The Sacred World of 4

Since January, we've been granted VIP access into the world of being 4. It's a wild little place where trains litter the floor & colorful markers stain the hands.  We bear witness to the evolution of a little boy busily transforming into a bigger boy. "4 is such a magical age" my friend commented in October. I smiled at the time like I knew, but little did I know. The magic of being 4 resides in the the little moments that make up the day to day.

The weeks upon 4's arrival I've watched my son become lost in his own imagination. Lost in a world of play, where games are happily created & characters come to life.  

It's a place where boundaries are tested regularly- along with it my patience.  Superhero's & Peter Pan are for real & flying could actually happen…to any of us…at any time. 4 is filled with infinite possibilities. 

It also carries the weight of a new found independence that can disrupt a once normal routine.  For example, getting dressed-Bebe Bird pretty much takes fooooreeeever to get ready. Now, at 4 he insists on dressing himself & currently loves to deck himself out in comfy pants (sort of like long johns that used to be worn at home or under clothes during the winter months.) These days, his comfy pants have become a staple in his everyday wardrobe. A uniform, if you will.  With pride Bebe Bird will announce to his class "I've got my cozies on today."  They smile because each of them know how comfy cozies can be.  

Bebe Bird rocking his "cozies"

The 4 year old mind is a curious one.  When speaking with a 4 year old you'll quickly learn that the "how's", "what's" & "why's" can dominate a conversation;  "What's fire made of?", "How is it yellow?" "Why is there blue in fire sometimes?"  

4 Year Old Boys & Their Toys

On a recent walk Papa was telling me about a restaurant requiring "Proper Attire".  Bebe Bird interrupts, "What's proper attire?" "Oh, I answer. It's when you need to dress sharp."  "In that case", he says, "I'll wear my Santa suit." Of course you will, because you see, at 4 Santa is the best dressed man in all the world.  

Turning 4 has been everything and nothing at all. It's the negotiating and reasoning. It's the hugs & the tantrums. It's exhilarating & exhausting & can be, at times, downright excruciating. 

It's that childlike innocence we so admire when all grown up.

4, it's so simple, it's magical.  

Here We Stand

2015 gave birth to our sense of adventure.  We packed up our Brooklyn belongings &  headed west for the winter.  On a bitter cold January day our plane took off at Laguardia and made its way to southern California. We discarded the heavy coats for long scarves and tossed those shoes aside, making room for tiny grains of sand to rest between our toes.  

My soul inhales gratitude as we drive down the coast. A million silent "thank you's" race through my veins.  The sense of being home, for now, breeds contentment. After all, this is where "we" began.  

As the opportunity presented itself we took another leap of faith as a family of 3 to Carpe Diem this time in our lives, when Bebe Birds not yet in big kid school, when I'm home with him & Papa is able to work remotely. We packed our bags for the west coast as the chill of winter made itself comfortable on the east.  

For years Papa & I would travel anywhere but here.  We wanted to explore the world. We would seek out adventure & surf in places like Costa Rica or the Dominican Republic.  We went to London, Nice, Paris & Majorca.  Then Bebe Bird was born and we discovered a great need for him to connect with this tiny place in the world that had such a big impact on our family's beginning.  His grandma is here, he has cousins here.  And even though his nest has been built 3000 miles away, in Brooklyn, we want him to know he has roots here too. 

So, this winter we plan to hibernate in this sleepy California beach town to soak in the sun & each other. We're just passing through until NewYork de-thaws & the spring breaths new life into the city that never sleeps.  #joy&courage