Show us your pearly whites...

It still looks like a cute little toothless grin but this week, at nearly 13 1/2 months old, Luke's first tooth popped through. It didn't seem to bother him too much and he's following right behind his daddy & big sis in the late blooming teeth- I hear it's a sign of good health. =)

Such a big boy!

P.S.

It just occurred to me that I never posted specifically on Luke walking. So here's a catch up...we thought he'd be walking by 11 months since he would frequently take 2-3 steps here and there and while I knew I'd be in for it once he was on foot, he was going to be so happy when he could get down with the other kids. Nothing doing, though. I was praying that he'd start walking by our North Carolina trip to make airport waiting more pleasant and the day before we left, while I was packing in my bedroom, he walked across the room. "It's a vacation miracle!" I exclaimed. But, alas, the next day and for the whole week of vacation he was over it and refused to walk. Of course, it figures, the 2 days after we get back, while I was unpacking, he walked across the room again and hasn't stopped since. So there you have it. His official date for become a real walker was 6/16/08- the day after his first birthday. And I was right, he's kept me on my toes ever since. =)

Dancing Queen...

"Your first pair of dance shoes is the first step in becoming a true dancer."

- Sarah Lane ABT teacher

Kate started her first dance class today and LOVED it! Anyone who knows her knows how much she loves to dance so she was in heaven in her combo tap/ballet class. She learned some stretches, warm-up exercises, positions, and how to really tap those shoes. The studio is small but everyone was really nice and Kate loved her teacher, Miss Sarah. I may be a tad bias but I thought Kate was showing some real natural ability and picking everything up pretty easily. =) I can remember my dance classes when I was her age and am so excited for her to experience the fun of it all. I can hardly wait for the recital!

Movies dates...

Thanks to a suggestion by Daytripping Mom, Kate had 2 movie theater experiences this week. During the summer, Regal theaters have free kids movies on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings! So on Tuesday, while I stayed home with Luke & our special visitor for the day, Brooklyn, Kate had a "date with Daddy." She was so thrilled to get to spend some alone time with her daddy. They saw the CareBear 2 movie down at Triangle Square in Newport and then drove up the coast for a pancake lunch at Harbour House Cafe. Then on Wednesday, Kate and I met Emily, Rebekah, Anna, Andrea, Ryan, Marikka, Jonah, & Javan at the Cerritos mall to see Veggie Tales: The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything. It was fun to see all of our friends after being away and missing them so much. The kids did great during the movie and especially enjoyed the popcorn, huh Ryan? A very nice outing for the perfect price. =)

I need a vacation!

Oh, that's right we just got back from vacation. So why am I sooooo tired?! As I posted after our trip to North Carolina, vacations just aren't the same when you're the mom. On Saturday night we returned from visiting my grandparents in Arkansas for 2 weeks. The whole Parker/Jacobs/Vander Molen clan was there for the first week (Amanda had to head home after a week to get back to work) totaling 12 people in the same house. Crowded? Yes. Crazy? Yes. Loud? Oh, yes. Stressful? Yes. Good time? Yes. We always have fun in good old Hot Springs and even with all the chaos of 3 young kids in the mix, this year did not disappoint. In pre-children years, our days were very laid back. My grandparents live on Lake Hamilton so our daily routine was: pack lunches, hop on the "party barge", and sun & swim all day long. This year was quite different as we had to work around nap schedules and spent more time chasing than tanning. Nevertheless, a good time was had by all.

A view of the house coming in off the lake...

Kate loved swimming and jumping off the boat into the water.

Luke wasn't as crazy about the water as he was running around the boat. He took at least one nap every day on the boat and even fell asleep at the wheel- good thing Grampa was there to take over the driving.

The babies got quite a kick out of feeling the wind in their... hair?...okay... on their heads.

John, Kate, Luke and I made the 5 hour drive to Oklahoma City and had a great couple of days visiting our friends, the Schatzels. They very generously opened their adorable home to us and showed us a very good time.

Kate loves "baby Ben".

We visited the memorial at the site of the Oklahoma bombing. The most heartbreaking part for me was the chairs. In the grass area (where the building stood) they have set up copper chairs, engraved with a name, each representing a person who died in the bombing. The chairs come in two sizes- the smaller ones being for the children who were killed.

We also visited "Bricktown", Oklahoma City's downtown area that is so cute. They converted their old industrial area into a really nice place for shopping and dining.

Some of the sights along the road between Arkansas and Oklahoma include many abandoned houses and other structures. We saw a few billboards that are unique to the south and very refreshing. And, of course, cows.

In the need for an outing and a break from the humidity, we found a cute little place called Little Bitty City. It's a fun indoor play place that the kids really enjoyed.

Kate was in heaven in their dress-up room.

The daddies had fun, too. =)

Here's a shot of the beard John grew during the first week. It was much fuller a couple of days later but the itching finally drove him to shave it off.