Hair Grows Back...Right?

We got a little clipper happy tonight.

Both Nate and Luke needed haircuts and in our continuing efforts to save money, we had the bright idea to just do in ourselves. Both of them usually have clippers used on the sides and then scissors on the top of their hair. I have tried this method twice on Nate's hair and I'm just not any good at it so I suggested we just buzz both of their hair. I really wasn't serious.

But that's what we did.

I think Nate looks good, but I have to admit that I am SO sad about Luke's hair. It is SO short now! I know I'll get used to it, and his hair grows really fast, but for some reason I am still sad. I love his hair right after it's cut, but that's when he still has some length on the top! There is no length now. And I'm sure as his hair grows back it will stick straight up like it did when he was a baby. Why did we do this?!?!

It's just hair. It's just hair. And it WILL grow back...right?

Here are the pics...I'll let you be the judge!

The Haircut...in process.


Luke was not a fan.


Look at all that hair!


Finished products - Mr. Drama King kept looking at himself in the mirror and crying. Haha!


Doesn't Nate look so cute?!


Luke was much happier after his shower. I think his cheeks are too big for hair this short!


At least we have tried it now...and know not to do it again! And I guess he'll be a heck of a lot cooler considering it's already 100 degrees out. I just can't forget to spray his head with sunscreen!!

Teeth 13-16

All four of Luke's canine teeth have FINALLY broken through his gums. He started cutting these teeth back in February so they sure have taken their sweet time. Luckily he hasn't been bothered by them constantly for the last four months so it hasn't been too awful, but when he was bothered by them it was no picnic.

The bottom right one broke through right around his birthday and then all three of the others came in last week. I can't wait to see what he looks like with no gaps in his teeth!

Now we just have to get through his two year molars and then that's IT until he starts losing teeth! Hallelujah!!

Neighborhood Pool Fun!

Luke and I went to our neighborhood pool this morning. Luke had a blast in the baby pool AND the big pool. He especially liked going back and forth between the two. As soon as we'd get in one, he'd declare he wanted to go back to the "other pool". He is getting better about not panicking when he goes under water and he loves to jump in the big pool (with Mommy's help), hold onto the kickboard and kick his legs to make splashes, blow bubbles in the water, and play "motorboat".

I took my camera today, but only got pictures of him in the little pool. I wasn't going to risk drowning my camera in the big pool! :)

Walking around the little pool. He looks so big!


Playing with the kickboard.


"Mommy swim, too!" - translation - quit taking pictures of me and get in the water!


Putting his face in the water.


Getting back in the little pool.


We found an abandoned ball at the pool...Luke LOVED playing with it!

Father's Day 2009

We had a very lovely Father's Day this year. We spent most of the day (after church and Sunday school) at home, just the three of us! Since it was the first day in two weeks that Nate didn't have to work, we wanted to take advantage of it and relax all afternoon. It was sooo nice!

I wanted to get a picture of Nate and Luke together, but my boys were not being very cooperative.


Finally after a lot of coaxing I got a decent picture.


And now to reminisce...

Nate's first Father's Day in 2007 - Luke was only 11 days old!


Father's Day 2008 -

Daredevils

On Saturday Luke and I met Nate at his parents' house so we could celebrate Father's Day with his dad. His younger sisters and their boyfriends were home from SHSU and they decided that they wanted to go jump into the stock tank that is on the property. That doesn't sound very exciting, but it really was - a long time ago Nate's family built a trapeze-type swing that you use to jump in the tank. They put a ladder in the back of Nate's brother's truck, climbed up on it, and jumped in.

It was very entertaining. I wish I had brought my suit along. Instead, I was the photographer.

Luke supervises from the four wheeler. He was fine here until they actually started jumping, and that scared him.


So he settled for watching from the mule with Nana, Daddy Matt, Melissa, Bryan, Hayden & Karlee.


Jake (Sarah's boyfriend) put on the best show - lots of flips and spins and Superman poses.


Brandon (Hannah's boyfriend) made it look easy.


Hannah always held her nose!


Sarah was always graceful.


Jake (Nate's brother) took a turn, too.


So did Austin.


And Nate couldn't stand just watching so he went back to the house for some of Sam's swim trunks.


Once Luke saw Daddy do it, he wanted to get in the water, too.


