Luke says

I felt better when I was in bed.

(in response to the question, "Why were you sleeping on the floor?") Parts of my blanket were on the floor, so I followed it!

I woke up and my bed was wet so I asked myself, 'Should I sleep in my bed?' No, that wouldn't help. 'Should I sleep on the couch?' Yes, that would help!  So I slept on the couch with Seamus' sippy cup.

Mom can I wear your necklace? Sharing is caring!

(entering starbuck's)  This place smells like caffeine!

Seamus, you won't get what you want by screaming.

Luke says, Mom says, Seamus says

Luke:
I'm trying to put Dad's hat on the dog because that will be super funny.

Mom, do you want to catch my gitch?

Luke: You have a booty bag!
Sarah: What does that even mean?!
Luke:  I don't know, but it's funny!

Laura:
Please stop repeating yourself.  We hear what you're saying, but we're not listening.

I got rid of those shirts because they were too short and I was pretty sure they were never going to be long again.

(the humor in this one is the fact that I only have sons) Make sure you put shoes on when you go out so you don't ruin your nail polish!

You've gotta stop smacking your feet on the floor when you run.

Laura: I want to nibble your cheeks!
Luke: Oh mom, I'm much too skinny for lunch.

Seamus' newest words:
Ba-ya-na (banana!)
Puh! (up)

Dad's New Shades: one size fits all

No, there is too much; I sum up.

We are:
eating bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin in a whiskey cream sauce
drinking summer cream whiskey (we had a lot of whiskey to enjoy...so we are!)
playing in the sprinklers, pool, hose...basically any water we can get our hands on.
weeding flowerbeds and vegetable boxes
walking down the dyke for an ice cream cone
laughing with Auntie Sarah
riding bicycles without training wheels
sitting on the breezy front porch watching other people ride bikes without training wheels
enjoying watching lilies blooming
visiting friends near and far
baking for Celeste and Ayrek
kissing the baby with gusto when he says, most adorably, "Ah-yo" (hello).
practicing yoga
wondering if we live in a dream... green grass, hot air, growing things galore!
dreaming for the future

So I'd like you to dance

BIRTHDAY!!!

Take a ch-ch-ch-chance!

BIRTHDAY!!!

So I'd like you to dance!

BIRTHDAY!!!

Awwwwwww!

Yes we're goin' to a party party.

Yes we're goin' to a party party.

Happy 34th Derek!

It's a beautiful day to have been born.

We will celebrate with warenika and sausage, a new movie, running in the sprinklers, and breakfast with your folks!

We are going to party party, in your honor!!

Luke Says:

Oh hurray!  It's Friday!  Fry-day is for eating fries.

I'm eating, I just don't look like I'm eating.  It's camouflage.

mom: Two thumbs up means the best.
luke: Two thumbs down is worsest.


mom: You have to come in.
luke: Why?
mom: It's dinner-time.
luke: I don't want dinner in the Summer.  I'll come in for Winter!

mom (singing broken off): Morning has broken, blackbird has - if you swing that yo-yo anymore you're going to hit somebody, and I'll have to take it away!

I don't like Sunday School because there's snack-time and then I don't have an appetite for lunch.

mom: We're going to hit two birds with one stone.
luke: What?
mom: We're going to get two things checked off our to-do list at the same time!
luke: And the birds in the bushes will be so surprised?!

luke (holding up shoes): Are they on the right feet?
mom: Nope.
luke (switches sides): How about now?
mom: Nope.
luke (exasperated, switches sides): How about now?
mom: Uuum, no.
luke: You're pulling my leg, aren't you?

"This is the Best!"

He shouted, "Woo-hoooooooo!!" as he cruised off the driveway for the very first time, with no training wheels.  The hose in my hand ran forgotten into the flowers beside the garage as I watched my firstborn son ride a bike.  There's a saying, "It's like riding a bike, you never forget how".  Luke is going to learn what that means for himself.  He's going to go places and do things that I have no control over.  He's going to learn how to balance his life, the way he has learned to balance his bike.  He's going to grow up and take to things, and discover what he's passionate about, what God made him for.  My baby boy, who I so impatiently waited for to speak his first word, is conquering obstacles far and away beyond language skills: he's feeling his way through the mysteries of things as complex as gravity, and as simple as riding a bike.  He's doing it.  All by himself.  He's growing up so incredibly fast, learning so enormously much, and soon he won't need me to buy him clothes or anticipate his snotty nose or bribe him to poop on the toilet.  Suddenly I wake up from my reverie, the flowerbed overflowing, and Luke, doing his very first big boy loop of the bay shouts back to me and his Dad, "This is the BEST!" and there are tears on my cheeks.