Finn turns four!!

Look who’s turning 4 in two days! Uh huh, this guy.

There was a time when he was all goofy and gummy like this.

And the hair!! Remember the hair? This baby had the most gorgeous windswept hair. Maybe one of these days the hair will make a comeback.

Be still, my heart.

I was showing Finn his baby pictures with the long hair and he was horrified that I made him have long hair as a baby.

“That’s not me because it’s a girl,” he insisted.

I really miss Finn as a baby but I gotta say, Finn as a little big boy is another level kind of dreamy.

4-year-old Finn is like golden light sunshine and rainbows sprinkles and fluffy cotton candy. He is all sweet and warm and gentle and so full of happy it’s almost ridiculous. It doesn’t take much to make him smile and this is the one kid who will laugh at all my jokes, even the lame ones.

He’s not the flashy sort that needs to be front and centre in a crowd because he’s mostly content to just hang out in the background while someone else takes the spotlight. But there’s something about him that makes you want to be around him.

It’s probably that disarming smile (that aunties find irresistible!), and that soft-spoken manner, and the way his eyes sparkle when he’s happy, which is often.

It sounds unreal but this boy doesn’t have meltdowns or tantrums and he rarely insists on getting his way. He’s just an easy, obliging kid who’s as low maintenance as they come. He did punch me in the eye that one time but it was mostly out of love, like a love punch. Usually if he wants something, he’ll ask for it politely and if we say no, he’ll try his best to be ok with it and be like “how about next time, mom?” Which is genius because it immediately makes me go like, “you know what, you can have it now. Mommy will give you anything you want.”

With so many kids around, I’ll occasionally have all 4 big kids talking at me all at once. Baby Theo is the loudest and he usually gets heard first due to the sheer force of his personality. Then Truett and Kirsten will take turns getting a word in while Finn waits patiently for his turn to speak.

“Mom I want to tell you…” he gets cut off by one of his siblings.

“Mom, do you know…” he starts to speak but gets drowned out again.

10 minutes in, my subconscious brain realises that everyone has had a chance talking except Finn, who is still getting his sentences hijacked by his siblings.

“Did you want to tell mommy something, Finn?” I ask.

“Is it my turn to talk now, mom?”

“Yes! Sorry baby. Ok everybody stop talking and listen to Finn.”

Then he’ll smile, pleased that it’s finally his turn.

Maybe it’s a middle child syndrome but I feel like Finn is the one I have to keep an eye out for to make sure he doesn’t feel neglected. He gets ordered around by his two older siblings and even gets bulldozed by baby Theo, who’s like a hurricane next to him. I was watching them play during nap time a few days ago and Theo was yelling instructions at him like “TICKLE MY TUMMY, KOR KOR FINN!! TICKLE MY EARS! NO, THIS SIDE!!! AND THIS EAR! AND MY EYEBROWS!” And Finn was just his usual obliging self, offering tickling services like he was told.

Between you and me, this kid is a keeper. I don’t know how I landed this gig of being his mom but I know I lucked out big here, no question about it.

Happy birthday, Finn! It’s been a dream being your mom and I’ll try my best to do a good job. :)