Fun times in TX

We just returned from a wonderful long weekend in Dallas at "Hotel Clark." We had such a great time hanging out with some of our best friends and getting all the kids together. Luke had such fun meeting Peyton, Easton, and Ava, and hanging with his buddy, Jack.

If you can believe this, I actually took the LEAST pictures of the weekend together. I knew that we were in good hands with Brian and Joanna behind the lenses. Here are just a few pictures to give you an idea of all that we did thanks to party planner Joanna!

Breakfast at the big kid table:

Fun playing with Easton and all of his cool toys:

Swimming time with Mr. Darin:

Driving the boat with Daddy:

The Girls (minus Ava and I):

Backyard playtime:

Rub-a-dub-dub, how many kids can fit in the tub?

The SPLASH PARK (a trip highlight for Luke):

And, so, so much more that I didn't capture on film. Thank you, Clarks, the weekend was absolutely perfect. We couldn't have asked for more fun or better friends!

Best Friends

"Give a boy a dog and you've furnished him a playmate. "
-Berton Braley

Relaxing:


Telling secrets:


Hugs:


Kisses:

AND, a comfy place to sit:

Luke's BIG news...

...is that he has started to use the potty!

This came as a complete surprise to Mommy and Daddy, but it made us very happy and excited.

It all started in Mass. after Luke watched his cousin Jacqueline. He decided that he would try also ... and was successful on his first attempt. Since then, he has gone pee just about every time he sits on the potty, and when asked, he usually answer enthusiastically that he wants to try.

I guess the next step is getting him to let us know when he needs to go (?).

We are not forcing the issue, but think it would be great if we could just take Luke's lead on this one ... we'll see what happens!

Cousins

The Sheep Fair

Oh, yes, that's right ... our weekend destination while in Mass. was the local sheep fair. Luke loved every minute of it. He thought that the sheep saying "baaa" was just about the funniest thing he ever heard. Every time we finished walking through a barn full of sheep, he would ask for "Moe sheep."

Ice cream sandwiches were also a favorite part of this excursion.

Sprinkler fun

This might have been one of the highlights of the trip in Luke's mind. They had SO. MUCH. FUN.

Oh, and by the way, Uncle James (who created this activity) is now officially one of Luke's favorite people ... ever.

The Great Race

Around and around they went, chasing each other while pushing their carts/strollers, and laughing the whole time.

Airplanes, pinwheels, and tractors

Jacqueline and Luke had a great time with the glider airplanes in the yard. Unfortunately, Luke managed to break his in a matter of minutes, but it didn't seem to bother him ... he just kept throwing it up in the air like nothing was wrong! Jacqueline saw his plane and said, in the sweetest voice, over and over, "I'm sorry, Luke. I'm sorry that your airplane is broke."




Luke also LOVED the pinwheel on the lawn. Guess we'll need to get one of those for our yard!



And, of course, the tractor. What's a visit to Mass without a tractor?

Massachusetts in May

We had a wonderful trip east to MA, NY, and NJ last week. We loved our time with "SacEast" (James, Kate, Jacqueline, and Frederick). We also had a chance to stop for a day in upstate NY and visit Michael's best friend Chris, and his wife, Sarah. We continued south to round out our week with a short visit to Grandma and Grandpa Saccento and the Vitiello family. What fun!

Luke was an absolutely amazing traveller. On several occasions, Michael and I commented on this to each other ... and wondered if our luck was about to run out ... it never did. He traveled well, slept great, and adapted easily to the time change and all of the different environments.

This was the first airplane trip where Luke had his own seat. I believe this was a key ingredient to our travel success. In addition, this newfound travel accessory was a huge help in transporting not only the carseat, but also Luke, through the airports. The best $15 I've ever spent! Luke loved looking out the window at all of the airplanes and trucks. He even seemed to enjoy take-off and landing. Of course, as with any toddler, the time in between was a bit more difficult, but we managed with very minimal whining.

Here are a few miscellaneous photos from our trip. I will follow this post with several more groups of pictures so that you can see how much fun Luke had!

Checking out the airplanes in Chicago:

Meeting our new sweet nephew/cousin was certainly a highlight of our trip:

The breathtaking scenery behind Kate & James' new home:

Book of the month

One of Luke's top picks for the month of May is:

Bedtime chronicles

As you will see in my previous post, Luke is doing well sleeping in his bed at night. We have even gone a few nights without the pacifier (which I'm hoping to get rid of soon!).

