Caught You

I caught you talking with your construction figurines.

I caught you singing and dancing in your room.

I caught you giggling in time out.

I caught you playing on Daddy's ipod.

I caught you sneaking an oreo before breakfast.

I caught you flexing your muscles in the mirror.

I caught you picking up your brother.

I caught you outside without shoes on.

I caught you on the counter tops.

...and this morning I caught you sleep walking... in the kitchen... with two fists in Grandma's candy drawer.

amazing.

For the last, I don't know... 8 months or so, you have come up with every bed time excuse in the book. 
It has recently changed to compliment hour and Daddy and I can't complain.

"You're AMAZING, Mom."
"You're the best Parent EVER."
"I WUV you."
"You're the best PLAYER in the whole world." (What?) I'll take it.
"You are awesome."
"You're my favorite."
and when you think I'm not listening or didn't hear you, you add more syllables. "You're my fav-or-i-i-i-i-te."

If I return any compliment to you in any form, you say "nooo, YOU are amazing. I just a boy."

I do think you're amazing though. I think you're such a good helper. I think you came into my life at the perfect time. Your smiles bring me so much joy. Not only that, I have hope. I see the genuine love you have for your family and cousins and I am so grateful for it. I have hope that the same love will someday radiate the world. I hope that you can create and embrace happy moments and live a life time of pure JOY. Most of all, I do "WUV" you.

hugs & kisses,
"mommy"

You hosted your first FHE!

You have had this obsession with Angel Moroni. You love to talk about him, see him in pictures and always ask to "go in!" when we drive by the temple. I was in the church bookstore the other day and you wandered your way in to the children's section. It wasn't long before you noticed all the scripture character action figurines hanging on the wall. Did you go for Stripling warriors? Did you find a sweet baby Jesus? Did you seek out the ripped Nephi figurine? Nope. Angel Moroni. That's all you cared about. So I had to have it. :) I hid it for a few days because I wanted to wait for a good time to give him to you when I could let you know of his importance.

Time went by, and I had to run to the dollar store for some shipping envelopes. I was in a rush, and you understood that we were just running in fast. Until you saw a life-size trumpet JUST like Angel "Moron-on-i's". We had to stop. We had to stop and look at all of them. There was no longer a rush to get out of the store. We both had fun picking out the most "Moron-on-i" like trumpet.

I asked if you would host FHE and you were SO excited to. We kept it a surprise and the family loved it. We dressed you up like Moroni and you marched into the living room blowing that horn just like I imagine Angel Moroni would. "do do doooo!!"

It was hilarious when Dad took a turn blowing the trumpet. He didn't do it your way, so you politely said "show how" (I'll show you how) and taught him the correct way to sound the trump. You did great. :)

We proceeded to teach about the plates and the visions of Moroni that Joseph Smith had. You explained that the spires on the temples point "up up heaven".

I enjoy every teaching moment I have with you. I really love watching you learn. You remember EVERYTHING and it really amazes me. There will be no empty promises from me, because I know you better than to forget. :)

I love you, Groobs. Thanks for sharing your "knowledge" of Angel Moroni with us tonight.

hugs & kisses,
"mommy"

Conversations with Lucas

You are officially my favorite child. You are so darn witty. You make me laugh with all your funny sayings. You have finally become my verbal little guy! You repeat whatever it is we say. You are doing GREAT!

Today while watching Huskies footaball, you repeated EVERYthing Daddy shouted. Including, "RIP IT!" and "OH YEAH" as well as "TOUCHDOWN!" He is so proud to have a son love Sports the way he does. We recently went to a Husky Basketball game and you watched the entire thing! Someone got fouled hard and you said, "OH NO!" in an angry yell. It's just so funny to see you start to understand the games we watch! You seem way too young to be interested. That's it! We're signing you up!

The other day, we were getting ready to run errands.
Lucas: Ready Dad! Let's go!
Dad: Where do you want to go?
Lucas: Ride.
Dad: Where do you want to go on a ride to?
Lucas: Huskies.
Dad: Oh, well they don't play tonight.
Lucas: (pause) Seahawks?

We were surprised by this because we rarely mention the Seahawks.

