LUKE, my Wingman!!

LUKE is AWESOME!!! He is such a blast; full of energy, whit, pizazz, topped with cuddles & kisses. It's the best of both worlds! I've really been trying to soak up my time with him lately, since he'll go to preschool next year. All the other kids have stayed home with me 1 extra year, since their birthdays have been in the fall. But I feel like the time is slipping away too quickly with Luke. Nearly every morning, as soon as the kids head off for school, we sit on the big white leather couch and read books together. Even if it's just for 10 minutes, I LOVE that time, just me & him!!! 

For Christmas we got him a special gift: gymnastics classes, which he loves. Last Tuesday his teacher came up afterwards and said, "You know, your son is really good at this. I've taught a lot of kids, and he's definately got talent." I was not at all surprised! He's very body aware, and capable of going backwards on the balance beam (which was his own alteration), jumping off of anything high, running at lightening speeds, and every other boy thing you can think of. He learned to ride his bike at the end of last summer, when he was only 3 1/2... a Hall family record. Even Dad didn't learn to ride his bike til he was 7 or 8, and he's a stud athlete. What does Luke have in store?? Pure greatness!! 

He has been discovering new layers of language lately. He was at BYU with Billy a few weeks ago, explaining something about a picture he had seen earlier. He couldn't remember the man's name in the picture, but kept saying "the one with meat in his name." Turns out, it was AbraHAM Lincoln! He has said a few other things lately, along those lines... he pays attention to those little details and is super smart! 

Needless to say, we had a great week together. He's been wanting to dress up like a pirate, with Teddy on his shoulder as his parakeet-parrot. So, we did! We've had plans to make homemade playdough together, so after a few days of carrying the Cream of Tarter around with him to remind me, we did! We've been reading together, learning to recognize and practicing the sounds of each letter. He comes with me to volunteer in Grace's classroom, where we sit in the hall and work 1-on-1 with kids who need extra reading help. It's giving him a headstart, and he'll for sure be reading before Kindergarten. So we found a book at the library, quite fitting for the occasion... SuperHero ABC! Painting, playdough, growing out of the Batman jammies the Magic Pumpkin brought him last Halloween, dressing up, reading, and EATING A TON of food in the mornings (that's his refueling time!)... life with Luke is pretty darn great!