'OCD' AND A GOOD SALE

Some of you might have already realised that I am a bit OCD in certain areas... I like things to be a certain way.
Well one of my OCD's and addictions, is organizational and storage stuff...shelves, cute little canvas totes, matching tubs and buckets, neatly labeled containers and colourful boxes, etc etc
If I had an unlimited budget, I guarantee, I would spend a LOT of moula in Targets storage department.
They have fun little baskets, and all sorts of gizmos and gadgets for organizing closets, toys, kitchens, pantry's, etc. I could just spend hours there...

However, all these fun and functional things are usually quite expensive. Organizing in style costs money... so I can look, and I can dream, but I can very rarely buy. LOL.

Well, tonight I got so excited because I was able to get a toy organizer shelf for Luke...ON SALE.
I have been looking at these shelves online for months, but usually they range in price anywhere from $60-$200, so I didn't actually think we would ever get one. Then this week, completely by accident, I came across the Target sale ads on the internet (I was looking for something else at Target) and there it was... my organizer shelf, hugely on sale for $37.00

So I had much fun tonight, assembling the shelf - picture it... me with a drill excited about sorting out Lukes toys. LOL

And here my fellow friends and family, is my pride and joy of the evening (yes I love organizing things...with fun storage stuff...THAT much)

Added Bonus: I know Luke is going to LOVE throwing all the plastic tubs on the floor, so hopefully that will help to keep him more interested in his toys, and occupied for a bit longer, because he still has the attention span of a flea on most days, and can't play longer than about 2 minutes on his own. LOL

SNACK TIME AND RASPBERRIES

Luke is very quickly turning from baby into a little boy. He is just barely cutting his first 2 teeth - they aren't through yet, but you can see them right there - despite his toothlessness though, we have been giving him whatever we eat for about a month or so now. He has had curry, bobotie, chicken, pasta, Talapia and a whole variety of other 'big people' foods. For the most part, he seems to enjoy them - in fact, he is slowly starting to refuse his baby food and just beg from us. LOL.
A new favourite of Luke's which he clearly does not get the taste for from me, is cheese... he LOVES string cheese. Right now we have the mixed cheddar and mozzarella string cheese and he devours one with lunch or at snack time everyday. I have even started packing cheese in the diaper bag, because it keeps him happy if he gets niggly while we are out. LOL. Other favourites of his are canned peaches (I buy the kind in 100% juice, instead of syrup) and mandarin oranges. He also loves yoghurt, and cream cheese or avocado on toast. Note the lack of vegetables mentioned... he hasn't quite developed the taste for big people veggies... so I still have to get a jar of squash or green beans into him every now and then.

Lately, he has also started to realise that the fridge is where we keep the food... if he hears or sees you open the fridge, he is there in a flash, trying to climb in and help himself. 

WHAT SHOULD I HAVE FOR LUNCH?

PERHAPS A MANGO...

...AND MAYBE A DRINK OF LEMON JUICE

The other day Jake was giving Luke some raspberries right after his bath. He has a very hearty laugh, but I just love how his whole face reacts to the ticklish raspberries.

He is growing so fast... in less than 2 months, he will be a 1 year old.

THE CAT IN THE HAT MEETS LUKE...

Today, at a local bookstore, there was a 'party' on to celebrate Dr Seuss' 106th birthday. There was cake (it was free, so naturally it was gone in a flash) and they had 'The Cat In The Hat' come in and visit the children and let them get pictures taken. There was suppose to be Dr Seuss story time too, but I think with all the chaos of everyone trying to meet The Cat In The Hat, story time never came to be.

PLAYING WITH ELMO (HE WAS FOR SALE AT THE BOOKSTORE) WHILE WE WAITED FOR OUR TURN TO TAKE PICTURES

So many of the kids there didn't want to go get their picture taken, because they were afraid... one little boy, perhaps about 4 years old, got pretty upset at one point when The Cat In The Hat got too close. Funny thing about that, is that Luke was probably the youngest child there, and I had a number of people say that he is probably just going to freak out when I take him up to meet The Cat In The Hat... but that's the thing about my little monster... he is yet to be afraid of anything. In his almost 10 months of life, he has literally faced everything, head on.... hyperactive dogs, snooty cats, skittish lambs, and The Cat In The Hat...Luke just looks them in the eyes and shows no fear. I am not sure if that is a good or a bad thing... isn't fear sometimes necessary???

