Dear Lucas (4 Years 11 months),

Your very first summer vacation from school is well under way. You keep asking "how many more days of summer do I have left?" You are so worried that it is going to be over tomorrow. Even though you won't admit it I think you miss school though. You have been talking about your classmates and teachers a lot lately. "Mom, when our teachers say 'Criss cross apple sauce' we sit like this and put our hands in our laps and listen" and "Mom, can you show me how to write your phone number? You need to give it to Tatem so she can call me." I am pretty sure that you are going to go back to Pooler Elementary in the fall and it would be neat if some of your friends were in your kindergarten class.

This summer seems pretty tame compared to all the fun road trips we went on last summer but you did get to try out your very first slip=n-slide a few weeks ago. You had a blast but then again you are part fish. You love to be in the water any chance you get. It doesn't matter to you if it is a kiddie pool or a day at the beach. If you are in the water you are happy.

One thing you did get to do so far this summer is go to Vacation Bible School. Your Grandma took you with Shane and Colby and I think you enjoyed it. They had a western theme and ever since you've been wearing a cowboy hat and asking me to make you lassos out of things. You going to VBS made me reminisce about all the times your Great Gram took Lori, Eric, and I to VBS when we were kids. I've been missing her a lot lately, especially since all the fun road trips we took last summer were with her. I am so grateful for the memories of you and her together.

Okay, so we have gone on one road trip this summer but it wasn't really a vacation. We had to take you to Emory in Atlanta so you could see a specialist about your eyes. This time your Dad went with us too and he got to see how much "fun' doctor appointments can be... for instance when we had to hold you down so you could get eye drops put in your eyes while you are screaming bloody murder and saying "Mommy please help me!" We actually have to go back in a few weeks so that you can be put to sleep so they can get a better look at your retinas. They think that you may have holes in your retinas and if so they should be able to fix them with lasers. So part of me kind of hopes they find holes so they can "fix" your eyes and be done with it... so more hurry up and wait.

I'm still watching your friends David and Gabe a few days a week. When the three of you are together you fight and then when you are apart for a day (or even a few hours) you all beg to play together again. Your favorite toys right now are your stuffed dogs and all of you boys like to pretend they are real. Whenever you see a commercial on TV for the humane society you ask me "Mom can we please go adopt ALL of those dogs? They can live hear with us. You have such a big heart.

Really you boys are more like family by now then just friends. One day a few months ago I was driving you home from school and you told me, "You know Gabe and I fight sometimes because we are like brothers." You've also started asking again when you are finally going to get your big brother, oh and you want a kitten to now too. I thought about getting you one of those furreal kittens... those battery operated toys that purr... wonder if they come in a big brother style too?

I love you so very much,

Mommy

Beginnings

This year brings so many possibilities, so many adventures, and so many unknowns. The first big change is that since my Grandma passed away a few weeks ago I now have a whole lot of free time. During the school week I helped take care of her a few days a week. Now I've just been by myself while Curt is at work and Lucas is in school.

Our plan was always for me to go to work when Lucas started school... so here I am job hunting. I've applied for a job at a local library but haven't heard anything. The problem is finding something that starts after 9AM since I have to take Lucas to school in the mornings.

The other big thing is we finally have a decent size amount of money to pay off our credit card debt and still have some left over for a down payment on a house. We've been looking around at houses here and there but feel a little overwhelmed. I've started reading "Home Buying for Dummies." I wish we could skip the whole home buying process and go right to the home decorating.... I've already been googling "train themed twin bedding" for Lucas' new room.

The last thing I am focusing on is getting back into the gym. In the last month between four Thanksgiving dinners, losing three loved ones (Southern Fried Funeral Food anyone?), birthday cakes (Curt's and mine) and all the Christmas festivities I have gained 15 pounds... in one month. The sad thing is I have a gym membership to a place right next to Lucas' school that I haven't seen the inside of in quite a while. That ended this week after I realized how much weight I've packed back on. Now a few days a week I drop Lucas off at school and then head STRAIGHT for the gym before I do anything else.

