Johnson and Johnson says that having a baby changes everything, but the most blessed experience of a new addition is seeing everyone grow into their new roles. Our baby boy has just reached one month so I thought I’d post a reflection on what his entry into our family means. The title of this post is inspired by something I read last year (also worth a read!)

Meeting their baby brother and inspecting his feet!

Mel in the 2009 Philadelphia Tri

Melanie
Before Sam was born I knew my wife was an inquisitive, tenacious, and high capacity person. She’s a policy expert, a triathlete, and passionate about the gospel.

Since Sam arrived, I’ve seen her use these qualities to grow into a truly remarkable mother.

After Madeleine was born, there was even more fun and more sacrifice. More thoughtful consideration of how to make sure both kids knew they were precious and loved.

And this past month I’ve seen the early days of Melanie growing into a mother of three. The love for Benjamin when feeding him in the middle of the night. The patience with Sam and Maddy (and their dad!) during the day.

It’s simply beautiful.

Sam
He entered the world with a bang and has kept us on our toes from the very first minutes.

At two he was already gregarious, funny, and loving. But when Madeleine arrived we saw a new depth to those qualities.

I took him home from the hospital after meeting her for the first time and he cried for three city blocks in his cute two year old way screaming “no leave baby sister! ”

Sam has always enjoyed walks with his sister!

Since then, there’s been the usual brother sister back and forth, but mostly I’ve seen a little man, learning how to love his sister. Being gentle with her, using his social skills to protect her fiercely at the park (and everywhere else).

Now that Benjamin has arrived, we see a boy who delights in the gift of a brother. He’ll wake up and make declarations like, “Today, I will teach baby brother to walk.” His last question at night is often, “Can I see baby brother first thing when i wake up?”

We were talking a few weeks ago about him starting back at school next month and he told me plainly, “I need to spend time with my family, Daddy, and you know that!”

Madeleine
For more than two years she has been our baby, and now she wears her “Big Sister” shirt with pride.

She delights in coming up to Benjamin and in her distinct toddler dialect saying, “Hi sweet pea boooyyyy!”

When he cries she insists we sing “Jesus loves you me” (same words, different toddler-given title!) or “Wheels on the bus go round and round.”

She’s definitely aware her world has changed but there’s a sense of peace in how she’s handling it. She loves both of her brothers and she seems to relish her new role.

The Beautiful Journey
And that’s the beautiful journey God has us on right now. A healthy baby boy who – in one short month – God has used to grow, challenge, and change us.

In spite of the sleepless nights and added stress, there is so much beauty in seeing my family grow, in quality, not just quantity.