My youngest has had a quiet few years.

The older two met buddies at young ages because I needed to get out and because I felt, as a stay at home mom, it was important I expose them to other children (and their germs). I had similar intentions with my youngest but…I hadn’t planned on a pandemic.

I was grateful in those first few months his older brothers were home from school. While other parents scrambled I took the time to appreciate having all three at home for months together.

The next year our older boys returned to school and the youngest remained home with me. There were no play dates. No visits to the Children’s Museum. No regular socialization. He looked forward to the time his brothers returned home from school, just as the older boys looked forward to being alone for an hour. It was an adjustment.

When I was able to enroll him in preschool I settled on one that focused on getting outside and during the course of his time there he has developed his first true friendship. The boys play together, reach for each other’s hand, and look forward to that day they get to see each other again.

Which is why I said yes when he was invited to the other child’s party. It was my youngest’s first birthday party for a friend.

It’s been a quiet few years for our littlest but he still found his way into the social world.