Monday, August 25, 2014

Happy Belated 4th Birthday, Elijah!!


*Note: It's been a bit of a crazy month or two around these parts, and due to family scheduling aspects, we didn't celebrate Elijah's birthday until about a week after his actual birthday. He didn't care as he's not yet to the point of checking out the calendar and counting down days or anything, and his older siblings were great about not making a big deal about the delay, too. We really wanted to get his post up and running before his big sister's birthday (which was celebrated late as well) -- but that didn't quite happen.*

Happy, happy birthday, Sweet Elijah!! Last year, for your third birthday, I recounted about half of your plots that changed many of my hairs to a bright white shiny color. You being two was an eye-opening year for me as I realized that "raising" three boys before you did NOT prepare me for the boy who is you!

But you being three years old has shown me a much different picture of the boy who is you than even you being two years old could. And as you turn FOUR, I get the joy of reflecting on my "Wijah" as the three-year-old that you have spent the last year being.

You're funny. You're gracious. You're loving. You give such sweet, unasked for hugs and kisses and "i WUV yous." Your eyes light up as your baby brother dives in to shower you with cuddles, and you love all of us so generously, extravagantly and energetically. Joy shines through your eyes -- well, just about any emotion you are feeling shines through your eyes!

You're confident and easy-going. You've filled the role of best friend and playmate to Sammy well over this past year... the two of you are nearly inseparable. Together, you love anything Star Wars and/or Lego and your whole body bounces with enthusiasm at every turn. (As I was typing this, you just came up to me to bestow on me some imaginary gift. I wasn't fully able to determine what this gift was supposed to be, but you did make it clear that both I and Jeremiah received the red one, not the green one.)

You love people -- there's nothing shy about you. You're very happy to walk up to random people and say, "And what's YOUR name?" before introducing yourself. And though you can certainly express your disapproval when "necessary," your regular disposition is happy and twinkly.

You also have a reputation for your regular rejection of pants.

And despite your sweetness, there is still an occasional air of inventive mischief to you. Though this doesn't stop my heart, in dread of what could have been, as often as it used to.

We love you, Elijah. You are a gift from God and a joy to our hearts. We are so thankful that He saw fit to add you to our family, and we look forward to seeing the man that He is creating you to be! Have a very happy year being FOUR!!

Happy, happy birthday!!