It’s time for an ode to Isaac, as my favorite little guy turned FOUR a few weeks ago. Isaac, Isaac, Isaac…Smily and silly and charming as all get-out.
The kid’s got charisma. I mean, pulling in the garbage bins on a Monday evening shirtless and shoeless, still looking this good?
And he makes us laugh an awful, awful lot.
Isaac has become and increasingly picky eater as of late, but of course, he’s always up for a treat. Very occasionally we’ll make a run to Top Pot before school to grab a window seat and watch the cars go by while ploughing through a pair of lemon-filled powdered donuts. Between mouthfuls, he narrates the traffic situation: Struction worker! (any kind of work truck.) Zoomie car! (Tesla.) And sometimes his very favorite vehicle, to all our chagrin, CYBER TRUCK!
Donuts are for mornings. Scoops from Molly Moon’s are for evenings.
I recently pushed our post-dinner walk to the ice cream shop a little too close to bedtime and Buddy fell asleep in the stroller on the way home. I moved him carefully to his bed and he slept the whole night through – it reminded me that he’s still got so much growing up to do. Play hard, crash hard, little one.
Still so little, right?
We celebrated Isaac’s big fourth in phases, as Shane was traveling for work on August 24th. On his Birthday Eve Eve, we did a small family celebration, with backyard decorations and presents and cake.
I work hard to make my kids feel special. I mean, ideally year-round, but extra-much on their birthdays.
He took his usual birthday throne for gift-opening, with Juliette at his side to help with any tricky bows or taped-up boxes.
This age! Such joy over each and every surprise.
We’re firmly in the era of Spiderman and Sonic the Hedgehog. The four year old heart wants what it wants…
And then preparations began for the next day’s festivities with Isaac’s buddies. This is the first year we’ve thrown him a kid-party and so we went a little big. Bring on the bounce house!
Isaac’s Birthday Eve dawned sunny and full of excitement. He discovered the cache of party favors as I was chopping strawberries and quickly claimed his own mask and cape.
This gave him ample time to get into character before his friends arrived.
And now, let the mayhem begin!
It was a great party. Bouncing and donuts and so much utter delight.
Juliette and Isaac made good use of every last minute of the bounce house rental.
Pooped.
Even after bathtime that evening, our Energizer Bunny insisted on donning his costume for an evening scoot. He had a theory that the cape would make him go extra-fast.
He was right!
Finally, finally, his energy waned. We did our books in the gray glider and then I swung Isaac’s legs over the arm of the chair and tucked his head in the crook of my arm. I rocked him and we talked about what a special day it had been and his eyelids grew heavy and I let him drift off in my lap. It’s silly, I know – he’s such a big boy. But if the lap fits…
Sunday was Isaac’s actual birthday, but we kept things relatively chill. My parents came over and there was backyard basketball, some sprinkler running, leftover cake. It was nice to sit back and watch our boy bring his next-level joy to even the simple things.
Happy Fourth to my favorite superhero.
