Luke: 14 Fabulous Months!

Hey sweet boy - we've been so busy that Mommy is a few days late posting about your exciting 14th month. Better late than never, though! This month has been busy, busy, and you have been such a little trooper throughout all of our trips and activities and such. Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you! 

No doctor appointments this month. Perhaps we are past that stage? You were healthy all month and, with the exception of teething, fussed very little and felt just great. You've gotten a couple of cuspids and a molar or two are starting to come through, so the drooling and the pain is in full effect. Your new thing is getting on mommy and daddy's scale and weighing yourself. You are a solid 27 pounds. I know you are getting taller because things that were once out of reach are now fair game for you. I'm having to get creative about where to put things. You've even gotten into your Christmas gifts a time or two. Uh oh!

This month, you have taken off running. When you walk, you like to swing your arms and make a vroom vroom sound like a car. You'd rather walk than be held, so we make sure to arrive extra early at church and other places where the hallways are long and there are lots of distractions. On Wednesday nights, we always stop to look at the fishies and play with the bunny next your classroom. You just think you are such big stuff. You moved up at church to the 1 year old class, and you are enjoying all the new big kid toys and getting to have snack time and go to the playground. You are growing up before our eyes!

You've also really taken to your stuffed animals and won't go anywhere without 1 (or 3) in the car. You must have Bevo at all times (except school), especially at night and at naptime. This month, mommy and daddy forgot him a couple places and had to make a special trip to get him so that you could rest easily. You are still really into kitchen utensils and "cooking" and still love your dump trucks and musical instruments. 

You are still a very big eater and never ever turn down food. You have milk at breakfast, lunch and dinner, have 2-3 snacks a day and eat a big lunch and dinner. You don't like breakfast, and if we ask you to eat before 10am, you only want yogurt and/or cheerios. You turned down pancakes the other day, but thanks to your Nana and Papa, wanted lots and lots of bacon. You still are a big fruit and veggie eater, are fickle about meat, and cannot get enough yogurt melts and popcorn ("pop pop"). 

You are so interested in how everything works and how it's made, and you love us to hold you up to the microwave so you can see what's cooking. It's not unusual to find you with your nose pressed up against the over watching rolls bake or lasagna bubble. In the first picture below, you were loving the salmon we made!

You are still doing excellent in school. In the past couple of weeks, you've learned how to say the letter F, the color red and what sound cars make. You bring home art every day and you are in love with your wonderful teachers. You love school and squeal everyday when we pull up. You have lots of friends and you are excelling and we couldn't be happier knowing you are somewhere you love and feel safe. 

This August/September has been crazy packed and you've rolled with all the punches and been such a well-behaved little man. Late last month, we went to Austin for a few days at Barton Creek. You got to swim, go to the Co-Op with mom, walk down the Drag and run around the resort. That Friday night, we took you out to Grandma and Pappy's house to stay since we had a wedding to go to. You played all weekend with the puppy, spent lots of time hanging out with your grandparents and climbing their stairs, and you had a wonderful time. 

 

 

On Labor Day weekend, Nana and Papa came to visit. We got your hair cut, went shopping, played, ate yummy food, went up to the country club and got lots of rest. You and your Papa have such a special bond and you really love when he comes to play.

 The next Saturday, we went to the Szalay's couple shower and took you with us. You have such a good time being around mommy and daddy's college friends and were such a ham. You stayed up as late as you could, but within 30 seconds of us strapping you into your car seat, you were out. We can't wait for Mallory and Daniel's little girl to arrive - I know you two will be great friends! We also got to go jogging and to the park, and of course, we watched lots and lots of football! 

Finally, last weekend, you went to stay with Nana and Papa for 4 whole days by yourself. You were so spoiled and are definitely king of that castle when you are there! You get to play outside, swing, eat whatever you want, get lots and lots of cuddles, see Maddie Claire and the rest of the family, take long naps in the big bed, and just be a crazy little boy with very little rules. I've been told you are well behaved, you mind and you are so sweet. Melts my heart! I hope that continues as you get older! 

