Happy Birthday, Baby!

The bottom pic is actually titled "Not Crying" in our computer. We can all see the happy little boy he has become.



THIS IS FROM SEPT 2009, A FEW DAYS AFTER WE CAME HOME:
"In the days since we've been home, Zeke has become increasingly distant and fearful. It started out a few days ago that he yelled whenever we weren't holding him but has progressed to yelling all the time, including while we hold him. He won't look us in the eyes and tonight when I tried to lotion him after his bath he yelled louder and attempted to climb away from me; eventually trying to claw at my eyes. I prayed over him this whole time and we continue to try to feed him bottles, rock, sing, make him look us in the eyes, but he needs more than parents can give. I have also given him tylenol and motrin today, hoping that maybe something physical is wrong and we have a doctor appt in the morning. We know that we are so blessed by our friends who continue to pray for us and we need it now more than ever."


For those newer to our entourage, this was Zeke until Oct.24,2009. I remember that day as clear as giving birth. He just stopped crying, looked at me, and we fell in love. As Molly affectionately name him, "sparkly-eyed-smiley-face" has never looked back. When I meet people that tell me children can never get totally past RAD, I look at Zeke. He fills my heart with hope and he reminds everyone that God can fix any brokeness. Ryan will say that I baby him (so do Molly, Blake and their father!) and I know I do. He lets me and I still have to make up for the times before he came home. :) In honor of his birthday, here are some funny Ezekiel tidbits:
-He sings just like Barry White
-Zeke will eat and eat and eat and eat some more (including the vegetables he once despised!)
-Zeke will flip his eyelids inside out just to get his mom to freak.
-Molly is Zeke's warmer-upper after bathtime
-The kid has CRAZY memory. He can tell us directions to locations, that hippo pictures in the zoo don't have tongues or that Molly forgot to put her earrings in.
-When Zeke gets mad, he screams "underpants!!!"
-The boy could read books all day
-Every night Zeke gives huge hugs and rather aggressive "love pats"

Every day, I think of all the waiting parents in the world and I remember the physical ache that I felt until Zeke and Etienne were in my arms. Our life is sometimes inside out and backwards, but I wouldn't have it any other way; and on the extra painful days, our Zeke-ee Baby will yell "underpants" and we remember that we are all right.