The small living room in Claire’s Lagos apartment glowed with soft, warm light from colorful string lights she had strung across the walls. A modest “Happy 1st Birthday Alex!” banner hung above the table, handmade with bright paper and glitter. Balloons in red, yellow, and blue bobbed gently near the ceiling. On the table sat a simple vanilla cake with fresh strawberries on top — nothing extravagant, but made with so much love it felt like a feast.
Claire stood back, watching with a full heart as Adaora, Fatima, and Ngozi sang “Happy Birthday” in a cheerful mix of English and Yoruba. Little Alex Jr. sat in his high chair, wide emerald-green eyes sparkling with delight at the attention. At one year old, he was a happy, curious toddler with a tuft of dark hair that refused to lie flat and a