This month has flown by, as they all do. You make each day such a joy. You are incredibly special to us, and we love you more with each passing day!

Luke: Entering Your Toddler Years: 13 Months!

Luke, you are no longer my little baby boy... you are such a big boy now full of life and energy. You are entering the toddler years with a bang, and definitely keeping both me and your daddy on our toes! You have the sweetest spirit, and you melt my heart every day!

At your one-year checkup on the 20th, you got 5 shots and the nasty finger prick, but you handled it like a champ. After a few tears and screaming out for mama a time or two, you were all smiles and back to flirting with the nurses. At one year, you were 26 pounds and 12 ounces, 31 inches long and your head was 19 inches round. You are still in the top percentiles, and I think it's funny that you are already half as tall as me. Won't be long until you pass me up! 

This month, you also went to visit the dentist. You had so much fun sitting up in the chair and flirting with the hygienist. While Mommy talked to the dentist about your teeth and the upcoming years, you walked around with her and met all the ladies in the office. They gave you a few toys and a new toothbrush and we were on our way. It was a great first experience, and we love that you love brushing your teeth. 

You are one little ball of energy at all times. You run, jump, climb and get into everything. From the time you wake up to the time your head hits the pillow at night, you are non-stop. You climb onto the television hutch, get into drawers and dump everything out, play in the toilet, open the back doors (we've since put on security locks), and just play and play and play. You love to be outside running and playing, and your favorite toys are your sports balls, dump trucks and a wooden spoon and mixing bowl. 

While you are playing, you babble and scream and giggle and make your presence very known. At school, they have started calling you Tarzan because you climb to the top of the playground playscape and scream out as loud as you can until enough people are watching you, and then you go down the slide, giggling the whole time. You still talk to mama a lot, and you now grab our phones and hold them up to your ear and talk and say hi and bye. You added outside (outs) and up to your vocabulary this month and you say both over and over again until you get your way :)

You've been drinking whole milk for a month now, and it was a great transition. You still eat wonderfully and you eat plenty. You love fruits and veggies and prefer those over meat, but you love hotdogs and grilled chicken and will eat those when we give them to you. We've popped a lot of popcorn this month since it's your favorite thing, and you are always asking for ice and ice cream for snack time. You also started using your spoon on your own - last night you made quite the mess with your macaroni and cheese, but you made it happen.

Your favorite activities this month have been playing with your golf clubs, playing catch, taking all the books off of your bookshelf, climbing, playing outside and playing with your grill and cooking. You have become very attached to your Bevo and won't do anything or go anywhere without him. We say bye-bye to him when we get to school and then he is there waiting for you when I pick you up. You always remember where he is and can't go long without him. 

You have done so well in the toddler room at school this month. You take about a 2.5 hour nap each day on your napmat, play outside, do lots of art for us, sing songs, play with friends, and love on your teachers.  You are beginning to learn colors and numbers in both English and Spanish, and you have a great time each day. We are still so thankful for a wonderful school close to our house where you thrive. We love that you love going to school! 

(thanks Aunt Becca and Uncle Justin for my doctor costume - I love it!) 

This summer has flown by and you had so much going on this month! The weekend after your birthday party, we stayed at home and went to the park and played. We had a very relaxing weekend that was much needed after your crazy party weekend. 

The last weekend in July, we drove to Waco for Jordyn's 3rd birthday party at build-a-bear. You loved it and had so much fun playing with all the hearts that go inside the bears. You got to run around and see your cousins and made the cutest little surfer bear. 

After her birthday, you and I drove from Waco to Sugar Land to spend the week at Nana and Papa's house. Maddie Claire was there for a couple of days too, so you had your partner in crime to play with. We did lots of fun things - we went to the circus, went swimming, went shopping and out to dinner and we went to see Great PawPaw. You were so great all week and we were both sad to leave! 

