One of those days

We just changed the time of church from 9am to 11am. I thought it would be better for you. I think 3 hours of anything is hard on little guys your age. Sunday was hard today. We're working on getting you warmed up in nursery so you transition well next month. I think you'll do great. I just worry that there's no kids your age. You have natural attendancies to do things like climb, throw, or steal your neighbor's snacks. These things are only magnified by tiredness. (which you were today) The other children in nursery are a bit older and understand consequences more, so they tend to listen better. I'm sure you'll get there. Nursery has 2 rooms that are separated by a curtain divider. One room (which kids are not allowed in) stores all the toys that are not being used. The other is where nursery takes place. Somehow, you figured out how to open the curtain and insisted that you have the toys on the other side. (which included a bright, shiny slide and a rocking horse) Who wouldn't want those? After unsuccessfully trying to explain that you couldn't have them, you threw a fit. We ended up leaving the nursery for a little walk. Which you also didn't want. You ended up hitting me in the face. The sad part is, you have a fantastic memory, so I'm sure next time we go to nursery, we'll face the same battle. When you start to communicate a little better, things should get easier. I'm sure there will always be something for me to worry about though. :/ I know you don't mean it when you hit, you're just trying to get your point across. As a Mother, I'm learning patience more and more each day.

Lucas, I want you to know I love you. I love the sweet humming that you do while I sing to you. I love your soft and chubby cheeks. I love your cheesy smile. I love your giggle. I love your glare. I love your excited *gasp* that you do at anything and everything that is the slightest bit interesting. I love the way you pray. I love the way you watch the sacrament being passed with such curiosity. Today, you even said "Dada" when Daddy helped bless the sacrament on the stand. You did your absolute best in trying to get his attention. You are learning reverence, but I'm afraid tiredness took over today. I'm sure we'll have more days like this, and I'll continue walking you through the church when we do. I just hope next week you let me tune into at least one hour of church.

Thanks for putting a smile on my face at the end of a tiresome day for the both of us.

hugs & kisses,
(tired) "mommy"

Dear Lucas,

Please stop crawling out of your crib.

hugs & kisses,
"mommy"

Take THAT.

Last time I bathed you, two little brown floaties joined you in your bath. NICE. This is one of those motherly responsibilities where if I don't clean up, no one will. It was up to me to go fishing. bleck! In order to do so, I needed to get you out of that nasty water. I took you out, still naked and wet, I set you on the bathroom floor. What happened after this, you ask? PEE. You pee'd all over the bathroom floor.

It was almost as if you were saying, "take that, Mom, and THAT."

Well Lucas,

Take that.
...a nice little picture for your future girlfriends to feast their eyes on. I guess you could call it revenge. :) I love you!

hugs & kisses,
"mommy"

Stay Close

Your Daddy and I come from wonderful families. We are all very close knit. I look at our parents and wonder what they did to keep us coming back. Our gatherings are the best, and even though we don't all live close, we still all get along and talk often.

I want to know what it's going to take to keep you coming back?

Please don't ever go astray. I don't say this for selfish reasons. I want you to have the most wonderful life possible, and to do that, I know that our family needs to stay close. Please come back to visit when you're grown up. Please do your best to call me and tell me all the wonderful things that go on in your grown up life. It will mean so much to me.

I see families that don't have this closeness and I wonder how sad it must be. I am very lucky to be close to my siblings and have great love for them. I don't ever want to be that family that doesn't get along. I can't imagine how it must feel to not like your family.

We're in it for the long haul. I want you to know we'll always be here. No matter what path you take, where you decide to live, or what you do with your life. We'll be here for you. Our love is different than some. It's eternal. I know it is. Please stay close... and if at all possible, don't grow up. That would save a lot of stress.

hugs & kisses,
"mommy"

My handsome man - 15 months

You continue to change. I'm not sure I like it. They're all good changes, I guess I'm just scared. I don't want to you turn into a boy. I want you to stay my sweet little angel baby forever. I have to face it though, it's part of life. Here are some new things you've been doing:

• kissing like crazy
• snuggling - you never really have been a snuggler, but now you want me to hold you a lot. I don't mind at all. :)
• jumping - Your Aunt Tammy keeps saying that this is a motor skill that most babies and new walkers can't do and that sometimes preschoolers even have a hard time learning to jump! You jump all the time. You even stand at the last step on the stairs and without touching any walls, jump to the ground without falling. You climb on the ottoman and jump to the chair. You just keep working at it and you'll be dunking in no time. Hopefully this isn't a warning sign for the broken bones we'll face in the future!
• opening doors - I don't like this one.
  
• say UH OH, Oh no, all your animal sounds and sing your own little numbers quite often.
• play catch with Daddy - we're working on the catch part, but you've got a great arm!
• greeting guests at the door - You are always watching out the window when people come and leave the house. Sometimes, crying because you can't go with them.
• praying - You bow your head in such a reverent way.
  

