Just random

Well, I desperately need to post pictures, but I need to figure out how to download pics from our new camera, so it may be another week or so before that happens, so I'll just write a little about what's going on these days with us.

Luke just turned 4. We had a great party down at a bounce house party place. I believe Aaron had as much fun as Luke did. We did not have birthday cake, because Luke inherited my love of ice cream (although I do enjoy cake as well), we had birthday ice cream and Luke loved that. Luke is maddening and entertaining. He's so full of energy, and gets so excited over the simplest things, it's a joy to watch. Then he makes me want to pull my hair out because of how difficult he has to make everything. Nothing easy with this guy. But anyway, his developing awareness of things around him, and how he expresses things, constantly humor me. Two examples: For those who don't know, Aaron's mom died from cancer just over a year ago. We called her Pamma. Aaron's dad, "Nonni", has since remarried. Her name is Lynda, and she makes Randy happy and the grandkids have all taken to her very well, and we're happy to welcome her to the family. Well, Nonni and Lynda came down for Luke's birthday and we were all eating doughnuts for breakfast. Luke looked at Nonni and said," You had a good time with Pamma last year?" (these days, his reference to anything in the past is called "last year"). Randy replied, "I sure did." And Luke looked at him and said, "Yeah, but you got Lynda now, that right?" We had a good chuckle over this, it was a sweet exchange. Second example: One of Luke's good friends is Esther; her daddy Lloyd is black. Someone gave Luke a little figurine of Albert Pujols (who has dark skin) for Luke's birthday because they know how much Aaron loves the Cardinals and Pujols. This figurine is very lifelike, and as Luke looked at it, he suddenly pointed at the face and said, "He like Esther's daddy! They both have... they both... they got....... He's black!" It was so funny watching him search for the word to try to describe his skin color, and we got so tickled how he got so excited comparing him to Esther's daddy. The next day, Luke brought the figurine in to me and said, "What's his name?" I reminded him that it was Albert Pujols, and he looked at me and said, "Yeah, but I'll call him Lloyd!" (In case you're wondering, Lloyd and his wife Julia got a kick out of this story too.)

I've also been wondering what has possessed my child lately. Luke has been extremely emotional, and cries alot easier than he used to; that in itself I don't mind so much, because it's better than the raging fits he likes to throw (which we still see sometimes). But he's doing other things very out of character. I forced him to ride his bike tonight-exposure therapy I say-, which he LOVED the first week he had it and wanted to ride it everyday, but tonight he cried the whole time and screamed in a terrified voice, "I'm gonna fall, I'm going too fast!" and would barely go faster than a snail pace. What happened to my little daredevil speed demon? And at his last soccer practice, he ran off the field in tears during the scrimmage because he didn't get the ball every time it was kicked. At his first game, he didn't leave the field crying (he had been given many pep talks about not giving up), but he did leave the field early several times and didn't finish his time on the field. He really had no good reasons; once it was because he fell and got mud on his hands (he said he needed a shower- like he's ever cared about being dirty before!) and once he wanted a drink, and once he had no reason. What happened to my tireless energetic aggressive child!

Ben is growing and quickly changing from my little baby boy to a little toddler- makes me sad to say it! He's still quite the character, and his language skills are beginning to explode. He has quite a few little words, and he uses several signs regularly. He's too cute when he puts his thumb in his mouth and carries his little bear around, and he's developing some defense mechanisms against big brother that are quite annoying! He has this half yell/half growl he does anytime something doesn't go his way. Doesn't matter if he dropped a toy, Luke took it away, Luke hit him over the head with it, or if Ben just looked at something and it wasn't given to him immediately- same response. His teacher at school (he goes 2 days like Luke from 9-2) even commented one day on how he's got the yell down pat. Of course, she called it cute, I don't think it's quite so cute. But it's fun to watch them play, Ben follows Luke around and is going to be quite the pest of a little brother I think. I love to watch them interact, and it's amazing to see how different he is from his older brother (for better and for worse).

Anyway, lots of thoughts on my little men. I'll have pictures very soon, I promise!