Wednesday, October 21, 2009

31 for 21: Day 21 {Nika's 3rd Birthday}

IMG_9883wm
Dear Nika ...

Three years ago today, October 21, 2006, you were born at 36 weeks gestation in a hospital somewhere in the middle of St. Petersburg, Russia. You weighed 4 pounds 3 ounces and were 18.1 inches long. At birth, you were classified as being in serious condition and you were also diagnosed with Down syndrome.

Your birth parents were married and you had a four year old sister. After finding out that you have Down syndrome, your birth parents deserted you at the hospital and relinquished their rights to you.

When you were four days old, you were transferred to the Pediatric Medical Academy, where you remained for the next couple months. On December 12, 2006, you entered a baby home in St. Petersburg, where you were classified as an orphan. Although nobody from your birth family ever visited you, you had lots of caregivers and friends that loved you very much.

On September 24, 2008, just one month shy of your 2nd birthday, your dad and I met you for the first time. To say it was love at first sight is an understatement. You were perfect in every stretch of the word and we could not wait to show you how much you deserved to be loved.

On November 13, 2008, you left your baby home forever. Six days later, you arrived home and met your brother and sister. Trying to imagine now what you were like at that time boggles my mind. You have grown in so many ways ... it is amazing.

With that, I would like to wish you a very happy 3rd birthday ... your first birthday here at home. You have blessed our family a million times over. I hope your day is as special as you are, because you deserve nothing less!

With love,
Mommy
Get It Down; 31 for 21

17 comments:

  1. Okay, tissue alert.

    Happy Birthday dear, dear girl.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Bethany, that was beautiful. I think it'd be a huge toss-up to say who was luckier to have found the other--you or Nika. Let's just leave it at, Thank God you all found each other!

    Happy, happy, happy birthday, Sweet Nika! ~Courtney

    ReplyDelete
  3. Seriously! Hello, I need a box of Kleenex now! She is such an amazing little girl! She is just as lucky to have you, Kyle, Mason, and Payton as her family as you are to have her. Perfect fit. xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  4. Now I'm crying, too.
    Happy Birthday Nika!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Totally crying! That was beautiful. She is so blessed to have parents like you guys. Happy Birthday Nika!

    ReplyDelete
  6. sigh that was beautiful...... i remember like yesterday all your process, is amazing what God can do when you decided to say yes

    yes, she is blessed and a blessing

    hugs

    ReplyDelete
  7. Ahh, I never knew those things about her birth family. I love Nika's goofy smile in all the pics! She is definately one lucky girl! Happy Birthday big girl!

    ReplyDelete
  8. How beautiful. Happy Birthday, Nika!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Happy belated birthday sweet heart.
    ---Jen

    ReplyDelete
  10. Awww..Happy Birthday Nika! Your so beautiful and I love sharing a birthday with a little angel!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Brought me to tears . . . what a great letter to your "baby"!

    Laura Fleischmann

    ReplyDelete
  12. Yeah I'm a little late on reading this... but you got me crying! Precious letter Mrs.Bethany.

    Annnd I'm still crying.

    ReplyDelete
  13. How in the world did I miss this post? Happy birthday to a beautiful and super lucky little girl. She is too precious for words.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Bethany, sorry I was checking renee's blog and was still logged in for that. the last post was mine.

    April

    ReplyDelete