Luke turned 4 while we were in Utah for part of Christmas Break. We just had a small celebration with the intention of doing something more exciting when we got back home. Sadly, we failed in that department but Luke is a very easygoing child and was perfectly pleased with his Utah birthday celebration.
Luke has been going to preschool this year two days a week and is really enjoying it. His favorite friends at school are Tevan (pronounced TEV-on, an Armenian name), Finn, and Noah. He really looks forward to his school days. Luke has been showing an interest in reading over the last few months so I've been working with him on it and he's doing really well! I think he will be a great reader by the time he starts Kindergarten.
Luke is still a snuggler (my ONLY snuggler out of the three. Not even my baby will snuggle!!) and requests "a snuggle or back scratch" every single night at bedtime, specifically from me. He loves wrestling with Seth, playing "chaser bombs" on the trampoline, legos, and dancing. He often requests to forego bedtime stories to watch music videos. Seth is usually the one who obliges on this one.
Luke is a great eater and tries everything that is put on his plate without complaining. He doesn't always like it, but he happily tries it. His favorite foods are strawberries w/almond butter, cheeses, yogurt, cereal, and pretty much every dinner I make.
He and Taft still play really well together the majority of the time. Luke is a great younger brother who doesn't mind being bossed around too much. He will definitely reach his limit at times, but usually goes with the flow.
He's pretty shy around grown ups he doesn't really know, but will talk and talk with adults he feels comfortable with. His way of showing off when friends or other kids are around is by talking complete gibberish almost the entire time.
Luke is a great big brother to Jonah, always smiling and talking sweetly to him, giving him toys, making sure he isn't doing something that will hurt Jonah, and helping out with him whenever he can.
Luke doesn't get in trouble too regularly but he REALLY does not like getting in trouble. He doesn't cry or getting too angry, he will just shut down and completely ignore you. He gets over it rather quickly though, especially if you try to make him laugh by using some sort of potty language.
He's been a trooper tagging along to all of Taft's activities. Luckily he's old enough now to start some of his own activities.
Dr. Luke at the Children's Museum
He went through a phase of coming into our room every night and plopping down anywhere on our floor without a blanket or pillow and staying there the rest of the night.
He got to bring a treat to his class for his birthday. He chose cupcakes with mustaches. Also, when I picked him up from school this day I asked, "Did your friends sing happy birthday to you?!" He said, "Yeah. And I said, Cha cha cha, stick your face in hot lava! And nobody laughed. "
Oh yeeeeaaah.
Birthday Beach Boy
I love his sweet face.
Pleased as punch with his simple birthday celebration at Nana's!
A super yummy ice cream cake. Look how happy he is!!
Ready to spend his birthday cash from Grammie and Pop! He had the HARDEST time choosing a toy. "I just don't know which one is awesomest." He was almost in tears he couldn't decide.
This kid looooves being "cozy". He gets in his pjs around 3:00 almost every day. He hates if we have to go somewhere in the afternoon because he has to put regular clothes back on. I get it.
Taft and Luke took a great gymnastics class recently. They both loved it.
He is SUCH a good sport (ha ha ha). I talked him into making his hair "like a lady". For the record, he really dislikes all things "lady"
One of his favorites at the children's museum. Thanks to his nice aunties, he has his very own set now!
Unless dancing is involved, Luke just likes to kick back and relax.
Luke did great with swimming lessons over the summer. He improved TONS!
Let's see if I can remember back to the summer. (Ha!)
Bell Canyon
Bell Canyon again. I slipped in a little creek while wearing Jonah in the Bjorn and landed flat on my back, luckily Jonah didn't get hurt at all.
Donut Falls hike
I took the boys to Temple Square while Seth and my mom watching the World Cup at the Delta Center
Gosh it was beautiful up at Silver Lake. Luke was not impressed.
We did this hike with the Dan and Lara Herways, but I stayed back with Luke so no pics with the cuzzies.
Looks sunburned but isn't. We spent the 4th of July swimming at Cottonwood Heights with my family and Colie and Jed. Everyone but Jonah and me headed to Sugarhouse Park that night for fireworks.
We had an afternoon at Hollywood Connection. None of my siblings or I had been there since high school and well....it's gone a little downhill. We still had fun!
Marking his territory in Nana and Grandpa's backyard.
Mmmm...snowcones. They aren't a big deal in San Diego!
Splash Pad playdate with old friends from Coronado who were living in Utah but now live in Hawaii
Jonah and me with one of my middle school-high school BFFs, Amber and her cute babe Sawyer.
Lanx, Trav, and Trav's parents were super nice and took us boating at Rockport. So fun!
We were so glad we got to tag along with Seth's parents when Seth's dad had a work conference in Monterey! We got to spend a week with them is such a beautiful place. Pop was gone most of the day so I failed to get any pictures with him, but he was there.
The house we stayed in included passes to the amazing Monterey Bay Aquarium. The boys went every day!
I love that whenever possible, the Herways rent bikes while on vacation. It's such a fun way to get around and see the sights!
Poor Jonah.
Point Lobos
I really love this crew.
Brudders waiting for the Loch Ness Monster
The scenery in Monterey really is breathtaking!
We spent a beach day in Carmel. There was a feeding frenzy when we got there! It was pretty cool watching the birds dive into the water to get their fish.
"Taft loves Mom"
Lone Cyprus- Anita and I rode our bikes to this point along 17-mile drive (no, we did not do all 17 miles!)
We saw deer everyday! I didn't realize that deer would live so close to the ocean.
The last night we were there my brother's family came to Monterey (from Stockton) and we spent the night on the Naval base. My brother is currently living in Monterey while learning Chinese for the Navy. He usually goes to Stockton to be with his family on the weekend, but they came here so we could all spend the evening together. We loved seeing their cute family!
These kids loved these amazing tide pools. They'll touch anything!
And this silly boy was eating mustard with a spoon. Blech!
