Praises, Dax's Birthday Edition...

** yet another disclaimer... This post was far more organized two hours ago when I started putting it together. After hours of picture sorting and trying to finish this it is not in any real order, and half the pictures I meant to put on disappeared and some random ones showed up, so I left them. It's been a good day and I am blessed to have three amazing kids, not to mention their daddy! This middle son, he is something, but most of all he is a beautiful blessing to our family. He inspired me to start choosing joy. These are actual pictures from the day the side bar story was written. Gotta a love a boy who sparks such a journey for his Mama.

Four years ago today we welcomed this beautiful boy into the world. Our world was forever changed! Making it through his birth!

Finding that falling in love with a baby boy is just as easy as falling in love with a baby girl.

Lily making it through the last four years and becoming a pretty great big sister even after being thrown off her only child pedestal after 7 years.

Making it through my pregnancy! Man that guy was not an easy one!

The feeling of being so blessed with a second child after so many losses, and pretty much giving up hope.

People not saying anything too uncomplimentary about us naming him Dax. It has come to totally fit him, but I'm sure there were some with doubts at first!

Dax knowing my Dad. Having had the chance to roll around on the floor with him and hang out with his Papa for a long enough to remember.

The humor that this child brings to our house.

How my heart melts when he says, "I love you, Mama, I really love you"

How he insists on at least two rounds of hugs and kisses before I go anywhere. The way he always asks, "can I give you another hug and kiss?"

The moments that he loves his siblings. The way he is so happy when he can help them. This would come between the hitting, pushing, and yelling, "I hate sharing!"

Those Dax moments. The ones I can't really explain. The ones that set him apart somehow.

His voice. (well, his voice when he is not whining or yelling) It has always been distinctly his.

The things he says that just crack you up.

Hearing all day what a great birthday this is. How much he loved all his presents and how these balloons must have "fallen from the sky".

I love that he still fits on our laps, love to snuggle, and still has some innocence. I was so sad to have to enter the "ugly isle" to look at things he asked for this year. You know the isle, the one with all the ugly boy toys..ick! And I would love for the snuggling to be suspended from bedtime to breakfast, rather than take a brief hiatus and resume at 2 am in our bed. But I know that in a few years sleeping between his mom and dad will be the last thing he wants to do.

His intellect. He thinks outside the box...hang on teachers in the town, I'm sending another out a the box kid your way in a year or so. Funny thing, he is out of the box in a totally different direction than Lily.

Dax's relationship with Finn. I love watching them grow together.

Four years of the chaos that only a little boy could bring.

You have rocked our world, Little Man, and we wouldn't want it any other way!

**PS If you've been just anxiously waiting for pictures promised, I had them almost all uploaded earlier when explorer shut down. I found this a tad frustrating and tossed them by the wayside. Soon, soon, I'll try again. Thank you to those that commented, you made me feel better! And Aunt Lynda, I'll have to send you my garage sale wish list...I know you have great ones there too!