So here I am just a little scared and a lot excited and I'm ready to see how this year is going to unfold.

Dear Lucas (5 Months and 4 days),

It's been such a busy crazy whirlwind of a month.

You experienced real loss for the first time in your life when your Great-Gram died. You've known about other people that have died and seen me be sad before but it never impacted you because you didn't really know them. The day your Great-Gram died Daddy picked you up early from school and told you what happened. It didn't click and you came in the house saying "Mom, Grandma died" like you would say "hey I had a great day at school." Then you looked around and said "Where is Great-Gram" and it was so hard telling you that she was the Grandma that died. After the funeral you asked me, "Mommy, please tell Jesus that I don't want to get old, die, and be buried all alone." When I picked you up from School after you returned from the funeral your teachers said you cried the entire day.

Thank goodness for Christmas. It has been a wonderful distraction for you. We made sure to fill the time with family traditions and new experiences to keep you busy. One of the things you love most about this time of the year is going to see all the Christmas lights. You kicked off the holiday season by going on a Trolley ride with Grandma to see lights. Then a few days later we took you to see the decorations that we have gone to see since your very first Christmas. Next year we should go a little earlier than we did this year. You feel asleep in the car on the way so you were SO GRUMPY when we got there and woke you up. You just wanted me to hold you, which is quite difficult now that you are four and a lot bigger than you used to be.

Another fun thing we did was go to the Westin to see the Gingerbread houses and Christmas trees. Then we hopped a ferry over to River Street and went to the candy store where I let you pick out one scoop of any candy you wanted. You picked gummy worms. We did this last year as well and I hope we keep this up as one of our Christmas traditions.

After seeing all the cool Gingerbread houses I was inspired and for the first time ever we decorated our own. You thought it was so much fun, but what is not to love about a giant bag full of icing, sprinkles, and tons of candy? I'm not sure what people do with Gingerbread houses after they are made. Ours sat in the fridge until I threw it away after Christmas.

On Christmas eve hung out at the house. We baked cookies and then opened up our new Christmas pajamas. Sometime in the middle of all the excitement your glasses broke. The arm just fell off. It was no big deal because you had a spare pair of glasses, so we didn't think anything of it. You put out a plate of cookies and a carrot for Santa and Rodolph, then you climbed in bed. We read a few stories about the first Christmas and then you were sound asleep. Christmas eve is always the EASIEST time to get you to go to bed and fall asleep. Before we went to bed we unscrewed all the light bulbs in the house so you couldn't see what Santa brought you unless you woke us up first. It worked like a charm.

Christmas morning we were woke up to "Mommy! Daddy! It's Christmas! I think Santa came but the lights don't work!" So we screwed the light bulbs in and watch you check out all your Santa loot and then we opened presents from each other. Then when you thought all was opened and unwrapped Daddy wheeled out one more present. You didn't even notice the Bike at first but when you did you got so excited. We spent the morning hanging out in our pajamas and watching you play with your new toys.

The afternoon of Christmas we loaded up the car with presents and headed over to Grandma and Grandpa O's to drop off their presents. Then it was off to Grandma and Grandpa Hunters for dinner and more presents.

Then somehow in all the excitement from Christmas your spare pair of glasses broke. Daddy took them from you to fix them and somehow you thought that you would never be able to see again. You started crying and freaking out. Thank goodness for scotch tape. I was able to fix them temporarily and then after Christmas we got them fixed.

The Sunday afternoon after Christmas we spent at my Parents' house having one last Christmas celebration. It was so much fun to all get together and laugh and eat together and just be a family. You just adore your older cousins and were so excited to get to play with them long into the night. You are officially one of the "big boys" now because you think you are too cool to play with Joseph anymore. The poor kid looks up to you so much and right now you don't understand that he isn't trying to break your toys or cramp your style, he just wants to do what you do. Lately you've started asking for a brother. You told me everyone you know has a brother except you and you need one.... but you only want an older brother. I'm not sure how that is going to work out for you. However, we did find out just a few days ago that Joseph is going to be a big brother.

