Swimming lessons

Grandma was able to come to swimming lessons with us this week, which was great, not only to have her there, but also so that we could get a few pictures of Luke in the water.

Swimming this summer has been a WONDERFUL experience - much different than last summer. Luke loves the water and has become really good at holding his breath and going under. He's starting to kick pretty regularly also.

Here he is playing the ball game that each lesson begins with. The kids grab a ball and then "swim" with it to the edge and put it in the basket.


This week we worked a lot on the kids coming into the pool from the edge, going under, and then practicing turning around, reaching for the wall and hanging on. They are emphasizing safety techniques, which I think is great. Learning to find and get to the wall, and then to hold on is probably one of the most important skills a 2-3 year old can have in the water.

Luke's first bike

Grandma and Grandpa visited us from NJ this past week. They surprised Luke with his very first bike ... a super cute Radio Flyer tricycle. This is a great bike because it changes as the needs and abilities of the child change. Right now, Luke is riding on it while someone pushes him, and is learning to use the pedals. He was thrilled to get such a great birthday present!

Tons to love at 2 years old

There is so, so much to love about Luke right now. This might be my favorite age so far...

1) I love that you tell us that you love us! Daddy and I talked about looking forward to the time when you could verbalize this several months ago, and it's finally here. It is the absolute best and you are too cute when you tell us about all the people who you love. It was worth the wait!

2) I love your ability to remember things. You will recall something we did hours, days, or weeks ago and chatter about it to me.

3) I love your sense of humor. You absolutely know what is funny and you make us laugh all the time. Oh, and your deep, down laugh from your belly. This is how we know something is REALLY funny!

4) I love your smirk. You put this on when you are having fun but you don't want to let on that you actually love what you're doing. I see this a lot at swimming class ... mostly when the instructor looks at you. You immediately stop laughing and smiling and put on your smirk.

5) I love your FULL sentences. Gone are the days of a word here and there. You are speaking in 4+ word sentences all the time. Sometimes the small words (and, the, a) get lost, but the rest is all there.

6) I love that you are able to communicate with us. You understand us and we understand you, probably 95% of the time. I have noticed how much you love this also. You are much less frustrated now that we know what you are saying.

7) I love your imagination. You are such a good parent to your stuffed animals. Yesterday, Monkey had to have his diaper changed :).

8) I love that you love certain things: trains, Elmo, Yo Gabba Gabba, books, balls, monkey, the park, taking Brooklyn for walks, swimming, climbing, guitars and pianos ... you are such a well-rounded little boy!

9) I love your dancing. You are still at it! Whenever you hear the music, you are getting down like you're in the middle of a dance floor. You could care less who is watching or where we are!

10) I love to hear all the things you know. You can count to 20 by yourself (almost ... sometimes fourteen happens several times!), you chime in on singing ABCs, you can sing Twinkle Twinkle by yourself, you know colors, and you have hand motions to half a dozen songs. Simply amazing ....

Most of all, I love YOU for everything YOU are!

The Big Birthday Party!

Okay, well, compared to last year, it was quite small, but no less fun!

Luke had his 2nd birthday party at the local park that we visit just about every day on our walk. Given his love of trains (however, if I had known how much he would become obsessed with fire trucks, I may have opted for that route), the party had a train theme.

We invited primarily our friends with kids, and everyone had a great time. The weather was nice, and we all picnicked outside in the shade. We had Togo's sandwiches, fruit salad, chips, and potato salad. The kids had PB&J, string cheese, and Go-gurts. And, of course, cake and ice cream! The kids ran around, played on the playground, kicked balls, played with pinwheels, blew bubbles, fed the ducks, and had fun with the pinata. All in all, a great time.

After we got home, Luke had a quick shower because he was filthy. I quickly put his diaper on after the shower, and before I could even get him dressed he was gone. I went looking for him and found him, in just his diaper, in bed. He said, "Mommy, night night." It was the first time he has ever suggested that he should sleep - I guess he was tired. He ended up napping for 4 hours!

Luke's 2nd Birthday

It is hard to believe that our little baby is already two years old. It seems that the days have passed slowly, but the months and years have gone by (too) fast.

On Luke's actual birthday, he came to see Mommy in bed just like usual, and I surprised him with a bouquet of balloons and "Happy Birthday to You." He asked me to sing it "more" about 5 times ... so, of course, I did!

After a favorite breakfast of yogurt, fruit, and french toast, we met up with Grammy (aka "Day") and headed to the Children's Discovery Museum. I think that we might have explored the entire place, but there is so much to see. The highlight for Luke was certainly the fire engine (which we visited twice - on the way in and the way out). He also really loved the water exploration area and the Curious George exhibit.

On the way home, we picked up McDonald's for Luke: chicken nuggets and a vanilla milkshake - YUM! He took a nap at my mom's while we enjoyed massages (that was my mom's gift to me on Luke's birthday - pretty nice!).

Daddy arrived home early from work to play with Luke, and we enjoyed a dinner of Luke's favorites: fruit salad, smoothies, and yet again, french toast (the rest of us also had eggs and bacon to complete our meal!). Then it was time for presents ... a fire truck and a trampoline from Mommy and Daddy, and a tool bench set, books, and an outdoor swing set (to come later) from Grammy and Poppy.

To top off the evening - cupcakes! Luke looked at us as though we were crazy while we sang, but was happy to blow out his candles and dig into his banana cupcake with cream cheese frosting!

Lucky Luke! Lucky us! What a fun day!

On the Night You Were Born

On the Night You Were Born
by Nancy Tillman

Luke and I often read this book - he loves to see the bears dancing, and I just adore the wording. It made me think of it today because, well ... tomorrow is his 2nd birthday AND because, as Luke pointed out this morning, the moon stayed up!

On the night you were born,
the moon smiled with such wonder
that the stars peeked in to see you
and the night wind whispered,
"Life will never be the same."

Because there had never been anyone like you...
ever in the world.

So enchanted with you were the wind and the rain
that they whispered the sound of your wonderful name.

It sailed through the farmland
high on the breeze...

Over the ocean...

And through the trees....

Until everyone heard it
and everyone knew
of the one and only ever you.

Not once had there been such eyes,
such a nose,
such silly, wiggly, wonderful toes.

When the polar bears heard,
they danced until dawn.

From faraway places,
the geese flew home.

The moon stayed up until
morning next day.

And none of the ladybugs flew away.

So whenever you doubt just how special you are
and you wonder who loves you, how much and how far,
listen for geese honking high in the sky.
(They're singing a song to remember you by.)

Or notice the bears asleep at the zoo.
(It's because they've been dancing all night for you!)

Or drift off to sleep to the sound of the wind.
(Listen closely...it's whispering your name again!)

If the moon stays up until morning one day,
or a ladybug lands and decides to stay,
or a little bird sits at your window a while,
it's because they're all hoping to see you smile...

For never before in story or rhyme
(not even once upon a time)
has the world ever known a you, my friend,
and it never will, not ever again...

Heaven blew every trumpet
and played every horn
on the wonderful, marvelous
night you were born.

Happy 2nd Birthday, my sweet boy! July 16th IS such a wonderful, marvelous day because it marks the day that we first met you ... and, "Life will never be the same."

What a difference a year makes

Last night I took some pictures of Luke climbing and sliding on his outdoor play structure that he got for his 1st birthday. He is ALL OVER IT. Climbing up the sides, swinging from the archway, sliding down the slide, and then doing it all over again.

Here are some pictures of him almost exactly one year ago ... so much has changed.

Luke's book selection for this month ...

...is, without any doubt...


The Little Engine that Could


A little long when all you want to do is get your toddler to bed, but a classic nonetheless.



A few new books might be coming someone's way tomorrow :)!

Loving Two

I loved this poem when I first read it. I knew that there would come a time when it would describe my thoughts .... I guess now is the start of that time.

Loving Two

I walk along holding your 2-year-old hand, basking in the glow of our magical relationship. Suddenly I feel a kick from within, as if to remind me that our time alone is limited. And I wonder: how could I ever love another child as I love you?

Then he is born, and I watch you. I watch the pain you feel at having to share me as you’ve never shared me before.

I hear you telling me in your own way, “Please love only me”. And I hear myself telling you in mine, “I can’t,” knowing, in fact, that I never can again.

You cry. I cry with you. I almost see our new baby as an intruder on the precious relationship we once shared. A relationship we can never quite have again.

But then, barely noticing, I find myself attached to that new being, and feeling almost guilty. I’m afraid to let you see me enjoying him, as though I am betraying you.

But then I notice your resentment change, first to curiosity, then to protectiveness, finally to genuine affection.

More days pass, and we are settling into a new routine. The memory of days with just the two of us is fading fast.

But something else is replacing those wonderful times we shared, just we two. There are new times – only now, we are three. I watch the love between you grow, the way you look at each other, touch each other.

I watch how he adores you – as I have for so long. I see how excited you are by each of his new accomplishments. And I begin to realize that I haven’t taken something from you, I’ve given something to you. I notice that I am no longer afraid to share my love openly with both of you.

I find that my love for each of you is as different as you are, but equally strong. And my question is finally answered, to my amazement. Yes, I can love another child as much as I love you – only differently.

And although I realize that you may have to share my time, I now know you’ll never share my love. There’s enough of that for both of you – you each have your own supply.

I love you – both. And I thank you both for blessing my life.

~Author Unknown

A special award

Luke's sweet Gym teacher, Miss Ashley, sent him a note this week in the mail with a special surprise in it. We missed the final gym class because we were out of town, and Ashley wanted to be sure that Luke received his award.

Luke is funny because he refuses to wear much other than clothes (no hats, no sunglasses ... you get the idea). I thought that this would fall into that same category and that I would likely not even be able to get a picture of him wearing it.

WELL...much to my surprise, not only was he happy to wear it right away - and he knew exactly what it was for and who it was from because he started doing "donkey kicks," "monkey jumps," and "somersaults" as soon as he put it on - but he does not want to take it off! We wore it shopping and to swim class this week! And, taking it off for bed is a very sad time as well (as you can see from the picture - he's wearing it in his jammies, right before bed.

Doing some late night reading....

...to prepare for my new role.


The picture is a bit blurry, but you can see the title. The funny thing is, we hadn't even read that book together yet - he just randomly picked it out. In fact, most nights when I go in to check on Luke he has a number of books in his bed. I guess the few books that we read together everynight before I tuck him in just haven't been cutting it!