Bob the Builder

Luke loves to play "worker".  A few weeks ago when I was cleaning out closets, I found several of those caribiner hooks.  He loves those things and uses them to attach various things to his belt loops.  If he is wearing something that doesn't have belt loops, he just hooks them on his underwear instead.  He throws around words like "working site" and "safety harness" like he is an old pro.  Kevin found him a a real toolbelt ( a smaller one that I used on a mission trip).  Saturday morning they had some work to do around the house so father and son strapped on the toolbelts and got to work. 



His serious worker face.

His happy worker face.

Chicken Little

We've been parents now for 7 1/2 years.  So far we've done ok, but we've both made some parenting errors.  You know, those times and situations when you look back and realize "I should have handled that differently."

Fletcher is studying the solar system in science this year.  Last week he and Kevin were talking about his day and what he learned.  Kevin (who wanted to make conversation and be sure that Fletcher was aware of current events) says something like, "Hey, did you know there's this satellite in space that's about to fall out of the sky on Friday?" 

As I am standing there listening, I am thinking, "Telling him this is SUCH a bad idea," but I didn't say anything.  They continue to talk about it and about "space junk". 

Fletcher (my very own Chicken Little) immediately asks, "So I could get hit by space junk if I'm outside on Friday?"

Instead of saying "absolutely not", Kevin launches into this discussion about the 6 billion people who live on the earth and the mathematical probability of space junk hitting a person. 

All Fletcher hears is "Blah, blah, blah...yes it is entirely possibly for you to get whacked in the head by something falling out of the sky on Friday... blah, blah, blah." 

Of course, Fletcher has trouble sleeping that night.  Can't imagine why. 

Then the next day after school, I'm asking Fletcher how his day was, what he did, etc.  He tells me that he told some of his classmates about the satellite that could hit them.  Oh great.  After probing for more details, he told me that he told them at lunch, not during class.  I didn't check my email the rest of the day because I didn't want any emails from disgruntled 2nd grade parents wondering why we were causing such a stir all in the name of "current events". 

Kevin came home later that same day.  I said, "Fletcher, go ahead and tell Dad what you told your class today."  Fletcher said, "I told them they might get hit by some space junk falling out of the sky." 

It would have been funny only it wasn't.

Kevin then tries to revisit the whole probability thing as Fletcher's eyes glaze over.  Kevin even pulled up an article about the satellite and suggested we send it in to school to clear up any confusion.  I said, "No." 

Well, to be honest, I may have said, "Have you lost your mind?!?!  We are letting this thing die right here, right now.  No more talk about the 6.5 ton satellite hurtling toward the earth on Friday.  I don't want a phone call from his teacher saying that the entire 2nd grade won't go outside for recess because they are afraid." 

You will be happy to note that the satellite did fall and no one was injured.  They believe it fell somewhere in the Pacific Ocean.  You will be interested to note that your probability of getting hit was 1 in 3200.  That is kind of disturbing.  A lady was hit in 1997 by space junk and lived to tell about it. 

As a new parenting strategy, we will think through the long term implications and impact of sharing current events with our 7 year old. 

Make A Face

Arrgh!

Luke has a very active imagination.  Fletcher does too, but Luke's has really kicked in over the last few months. He really likes dressing up in all the various costumes we have.  Over the years, I've picked up a few costumes on clearance after Halloween and at consignment sales so we have a fun box full of various costumes.  These are our latest additons ($2 each at a consignment sale).  Thankfully, there were two in just the right sizes for each of them.  Of course, I couldn't get them to stand still and look at the camera or say "aargh" or smile or do anything other than wiggle and jump around.  Story of my life.  Oh well....

Sometimes We Wonder If He's Blonde

Recent conversations

Our local Christian radio station does something called the Family Name Game each week.  They tell the special name in the morning, then if you have a child named that special name, you can call in at a certain time and tell about your child and win a prize.  The names are usually pretty common like Matthew, Brooke, Noah, Sarah, etc.

Fletcher: They never say my name on the Family Name Game.
Mom:  Well, that's because your name is not as common as some of these other names.
Dad:  When you were born, we decided to pick a name that was really cool and unique and that not very many kids had.
Luke:  (with great excitement)  So what did you pick?
Mom:  Um, "Fletcher"
Dad:  Good thing you're cute, Luke. 
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Before Bed
Dad:  Luke, Daddy is leaving tomorrow morning for a work trip for a few days.  So I want you to work really hard to listen and obey Mommy, ok? 
Luke:  Ok.  Will you bring us a mint? 
Dad:  Well, I won't be here for a few days because I'm leaving in the morning before you get up.  But maybe I'll bring a mint when I get back.
Luke:  When we wake up in the morning, can you make pancakes? 
Dad:  *sigh*
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Mom, getting out of shower with towel wrapped around me.
Luke walking in, realizing I had just gotten out of the shower:  Can I smell your pits?*

*This is where silly things we do come back to bite us.  Ever since the boys were little, I've told them if they didn't want to take a bath that they had to because they had "stinky pits"  (armpits).  Then after their baths, they would tell me their pits were clean and I would tickle them under their clean armpits. Just for the record, I told him "No. Run along now and go play."  

