Turning Four

This past week we celebrated a birthday. I am now officially the mother of a four year old. Check this girl out.

Four--count 'em, four--years with this bundle of pure awesomeness. Photo credit Kimberly Lochner

Okay, confession, part of the reason for this post is because I have too many adorable pictures and I need to get them out somewhere. One of Patrick's high-school-era-friends took our family pics last November. She messaged me recently to say she was going to be in town trying out a few new backgrounds, and she needed some kiddos to stick in front of them. Well, how could I say no to that? Thank you, thank you, Capture the Happiness Photography!

(Oh, and she took plenty of James, too. Don't worry, those are on the way! I have enough pictures to spread over many a post...)

Odd though it may seem, some of my favorite pictures don't show her cracking a smile. Why? Because I can't help but smile when I see them. Case in point:

Love the face that screams, "Oh, you want me to pose some more, do you? Well, here ya go." Photo credit Kimberly Lochner

Ha! I can't help it. I can't even see her face, and this is still so Cambrie. Photo credit Kimberly Lochner

Peace. Photo credit Kimberly Lochner

After all, this is my girl who, after being reminded to put the hand-washing stool away when she's already cleared her dinner dishes and washed said hands, puts the perfect little scowl on her face and says (with these exact words), "Awww! Blah blah blah grumpy!"

Patrick and I burst out laughing, and she couldn't help but laugh along as she toted the stool to its proper place.

Photo credit Kimberly Lochner

 Yesterday I overheard Cambrie and Patrick in the living room telling each other knock knock jokes. They started the jokes like normal, but Cambrie would race to say the punch line before Patrick could get to it, afterwards bursting into bright, shiny, joyful giggles. It sounded a little like this:

“Knock knock.”

“Who’s there?”
“Cargo.”
“Cargo who?”
“Car go…”
“…beep beep!!”
“…beep beep!”
*Shriek giggle giggle*

Then the process would begin again. I don't know what's more fun: having a four year old whose joy at senseless jokes is impossibly infectious, or a husband who gets just as much joy out of playing along with her (and egging her on even more) every time.

Photo credit Kimberly Lochner

I'm four years, now, into this motherhood thing. Four years into a transformation of priority, purpose, and identity. Four years into learning how to care completely for another human being who doesn't understand or appreciate the depth of sacrifice and love that comes with being a parent.

I dunno. Do you think it's worth it? ...

Photo credit Kimberly Lochner