- crepe breakfast in bed
- went to the gym with the Wilsons, Batemans and Johnsons for some kickball. Luke and Jane played kickball for awhile and then ended up in the hallway talking solemnly about how they are both moving away and how sad they are they won't live next to each other anymore. They talked for a long time about it. I wish I could have heard their conversation.
- came home - brought Jane, Malan, Olivia and Emme. They all end up outside playing a game of hacking up the ice that had frozen in our little sand table. Luke had a giant pick-axe and was hacking at the ice with all his might. Looked fun. I went to go get "the ice worker's song" from Frozen to blast on the block rocker but I couldn't get it figured out in time - story of my life. Always with the technological problems. But they had a lot of fun playing with the ice outside. When they got any special icicles - they would run them in and put them in the freezer.
- Luke and Jane played Minecraft and Malan directed a jungle play upstairs with the little girls. They made green paper vines hanging from the ceiling and she wrote her own music.
- Then we went to Lucy's holiday piano recital at the church. Luke's "cake" was a tower of ice cream sandwiches at the recital - they were a hit.
- We got home and Luke, Jane and Malan went off on the go-cart to watch a "Grumpy Cat" Christmas movie and spend the night in the tree house with dad. The little girls stayed here to watch Shimmer and Shine and have a sleepover in the living room.
Ah - and I forgot that on his birthday eve - we started what will maybe be a new tradition. We let him come in our bed and snuggle with us while Joey and I told him all about the night he was born. We told him about the umbilical chord wrapped around his ankle - like he was bungee jumping into the world and ended up watching bungee jumping videos online. It was great.
He got an awesome headlamp from Grandma Songer, he bought Pokemon Moon for his DS with Grandma Hale's money and he got a Minecraft Stop Motion Movie Creator from the Wilsons that he and Jane have made many, many movies with.
So, kinda lame footage but maybe someday he'll want to know what he was like on his 9th birthday - so there it is.
Luke - let me tell you what you are like right now (well from your mother's perspective). You have a heart of gold kiddo. Anytime I need you, like REALLY need you, you come through every. single. time. When you sense I'm out of commission for some reason or another - you rise to your calling as the oldest child and help get ba-bas and sippies and breakfast for everyone. You get all your work done and help everyone else. And you shine with pride knowing you've done a good thing.
You are at a stage right now where you have a lot of pent up energy that escapes you through high-pitched, repetitive noises and impulsive throwing of couch pillows. :) Dad is realizing what his own dad went through when he was your age. You get out a lot of this energy by jumping on the trampoline and running your track of back and forth from the front door to the back door.
You definitely love learning and are always fascinated with something whether it be Egyptian hieroglyphics or glaciers or microscopes but mostly it's dad's science lessons. Those are your favorite. With the exception of dad's science lessons - you prefer learning independently through books and YouTube videos and not being talked to. So I let you do that a lot and then you teach me - - which I love.
You are funny and likeable - especially with your peers. You make friends quickly and are a thoughtful and good friend and look out for others' interests. Now, adults, on the other hand - when adults talk to you there is always a delay of a few seconds before you respond. It's like you have to force yourself to answer their questions.
You are a wonderful and caring brother. You let Lucy play Minecraft and Pokemon with you (and have recently taught Maryanne too) and you think Freddy is hilarious and let him beat you up with whatever weapon he has. But you sure hate for anyone to go in your room and so you keep the door closed at all times. You like to keep it really clean and hate for Freddy to come in and get into your stuff.
You are intense so when you get frustrated - the world knows about it. Some things come really easy for you (like retaining information you've ever heard or read) and some things (like learning a new physical job or skill) don't. And when it doesn't - it's hard for you. But you are willing to do it because you want to do the right thing. And that is my favorite thing about you - you always want to and try your best to do the right thing. Like I said, heart of gold.
You are a talented comic writer and write and draw some really funny stuff. And I love that you still love your mom and even let me pick you up sometimes and hug you so tight. You're a good kid. We're glad you're around. Happy 9 years of Luke!
(party post here)
