Loving me some Lukey...

This post falls into the category of "just because I want to remember." It might be boring to the rest of you, but I just don't want to forget...

One night recently I was reading some books to the boys. One of the books had a leopard in it. I read about the leopard. Luke got all 'pitiful Luke' and said, "What about the cheetah?" I explained it was a leopard and that we'd just read about him. He looked at me and said, "Let me see if it's a cheetah." Then he got up closer to the book and said, "Umm, let's see. Yes, it's a cheetah."

He loves sto state the obvious. I think this is pretty normal at almost three, but it makes me laugh. Usually. Most recently, "If he's cold then he is cold." Thank you for that insight!

One night recently he kept getting out of bed. This was a first for Luke and was my biggest fear about him sleeping in a big bed. The problem with Luke is that he's just so funny. He kept coming out of his room acting like he was sneaking and then he'd bust out laughing as soon as he saw us. He has a cold though and is all sniffly snotty icky - just "off." But the second time he got up he informed us, "I can't sleep because my nose smells like boogers."

I dropped him off at for an hour or so at childcare a few weeks ago. I went to pick him up and the person working in his room told me it's like everything he says is magical. I tried to explain to her that while that's nice for him, I'm pretty sure he gets away with way too much because of it. But I think I just came off sounding like a bad mom.

And, finally, he's really bad about calling us back into his bedroom at night. When I go in and ask what he needs his answer is, "Hugs and keeeses." Who can resist that?

**On a little side note, sweet Luke's little cold progressed into bronchitis. It has made for many a sleepless night, many fights over taking his medicine (not because it's so yucky, but because he thinks it's cute to run from me), and many many meltdowns over pretty much nothing. I couldn't help but capture this look as one of my daily pictures!

8 months old...

My sweet little baby is getting big (Well, not really. He's actually about to fall off the weight chart. But, he is getting older.). I know, I know, that's how it's supposed to work. He can sit up for a few seconds if I put him in that position. He is trying to get himself into that position. And he has recently discovered that he can pull himself across the floor much faster than he can roll. He can get up on all fours but he doesn't go anywhere just yet. He has started eating puffs, and is quite good at actually getting them to his mouth. He likes nearly all of the veggies he's tried, with the exception of green beans. He eats whatever fruit comes his way. He likes to watch his brothers play. He babbles like crazy - often mimicking the sounds of 'hi' when we say it to him. And his smile still lights up the room. So, without further adieu, a few shots from our 8 month photo shoot...

In my never ending quest to document our life (lives? maybe singular as we're living it altogether?), I'm working on a new and simpler version of a scrapbook this year. It's this concept, only I'm cheap and I didn't LOVE either of the designs available for purchase so I bought a scrapbook, on sale of course, and some divided page protectors and I am SURE I have nearly all of the other supplies I could need already here in my still too messy office.

Anyway, it's a simple concept - take one picture everyday (or lots of pictures everyday but choose just one picture) and journal about that picture. So far I'm mostly keeping up and I love to see the book coming together so quickly.

Here are a some pictures from the first few weeks of 2011:

Happy Max, first thing in the morning.

We gathered up all of the books from both bookcases (and various other places around the house) and attempted to organize them. Wow, my life is exciting! But that's what the scrapbook is about - documenting your own life, whether it's crazy exciting or just book organizing.

One day we had a picnic lunch upstairs in my bedroom. Why? Because it's at least 10 degrees warmer upstairs. And because I get a little bored with lunch. The boys almost always want the same thing. But this day I cut their sandwiches into little shapes and served it to them on a blanket upstairs and it felt less boring.

I know I've mentioned it before but Luke LOVES the moon. We went to some friends' house to watch a football game. Dave stayed for the whole game and I brought the kids home for bed. Seth was crying because he wanted to stay and play and because Daddy wasn't coming with us. Max was crying because Seth was crying. Luke was sitting in his seat saying, "Look, it's my moon!" He seemed so oblivious to all the other screaming! So, I might love the moon too because I think if the third child had started in I might have lost it!

Max's first "finger food".

These things I know...

-The older boys seem to love Max's new Christmas toys as much as their own (age appropriate ones). Max loves his socks. Off of his feet. And in his mouth.


-Every chocolate chip cookie I have ever made is flat flat flat. They taste yummy but look hideous. Thoughts?


-Cooking with Luke is hysterical. Conversation: L: If the sugar is good, the sugar is good. Me: Sugar is good, but this is flour. L: Oh, let me smell. Me: Umm, not that kind of flour/flower. L: OH, then I'll smell this one. [leans into cactus thing on the windowsill]. *A few minutes later...* L: I'll carry the eggs. Me: No, I think I'll carry the eggs. L: I LOVE eggs. [Interesting as he won't eat them scrambled or hard boiled.] Eventually, he went to dump flower into the mixer and dumped it backwards (I have NO idea how) but covered me and him and the countertop. Finally, he ended up eating "sprinkles," aka brown sugar, off the counter.


-The difference between puke and spit-up. Thanks, Max, for that clarification!


-Seth uses all of his "good" up at school and is crazy once he arrives home.


-Cleaning the office takes roughly a week (I'm hoping to complete it in the next few days anyway), when you must stop roughly every 4 minutes to referee a fight or start another movie or help find a lost toy.


-Clothes do not turn themselves right side out - not in the washer or the dryer.


-"Away in a Manger" is apparently a seasonless song that we will be listening to all year long.