Luke: 19 Months!

(this morning was full of meltdowns and you just would not keep that sticker on your shirt and smile for your Mommy. We keep it real around here!)

Lukey - you are growing like a weed, son! I'm pretty sure I blinked and another month passed. You are growing into the sweetest little boy. Long gone are any signs of that baby I held this time last year. Now, you are playing outside, running, yelling "MOMMMY!" when you need something instead of just crying. You are well on your way to becoming a big boy. Parenthood truly is the sweetest heartbreak - I can't keep you little but I also love watching you grow.

 At your 18 month appointment, you weighed 30.2 pounds (92%), were 35 inches long (off the charts!), and your head measured in the 75th percentile. You were so sweet to Dr. McClard and you showed her how you were right on track with everything they look for. You only had to get 1 shot, which you handled like a champ. No more shots until you turn 4!! Yippee!! 

Your vocabulary is rapidly expanding. You now say cookie, Mommy and Daddy (no more Mama and Dada), "oh no!", meow, mine, up, down, out, on, off, "all done!", art, heart, blocks, books, puppy and so many other words. You count, but you are stuck on 2, 8, 9 and 10. When we swing you on the sidewalk, you prefer to say "two, two, two" instead of "one, two, three". If I say 8, you follow it with 9 and 10.  Now we just need to work on the other numbers! You also love to say amen and please. We are working on "thank you" but I know we'll get there.

You've been a good eater this month. Along with all of your favorites, we've added peanut butter crackers (or as you call them, cookies!),  cheetos and cinnamon rolls. You love a cinnamon roll on Saturday mornings - you'd eat the whole pan if we'd let you. You still love your veggies and prefer those to any sweets, but you'd choose a french fry over anything else in the world, I fear. We also still stock up on the staples - cheerios, goldfish, apple sauce, pears and peas. Before every meal, you are so good to remind Mommy and Daddy to pray with you. Before you pick up your spoon, you always fold your hands and wait for me to pray so that you can say "Amen!".

 

You are still doing wonderfully in school. You love going each morning and love to show me your art every afternoon when I pick you up.  You can say everyone's name in your class and you love your friends. We started spring swim lessons and you're doing great (when we can go). This summer, you'll start going on your own and Mommy won't be in the pool with you anymore. 

After school, we do a lot of fun activities while we wait for Daddy to get home. Sometimes we go to the park, sometimes we watch Clifford and eat popcorn, and other times we read every book on the bookshelf. On Wednesdays, we have a Mommy/Luke date and usually go out to eat before our church activities. You've graduated from using a high chair and will usually sit in the chair like a big boy. When Daddy gets home and after we eat dinner, you like to play legos or read books or pretend to bake cookies. Daddy still usually reads you the last book of the night and rocks you to sleep. I know it's so special for him that you still allow us to rock you and spend that special time with you at the end of each day.

We've had another month jammed full of activities. We've had playdates and dinner dates and church activities and the list goes on and on. You've been staying up way past bedtime some nights, but you've been happy and the meltdowns have been minimal.

In late January, Grandma came to visit you. She went to your swim lessons, had dinner with us and then stayed the next morning to play with you while Mommy ran errands. She let you play with her phone and sit in the front seat of her car and pretend you were driving - your favorite thing to do. You loved having her here to play with you.

In February, we drove to Houston to visit Emily, Adam and MC and Nana and Papa. We stayed at the Gillen's new house, went to Sesame Street Live, and celebrated Maddie Claire's birthday. To say you wore yourself out would be an understatement. You LOVED Sesame Street Live - you were dancing, hopping, clapping, cheering. It was the cutest thing to see. You and MC played together all weekend wonderfully - I think your favorite thing was the big stock pot you pulled out of Aunt Em's pantry. I  really think you are going to be a chef one day!

On Valentine's Day, you woke up and after milk and snuggles, I let you dig through your bucket in our bed. You absolutely loved the Jellycat puppy we got you and we may have let you have a few m&ms for breakfast. I took you to school and then came back up for your party - you and your friends had lots of yummy snacks and you got a lot of great valentines. After school, we played and made dinner and enjoyed a low key night at home!

This past weekend, we drove to Waco for a shower for your cousin Jackson, who will arrive sometime in March or April. We got there early and, after not getting your way about something, gave us a glimpse into what the terrible twos might look like. When you are mad or upset and about to throw a fit, you put your hand over your eyes and it's both precious and sad. After everyone got there and you saw Caitlin, you wanted nothing to do with Mommy and Daddy. You were all about her and Robert the rest of the night. We went back to the Rogers' house after dinner and you "helped" Daddy and Uncle Jimmy move around some of their furniture. You wanted to be with the guys and be a big help. Melts my heart!

(we obviously don't let you have soda, but you have a new habit of opening the fridge and getting out a soda and pretending to drink it - little sponge soaking up what Mommy and Daddy do!)

Luke, as we quickly approach your 2nd birthday, I am still completely blown away by you daily. You are a sweet, smart, silly boy and I couldn't have imagined in my wildest dreams.having a son as wonderful as you.  The Lord has blessed your Daddy and I beyond measure and we continue to thank God for you every chance we get.