Yesterday my darling baby turned four! I still can’t believe that my baby is now a real kid… like I can’t call him a toddler anymore he’s a KID?!? It’s an odd sensation, For the past 5 years I have had babies or toddlers and now I’m entering a whole new phase of parenthood and it’s weird!
As I reminisce and look at past birthday photos I can see all the changes that have taken place over the past few years and I have joked (half-way) to my husband that I need another baby ASAP. When change is before me, I find that it’s comforting to grasp onto what I know trying to create a safety net around the uncertainity. Yet change is inevitable and I can either resist change or trust in God’s plan. The more I submit to God’s will and embrace the path He has set before me I see His blessings overflow. Judah’s birthday was a perfect example of God’s blessings from start to finish, it truly was a “perect day!”
As I have been preparing for Judah’s birthday I have noted all his likes trying to categorize them into a special day. Being that hippos are his favorite animal and we don’t have any near us we made it a destination birthday to the San Francisco Zoo where we where able to visit his hippo!
After several hours at the zoo we took a car ride over to the pier where the boys could see the ocean and it just so happened to be that Firestation 7 resides right where we happened to be exploring! Judah for two years in a row has been adamit he is a firefighter. He dresses up like one daily, watches shows, reads book, owns a ride in firetruck and has more firetruck toys than I can count! Anyways the guys at the station where so incredible, allowing him to get in the truck and play for a few minutes before we headed to Ozumo for dinner.
Ozumo is an amazing Japanese restaurant and being that Judah’s favorite food is sushi this was the place to go! The views of the bay bridge are breathtaking, the sushi is incredible and the service is impeccable.
After diner it was time for cake! I preordered a custom cake from The Cake Gallery, which is an adorable bakery located in the city. Their cakes are not only delishious but they also deliver free of charge to anywhere in the city. Judah wanted a red velvet hippo cake and that was exactly what he received!
After a perfect birthday dinner we where about to wrap up our fun filled day in the city and head home, but God had another surprise for us! Right outside the restaurant their happened to be more firetrucks, police cars and an ambulance. Luckily the situation that called them out ended up being a less serious ordeal, but when the firemen saw the boys and discovered it was Judah’s birthday they went all out! Patrick put the boys in the firetruck, wished him a happy birthday, let him put on his gear and push the horn! It was truly a perfect ending to a perfect day!
It’s amazing to see how such a little boy has such a strong presence. How his heart is both caring and assertive. He is a go getter even at four years of age! This birthday was a blessing; in years past we have a huge party at our home, I custom make the boys cakes, and I am usually so busy I can’t capture the day! Yet this year was different, we had only our small family and my husbands parents with us which allowed me time to actually focus on the birthday boy and document the day. As the boys change and grow, I am embracing the truths about parenthood. Each stage I have experienced with my boys has been pretty fantastic and although I miss the days of babies and toddlers I don’t need to try to hold onto the past. Just because they are growing out of what I am familiar with just means a new adventure is beginning. I am trying to look at parenthood with this new perspective, and embrace the changes that surround me because c’mon it’s pretty darn great!
When raising kids it’s not just about the present it’s about the big picture of who they are becoming. Kyle and I have specific traits we desire to mold into our boys. Getting this year to homeschool and watch them grow academically as well as in their individual personalities is why I love being a mom! It’s discovering who God has made them to be and fostering their dreams into reality! Judah’s birthday was exactly that in a nutshell. Taking who he is today and who he wants to be in the future and molding them together into one great destiny! Motherhood is my greatest accomplishment and I am so grateful that God has allowed me to experience such a precious gift!
Hugs,
Julie Black
Faith Based Heart by Julie Black 