Sorry I haven’t posted in a few days, we had Jackson’s 3rd birthday party last weekend and it took longer to “recover” than I had hoped! While I have been trying to keep this blog in chronological order to bring you all up to the current date, I feel compelled to share this moment with you all!

This last weekend we celebrated Jackson’s 3rd birthday. I am somewhat in denial to the fact that he is actually 3, I am also in awe of what the last 3 years have brought us, complete joy. As I sat back and watched this little boy play with his friends and Heather’s children (whom are biologically his half-siblings) I was taken aback on a few things. The hard question remains and probably will remain in my head for awhile, will Jackson have siblings? He biologically has 3 (irony there!) but will we, the three of us, ever become the 4 of us, the 5 of us, the 6 of us? I am working up the courage to write a post about our failed adoption last year–watch for it soon, I hope.  I don’t know the answer to that question and I probably won’t personally know the answer, but God does. So for now, we will be the 3 of us, until and if God ever changes that. And I am ok with that, because if I have learned anything through this process or life in general, God will bring me more happiness than I could have ever imagined.

At the party, Heather and I were talking about the blog and how good it is for both of us and how people are really enjoying reading it (thank you to my readers!)  She said as she was reading the blog it brought back all kinds of memories for her too.

At one point during the party, Heather couldn’t stop laughing when she told me do you remember when we first met and you said, “I am glad we like you.” And JJ looked at me like, did you seriously just say that?

Oh Lord, I don’t remember saying it but I am not surprised at all. I was so completely nervous, anything could have came out of my mouth! But I will say, I am glad I like her. I am glad because you don’t just adopt a child and then walk away in an open adoption, you adopt a whole family for a lifetime.  In all honesty, I do like her and I like what we have, I like the friendship and bond we have created!

I was also reminded this weekend that Jackson has to know where his mom is at all times. I was told when he was a baby that he never took his eyes off of me and then I have been told lately that he still doesn’t take his eyes off his mom and needs to know where I am at all times. At times this is exhausting but I will also say, I love this!  I read as much as I possibly could about bonding with a child you did not give birth to. We did skin to skin contact on several occasions (I highly suggest you do this if you are adopting, even an older child, the connection is absolutely beautiful). We sang, we talked and we spent day in and day out getting to know this little baby boy. He may not have grown inside of me but he grew inside my heart for years before he even knew his name.

Jackson has really been into superheros lately. I have no idea where it came from but that is all he talks about lately. So, of course, we would throw him a superhero party!!!  Also, how fitting would it be that Heather brought him one of Marvel’s old costumes that was an Iron Man costume. We even had to wear said costume to the library the other day!!!  How awesome are hand me downs, especially when they are from family!!!

I sometimes over do it as a mom (a good/bad fault to have) and planning and having a party is exhausting, especially when you over do it! With that being said though, it is absolutely amazing to sit back and watch your child interact with his biological family and adoptive family in our home!

Heather and I will continue to share about our hospital stay and going home in the next few posts. Keep checking back for getting back on the regular routine blog schedule.