The Little Mister turns four today. I can’t even believe it.

He came into the world on a freezing cold December evening … in comparison to his brothers’ birth stories, his was the easiest and most uneventful delivery (thanks to the wonders of modern medicine).

He’s sweet and charming, inquisitive and funny. Loves Minecraft and Angry Birds, obsesses over geography … his primary request for his birthday is  an app called Stack the Countries. On Thanksgiving morning he crawled into bed with me and said, “Mom, let’s talk about what states border Texas!” Geography is a bit of an obsession, which I think is a surprising characteristic for a third child.

I took his baby book into the bathroom last night and reflected. Had a moment. I believe our family is complete, but it’s still an emotional milestone when we realize we’re marching toward the end of the preschool era. For almost a decade, there’s been at least one preschooler in our house. Sippy cups and snacks, predictable nap time routines  and the very small radius in which we travel to accommodate their needs … these are the things I know. It’s comfortable here.

So I hope I can savor this next year of his life, instead of praying it passes quickly. In my experience, a four year old boy is a force to be reckoned with. Somebody remind me of this during the teenage years. I’m sure I’ll wonder what was my issue with four year olds?!

Happy birthday, Eli. We’re grateful for you and excited to see all the ways you’ll change and grow this year.

Linking up with Lisa Jo Baker and the last Five Minute Friday of 2013. Come join this fabulous community of talented writers and share your thoughts on ‘reflect’.