take me out to the....

My college roommates and their kids came over from Auburn this weekend to see us and because Sam had gotten tickets to the Red Sox-Braves game on Saturday and their 8-yr-old is obsessed with baseball. So he and his dad and Luke and Sam had a boys outing while the girls and the babies did some shopping and relaxed. Luke did great and was really interested in the game most of the time. I was afraid he might get bored. Part of the way through, he and Sam went up to the top of the stadium where they have lots for kids to do, like base-running and pitch speed and games and things. The boys both had a great time, even though the Braves lost.

on top of the stadium...

watching the game from the seats--front row! well, of the second level...

Rounding third....headed for home....he's gonna score!

Watch out, catcher! I am coming in for the steal!

going to work...

Luke is getting more and more into imaginative play: so he has gotten into playing with his dress-up clothes. He's got clothes and hats for fireman, policeman, doctor, army man, chef, old ties, etc. Today he got all dressed in his army gear and told me he was going to work today. He packed a lunch in his play food lunch box (PB & J sandwich, pear, cookie and milk) and gave me a kiss and "left"--actually just to the other side of the room. There he got out his lunch and ate it, then packed up and ran back over to me. He gave me a big hug and said "I am home from work and I missed you so much. I am going to change into my comfy clothes now before dinner." He then took off the dress-up clothes and got back on his regular "comfy clothes."

Needless to say, that is pretty much what Daddy says and does when he comes home from work. Although he does not wear army man clothes. So I asked Luke who dressed like to go to work and he told me that he was Uncle Brad. So then I asked him what Brad or Daddy or anybody does at work, and Luke thought about it for a while and said, "Nothing, I guess." Hilarious. Everyone just goes to work and does nothing but eat lunch and then comes home. Just remember that, everyone--I am on to you!

father's day fun

It was a very low-key, relaxed Father's Day. We all went for a long walk/bike ride at the park and to the equestrian park, so Luke could try out his new big boy training wheel bike on the paths. Then we went for ice cream a bit later after dinner.Whee!!! Down the hill!

Pedal, pedal, pedal. He is doing great!

In his defense, this is after about a mile in and this is kind of a big hill....

Resting at the top and watching the horses....

Ice cream!

his favorite part was eating my empty cone

visit to Mimi and Papaw's house

Luke had so much fun going to Mimi and Papaw's house, especially swimming in Beth's pool and at the ocean. He loved playing the ocean, as long as someone was nearby, in case he got a face full of wave (which was more than once). He still has his seashells next to his placemat at the table. Luke also built an entire sand village with a house for Mimi and Papaw, one for mommy and daddy, and one for Henry and Luke, complete with walkways in between them and a "living room where we can play games." How sweet!

out in the ocean with Mommy and Beth

dancing in the sand...

So cute!

He loved being buried in the sand...

Building sand castles and watching the waves...

Pumping up the ball...

Now he said he was going to "tie up the ball so it will not run away"

Jamming on the piano with Papaw

mount mulch-more

This may be Luke's favorite thing of all time: a huge pile of mulch in his driveway, delivered by a dump truck. It is the trifecta of little boyhood--big trucks, big pile of dirty stuff and getting to use shovels and wheelbarrows to spread it all over the yard....yippee!

luke is 3!!

Luke had a great birthday on Thursday. Mimi and Auntie Beth came in early so that Sam and I could take Luke out for a special outing. We headed downtown to the Children's Museum and out to lunch. Luke had a great time as you can see from the pics. Then we went home for cake and presents. The big birthday bash is on Saturday--I'll post more pics from today and the party soon!

Riding the tractor at the farm exhibit, showing how food gets from the farm to the truck to the store to your house....

Checking out at the store...He loves the cash register, both this one and the real ones at the store. He loves to swipe the card and push in my PIN number...

Just some of the play food in the kitchen room...

Playing in the moon sand tables...

Painting the walls!! With permission, of course...

Going fishing in the water tables with Daddy...

Getting off of the playground--this pretty much sums it up for him. I love his joyful expression. Luke will be a terrible poker player someday: his face is so honest.

Eating a lunch at the country's largest drive-in, The Varsity. He loved his hat that they give to the kids. And in a glimpse in to the future, he ate almost an entire hot dog, an entire hamburger, a cup of applesauce and about a 1/4 of my fries....and went home to cake. Yikes!

Blowing out the candles!

Per his request, this is a yard waste truck cake --similar to a garbage truck but gets the leaves and sticks and grass clippings from your yard. And that yellow thing over to the side is a container with green and brown "yard waste" icing.

Presents!! And Henry wanted to get in on the action too!

I cannot believe my little guy is 3! Where does the time go?