Happy Birthday to our 3-Year Old, Luke!

Happy 3rd Birthday to our precious son, Luke.  This post is written directly to you, Luke, from your mommy.

Showing us how old he is!

These past three years have just flown by!  I can't believe how big you are, Luke!  You have to be one of the sweetest little kids ever!  You give the very best hugs and kisses.  Lately, your warm hugs and kisses and endearing words have been absolutely therapeutic to me.  Not only that, but your laughter is one of the best sounds to my ears, and also serves as wonderful medicine.  Laughter is always heard in our household, because you are simply hilarious.  The things you say and actions you do would make anyone laugh!  Here is one tiny recent example.  Yesterday morning when you awoke, you exerted your independence and decided to wear your "comfy pants" that you had found in a stack of clothes you had outgrown (18 months size, which is the size Abbey wears right now).  The pants were way too short, yet you were way too determined for any of us to convince you otherwise.   Grandpa was going to take you outside to play later that cold day, so I thought I would try to encourage you once again to wear some longer, warmer pants.  I gave you the choice of the "cold pants" (18-month pants) or the "warmer pants" (3T size).  You chose the "warm pants."  You had a blast outside with grandpa, and after quite a while playing, decided to come back inside to play.  I looked over as you entered the back door just in time to see you standing there in your underwear.  You said, "I need to put my cool comfy pants back on." Since you were back inside, you decided you no longer needed the correct-sized "warm pants". Little Independent Luke--you are so strong willed, but also so funny.   You make us smile!

As I did for your first and second year of life, I made a book for you for this 3rd year.  You have grown up so much this year, and I want you to have this book someday so you know what our life was like with you this 3rd year.

 

I started with your birthday last year and included pictures and memories from all of the special times we shared this past year (from October 2011 to September 2012).  I plan on doing this for you for your first 18 years of life.    

 

the last page of the book

So far, you have had three fun celebrations for your big day.  We bought you a fun Elmo cookie cake to share with your friends at school on your birthday.  Your sweet teacher, Ms. Krista, snapped some photos and shared them with us.  It looks like you had so much fun!

The birthday boy at school.

Sharing his cake with school friends...notice he is always sitting by the girls?

We were not sure what type of cake to get for you, because you are not really a kid that is "into" any particular thing or character.  You are such an easy-going kid when it comes to toys or playing/pretending.  We could give you a box to play with and you would be absolutely thrilled and play with it for hours.  You have an excellent imagination and can come up with some very elaborate stories with any character, car or set of blocks.  Your favorite things to play with right now are Lego-duplo blocks, cars, action figures and the iPad.  Last week, some sweet friends that brought dinner over also brought some special birthday balloons for you.  You were thrilled!  Elmo was on one of the balloons and you seemed so excited about that.  So, that is why we decided on the Elmo theme for your cake last week.

On your birthday night, mommy and daddy had a birthday party for you with just our little immediate family.

Happy Birthday, Dear Luke

Happy Birthday to you!

And then, we had a birthday party on Saturday for you with your Oklahoma family.  Grandma and Grandpa visited this past weekend and shared some special birthday memories with you.  We even had a "virtual party" with your Oklahoma aunts, uncles and cousins as they attended your party via video conferencing (Google Hangout).  You were so excited and felt so special!

Blowing out your candle!

 

Abbey was excited about your birthday too!

Oh My Goodness!  Looking at one of your gifts.

We love you SO MUCH Luke and hope you had a wonderful birthday!  Here are a couple of short videos of our little intimate celebration at home.  You can tell from this first video how sweet out little guy is and how excited he gets over simple things.

Please ignore our embarassing singing voices in the video below and focus on Luke's sweet face!