"Scoot Scoot Boogie"

Luke continues to show a little more independence.  Seems like every time I get used to the way Luke does things…he decides to switch it up on me.  “No mom…let’s do it this way this time!”

Luke’s latest “escapade” has left me singing “Scoot Scoot boogie”…I’m not even sure that’s the name of the country song. But, it’s the only part of it that sticks out in my mind…I can’t remember any more of the lyrics…I can even hear the “Scoot Scoot BOOOGGGIIIEEE”  all drawn out in the finest “country draw”.  Feel free to give me a hard time about this.  Anyone who knows me, knows that it is just like me not to know the whole thing or even who sings it!

Anyway…back to what Luke was up to….I’ve shared how Luke has taken off on the stairs and gotten all the way to the top by himself, seems he wants to be even more independent!  About a month ago our daughter decided she didn’t want to walk down the stairs…but scoot down them instead.  Not one to be “outdone” …Luke immediately let go one hand from the stair railing (up to this point we had been descending the stairs sideways using both hands on the rail), and squatted till he sat.  Mom took the “hint” and started to help him scoot down the stairs.  He continued getting better at this “skill”.

Then just the other day, I decided to go to the bottom of the stairs and just encourage him down.  Sure enough, he went the whole way!  Sometimes it’s hard not to do “too much” for our little man….but I stepped back …and look what happened!  Luke can do one more thing on his own!  Way to “Scoot Scoot Boogie” my man!

Where Oh Where?

Ok, so we have these easy shoes for our daughter to put on…pink Crocks.  They've been so great because she can simply put them on and take them off on her own.  So while I wrestle with Luke and his shoes, as he is throwing them across the room…while I am trying to put them on his feet, our daughter can simply sit by us and put on her shoes!

Yesterday, even though it was a little chilly out, I told our daughter to go find her “pink shoes”…they aren't the only shoes she has that have pink…but that’s what we call them.  Anyway…I tell her to go get them on and she keeps saying “where mommy where…where pink shoes mommy?”  I kept telling her places to look…all while wrestling with Luke to put his shoes, braces and shoes on.  When we were done, I joined the search…and the pink shoes were nowhere to be seen.  Although I knew I saw them very recently…I just couldn't remember where.

Out of time, I finally grabbed our daughter’s tennis shoes and made her put those on instead…even though they aren't her favorite “pink shoes”.

We went through our day with the usual routine…and never found the “pink shoes”. 

Then, last night I got home real late (around 11pm) and was putting away some groceries.  I pulled out the shelf in the pantry to put canned goods on…and low and behold there were the “pink shoes”!!!  “Someone” decided to put them away on the shelf with the food….very nicely I might add.

Oh…it was so funny to see them just sitting there..lined up and so “innocent”.  That silly Luke has been playing with the pantry a lot lately…I should of known...he would hide something in there.  After all that’s his favorite thing to do…next to opening and shutting doors.

Little Conductor

If you've been reading this blog for a while, you know that Luke LOVES music.  It was the only thing to calm him when he was little and the songs that ALWAYS worked were written by Randy Travis.  Everyone laughs at that…but it is so true.  We've had vacations where we forgot the Randy Travis CD and had to go to the nearest Wal-mart and hunt the music section for Randy Travis. 

This past Friday there was a concert at Illinois State University for kids with Special Needs.  It was wonderful.  It was well thought out, from assigning each child a “concert buddy” to providing special shakers that attach to the fingers. 

Before the concert started they had various students with their instruments for the kids to come to and “explore”.  Luke really liked the trumpet and helped make a note or two.  He wasn't really sure about the guitar, but sister sure liked it.  She got to strum it with a pick.

Then the concert started, at first Luke just sat and stared at the band and lifted his eyebrows at each high note or when the band got especially loud.  When we tried the shaker with him that attaches to the fingers, he found a way to take it off and throw it….of course.  It was wonderful though seeing the music through his eyes that night.By the last few songs Luke was refusing to sit and standing while holding on to the chair in front he would point and move a hand towards the band.  Then I grabbed his hips and he started swinging around both hands, like he was conducting the band. If you'd like to see him "conduct" check out the video below the pics.