There's No Place Like Home

We were at the mailboxes the other day when I saw a note from the Property Manager posted. A condo was for sale in Colchester for just $159,000. What a bargain, right? It's actually a very low price for any sort of property in Chittenden County, I really should have known better. I called Pat and got the address and Lucas and I headed across town to take a look. Pat assured me that it was the nicest condo they had to offer, but when we pulled into the neighborhood I realized that wasn't saying much. It had the exact same layout as the apartment we're in now, but the floor was peeling in the kitchen, the walls were in rough shape, I wouldn't put any of my dishes in the rotten cabinets, the front door had clearly been broken into, and it would have cost twice as much to live there every month as I pay for our apartment once I factored in taxes, water, sewer, insurance. I had to laugh when Pat called me that afternoon to see how I liked "my new condo"...not so much, Pat...not so much. I know Lucas felt the same way, as we walked down the steps he announced "Let's see the next one!"

Who Needs an Alarm Clock?

I have to admit, as Lucas gets older, his morning wake up announcements get funnier. What used to be cries and tears (he was never a morning baby) are now..."It's mornin', open you eyes Mommy, I'm lookin' at you. You go stinky work, I go Amma's (Grandma's)? Yup, right from the start, he's trying to get rid of me, warms my heart, really.

It's Never Too Cold for Ice Cream

I'd Love To!

My son seems to be taking politeness to a whole new level these last couple of weeks. His latest catch-phrase is "I'd love to".

Me: Would you like to go for a ride in the car?
Him: "I'd wuv to!"

Me: Wanna walk down to the mailbox with me?
Him: "I'd wuv to!"

Me: Wanna go potty?
Him: "I'd wuv to!"

You get the picture...but he means it! He thanks me so sweetly with kisses and snuggles. Don't get me wrong, my Lucas has his days, he is three after all, but how lovely is three right now? Very lovely!

Of course, having said all that, he demanded that I get out of his brand new comfy bed today...
I was watching a show on HGTV (I cannot get enough of that channel!) and he wanted to watch Blues Clues, he wasn't willing to watch it in his room (yes, he has a tiny little TV in his room) so I put it on in the living room and I ran upstairs to watch the last five minutes in my room. Well, my bed was made and his wasn't, so I hopped into his and turned on my show. Next thing I know, Luke is stomping up the stairs asking me what I'm doing, he was not happy to find me all snuggled in his bed. He demanded I get out, 'cause his bed is for "big boys only!" I can't blame him, I'd be possessive about a bed that nice, too!

The New Bed!

Here's some photos of the new bed! Lucas loves it and is finally sleeping the whole night in his own bed (usually!)

It only took a couple of HOURS to convert from crib to full-size, but obviously worth the effort. It would be nice if manufacturers would include actual "tools" for assembly instead of those little pretend "wrenches"..would have made it soooo much easier! At least I can take comfort in the fact that I won't ever have to do it again until he moves out...or we both move out!

I Thought My Night Was Bad...

Until I talked to my friend Pam, she had her hands full today!

I, myself, lost my keys at 3am this morning...I actually lost them hours earlier of course, but I didn't realize it until about 3:10am when I was trying to desperately to escape, I mean leave, work. Lucky for me, a friend of mine was working until 7am and let me use her car to pick up Lucas and drive home to get the spare set of keys. I'd like to take a moment here to remind you how incredibly lucky I am that I had a spare house key hidden outside...since Lucas had found it played with it that very morning. We were back in bed by 4am and I had the pleasure of setting my alarm clock (for the first time in AGES) for 6:45am! so that I could bring this friend back her car so she could go home! Needless to say, didn't get much sleep...but luckily the sun was shining and we played outside long enough for Lucas to get pink cheeks and a head of hair hot from the sun...plus I got like a zillion kisses, and eskimo kisses, and butterfly kisses...he was just very kissy today! I'm a lucky Mama!

Oh What a Wonderful Day

Notice the pants, Aunt Mary? Still his favorite ones!


Playing with the dump trucks that used to be Uncle Ben's...


He wouldn't stay still for a shot...he'd just race by me squealing "take my picture!"


Love those green crocs on his feet...the one pair of shoes he can get on and off by himself!


