A few months later we were asked if we could take you as a placement because your other home was not treating you right. I still do not know all the details, but we were warned that police and investigators would be coming to check on you. I later heard from therapists and your lawyer that things just never seemed right at that other house. I hate to think about what you went through there and during your earlier days at your other homes.
We were at least your fourth home in 15 months of life. You didn't let it get you down. You got your nickname because you were all smiles all the time. I worried about you because you were so much different than any other babies I had loved. Things that seem to come natural to them were not natural to you at all. You had therapies and neurologist appointments and various tests run. In the end it was determined that your brain was just fine, that you were capable of developing if you were in the right environment.
I guess we were the right environment for this part of your life. We have had tons of toddlers, so we were ready to help you take off. You learned to hold weight on your legs and eventually to walk at 17 months old. You learned to cry when you were unhappy or wanted something and can now speak in sentences that are not bad at all for a new 2-year-old. You wake the whole family each morning by singing songs from Frozen as loudly as possible. You get re-evaluated for early intervention therapies later this month, and my hunch is that you no longer need their help. You have tons of kids to mimic and learn from, and you have taken full advantage.
You are no longer that simple baby who only smiles. You now have a wide range of emotions. You are VERY good at sticking up for yourself which can get you into some trouble. You like best to do whatever it is that we would rather you not do. I think you are catching up for lost time.
When you first came, we were told you would be leaving fairly quickly to go back to your family. We were told you would leave in October and then December and then January, and then May. Here you are, with us for your 2nd birthday in June. I don't know how much longer we have together. We could get a call any day saying that you will be moving in with a relative. The judge may even send you back with your parents after the hearing next month. We just don't know what will happen. We know your case will soon come to an end so they need to decide what to do pretty quickly. We would love for you to stay, of course, but we know that the choice is not ours and that you are now set to thrive wherever you go.
We were lucky to get to spend your 2nd birthday with you. Grandmother made your cake and cupcakes. You got gifts of horses, vehicles, and balls, which are all your favorites. We went swimming with family and friends. It was a fun day. I don't know where you will be for your future birthdays, which makes this one we had together more special to me. I am glad we have had these last 9 months together, to grow and change and develop along the way. I wish you nothing but happiness no matter where life takes you. I hope you always have a memory somewhere deep inside of the love you felt in our home and of that "other mom" you once had.
Happy birthday, Sir Smiles! Welcome to the terrible twos!
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