First night without the bink:

Another night with no bink ... and quite the position, I just had to take a picture!

Last night it was honestly at least 80 degrees in the house. I dressed Luke in his coolest pjs for bed. When I went to check on him before I went to sleep, I found him completely wrapped up in his quilt, hot and sweaty:

2 months until he's 2!

Today Luke is 22 months old. I simply cannot believe that my little baby is almost 2 years old. Where has the time gone?

Luke, every month you are cuter, more fun, and more full of life than the previous. And, each month we seem to fall more and more in love with you. Here are just some of the things that I love about you right now:

1) I LOVE your conversation. Since the tubes were put in your ears, your vocabulary has exploded. You are now talking in 3 and 4 word sentences, and some of the stuff that comes out of you amazes us.

2) I love how you now refer to yourself at "Ruke." You spend a lot of time telling me what "Ruke" should be doing ... "Ruke swing," "Ruke drive," "Ruke choc-choc milk," "Ruke Daddy gui-tar" (Luke & Daddy play guitar together), "Ruke, Ma play choo-choo" (Luke and Mom play with trains), "Ruke shaow" (Luke take a shower).

3) I love that you can repeat just about anything and everything. Last week I was asking Daddy why it was so important that he got his hair cut that day. He said it was because he wanted to look hot for me. You heard this and instantly looked at me and said so matter of factly, "To look hot for you!" We definitely need to watch what we say from now on!

4) I love that you are getting very good at going to sleep in your big boy bed. You can now really understand when Mommy asks you to stay in bed, and you try SO hard most of the time to resist the ultimate temptation of getting up and playing in your room.

5) I love that you see things that I don't even notice. For instance, when we drive anywhere in the car, you look out the window and notice the sky, trees, airplanes, trucks, cars, train tracks, etc.

6) I love that you are able to describe things now. Instead of just saying that you see a truck, you tell us that it is a "white truck," or a "red car." So smart!

7) I love that you have some incredible sense of direction that most certainly did NOT come from me! If we say that we are going to Grammy and Poppy's and we take a different route, you make sure to let us know that we are going the WRONG way! You also know exactly where the light rail train tracks are, and if we approach that street, you start talking about the train before we even get there. It amazes me that you know where you are!

8) I love your hand motions that go with songs. You love to do "The Itsy Bitsy Spider," "The Wheels on the Bus," and "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star."

9) I love that you love when Mommy sings to you. Sometimes, if you are upset about going to sleep you will cry, then settle in my arms and in your most sad voice ask Mommy to "siiiing peez." Just to make it better, you sing along with me, but usually only making sure to hit the high notes along the way. Listening to you sing while we rock is one of the best parts of my day.

10) I love what a little musician you are. I know that I've said it before, but I'll say it again - you are destined for great things musically! You love to sing, dance, clap, drum, bop, watch concerts on TV, and sometimes just listen. This month the guitar was your highlight ... and I love to watch you hold it (the "right" way without even being shown how) and strum and dance away. Daddy is going to make you a strap so that you can move around with it more easily :)

11) I love that you seem to love books and reading together more and more all the time. You can even remember and repeat lines from books as a way of telling me which one I should pull off the bookshelf.

12) I love how you come into our room on weekend mornings very quietly. Sometimes you just sit on the floor next to the bed and watch us sleep. And then, out of nowhere (and usually quite loud) you either announce that you have "poo-poo" so that we will get up and change you, or you start singing your version of the Elmo song "La la LA ELMO!"

13) I love how you "swim" on your tummy in the bathtub!

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day!

We had a lovely, relaxing day. We enjoyed brunch here while Luke played in the yard with Uncle Todd and the dogs. It was perfect weather. I love Mother's Day.

Luke, thank you for making me a mommy. I can't imagine life without you, and it is honestly my pleasure and honor to be your mom.

Musician in the making

If you follow this blog at all, you know that I LOVE music, dancing, singing, and guitars. Over the weekend was the local Berryessa Art and Wine Festival (which Mommy refers to as the "junk festival"). This year, I went with Daddy and Poppy because Mommy and Grammy went to a baby shower. Well, let me tell you, there was MUCH more than "junk" there this time! Look at what Poppy and Dad found for me:

I honestly couldn't be happier. I haven't picked up another toy since I got this beauty!

My most favorite thing...

Right now I am OBSESSED with guitars. I beg Mommy and Daddy to play "di-tar" all the time. One of my favorite parts is dropping the pick inside the guitar and then having Daddy shake the guitar to get it out - so funny!