How can it be? My baby boy has turned 3!

To think this time 3 years ago I was sitting in a hospital pondering how on Earth I was going to be able to raise 2 little boys! Fast forward, and I mean FAST, 3 years and I still sit here wondering how on Earth can I raise 2 little boys! Or at least survive raising 2 little boys! Oh my!

Our precious little Luke William (aka Lukey, Louie, Big Lou, Lou Buggers, Wukie, L-dub, Lillum, Stinker, Big Guy....). I couldn't love you more. You are the most unique little person I have ever encountered. Sweet as sugar and yet salty as a pretzel! Since you were a tiny baby you have had us wrapped around your finger. You have more facial expressions than any other baby/toddler I have ever met. You are rough and tumble and yet so sensitive ("that too loud", absolute fear at the car wash, and when you know you have really gotten in trouble and curl that bottom lip up). I love your fluffy brown hair and those eyelashes that go on and on. I love that you want to do everything by yourself and be such a big guy, yet you want nothing to do with potty training or giving up your nuk. I love how "all boy" you are...the word poop or butt can get the biggest giggle out of you. I love how you love anything to do with wheels. Your trains, your cars and of course your big red car that you sure are missing this summer. We'll get it back soon I promise!! You can be so sweet and outgoing and then in the next minute telling a perfect stranger in an "ele-bator" that "you're not my friend ANYmore". I love how when you want your back scratched at bedtime you say "scratch me!" I think it's pretty cute that you pronounce your "v"s like "b"s and call DVD's "DBDeeps". You are such a chatty little guy and you are constantly making us laugh with your version of something you have heard us or Blake say like "no way man". You are obsessed with the Big Bad Wolf and are always telling us some story about how you are hiding from him or that you are going to fight him. You still sleep good at night so I suppose you aren't having nightmares about it!! When I asked Luke to say hi to a bird the other day at a park he said to me "Mom, they aren't kids. They don't talk. They are animals."
My oh my how much you've grown. You are our stout little guy...a friend recently dubbed him "tank" and that couldn't be more fitting. Even though it would hurt my feelings if the tables were turned, I kind of like that you tell Daddy "no, I'm Mommy's boy".

Fast forward 3 years and I can't imagine my life without two little boys. We have been so blessed to have 2 healthy, happy, handsome little fellas. Happy 3rd Birthday Luke William. We love you more than you can imagine!

Some Goodbyes and Hello's

We have been so busy settling into life in Georgia that the last month has flown by. Hard to believe that a month ago we were just trying to find the grocery store and now we are trying to figure out shortcuts, new restaurants and fun things to do with the boys. We are getting closer to finding a new home and will hopefully be in something by the end of this month.

Quite possibly the best smoked pork and brisket burger I have ever dreamed of. Pappaw - it beats "crazy dave's" by a landslide!

Yes, they have Chuck E Cheese's in Georgia too! And unfortunately (oops I mean fortunately) it is right beside our apartment complex and Kurt and the boys drive by it every day to and from daycare. Luke screams "Look it's Chuck E Cheese" every time we drive by.

The BIG Chicken. A Marietta/Atlanta landmark. The beak and the eye actually move.

I realized we also had some fun photos from some of our Minnesota "goodbyes" to share. Thank you to all of our wonderful friends and neighbors who made our departure a wee bit easier through your kindness, support and lots of hugs!

Blake & one his favorite boy babysitter...Riley
Luke & Sarah

Blake, Henry, Luke and Charlie...I had to take about 15 pictures to get this one! They could not stop giggling and being typical silly little boys!

Blake, Chloe, Luke & Aleksandra...they had so much fun this night. Well they always have fun together, and it was great that we could get them all together. We are so excited for these amazing little girls to be big sisters!

Pirate cupcakes at Blake's last day of school. He took treasure boxes to his classmates too. This was a hard day. We had grown to really love the teachers at Cradle Club and miss them dearly. Blake had such great teachers who showed him so much love and kindness from his first day there last summer.

Luke got to take Choo Choo cupcakes to school on his last day and his teachers made him this sign. We really miss this gang too. Luke was so enamoured by his teachers and I now know how much he had them wrapped around his finger too. There were a lot of tears in this room that day...and mostly from me and his teachers. A while back Luke had found a little stuffed doll in their stuffed animal bin that he became attached to. He had to sleep with it at nap time every day and he would call it "his dolly Chloe". Dolly Chloe got to come home with Luke and when I saw it in his bag it just melted my heart.

We are doing good and enjoying discovering a new city, but we do miss you Minnesota!

Birthday Fun...Medieval Style

To celebrate Blake's 5th birthday and make sure he felt super special on his big day without a kid party this year, we took him to the one place that would be a dream come true to our knight in shining armor in training...Medieval Times!

The fun started on his actual birthday with a pirate cake that we pieced together with pirate themed candles and men that he picked out. As soon as he walked in the door the party started with cake and presents. His little face lit up when he walked in the door and saw everything right there...especially the presents! All he wanted this year was the "batman car that holds 2 batmans." He got a few other things to go with it...but was thrilled to get exactly what he wanted! We ended up having to give Luke some of his birthday presents too in order to keep our family intact for an evening! Blake flipped out when Luke even looked at his new Batman stuff!

Then last Sunday we took the boys and our friends the Steinemann's to Medieval Times for some "finger lickin' good" food (seriously, no utensils in the place) and some jousting! It was actually a ton of fun and interesting to watch. We had great seats in the front row and I have never...and I repeat NEVER...seen 4 little kids so riveted to their seats for 2 hours. The boys each got a new set of armor and swords and had so much fun cheering for the Blue Knight.

I am pretty sure Blake would rank this as one of the best days of his life!