My Fourth Child, Kenai

Four months

Five months

Six months

Seven months

Eight months

Nine months

10 months

Poor, poor Kenai. His mami hasn't been blogging and showing off his amazingly cute growth and development during the ever-changing first year of his life! Now he's almost 11 months old and is cuter than ever. Two events over the past two days have got me thinking about my beautiful little boy.

ONE: Yesterday, I was working at my sister's cafe and I observed two young moms who entered with their little baby girls - one was about a year old and the other one was about 18 months or so. They all came in with wet hair and with my vivid imagination, I guessed that they'd just come from a mommy-and-me type of swimming class and were now ready to enjoy a girls' lunch out! I especially observed the little one year old, who knew several signs (please, thank you, drink, more) and even heard her say "please" when I went to their table for something.

TWO: The day before, Kenai was too rowdy for Sunday classes, so we were wandering the halls when we ran into another 10 month old, who was very interested in touching Kenai's face and "playing" with him. Each time the little boy tried to approach him, Kenai just turned the other way. He had no interest whatsoever in playing with this other little person. Why should he? I don't think he's ever truly played with another baby his age!

These two experiences have had me thinking a whole lot about my little Kenai. He is my fourth child. We do not do mommy-and-me swim classes like I did with the first two... instead, he sits in the car for with me for two hours at a time while his brothers are at soccer practice. We do not do play dates with other babies like I did with the first ones... instead he gets plopped in his car seat as we drive boys to and from school three times each day. He does get read to, but they are not board books like Goodnight Moon or Guess How Much I Love You ... instead he gets to hear Star Wars, Magic Tree House and Princess books with his older siblings! I have not taught Kenai any sign language... instead he gets put in his high chair (for very long periods of time sometimes as I work on the kitchen!) and has to kind of fend for himself when it comes to eating. Every time somebody passes by, he grunts until somebody gives him some food! He still has not learned (or been taught?) to sleep through the night... instead, he shares a bedroom with Ziya and has to be quickly rescued as soon as he lets out a little cry. He did not go with me to The Children's Place for a new Easter outfit like the older kids did years ago... instead, he wore an outfit that I found last year at a garage sale (although it is very cute and did still have tags on it!).

I started to feel bad about all of this (and so much more where Kenai seems to get jipped); but then I thought that Kenai is not my first or even my second child. He is my fourth and with this, there must be some wonderful attributes that will be his: he will know how to share, he will know how to appreciate what he has, he will know how to be resilient, he will know how to fight for what is important to him, he will know the special love that older siblings have for their younger counterparts, he will have examples (hopefully good ones) to look up to, and even though he is the fourth, he will still feel of his mami's eternal and very special and individual love for him.

I love my little Kenai. I love who he is now and I love who he will become. I'm so thankful for my fourth child!

p.s. Since it's spring break and Jacob is out with the three "olders" right now, as soon as Kenai wakes up from his nap, I will go and cuddle with him and read Runaway Bunny to him!