Wasting Money

I always tell the boys when they don't finish their meals that they are literally wasting mommy and daddy's money.  Tyke somewhat gets it, Luke doesn't care.  Last night at dinner we had chicken tacos and tortilla chips.  Luke loaded his plate with so many chips there was no way he would be able to eat them all.  Tyke tattled on him and said, "Mom! Luke is wasting your money!"  I looked at Luke and jokingly asked, "Luke! Why would you do that?!"  And Luke, without skipping a beat, very sassily replied, "TUZ I HATE MONIES!"

Christmas Mini Session

I signed the boys up for pictures with a new gal out of Payson.  It was a mini session meaning quick and cheap.  Of course Luke was grumpy, the wind blew like crazy messing up the hot chocolate bar props, and Tyke had to be bribed to smile.  There was no bribing Luke, oh no, he cried and pouted and hid behind his hot chocolate cup the entire time!   Tyke informed me that "mens don't like pictures taken!" and I informed him that mommy's do and I win.  I guess they showed me haha!  I love these pictures anyway because they do show Tyke & Luke's personalities and oh my are they super handsome!

Halloween 2017

Cops and robbers! Oh what fun these little boys are. They sure loved dressing up for Halloween! Luke did enjoy his costume, all except for the tattoo sleeve, which is why he is crying in most of the pictures.  We had a great time trick or treating our family, main street businesses and family and friends.  The boys made a haul and we will be buried in candy for a good month now!

3 Year Well Check

Luke had his 3 year well check today with Dr. Fullmer.  It puts a smile on my face watching my baby be such a big boy with the nurses.  He cooperates pretty well even though we can tell he is shy and scared.  He got weighed, measured, and even his eyes checked this time.  Our boy is growing like a weed!  Dr. Fullmer even commented on the tremendous growth Lu has had over the last year.  He's going to be a big boy when he's full grown!

Luke's 3 year old stats:

Weight: 39.8 pounds (97%)

Height: 40 inches (95%)

We love our Bubba Lu and are so happy to have a clean bill of health once again!  He's such a good boy and so full of life.  He keeps us on our toes at all times and we wouldn't have it any other way!

3rd Birthday Party

Bubba's birthday was on the 5th but we celebrated a day early so we could accommodate everyone and everything.  To say he had a good time would be an understatement.  He unfortunately started out his party in a sad, grumpy mood thanks to a late afternoon nap.  We roasted hot dogs for dinner (his favorite) and then sang happy birthday to him and let him blow the candles out.  He was NOT a fan of being the center of attention and singing to him upset him bad.  He ducked his head and covered his eyes and began to cry the most heartbreaking cry.  He's just like his daddy and hates attention on him.  Cousin Jaxston helped him blow out his candles and that seemed to help quite a bit.  Luke enjoyed his cake and ice cream and he enjoyed opening his presents even more!  Little guy got spoiled rotten!  He ended up with lots of trucks, motorcycles and money.  He is so loved and we are so grateful for the family that was able to make it to his party.  Happy Birthday Bubba!  I can hardly believe you're three years old already!  We love you so much!

3 Years Old!

Our baby is 3 years old today! How in the world did that happen so fast?  Luke doesn't really show much enthusiasm that it's his birthday today.  We partied last night and he was not a fan.  He just doesn't like to be in the spotlight and hates having too much attention.  Seriously though, I can not believe the baby of our little family is 3!

Our Bubba has been so much fun to watch grow this past year.  His little personality has really blossomed and he is definitely a tease and clown. He has great sense of humor and loves to pick on his big brother.  Some of the things he comes up with blows my mind.  He's only 3 guys (today) and he teases and talks like a boy that's so much older.

Luke talks up a storm!  He stutters a little bit and it seems to be getting worse but we're not too concerned at the moment.  Luke speaks full sentences and lets us know what he wants and needs.  If it's food in the pantry though he takes extra good care of himself.  He's handy when it comes to pulling up a bar stool and climbing up into the pantry for a treat!  Luke LOVES his chocolate milk and demands it first thing every morning.  He can through a mega tantrum if we don't immediately jump out of bed and go make him some.  He IS the boss in this house!

