Happy Birthday Tyler Tamene!

Tyler meets Jack and Morgan for the first time!

Tyler meets Grandma Josie and Pauly for the first time!

Tyler meets Pa Pa for the first time!

Jan meets Tyler for the first time!

Grandma Linda and Tyler meet for the first time!

Today, our little guy is one year old!! Happy birthday my sweet baby boy!

It's a day filled with mixed emotions and thoughts of Ethiopia. We have decided it is in the best interest of our family to not discuss Tyler's birth history publicly. It is HIS story to learn first and then for him to share if he wishes. We will begin to introduce his life story to him more and more as he gets older. We get a lot of questions about why he was relinquished and our basic and honest answer is his family loves him more than anything but was not in a position to care for his basic needs. Please keep your thoughts to Ethiopia today as we celebrate his day of birth.

I realize it has been a really long time since I blogged more than a simple picture. I hope to share more often!! Tyler is doing wonderfully! He is truly attaching and bonding very well. He has learned to snuggle and cuddle in to us...which is an amazing feeling! He babbles and screeches all the time! He says: Hi, Da Da, Uh-Oh, Up, Awwww, and mmmm for kisses. He loves to eat -- and is loving his stage 2 meals like apples and chicken, cereal and fruit, and veggies! He is learning to take small bits of table food but it will be a little more time for him to master. He likes puffed rice cereal and plain cheerios so we're moving in the right direction! I may try dry toast bits next...he loves to play...LOVES to play! He crawls around after Jack and Morgan with lightening speed! He's a belly crawler and it couldn't be cuter! He is learning to pull up to stand and walks, rather runs when you hold two hands. He can cruise the couch and is quite the dare-devil! He will just turn around and try to walk -- even though he flops to the ground!!

Happy birthday to Tyler, we love you!!!!!!