Lucas is getting so big.  I feel like I have so much more of an understanding about the development of a child now that I have one that I watch every day.  The way that he plays with the English language and just learns things so quickly . . . the way that he mimics those around him . . . the way that he shows love.  He's just growing so quickly.  I wish I had a video camera that could capture every moment of his childhood so I could go back and watch it again and again.  I feel like I miss things.  I try to be so present in his life, his learning, because I know there will be a time where he wants very little to do with me.  But then life gets in the way, I get tired, I have to cook, I have to answer the phone, whatever.  It's a dance that I just am not very good at.

Lucas has learned about what "up" and "down" is.  Probably from the hundreds of readings of "Go, Dog, Go".  This book is just karmic retribution for my poor mom having to read it to me again and again when I was a young child. Now when we go up or down, whether it be stairs, hills, whatever, Lucas says, "Up, up, up, up" or "Down, down, down, down".  It's cute.  Except yesterday he got mad at me when driving home from a park because he wanted me to turn right and go up a big hill instead of straight (which was the way home).

He's also learning names really well now.  I can't tell you how cute it is to hear him say his version of "grandma" and "grandpa".  Friday we went out to my parents house for dinner and my dad helped me bandage Lucas' foot.  He stepped on a comb and it was red and painful looking so we washed it and put a big bandaid on it.  Very traumatic for Lucas, of course.  But for the next two days he kept pointing at it, grinning, and saying "Grandpa, Mama."  Like he was reminding me that Grandpa and I had bandaged his foot.  It was really cute.  Grandpa sounds like "Baumpah,"

My favorite thing is his toy horses.  They're just the "Little People" horses that came with a used farm set I got at a consignment store.  He immediately liked them when we bought it and now calls them his "Nay's".  He makes his "nays" walk around and ride on the back of his trains.  They ride on his bus and eat his food.  It's super cute.

I am pretty anti television for kids at this age.  I think it's overused and I don't want a child who depends on tv for entertainment.  Plus, the research shows that a lot of kids shows are really detrimental for brain development in young children.  I watch the Today show in the morning (changing the channel when all the violent national news comes on) and football.  The rest of my shows are on after Lucas goes to sleep.  But on special occasions or if Lucas is sick, I'll let him watch a little Sprout, which is a channel for preschoolers.  I didn't have regular cable growing up until I was just a bit older, so we watched a little PBS when we were kids (like Mr. Rogers and Sesame Street - both of which I think are pretty awesome).  So when Lucas was really sick with his fever/cold this last time, I let him watch Thomas the Train.  I think Thomas is a really decent kids show because it teaches them right and wrong, it's slower moving, and I think it's kind of interesting (all those train terms).  Well now Lucas LOVES Thomas the Train.  He was already embracing the whole train thing, so this just adds to it.  He grabs the remote control now and says, "Choo choo?"  Oh LORD, just serves me right.  (:  I think it will be okay as long as I have limits for him.  I just don't want to depend on that darn TV to make him happy.

I have decided to get him a train table for his birthday.  I am going to get the actual table used, and them I'm going to buy a wooden train set.  I'll probably affix the train tracks to the table at first, and then when he's a little older I'll unattach them and let him make his own arrangements.  I have all sorts of ideas for creating a cool train table.  Hopefully it will work out as good as it is in my head!

We're going camping on Labor Day Weekend.  Everyone keep their fingers crossed that the weather holds!  Lucas will have a blast.  (: