Israel Turns 4!

Israel had a birthday in May and turned 4! It's not often that birthdays catch me off guard, but this boy turning 4 did! I think because him and Orion were both three I thought of him as 3 and never 4 before he turned 4 if that makes sense. 

Israel has been my baby for extra long and even though I've had babies after him, he is quite sensitive and seemed like my baby still. But 4 is hardly a baby anymore, so it's like he's grown up overnight. Israel is our spirited child. He's taught me so much about parenting and patience and teaching. I just love him so and  I know he is going to be a force to be reckoned with when he grows up because he already is. 

Case in point, I had a cute birthday outfit for him to wear, but no he wanted to wear this 2T turtle outfit that I had been saving for Moses. This boy haha. 

He is looking more and more like Leland as he gets older and sometimes looking into his face it's just like looking at Leland haha. And I often call him Leland by accident, but it is his middle name so I guess that makes it logical. 

He has been very into the show Fireman Sam, so we got him a little firetruck and it was a huge hit. 

He also loves superheros, dwarfs, fairies, snakes, diggers, trains and legos. He loves legos and magnatiles and could build all day with them. He loves cuddles and is still a Mama's boy through and through. He is particular about everything! Heaven forbid I open the van door instead of him. He must choose what he wears, with no input from me, even right down to his hair. He wouldn't let me cut his "bangs" even if I wanted to, luckily  I love his little bowl cut and that's the haircut he insists upon. 

He had rather a hard time with Moses for a few months there, and now him and Moses are growing into little buddies. He even requested that I get some more babies in my belly so that "there will be enough Moses's for everyone". I don't think he knows what he's asking for. He loves all his siblings and is happy to play with anyone of them who will play with him, so long as they will give into his every demand. Hence he usually ends up playing with Adele, Orion, or by himself haha. 

For months leading up to his birthday he told everyone he wanted a dwarf birthday and a dwarf cake, then a few days before his birthday he changed his mind and was wanting a hungry caterpillar birthday cake. I don't know if he saw a picture of his first birthday or if some inner part of him remembered that day, but it made me so nostalgic to make another hungry caterpillar cake. It turned out cute though, and very yummy. 

Instead of a party he chose to go to the trampoline park, which I was grateful for since  I was all partied out by this point in our birthday season. The kids all had a blast there and slept so good that night.