Father and Son

Dear Lucas (4 years 10 months),

In two months you will be 5. In less than two weeks you will no longer be in PreK and in just a few months you will be starting Kindergarten. Where does the time go? On the way home from school today we were talking about plans for your birthday and I actually asked if you could stop growing and just stay this age forever. Your response was, "Mom, that's what kids do, grow up. I have to get older so I can be like Dad and grow a mustache or maybe a beard."

Thursday was the big PreK end of the year picnic and you were presented with your certificate of completion. You asked me if that meant it was the last day of school, which would make sense but you still have two weeks left. I can't believe summer is finally here! I am so excited to get to spend more one on one time with you.

After the picnic was over your whole class headed to the beach for a chance to dig in the sun and splash in the waves. Your whole prek experience has been so awesome and I love getting to go on field trips with you. You guys had a blast. One classmate said "This is the best day ever" and pretty soon you were all saying "yes, this is the best day ever," which made your wonderful teachers day.

Your Grandma got to come to the beach with us to see you get your certificate and jump in the waves with you. On the way home she suggested we stop for an ice cream cone and a cool drink. So we stopped at the Sugar Shack on Tybee, which in a way is a part of our family history I guess. Grandma used to go there before I was ever even born and before you were born your Dad and I went there on our very first date. I never could have guessed nine years ago just how wonderful things would turn out.

Tee ball ended last week and I am so glad that we signed you up. It was so nice for me and your Dad to get up and go cheer you on every week. Playing really taught you about team work and working together and it was just such a good experience. After each game we would always go out and have lunch together as a family. We'll just have to find a new Saturday activity to replace tee ball.

The last thing that has been going on is that we have to go to Atlanta to get your eyes checked out. For some reason your eyesight has been getting worse instead of better so we are going to see a specialist to see if they can find out why and hopefully correct it. The whole waiting and not knowing thing is a little nerve-racking but we have been trying to stay calm, especially around you. No sense stressing for weeks over something that might not even be a big deal.

Love you to the moon and back,

Mommy

Tee Ball Pictures

Luc's Third Tee Ball Game

Last weekend, Lucas' glasses got broken the night before his third tee ball game. The poor kid was a trooper though and played without his "eyes."

He was able to hit with no problem but when it was time to be in the outfield he just had to stand there because he could not tell when the ball was coming towards him. He also had trouble seeing the bases when it was time to run.

Lucas was excited that his Grandma came to watch him play.

We left right after his game was over to get him a new pair of glasses. He was so excited to see again that he thanked that guy that made his glasses by saying" Thank you! You are so awesome!"

Dear Lucas (4 years 9 Months and a few days)

It is so hard for me to believe that your first year of school is almost over and even harder to believe that you are almost five. Time seems to be on fast forward lately. I am looking forward to the lazy days of summer when we get to go on mini adventures again.

Your friends David and Gabriel still spend quite a bit of time with us and if you go a day or two without them you seem to go through withdraws. Then when you guys are all together you guys fight and argue. I guess they are more like your family now then just friends. Next year the three of you will be going to the same school and probably riding the bus together. I hope you boys stay friends for many years to come. The only thing I hated about growing up as an Army brat is that I didn't get the chance to grow up with kids I knew from the sandbox years.

Our new house is right around the corner from Lowe's and it is becoming one of your favorite places to spend a Saturday morning. They have free projects for kids and it is right up your alley. You love working with your hands and building things.

One other activity that you are really loving right now is Tee ball. I am so thankful that we signed you up. I might be biased but you are pretty good at it too. You can hit the ball pretty far and you have quite an arm on you. It is really teaching you how to be a good sport and teamwork. Plus it is so darn cute to watch. In the middle of your first game an airplane flew overhead while you guys are on the field and half your team is looking up at the sky going "ooooh look, an airplane"

We just got back from your third trip to California and your first time seeing the Pacific Ocean. The first thing you did when you hit the beach was ask me for your swim clothes. You were a little shocked when you felt how cold the water was and when I told you that the water there NEVER gets warm, the expression on your face was priceless. The cold didn't keep your feet out of the water and when we finally left they were BRIGHT red from the cold water.

While we were in California, we stayed in this awesome rental house with a ton of our family. I think I heard there were twenty five adults and 9 kids staying on the property. That wasn't counting everyone that came and just didn't sleep there. You had a ball playing with your cousins and it really made me wish that there was a way to move Georgia and California closer to each other. You are already planning our next trip back, and this time you are insisting that your Daddy HAS TO GO. I couldn't agree more.

Luc, I love you more than hammer head sharks,

Mommy

To a Tee

Throwing the ball to the coach

Lucas at bat

Wrapping up practice

"Dad! Dad! Look, I got a hat and jersey!"

"I'm number 4!"

Lucas at Bat

Today was Lucas' first tee ball practice. He got off to a rocky start. He was one of the first ones to bat and round the bases and he started crying when the other boys were trying to tag him out.... because they did not have the ball. He kept going and finished up with tears down his cheeks. He is really good at batting and throwing but needs to work on sportsmanship. By the end of practice he got the hang of tee ball and wasn't getting mad when he couldn't get the ball EVERY TIME. The couch handed out jerseys at the end of practice and Lucas was VERY excited to find out that he is #4, his current favorite number.

Excited for Tee Ball

Lucas starts Tee Ball on Saturday and he couldn't be more excited. Every day when he gets home from school, he gets his glove on and has us throw to him so he can practice catching them.