CLEARLY LUKE LOOKS ABSOLUTELY PETRIFIED...Lol


NOT THE LEAST BIT INTERESTED IN GETTING HIS PICTURE WITH THIS FUNNY LOOKING CREATURE...

Anyway, after our cake and pictures at the Dr Seuss party, we headed into the mall, and Luke, daddy and I shared some cinnamon pretzel sticks and a cup of lemonade... Luke had his fill of sugar and fun for night, and now he is passed out... though, sadly, I doubt it's for the night!

GETTING ALL SUGARED UP ON HIS PRETZEL STICK

LIVING WITH A BOY

Ok, so Luke and I haven't been up very long, and he crawls off down the passage... I have already picked up the trash can from the bathroom because he empties and eats the trash, taken the toilet paper off the holder cos he pulls it off, taken the carbon monoxide monitor out of the passage wall outlet, because he keeps pulling it out of the wall, and pretty much tried to make sure that there is nothing he can get into...so I left him to go down the passage and play (likely with his bath toys which are in a bucket on the bathroom floor and which is regularly tips onto the floor to play with.) I then proceeded to check my email etc like I do every morning...
Then came the splashing... Oops.. I had forgotten to check that the toilet lid was down... well, not too big a deal... he has splashed in the toilet before... we just washed his hands etc and realised we need to remember to keep the lid down... so in I went to get him and wash him... and then the big EEEWWWWW!!!! Jake was the last one to use the toilet, and had forgotten to flush, so there was Luke merrily playing in some pee water... soooo gross.... well, I washed his hands, and quickly took off his pj's because the sleeves had also gotten wet. Now I am pretty grossed out.

I just don't seem to be able to stay ahead with this little monkey...

"WE'VE ONLY JUST BEGUN"

I saw this video today, of an elderly couple who when going into the Mayo Clinic for a check-up, spotted a piano in the lobby and decided to play a little impromptu piece...
P.S the old man is a few months short of 90 in this video and they have been married for 62 years.

What made it so great to watch though, is the realisation that there are still people out there who despite the high rate of divorce, live long happy lives with a spouse - 62 years is a long time! In addition to that, it's great to see that even though the economy is bad, crime is high, finances are usually always a struggle, and sickness and trials are everywhere, there are happy people who enjoy the small things in life and make the best of every moment spent with a loved one...

What's funny about me seeing this video clip today, is that just before I saw the video, Luke was pulling books off of our bookshelf...when I went to pack them back, I spotted our wedding book, and took it out to browse through the pictures... It has the words of our 'wedding song' printed in it...
They seem so fitting for our journey into the future together...

We've Only Just Begun 

- The Carpenters -

We've only just begun to live,
White lace and promises
A kiss for luck and we're on our way.
And yes, We've just begun.

Before the rising sun we fly,
So many roads to choose
We start our walking and learn to run.
And yes, We've just begun.

Sharing horizons that are new to us,
Watching the signs along the way,
Talking it over just the two of us,
Working together day to day
Together.

And when the evening comes we smile,
So much of life ahead
We'll find a place where there's room to grow,
And yes, We've just begun.

Jake and I only have 2 years of marriage behind us, so we still have a long 60 years ahead of us before we get to where that adorable couple is now...Jake is my husband and my best friend and I hope that we can still have as much fun together in our old age as they clearly still do. I hope that we can make the best of every situation that life presents to us, whether good or bad, and I hope that because we have started on a good foundation, that we can prevail and overcome the odds, to live long, prosperous lives building and strengthening our family together.

WHISTLING!

So, I mentioned in an early blog that Luke has started whistling. We have been trying for a few days to catch some of his whistling on camera, and today I finally got a few seconds recorded. It's so stinking cute, because he just crawls around the house whistling away. We just can't stop laughing at him.

Here is a short clip of our little mans awesome talent. LOL... seriously, what other 9 month old do you know that can whistle???

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com