We love you Lucas! You just keep learning and growing, even though I want you to stay like this forever!

hugs & kisses,
"mommy"

14 months and counting

Today church was rough. You aren't quite old enough to attend nursery, but are too old to just sit and play quietly during class. So... that leaves us in the hallway. Walking in circles around the church building. You are also turning into such a big boy that it's hard for Mommy to carry you! So we walk hand in hand, up and down the halls. Church is right during nap time and lunch time, which also makes it hard. When I first had you and realized how hard it would be to sit through a class, I thought I would surely never feel the spirit again. I was so wrong. It comes when I least expect it and stronger than ever. Having you has helped me put everything that I do in eternal perspective. I know that you are at such an age that everything I do has an impact on you. You watch my every move. You need me to teach you. You need me to instill these things that I have been taught in you. Heavenly Father sent you here expecting me to do so. He trusts me enough to send you to me. I am honored.

You are changing and growing so much. The more I look at you, the more I think you're not a baby anymore. You are turning into a little boy. One I can't rock-a-bye with as easy. One who climbs on tables, and leaves the house whenever he pleases. You are communicating more than ever. I just wish you would use words. I'm pretty sure you'd have a lot to say. You sign a lot, and grab my finger and show me what it is you want. You repeat everything I say in your own form, but to the same tune. You know all your animal sounds. I take you to story time at the public library often and we read as a group. The first few weeks, you just kept running out of the room, but now you are doing much better. We sing songs and dance on a daily basis. This is something that you want to do. You always beg me to turn the radio on so you can show me your new dance moves. Daddy taught you to climb. I don't know why he encourages such things! You are into everything, but are pretty good at listening when I ask you to put something away. I tell you "all done" or "thank-you" and you bring me whatever it is you're not supposed to have. You put your clothes in the hamper, garbage in the trash, and shoes in the basket. You LOVE Carter and Tuxedo. You always want to go give them treats. You LOVE reading with Papa. You always grab a book, hand it to him, turn around and back your bum right into his lap. You guys are best buddies. You love Presley and give her kisses. You love all your cousins. You love to run around with the older ones and do whatever they're doing. You are so lucky to have the family that you do, and we are ALL lucky to have you.

We love you lots, and hope you keep impressing us with all the things you learn.

hugs & kisses,
"mommy"

Mummified

After a long night at the ER

Late Saturday evening, we waited for your Daddy to get off work so we could head to Fred Meyer together. We went there for one specific purpose. We were going to get a baby gate to wrap around the fireplace with the winter season just around the corner. When we got there, the gate that had been on sale for weeks prior to this was back up at a higher price. Thinking that we could wait another week to see if it came back on sale, we left without the gate.

As soon as we got home, I sat down with you on the living room floor to put on your jammies. I explained to you that the fireplace was HOT. You pointed at it and repeated your version of the word "hot" back to me. I continued dressing you. Changed your diaper, pulled up your pajama pants, turned to get your shirt from the floor next to me, and in an instant, you took a quick step right into the burning fireplace. You rested both your sweet little hands right on top of it. I grabbed you as fast as I could and put your hands under cold water. Once I found the wounds, I put some burn cream on them and applied ice the best I could. You seemed to be handling it well. You continued on playing, when suddenly, the pain got worse. You started to scream. and scream. You rocked back and forth and belted out your cries. You wanted me to hold you, but it hurt you. You wanted your blankie, but that hurt, too. It was the hardest I have heard you cry, and there was nothing I could do to make it better. So I cried with you.

Because of the discomfort you were in, your Daddy and I decided to take you into the ER. Mommy sang to you as you continued to cry the whole way to the Hospital. The moment we walked into the hospital, your crying came to a halt. There was a fish tank. You were so excited to see those fish! I was glad that you could be distracted for a bit, but at the same time, I wanted you to cry so that the nurses could maybe rush our case.

No such luck. They tried to transfer you to Harbor View in Seattle, but we insisted that they wrap your owies so that you wouldn't be in anymore pain. 3 hours later, we brought you home mummified and put you to bed.

Your wounds are almost healed, and now you know what "HOT" means.
So sorry you had to go through this.

I love you oodles, mister magoo.

hugs & kisses, "mUmmy"

side note: For a split second, while you expressed your pain and I unsuccessfully tried to comfort you, I thought of Christ in Gethsemane. I know that Heavenly Father didn't want to see his child go through all the pain and agony he did, but he had to let him. I'm sure that it was killing him inside to not be able to take away his pain. I can't imagine seeing you in any more pain than you have already experienced. It hurt me as much as it hurt you.

I hope you always remember that Christ suffered the most excruciating pain so that we might live eternally. He did it for you. The atonement is real. Heavenly Father loves each of us so much that he GAVE his only begotten son to die for us. Always know that, Lucas.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.