Luke Was Here

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5 Minutes of An Hour Out With Momma

Me: Why am I all wet? I don't want to be all wet!
Momma: Well then splashing in that big puddle wasn't a good idea!
Why is the street black?
They ran out of blue paint so they settled with Black!
Why is the grass green?
Photosynthesis
It's so sunny!  Why is it sunny?
The moon was tired and decided to sleep so the sun came out to watch over us.
Where are we going next?
To the bus stop to get your brother.
When will he be there?
In about 7 minutes.
How long is 7 minutes?
420 seconds.
How long is that?
At this rate? An eternity.

Daily Photo

Photo Credit: Kate Metzger @ Wonderfully Made Imagining

Just Thought You Should Know

I thought you should know that I caught on to momma and "Happy Thoughts" no longer work. Oh, I still make momma go through the routine. I mean, it IS funny. I just don't go to bed without protest and tears. I'm just, you know, scared.

If anyone knows anything that might help me, let me know. I don't like being scared.

The Magic Powers of a Good Puppy (Momma's Words)

We took Luke (and Thomas) over to see Radar, Jesse's corgi today. It was a rare weekend where we had both boys, the weather was nice, and Jesse was up for the visit.

We were there for roughly 2 hours.

First they boys, of course, started out by playing fetch. Which lived up to, if not surpassed, the 3yo's expectations. Poor Radar got bored with it before the boys did. So next they moved on to chase. By the end of the 2 hours, both boys and the dog were pretty worn out. It was AWESOME.

But the true test came tonight. The happy thoughts and fetch role-play has been working, but there has still been some protest at bedtime. His bed is scary, etc. No tears. No major meltdown. But still some protest. Which in the grand scheme of things, is still major progress and I can live with some protest. What kid doesn't protest bedtime in general?

So tonight we went up, and nothing said about a scary bed. I got him in his top bunk, hugged kissed, and then it began. Only tonight I was curious and had him do our routine. Which, btw , was the cutest thing ever. The best part being the tail wagging, butt wiggle. I may or may not have joined in. Because, while this whole routine is on the humiliating side, and I'm glad the only witnesses are my kids (Thomas refuses to miss the show), the looks on their faces and tones to their laughs make it beyond worth it. Plus, you know, it actually works.

So Luke worked through the routine. He has it memorized. He shook his butt with glee. I shook mine right along. And then another hug, kiss, promise to check on him, turned out the light, shut the door and... not a single protest. Not one. Not even a hint. There may have been a lingering giggle, even.

An hour later and I haven't heard a peep from him.

Can dogs be knighted? Sir Radar, the Monster Slayer

The New Tag line Explained

Dr to me: See you later alligator!
Me: I'm NOT an alligator!
Dr: Well then, after awhile Crocodile!
Me: I'm NOT a CROCODILE EITHER!

Sheesh.

Can't figure out why my doctor and Momma laughed so hard...

Anyway, you may have noticed I changed the name of my blog and it's tag line. "Luke's Play Pen" was just insulting. I mean, I'm 3 now!

Monsters and Puppy Dogs

I have a monster problem. Momma and Daddy keep telling me it's the cat. Apparently, when I'm tossing and turning at night, she investigates and wakes me up and I get scared. Momma and Daddy learned to shut my door at night real fast. But sometimes my brother or I get up for something and forget to shut it and the monster gets in anyways.

Oh, and I don't care what you say: It's a monster!

After a fresh attack Momma or Daddy lets me get in bed with one of them for the rest of the night. Some nights when I'm too scared to even start out in my bed, Momma or Daddy cave and I don't even have to try.

My bed is scary.

Mommy and Daddy say I have to at least start out in my bed now, every night. I guess since there hasn't been a recent monster attack.

Momma first tried giving me PJ. PJ is Momma's bear that she built. Momma says he is a monster fighter and won't let monsters get me if I sleep with him. So I keep PJ, but I'm still suspicious. Monsters are crafty, tricky sorts.

So for a few days, Momma tried putting me in bed and then sitting in the rocker until I fell asleep. Only, it's hard to sleep with momma in the room.

So Momma started trying something new a few nights ago. She calls it happy thoughts. The first night she asked me to think of a happy thought. She helped by listing a few things. We decided on a puppy playing ball.

So Momma told me to think about my happy thought while I tried to sleep. She then helped by telling/showing me what it's like when a puppy plays ball. It's fun to watch Momma do this:

First you throw the ball *arm gesture and all* and the puppy gets really excited, "Oh boy! You threw the ball!" *mimics running* Then the puppy chases the ball and picks it up in it's mouth. *both hands to mimic the puppy picking up the ball in it's mouth* Then the puppy is all excited, "Oh Boy! I got the ball!" and wags it's tail all happy. *butt wiggle* Then the puppy runs back all excited, "Oh Boy! I'm bringing you the ball!" *mimics running* And THEN the puppy drops the ball and you get to do it all over again!

She usually shows me a few times. (It sometimes changes a little with each showing because Momma gets creative/silly with it.) It's pretty funny to watch from my bed. I laugh the whole time. Momma uses all her energy trying to be that puppy chasing that ball!

