Judah. Builder of birthday Legos.   Amelie. “Mom, isn’t Noah just the cutest baby you’ve ever seen!?”   Gabriel. I love that he will always choose to be outside — even in 100-degree heat — rather than inside watching an afternoon show on Netflix.   Noah. “Mommy! A pire-work!”

Judah. I love this smart, quirky, funny guy so much my heart hurts.   Amelie. The parts of her personality that I once thought were challenging have become a breath of fresh air in our house full of boys.   Gabriel. This boy is a sponge, hungrily soaking in every new experience and person and word. He just can’t get enough. I love his enthusiasm for life.   Noah. I have yet to see a person who doesn’t break into a smile at this grin.

Play Doh edition . . . Judah. All concentration.   Amelie. Play Doh is a full-body experience.   Gabriel. Our blue-eyed kid.   Noah. “A ‘nake!”

Yes, I’m aware that this post is two days late, and the reason is that my mom and I just returned from our first road trip with all four kids! Photos from our weekend to come, but in the meantime . . . four from Friday. Judah. Tall boy on his sister’s scooter. He’s 4 feet 4 inches!   Amelie. She’s been very attached to “Sally the puppy” since giving up her blankie last year. Now she also needs “tissue,” a cloth napkin that she used a few colds back. Oh Ams.   Gabriel. He was introduced to the world of Lego for his birthday and now there’s no going…

I love following Bleubird’s series of portraits of her children, so in an effort to keep pulling out my nice camera and practicing photography, I give you Four on Friday: a photo of each of my kids each Friday.   Judah. He’s always working on a project, trying to get what’s in his head out into the world — it usually involves drawing, coloring, or building. We love these glimpses into his imagination.   Amelie. It turns out that she and Gabriel are two peas in a pod — the family extroverts who love people and animals and being outside. Neither enjoys being alone so it does our hearts good…