My May Man

May is one of my favorite months. It provides that little window of time when the weather is (usually) sublime… not too hot, not too cold (adios, you ol’ winter-that-didn’t-want-to-go-away!). It’s a time when the heater and the AC both get to take a break, when I can crack the windows open wide and the house and I collectively breath in fresh air and gratitude for the beauty that surrounds us. Neighbors come out of hibernation and we chat as we brush shoulders on the sidewalk. A Bradford pear tree, now lush and green, has found itself shedding white blossoms that grace my deck with flower petal “snow”. And my suburban backyard, small as it might be, is teeming with new life, too. Baby bunnies race across the lawn and retreat under the latticework of the deck, trying to escape from the clutches of two silly little boys that hope to catch a poor, unsuspecting new “pet”. Potted plants swell beyond the scope of their containers and beg to be transplanted to the garden bed. Birds construct their nests in the most unusual places and my boys “ooh” and “aah” as they master a real life version of I Spy (Find That Nest-style).

New life is bursting forth and it’s impossible to deny its presence. This is no truer than in our family life. In a few weeks we will be celebrating our third born’s first birthday (as well as a year anniversary of being a family of five!). My once puny little newborn is now a chunk of an eleven month old, with rolls on him that make the Michelin Man look like the next Jenny Craig spokesperson. Double dimples and drooly grins expose a large gap between his half-arrived front teeth. Thin wisps of golden tendrils frame his cherubic face and curl around his ears and nape. And if the cuteness factor were not enough, he has a sweet good-natured personality to match.

This year has gone by in the blink of an eye (I’m pretty sure I say that every year, but it’s true!). It’s hard to believe where our family has come in a year’s time, too. Twelve months ago I found myself on bedrest, hoping to ward off contractions long enough that our little man would stay put until he was full term. Our front door was a revolving one during that season with friends and family picking up our children and dropping off meals. I wondered how I was ever going to manage a household with three little boys well but life propelled us forward and I got a crash course quickly. The transition from two to three went smoothly, much thanks to a mellow baby the likes of which I had never encountered. As the months went on, we all found ourselves more deeply in love with this little one. It took three babies before I got my first, true Mama’s boy (and I can’t deny how much I love it! Being able to comfort a little one simply by holding him is like a parental superpower!). We have all rooted for him as he’s gone from rolling to crawling to cruising… and we can’t wait to see what comes next.

Going from a family of four to five has helped us to establish more of a rhythm to our days, too. I think the more kids you add to the equation, the more important that becomes. We’re not necessarily doing more, per se, but having designated times for certain activities has made our weeks predictable and has built anticipation for fun times together. Case in point, Friday evenings are our family movie nights. Supper is always popcorn, sliced cheese, and fruit and unlike any other time of the week, it’s allowed to be eaten in front of the TV (the kids think this is beyond cool!). Saturday mornings have become the times for small home projects. Nobody else may be excited about this but me! After having multiple to-do lists that I couldn’t tackle during weekdays my husband and I agreed to keep the first part of our weekend designated for that purpose. My list-making heart leaps for joy as I’m able to get some extra to-do’s marked off the list! Sunday afternoons are a time of rest, when everyone can retreat to read or lay down. While our baby didn’t establish these new rhythms, having him here made my husband and I more aware of our need to designate times to purposefully work, play, and rest as a family. It’s been a great addition to our family culture- and in a roundabout way, we have our little one to thank!

And so it is with much anticipation that we celebrate this darling little boy’s first year. I’m six years into this motherhood gig and if there’s one thing I’ve learned throughout this time, it’s that less is more… especially when it comes to celebrating birthdays. That’s a conflicting thought when your love language is research and event planning, but let’s be honest… a baby really isn’t going to care whether or not you hand sew a birthday banner, order custom cupcakes, or get your invitations from some designer on Etsy. So this go-around, there will be a small guest list and a simple BBQ. There will be hugs and kisses and presents and laughter, but not a lot of fuss or fanfare. I expect Little Man will be over the moon about cake and ice cream and not even notice much else when its in sight. And I’ll be over the moon celebrating this blessing who made me a mom times three!