Lucas Turned 7!

I'm not sure where January went, but I'm still catching up on December!!
  

We celebrated Lucas's 7th Birthday in Ohio this year. It falls just a few days before Christmas, so we've always been away for his actual birthday. After Nathaniel's birthday, however, Lucas declared that he wanted to be home for his birthday next year. I figured that was coming sooner or later, and really, who can blame him?

He did have a pretty fun day, though!

Lucas has been begging for a Chuck E. Cheese birthday and got it in his head that he was definitely going to have a party at Chuck E. Cheese this year. There's a Chuck E. Cheese in my in-law's town, so it was definitely doable. Of course, we felt bad that he wouldn't have any friends there with him, so we invited a neighbor that Lucas plays with whenever we're visiting Ohio. Unfortunately he couldn't join us. Lucas was a little bummed, but was okay with it.

We arrived in Ohio the night before his birthday, after one of our worst drives ever. So it was around 11pm before I started planning the party via my iPhone. I had figured we'd just go and buy some pizza and tokens. But, Abel insisted that Lucas was expecting the entire Chuck E. Cheese shebang. I was panicking for a little while, but it all worked out perfectly. (Can we hear it for the iPhone!?)

I discovered that you can book a birthday party for as few as four children! Plus, by booking on-line, you get extra bonus tokens. Of course we only had two children and the hostess was a little confused when we told her we were all there, but it was fantastic. Lucas got the full birthday party treatment -- blow up crown, attention from the Rat himself (oh, is he a mouse? Hmmmmm!) and--the be all end all--a minute in the ticket blaster! Plus, Abel and I happily gave the boys our birthday party tokens, so they both enjoyed a lot of games.

And, let me tell you, the Saturday before Christmas is the BEST time to visit. It was approximately 1/4 the madhouse that it usually is! Later that night we celebrated again with cup cakes. It was a really fun day!

Lucas continues to be the boy who wears his heart on his sleeve. It was such a joy to watch his excitement and pure delight that day at Chuck E. Cheese. We all bask in his warm emotions--this is the boy who still tells me that he loves me about 100 times each day. He exclaims it and whispers it. He wears all his other emotions on his sleeve as well. As Abel reminded me recently, when I was getting very frustrated with how vocal he is about getting upset: we can't expect to have one without the other. And I definitely don't want to ever give up Lucas's all-encompassing love. We are all so, so lucky to have him for our own.



Original post by Smiling Mama. Thanks for reading!

My Baby is Four

I'm not quite sure how this happened, but Lucas turns four today. Four! That is just crazy to me.

He's already had three celebrations and will have a fourth tomorrow. First, with my in-laws over Thanksgiving. Second, at his friends party. Third, when he took cupcakes into school. Tomorrow's fourth celebration will be with my family. As for today, he'll have his 4 year old well visit (yeah, I know, the receptionist already gave me a hard time for scheduling him for shots on his actual birthday, but if I don't do it now then it will be well into January before we really have time to get back to the doctor), then Abel and I will take him to his "favorite restaurant" for lunch: Panera. (Isn't that too funny that Panera is his absolute favorite?!)

We're giving him a digital camera for his birthday. A real, live digital camera. Part of me thinks we're insane yuppy parents for getting a four year old an adult camera, but truthfully we found one that was only about $25 more than the very crappy-photo-taking kid versions. I really think he'll be more careful with one that isn't coated in gaudy plastic but rather looks like ours. And, he really loves taking pictures. In fact, he's my favorite photographer to pose for because after he snaps a shot of me, he's always sure to tell me how "beautiful" I look in the picture!

As I have every year, I told him again this year about "All I Want for Christmas is You" being our song. Previous to four Christmases ago, I didn't like that song one bit, but four years ago, when I was preparing for Christmas and his birth at the same time, it really struck a cord with me.

This year, it has struck a cord with him as well. He asks me every few days to tell him again how "you told Santa you didn't want ANY presents, you just wanted your baby. That's ME! And I came just in time." He's even had me recount the story several times to groups of friends and strangers alike.




Now my baby is a big boy and we have another baby on the way. I know Lucas is going to be an amazing big brother and I can't wait to see what this year has in store for all of us.

Happy Birthday, Lucas! You are my best Christmas present ever!

Original post by Smiling Mama. Thanks for reading!

Lucas's 4th Birthday Party

We hosted a birthday party for Lucas on Saturday and it was AWESOME! I had so much fun planning all the details and everything worked out perfectly!

