Luke Matthew: 2 Years

The big 2!!   Oh, I could just eat you up.   You are tough, you are headstrong, you are sweet, you are cuddly.   You are our Luke Matthew and we love you so.

Here is what you are up to these days.  You....

- still LOVE food, particularly "nacks" (snacks).
- are expanding your vocabulary daily.  We are so proud of how much you are talking!  And you understand very well.
- love to "hide".  "I hiding" you say.
- like to sing songs with Mommy or sister.  ABCs and Twinkle Twinkle are your favorites.
- are airplane and bus OBSESSED.
- will sit content looking at books all by yourself.  A big change over the past year.
- are always looking for cows outside your car window (or buses)
- are really good with an open cup at the table and your fork and spoon.
- are STUBBORN.  You must get that from the other male in the family.
- LOVE to play outside.  "I mow" everyday, all day long.  You love your weed-eater. You love sand.  You love dirt.  You love your shovel.

- are such a big helper.  Whether we are pulling weeds or vacuuming, you want to be right there ... "I help".
- don't like to get your hair cut
- are very shy in large crowds at first, even if its just family, and take a minute to warm up.
- are slowly but surely getting the hang of the potty.  School is potty training you and you wear underwear at school.  I haven't been brave enough at home yet but it is soon to come.

- still have your paci only for sleep time.  I know, I know.  It's going away by the end of the summer.
. are still in your crib and making no efforts to climb out.
- are in bed between 7:30 and 8 pm and are usually up in the mornings by 8.
- take a 2-3 hour nap everyday.

I want to always remember...

- your cheeks. I know you won't have those chubby cheeks forever.
- your kisses.
- your hugs.
- the way you run.  You are fast and your cheeks jiggle.
- how you ask "what you doin" and always proclaim "I do it". 
- how you run to greet your daddy when he gets home from work... DAAAADDYYYYYYY!"
- that you ask to be rocked each night and when you are ready point to your bed and in you go.
- your laugh... it will make a bad day a good day and the greatest day an even better day.

 

Gosh, what would we do with you in our life!?  You have a chunk of our heart.  You are such a gift.  We can't wait to make memories with you this next year.

Addison Leigh: 4 years

And just like that another year has past and we turned the page on life as a 3 year old. You are 4 years old today, sweet girl. Just a couple months ago you went to bed a toddler and woke up this little girl. Today we celebrate you, our big 4 year old, our little girl - forever our baby.  

At 4 years old you....

- LOVE to sing and dance.  Anything and everything is a song and you have a move to go along with it.
- You love to pretend.  Playing "school" is your latest outlet for your imagination; you are the teacher and usually Luke is your student.  This often entails putting Luke down for a "nap" and not-so-lightly patting his back.
- are a great student at real school.  We think you are pretty smart. 
- can count to 100 with very little help.
- sing Itsy Bitsy Spider  in Spanish
- can put together the most creative and chaotic outfits under sun.
- know your left from your right.
- you often forget your listening ears.  OFTEN.
- are very into the planets... planets I didn't even know existed.

- can throw a tantrum completely out of nowhere and they are lengthy at times.
- don't usually sleep at school during nap time.  On the weekend, you still nap for a couple hours and still need it!  We are going to hang onto that as long as we can.
- have an amazing memory.  We read a bible story at night before bed and you can recite it the next day.
- have a horrible habit of picking your fingers and toes...the nail, the skin...  It drives your Dad and I crazy! 
- can pout.  Oh man, can you pout.
- don't like to move quickly in the morning.
- are in bed by 8:30 pm but usually don't get to sleep until 9, many times after that.  You sing every song you know usually before falling asleep or play "school" in bed with all your animals.

- brushing your hair is tear-filled almost everyday so we may be cutting that hair off soon!
- LOVE arts and crafts.  You love to use scissors, glue, glitter, you name it.  Watch out - if it is sitting around, it might get glued to a piece of paper.
- saw your first musical this past weekend with Nana, Aunt Ashley and Mommy.  Cinderella.  You loved it and are still talking about it.
- are the sweetest big sister (usually).  You give your brother the sweetest most genuine hug and kiss before bed each night.
- really want a dog
- when you are being shy or caught in a lie, you play with your hair and put it in front of your face.  Kinda drives me crazy.
- can ride your bike like a pro with training wheels.
- are getting to a stage that you would rather be inside playing with your dolls or crafting than being outside.

- don't talk back much but if you do it is to Mommy and I admit, I don't have a lot of patience for it.
- are a pretty good eater.  You will try just about anything at least once. 
- love a good daily routine and also the occasional hectic day.
- are a true lefty! even writing things right to left here and there.
- a favorite treat is an "Icy" drink whether its from 7-11 or Sonic and you never turn down a trip to get frozen yogurt.
- are really into playing games.  We have started playing a game together this past month after Luke goes to bed.  Candyland, Trouble, Chutes and Ladders, Memory... you love them all.
- are in very few 4Ts, mostly 5T or XXS/XS big girl clothes.  What!?

I want to always remember....

- that you will still hold my hand
- that you thank me for making dinner every night.
- how you pray.  Be.  Still.  My.  Heart.
- how sweet you are to your brother and how much you love him even at the ages of 4 and 2.
- that you say "wash car" instead of "car wash"

- Rapunzel is "Tapunzel" and anyone named Melissa is called "Alyssa".

- when you are asked what your brothers name is you say "Bubba Luke Matthew Carson" as if he is Royalty in the bubba world.
- how you run to greet your Daddy when he gets home from work.
- how you love a surprise and how the smallest things are the biggest things to you and you are so thankful.
- how you talk on the phone like you are 13.

Addison Leigh, you teach your Mommy and Daddy something new everyday.  You love me even when I am not being my best.   You have a heart of gold and the sass of a teenager.  Three was pretty fantastic.  I can't wait to see what 4 brings.   Love you to the moon and back, sweet girl.