Then after I have the happy thoughts firm in my head, Momma gives me a hug and a kiss and tucks me in with strict instructions to keep thinking about my happy thought of the puppy playing ball. And then she promises she'll come up and check on me in a little bit. Then she leaves. I won't say I let this last bit happen without any protest, but I will admit my happy puppy playing ball thoughts do make it a lot easier so I don't cry like I use to.

And the best part? My friend Jesse has a puppy named Radar and we get to go play ball with Radar sometime soon! Mommy thinks it'll help with my happy thoughts. Plus, any excuse to play with Radar is a good one, she says.

I am slightly suspicious that Momma doesn't end up checking on me. I try to stay awake for it but after 5 minutes my eyes get so tired...

Luke Was Here

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Luke VS Preschool

We spent most of this past school year planning to have Luke in preschool next year. He was going to go to the same one his brother went to. We filled out the paperwork in Feb. He was accepted. Things were good to go.

The week leading up to the down payment being due, with check in hand, I began to think. There were so many thoughts.

His refusal to potty train. He's getting closer but the stress of that first day of school deadline was weighing heavy.

The fact that baby number 3 is due at the very same time school starts.

The fact that preschool lets out 30 minutes before and half an hour away from where and when TK's school lets out. Which is doable. But the daily schedule would be basically Pat dropping off and picking up all of us from three different locations through the day none of which are even a little bit close to each other. With a newborn. PS, with there being nothing set about my work schedule, it was very plausible that he'd have to be in two places at once on a regular basis. With a newborn.

Then there was the small nothing much to it, but still annoying fact that the boys would be in two different school districts. And while they would share some days off, it was quite possible, they wouldn't even have the same spring break. We could have dealt with that, but it just added to the thought that maybe this wasn't the best of all ideas.

Finally, there was cost. Preschool at the church is expensive. Comparable, to any private preschool, but expensive. And payments were figured out, but it was still weighing heavy on my mind. If cost had been the ONLY hesitation, I would have gotten past it. It's education. But I couldn't see paying so much money for something I was so unsure about.

The day before the check was due, I shared my concerns with Pat, he shared them with mom (who was an important factor) and we decided the best thing to do was hold off. Now,second best, I could have gotten him in the program at TK's school. Not ideal, but better than the nothing he was facing. But simply put, we waited to long. So we decided we would just wait a year.

Fast forward a few months. We get a call from one of the head ladies at the preschool. She was curious why Luke wasn't going to be attending after all. I think we broke her heart. (These ladies have been watching my boys grow up since they were infants.) Pat explained the biggest reason (newborn) and she understood. THEN she informed my husband that if after things settled down we wanted to give it a try, even though it would be the middle of the school year, let her know and she would find Luke a spot. It didn't sound like a maybe, it sounded like just let her know when we are ready. And you know what? THAT might be very doable. It would still be Pat running around all over town with drop offs and pick ups for the 3 of us, but at least it wouldn't involve a newborn.

So it seems we have a plan!

3 Year Well Check

Momma called me a square. I'm 39 inches and 39 pounds. This puts me in the 75th percentile for height and the 95th percentile for weight.

I got shot! Just once. In the thigh.

The nice nurse lady used this special cuff to hug both my arms and one of my legs. She called it taking my blood pressure. She said she took it 3 times because I'm little and she needs it to be accurate.

Momma said I was so good! I did everything I was told!

My Dr said I was perfect.

Momma bought me a movie because I did so good!

If it wasn't for getting shot, it would have been a good trip!

Sleeping

I can't sleep upstairs in my bed because there is a black monster. So I have to sleep downstairs in the pack 'n' play next to momma.

Dear 2 Year Old

I'm struggling with this kid. This has been a challenging year. I want this letter to be positive, but that's just not the reality of the situation.

I am a firm believer that the terrible twos are just a myth and it's all about three. Three is when the inner struggle and the challenges come out. Now, this was very true for your brother. He breezed through two. I was very surprised that he lived through three.

You on the, on the other hand, gave whole new meaning to terrible twos.

Words to describe you this past year: defiant, stubborn, obnoxious, and argumentative.

But just when I gave up all hope, you became: sweet, loving, and goofy.

You have a streak of independence. You have a stroke of genius.

You have a temper.

You are a red head. And everything they say about a red head's temper seems to be true. Because OMG boy, you have a short fuse and it's easy to light.

You will also make a good example of a middle child. We are still, however, defining and redefining what that means. But you seem to already have the personality down. Now you just need the little brother that comes with it.

So here is the deal kid, you spent your year as a two year old, acting like a three year old. So now that you are three, it's time to act four. Really. You need to mellow out some. I think the safety of us all depends on it.

Or if all else fails, keep up the hugs, kisses and laughs.

Either way kid, I love you.

Confused

Today I found out I'm going to be a big brother. This kinda makes sense. I mean I'm a brother. I have Thomas. And I'm almost 3 so I'm big now, right? So I'm gonna be a big brother?

I just wish momma would stop talking about the baby. I'm not a baby anymore. I'm big.