I just took a great picture of Orion crashed-out on the couch...I tried to post it with the caption, "Yes sir, that's my baby," but the image was too large to post on this blog & it's too late at night to make the appropriate changes! This morning the first thing I said to him was, "Happy Birthday - Do you know you're 4 years old now?" He was so purely excited about that and somewhat in disbelief! It was such a great moment...I had a flash of a memory of the day I turned 4 years old! I cannot remember the events of the day, but I distinctly remember coming into my parents room (they were still together at the time) and excitedly jumping on the bed at the news that I was now FOUR!! (It's such a cool experience to journey through time via your children!)







Moments after this first thrill of the birthday morning, we ran into the living room to find Dad (who is usually at the studio by this time in the morning doing his personal yoga practice for the day)...he had wrapped a couple of gifts for the O-man...one that had been a specific request (a Speed Racer helmet that makes racing sounds AND a cool Speed Racer car & driver). When he opened the helmet his cheeks were flushed from absolute joy - his uncontrollable giggles and happy dance were enought to stir Sleeping Beauty (Kalista) from her sleep. (Fortunately she is always in a bright & smiley mood in the mornings, so this was no blemish on this great start to a memorable day). Pure bliss...







We spent the entire afternoon as a family, along with O's buddy Noah at Chuck E. Cheese, the toy store, AND Whitey's! SO much fun...the boys were hilariously cute without even trying, and Kalista was sweet, smiling and darling, as usual. (I know it sounds like I'm boasting, but I'm just telling the truth! She DOES get fussy too, sometimes, but mostly around bedtime if Mom isn't around...) A good time was had by all.







I was worried that he'd have trouble going to sleep tonight...(we really limit his sugar, etc & when he's had a lot of fun in one day it can be tough) BUT we read his new book "Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What do You See?" (a sweet gift from some dear friends)...and he went straight to bed. I tucked him in (his preference these days), we said a little prayer...he got all snuggied-up, and as I turned on his music he happily & sweetly popped up to look over his bead, and CRASH! My poor baby smashed his mouth into the hard wood of the bed!! Instantly he was so upset and crying hard enough and in a way that I knew he was hurting. Without skipping a beat he was pissed at that bed and DID NOT want to sleep in it! I stayed calm and steady, scooped him up, brought him to the couch and in that instant he WAS my baby again. Dad brought us ice (but only mom could do the doctoring)...there was a little blood but no loose teeth (fortunately). After the initial shock he'd calmed down but was in my lap wrapped-up in a blankie. I said, "my baby," and he looked up and said, "Who's having a baby?" I giggled & told him no one in this house was anyway, but that no matter how big he got he would always be our baby! When I asked him if he was still hurting, he looked up at me & said, "It hurts a little now, but it'll get better. I just have to shake it off, ok?" As I tried to stifle a tear that rolled down my cheek I said, "Ok."







I put him on the couch (there was no WAY he was getting back into that awful bed tonight anyway), snuggled my robe around him, and within minutes he was out...looking so sweet, and so grown-up to me. I took his picture to capture the moment - hope he'll be more touched than embarrassed in 20 years when we look back at this day!







Namaste ~ Abby