My Big Boy Luke.

Luke and I take walks around the neighborhood

almost on a daily basis.  Just the two of us.

I took my camera with me one day and got

some really cute shots of my big boy Luke.

Some days I look at him and think he is still a baby.

And then I see photos like these and think...

my Big Boy Luke is almost 3!

Halloween 2012.

Lucas is obsessed with Buzz Light Year.

Yes, we let him watch the movies.

Probably shouldn't but... we do.

So it only made sense that he would dress up as Buzz

for Halloween.  I wanted Liam to "match" Buzz, 

so I found the cute Alien costume.   I knew he wouldn't wear the hat 

that "makes" the outfit, but oh well.  Luke was over the moon!

And like most little boys, he had to wear it several times before

Halloween and several times after.

Getting ready for trick-or-treating.

Buzz getting ready for take off.

My Little Alien.

I think Buzz was telling me "Enough Photos Mommy".

Lucas explaining how trick-or-treating works.

"Trick-or-Treat".

Lucas is getting to the age where holidays are going to start 

being really fun!  He got into Halloween this year.

He had fun knocking on the neighbors doors, he would only 

say "treat" when the neighbors answered, and when the neighbors

would say "take as much as you want" Luke would only take (1).

That's my boy!

Pumpkin Patch 2012.

Boy a lot changes in a year.  

Here is a picture of Luke last year at the pumpkin patch - an only child!

 And this year, big brother got to show Liam the ropes.

Many Faces of Liam.

Yes, it's been a while.  But have no fear, I have been taking lots of pictures.  I just haven't been posting them.  What's a busy momma to do?  I can barley get a shower in, let alone have alone time to post.

A DAY OF PLAY.

 

Hi.

 Roar!

 Weeee!

 What?

I so silly!

_____________

JUST THE TWO OF US.

Busy Little Bees.

So I clicked on my blog today and to my surprise it has been 2 months since I had posted anything!  How can that be?  Where did the time go?  So I sat down to look at my photos on my iPhone to see what my little family of 4 had been up to.  Come to find out we have been busy little bees!

At the end of August we headed to Midland to see Casey's side of the family.  Grandmother and Granddaddy had not met Liam yet and he was already 8 months old!

 The boys and I in the back seat sleeping... or trying to.

Yes, that is Lucas under the blanket.  Don't ask me why.

 Lucas on Uncle Terry's old tractor.  He loved it!

 Lucas w/ his second cousin Andrew.  

They were so sweet with each other.

 Lunch w/ Grandmother + Grandaddy.

Priceless photo.

Paparazzi!

Our last night in Midland.

Once we got back from Midland, it took us a week to get everyone back on schedule.  Traveling with two kids is not for the faint of heart.  The getting off schedule and back on schedule was surprisingly hard.  Once we thought we were back on track... Lucas got the stomach bug.

A sick Lucas in our bed.  Poor Baby.

And then Lucas got the crud.  Then Liam got the crud.  Then I got the stomach bug.  Then Casey got the stomach bug.  Then Liam got the stomach bug.  Yes... it's a vicious cycle.  After a week and a half I think everyone is over the stomach bug.  The boys still have the crud.  And as I write this, my throat is scratchy.  I pray that we are all healed soon!

So in between traveling and everyone being under the weather, we had some really sweet moments with the boys.  And because you only read this blog for the pics, here are a few random shots of the boys.

 Liam smiling with his paci + teddy.

 Lucas running around the house in my shoes (on the wrong feet)

and a hot pad on his hand.  This kid cracks me up!

 Liam is standing on his own + on the verge of

walking any day now.  He really enjoys Lucas' toys + 

we enjoy watching him play.

 Liam all smiles.

 The boys riding the lion!  Weeeeee!

Liam is a little unsure.

 The boys w/ Granpa.  

They were all laughing at something funny.

 Lucas' new obsession - his bicycle helmet.

He insisted on wearing it into Costco.

Liam's first family bike ride.

Needless to say, he didn't like the helmet one bit.

Casey and I have found some time - I don't know how - to take care of a few DIY projects that had been on the list.  It feels good to be productive.  Too bad it has to happen when the boys are napping.

 Vintage Yard Chairs got new life.

And found a new home on our front porch.

We turned our IKEA island into a

magnetic chalkboard for the boys.  I am hoping

it will keep the boys busy while I try to get 

dinner on the table. It is not perfect, 

but i think they will like it!

Casey is working on his tractor for the boys.

We can't wait to see what it will look like

put back together and working again!

 

Potty Training - Part Deux.

I had a revelation.  It was as if God spoke to me.  

I could hear hallelujah! and  amen! ringing in my ears!

At this point you are probably thinking... Lucas is potty trained!  No.  The opposite.

Luke's teachers along with Casey and I decided he isn't ready.

That is not entirely true.  Lucas decided he wasn't ready.

We just finally listened.

Long story short - Luke is back in diapers.

He couldn't be happier.  We couldn't be happier.

We didn't come to this decision lightly, but those

of you that we talk to regularly know we have been 

contemplating it for weeks.  

Lucas was doing great at first.  He had lots of success.  He had lots of failures too.

But we were hopeful that it would finally click.  

Then he started reverting back and the situation kept

getting worse.  He was stressed.  We were stressed.  The Clemmer household 

felt like it was falling apart.  His teachers and I discussed that he was a 

young 2 and clearly wasn't ready.

Every kid is different.  We tried.  We failed.  We will try again.

They assure me he will not go to college in a diaper.

So, what was my revelation?

That I was trying to make Luke grow up too fast.

That there was another baby in the house now 

and that meant he had to be a big boy.  A big brother.

Bottom line, Luke is a baby.  He is my baby.

He is barely two and I am making him "run" through these milestones.

He will tell me when he is ready.

In the meantime, I just want to love on him.  Enjoy him.  Giggle with him.

The last couple months I dreaded getting up b/c I knew it 

would be a day full of accidents, him throwing fits 

and refusing to go to the bathroom.  Being Luke's mommy

was no longer fun.

He has been back in diapers for almost a week now.

We are having fun again!  We are enjoying each other again.

It may make me sound lazy, but really I just 

couldn't ask him one more time if he had to go potty and have him say no.

Then go on my floor 5 minutes later.  I was on pins and needles all day long

waiting for him to show me he had to go and waiting for an accident.

So I am back to changing two little boy's diapers again.

Two little boys with the cutest bootys in the world!

I consider myself lucky.

 

Liam is 6 months old.

Lucas @ 6 months.

18.1 lbs. (60th percentile)

28 inches (90th percentile)

Liam @ 6 months.

(rice cereal all over his face!)

15.13 lbs (20th percentile)

26 inches (15th percentile)

(when I was looking for pictures to compare my boys,

I found the two above.  funny that they are wearing the same

onesie!  so not planned...obviously.)

Not only do they look nothing alike, but

Liam is so much smaller than Lucas was.

It is so funny to see them side-by-side.