Our Big Boy is even Bigger!

NEWS FLASH!!!

Luke is sleeping in his big-boy bed!!!

It happened so fast I didn’t really have a chance to protest and make a big deal of it. Maybe it’s this whole “turning three” business that got you inspired and wanting to do it. Next is the potty training?!? I can only hope.

It all started a few months ago when John started putting Luke to bed and would fall asleep after they read stories together. Then once or twice we have left you there all night. And then recently we decided to give it an offical "dry run," and after a few days of that you asked to not go in the crib anymore……waaaaahh! I am excited for you, but a little bummed to kiss that part of Babyland goodbye forever.

Funny story…one of the first nights of this trial run you woke up early in the morning and walked all by yourself into our bedroom, climbed down the stairs and into the foot of our bed and starting stroking my legs. I woke up with a start not quite sure what to think and sat up and saw you laying there smiling up at me. Ahhhh….

At first all I could think was “Wow, thank god I didn’t dropkick him” and then I though “How cute that he smiled at me!” and then “Wow, what guy! He didn’t cry when he woke up and walked all by himself out here!”

And then last night you did the same thing: woke up early, walked all the way to our bedroom and came up next to me and stared at me until I woke up! haha I little freaky, but mostly super cute.

Oh and you had your HUGE birthday party yesterday at our house (first party ever at our house) and had almost every kid from the preschool there including ½ the teachers and our family and friends. It was great! We had some kiddie pools, and the balloon man who was amazing, a Toy Story cake that you gawked at for a full hour (not joking), and lots of cool presents and I thought my goodie bags were pretty rockin.’ Oh and grandpa BBQed for 60 people! It was awesome!!!!!

Luke-isms:
Guns: are “shoot guns” and is pretty crazy about turning everything into a gun be it a Barbie doll, spoon, toy or whatever. EVERYTHING must be pointed and shot with one eye closed mind you.

Daily To Do list of my children

In an email to Cereza, my good friend and fellow mother of two children 3 and under, we were laughing about our kids driving bonkers. Here is what I came up with (with a few new additions) and we both had a good laugh - because it's TOTALLY TRUE!

Daily To-Do list of small mischievous children:

1) Wake up really early only to go back to sleep the minute mom is outside my door.
2) Throw, grind, smudge and otherwise totally ruin interior of mom's car.
3) Do crazy and mischievous things, to then smile so sweetly how can they get mad??
4) "Play" mom so that she never wants to have anymore kids so that I am always the center of attention around here.
5) Ask for _____ to eat only to then say "I don't want that" as soon as it's in front of you.
6) Poop as much as possible and preferably right before we have to go. Bonus points if we are running late.
7) Pull all the sharp knives out of the dishwasher, because after all what would mom do without my "help" ?
8) Ask for a bottle of milk or "E-mergency" (vitamin water) and then run around the house with it tipped upside down so that mom has to mop twice a day! Otherwise she would be bored I am sure. :)
9) Hold all my peepee until right before I wake up so as to be sure to wet the bed.
10) Do the cutest, most awesome stuff like cuddle, or originate "I love you" or a kiss. And I know that makes ALL my mommy's hard work totally and completely worth it!

(Note: Although it is true, my children do attempt a lot of the above in a day, they are still the most unbelievable thing that has ever happened to me and I tell them so every day!)

The house CAN be cute

OMG folks....you won't believe the changes going on around here. Our house is being attacked by workers every day from every angle. THIS IS SO EXCITING!!!!!!!!! You have no idea. After chipping away at it ourselves when we have a few hours here and a few hours there, to having a crew arrive and stay all day......wow. Amazing what it does for the psyche! :)
As soon as things are done I will post pictures so we all can say "Ahhhhhhh, now isn't that nice."
I am sure my neighbors are JUMPING with joy! We have been one of the worst houses (at least from the outside) for 3 years now. And now we will be right up there with the best of 'em.
I am feeling so good knowing our new owners will not have to go through what we have. YAY!!!

We are selling the house!!

That's right........bye bye house!

We are going to be putting our house on the market in three weeks. We had our home evaluation last night with our amazing Realtors (John and I were so impressed!) to tell us what to do before we sell.

• For starters we are doing landscaping our front, the side yard and our back.
• Painting the hallway (all of you that have seen it can now breath a sigh of relief!)
• Painting the bathroom (YAY!) and install a new light fixture and oval mirror (their idea and I love it)
• Touch ups everywhere but especially to the ceiling in the living room and master bedroom.
• Baseboard moldings in the living room)
• Hauling away our trash pile out back! I am more excited about that than anything! haha
• A few more odds and ends and...
• We might redo the roof and the plumbing.
  

The house will be so cute it will be hard to say goodbye (sort of). But the trade off is acheiveing our "long-term" dreams much, much sooner. Having the time and money to better ourselves by using the services of our church, investing money in our future, and then living in a house that we have built just for our family.
So that's our 3-5(ish) year plan. In the mean time my parents have graciously offered the "guest wing" of there house which is pretty darn perfect because they are very close, and my kids are in so much LOVE with them, oh and they have made 2 1/2 bedrooms ready for our use. :)
There will definitely be sacrifices in that time, let me tell you. Not just by John and I, but my parents too. And John and I have gone over and over and over it with each other. But we decided to stop trying to keep up with the Jones' and do whatever it takes to achieve our dreams - the right way.
OMG, I am so excited I feel like it's Christmas!
Here's to getting exactly what you want, and being happy!!! :)