Table Manners

"May I please be excused?" This is a common phrase in many households at the end of mealtime. I can remember asking for such permission, and now we are striving to instill it in our little guy. Our son, at 20-months, has instead adopted the not-so-popular-with-Mommy phrase, "I wanna get down." At the conclusion of his eating experience, he loudly proclaims this desire repeatedly. Tonight at dinner was no exception. We have taken to kindly asking each other if we may pleased be excused. It's odd.
In addition to his post-mealtime performance, Luke tends be somewhat lacking in the use of the word please during his dining ritual. He can say "more pizza" with extreme clarity, but struggles to add the please afterward. Maybe it's the alliteration that bothers him. Interestingly whenever we prompt him to say please, he often will repeat, "Say please." This is the only word he parrots in this fashion. And his "thank you" is always followed quickly by his own "you're welcome." Efficient, isn't he?
Despite these errors, Luke often comes up with just the right verbiage at just the right time. While sitting at the table tonight, only partially finished with his meal, covered in pesto sauce and spinach from the pizza, Luke looked right at me and said, "Mommy pretty. Mommy pretty." This statement was followed by the cutest little-boy smile ever. No argument from me, the kid has manners. Oh, you wanna get down. Okay, baby. Such a sweet boy.
I'm in big trouble.

AWOL Parents and Super Oma

Erik and I went AWOL today! We went Away WithOut Little ones. There is a group at our church designed to minister to parents of young children. This mostly involves providing opportunities for couples to spend time together without the presence of their kids. The AWOL retreat is just one example. We met with other couples at a posh hotel and were treated to good food, laughter and opportunities to have one-on-one time with our spouses. It's amazing what one day away can do to revitalize and refresh. We feel blessed to have had this time before Sprout's birth to reconnect. Every marriage needs it. When was the last time you and your spouse took time away?
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Oma and Luke spent the day together. She worked him hard in the backyard pulling weeds and digging in the dirt. He passed out from exhaustion shortly after his bath. Good work, Oma! Luke couldn't ask for a better dirt buddy. As for me, I was beyond blessed to arrive home to a peacefully sleeping child, a fantastically clean house, and a better groomed backyard. How much do we pay her? Whatever it is, double it! :-)

Like Daddy

I am noticing more and more that our son wants to do everything just like Daddy. Tonight at dinner we had some hummus and pita bread. Luke was eyeing it warily until he saw Daddy eating it. Erik asked Luke if he would like to try some, like Daddy. We gave him a little bit of hummus on his plate and a small piece of pita bread. He carefully watched Daddy model how to dip the pita into the hummus. The face Luke made when he tried the hummus was a clear message that he did not need anymore on his plate. To his credit, he didn't spit it out. We were thrilled.
While Erik was putting him in his pajamas, he beat out a rhythm on his chest and Luke's belly. This always delights Luke and keeps him on his back while we wrestle arms and feet into the appropriate spots. After Erik was finished with the rhythm, Luke said, "like Daddy, like Daddy" and attempted to pound his little chest. I seriously don't think he noticed that no sound accompanied his efforts. It simply didn't matter. He was being like Daddy.
All this imitation got me thinking tonight. How often do I find myself striving to be like my Heavenly Daddy? Do I watch Him so closely through the person of His Son in Scripture that I can't help but imitate Him? When was the last time I tried something new for Him? Am I rejoicing in my every attempt even though it pales in comparison to His ability? When Luke tries to be like Erik, he never gets angry at himself because he can't quite do it. And Erik is thrilled with every attempt made. Likewise God delights in my every effort and empowers me to be more "like Daddy" every day. I am thankful.

All Ears

Luke likes to count things. When I say count things, I mean he likes to point to a variety of objects and say the numbers in order, but often the number of objects and the number Luke reaches do not coincide. Likewise, Luke enjoys pointing out and naming facial features. Eyes, ears, nose, mouth, teeth, etc. The other day he was commenting on the fact that Daddy has ears. Daddy had the brilliant idea of asking Luke how many ears Daddy has. When Luke was finished counting, Daddy had no less than six ears! Just this morning, Daddy was proclaimed to have six eyebrows. Luke can count higher than six, but apparently more than six of any one facial feature would be unseemly. Quite right, Luke.