Finally, the sunset on the drive home was breathtaking. I had to snap a picture of it while driving. Don't try this at home, kids!

Just wanted to share my favorite picture from today.

 

Nationally Famous

My "Congrats Pudge" sign was shown on the FSN Final Score and ESPN SportsCenter last night! The clip on ESPN was so fast that all you could see was "Congrats Pudge" but FSN showed me long enough to see me and Luke's head! I am on cloud 9 this morning!!

Here's a family pic from last night, taken by one of the photographers at the Ballpark. Good one of Nate and me, not so much of Luke.

Pudge

It is no secret that I have a (probably unhealthy) love for Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez. It started when I was 12 and I decided that I wanted to play catcher for my YMCA softball team. That was the year I started paying attention to Major League Baseball and the Texas Rangers. That was the year that my obsession for all things baseball began to grow.

Up until that point, I liked playing softball. I started playing T-Ball at five years old and it was the only sport I was allowed to play because that was the same year I was diagnosed with asthma. I liked playing sports and so therefore, I liked softball. But I didn't LOVE it until I started playing catcher. When I started catching, I felt like I had found a "place" on the field.

So that's when I started watching the Rangers. My dad told me to pay attention to what Pudge did and how he played so I could try to mimick his moves myself. So everytime we went to the game, we always got tickets behind home plate (on the third level) and I would sit with binoculars and just watch Pudge almost the entire game. And while I never reached his skill level (let's face it, that is unreachable!), I like to think that he helped me become a better catcher throughout middle school and high school.

I remember going to a game one year when he was on the disabled list. We were given tickets behind homeplate (on the first level) and my dad and I went with a friend of mine and her dad. We made a sign that said "Get Well Pudge We <3 You". In between innings I was holding up the sign towards the dugout and my dad started waving to Pudge. And guess what - HE WAVED BACK!! Thinking about it still thrills me.

I remember December 6, 2002, very vividly. That was the day that I got the email from the Dallas Morning News that the Rangers had signed Einar Diaz. I knew that meant that they would NOT be re-signing Pudge. I remember falling to the floor and just sobbing. Yes, I know, very dramatic. I still hate Tom Hicks & John Hart for not signing Pudge to another contract. They thought that Pudge was at the end of his career - well I guess Pudge showed them.

I was so glad the first year that he wasn't a Ranger that we happened to play the Marlins in interleague IN Arlington. Nate and I got tickets to all three games and I took a sign that said "Rangers Fans but Loyal to PUDGE". It was such justice, in my opinion, that he led the Marlins to a World Series victory that year. In your face, Hicks & Hart.

I was also happy when he went back to the AL and the Detroit Tigers the next year. That meant he was guaranteed to come back to Arlington so I could go see him. I've been to see him every year since he left the Rangers. The most memorable game so far was June 5, 2007. When I saw the schedule back in April that the Tigers would be in town June 5 -7 that year, I was very depressed. After all, I was pregnant with Luke and my due date was June 7 - I thought for sure there was no way I would get to the Ballpark then. Luke must have known this so he stayed in the oven and when I was still pregnant on June 5, I told Nate to take me to the game for our anniversary. We got there early to watch batting practice, and lo and behold I went into labor. We had to leave before the game started - but at least I got to see Pudge take batting practice.

The most disappointing year was last year when Pudge got traded from the Tigers to the Yankees. The YANKEES, for crying out loud. I don't know what the heck he was thinking. We went to a game when the Yankees came to town and in the first or second inning (I can't remember which one), Pudge and David Murphy collided at home plate and he left the game with an injury. That's what he got for being a Yankee, I guess.

So now the whole point of all of my babbling was to get me to THIS year. In the offseason, Pudge signed with the Houston Astros. I was partly okay with this because at least he's in the state of Texas, just not for the right team. I requested tickets for tonight's game back in April - my reasoning was that it was Dollar Hot Dog night. Turns out that I made a GREAT decision because tonight was a big night in Pudge's career. Tonight Pudge set a MLB record for most games caught at 2,227. I am so, so, so glad that I was able to be there for that game, and that he set the record in Arlington. It was PERFECT.

I made a sign that said "Congrats Pudge We Miss You" and it was shown on tv! I just so happened to DVR the game so I got to see it. You could see the top of Luke's head, my head, and my sign. My 15 seconds of fame!! At the bottom of the third inning there was a video tribute to Pudge and I had tears streaming down my face. I am just so emotional about this man, it's not even funny. He turned and waved to the crowd from behind the plate, and I am almost positive that he saw my sign. (At least I am telling myself that he did!)

