The kids

Gabriel has astounded me recently with how well he's reading-- and what kinds of words he's reading. We hadn't really worked on any sorts of phonics since mid-November and I was worried he'd be rusty; on the contrary, he's leaps and bounds ahead of where he was when we left off (maybe I should leave him alone more often?!). Yesterday as he read aloud to me, I wondered how we got here. All of a sudden, that's how.

Bronwyn is so tall these days. And has lost her toddler chub. And has beautiful long hair and an amazing smile. Sometimes I look at her and my breath catches in my throat. She's no longer one of my "littles," but a girl. A lovely, sparkly, growing-faster-than-I can-comprehend girl.

Jackson will be four in two days. In his own laid-back, quiet way, his whole face smiles as he talks about his birthday cake ("With M&M's, right, Mom?") and Uncle Merrick coming for his party and getting to go to junior church instead of the toddler nursery on Sunday. I love celebrating with him. I just wish we weren't already celebrating his fourth birthday.

Aubrey is sleeping in a big girl bed. And going potty (occasionally) on the potty chair. And eager to be given chores, like setting the table and dusting the bookshelves. Forget wanting to be one of the big kids-- she's certain she's one of the adults! Lately, I find myself enthralled with her conversation: such entertaining thoughts and such an animated face. I can't get enough of her.

Claire laughed. Her first deep, rolling, can-hardly-breathe, belly laugh. It was amazing. And then I just stared at her face. I found myself trying so hard to forever etch the way she looks today in my memory. It will be but a moment and she'll be reading aloud to me, too.