The baby of our family just turned four years old.  My friend Heather and I were trying to get together and that morning (of Sarah’s birthday) was the time that worked best for us both, so I turned the visit into a little playdate for Sarah and some of her (my) friends.  We had 8 little ones amongst us four mamas and only two of the children were girls.  Sarah was thankful to have one little girlfriend attend, but with five brothers of her own she felt quite comfortable with the boys, too.

 

We played for a couple of hours outside, and then we had lunch together which consisted of pasta with butter, cut up hot dogs, applesauce cups, and juice boxes.

The mamas had turkey burgers.

 

What a gift it was to have little babies in the house.  I so love to watch a woman with her baby, it’s a beautiful thing to see and brings back so many wonderful memories of those days, for me.  This friend of mine loves her babies passionately (she & her husband have four sons)…..

 

And this friend thoughtfully bounced her baby’s seat with her foot as she ate.  So darling.

 

Grace calls this baby boy HER baby, because I took her with me to see him in the hospital when he was born.  We both got to hold him when he was just a day or so old.  I met his mama at Community Bible Study, she lives the next town over, we are the same age and have become friends.  (so thankful!)

 

 

So yeah, this was a crazy attempt at a group picture.  I laugh every time I look at it.

 

This was the best we did…..I think a few of us were shrieking to get them to look forward.   They were all so good that day, and I loved watching them explore the ponds, see the chickens, chase cats, jump on the trampoline, blow bubbles, and dig in the sand.  So busy, so energetic, such a zest for all of life, and no one got hurt!

 

After our group photo we had cupcakes and ice cream.  (I only wish I had planned ahead to order the cupcakes from Nicole, our town’s lovely c.cake baker!)

As soon as we began singing, Sarah looked at her brother with the most thrilled expression.  She was waiting and waiting for this birthday and it was really and truly here!

 

 

 

Such a good mama…..she delights in her new son.  I thought it was cute that they sort of dressed alike.

 

After Heather and Michal left, Alysha and I sat down by the stream to chat and let the children play some more…..isn’t she so adorable?  We met last February when she skidded her van into our stream and we rescued her and the boys.  True story.  (God does things so interestingly).  I was telling her son (not the baby) as he got wet, “You’ve been IN this stream before!”  ‘Cause we can laugh about it, now that it’s been over a year.

*****

(hours later)

There are times now when the whole family cannot gather around to watch the birthday child open gifts and blow out the candles.  For Sarah’s birthday this year we were all home except Ethan.  We missed him.  He was at a baseball game.

 

She opened her gifts with Caleb on one side and Seth on the other.

Grace wrapped the gifts in blue paper tape because of course we didn’t find the regular tape until the next day.

It was so nice of Caleb to immediately offer to hold Sarah’s money, wasn’t it?  Such a good big brother.  With her money, Sarah has been trying to bribe Seth into playing what SHE wants to play.  I hear her saying, “I’ll GIVE YOU A DOLLLLAAAR” in a sing-song voice.  (but I do not allow bribing, although I am known to give a dollar to the child who finds me the remote to the TV).  I don’t know how I get on these topics.

 

I just love the way Caleb and Seth were so happy for Sarah to receive this princess dress.  “rejoice with those who rejoice”

 

Opening the tea set  *that face*

 

I think she was telling him that don’t worry, she would let him use it with her.  He can’t wait.

 

Then, oh joy, it was strawberry cake time.  I let Sarah place the jelly beans on it herself.  It was a new, buttery, fussy, for-real a recipe from a legitimate bake shop down south….the flavor was great but I didn’t let it bake long enough so it was gummy.  (so disappointed=take it from me, in life’s perfection there is much more to go wrong, so say these little words with me, “OH WELL”–and learn the art of letting go.)  What matters is the love, my friends.  It’s the thought that counts most of all.

I am determined to try again with the recipe!

Smiling through another (the second, what a lucky little girl) rendition of the birthday song.  My darling blond baby who is now “big”, it’s true.

 

 

 

she was born on a sunday morning