Birthchild's Birthday

Most birthmoms will agree that their child's birthday is one of the hardest days of the year. It brings about mixed emotions - of the day you gave life, coupled with the day you entrusted your baby to others. It helps many bmoms to go ahead and acknowledge that day. To some honoring their children on their birthday brings them a sense of peace.

All bmoms have different ideas on how they celebrate that day. The options are endless - just be creative!!
A few ideas to get you started:
~ Bake a cake in honor of your birth child.
~ Light a candle and say a prayer in honor of your birth child.
~ Volunteer at a local children's charity or donate money to a children's charity in your child's honor.
~ Write your child a birthday letter reflecting on the past year. (good tradition!)
~ Buy a gift or card - even if you can not mail it, it could be saved.
~ Look at pictures of your birth child.
~ Talk with a counselor or someone that supported you during your pregnancy and adoption plan.

Whatever you may do to honor your birthchild on their special day, it may be helpful not to be alone; to try and spend some time with someone close to you who knows the meaning of the day.
Some ideas are:
~ Spend time with family or friends.
~ Go to dinner or a movie with a friend or family member.
~ Do something special for yourself that day, get a manicure, buy a "happy", etc....
~ Talk with a counselor.

We asked some of our members what they do on their children's birthday.
Here are their answers:
~ "On my birthson's first birthday, I bought myself a little cupcake with a single candle in it and I celebrated the day I chose life. I suppose I'll do much of the same on his upcoming 2nd birthday. I will also write him a letter to add to his journal. " ~ Jenn M

~ "We try to do something special by way of the gifts he is given - things that he will be able to (and hopefully want to) keep all his life, such as a Christmas stocking I made for him, a complete picture in stitchery of a workshop. " ~ Vikki C

~ "On my birthson's birthday, I just pray and think of him like I have done every day since he was born." ~ Mary B.

~ "We honor his birth by buying a cake and singing happy birthday to him at 6:07, the time he was born." Tracy E.

~ "I include a special Bible Verse on all or in all of Kinsey's gifts. I have had it embroidered on a bunny ear, on a shirt, and tucked little pass it along cards with the verse on it in some gifts. " ~ Lani D.

~ "On my daughter's birthday, I've tended to end up getting the prettiest flowers that I can find at the store that day. I gave her a magnolia tree as a present before she was born, and once I get a house, I'm going to get a magnolia tree on her birthday of the first year that I'm there." ~ Kelly

~ "I buy my birth daughter a card and fill it out for her with the date and save it for her. I also write to her in the journal I keep for her on that day." ~ Alicia M.

So, when your birth child's birthday rolls around this year, look back at some of these ideas, blow out a candle, and make a birthday wish for your child!