Lena is FOUR!

And then she was four. Just like the hand-me-down shirt her aunt made says, Lena is definitely "fierce and four."

Yay, birthday!!!!

Lena continues to be very much her own person and has added a new role this year: big sister. She is thrilled to be the only one who gets to be a big sister AND a little sister, which--as a middle child myself--I think is an excellent way of looking at things. She dotes on Baby Brother and desperately tries to keep up with Big Sis, all the while cementing her very special place in our family.

Besides the obvious change of gaining a sibling, things have remained pretty much the same in Lena's universe. She continues to attend preschool three days a week and ballet on Saturday mornings. She had also been tagging along to my adult education and Stroller Strides exercise classes until Erik's arrival. I cherish all the one-on-one time we've gotten to have while Elsa is at school, which we still enjoy even now when Erik naps at home or on-the-go.

Equally wonderful is the way she plays with both of her siblings. Despite being a bit of a bruiser, Lena is very caring and gives the best hugs. If you haven't been on the receiving end of one of these, just wait...Lena is very generous with her affection. At three and now at four, nearly all of her emotions are big, but the joy and laughter--Lena is quite funny--are usually worth suffering through any anger and tears.

One of those events causing great joy was of course her birthday. Lena, with Elsa's help, created a calendar in the kitchen to help her count down the days. What was especially exciting this year is that one of her teachers is her "birthday twin," so there was a double-celebration at school.

January 19th fell on a Sunday this year, so both girls helped me make the requested fairy cake the day prior. By help, I mean lick the beaters, but that's still an important part of cake baking. We went out to dinner that night for burgers and fries, and Lena even got a special milkshake even though her birthday wasn't until the next day.

Elsa was so excited to be a birthday helper that she woke up early so she could present Lena with her gift: a hand-drawn computer. Lena was equally excited and played with it until the requisite birthday breakfast of scrambled eggs. We attended our Lutheran church that day, where Lena was serenaded after the service, and then it was time to prepare for her party.

As usual, it was a simple affair at the house. We served "Sunday Snacks" (essentially a kid charcuterie complete with popcorn) and the kids ran around and had a blast. The day was cool, but the sun was out, so after a boisterous rendition of "Happy Birthday," nearly everyone went to the park. I stayed home with a sleeping Erik, which I honestly didn't mind too much because then I was able to watch the Chiefs win the AFC Championship. Go Chiefs!

So photogenic

After the festivities wound down, the sheep appeared for a photo shoot. Then the birthday girl finally got to open her presents from family--thank you for all the gifts, cards, and calls! Lena finished her day with a continuation of Sunday Snacks and a movie. Thank goodness the next day was a holiday because we all needed some extra sleep that night.

Happy Birthday, Lena! We hope your day was as special as you are!

Welcome, Erik!

We are officially outnumbered.

In the very first minute of our 12th (first) anniversary on November 3, 2019, Erik James joined our crew...and we've been running a zone defense ever since.

Maybe I'm still in holiday mode, but I can't help but think that, like the Grinch, our hearts grew three sizes that day as we welcomed the little guy to our family. The girls somehow knew all along but were over the moon when they learned they now had the little brother they had been hoping for.

Elsa and Lena are great big and biggest sisters. They love their brother dearly and are always willing to help, from diaper changes to entertainment,,,and may or may not have even fought over who gets to hold him at any particular time. Interestingly, the girls are much more concerned than Jon and I are when Erik is upset; Lena has even made up a song for him in these moments: "There is No Reason to Cry." It really feels like Erik is our baby, which is pretty cool.

Erik himself is pretty cool. He has recently started smiling, and those grins are irresistible. He is a charmer for sure. He's also a bit of a fighter who came out swinging; when he was born, the nurses had a hard time cleaning and measuring him because of all the wiggling and kicking. So far, that hasn't changed. Yet, he still manages to be as laid-back as a third child has to be, for which we are infinitely grateful.

He's a lover AND a fighter

As we transition to life as a family of five, I have been doing some reflecting. A lot has changed since Elsa and Lena were brand-new, but a lot has stayed the same. In fact, the other day we were looking at old photos and videos from when the girls were babies, and not only do our children look and act the same, but a lot of feelings I had during their newborn periods are the same. I just re-read the posts I wrote shortly after Elsa and Lena were born, and I was transported back six-and-half and nearly four years, respectively. 

We are still overwhelmed, and we still don't know what we're doing. I continue to struggle with my need to "do all the things" while relishing those sweet new baby snuggles. Our home and lives are certainly full of chaos and mess, but they are also full of love and laughter.