First..


About our boy. Bear is growing up. And it kills me a little bit. Every day he looks less and less like a baby, and all that baby chub is starting to turn into muscle. He's always been a big boy, but now that he's starting to talk and climb everything like his sisters, he's wanting more and more independence and I die.

As the youngest, I feel like he has equal amounts of attention and pictures taken of him, but I don't do THIS enough-recording who he is and what he is like right now. Most people who he meets can't believe how incredibly HAPPY he is, and he charms every one with his friendliness, expressions, and cuddling.

He looks so much like Lester, but so far has the outgoing Hanaike nature in him. And this boy never never stops dancing. He was born w rhythm and is always always putting it to good use, whether its 90's slow jams, current hip hop or R&B, billboard hits, motab or classical, you name it-he will dance to it, with perfect timing. He uses his whole body and face, and will often stop for a second to reach out and grab whoever's hand he wants, to drag them out the middle of the floor to dance w him, or to drop to the floor and dance there. And guys...I just melt.

Like I said, in looks, he is almost all Lester-but I am happy to say that I see myself here in there in his toothy, whole face smile, dancing, outgoing personality, and surprisingly in his hair haha. Its turning out to be much lighter then we expected-dirty blonde in fact, with a healthy amount of big curls, just like mine. His hair line however is the most hilarious thing-it goes in and back, then comes really far out and forward, then goes back in, making it super long by his ears, where it curls up and out, and in the center of his head, but super short everywhere else-like a natural alfalfa, cupie doll curl that is just the most hilarious thing. But it suits him, and he's all here for it. I am sincerely thinking I may never cut it, just so I can give him his own personal blonde man bun someday. I get excited just thinking about it.

He still likes to eat, anything and everything, but is at a point where he wants to do everything himself, I think bc of his sisters who he's always trying to keep up with. Milk however is the one baby thing he continues to hold on to-he wants it whenever we offer it to him, warm if possible, and in his baby bottle-even though he has been using a cup for a while now. Knowing that he may possibly be our last, we indulge him a little bit in this, usually once a day. He can be a little bit of our baby for as long as he wants, so my ovaries can decide if this they are permanently retired of have one more farewell tour in them bahaha.

He is performer, and loves any and all attention. We love him, and are so happy he is part of our family. He bring light, and a healthy dose of silly to every situation-something I think the world needs more of now more then ever.






















Second...

About Isla. Today at church, it was fast and testimony meeting, where people have a chance to share their beliefs and their feelings on Christ w the congregation if they feel moved too. It's totally voluntary, and even though no one is ever asked or forced to do it before hand, there are always enough people to fill the time in the meeting.

This week, when they opened the meeting, they said that they'd like to invite any primary age children who would like to bear their testimonies to go first. Lester and I looked at each other, kind of smiled and whispered to the kids [thinking we knew their answers] 'do you want to bear your testimony?'

Sure enough, Addy instantly said no-and then to our shock and surprise, Isla looked at us nonchalantly, shrugged her shoulders and said-"Sure." And then, without missing a beat, proceeded to get up and take the long walk alone all the way up to the pulpit, without looking back at all [we were in the very farthest back row of the overflow in the chapel]. She went up, stood on the stool on her tiptoes, which still meant we could only see from her nose up, and then said clearly into the mic, "I'd like to bear my testimony. I know.....my parents are true. And I know its important to be gentle with our families and friends." And then-she hopped down. And walked over to us, beaming, surrounded by smiles and support on her walk back, and possibly a tear or two in my eyes.

I always wonder if they are getting anything from the things we are trying to teach them. But what a testimony is about is testifying what you know to be true. Most everyone, especially sweet little ones, get up there and repeat what they've heard others say; things like  'I know this church is true.' But do they really?

But our Isla-she didn't say that. She said 'I know my parents are true.' And it makes me feel reassured. There are so many things that are hard for adults [like me], let alone kids to understand about life-especially now in this crazy, sometimes hard world.

But at the end of the day, she trusts us; and in her own words, she knows we are 'true'. Which means so are the things we are teaching her-about being gentle and kind, and about knowing who Jesus Christ is and what that means for her and for the world. And I think I needed to hear that-from her, for her, but also for me, to remind myself that I want to be someone who is true, someone she [and others] can trust wholly. She amazes me everyday.






Third...

About Adelaide. She recently informed us that she has her first, and now second loose teeth, and that while she is excited about it, she wants us to give her some time and space to get it out herself, or at least wait for her to ask us if she needs help. I'm torn between feeling happy she has a sense of independence about her, and accepting that this may happen less and less as the years go by. That said,  I am happy to say that the older she gets, the more I see her finding her confidence and stride, and adjusting to her surroundings. She is very much like Luke and me at that age, in that she always struggles with change at first-but then once she does she is all in, and very kind, and willing to engage, host and enjoy herself. We recently discovered during all the travelling that she is even more of thrill seeker, and athlete than we anticipated. She will do any roller coaster she is tall enough for about a million times over, climb any rock wall or stairwell she can, swim long past the point of pruny fingers and toes, while also finding creative ways to re invent her monkey bar route. She has lost any trace of baby hood in her face, and has absolutely blossomed into the most beautiful, pensive, thoughtful, gorgeously beautiful girl and I love how much she still loves us and wants to spend time cuddling, confiding in us, and asking w such trust to give her answers to her many questions. She is a hard worker, and once she starts something [whether its cleaning her room or reading a book] she doesn't like to stop until she's all the way finished. She is very responsible, and w that sometimes comes the burden of feeling guilty or the struggles of things not being perfect. We are trying to work on that w her, and remind her that we are all works in progress and no one gets everything right the first time! One of her dreams is also coming true this weekend when she officially starts her violin lessons that she's been begging for over the last 2 years. Hopefully she will still feel that way even when I am having her practise every day haha. I should say that although she is definitely quite the young lady, she still loves to get dirty, play, laugh and be a silly kid which makes me happy to see. We are so proud of her, and the person she is already, and the person she is also becoming.






I will just end this post by saying that people actually ask us fairly often how we get the kids to all sleep in one room happily, or be so well behaved, or so articulate, and kind-they ask us if we have any tips to pass on, like we're the reason they are who they are. I'm not trying to say we haven't had anything to do with it-we definitely show up, try our best, and have our nights where we lay awake and wonder what more we could do, how we could adjust to what they each individually need. But the truth is, I think we just kind of hit the jack pot. I don't think we ever thought to NOT put them in the same room, or whatever else. We just-did it. I think I sometimes forget how extraordinary they are  bc they are my main point of reference of how kids are. They definitely have their moments of temperfits, or difficulty-but they rise to every occasion, and I think have made parenting a fairly easy job [in a relative sense haha.] I'm proud of them bc of who THEY are-not bc of who I'm trying to make them into. If anything, they are making me into a better version of myself. The person I want to be. And no matter how sleep deprived, hangry, stretched to thin, or body affected I feel my them-I am grateful for that every day. Love my people.