Happy Birthday Clayton!

Birthdays are a milestone for every child, but Clayton's birthdays are also a time of reflection for our family. Three years ago, almost exactly a year after Colin's death, we returned to Stanford facing the reality that our second baby may not survive. We walked back into the same unit where we spent eight months with Colin. Most of the nurses, doctors, and staff were the same. Many of the families at the Ronald McDonald House were the same. It was devastating to be back in the world of sick kids. Although Clayton has had a couple of bumps with his HLHS, we know how very lucky he is and how very lucky we are to have him with us today.

Birthday, April 10, 2006

April 14, 2006

Four days old, Post-Norwood, chest open... too graphic for this post, hence the gauze

July 27, 2006

3.5 months old, Post-Glenn with incredible swelling

First birthday, April 10, 2007

(This was just the beginning of the cake disaster.)

Second birthday, April 10, 2008

(Um, Wendy, couldn't you find a better picture? Um, nope, that's about as good as it gets.)

We're so grateful for Clayton's good health since his last surgery. His next surgery, the Fontan, is always looming in the back of our minds, but for now, we're just focusing on the present and loving every minute. This morning I got the boys up, and we threw on clothes and headed down to the grocery store, where Clayton selected a Sesame Street balloon and a chocolate covered donut. We headed back home and had a special birthday breakfast. Clayton was so thrilled when I, with my most beautiful singing voice, sang Happy Birthday to him.

Third birthday, April 10, 2009

I was surprised that he knew exactly what to do with those candles.

We are planning to have a very small get together one evening this week to celebrate with a few of our friends. Clayton has requested pizza, and we'll have cake and ice cream that night. We gave him our birthday gift when Ryan got home this afternoon. Clayton loves bikes, so we thought it was time to get a tricycle. He's also obsessed with our bike helmets, so he needed one of his own as well.

Trying out the new trike.

Clayton's never pedaled anything, so that's going to take a little time to learn. In the meantime, do you remember the episode of Friends where Phoebe gets the new bike, but she doesn't know how to ride it, so she pushes it all around town? Yeah, that's the scene here. Apparently it's just as exciting and a lot less frustrating to just push it around. Either way, it's a hit.

Happy birthday Clayton! I love you so much. Nothing brightens my day like love from my punkin.