harvey is 6!!!!!!

today my baby boy turns 6.

last night harvey came out to me on the couch and asked if i could hold him like i did when he was a baby, and just like when he was tiny, he fell asleep in the crook of my arm as a i rubbed his ear. it's been ages since he's done that, and it was perfect. 

the days of harvey's babyhood are long gone, and childhood has long-past begun. the baby of our family feels less like a baby each day that goes by, and the memories of that tiny fuzzy-haired infant in a carrier is only found in old photos and dusty posts. i mourn those days we'll never have again, even though i love what the last 6 years have brought, and can't wait to see what he becomes as he gets bigger & bigger.

harvey loves watermelon, youtube, wearing multiple shirts at once, keeping his hands in his pockets at all times, and slicking the front of his hair down a-la-kate gosselin. 

he's lost 2.5 teeth and counting.

he's obsessed with jude, even when jude is less than obsessed with him. 

he still thinks churros are chicken-flavored.

he prefers shorts to pants because "pants make [him] look like a manager."

he hates attention, pranks directed towards him, and being corrected. 

harvey is still spoiled, curious, and asks way-too-poignant questions for his age.

he was my first child to yell, “f**k you!” and as a new york baby, i was equal parts impressed and utterly horrified.

we're head over heels with this kid.

happy, happy 6th birthday, harvey penn:)

jude is 10!

today our squishy middle man is double digits! 

i looooove that his birthday always falls on winter break- a whole week off school, and this year to celebrate we're doing a whole lot of nothing. which is kind of perfect for our homebody boy. instead of cake, jude requested sour patch kids, twinkies, an icee, sour gummy worms, skittles, and mcdonalds chicken nuggets. and mashed potatoes. and maybe shake shack. and zabar's oj for breakfast. 

he's very particular. we'll see how this goes;) 

learning who jude is will always be one of my most deeply complicated lessons in life. the boy who has always kept me guessing with the most sensitive soul is truly the most passionate petersen. he's brillant and cool and handsome and fun and has the yummiest little man body to cuddle. 

10 years together feels impossible. 

jude, we love you so!

happiest birthday to our juju. xx

 

she's 13!!

somehow my sweet girl is officially a teenager. 

in some ways she feels so much older, and in other ways i can't believe it could possibly be true she's no longer a fluffy, blonde-haired little ball of mystery. 

she's grown like 3" in the last few months. she's silly and aware and gentle and independent and brave and funny. she's learning her voice and her strengths. it's incredible to see, hear, and feel. she's learning who she is- all of who she is- and watching her figure it out is remarkable. she's amazing. 

happiest 13th birthday to my baby, elle.

harvey is 5!!!

today our tiniest baby turns 5. five!

it feels impossible.

the ache i have to hold my babies close and keep them small feels more and more out of reach.

harvey is the babiest babe of the family. he’s spoiled and mischievous and charming. he’s flirty and silly and dramatic. he relishes any and all attention, and demands doting from all, all the time. he’s smart. and hysterical. HE IS SO FUNNY.

he still counts time by “sleeps” (“how many sleeps until my birthday?”). he says, "bless you!" after he sneezes. he is a deep lover of school (his teacher, ms. shannon is one of his very, very best friends). he gets grossed out easily, is terrified of bugs, and has adopted characteristics & habits that are mildly to vastly inappropriate for his age due to an older brother who is a devout influence.

he's always been our happy caboose. we're all obsessed with him. he brings delight to all of us. 

harvey penn, thank you for being our babe. we love you. 

jude is 9!!

happy 9th birthday to the giggliest, funniest, loudest oreo-cream-filling child of ours. 

i asked jude how others would describe him:

"DANGEROUSLY SEXY! or... nice."

jude has proven from the instant i knew he was a boy that my role was to not try and think i new a thing about parenting him. as he's grown, that revelation still proves true (and somehow still catches me off guard/keeps me humble/leaves me exhausted). i know nothing of how his mind works, or why he does what he does. i'm shocked often by how much he is like his dad. it's straight magic & amazingness. 

i love that jude feels deeply. i love that his only volume setting is loud. i love his contagious giggle. i love that he's settled into his own style, and sense of rhythm. he can move his coordinated body better than anyone in our family by a mile. i love that he falls asleep basically as he crawls into bed. i love that he's always in his underwear, and despises brushing his long, thick, beautiful hair. i could stare into his beautiful face all day long. i love that he's reserved unless we get into an uber or taxi, or other mode of transportation, wherein he immediately becomes a complete chatterbox of random information. i love that he is honest. i love that he craves physical contact, cuddling, and has become such an incredible communicator of his emotions. 

this year he's been obsessed with movies and youtube and roblox and mashed potatoes and facetiming his buddies and drawing and soccer. he is still the most attentive, cautious student. 

i can't believe he's been our dude for 9 years. juju, we adore you. 

happiest birthday, my love.