How lovely to finally have the sun in our eyes!


Happy Spring....new bed pictures to follow tomorrow!

It Just Figures...

I took a million great pictures today out in the sunshine...wouldn't it just figure that I remembered to pack my camera case and cables, but not the camera? Arghhh...tomorrow, I promise.

Big news on the home front? Luke's bed is here! The rails and the conversion kit, at least. It took me a couple of hours and a lot of help from the three-year-old tool master to get it done...but it looks so good! The instruction page that came with his crib three years ago had a page devoted to the "conversion"...it was very helpful...it showed a picture of the completed bed. Um, but how do I go from crib/toddler bed to full size sleigh bed? Apparently half the fun is figuring all that out yourself! Pictures to follow...

Hope everyone had a lovely sunny day today...we sure did...yeah Spring!

I Ask You....

Is this the cutest little neck that you ever did see? I think it might be...

Maybe It's Time to Send Him to School...

I was upstairs putting laundry away today when I heard a thump. No crying, but still...I hollered down the stairs "Lucas, are you OK?", and he yelled right back, "Are you worried about me, Mommy?" Well yes, I guess I am...he was fine, I had to kiss a knee, no big deal...but when did he learn about worrying?

Then on the way to pick up Grandma...

Lucas: (he yells from the back seat) "take a right, right HERE!"
Me: How do you know?
Lucas: "I read the sign."
Me: Hmph...

Time Off For Good Behavior

So, Lucas threw himself quite a fit last week in a store that we had only been in for a second, and the tears and the runny nose and the crying went to record levels in no time at all; he obviously wasn't in the mood to shop. I walked him right back out to the car and when we got home we had a long talk about good behavior and what that means to me. Now, of course I figure that he hears me, but does he really understand? We haven't been in another store since, until today...today we went to Walmart. We were half way there when Lucas announces from the back seat..."Mommy...I am going to behave." And he did! My son was perfect in Walmart...no tears, no snot, no wailing. He helped me push the cart and didn't hit a single person. He even reminded me to get the eggs. What a difference a day makes...

I Do Not Want To Hear One More Word About Global Warming...

When it looks like this in April...

That's My Boy

I let Lucas pick out his own clothes today when he woke up from his nap and needed to be changed...and do you know what he picked? My personal all time favorite outfit: Flannel PJ bottoms, a t-shirt, a hoodie sweatshirt and his crocs! I would wear that same outfit for the rest of all time if people at the mall wouldn't look at me funny...and that was his pick! You know how Mom is always bragging that she cloned us? I think I might have done it too! ;-)

I did try to get a picture of him in that fabulous outfit while he was buckled in his car seat...but he was too busy giving me the directions to Grandma's to sit still long enough for clear shot. Take a right here!!

Good Morning!

So, I'm still at work, but it's already 1:45am, and in a few minutes, I'll have less than an hour left! Sounds like nothing, right? I do this every weekend...start counting down the hours after 11pm when I really wish I was going home to bed like everybody else. I just tell myself that the hour between 11pm and midnight doesn't count, it goes pretty quickly anyway with the shift change, and less than three hours left sounds WAY better than 4 hours left...4 hours sounds like so long! Can't wait to come back tomorrow and do it all again! :-)

Hard At Work...

Here's the boy, hard at work on his shiny new scooter. It came with an Allen wrench in the box, and he hasn't been able to stop fixin' things since he found it! It would be nice if he could move on to bigger things, like automobiles, because mine is getting on in years, and I would love a free tune-up!

You can see part of his train table in the background, which he makes me pull away from the wall every day so he can get all the way around it, because he's tiny, or so he tells me. He doesn't feel tiny when I'm lugging him up to bed every night!

Out of the Mouths of Babes

I feel compelled to warn you that the following post contains some modified curse words (I'm talking to you Aunt Mary ;-)), and I don't want anyone to feel like they weren't cautioned about the content. Soooo, I was driving in the car with Lucas and a lady (who was talking on her cell phone) cut us off making a left hand turn and very nearly got us in a car accident. I was furious and yelled out "Get off your damn cell phone and pay attention, you jacka**!" Of course my little sweetie in the back seat stuck right up for me and yelled out "You jacka**!) I tried my hardest not to smile and told him it wasn't a nice word, and I shouldn't have used it and neither should he. Lucas said "sowwy (sorry) Mommy...short pause...but I didn't say assh***! I would just like to take a moment to state that I am not the one who taught him that word, but I won't point any fingers, either! What can you do? I thanked him politely for not using either word, and we continued on our way! Definitely need to remember he's like a little sponge...