Some pictures from the game...

Pudge walking to the dugout from the bullpen before the game:


Catching:


On deck:


Walking back to the dugout (after getting out):


My sign:


I still hope that one day Pudge will be a Ranger again. A girl can dream, right?

Just Like Daddy

Nate had to mow the yard on Sunday evening, so Luke just had to "help". I love this picture because they are in the same position:


Luke was so excited to be mowing with Daddy.




Once the front yard was done, they moved on to the easement that runs next to our house.


After mowing, Luke also got to help water the grass. Although he thought it was the perfect opportunity to spray the dogs.

Don't turn your back to the pantry...

...when you have a hungry little boy in the kitchen!

Last Friday I was cooking dinner and Luke kept asking me for a snack. I told him he needed to wait until dinner to eat and that he could not have a snack. Then I took something into my bedroom and came back to find...





He had opened the pantry and gotten out some of Nate's cereal and was chowing down. In the battle of snack v. no snack before dinner, Luke wins.

Luke's Best Friend

"Give a boy a dog and you've furnished him a playmate." - Berton Braley

Slip n Slide Fun

I set up the slip n slide again last week and Luke FINALLY had a blast on it. He even tried to slide on his belly, which is a huge improvement from the first time he played on it.


His favorite thing to do was run down the lane and then slide on his bottom into the pool at the end.


And, of course, he had to be a copycat. Here he is mimicking me trying to get some sun!

Big Boy Bed Update

Things are going wonderfully! Luke absolutely LOVES his new bed. He has done great for naps and bedtime, and every time we go into his room, he climbs up on his bed. The crib is still up (to my dismay but whatever) and he'll point to his baby bed, and then I'll ask him which bed he wants to sleep in and the answer is always 100% BIG BOY BED!

I am so, so glad that the transition was a smooth one. I'm also glad that we went with the toddler bed first because he is a wild child sleeper and the first morning we found him on the floor! Luckily the toddler bed is just a few inches off the ground so it's not a big deal. He was just sleeping with his blankie and a baseball, as happy as can be. I'm not sure if he grabbed the baseball, or if he just landed by it.

Luke is definitely not a baby anymore! He's had so many big boy milestones lately that are awesome, but also very bittersweet for his mommy.

Bye Bye Crib

Since he slept in Beth's bed when we stayed at my parents' while they were out of town, everyday Luke asks to sleep in "Bee's bed". He was such a good boy in Beth's bed that it got Nate and me thinking that maybe it was time to upgrade from the crib. I have been DREADING this moment because he really does love his crib and I have not been ready to give up the freedom of keeping him contained in his bed! :)

But I started looking for toddler beds because I knew I could not delay the inevitable much longer. We decided to go for a toddler bed first so we wouldn't face the expense of a twin bed, mattress, and new bedding all at once. I found a great deal for a bed on Craigslist so I went to look at it this evening, knowing full well I would be taking it home.

Luke was so excited! It wouldn't fit in the back of the 4Runner so I put one of the seats down and layed it down on its side. It was rocking back and forth and he kept saying "careful, bed!" We weren't sure if we would put it up tonight, but once we got it out of the car, Luke's reaction made the decision for us. He was psyched! He kept pointing at the bed and saying "Oh, cute!". We gave him the option of sleeping in his big boy bed or in his crib, and he asked for his new bed.

So...we got his mattress and bedskirt out of his crib and put them on the new bed.


We still have to take the crib apart to get it out of the room, but we'll cross that bridge another day. We moved it down so we could get the toddler bed against the wall. We talked over and and over again how he has to stay in his bed until Mommy or Daddy come to get him, and when he's ready to get up he needs to yell for one of us. His response was "Okay, yes, ma'am." :)

He climbed right in bed when it was time to go to sleep and greeted his blankie, Snuggles, and other animals like they were old friends. (I guess he thought they wouldn't make the transition with him?)




We gave him kisses and told him we loved him and then we left the room. He cried for maybe 15 seconds and then was quiet. About 30 minutes later, I went to check on him and he was fast asleep!


I only hope that the rest of the night (and subsequent nights) go as smoothly.