A Bicycle Built for Three

It wasn't all that long ago that I wrote about Little Man's musings about his birth mother.  It's always going to be a natural and intuitive part of his life, yet every time it bubbles up I feel like I'm caught unprepared. Recently at dinner Little Man and I were joking and making funny faces. At one point he started playing with his hair, so I asked him what he was scratching his head about. He simply answered, "Mama", which promoted me to ask, "What are you wondering about Mama?" To my surprise he responded, "My birth mama." I knew he wasn't ready to launch into some deep conversation, so I tried to respond as clearly and as appropriately as I could. I also added him if he ever wanted to me her and he said yes. His mind quickly wandered to the next topic as toddler minds do, but once again his moments of awareness caught me off guard. It doesn't matter how many books or Facebook groups or resources I consume -- they all say this i...

Lately Little Man and I have started a tradition of clinking our water bottles and saying, "Cheers!" before having a drink.  In honor of Little Man's third birthday -- and the fact that it fell on Mother's Day this year -- a celebration is certainly in order. Little Man, you have grown so much in the last year.  You were resilient during tough times and showed strength beyond your years.  Hearing you sing and laugh creates a wave of joy, and even on difficult days your sweet and loving nature shines through.  You soak everything in, and your intelligence still catches me by surprise.  Lately I find myself shaking my head in wonder that it's been three years; it often feels like you've always been here.  You are determined and capable, bound to take the world by storm. Being part of your life journey will always be my greatest accomplishment. Happy birthday, Little Man -- we love you with all of our hearts.