Since all of Lucas's previous birthdays have been very low-key affairs, held at his grandparents' homes with mostly relatives as guests, we knew we wanted to throw Lucas a birthday party with his friends this year. I also knew that we'd have to hold the party a few weeks before his birthday (who's going to attend a birthday party just a few days before Christmas?) and that I'd be hugely pregnant at the time. I really felt like having a party at our house was out of the question so started researching venues back in October. I quickly settled on the Watkins Nature Center because it allowed the most number of people, was the least expensive, and just sounded like a lot of fun.

We went with a green and brown "wild" theme after I found these kraft paper invitations on clearance at target for $2.08 per pack of 20! My mom made the 4s and frogs on the die cut machine at her school. I just love how they turned out!


I bought a big roll of package wrapping paper and found green plastic tablecloths, paper plates and napkins at Target. Green is a great color choice in December--it's everywhere! We bought one of those one-time-use helium machines for the balloons. Definitely a great invention!


As part of the party package, the nature center provides each child with a coloring book of all the animals at the center. I found 24 packs of crayons on clearance and used the extra frogs to write a thank you message to each guest. Everyone was sent home with a pack of crayons attached to a balloon and a coloring book. They were a hit!

As the guests arrived, they were free to explore the Nature Center. After everyone had arrived we went into a classroom for a special 30 minute "Wild Animal Show" which was very cool. The naturist brought out and taught the kids about crickets and toads (the kids got to watch a toad eat the crickets--a huge hit!), turtles and snakes. The kids got to touch the turtle and snake. I was so impressed with how well the show kept the attention of a big group of 3 and 4 year olds.

Then, we went into the party room for cupcakes. Luckily I had brought a pack of baby wipes so each of the kids could clean their hands before eating. We kept the food very simple. I made cupcakes and had juice boxes for the kids. We had a cooler full of soda and water for the adults.

After a rousing rendition of "Happy Birthday to You" Lucas folded his hands and made the most adorable wish (out loud): "I wish everyone could come over to my house."

We decided to wait and have Lucas open the gifts at home so after cupcakes everyone was free to either leave or go back and enjoy the Nature Center. Some left right away and others stayed to explore some more.

Overall this was an excellent party! I loved the super-simple but appropriate brown & green WILD theme and especially loved not having it at our house. Set-up and clean-up was really easy (especially with my parents in attendance to help). We got rave reviews and I really think everyone had a great time!

When I was growing up we had a "friends" birthday party only every other year. I think that would be a great tradition to implement for Lucas and his baby brother, too.


Original post by Smiling Mama. Thanks for reading!

Two years, a reflection

Tomorrow Lucas will be two years old.

TWO.

It is hard to believe.

Over the past few weeks I've been reflecting a lot about this time two years ago, the Advent season. Preparing for the birth of Jesus. Preparing for the birth of Lucas.

When Lucas turned one, I didn't do much reflecting. Of course I was excited about his birthday, but I felt like I was the one who deserved a party. A cake. Presents. Heck, even a medal or something. I had done it. I had survived my first year of motherhood. Lucas was happy and healthy. I was happy and healthy. Abel and I, our marriage, it was happy and healthy. What an accomplishment! Yes, it was a group effort for the three of us.

But come on. Really, it was me.

Happy Lucas's First Birthday to Mama--that's what I wanted the cake to say. That's what I wanted the cards to say.

Now, as we approach his second birthday I'm feeling less like the occasion is a personal victory celebration and more like the occasion is a true celebration for and of Lucas. (I'm sure it helps that this year he will be excited about the cake and the presents and the singing of Happy Birthday.)

And, I've been reflecting.

Two years ago, I think truly, for the first time, I understood Advent. The waiting. The hoping. The anticipation.

Two years ago in church we were reading the Gospel of Luke. It gave me a personal thrill whenever I heard "A reading from the Gospel of St. Luke" from the pulpit. We had already chosen the name Lucas and so I felt a special connection to St. Luke.

I'll never forget when we got to the reading about Mary going to see her cousin Elizabeth: the baby John "leapt" in her womb.

Leapt!

Before being pregnant with Lucas I didn't really understand that verse. How can a baby leap in the womb? What an exaggeration, I thought.

But two years ago, I understood. For indeed Lucas had lept in my womb! And now he leaps into my arms!

What a gift Lucas is to me. To us. To all who know and love him. I look forward to sharing Advent with him for the many years ahead of us. To sharing my own stories of the waiting, hoping, and anticipation of his birth during the season of Advent.

What a gift!