In This Space Between: The Story of Our Little Squirrel

Happy 4th Birthday, little Squirrel!

I had been hoping and praying we'd be blessed with another baby after our second son was born in 2009. But as the months dragged by, no baby seemed likely anytime soon. Finally in January 2011 there was good news.... I went to the doctor for an ultrasound for other issues I was having, and got to see the little peanut we were expecting! In March 2011 an ultrasound showed us the little peanut was another boy. We had his name within a week: Liam Stephen (for my Dad).

20 weeks 5 days

My pregnancy went well other than the gestational blood disorder I have with all my pregnancies, thrombocytopenia (low blood platelets). I only gained about 40 lbs. with him, much less than the 60 and 50 lbs. I gained with the other two. (It helped that I was already overweight.) While I was about 5-6 months pregnant we moved to the house we currently live in. So Liam is the first of our boys to have lived in only one house so far, and has never moved.

Liam was due August 10, but as all my babies are born via C-section, we scheduled his birth for Thursday, August 4th (since my doctor "didn't work" on Fridays).

At 3:00 am August 4 I went into labor. Yes, I got the best of both worlds. We checked into the hospital at 6:00 am and the nurses monitored me and baby until I was wheeled into the O.R. at 8:00 am. Liam was born at 8:35 am at an itty bitty 7 lbs. 11 oz. and 20 inches long. My tiniest baby of all!

Gavin was not thrilled with this new brother business

Liam's Baptism August 14, 2011

5 months

1 year

16 months

Liam's glorious baby curls at 23 months

and after. I cried then too.

2nd birthday cupcakes

2 years and already an awesome mustache!

Age 2

3 years

Daniel from the lion den, for his first All Saint's Day party

It's otay moffy, I won't hurt you."

Liam and "my guys"

Liam at the wedding with his self-described "Tin-Tin hair"

As with all our children, we've enjoyed watching his unique personality grow along with him.

Liam is very loving, though he likes to tease his brothers on occasion. His sense of humor is something else; he seems to have been born with an understanding of sarcasm. Liam loves telling his brothers (who he refers to as "my guys") his favorite color is pink, with the most deadpan expression, and then busts out laughing at their consternation. I was having a serious guilt-trip worrying about him not knowing his colors yet at the age of 3. I thought he was color blind for a while. Every time I asked him, his responses were "banana" for yellow, or "pig" for brown, etc., and then he'd laugh every time. Someone else asked him colors later and he answered correctly. What a goofball. He then asks me what my favorite color is, I say green, and he goes something like "What?! No, your favewit cowor is silverrrrr. *GASP!* You have a silver tooth! Oh no, dat's just spit. Can I go wead a book? Mom I wuv you." Such a squirrel. "Mom! Ian peed in our wast (last) bedwoom! Can you see it? Can you wipe it up? Is it gwoss? You can cawee (carry) him, then he can't pee on you." He's pretty quiet in public but he can talk all day long at home!

Liam loves bugs. If he sees an insect in reach he can't see or hear anything around him until he has it.

He's still a little guy, and has those adorable ears that are all the better for hearing. I've often thought he'd make a great subject for a Norman Rockwell painting, if the artist was still alive.

Liam also bears a resemblance to his late grandfather (Eli's Dad) Joe Berst. He has ever since he was 4 months old.

Liam's voice is kind of squeaky, he is very shy around strangers, and he scurries around the house, never walking. Thus the nickname, Squirrel. He giggles when I call him my little Squirrel.

Eli wanted to join in the birthday celebrations for Liam, so we've been opening gifts, having birthday meals, and enjoying cake since Saturday! Every day when he wakes up he runs to me and asks "Is it my birthday again today?" The last two years in a row his birthdays have been double celebrations, as we also celebrate Ian's patron's feast day, St. John Vianney, on August 4 as well. (It's August 8, but until Ian is older this is very convenient.) Pudding cups were Ian's special treat, but he was sleeping during the candle blowing. We also do a special "bed blessing" before bed, as St. John Vianney was known to have been thrown out of his window, mattress and all, by the devil.

Around here the birthday boy gets to pick the food they want for their birthday meal, and what kind of cake they want. Liam's favorite (besides mac and cheese, cheese burgers, and pizza) is grilled chicken legs and corn on the cob.

His first cake request this year was radishes and ham. Oh Liam! When he got serious he told me he wanted chocolate and cherries. I was secretly relieved for the break from the superhero cakes of the last few years! I topped with a toy Leadbottom.

Liam was spoiled today with visits from both Rock Grandma (my Mom) and Big Grandma (Eli's Mom), Uncle (godfather) Jim, and a phone call from godmother Christina and her family singing him Happy Birthday! It was a good birthday....