DOUBLE DIGITS

Today Luke turned 10...double digits!! I cannot fathom that my baby is seriously ten years old. I almost feel like I cannot breathe because those 10 years flew by at lightning speed and I realize the next ten will probably fly by even faster and then he's 20... I wish I had a pause button, some way to slow life down... I look back at these photos and wish I had lived in the moment more and wonder how I can live more in the moment now! I do not want life to pass me by because I love this little guy ( who really isn't so little anymore ) and I want to treasure every moment I am blessed to have with him!


P.S. scroll down to the bottom of the screen and play the "let them be little" song by lonestar on my playlist as you look through this post and for all you mama's out there... don't get too teary eyed!

Luke,you arrived 11 days overdue on April 2, 1999... mommy had a c-section and the doctor had a heck of a time getting you out, she said you literally were holding on with your fingertips to stay in. I remember thinking I was hallucinating because I swore the doc was standing on the table, straddling me and pulling with all she had to get you out. Come to find out she had seriously done just that. I remember them saying " he peed" and then "it's a boy" and my heart was instantly overwhelmed and the tears came...they put you cheek to cheek with me and I fell in love! You were beautiful with your perfectly round head and chubby little cheeks. I still can't believe that was 10 years ago!

This is my most favorite picture of you all sacked out on daddy's chest... you were precious!

Mommy and her "Luker's" havin' a snuggle, you were such a snuggle bug and so happy!

You are the cutest little man... so easy-going and happy... always with a smile on that face!

Such a serious little look on your face in this pic... but just look at those big baby blues!

I adore this snapshot of you on the dock at grandma and grandpa's cottage. Such a little man you are with your hands in your pockets, cute little toes stickin' out of your flip flops and your signature smile that melts my heart every single time!

There's that smile again... I could just eat you up, kiss you, squeeze you...love ya so much!

Well what can I say, you have been a bruiser from the get go... such a tough guy. You have had your fair share of bumps, bruises, black eyes, stitches and even staples (in your head). You had a broken arm before you were even a year old. You live life with wild abandon and much adventure and mom will always be there to give out those hugs and kisses that seem to make life more bearable!

Here you are skimboarding at Lake Michigan... it is just one of the many things you excel at. Luke, you are so determined and driven and athletic and you have been from the day you were born. You love to skimboard and snowboard and play soccer, hockey and football just to name a few. You could ride a bike with no training wheels by the time you were 3 1/2. I love this picture of you... I can almost envision you as a teenager when I look at this picture, there is just something about it! I love your enthusiasm for life!

Your 1st day of school this year... heading into 3rd grade. You light up the world with that smile and you warm the hearts of everyone you meet... you are such a sweet boy. You have so many friends and all your teachers comment on what a sweet, nice, all around good kid you are! You are so happy and tender-hearted and you love Jesus... I am soo very proud of you!

Here is another picture of you at the cottage... it is another shot I love. It captures the contentment one feels while spending time up there. You love the time we spend up there, fishing, swimming and campfires are just a few of the things you love to do while there. I on the other hand love getting shots like this of YOU!

Here you are 10 years old... and already on your way to being a heartbreaker... so cute!

love your laugh - your dimples - your smile - your freckles- simply ADORABLE you are!

So Shel... swallow hard, let reality set in... but your baby really did turn 10 today...

Happy Birthday Luker's...... Mom and Dad love you!

Quirky little things we love about Luke:

1. love how you stick your tongue out when concentrating... playing sports, playing video games, learning something new, doing homework etc. tongue is always out!

2. love your dimples but especially the one by your eye

3. love how you are always singing... you are up with the birds just singing away... daddy and I cracked up this Christmas when you started belting out Joy to the World and we realized you were singing while on the toilet. So happy you are!

4. love how when you are recounting an event in your day you have to give us a play by play with actual demonstrations of how something occured.

5. love that you are a total morning person but sometimes we do wish we allowed the word Shut-up in our house because this night owl mommy-totally not a morning person sometimes struggles to deal with her son's enthusiasm for life at 6 am! You inherited your morning bird personality from daddy, he's a morning person too but unlike you he is a slow to wake up and quiet morning person... you wake up ready to embrace the day, singing and bouncing off the walls... I don't believe you have ever woke up on the wrong side of the bed!

6. love your easy-going nature, again, just like your daddy!

7. love all your expressions you have said through the years... expressions like: "snap" and "oh shucks" and "oh barnacles" just to name a few

8. love your tender heart.

9. love how driven you are, how determined... you will do whatever it takes to accomplish what you have set out to do!

10. love your wierd need to poke your fingers and toes in the holes of your blankie, or how you run your fingers through the blinds or shower curtain. One would have to see you do this to understand but it is something so unique to you... it makes mom and dad laugh.

10 wonderful but quirky things we love about YOU