Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Happy Birthday, Luke Joseph! {and Uncle Chris and Daddy}

September is filled with cupcakes at my house. My mother-in-law gave birth to both of her children in the month of September, as did I. Emma gets great joy out of telling people that everyone in our home (including the dog) has a September birthday except me. :)

Yesterday was Uncle Chris's birthday...
And today we celebrated these two boys...
 
4 years ago, at 11:10AM, I heard a baby cry for the very first time. Unless God has other plans, Luke Joseph McCollum very possibly completed our family that day. Weighing in at 7lbs. 6oz., just like his daddy and on his daddy's birthday, he was the sweetest little guy I'd ever laid my eyes on. He's as tough as nails and, as they say, all boy, but he has a soft spot for his mama and she for him. He loves the color green, ball (of any kind), Legos, blocks, superheroes, dinosaurs, trucks, tractors, cows, his big sis, his mama, and Jesus, among other things. I know God has big plans for my strong-willed boy, and I can't wait to see what they are. But for today I want to enjoy tossing him up in the air, wrestling with him in the floor, listening to him tell stories, hearing him laugh, and snuggling with him every chance I get. Because they're only little for a little while. Happy Birthday sweet boy...and Happy Birthday to your daddy too! I love you both to the moon and back.
 
His last time to go to bed as a 3-year-old...
One of his favorite girls made him the sweetest card and put
a dollar inside. You'd have thought she gave him the moon!
I got to take lunch and cupcakes to Luke's class today.
Before we sang to him, he announced that he was "almost 5 now".
 
Just a few things about you...
  • You take everything in whether we realize it or not. Sometimes I think you don't listen to a word I say, and then you will repeat me word for word. You'll be in the floor under the chair at children's church but recall every detail of the story you learned. Same thing at school...I'm not sure how "active" you really are in the classroom, but I tell Mrs. Lolli all the time that you're listening because you come home and tell your Bible stories without missing a detail.
  • You know all of your letters and sounds.
  • You can count to about 15 like a pro and 20 (or higher) if you really concentrate.
  • You are a great eater. The only thing you absolutely won't eat is eggs.
  • You're also a great sleeper. You usually go to bed between 7:30 and 8PM on school nights, and I wake you up around 6:30AM. On weekends, you will sleep until 8AM or so, depending on how late you're up the night before. During the summer you were sleeping until around 9AM everyday.
  • You like to play with others, but you also play really well by yourself. Sometimes it will get really quiet, and I would swear you were up to something but I go into the living room to find you building something or lining up all of your tractors and trucks and farm animals or playing with dinosaurs. You'll play for hours if we'll let you, and I can definitely see you doing just that when you have a play room to go to at the new house.
  • You are a large part of my world. I pray that you always keep God first, work hard, and make good decisions. But if you don't, I'll love you anyway. :)

The Birthday Questions: Luke {Age 4}

1. What is your favorite color?
  • green
2. What is your favorite toy?
  • all the stuff that I got out (he was playing in the floor as I was asking him questions)
3. What is your favorite fruit?
  • pineapple and cantaloupe and grapes
4. What is your favorite TV show?
  • Mickey Mouse
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch?
  • spaghetti and bread
6. What is your favorite outfit?
  • at nap time (by which he means bedtime) I like to wear superheroes and in the mornings I like to wear my boots
7. What is your favorite game?
  • Mickey Mouse card game or something like that
8. What is your favorite snack?
  • pineapple and cantaloupe
9. What is your favorite animal?
  • a camel (???)
10. What is your favorite song?
  • Frozen
11. What is your favorite book?
  • Hat in the Cat (which is his version of Cat in the Hat) and my firefighter ones
12. Who is your best friend?
  • Hudson
13. What is your favorite cereal?
  • white Cheerios
14. What is your favorite thing to do outside?
  • jump on the trampoline
15. What is your favorite drink?
  • plain milk (and he put emphasis on plain)
16. What is your favorite holiday?
  • Easter and Christmas
17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night?
  • a blanket
18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast?
  • pancakes
19. What do you want for supper on your birthday?
  • cake
20. What do you want to be when you grow up?
  • a doctor...doctors are grown ups
And if you're reminiscent click here:)

Sunday, September 28, 2014

Party Weekend!

The year Luke turned 1, I planned two parties in two weeks. I declared it was too much work and vowed not to do it again.

The last two years the kids have had one party, but this year E decided to have a sleepover in lieu of a party. Due to scheduling conflicts (namely of the football nature), the sleepover ended up falling on the same weekend as Luke's party.

Two parties in two weeks was a gravy train compared to two parties in two days!

Needless to say, it was a busy weekend. But fun. Lots and lots of fun. I love celebrating my babies!

Friday afternoon started like this...
Proceeded like this...
And ended like this...
(notice we added a girl...Sweet Sarah and her mommy came to eat with me so I wouldn't have to
be by myself and she decided she wanted to come spend the night...she's never stayed away from
home besides grandparents, so her mommy had her doubts...but she made it the entire night!)
 Yesterday was party day for Luke. He wanted Ninja Turtles,
but considering our history with sword fights I played "bad
mom" and refused. His second choice was Mickey Mouse, and
since he's talked about "turning 4 and playing t-ball" for over a
year we decided to go with that. We had a bounce house in the
 gym, and it was, honestly, the easiest party I've ever planned!
Happy Birthday to my most precious gifts!

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Music

Our kids LOVE music. Or "musgic" as Luke would say. They go to sleep with Pandora on their iPads every night (unless they've lost the iPad/music as punishment;).

Occasionally (as in nearly every night) we get a concert. Mostly from the boy. His room is on one end of the house and we can usually hear him singing on the other end.

Tonight he was belting out Blessed Be Your Name (until he realized I was watching).


And, yes, he is still in a baby bed. We fully intend to move him into a "big bed" when we move into our new house, but for now he doesn't climb out (I know, shocker!) and it works for us. And so far the only person to make fun of him has been his "Granny" Ashley K. ;)

Saturday, September 20, 2014

Hey Gators!

We spent the day in T-Town at the Bama/Florida game.
Thankfully, the second half was much better than the first and
we got to sing Rammer Jammer to a sea of blue and orange. :)
Thank you, Nana, for watching the babies!

Friday, September 19, 2014

Like Father, Like Son {plural}

No two boys have ever been any
more like their daddies than these...