Luke Is Two!

My heart.

Of course.


Because he's just finally learned to answer, "One!" when I ask, "How old are you?"

Being silly for the camera because he knew I wanted a smile!

That boy!

He insisted on carrying these balloons all over the house...even with him in his room for nap!

Note the candy cane to bribe.  He's not into skittles or jelly beans these days.

He is the love of our lives.  He is funny and finds himself funny, which is even funnier.

He sings.  All.the.time.  Songs I had no idea he even knew.  I love turning to look at him when I hear him sing something and he'll look at me with this sweet, shy little smile and keep singing.  He knows words I had no idea he knew because he sings them perfectly to the radio or jingle he hears.  He bounces his little shoulder and belts it out.  He tries to dance, but like his Mama and Daddy...well, it's cute, but he's definitely a singer and not a dancer!

The singing makes ME sing.

He is a counting fiend.  Randomly, he'll just start counting.  To ten, sometimes to 12.  I.have.no.idea.how.he.knows.that.  I have always counted with him when using stairs and things like that, but land alive! The boy's been listening!

He cracks us up when we say the blessing before meals.  We shouldn't laugh, but it's so darned cute.  We'll say, "Let's say 'Thank you, Jesus!'" and we'll hold hands.  Then he squeezes his eyes shut like they have been glued together and a couple seconds later, opens to check if we are watching.

Which we often are.

He's getting so much better about responding with, "Thank you," without me prompting him to, and his little southern accent is TOO.MUCH!  I adore it, especially his little "Ma'am" ... which is more like, "Maayyy-uuuhhhm" (Yes, we have him say "Yes, Ma'aam/Yes Sir; No, Ma'am/No Sir"... I'm almost 40 and I do, my boy will have manners too!)

He melts my heart every time he says, "Uff eww" in response to me telling him I love him.  Which is pretty much all the time.  He loves his Mama, that's for sure, and makes my heart go pitter patter!

He's all about showers these days...that little stinker wants to just jump in anytime he hears the water running, clothes and all.  He prefers a shower to bath, and honestly, that's almost easier for now, so I am glad he enjoys them.  Toothbrushing too.  He got a Thomas vibrating toothbrush in his stocking for Christmas and he LOVES it.  He's always loved brushing his teeth, but he literally dreams of that toothbrush.  Trains, trucks and aircraft—the boy is all boy and his daddy couldn't be more thrilled.  He's good about knowing the difference between a helicopter, an airplane and an Osprey.

Yes, there's a big difference!

He loved the snow, for a while, and then was ready to go in.  Just like Mama!

Still sleeps pretty well and naps like a champ from about 1-3:30/4 most days.  I am SO lucky.  Still has his boppy (paci) for nighttime and naps, and since the ADA says they are ok up until 4, I am not pushing getting rid of it while Daddy is gone.  Nor am I potty-training anytime soon.  I've heard you can start at 2 and your son will be trained by 3 or you can start at 2 years, 11 months and your son will be trained by 3.

Opting for the latter!

He  still doesn't watch a ton of tv, but he sure does love his iPod and iPad and can work those like a champ! He only has a few shows he likes...Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Thomas, Yo Gabba Gabba and Wonderpets are some favorites, but he's also added Dora and Curious George to his playlist.  He still really only wants to watch the same few episodes, but those episodes are practically memorized.  It cracks me up to hear him recite lines.

Pretty much the only tv he watches is with Daddy, and that's the main time he snuggles with Daddy.  This was tonight after dinner.

He has a lot of words still, but is just now starting to phrase (and often, phrases he's heard from Dora—"I did it!" or Yo Gabba—"I like it!") and I'm somewhat surprised since he has such a huge vocabulary.  He just turned two, though, so I'll give him a little more time before I worry.  Ha ha.

He is exceptionally good at leading you by the hand to show you what he's talking about if you are not getting it.  "Hands, hands," he'll say, so he can take yours and get his point across.

The boy knows his construction equipment!  He can tell the difference between a backhoe and a frontloader and a bulldozer and a crane (and now so can I!) and he sure does love construction vehicles.    They will be the theme of his birthday party tomorrow.

We'd not really planned much, but in thinking about Daddy being gone for a year, we wanted to squeeze in all the memories we could make, so we threw something together.  Poor child.  His mother is NOT a party-planner by any means.  I even tried to figure Pinterest out more for a few suggestions.

Yes, my Mother Of the Year trophy surely is in the mail!

Helping put his goody bags together...really, he was just trying to play with everything.  This was after his nap.  He carried those balloons EVERYWHERE!

Today was low-key, as we will celebrate more tomorrow.  He had a yummy breakfast of donee holes and yogurt and applesauce.  He ate tons of hot dog and yogurt at lunch, and his birthday dinner was cheese bread, yogurt bites, crispix and fruit bites.

Birthday dinner.  He's eating.  I'll take it.

Yes, yogurt is a theme.  Therapy is going ok, but he still is very, very resistant to new foods and eating and we are working on a lot of tactile and vestibular sensory integration.

Anyone off the street wouldn't have a clue that we have issues.

And though they aren't big ones, they still are there.  Mommy knows, and we are working on them.

He is so funny.  He's starting to exert his will, and even that is funny.  He'll do something he shouldn't do, and I'll say, "Nein, nein!!!  Not okay!" Then, I'll give him the "Mom" look and he stares back...as if we are in a stare-off.

Then he giggles.

Which makes me giggle!

Some faces for the camera as he walks with Daddy...

Situation diffused pretty easily!  I am so, so thankful that even in the middle of a fit, it's still a short fit and one that I can usally divert pretty easily.  I pray this temperment lasts.  Mellow and laid-back with just enough spunk to keep it interesting.

Love.

I cannot believe how quickly two years have passed.  I am sad that John will leave at such a fun time, but he and I agree that there really is never a good time to leave your kid for a year.

We are well aware of how precious every second is.

His anti-daddy campaign is over...right in time for Daddy to deploy, of course.  That's ok.  John will take all the snuggling he can get!

Samuel Luke, you have been such a joy to your parents.  You have shown me an ability to love that even surprises me, your bleeding heart Mama.  I never doubted that I'd be a sappy, lovey-dovey mother, but you make it so, so easy to just let things roll off my back and not stress over anything but enjoying every second of your childhood.

It goes too quickly, and I don't want to come to the end of my days regretting not using our time together wisely.  You are our sunshine, and every day I end in prayer thanking God for the gift of you.

Happy Birthday, sweet boy.

I love you with everything I am and have, and you'll ALWAYS be my baby!