Luke and big brother Tyke are the best of friends.  They get along pretty well for the most part.  There are definitely a lot fights and arguments and hitting in this house between the two of them but they love each other so much.  They also love to tease each other so much.  Sometimes I feel like Luke wins in the teasing department because big brother comes crying a lot haha.  Luke is also best buddies with his cousin Jaxston (Olsen) who is about six months younger than him.  They get along OK.  Grandma Cheryl says they fight a lot and hit and bite but love each other just the same.  Everything that happens at our house, whether good or bad is Jaxston's fault.  Every time we ask Lu "who did it?" he replies with "Jax-un do it!"

A few of Luke's favorite phrases right now:

• "I wan choco mil now"
• "Dat totally awesome!"
• "Dat's da true-ff!"
• "Jaxon do it" ("Jaxston did it" cousin Jaxston gets blamed for EVERYTHING around here!)

Luke has got the appetite of a teenager I swear.  The kid eats all day long (he runs it off too).  He eats pretty decent for his age and he usually eats more than Tyke, though that doesn't take much because Tyke is such a picky eater.  Luke will try anything twice before deciding he doesn't like it.  So far the only thing he hasn't been a fan of is jalapenos, which I don't blame him one bit!  Luke LOVES chicken sandwiches with mayonnaise and pickles.  He loves his pickles!  He also loves applesauce, fruit snacks, go-gurts, and hot dogs.

Luke is still in size 4t/4 jeans.  He and Tyke share the same size shirts for now, Tyke will be moving up here pretty quick.  Luke wears a 4t/5t shirt although the 4t size is starting to be too short for him.  His foot size continues to grow and he's probably a size 10 now, I'm not really sure.  The kid is huge for his age and towers over others around him.

We love our Bubba-Lu so much!  Happy Birthday bud!  We hope you have the best day ever and the best year too!

School Pictures

My handsome boys first ever school pictures!  I love them, and I love him!

Wyoming

The boys and I made a very quick trip to Wyoming today. When I say quick I mean same day! Daddy went hunting with Grandpa, Uncle Seth, Uncle Trenton, cousin Brooke and some other hunting buddies.  Daddy didn't have a tag but he tagged along to help out. Brooke killed a great buck so we traveled up to check it out and bring her home. The ride was long and good.  The scenery was beautiful and the boys traveled really good! Uncle Seth fried up some deer meat and the boys DEVOURED it!  We visited for a while and then decided it was time to head home. Daddy decided to come back home with us.  It was such a fun adventure!  Next time though, we'll make it a little longer trip!

First Day of Pre-K

Today was Tyke's first day of Pre-K at the Apple Academy with Mrs. Josalyn (Blackett).  He is so excited for the new school year!  He will be going three days a week this round (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) and is super ready to learn everything.  He's so smart and a sponge when it comes to learning.  We're excited to see what this year brings for Tyke.  Have fun and do good bud!

35 Months Old

We have a big boy!!! Luke, on his own, decided he was done with pull-ups and ready to be a big boy.  It seriously only took one day to get him trained and we are still in disbelief!  It has been one week so far (so maybe the celebration is a bit pre-mature) but Luke has had ZERO accidents!

Luke is a huge lover of the outdoors!  He loves riding his strider bike (he's really good at it too!), fishing, camping, hiking and playing in the sprinklers.  He's all boy and always on the go!  I wish I had a bit of his energy.

Lu is talking like crazy now and almost never shuts up.  He's a curious little guy and asks tons of questions, repeatedly, until he gets the answer he wants.

Luke is officially in size 4t jeans and shirts!  He's growing like a weed and I feel like I can't keep up!  His shoe size, er, boot size, has stayed the same at a 9.5D however, he has worn through three pairs of them since April! The kid is tough on his boots! Luckily the store that we bought them from has been more than generous and let us trade them in for new ones. 

Luke loves life and is always having so much fun!  He still throws his tantrums here and there but for the most part he's pretty easy going.  He loves getting his big brother Tyke in trouble, a lot.  He whines and cries (fake!) any chance he gets that works in his favor.  Poor Tyke, he's always in trouble.  Lucky for him though mommy and daddy have caught on to Luke's naughty little trick and we have started ignoring him most of the time which leads to him stopping his fit and walking away like "whatever."  Little stink!

We love our Bubba so much and I can not believe he will be THREE in a month!  The time has flown by so fast with our little guy!  We are taking in each moment with our kiddos and cherishing them all.  These little fellas grow too fast and this mamma's heart struggles with that!  Happy 35 months Bubba!! Next month, we eat cake!!

