Hero

I had a few strips of grass still to mow the other night when the mower broke. Literally. It didn't stop mowing, the motor was still running, it just BROKE, as in the handle broke into 2 pieces.

So...I tried to use one of our neighbor's mowers, but it couldn't handle the thick grass.

As Steve and I looked at our not completed lawn, he just jumped in and pushed and maneuvered the BROKEN mower until the job was done. Yeah, that is the man I married. Lucky me! Love you, Steve! Yes...in the photos below the mower is running and cutting...


This one to me shows Steve looking at me and thinking "Am I really doing this?"

Luke just enjoyed a cold drink while he watched Daddy save the day (and the lawn)

New Kicks and a Kazoo

Daddy Bear, Mama Bear and Baby Bear all got new shoes this weekend. We should be in a Nike ad, eh?

Here is Luke showing some skills with the Kazoo post-nap today (literally minutes after he woke up)

Today was a wonderful day. Wonderful doesn't quite cut it, but it will have to do. The sun was shining, the house got cleaned, we were outside for the entire morning (walk with dogs, vacuuming the car, park with friends). We just had FUN! Plus, I went to a great yoga class with my mums :) always a bonus. Just one of those days you smile about when you get in bed at night. I am smiling.

He's back

Oh yeah, Luke slept for 12 hours on Friday night (even as C'dale put a beatdown on M'boro!) and woke up Saturday a happy, excited and very mobile fella. The picture above is of him thwarting my progress with a super cute grin on his face as I tried to get all of his bedding and bed buddies to the laundry room. I am a bleiever and washing the fever out of a room/bed, etc...

Daddy took him the the freshman football game while mom cooked all morning. I made Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon which turned out really delicious :)

The weekend was beautiful, and we enjoyed family time. We went to the fair and saw some cows and tractors up close. Does life get better than cows and tractors up close?

Listening to one of his favorites read by gpa Nick. This is Fri. night when he was still feverish and not quite himself. Books were still a hit, though! So was a visit from Gma and Gpa. They brought homemade pizza, and we enjoyed dinner together.

The large Suburban in the window is being driven by its owner, Frank. He is 90 and lives across the street, and Luke loves him. We wave good morning and good night to his truck as it leaves and gets home most days.

Sunday morning we went to Kinkaid since Daddy hasn't been there in a while. Luke practiced rolling down hills and going the opposite way that his mom and dad are going. We didn't take a stroller with us b/c he is walking so much of the visit now, but strollers are still definitely handy to have when you JUST WANT TO WALK...we all had fun and it was glorious outside.
Eyeing a hill to walk down...

I mean roll down...

back up with Daddy. Thanks, Dad!


This morning, Vanessa and H came over to watch Luke while I went to a new yoga class. When I got home, Vanessa told me that Luke is super sweet and was impressed that a 1 yr. old shares :) and that he is such a happy boy! I loved getting a good report. She also loved the ball pit and said that they all spent some time in there this morning - I guess is it kind of a novelty to have a ball pit of one's own.

Last night, it got really chilly and I had all of the windows open so at about 4 I head Luke cry a little and I took his cool little body with me to the futon, got under a couple of heavy blankets (is it really August?) and knocked out until 7. He is still a bed hog, and I still love it!

and...he wakes up hungry, does the 'eat' sign and heads to the kitchen

Switching gears for a bit, I have been thinking lately about why we are here, as in, what is the meaning of life. The answers that go through my head all seem to have a theme in common which is to find joy/contentment in simple tasks/things. So, I am working to try and find more joy (can't you always find a little more joy) in daily living and here is my first recorded attempt. This part of the post has nothing to do with Luke so feel free to just move along, no offense taken!

I took our kitchen curtains down a few months ago and put some shelves up so that I could house some violets and herbs in the corner window. The herbs met a quick death, but I am pretty fortunate with the violets in my life. I added a few more recently and now I have this amazing and beautiful corner of purple blossoms that makes me smile every time I am in the kitchen (which is a LOT) There is one picture included of a plant with buds coming on strong. That one is for my dear friend Lesley. She gave me that plant 4 years ago and it has NEVER bloomed. Finally, I have found a spot that makes it happy, and, in return, I will enjoy its blossoms when they arrive. This is such a happy corner of the house.









Life is good and there is joy all around. LOOK FOR IT!

