A special kind of four

I’m not entirely sure how this

became four.

How a helpless, sweet, do-nothing lump of peachy cheeks and juicy baby thighs could become the force of nature that is Sage.

Sage, you are a confident, independent, self-assured human being–for four, or any age. Trust me, as one who has been through quite a few of those ages. Your confidence is on brilliant display through your humor, your curiosity, your challenge of conventions.

Only you could sleep with a cross-dressing rag doll named Diego. Only you could name your animals Huntz, Herrika and Pukebok. Only you could decide that you don’t want to be Wendy, you want to be Peter Pan. Or Charlie Bucket. Or Woody. Or the Bandersnatch. Only you could look at a pack of older kids at the playground and tell them you’re making up a new game, and here are the rules. Only you can’t be bribed with dessert.

Only you could say you don’t want to eat steak because it tastes like muenster cheese.

And when you giggle, there’s no sound like it in the world. 

You challenge me, Sage. Every day. You don’t offer affection easily or indiscriminately. You don’t take words at face value, even from grown-ups–everything is negotiable in your world. It’s frustrating. And it’s wonderful.

It is a sign of the four year-old (and fourteen year-old, so help me) that you are to be.

I hope four is everything it can be and everything it should be. Even if you don’t want to be four. Even if you told me you only want to be three. Or six. Or never grow up at all, just like Peter Pan.

Happy birthday, Sage. God, I love you.

{33 Comments}

33 thoughts on “A special kind of four”

  1. Happy birthday! She is so lovely, and your words make me cry. The fleetingness of it, the wonder, and the sadness … I relate to it all. xox

  2. Happy Birthday! How someone so little can amaze and frustrate us in the same breath–the joys of parenting strong-willed, independent. Love these moments like you do. They grow so fast.

  3. Oh how I love the peachy cheeks and juicy baby thighs, but how amazing when they grow into little people… happy birthday Sage! You and Thalia are invited to come play with Laurel and Violet any time!

  4. I can't believe she is four, because I remember her birth announcement on this blog…and that was just yesterday, wasn't it? Happy Birthday Sage!

  5. I love how you describe her… what a doll. Sounds like you're pretty lucky to have each other 🙂 Happy birthday, sweet girl!

  6. Yes! Love her!!! Happy Birthday dear Sage! I hope you guys have LOTS and LOTS of audio of her speaking b/c the day her voice “grows up”, I will shed a tear.

    And, mama, hugs to you too. There's nothing like watching our babies growing up.

  7. I'm over here sighing because my second baby will be four on Sunday. I can hardly believe it either.

    Happy Birthday to your girl, she's pretty awesome, I can tell from your words.

  8. Your daughter's beautiful and what a great birthday message to her. That's something she'll love to read when she's older so she can learn about some of the little details of her 3-year-old self that everyone may have forgotten by then.

  9. Wow, I can't believe Sage is 4! I found your blog not long after she was born. Which, now that I think of it, was not long after my own four year old was born. Funny how that works.

    She sounds like a wonderful little girl!

    (BTW, totally off topic, but… a couple of days ago you tweeted a link to a NYT opinion piece about BPA. I tweeted a reply that felt completely inadequate. My full thoughts on why requiring premarket testing of chemicals is harder than it sounds actually fit into my most recent post, so if you're curious, take a look and scroll to the bottom.)

  10. oh, those mommy words get me every time. sniff. beautiful post, beautiful photo, exquisite child.

  11. Sage is wonderful. She is a complete testament to you, Liz. She is what every mother hopes for (as is Thalia), and every grandparent says that their grandchild is, but rarely are. I am so proud of you and your family. Happy, happy birthday, Sage.

  12. I remember the bright sunny day it was here when she was born, as I waited to hear that she had arrived.

    Happy birthday, Sage! Such a beautiful girl, inside and out, and very much her own person. And congrats to you, mama.

  13. aaaaaagggghhh.

    NOT POSSIBLE.

    my lump turns three – THREE – next week. I die.

    (happy birthday to Sage, and happy birth day to you)

  14. She sounds like a great kid and I love how much you appreciate her strength. I love that picture of her now–one of the cutest little girl bobs I've seen in a while.

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