Mason got appendicitis on Christmas night. I had been trying to get you settled in for bed shortly after I heard the news. I thought telling you would settle you down. So I told you how he was sick and needed to go have surgery. I continued on, singing and making efforts to turn you "off" for the night when you made the most creative excuse to get out of bed yet. With your most painful face, squinting your eyes, using your most whiney voice you said, "Mom... me sick... owww... (grabbing your stomach) hurt... hospital... doctor... ohhhhh...." My response? "No, Lucas. You are not sick. You're going to BED." What a creative TWO year old!! Asking to go to the hospital?! Funny kid!

I love to hear the things that go on in your little head. Thanks so much for finally sharing them with me!

hugs & kisses,
"mommy"

coming of age

I'm sure this is the first of many. 

This just means that you are OFFICIALLY not my baby any more. You are a big 2 year old boy. Sad but true.

Here is a list of your current vocabulary:

yellow - ahloww

blue - boooo

green - naaaan

pink - mahp

tammy - mammmmy

joe - do

grandma - wamma

grandpa - papa (every old man is papa)

buffalo - bu oh oww

mint - mimp
juice - dusssss

We signed you up for speach therapy - just to find out that there's a 3 month long waiting list. 

I'm not worried because just after you were evaluated, you started saying tons more words!

You are so adorable. When you're ready to talk more I'm sure you'll have lots to say.

You might be a rough and tough boy by the looks of your socks, but you're nothing short of sweet.
Today we went out in the garden to look for worms under the pumpkins.
Out of no where you went from your haunches to your knees, closed your eyes and folded your arms. I asked you if you wanted to pray. "uh hu." I then asked who we were going to pray for - to which you replied, "Papa." So there we were. Out in the garden, mid afternoon praying for Papa.
After we finished the prayer, you opened your eyes long enough to ask me to say a prayer for "wama" too. So, we said another prayer for Grandma.

I love how in so many ways - you teach me.
Seems a little backwards, doesn't it?
I just hope somewhere along the line you feel like I taught you, because I seem to be the one learning here.

Love you, bug guy.

hugs&kisses,
"mommy"

Use your words.

I don't know how many times I ask you to say that each day. But we're making progress. Slow progress, but I'll take any progress! Here are your latest words:

joe - "doe"
bob - (the barrier kids thought it would be funny too teach you a random name)
popcicle - "pop-o-oww"
green - "neeen"
slide - " syyyyde"
hide - "hyyyyde"
moon - "moooon"
tractor - "tatorrr" (said with a growl)

The weather has been in the 90's and your wardrobe consists of a diaper. You love going down the water slide into the kiddie pool. You also are a master of the hose. You are dangerous! No one can ever get it away from you without getting doused. 

We love you and can't wait to share your second birthday with you!

hugs & kisses,

"mommy"

ICE

This is officially the first correct word you say. You say it with such care. Making sure to give each letter a sound, so slowly. IYYYCCCCCE. Sometimes you whisper it to me, because you know if you talk in your inside voice as opposed to yelling, you get what you want. And you always want Ice. If I want you to do anything, I just bribe you with ice. :) I guess it's the small things in life that make us happy.

The small things like you saying "Ice."

I have never worked on colors and shapes with you. We did today. You knew red right off the bat, and circle and star without me helping. It's crazy how much you pick up on without me knowing. I've got to work more with you I guess!

Daddy seems to think it's time to potty train you. I was on my way to do hair when I got a call from you and Daddy telling me you poo'd in the toilet! Since then, you've gone a few more times. It's pretty funny to see Daddy's techniques he taught you! As soon as you sit down, you press on your tummy to help "push" things out! You also go number one quite frequently. I guess I'm just not ready for you to grow up. :( I'd rather keep you as my baby forever.

I thought I was just going to talk about Ice, sorry to include all this toilet talk. Someday you'll potty train your kids, and maybe your Dad's "tips" will help you with your kiddos! :)

*and one more thing, I'm not sure I ever mentioned. This happened when you were 15 months or so.
We were saying our nightly prayers together in your room. Your arms were folded, and eyes tightly closed. I prayed that you would grow healthy and strong, after which you released your reverent arms, raised them in the air and flexed your muscles for me!

More recently, you have been going to bed with your glow worm we call "baby". You make sure to fold his arms during prayer time as well. What a wonderful example you are to your little baby.

OH. and it's your 21 month birthday today. :) Happy Birthday!

I love you, Groobs!

hugs & kisses,

"mommy"