Growing Pains

My little boy has grown up so much lately, and I am finding myself seriously conflicted about that. He had his first T-Ball game earlier this week. (I snapped this picture before the game started. He ended up getting a different jersey right after this, one that fits him better, #12.) He'll have swimming lessons and 1 week of Karate this summer, and then start pre-school and soccer this fall.  It seems like ever since he was born I've just been waiting for this time in our lives, when Luke would be old enough to start being involved in activities with other kids. Now that we are at this point, I find myself wanting to hold him back and not send him off into the world right yet. I know this is not much, just a few hours of activities a week, and I know it will be good preparation for when he'll start all day Kindergarten in just over a year. I can't help myself just wanting to follow him around and protect him from all the hurt that comes with life. He's just so innocent, and I want him to stay that way. It breaks my heart when I see him with a group of kids his age or older, and he has something he really really wants to say, but none of the other kids acknowledge him or listen to what he has to say. I know that kids are going to be mean to him sometimes, and he's going to be the one not being nice some of the time too. I also know that he has to go through these experiences in order gain experience and learn about life. Just the thought of another kid hurting his feelings, makes me want to just wrap him in bubble wrap and keep him at home with me forever sometimes. I am thankful that he does at  least have good friends that have good parents that he loves spending time with. Deep down, I know I am more excited about him growing up, than I am fearful or sad. It's just starting to become a more of a reality than a daydream now.

The First Broken Bones

On Friday night, Luke attempted a "new cool twisty jump" off the recliner right before bedtime that did not end well. I was pretty sure he broke something after it happened, because I have broken at least 7 of my own bones all on separate occasions, including a minor break in my foot. We took him to see the doctor and get x-rayed today and it is official. He caused buckle fractures to his 4th and 5th metatarsals. Which means that he broke two little tiny bones on the outside of his right foot. Poor kid! They aren't bad breaks, and he doesn't have to get a cast or special boot or anythings like that. He does have to miss his first 3 weeks of T-ball though. :( The first night was really rough, but he's been handling it extremely well. He doesn't even complain, and I am just so proud of him for being so strong and brave! Since I'll be having 3 little boys pretty soon, I'm not expceting this to just be the first of hopefully not too many broken bones.  When Luke was 21 months he fell and and wouldn't walk for 2 weeks. We had it x-rayed then, but that was just a deep tissue bruise. The treatment plan for this includes just taking it easy, wrapping it, ibuprofen, and ice. He gets around pretty well with a limp. The pictures don't really do the swelling that much justice, but you get the idea.

 Luke has been handling the whole "taking it easy" part really well. Finally an excuse just to sit and play dad's ipod all morning!

He has seemed more sleepy these last few days.

Easter and my 4-year-old!

I won't bore you with too many of the details since it already seems like Easter was a lifetime ago. Well, on Saturday my family was in town for the first part of the day. Luke had fun coloring eggs with my mom and me. In the evening, we went to my sister and brother-in-law's house for Ty's family's Easter party. They have a huge beautiful piece of property, and we ate burgers and then had an Easter egg hunt for the kids. Grady was so funny. He didn't want anything to do with the Easter egg hunt, even though he knew there was candy in the eggs. He just wanted to play with all of his cousin's cool outside toys. It took forever for me to get him to put a couple of eggs in his basket, and then he just went and dumped all his eggs out and took off with his basket to go play with the toys. He did that multiple times. I ended up collecting his 10 eggs all by myself! Oh well! At least he is cute. The next morning was Easter, and after breakfast the kids went to collect all the Easter eggs that the Easter bunny left in our backyard for them. This time Grady was into it. I let them sit around and eat, in retrospect, way too much candy before church. Grady was completely wired all through church. It was a great weekend!

My mom & Luke

This is one of my new favorite pictures. Luke with his cousin Dee on the trampoline.

 Luke and his cousin Dee. Dee is 8 months older than him, and they'll be in the same grade at the same school growing up.

Grady's Peeps on a stick. I just thought it was so funny how he ate off all of their little heads. 

Happy 4th Birthday Luke!!!

Luke turned 4 on Wednesday. We celebrated all day long. I love birthdays! I still can't believe I have a 4-year-old!

We had a special breakfast, and Luke got to open up his presents after breakfast.

Ty's mom, Nana, stopped by during the day to give Luke his present from her.

In the evening we invited some fiends over for hot dogs and a birthday party of sorts. The best part was the pinata!

Okay, so I am a lame mom and this was only the second cake that I tried to make look cute for my kids. But Luke made a special request for a "tow truck" cake, and I couldn't turn him down. Nothing amazing, but I was pretty proud of myself. I was worried that Luke would be a little disappointed with it, because we've enjoyed watching episodes of Cake Boss together lately, but he loved it!