he's four now

What a day we had celebrating Elias' fourth birthday. It was a simple yet splendid day in which I tried to savor the special moments amidst the mundane, normal Monday that we spent today.

It often seems that a child's birthday can pass without so much as a moment to reflect and pause on the very life that is being celebrated. Amidst the birthday preparations- the baking, the gift giving, the making sure that everything is just right- that little child is often lost in the shuffle and one never truly gets a chance to simply just be with him or her.

I made sure that today did not past without being truly thankful Elias and all that he has brought to our family. I took time to look him in the eyes, listen intently, help him with even the simple tasks that I know he could do on his own but just wanted a bit of assistance with, bounce him on my knee, sing to him, bathe him lovingly and just savor this little boy as much as I could.

One of the tenderest parts of the day was watching his sister and brother carry his presents to him with pride, help him adorn his new sword and scabbard with care and gentleness, show him how to properly draw his sword like a real knight and excitingly share in a morning art session with him coloring and sharing his new art supplies and modeling beeswax.

These photos just capture the joy that was felt by all today- bedhead and all. And although watching your baby turn four can be awfully bittersweet, soaking in the sweetness of the sibling bonds that have been formed and the love that is shown to one another even in the simplest acts makes each passing year worth all of it.