Luke's day

During a break in the warm rain this week: bubbles in the play yard.

Before that, poking out of the sunroof, peeking at arriving friends, waiting for school to start. 

When he says goodbye, he usually gives me a "tush-push" out the gate and touches my finger through each of the three knotholes in the fence. Then he pops up over the top of the fence and we blow kisses to each other and smoosh them on our cheeks.

Saying our goodbyes (on a different day.)

Later, we visited Halina's school for kindergarten assessment. Luke is sitting next to Wyeth and teacher Fran.

Afterward, playing at Aurora (until I had to drag them away for dinner).

Reading with sissa, ready for sleep.

What Luke's said lately:

- "Why do we call them piggyback rides if piggies don't do them?" (Thanks to Halina for remembering that one. xo.) Asked in all seriousness while getting a piggyback ride. 

- "I want to have my next birthday at Montclair Village Park. Just something to keep in mind."

He likes tying himself up and pretending he's in jail. He took a long, impromptu evening nap on top of the changing table (we use it as a dresser) about a week ago with feet bound at the ankle with dog leashes. He awoke a little hoarse and a lot older.

He really listens to explanations and brings them up later. Papa told him rainbows show up round from an airplane, and so can't have pots of gold at their ends. He repeated that in an explain-y way to me and halina tonight -- even though he knows nothing about pots of gold being at the ends of rainbows -- using cute phrasing, like "so that's a problem" if you're expecting to find the rainbow's end.

He likes to whisper things in your ear. It takes forever, but is kind of magical. Sometimes he's shy, but mostly he'll tell long stories to anyone nice who will listen.

He still loves to cuddle and play big and wild. He's like a bouncy Tigger. Which reminds me, nothing can make him laugh like the pratfalls in the Winnie the Pooh videos. But his favorite movie right now has to be Curious George's Halloween special. He is sensitive and tries to do better if he falls short. He wants to come along. He loves his sister. When he grows up, he wants to have a bald patch and be a daddy, just like Chris (hey, I'm just quoting him). And he will have a job as a mountain climber. He knows addition and subtraction. His little hands are so sweet and his hugs can be so tender. He turns 4 and a half at the end of this month.