything our little guy needs to feel like the most cherished little boy on the face of the earth for just one afternoon.

Some yard signs for the different party "stations" (enter, play, eat, etc). 

Little Arie can't wait to celebrate his third birthday- his FIRST birthday in our family- and honestly- neither can I. I am constantly amazed that God has entrusted this little boy to our care. The birthday of an adopted child brings out so many emotions, which I share more fully in another post, but the one I'm feeling most fully right now is gratitude. Gratitude that God saw fit to provide for our little boy when we could not, that he led us to find him, to bring him home, and to call him our own. It is a profound gift that is not lost on me. To think that last year on his birthday, we had not even met him yet.... and now we are celebrating him and our family's love with our whole hearts.

I truly cannot wait. 10 days!

xo