Fighter

The shots that Luke got yesterday have kicked his butt. Poor guy. He was kind of puny last night but still really enjoyed visiting with Gma Susan and Gpa Paul (so did Steve and I), slept really poorly last night due to a fever. I slept with him and was almost pushed out of bed at least three times :) I told him he is a bed hog when he woke up this morning and he just looked at me and chuckled (really!)

Cuddled, sang and read for over two hours this morning. Got out for a walk, more snuggles, a snack, a bath with me then rocked him to sleep for a three hour nap. I checked on him about 15 times during the nap and he did not move the entire time. I told his dad today (when he heroically brought home a good and easy thermometer) that even when he is feeling like crap, he is still a good kiddo. I was worried about a fever frying his brain so I kept asking him what a truck sounds like and he would give me a precious and pitiful Vroom Vroom. Somehow, that helped me relax a little.

He got to visit with Daddy for a while this afternoon while I ran out for some groceries, then Gma Jackie and Gpa Nick brought dinner and love over for me and Luke. Dad made great pizzas and it was fun to spend some time with them.

After reading six books and some backscratching, I put him peacefully to bed about a half hour ago (it is 8:30) and now I am just reading a little while I listen to the Terrier game on the radio. We were planning to go, but he just wasn't up for a night out so he is sleeping in his terrier shirt and hopefully will wake up in the morning closer to his happy active self. What a sweet, sweet boy.

Luke, if you ever read this, I hate it when you feel lousy, but I so enjoyed cuddling with you and singing "You are my sunshine" over and over. You ARE my sunshine and I love you.

Feed me

Luke really can't stand to BE fed anymore. He likes his own utensils, he would really prefer to use your utensils because they just look like they work better, and he is getting good at feeding himself. Go, Luke. Here are a couple of pictures from last night of us during yogurt time. Mr. Independent, indeed.




I love Luna's patience. She just sat there until the cup was done and enjoyed cleaning it out. She also really loved it when he dropped his spoon for her to clean which signalled that yogurt time was over :)

The doctor's visit was great today. We got caught up from the 15 month shots that we missed when he was teething. I don't think he felt a thing because he was screaming so loudly and just so angry at being restrained on the table. That examining table has certainly become his mortal enemy. But...the doctor was very happy with his development. He has grown THREE INCHES since the beginning of May (32 inches/51%) and gained 3 pounds (25 lbs/35%) so he is doing his job and doing it well.

Health and Happiness, LukeStar, that is what your daddy and I wish for you...We just adore everything about you, and we are thankful EVERY DAY to be your parents.

Steve is wonderful and he came home to see Luke after the appt. He was excited to cuddle him a little, but Luke wanted mama after a few minutes of loving from daddy. I took him and he snuggled into my chest and fell right asleep. All of that crying and being mad can really wear a kiddo out. I love having him snuggle up to me. NOTHING like it in the world.

TWO babies!

I have been getting to know a neighbor who has a 5 month old little girl. It is a gift to have a cool mom just down the street. I would have LOVED it if she had her baby when I had Luke, but we will all enjoy this year together. Little H is precious. The last time we were together, Luke kept trying to throw blocks at her head. He had good intentions of sharing (I think), but the whole idea of gentle or nice is just going over his head right now (ask the dogs if he knows what gentle means - oof) Well, even while trying to dodge blocks, little H was giggling like crazy. Her mom said she had never heard her laugh so hard and afterwards when mom would pretend to hit herself in the head H would just laugh and laugh. So...needless to say, H has a pretty easy going attitude.

H's mom and I had talked about doing a babysitting swap every week or two so that we can have a couple hours to do whatever. She had a meeting today so we started off with H coming over for a couple hours, and it was FUN! I seriously do not know how people - I mean WOMEN - handle multiple kids 24 hours a day, but the morning went really well and really fast.

I was super proud of Luke, too. I held H all but about 10 minutes that she spent in his crib while I changed a poopy diaper and got Luke a snack, and he didn't mind one bit. He was so happy to sit with us and read his books, play with his new barnyard set, bring H toys, etc...It was really sweet and special to see Luke acting like the big boy. It was also wild to hold a little baby again...no maternal cravings kicking in, but it was fun to play with TWO babies for a couple of hours.

There is a baby in my crib - cool!



He is more interested in his books than the baby!



The adorable Miss H



We have his year checkup tomorrow (yeah, we are 5 months late, talk to the scheduling office about that) He will get a couple of shots, get looked over, etc...I am already eager to leave the doc's office :)

Remembering

at the tree farm, a week before our wedding, enjoying some kind of carcass ribs. Trooper in his glory...2 years goes quickly, but we still remember him.