Our Watch Dog

This morning I found our old girl sleeping on the outdoor couch as shown here. At nearly 15, she's decided she's too old and tired to fight, preferring to just sleep armed with her pistol. Thanks for taking such good care of us, Molly.

Birthday Boy

The party's over and we all survived. Thanks to Batman, who saved the day.

Happy Birthday Buddy

Dear Bubby,

One day soon after you were born, we were in your room and the song "If" came on:

If a picture paints a thousand words, Then why can't I paint you?
The words will never show the you I've come to know.
If a face could launch a thousand ships, Then where am I to go?
There's no one home but you, You're all that's left, me too.
And when my love for life is running dry,
You come and pour yourself on me.
If a man could be two places at one time, I'd be with you.
Tomorrow and today, beside you all the way.
If the world should stop revolving spinning slowly down to die,
I'd spend the end with you. And when the world was through,
Then one by one the stars would all go out,
Then you and I would simply fly away

While the song played, I sat in that rocker, holding you, nursing you, looking at your little face and hands, and sobbing. I could not believe I could love someone so much after knowing you for only a few weeks. To this day, that moment, that feeling, was the most overwhelming and intense sense of joy, wonder and awe I have ever experienced. Even after your Dad discovered me and teased me for crying, that moment changed my life more than any other; it was the very moment I realized I was deeply and madly in love with you.

I look back on that time, and I cannot believe that this week you will be four years old. We have so many wonderful times together and so many things we enjoy doing together now:

• Riding the gate at La Primera
• SkinnyMarinki Dinki Dink- the karaoke version- in the car
• "Is that a good idea?"
• Packing your cars for the park, and eagerly sharing them with new friends once there
• Swimming with your goggles in the bathtub
• Hugs and kisses
• "Play with me!"
• Peeing on the grass and into the wind as you please
• Your frequent marriage proposals to your Mommy
• Sassiness- "I won't!" and "You're not my friend!"
• Soccer on the driveway
• You writing the script for everything we do... "Mommy, you say 'Don't kill my guy' and then I'll say 'Yes' and then pretend he's dead and you will cry, okay?"
• Singing songs at bedtime: "Puff", "Hush Little Baby", "In My Life", "Rainbow Connection"
• Frequent, masterful negotiating
• Root beer floats on the patio
• Grabbing our coin-ees and running out front, waving our arms to stop the ice cream man
• Searching for and catching "critters" for your critter case.
• Getting your "mail" (a.k.a. Highlights) and doing projects together, like homemade playdough and celery boats
• Snowflake waffles, Utmeal (oatmeal), and other cooking projects
• Your footfall in the hallway on your way in for our morning snuggle
• Looking forward to each new day, asking before you fall asleep, "What will we do this day?" (meaning tomorrow)

Saturday night, on your birthday, we will go to your favorite restaurant, Benihana, to celebrate and "to see that guy toss the egg into his hat". Sunday we will have your Pirate Party with the castle bounce house and your homemade coloring books. And every day I will continue to thank God for blessing me with you. You are so very loved, Luke.

xo,

Mama

Goodbye Father P

Scott asks, "Hey Luke, wanna go to Father Pilato's goodbye party at Serra today?"

"What will they have there?"

"A BBQ, a jumper, games... Wanna go?" Scott asks again.

Still thinking it over Luke inquires, "What kind of jumper?"

"I'm not sure buddy."

And Luke says, "Maybe it will be a Jesus Jumper."

True story.
Today the Altenberg's will jump for Jesus.

Nate Update

At almost 6 months, Nate has finally woken up. He is sitting up unassisted for some periods of time, and is increasingly curious about the world around him. He rolls both ways, and has rejected the swaddle. He has even started using the walker, and can move about at an increasing speed day by day. He is fascinated with our dog, Molly, and even more enchanted by Luke. He loves his toys (stuffed toys, activity gym, sound boards) and he loves to be part of the action.

He is still being fickle about real food, indulging in at most only one true meal a day. In the meantime, he is nursing well, as long as I stay away from milk and soy (he's still allergic). We are still struggling to supplement, as he won't take a bottle. We have recently had moderate success with a cup, but he can be fickle about that, too. He goes down about 8 pm, with a waking between 3 and 5 a.m., then back down again until about 7:30. He naps two or three times per day.

He is cute as a button. He smiles often, but he cries and fusses more now than he did before. He is more assertive and demanding, but he is also flirty and cuddly. He has a great sense of humor, and he loves to play "parachute" (I bought one on ebay when Luke was born- we use it to make forts, and now to entertain Nate). I sit him under the parachute, and Luke and I hook some of the handles to the bed, holding onto other handles ourselves. Then we make little and big waves and Nate just squeals in delight, reaching his arms up and out to try to grab hold.

Some of his many nicknames are Natey, Skater, Nader, and the Senator (Scott thinks he looks like John McCain). But whatever we call him, he is most of all a precious little angel.

Luke's Glossary

It's true that kids say the darnedest things. Beyond the typical "hangurber" and "basgetti", Luke has created his own names for things. Here's a glimpse at some of his favorite words:

MickenDonald's n. a fast food restaurant that doubles as a toy store and sometimes an indoor park. Thought to be somehow related to Disneyland, was originally called "MickeyDonald's" until the letter "n" was added to the middle of the word.

Key Changes n. handcuffs, often in the disuise of a brother's teething ring. Always too tight to fit on Mommy, not for lack of trying.

Coin-ee's n. Gold, circular treasure. Without Captain Jack's british accent, you might pronounce this "coins".

Cav-in n. A place where you camp that is not quite a tent, yet not quite a fancy cabin.

More to come!!!

Euro Boy

Over the past few weeks, Scott was tuning in to the Euro Cup. He was encouraging Luke to root for "The Fatherland" (Germany, to us Altenbergs), but like many parent/child relationships throughout history, Luke always chose to cheer for the opposition. The side effect here is that Luke has fallen in love with Soccer. He can't get enough Soccer. He wants to play from dawn to dusk until he's sweaty and sunburned, and his toes- I am not joking here- are blistered and bleeding. Recently he has taken to creating all kinds of goals and goal posts: paint cans, bushes, gates, old boxes, etc. and he is perfecting what Scott calls "the goal dance". His obsession is strong enough that I have finally caved on my desire to NOT have him do organized activities... in the Fall he starts region 14 AYSO for Under age 5.



But why, you ask, am I calling this entry "Euro Boy"? By now you know that Luke always dresses the part. He found an old black headband of mine, which he now wears proudly whenever he plays Soccer, as though he fancies himself a long-haired Spaniard or Italian pro.

Bass Lake

Family vacations rock! We just returned from a great trip to Bass Lake, which is about an hour outside of Yosemite. We had a great time in our "Cav-in", which was adjoined to my Aunt Sherry and Uncle Donbo's "Cav-in". They brought my cousin Ben's daughter with them, Kylie, and she and Luke played "Family" (seriously, I haven't asked and don't really want to know). Highlights from our trip include spending time with extended family, a hike to Yosemite Falls, campfires, a ride on the Sugar Pine Railroad, swimming at the resort pool, and riding the inner tube behind the Party Boat.