Dear Ian,
These days I look at you astonishment and wonder, "How did he get so big?!" Truly you have shot up this year and grown physically by leaps and bounds. I look at pictures of the tiny, frail baby you once were and praise God for strengthening and shaping you into the strong young man you are becoming! At the same time it is bittersweet because you are still very much a little boy inside and of course, you will always be Mommy's little boy! :)
This year for your birthday, you requested a special restaurant meal with Mommy and Daddy. Your birthday fell on a Sunday, so we planned that for after church but the Saturday before we also invited your "MK grandparents" (as Isabel nicknamed them!) Uncle Jon and Aunt Pam, and also our Chilean friends Tia Cata and Tia Isabel and Meme to join us for empanadas and cake. (Empanadas are one of your favorites, and especially if they are made by Sra. Leticia at the Agro sur - your birthday request was for a mexicana and a chaparrita, I believe!)
Tia Isabel surprised you with two trays of dulces chilenos like alfajores, cachitos and maicenas which were a yummy treat! And for your birthday cake you requested a tres leches from Mr. Daniel whom we affectionately call the "Cake Guy." The candles on your cake gave you a run for your money, but eventually you blew them all out with a big smile!
We teased you a little bit with your birthday gifts this year! Knowing how excited you had been and how you were counting down the hours and minutes until guests arrived and eventually it was present time, Mommy had Owen take this giant box downstairs with strict instructions that you could not touch it (only look at it!) You were dancing in anticipation for a long time! :) But I think the wait was worth it when you unwrapped a new remote control car, one of your very favorite things in the world. This particular model was one we'd seen someone driving at the dirt bike park along the beach, and I was so excited to find it for sale soon afterwards. Uncle Jon graciously accompanied you under the blazing Iquique sun in the heat of day to try out your new wheels at our park nearby!
The next day on your "real" birthday (as Alec greeting you that morning, "Happy 'real' birthday, Ian!") it was our pleasure to take you out to a grown-up restaurant for a man-sized meal. Your choice was lomo a lo pobre, which included a massive steak and two fried eggs with rice, french fries and onions! You were uncharacteristically quiet, probably from the uncharacteristic experience of having both of your parents to yourself with no siblings in competition. :) We hope you enjoyed your time and understand that we love you so much and are so thankful God placed you in our family. As we waited for our meals, I showed you pictures on my phone of when you were a little baby in Haiti. I think what surprised you most, however, was when I read you a poem I wrote for you before you ever came home.
Ian, you were in our hearts since before you were born. Your name means "gift from God" and that is what you are to our family! We are learning along with you what it means to raise a son with some special challenges but tremendous joy. Happy 11th birthday, Ian David Garcia!
All my love,
Mommy
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Birthday Posts by Year:
Ian's 10th birthday post
Ian's 9th birthday post
Ian's 8th birthday post
Ian's 7th birthday post
Ian's 6th birthday post
Ian's 5th birthday post
Ian's 4th birthday post
Ian's 3rd birthday post
Ian's 2nd birthday post
Ian's 1st birthday post
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