In just a few days you'll be going back to school. I am pretty sure it is going to be another adjustment since you've been with me for most of December. First we were in California for a week, than you were out of school for Great-Gram's funeral, and then your two weeks of Christmas break. I've loved having all this extra time with you but I have also come to appreciate your teachers at school so much more. Seriously, five days a week they spend six hours with 20 four year olds?!?! Your teachers really are amazing. You can tell that they love you so much. You get to do so many fun things. Your homework project this month was for us to help you make a Snowman.

Snuggle-buggle, I love you to the moon and back,

Your "Mutter"

My Grandma's Funeral

My Grandma Carey Strickland passed away on December 11, 2009 (one day before what would have been her 84th Birthday.)

Lucas' first time wearing a suit.

Joseph got all dressed up too.

Curt with my cousin Eric. Someone asked Eric if Curt was his older brother.

Our little family. Lucas has been taking his Great-Gram's death pretty hard. He doesn't really understand what is going on and has a million questions that are so hard to answer.

All of the Great-Grandsons

The boys looking out a window at the old Primitive Baptist Church which is next to the cemetery where my Grandpa and now my Grandma are buried. Several of my ancestors were ministers there.

Vintage Family Pictures

Lucas has his first school project due on Friday. We have to help him make a family tree, so I've been spending the evening going through family pictures. I am feeling a little bit sad that my Grandpa never got to meet Curtis or Lucas and that we never got to meet Curt's Grandpa either.

Dear Lucas (4 Years 1 month and 3 days),

I catch myself staring at you just about everyday and thinking "how is it possible that he is so grown up?" Everyday you seem bigger than you were the day before. You always wake up happy ready to face the day. You always want to know where we are going and what we are doing. You always want to be on the move and HATE days where we stay home.

We had your fourth birthday party on August 1st and you got to celebrate turning 4 with your family and friends. The party was a race car theme that you decided on yourself. You've already started planning your 5Th birthday and anytime anyone mentions someone else's birthday you have to remind us that you will be 5 on your next birthday and that you think you want a Batman birthday. I am constantly reminding you to stop being in such a rush to grow up already, you JUST TURNED 4!!!

You are one lucky duck and got to go to Disney World this summer not once, but twice! Our last trip in the middle of August was totally unplanned. We went so that I could take care of your Great-Gram while Grandma was in continuing education nursing classes. One of the days we were there we all headed back to the Magic Kingdom. You were SO excited to be there. One of the things you loved seeing was a big show in front of the castle because you got to see Peter Pan fight Captain Hook. You are still talking about it. You LOVE Peter Pan right now and beg to watch the Disney movie ALL THE TIME. We often read Peter Pan at bedtime and you want to be Peter Pan for Halloween. It's a little funny to me that the kid who can't wait to get older is obsessed with the Boy that never grows up.

You spent a good deal of the summer playing with your friends David and Gabe. They were usually over at our house at least once a week while their parents were at work. Back in May when they first started to come over you guys used to fight ALL THE TIME but as the summer marched on the fights were few and far between. You spent lots of hours with them in the sandbox and sitting on the front porch eating popsicles talking about hot wheels and super heroes. At the beginning of the summer you guys planted zinnia seeds and you all loved watching them grow and helping water them. Last week was our last time watching the boys on a consistent basis since you and David will be starting school on September 1st.

On Friday night your school had an Open House and you were so excited to go and see your school and meet your teacher. There are 2 Pre-K classes at your school and they had everyone meet together and then the assistant teachers took all the kids to their class while the teachers talked to us parents. You excitedly lined up and followed the other kids out of the room. I couldn't help feeling just a little bit like I had just turned my baby over to a perfect stranger and I started to cry as soon as you were out of my sight. I know that you are going to love school (you've been BEGGING to go for so long) and that it will be good for you but I am going to miss having you as my sidekick during the day. I ended up buying a charm with your name on it and making a necklace for myself so that I can feel like you are with me when you are school. I am also planning on wearing big sunglasses when I drop you off for your first day, so that hopefully you can't tell that I am crying.