Mona Pole Ride

34 Months

My baby isn't much of a baby anymore.  His baby look has all but disappeared and Mr. Lu is now a little boy.  It's kind of sad for me to realize this.  Don't get me wrong. This kiddo will always be my baby but he is growing right up!

We have officially gotten rid of the crib/toddler bed and Luke got himself a brand new big boy bed!  He is super excited and had lots of fun helping set it up and even picked out his own bedding: trucks, trains and tractors!  His favorite!  Luke loves his bed and we are hoping that this big change will make him want to sleep in his room all night long rather than climb in bed with us in the middle of the night, haha.

Lu is all about the boy stuff.  He refuses to play with girl toys because they're "tupid" (stupid) and has to pack at least one of his boy toys around with him so he always has something to play with.  Luke loves his guns, trucks and tractors.  He is always lining his trucks and trailers up and building farms with his fences and tractors.  It's fun to see his imagination at work and to trip over, er, see, all of his farm designs.  This kiddo is always on the go!

We have started dressing Luke in size 4t clothing.  It's a little big for now but it seems to fit more comfy for him.  I'll start phasing out the 3t clothing soon.  Little man is still in pull-ups.  He gets another month or two before we really put a stop to that (I've always said age 3 is our limit and then we get serious).  Luke refuses to be a big boy just yet!

We love our spunky, sassy, wild little Lu so darn much!  Life would be boring without him!  He's a goofball and loves to make people laugh.  Happy 34 months Bubba!  Mommy and Daddy and Tyke love you!

Soccer 2017

Tyke has really enjoyed playing soccer this past month.  He runs the field with a smile on his face the entire time.  He has been so much fun to watch and we are so proud of him and his eagerness to learn and play.  He had the cutest coach (Andrea Settle) whom he would listen to and mind super good.  I'm sure this has only been the first of many soccer seasons to come!  Tyke absolutely loved it and is so sad that it's over.  We can't wait until he can sign up again, hopefully there will be something for him next spring because waiting until next summer just might drive him crazy!

33 Months

What can I say about this boy of mine? He is growing like crazy both in size and in personality.  I can't believe my baby is so close to turning three!  He is at such a fun, fun stage right now and is constantly on the go, keeping us on our toes all of the time!

Luke really enjoys the great outdoors!  He would much rather be outside playing in the dirt or riding his bike than anything else in this world.  He is Daddy and Bampa's sidekick and loves to shadow them everywhere they go.  Luke also love doing chores out on the farm.  He enjoys feeding the cows and playing on the tractors.  He's all boy that's for sure!

Luke has got attitude and he IS the boss at our house!  He knows what he wants and he knows how to get it and sadly mommy and daddy and big brother all give in to Luke's demands.  It's his way or no way and this boy can throw a fit and keep throwing a fit until he wins.  He is super stubborn and determined and oh my he's a handful!

Lu loves his treats and choco-mil.  Every morning the first thing out of his mouth is, "mom, make me choco-mil!"  And I tell you what, if I don't hop right up and get his chocolate milk for him it equals a total melt down on his part.  He's bossy, what can I say?  Luke takes good care of himself in the treat department.  He's almost always in the pantry finding something yummy to eat.  He loves applesauce, fruit nacks (snacks), and nola baws (granola bars).  At least they're healthy, right?

Luke is the best little eater!  He eats everything we give him and will try everything at least three times before deciding he doesn't like it.  He LOVES pickles and thinks that everything green in a jar in the fridge is pickles which has led to him eating pickled asparagus (loves) and jalapenos (did not like haha).  He's not a huge fan of tomatoes but tries them every time anyway.  He loves pickles, chicken patty sandwiches, cheeseburgers, eggs, sausage, chicken nuggets and corn dogs.

Luke is still in a size 3T of everything but growing like crazy and almost done with that size.  He's still in pull-ups with no sign of wanting to potty train, still.  He's in a size 9.5D boot (he won't wear regular gym shoes, he has to have his cowboy boots).  He's a big boy but we wouldn't want him any other way!  A big boy with a big smile, a big heart, and a big attitude!

We love our Bubba so much!  I can't believe another month has flown by.  I can't even explain how much joy this baby boy of ours brings to our lives.  We love you so much Lu!  Happy 33 months big guy!!