Nesting

I haven't written much about our current pregnancy, but tonight I experienced one of the more hilarious parts of the third trimester experience. Let me start by saying that I think pregnancy is one of the coolest processes invented by God. Despite first-trimester bouts of nausea and the second-trimester "chubby but not pregnant" look, I adore being pregnant. Tonight's example of odd behavior included.
Erik and I had just finished doing the dishes together. He took a load of laundry downstairs and I promised to follow behind after wiping down the counters. Having found a really good scrubby sponge (a damp wash cloth usually suffices) I discovered that the counters weren't the only thing that needed wiping down. The back splash behind the sink was in sore need of attention. Then the front of the dishwasher caught my eye, followed by the floor. On my hands and knees, six and a half months pregnant, I scrubbed for about ten minutes before I came to my senses. By the ninth month I will have no sense left and the rest of the scrubbing can wait until then!

Slower Traffic

"Slower Traffic Keep Right" is a white sign with black lettering that is common on highways. It is a nice way of saying, "If you can't go fast enough to keep the people behind you from honking and swearing, please get out of their way." Having recently driven approximately 240 miles on a there-and-back, two-day road trip I have some personal experience with this sign. Interestingly, I used to be one for whom the sign meant, "They are supposed to move over and get out of my way so that I can drive at whatever crazy speed I want." With my toddler in the backseat and my soon to be second-born gestating in my belly I have a different perspective. Watching the cars zoom by, I found myself wondering why the speed limit isn't fast enough. I have come to believe that somebody somewhere really did do some research about the safest rate of travel for any given stretch of highway. That number is clearly represented by the black letters on the white background of the speed limit signs. I hear you saying, "But if you go five over, you won't get pulled over." This may well be true. But if you go five over and your car hits a slick patch or you have to stop suddenly, will you be alive to say, "I was only going five over...I don't deserve a ticket!" I'm happy with the slower traffic keeping right. You can see the sheep and listen to your son say, "BAAAAA!" at the top of his lungs there. Join me sometime. It's a lovely ride.

Music Appreciation

My son enjoys listening to music while in his playroom or riding in the car, but often uses the phrase, "New one" to indicate his current lack of appreciation for the current song being played. He would like a new song to be playing...now. Sometimes this occurs while we are listening to a CD and sometimes the radio programming gets "gonged" with a sudden "New one" being piped up from the backseat. It even happened once when the car next to us was playing exceedingly loud music that Luke did not find to his liking. In that instance he had to wait for the light to change. Mommy's woofers and tweeters were no match.
In light of this tendency to request new music, I have made it a goal to find a CD that will keep Luke from asking for a new one, mostly so I can drive or sit on the couch without having to constantly change the track. We have tried Children's Bible Songs. We have tried Scripture Memory Songs. We have tried the Classical station, the Jazz station, the contemporary Christian station, and NPR. "New one!"
Today I found an old Keith Green CD that I bought in high school. Remember him? Serious Jesus Freak who played piano like some sort of gifted dude and sang lyrics that either convicted you or just made you mad. His sound is so seventies, it's almost indescribable. I love it. I loved it in high school when I "discovered" it and I love it now. I popped that bad boy into the CD player, fully intending to ignore my son's every request for "New one." Genetic predisposition to crazy seventies music prevailed! Luke didn't ask for a new one once! Wohoo!

Diggers, Dump Trucks, and Dancing Queen

Our neighbor across the street recently decided that his entire driveway and sidewalk needed replacing due to the effect of tree roots. Bad news for Tien. Good news for Luke! Upon awaking Friday morning Luke discovered a small crew of workmen, big truck and digger included, right outside his living room window. The architecture of the mid-fifties affords us a huge picture window in our front room. Luke adores sitting at it while narrating the neighborhood. We seriously thought he might explode while trying to explain how very much he liked the digger and the big orange dump truck.
We were happy to have the distraction for Luke because that poor kid is teething like nobody's business. We feel so bad for him. He has spent the last three days in a very clingy mood, not like him at all. He actually laid on the couch an hour yesterday, wanting me to read aloud. I have to admit that I find it so endearing when he lays quietly listening to me read Bible stories to him. I'm hoping that as he gets older, his attention span for such things increases.
In the spirit of teething, we decided to teach Luke a new word: saliva. He doesn't quite have it yet. It actually sounds exactly like he is saying, "Sing Abba" instead. I tried "Dancing Queen" but it apparently wasn't what he really wanted. Maybe "Mama Mia" next time.