After the teachers were done going over the basics with us (reminding us that everyone is expected to wear red or white khaki shirts and khaki or black pants and have a clear or mesh backpack) all the parents headed over to the Pre-K classes. You didn't see us coming in the door and you ran out another way. Turns out you had to go to the bathroom and didn't know where it was or who to ask so you went back to the room where you had left us to ask for help, only we were no longer there. By the time we found you, you were so upset because you were lost and had an accident in your pants since you didn't know what to do. You were so upset. Your Dad took you to the car to get cleaned up and when you came back you were still crying. Daddy tried to distract you by showing you the alphabet that ran across the wall. It worked for a second but when it was time to meet your teacher you hid under the table. I hate that your Open House went like that but I hope that since "all the bad stuff" already happened that your first day will be smooth.

We just found out that you need glasses. Turns out that you are extremely nearsighted and can only see things close up. This explains why you always stand right in front of the TV no matter how many times we ask you to move. I feel like I should apologize for all those times I pointed at something across the room and told you to please pick it up and you said you couldn't see what I was talking about and I would get frustrated. I thought you weren't looking, and it turns out you really couldn't see from across the room. You are very excited about wearing glasses like Grandpa and Daddy and you I let you pick out your frames all by yourself. They might not be here for a couple of weeks so you have to start school without them. I can't wait for you to be able to REALLY see. Last night you looked up at the sky and said "Mommy, the sky is so beautiful." All I could think to myself was just wait until you get your glasses.

Little Boo,I love you to the moon and back,

Mommy

My Lucky Ducky

Last week Lucas got to take his 2nd trip THIS SUMMER to the Magic Kingdom. My Mom had a continuing education nursing conference to go to and at the very last minute she asked us to go and care for my Grandma while she was in classes. Then literally an hour or so before we were supposed to leave, I talked my sister Lori into going with us too. Lori and I got to hang out quite a bit when our boys were asleep and that was a lot of fun. Also, unlike last time my Mom and Grandma got to go with us to Disney as well. This trip Lucas fell in love with Pluto and I ended up giving in and buying him a stuffed Pluto and he now takes it EVERYWHERE.

Dear Lucas (47 Months & 1 Day),

I woke up Saturday and automatically realized that you now have one month until your birthday and I actually started to cry (not an ugly cry or anything like that but there were a few tears.) I guess since you are our only kid I'm not quite ready for you to grow up. Four just seems so old and grown up to me, especially in all the ways you've been growing lately.

A month ago we started potty training you (for the 100th time) and knock on wood, but this time it seems to have stuck. Staying home and not going ANYWHERE and not doing ANYTHING really helped. The biggest thing that got you potty trained though is playing to your SUPER competitive nature. Anytime that you resisted going to the bathroom all I had to do was say "I'm going to pee first. I'm going to beat you" and you would drop whatever you were doing and race to get to the bathroom first. This of course though lead to quite the awkward conversations where you asked why I didn't have a penis and when I explained about the whole difference between girls and boys all you wanted to do was ask questions about "Chinas" as you call them. I am just glad that you are FINALLY out of diapers during the day. FINALLY!!!

I am beyond thrilled that you are potty training success but I am most excited about your new found love of letters and words. A few weeks ago I was flipping through some of your pictures and noticed that you had letters randomly written all over the papers. So I asked if you wanted me to write out your name for you and you copied it easily. From there you ask us to write out words for you all the time. You also use your fridge magnet letters to spell out three letter words you know. I can't take ANY credit for you learning your letters. You did it on your own. I am quite impressed and extremely proud! Now I don't feel so bad about you not getting a spot in Pre-K next year.