32 Months

I swear this past month has been a blur.  Time goes way too fast as far as I'm concerned.  Luke is now thirty-two months old and growing like a weed!  Our baby boy isn't so baby anymore and sometimes it makes me sad.  Bittersweet is what it is!  We love watching Luke grow and learn and thrive.  This kid is such a little clown and loves to make people laugh, he's darn good at it too!

Luke is starting to get stubborn in his old age.  I suppose he's always been stubborn a little bit but he's really starting to want his independence.  He doesn't like us to carry him down steps, he wants to do it himself.  The other day he hesitated so I picked him up and carried him down the four steps and he told me, "No, I do it!" and marched right back up the stairs, turned around and walked down them himself.  He also doesn't like being loaded in the car or taken out, he will do it himself!  It's been kind of hard for me to adjust to this because he's my baby and I want to help!

Luke is talking like crazy now!  He is up to about five word sentences now.  He has the sweetest, cutest little voice and I could just listen to him talk for forever.  Except for when he repeatedly says, "mum, mum, mommy, mum!"  That gets old really fast!  He does the same with Dad.  Luke likes to tattle now and everything is "Jack-on's" fault (cousin Jaxston).  Even if Jaxston has been around for days it's still all his fault.  Luke likes to tease and make us laugh and we love it!

Luke loves showers and bubble baths and he decides which one it's going to be every night.  I'm telling you, he's the boss of the house.  It's his way or deal with a mega tantrum from the Lu.  Luke can undress himself, except for shirts, and is pretty proud of that.  He gets so excited for bath time that he strips naked fairly quick and rips his diaper off and climbs right in.  This requires supervision (like we wouldn't anyway) to make sure he's completely naked before climbing in.  If we weren't there I'm sure he'd jump in fully clothed.

Luke loves brushing his teeth, by himself.  He hates help and it's a fight but every other day I make sure to really scrub his teeth good for him.  His spin-brush toothbrush has been the best thing for him.  He actually enjoys brushing his teeth now and thinks it's funny.  He hasn't mastered spitting the toothpaste out yet and usually just spits on the counter top, if he even spits anything at all.

Mr. Independent takes good care of himself.  He likes to hang out in the pantry, eating pouches of applesauce like they're an endless supply.  I think one at a time is sufficient but Luke likes to down about four before he's satisfied.  If he can reach it he will eat it.  He can open his own applesauce pouches now.  I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not, it's a little too convenient for him.  If he can't open a snack/treat he will bring it to us and said, "I want dis!"  He loves vienna sausages, beanie weenies and applesauce for his pantry treats.  From the fridge, which he luckily can't open yet, he loves cheese and yogurt.  He's a growing boy and loves his foods!  He's not a very picky eater at all.  He will try something at least three times before deciding he doesn't like it.  He LOVES meat of any kind and gobbles it right down!  And his current favorite beverages are choco mil (chocolate milk) and toke (root beer, he thinks it's the same thing as mommy's diet coke and I'm okay with that, ha!).

Louie loves riding his bikes.  He's starting to finally pedal when he gets on the big-wheels but still prefers to scoot and use his boots as brakes, which it shows.  The soles of his shoes are wearing down quick!  Luke is also really starting to show an interest in riding the strider bike.  He even lifts his little feet occasionally which is great!

Little Lu LOVES the great outdoors!  He is a huge fan of camping, fishing, riding the utv's, all of it!  It doesn't take him long to get covered in dirt but that's the best way to be!

Luke is phasing into size 4t clothing.  I can't keep up with him!  He and big brother Tyke sometimes wear the same size of shirts now.  Luke has maybe another two or so inches before he's caught up to Tyke in height.  Luke is still in diapers (size 6) and thinks it's cool to wear pull-ups sometimes but he still doesn't want to use the potty.  He thinks it's awesome to go pee in the toilet but only just before bath time haha, which I suppose is a great thing.  As soon as he turns three in a few months we will really work hard on getting him trained.  Until then we are just going to go with the flow of things.  Luke is in a size 9 shoe, er, boot.  The kid really doesn't like to wear any kind of shoes other than his cowboy boots!

We love our Bubba so much!  I can hardly believe that in a few short months he'll be turning three years old already.  It's insane how fast the years have flown by.  Luke brings so much love and joy into our home.  He's a funny little guy, Tyke's best friend, and my baby boy forever!  Love you Lu!