First Birthday

Our family (with a VERY TIRED B-day boy)

Today was Solomon's birthday! The little king is 1 year old and growing. Although maybe not grasping the full meaning of the occasion, Solomon definitely caught on that everyone was making a fuss over him today and he didn't shy from the spot light.

On the Beach

We kicked off the birthday weekend Friday spending a family day at the beach--the one place where never a fuss or a cry escapes Solomon's mouth. He is ever happy and peaceful as he kicks the waves, searches for rocks, and floats on the waves. Mom and Dad always love the peace and quiet after a non-stop busy week, and so everyone came home sun-kissed and blissfully relaxed.

Help me unwrap it, Dad!

Look Dad, its a toy!

This morning Patrick and I sang Happy Birthday to the birthday boy in the morning light as he blinked sleep from his eyes and grinned at his crazy parents from his crib. He kicked the morning of with a present from Grandma Jane. This was Solomon's first wrapped package, and after tasting it, shaking it, and then holding it out to Daddy, he got a little help with getting the unwrapping started. He did enjoy tearing the paper and was quite surprised to find something within! The little car Grandma Jane sent him went right in his mouth--a baby's stamp of approval. The rest of his birthday packages were left to the afternoon as reward for getting through a morning full of activities

Mmm, pancakes (and SYRUP)!

On the farm in Kansas, a long-loved birthday ritual is waffles with icecream and toppings for birthdays. AFter growing up in a no-sugar-cereal household, the birthday breakfast sugar mountain was my brother and I's favorite part of our day. Lacking a waffle iron to start our own tradition, we instead introduced birthday pancakes with a hint of syrup. Solomon loved his first dance with sugar and was none the wiser that the pancake wasn't waffled. :) He soon had face-painted himself with his breakfast in his efforts to get finger fulls of food to his mouth. Off to the shower with daddy to wash off the maplesyrup maddness. And then the primping for his big debut. A tux no less.

Little Birthday King Solomon dressed to impress

Today we shared in celebrating our little man with his biological mom, Sophonie and her family. We had long been planning to do a Sunday baptism together, and she thought it would be perfect to do so on his first birthday. So she planned a day to have Solomon presented before her church, Patrick and I introduced as his adoptive parents, and blessings given in a baptismal ceremony. We prayed a lot about such a venture, worrying about boundaries in such a sensitive relationship. Ultimately we agreed knowing that someday Solomon will look back on pictures of this day seeing not one but two families celebrating his life, loving him and pledging our commitment to nurture him in whatever ways we are able.

Sophonie (bio mom) and Solomon

We met up with Sophonie and her family at her house before church. The building she lives in is a lofty, cavernous concrete structure that has the framework for grandeur, but rests in a ruggedly unfinished state. Likley the construction was halted long ago when funds ran out. Sophonie and her family occupy a second floor space that recieves cool breezes and looks over the neighborhood and out to the mountains. The furnishings were bare: lace curtains covered doorways, a single table and several chairs were the only decore in the living room. The large bedroom held only one twin bed and some knick nacks that likely travel with the family. I imagine most sleeping is done on the concrete floor. But despite the sparseness of the apartment, it was trimmed for a celebration.

Uncle Solomon meeting his nephew, Juvens

We met the oldest 3 of Solomon's 6 siblings, and Uncle Solomon got to meat his nephew as well. We were also introduced to the Haitian God parents Sophonie had chosen to stand with us for Solomon's baptism today, both good friends of hers. After worrying a little about how the dynamic of the day would play out, my nerves were quickly calmed with our warm reception and the ease in which the entire family engaged not only Solomon, but Patrick and I as well. We all had roles to play in Solomon's life, and it felt like a natural family gathering to celebrate a little boy we all love.

Clapping to the Music

Off to church we went. We arrived to a pristine little church painted bright white and hung with colorful silk flowers. The service was already underway by the time we arrived, so Solomon made his grand entrance and sparked smiles all around. He clapped with the music, made his way through the pews, leaned on strangers knees, ducked under benches, and interacted with other children sitting much more properly in their pew seat. If spiritual inspiration is determined by the length of a sermon, then the pastor of this church was HEAVILY inspired. As his message wore on, changed directions, ramped up in amplitude, his hands started flying, sweat pouring and his voice nearly reaching falsetto. As the preacher spun his message, layers of Solomon's outfit started pealing off. First the coat with tails, then the vest. Although he walked in without a spot or a stain, by the end of the sermon, two buttons had popped off his vest, knees had gotten dirtied and the vest a little dust-stained. Just when I thought we'd have to try to sneak a nap in before Solomon's part of the service, we were called to the alter.

Patrick, Sophonie and I along with his godparents stood before the pastor with Solomon. We agreed before the congregation, as people who love this little boy, to nurture him in the spirit and love of God, to surround him with community and to raise him in love. Then the pastor, who was sweating profusely after nearly an hour-long sermon, took Solomon and prayed to the heavens while the congregation lifted their prayers aloud behind us, sending a cachephony of voices rising up around us.

Receiving a pastor's baptismal blessing

Sol was patient for the most part, but considering how far gone he was from missing his morning nap, he got a little freaked when the pastor wouldn't honor his squirming and let him down. A few tears, but really he was mostly fascinated by what was going on, and spent most of the time staring at the Pastor who stood with eyes closed, voice raised, squeezing him tight.

The baptism ended the service, and the congregation shook our hands and gave their blessings to Solomon.

We returned to Sophonie's house and found that her friend and her daughters had cooked up a feast fitting for a Sunday afternoon, a birthday party, and a baptism celebration. Solomon warmed to the new faces of his family all around him, and was soon wandering from one new knee to the next, allowing everyone to hold him, and interacting with the small children of the house. He ultimately got brave enough to explore all corners with mischief in his eyes, hiding in the curtains and eating off of everyone's spoon. The introduction to sugar continued with vengence as his God Mother gave him his first drink of soda pop and he feasted on his first birthday cupcake--well, mostly the icing. I think the sugar rush is what kept his tired little self moving all morning sans nap and into the early afternoon.

Birthday cupcake for a one-year-old

After feasting on a delicious spread, polishing off an entire birthday cake, and lots of play, we bid goodbye to his family and headed back home for a much needed afternoon nap, as Solomon came crashing down from his sugar high.

Diving in

Tonight Solomon has Skyped with his Nana and Pop-Pop and great grandma (GG) in Kansas, his Grandma Jane in Iowa and babbled over the phone to his Grandpa Craig. His Uncle Chris, Aunt Candy and cousins Conor and Caden sang to him over Skype with a cake they baked in his honor and Solomon clapped along. AFter playing with his new cars, reading new books, he is off to bed with his elephant and lots and lots of sweet dreams from a day full of fun.
Mom and Solomon