Ouch!

Here's what our worship would sound like if we sang what we are really thinking sometimes on Sunday mornings. Ouch! Good job FBC Orlando.

Preschool

Luke's first day of preschool was yesterday.  He is in the 4 year old class three days a week.  I was so proud of him!  He walked right in, put his backpack on his hook, put his lunch in his cubby, found his nametag and hugged us goodbye.  Ok, I can't lie.  I was actually a little sad - but in a good way.  I know that makes perfect sense, right?  For the last two years of preschool, it has taken him a few weeks to adjust. I would feel awful driving away knowing that he was crying in his room.  Of course, the teachers assured me that he always stopped after about 1 minute, but the mommy guilt was still there.  Today I was teary because I was happy he was just fine.  So many people told me that his "separation anxiety" phase would pass.  I thought that day would never come.  Who knows what the rest of the week will look like, but he had a GREAT first day!

 Dad came for the big day.

 His buddy Blake is in his class this year for the first time.  We've been on several beach vacations with Blake and his family. 

His "smile" cracks me up.  His teacher Ms. Denise is in the background.

Roomies!

While I was in Louisiana, I was able to go see my college roommate. I realized while I was at her house visiting with her that 25 years ago (almost to the day I saw her) we were moving into our dorm room at Cottingham Hall at Louisiana College.  Hard to believe it has been that long ago.  Also hard to believe how much stuff we tried to cram into that teeny tiny dorm room.  We have so many great memories of college - everything from late night study sessions to mission trips to boyfriend woes.  There's something to be said for someone who knows you well - your family, your quirks, your moods - and puts up with you anyway!  It has been about 10 years since we've seen each other.  The last time was right after Sept 11 at a college reunion.  I can remember staying up late talking about how we would still be friends when we were "old" and married with kids.  We still keep in touch via email because she refuses to do Facebook. :)  She was (and still is) such a blessing to me in my college years.  She is a preacher's kid and can play the piano and sing beautifully.  I miss hearing her sing, but I know she sings a good bit at her church in Louisiana. 

I'll say this again like I said on Facebook when I posted these pictures, in our defense we were at a Baptist college. And the higher the hair, the closer to God...  Now I know what happened to the ozone layer. 

Don't Be A Stick In The Mud

It was hot, hot, hot in Louisiana.  The kids could go out around 7 am and 7 pm.  Any other time I think they might have had a heat stroke (or I would have had one sitting outside watching them). 
So one day Uncle D decided to turn on the sprinklers to let them play. 

 Seemed like a good way to cool off until my texture boy (Luke) discovered that the sprinklers were making mud in addition to spraying water.

 Their cousin Bear wasn't too sure what to think.  Is this ok?  Am I going to get in trouble? 

 They did this the last evening we were there.  Both boys said it was their favorite thing they did on the trip.  That and the coffee milk Aunt Dee made them in the mornings.  My mawmaw used to give me coffee milk too (mostly milk, a little sugar and a shot of coffee). 

 This is sweet baby Alice.  Remember she was born the last time we visited Louisiana in December.

 And this cutie patootie is Evie (Bear's little sister).  We had lots of fun painting our toenails and trying on my jewelry.  I could just eat her up!  She was a trooper keeping up with all the boys!

Fletcher and Luke with MawMaw and PawPaw.  Luke's "smile" just kills me.

 Cousins...actually second cousins.  Bear and Evie are my sister's grandkids.  I'd draw a family tree, but I'm too tired.

We stayed with Uncle D and Aunt Dee (and their whiney dog Tucker).  So much fun! We hope to get back soon. 

Four!

Luke's birthday was a little unusual this year.  We took a trip to Louisiana to visit my family and we were flying back on his actual birthday (August 20).  So we ended up celebrating several times -- with various cakes.  A few times in Louisiana, with Dad when we returned from Louisiana and with friends this past weekend.  I can't imagine why he keeps asking me if today is his birthday again. :)

Just to do something fun and different at his little party, I borrowed a Tonka dump truck from a friend and we had "dirt cake" with gummy worms.  My friend Linda made it (her husband is in the Marines but he was deployed to Afghanistan since February.  She lives in Jacksonville, NC but he wanted her to evacuate because of Hurricane Irene so she came here and spent a long weekend with us until the storm passed.  Thankfully, she had minimal damage AND her husband came home Monday.)

The kids thought it was so gross/cool to eat dirt that was actually very tasty! 

Now that he is four, he is breaking the thumb sucking habit.  He has done really well with it.  Somehow we've convinced him that four year olds just don't do that because they are too busy doing other cool stuff that four year olds get to do.  He wears gloves on his hands at night just so he doesn't subconsciously slip back into the habit.  We are so proud of him. 

He goes to meet his new teachers today at his preschool.  I'll be interested to see how that goes.  This summer we drove past his school and I said, "Look, Luke, there's your school."  He promptly replied, "No, I already did that."  Preschool.  Check.  Now moving on to bigger and better things.