Happy Easter!

Part of being new parents involves figuring out what your family traditions will be. We hadn't really talked about instilling any new traditions this Easter, but were pleasantly surprised by the things God prompted us to do.
At breakfast this morning, I really wanted to sing the hymn, "Christ the Lord is Risen Today." We attend a wonderful church, but I just wasn't sure if this traditional hymn would make it into the contemporary worship service. So we sang it our breakfast table instead! Luke was fascinated and joined in by saying the Alleluia. Good enough for this mom!
Our church service was a blessing to us and the hymn DID make it into the worship set. :-) Luke went to Kidzone and did great. Considering that on the way in he was crying because we had to leave behind the music in the car, I was pretty ecstatic about his recovery. By the way, it was Keith Green's "Easter Song" that he was mournful about leaving. One of my all-time favorite artists and songs. Good boy.
After the somewhat traditional Easter morning nap, we headed to Uncle Bob and Aunt Cindy's for time with family and some seriously fabulous food. We were so blessed to spend time with our family. Luke did well and entertained the room with his "homey" pants that refused to stay up. He either needs to get some suspenders or gain some weight. He seriously mooned the crowd three or four times! Fortunately his diaper stayed in its proper place.
Throughout the day we used the phrases, "Jesus is risen!" and "He is risen indeed!" At the dinner table tonight Luke joined in by saying, "Indeed!" with great enthusiasm. We are so excited to continue to teach him about the life, death and resurrection of the Savior. The pastor at church today talked about how much encountering the risen Lord transformed the disciples. We have seen similar transformations in our lives as we encounter Jesus through studying the Bible, spending time in prayer, and building relationships with fellow Christians. We pray you will encounter the risen Lord and be transformed!

Backless - Not My Style

This past Monday while bending to scoop up Luke, my back decided it needed a vacation. I never before realized how important my back is to my body. I soon became aware that even the most minute movements involve muscles in my back. Needless to say it has been a challenging week. God is my shield and very great reward. He provided exactly what I needed through friends, neighbors, and relatives.
Many thanks to Holly and her entire entourage for taking care of me Monday afternoon and taking Luke ALL day on Tuesday. My son loves spending time with your family and you treat him like he's one of your own. God's blessings to you all!
Another Thank You to Jodi Renee who brought me a fabulous lunch on Tuesday and served it to me in the finest tupperware available. You are the best neighbor ever!
And then there is my mom, who turned her life upside down (wrote sub plans for three days) to come down and take care of us beginning Wednesday morning. Have you ever had someone who served you with no strings attached? What a picture of our loving Savior my mom has been to me this week. Jesus with skin on. Thanks, Mom.

Palm Sunday - New Traditions

Erik started a new Palm Sunday tradition for the Bangsund family. He woke up early, dressed in the dark, got in the car, and then waited in line outside a Toys R Us for five hours. At the end of his quest he arrived home with a Wii. Google it if you don't know already. He is actually pretty sure this will not be a yearly tradition. So am I.

Tonight at dinner we read Luke the story of Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem. We used his Toddler Bible, an NIrV, New International "read to me" Version. It has great pictures and does a good job using vocabulary Luke understands. As you might know, the story begins with the disciples following Jesus' instructions to acquire a colt for Him to ride. Luke looked at the picture and said, "Donkey! Hee haw!" This was repeated many more times during the rest of the story. Upon finishing with hosannas, Luke requested a repeat performance of the donkey. :-) The reading will be a yearly tradition. Who knows whether the donkey will continue to be the star...probably not.

After dinner Luke finished his Palm Sunday performance by taking a header off the couch and getting his first bloody nose. Poor little guy. He was more than a little surprised and cried for about ten minutes before calming down. It's amazing, though, how God prepares us for the events in our lives. See the previous post! Both Mommy and Daddy were able to administer first aide and help Luke learn a valuable lesson (hopefully!). Let's also hope that this will not be a yearly tradition.