Future Driver's Ed Teacher

I'm not exactly sure when my sweet little baby turned into a three-year-old back seat driver. It's getting to point where I can't make it around the first corner by our house before he starts hollering out helpful advice from the back seat, like STOP SIGN! Or MOMMY YOU GOIN' TOO FAST, SLOW DOWN! Or how about the oh-so-helpful USE TWO HANDS MOMMY! Apparently when he turns 16 and the state hands over his shiny new driver's license, I have nothing to worry about.

Happy Easter!

I'm sure that Easter happens in the spring, but you'd just never know it by the snow flurries! We managed to squeeze in two egg hunts (with 84 eggs) in the back yard before it got too cold to stay outside. The Easter Bunny was kind enough to bring Lucas two baskets, one to Grandma's and one to his own house. He didn't seem at all suprised that the Easter Bunny would give him two baskets, because come on, why wouldn't he? When I left him at Grandma's house to come to work, he was running around in just a pull-up, a t-shirt, and his rosy red cheeks. I think he had a good day, I think he's going to crash hard when he finally goes down for nap!

Let Them Eat Cake!

This little bunny got scarfed right down, and he was tasty!

The Thrill of the Hunt

Lucas and Lili braved the coooooooold weather today to join in the the City of Winooski's annual egg hunt. The crowd started running before the Hunt Official gave us the go, but luckily, we were near the head of the pack, so the kids did quite well!

We're Having an Eggscellent Time!

We dyed eggs today for the Easter Bunny...also our hands, the counter, a small spot on the kitchen floor and the aprons I thought to put on us at the last minute, but fun was had!

Happy Easter!

Priceless...

Cost of one haircut for a screaming toddler plus a generous tip.....17.00


Cost of one Thomas the train bribe that was supposed to be a gift from the Easter Bunny.....12.00


Actually managing to get Lucas to sit through a haircut.....PRICELESS!

Hair-Raising

Lucas and his most prized possession, his pink bunny, down at the Burlington Waterfront. We are going for a haircut tomorrow, so keep your fingers crossed for me, people! The last time I brought Lucas to the hairdresser he fought so hard to get out of the chair that he broke it. Yup, that's right! Broke the chair. We tipped big and ran for the door that day...so I have to pick another place for tomorrow's haircut. I've already bribed him with a Thomas train he's had his little eye on, so hopefully, this haircut will go smoother than the last. And yes, I am also laughing at my optimism, since my bribes have never worked in the past.

Spring Is Calling Our Name

Today Lucas and I set out to assemble his brand new, shiny red Schwinn scooter that his Grandma bought him for his 3rd birthday. I have had it hiding away in the basement (still in the box) until today because the weather has not been scooter-friendly. But today was beautiful and sunny and dry, so we pulled the box upstairs and outside and starting assembling without the one wrench that is apparently vital to the completion of this scooter. We only had to knock on two doors before finding a neighbor that did own the wrench and it went together pretty quickly after that. Lucas refuses to use it's handy little kickstand, and instead prefers to fling it to the ground when his done trying to balance on it. So that's something we will need to work on. He doesn't care for his helmet, either, but that's non-negotiable. I'll post a picture when he can balance on it long enough to catch on film!

Our First Ever Post...

I have been reading the amazing blogs of others out there and decided it was time to start my own. I thought it would be a neat way to keep everyone updated on the happenings of Lucas. My sweet little boy turned three this month, and while the terrible two's went rather smoothly, the three's are shaping up to be a bit louder. Hopefully pictures will follow (if I can figure out how to get them loaded up here!)

Stay tuned...

OK...I figured out how to add a pic from my email files...but he's sideways! I have a lot to learn it seems, but good enough for now! Happy Birthday Aunt Mary...65!

Edited to add: I fixed him! Right side up...pretty cute, huh?