Luke is 2!!

My sweet baby boy turned 2 today! Wow- how can it be 2 years already?? I guess the old saying "time flies when you're having fun" is so so true. I love being the mother to my sweet, sweet boys. We have so much fun together and I feel so blessed to have them in my life! We got to have 2 parties for Luke this year. We had a little party for him this weekend at my parent's house and then one today here with Jim's family and some friends. Since our house is on the market, we decided having the party at our house wouldn't be the best option so we went to a nearby McDonalds and the kids had a great time.

Helping Daddy hang the streamers at Gma and Gpa's


Luke loved opening all of his presents


He had lots of eager helpers


Sweet smile while we were singing Happy Birthday


He did great at blowing out his candles


Cousins


What would a day be without rough playing with Grandpa. They wore him out!!


Sweet brothers- Jacob has been so excited for Luke's birthday. All day he was calling him "my birthday boy". And this morning when Luke woke up, Jacob was so excited to tell him that he was finally 2!


Being silly


Today at his party at McDonalds


The birthday boy


Another sweet smile while we sang Happy Birthday




My blue eyed boy


Luke is doing so much these days. He still loves his books. And he finally will sit while I actually read the pages. He doesn't try to flip thru the pages anymore which is so nice. His favorite book now is Goodnight Moon. He loves to read it just before bed and after we finish it, he holds up his index finger for one more time. He loves it!

He continues to favor his left hand, EXCEPT when he is coloring. Which is so funny to me. He always puts his crayon in his right hand but everything else he does with his left. I'm anxious to keep watching this to see which way he goes.

And speaking of coloring, he LOVES to color. Anytime he finds a piece of paper laying around, he HAS to get a pen or crayon and color on it. I love it! So of course he got a coloring pad and washable markers for his birthday.


He has been holding up 2 fingers showing that he is two years old. And wouldn't you know I still can't capture that one on camera. He's too quick.

He still loves his "dip dip". Even has to have his Italian dressing to dip his waffle in at breakfast time. I know, I know! He recently has been eating scrambled eggs which is great to me. Jim and Jim's dad can't stand the thought of eggs, the look, the smell etc. Jacob is not a fan either so it thrills me that Luke is liking them these days!


Luke continues to love animals. He gets so excited when he sees any type of animal...dogs, cats, cows, horses, birds etc. So for Christmas we got him a little toy dog that barks and wags his tail. Luke loves him. He started calling him "Pups" and is usually now the first word he says when he wakes up in the morning.

Naptime in the car with Pups close


Pups even went to Target with us one day


Luke loves his Grandma time. My mom came up a few weekends ago and she treated them to a carousel ride at Grapevine Mills mall.


And of course he loves his big brother


We love our little Lukie and are so thankful for the joy he brings to our family!

Our Entertainment

Who needs to go out for some entertainment when we've got it in our very own living room. Once the "stage" was set up, we were instructed to "sit on the couch and get ready for the presentation by Jacob and Luke." With their microphones in hand, we heard many lovely Christmas songs...over and over! haha. Let's just say Mommy and Daddy gave them a standing ovation!







Luke enjoying some Daddy time. I actually think they were watching a basketball game at the time. Anytime Luke couldn't see the ball, he would sign "more".


Enjoying their Rainbow Sherbet bedtime snack

Breakfast of Champions

We woke up this morning with a temperature of 17!! Knowing that we wouldn't be getting out of the house anytime in the morning with these frigid temps, I got a wild hair and decided to actually make breakfast. The usual breakfast consists of Luke having a frozen waffle and fruit and Jacob having a breakfast bar and fruit. Today we made homemade waffles, fresh squeezed juice and bacon. Although I will admit we had the "already cooked" bacon that you just heat in the microwave. Much easier. The boys had fun helping especially with making the juice. We added apples, oranges, carrots and cranberries and the boys just love it! Luke wouldn't drink it for the longest time but drank a whole cup full this morning. What a better way to spend a chilly morning than in the kitchen with my two buddies!!

Preparing the waffles




Getting ready to make the juice and of course the boys eating the fruit.


Final product


Finally, enjoying it all!

New Year's Eve

Like our Christmas tradition of going to my Grandpa's each Christmas day, we do the same for New Year's Eve. For as long as I can remember we have gone to Rusk for New Years. We eat LOTS of food, play games, have a countdown and watch the firework show that my dad and uncles put on. I have only missed two of these parties. One year in high school where I was "too cool" to go to a "family" party and last year when Luke and I were both sick so we decided not to go. The Eckel family is all about tradition and it has made for some fun memories...

A picture of all the cousins that were there this year and Grandpa


My Dad with his siblings and Grandpa. Although one brother is missing.


All the "girls" that were there. Includes cousins, aunts, cousins wives etc...


All the "boys" that were there. Includes cousins, uncles, cousins husbands etc...

More Christmas Fun

We were very blessed with having a great Christmas, several times! We have great families and feel so thankful for the generous Christmases we had. We had Christmas with the Webb's on 12/23 and then went to my parents on Christmas Eve and spent the next few days in Kilgore.

At Papa Jim and G-Lana's. Does it look like Christmas or what?


Sweet little Emily loved playing with all of Jacob's new trucks


Sweet boys


Playing with G-Lana. Where else but the kitchen floor!


Christmas Eve. Back in the day, we used to go to Midnight Mass, pre-kids of course. Then we started going to 6pm Mass. This year we went to 4pm on Christmas Eve. With 5 little ones, finding the best time to go before everyone is hungry for dinner and tired is key! So 4 pm it was and it worked out great!


My sweet parents




The Paniagua's + Oscar's brother, Fernando


Spreading the reindeer food that Jacob and I made


Christmas morning...awaiting Santa's surprises


Santa brought Jacob and Luke a tunnel/tent and an Easel board, among other things.


Checking out his new race car track


Jacob as Super Why


Loving his new baseball glove




For as long as I can remember we have gone to Rusk on Christmas Day to spend the rest of the day with the Eckel's. We usually go down early afternoon and have a great Christmas meal with most of the aunts/uncles and cousins followed by a gift exchange. And for as long as I can remember my Grandpa has worn this red shirt and Santa hat every Christmas day! He recently fell and broke his hip and got out of rehab just days before Christmas. We are so thankful he is doing much better and he is very determined to keep going and not let this keep him down. He is 87 years old and still travels, hunts, drives and of course drinks his beer. He is such a great person and I'm so thankful for him!


Back at home. They both got slippers and surprisingly Luke loves wearing his. He got Elmo and Jacob got giraffes.


Since we were in Kilgore on Christmas Eve, we missed the snow but when we got back 2 days later, the boys had fun playing in what was left.