FOUR no more

  December 19th, 2012 -- today was Luke's last day as a 4 year old.  He has changed so much just in the last few months and I want to record as much of Luke as I can today.  Sometimes I wish time would stand still.  But I also get excited for new stages in life.   We've had some rough stages with Luke - when we couldn't seem to reign him in at all.  He sorta had his own agenda and so much drive and energy behind that agenda - we were pretty helpless in our parenting.  But through the last few years and especially the last few months I've seen a lot of changes in him.  He will actually look at adults in the eye and talk to them. (!)  He loves preschool.  I started a co-op preschool when he turned 3 and it was always a battle to get him to participate and to enjoy it.  (even though it was super fun and great moms teaching it).  I always felt so bad that my kid was the one making it hard for teachers.  But now he is excited to go - which is such a relief to me.  I thought he was going to hate school all 18 years of his life.   It probably has a lot to do with his teacher Ms. Amber.  She is the most loving teacher and the kids can feel that love.  She always tells me that Luke has such a big heart.   When other kids get in trouble, he'll say "Oh Ms. Amber - give them another chance!"   He loves Ms. Amber so much and always picks her during games in class.  He likes her more than he likes any of the kids.  One day he even asked her for her number. :)  When I pick him up, he usually gets in the car, sighs and says, "I just love Ms. Amber."

Luke has gotten a lot more social too.  When I went to the preschool Christmas party he took me around to all his friends and excitedly introduced me to them.  I was so proud of him that day.  He knew everyone's names and had a few things to say about each of them. 

Luke asked me to take his picture with his new friend Beautiful

Luke was so excited that one of his friend's dad is a policeman.  He sat and asked him question after question about his gun, getting the bad guys and all his adventures.  (The policeman actually did have a lot of adventures to tell that left Luke in awe of him.)  I think it made that guy's day.  Luke even told him he was his hero.  He said "Mom, could you give that poiceman a hug?"  (in the earshot of the officer) and I said, "no Luke, it's ok."  He said, "Why?  Is it because you are too shy?"  "Yeah, I'm too shy."  He asked me to take his picture with the officer.  And he even let him check out his Sheriff car!  

There was a time his focus was 100% toys and ignored people altogether so this is great for him!   I went to pick him up from playing with a friend and the mom told me that Luke was quick to come to the defense of his friend's little brother and she said Luke seemed to really root for the underdog.   And as intense and physical and energetic as he is, I always marvel how good he is to his sisters.  He is definitely physical with them, but rarely ever hurts them.  And constantly saying how "cute" they are.  

He still has a rough time at church.  But, sometimes it's hard for ME to be in church 3 hours, so I'll cut him some slack.  So, even though he's one of the "hard" kids in primary - he still comes home with a wealth of knowledge about the gospel.   Recent sermon (12/2/2012) on the way home from church:  "When Jesus comes down from the sky for the last time then it will be peaceful and there will be no sickness.   And we will open all the cages and let out the lions cause they're gonna be nice.  And we can pet them.  And the snakes will lose their stingers and can't sting us.  And I can't wait until Jesus comes cause I want to hug him.  But angels and all the people who have died can come down too like Aunt Sarah!"  

Later that night when Luke and Lucy are supposed to be in bed - I come downstairs and they are out of bed.  I put Lucy in my bed and go talk to Luke and asked him what happened.  He said "Lucy got out of bed and was trying to go by the stairs where YOU were and so I got her and I was strong and was trying to drag her cause she fell down"

"Luke! you can't do that."

"But I was trying to make her choose the right!"

"That is not your job Luke.  You just worry about YOU choosing the right."

SIGH  "I can ever win!  I can never win until Jesus comes for the last time and it's peaceful and so Lucy will stop getting out of her bed and waking me up."

A few Luke quotes in 2012:

1/2 - after telling him about how his teeth will fall out and he'll grow new ones he said "Well, that's a disaster!"

1/14 - singing to the right tune "It's raining, it's pouring...there's a guy sleeping in the rain"

4/12 - Luke's prayer the night after visiting Joey's dental office where Luke was VERY friendly with the staff.  "...and thank you that I hugged all those grills (girls) today"

5/24 - Comes out of his room in his iron man costume - "Mom, my head is runny"
"what does that mean?"
"I have to scratch my head cause those things that Heavenly Father makes, ya know?  Those hot tears are coming down.
"Oh, that's called sweat."
"Yeah, sweat."

5/23 -  "what is a prophet Luke - do you know?"
"Yeah.  He never says potty words and always eats his food all gone."

7/2 - Maryanne started crying a little and Luke said "Oh Maryanne is crying! She's saying (in his baby voice) waaaah! I want to go to Chuck E Cheeses!"    well played Luke.  well played.

11/8 - me: "Luke! What is going to make you STOP grabbing faces!  I've told you so many times!"
Luke: "Love."
me: "How is love going to make you stop?"
Luke:  "Because love is the most POWERFUL thing in the world."

11/18  Luke's prayer - "I'm thankful that my mom is alive cause she's the beautifulest thing of all"

12/8 Getting home late from the Wilsons
me: "okay remember we are going STRAIGHT to bed"
Luke: "why don't we ever go curvy to bed?"  and walked in a "curvy" line to his bedroom (cheeky)

12/10 dinnertime.
luke: I'm all done!"
me: "no, you didn't eat your carrots"
luke: "oh, let's just leave those for decoration"

12/11 me: "what should we get Ms. Amber for Christmas?"
luke: "Diamonds!"  

Luke - thanks for making me a mom 5 years ago.  In fact, 5 years ago right now I was at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center having contractions waiting to meet you for the first time.  You were born at 3:23 am with the umbilical cord wrapped around your ankle - bungee jumping into this world.  So appropriate.