Happy Birthday Baby Love

Today is the day!!!! Tuesday, September 22nd is Ahnya Leigh's Birthday!

Yep, she's one! Well, at least that's what the Ethiopian paperwork says...her birth mother wasn't exactly sure what day or month her birth date was. This is very typical in Africa as birthdays aren't celebrated, nor are they culturally important.

Another important fact to remember is that Ethiopia basically has two seasons (changes in climate rather); 1). hot weather! and 2) HOT and rainy weather. The birth mother said she was born sometime after the rainy season so that gives us about 8 months to play with. Our international doctor think that Ahnya is closer to 9 1/2 or 10 months old instead. Which makes sense as everything seems like it "clicks" better at that age, development, size, etc. etc. etc.

When I met with Ahnya's birth mother, Terafech, in Ethiopia I asked her about the day she delivered Ahnya. It is a beautiful story and one I will share with Ahnya when she's older. But, can you image giving birth by yourself basically, in the middle of the country side, on the dirt floor of the little hut she lived in, with chickens, a couple goats, and a cow standing by at the wee hours of the morning??????? No hospital, no doctors, no medicine, no cloths or towels, no bed, probably no water...

So, as this is our third internation adoption, it's no surprise that her birth day is most likely not accurrate. I'm sure the older girls birth dates are probably wrong, too! But it's a day that will always be hers and we'll keep this day as her birth day because it's special!