You are now tall enough to stand in the shallow end of although it took some MAJOR convincing for you to try. You are such a water baby but you love the safety of your floaties. The day you finally got brave enough to stretch out your feet and touch the bottom you were so proud. You said "Mommy I did it! I'm growing bigger! I was brave like God!" Anytime you are scared you quote the bible verse you learned at Church, "Be Strong and brave, because God is with you." Sometimes you also like to quote it in the funniest moments. One day you were having a pillow fight with your Great Uncle Oggie and as you were whacking him with a pillow you yelled "GOD IS WITH ME!"

You really do enjoy going to church. This morning when I asked if you were ready to go you answered me with a loud and excited,"YES!" Every question I asked you this morning you answered in the same way. Then you told me, "I'm excited to go to church. I'm excited like Maybe!" That made me laugh. Maybe is your Grandparents dog that gets so excited that not only does her tail wag but her whole back end. Sometimes she looks like she is drunk when she tries to walk because her tail and rear are going side to side and she can't walk straight. If you get hit by her tail it can really hurt and I am pretty sure it is a registered weapon in most states. You have a love hate relationship with that dog. Sometimes you claim that you don't like her and are scared of her then I'll catch you laying on her and kissing her or even locking yourself in her kennel with her.

You and your Dad are two peas in a pod. You really adore him and I hope you guys are always close. Sometimes you wake up and ask for your Dad but he is at work and you'll tell me "I wish Daddy was home and not at work." I promise you he would rather be home with you too. (By the way, you still think your Dad works as a bubble gum maker.) Your Daddy is wonderful and I am so very thankful that he works so hard for our family. He is the one that made it possible for me to get to stay home with you these last few years.

Little Boo, I love you to the moon and back,

Mama

Our Weekend in Rome

This past weekend, I felt like I was trapped in one of those vacation comedy movies where everything that could go wrong does. Okay, looking back that may be a slight exaggeration. So yeah, the pool was out of order and potty training on the go BITES, and the AC in the car didn't work most of the 5+ hour trip home but there were some really great moments too.

*On the way down everyone else was sleeping and I got to drink coffee, drive, and sing along with my iPod with nobody complaining about MY music. SO MUCH FUN

*My Mom and I got to have breakfast together every morning while Lucas and my Grandma were still sleeping. I don't know when the last time just the two of us did something together.

*I loved being able to walk around Berry. It is so pretty. It was one of the colleges I considered going to until my parents bribed me with a car to go to AASU.

*It was nice to help take my Grandma to her 60th College Reunion.

Romen Holiday

I just found out that our hotel has free computer access (YAY!) We are in Rome, GA for my Grandma's 60th College Reunion. We've only been here for a day but is has been such an eventful trip. I have tons to share but I don't want to hog the computer. So here are just a few things I've learned in the last 24 hours.

*If I volunteer to drive the entire night everyone will sleep the whole way here and then still fall asleep first when we reach the hotel.
*My Mom snores like an angry snorting bull about to charge and my Grandma snoring sounds like Chewbacca.
*Three hours after I finally fall asleep my Mom's cell phone will ring. She will go to the bathroom to talk "quietly" but it will amplify her voice.
*Potty training away from home SUCKS
*When venturing out of the hotel, if I bring one set of extra clothes in case of accidents... Luc will need 2.
*If I tell Lucas that we are going to spend the whole day at the pool then the pool will be closed and not opening until Monday, the day AFTER we leave
*After telling Luc about our pool day he will only want to bring one single hot wheel car to play with for when he is NOT swimming.
*Even when I show my kid the empty pool complete with worker painting it he will still think that the pool will be ready for swimming in 5 minutes
*If I decide to venture out alone at night to go pick up dinner in a town I don't know at all using a GPS, the GPS will die on the return trip (because my mom will have "hidden" the car charger)

We will head back for home tomorrow afternoon. I am sure it will be an adventure.

Spa Day

Every had one of those days where you feel like you just can't take it anymore?

Ahhh, that's better.