Hepi Borzdei!

Evidently, in Matiss's head, this is how to spell Happy Birthday in English! Today is my birthday and this morning I was greeted with a handmade Hepi Borzdei card and several gifts at 7:15 this morning! He's been talking for a week about how he was going to spend the money he's been earning for my birthday. I fully expected this notion to melt away when he saw something he really wanted. Even when I told him the money in his bank was for him to spend on himself, no, he was insistent. Jon and he went shopping yesterday and he helped picked two items, he picked a cross necklace and some sunglasses. He motioned to Jon that he wanted to buy some perfume, so Jon took him to Bath and Body Works. After he had duly tested EVERY scent in the store, he settled on mandarin orange lotion and body wash, which he spent his own money on and was proud to have $3 leftover. Last night, Jon told him he had to go to football early this morning, but Matiss said to wake him up so they could give me my gifts. Jon told him 7:15, but he said yes. Again, we wondered what would actually happen when 7:15 came around, but he jumped right out of bed when Jon went in. As he came in quietly with my presents, like any good parent, I played into the "I'm not really sleeping but for you to enjoy what you have planned I will play along" role. It's a birthday I won't forget, what a joy. He was so excited. And yes, I wore everything today, my cross necklace, sunglasses and orange lotion. After we got ready, he and I went to the zoo, something he's been looking forward to. Since it looked like a rain free day, I thought we better go now! He was great, probably one of the best days he's had with me. A few times he reached up to hold my hand as we walked through the park. Maybe that doesn't sound like a big deal, but for him, it really, truly was. He's initiated no affection and responded to it very slowly. But, in the last week, we've seen him not only begin to embrace it, but a few times initiate it, like today. Praise God, what a great birthday! Enjoy his zoo pictures, he especially loved the snakes, sea otters and petting zoo.