When we got back from Houston, Grandma came to visit for a couple of days. You had so much fun seeing her and playing. The last two weekends, we've gotten to stay home and relax and enjoy summer time. Because of the West Nile outbreak, we haven't really gotten in the pool much, but we still spray you down and let you run around occasionally. At night, you've been cuddling up in your new rocking chair watching lots of football with daddy. Last Saturday, your new babysitter came to play and you loved her. You got to run around and dump out all the books from the shelf and eat popcorn and just be a crazy little boy while mama and daddy had a date night. 

I know I say this every month, but each month with you gets better and better. You are definitely my favorite kiddo in the whole wide world, and you crack me up every day with how smart and precocious you are. Raising a little boy is still a brand-new ballgame for me, but I am cherishing being a boy mom, and especially being your mom.  I love you, sweet boy.

Happy 1st Birthday, Luke!

My sweet boy,  you are celebrating a BIG birthday today! One year ago today at this time, I was anxiously awaiting your arrival in Room 11 in the basement of Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas. Fast forward a few hours, at 4:57pm in the operating room down the hall, my whole life changed forever. When they layed you on my chest for the very first time, nothing else mattered. You instantly became my whole world. 

 

The first couple of weeks we were home with you was quite the roller coaster ride. To put it mildly, I was really overwhelmed and scared that I was responsible for raising such a helpless, sweet, innocent baby.  I was sleep deprived, hormonal, excited and anxious and I could never have imagined in those first few days that I'd be sitting here at my computer now writing to you on your first birthday, reminiscing over all the fun memories of the past 365 days and celebrating the precious little boy you've become. 

Raising you is the single greatest joy of my life. 

Over the past year, you've grown from a sleepy, serious infant into a loud, excited, precocious, intelligent toddler who lights up any room that you walk into. You are a playful, happy, loving little guy and the biggest blessing to both me and your daddy. I can't imagine living my life without you now, and this past year has been the very best one I've ever had. 

Happy Birthday, sweet boy! 

I love you - Mommy! 

Hey Luke,

It's your Dad.  Mommy hired me as a guest editor this month for your blog.  I immediately obliged since we all know I am your favorite person and you will love hearing what I have to say after reading Mommy talk for 11 straight months.

All jokes aside, it's been a wild year for us all.  Life has changed and changed for the better.  It's so cliche to say but your mom and I really can't see our lives any other way than without all of the craziness you bring to it.  Nothing calms the stress of a long day from work with a horrible commute more than coming home to you banging on the back door yelling Dada and holding your arms out to be held. 

I want you to know I hold such a special place for you in my heart and want to provide only the best for you and Mommy.  We pray for you every chance we get that the Lord will watch over you and give us the strength to raise you to be a well balanced, well behaved, and respectful child.  My hope is that we can look back on these moments and say mission accomplished in every regard.

I have rocked you to sleep almost every night of your little life and every night I cherish those moments more and more.  Right before I lay you into your crib each and every night, I tell you that I love you, to sleep well (which doesn't always happen) and to have a good night, and I want you to know that my love and care for you will never change.

I know the next year will bring so many more fun adventures, bruises, cuts, laughs, and memories and I want you to know Mommy and I will be there to cherish and document every moment along the way.

Love you little buddy,

Dad

So what were you up to the month before celebrating your first birthday? 

We only saw Dr. McClard once this month. Around lunchtime one day, your teacher called and said you couldn't stop crying and pulling at your ear. We took a trip to the doctors' office, and Dr. McClard diagnosed you with just having a bad day! While we were there, they weighed you and you were a little over 27 pounds. You are still a big, big boy for your age! We'll get your official one year stats tomorrow at your well checkup. You have 4 teeth and about 4 more coming in, so we've had some restless nights and long, long, long nap times. 

You are now walking/running/climbing/tumbling/jumping off anything and everything. You do not sit still. Anything that you can go over/under/around is fair game. You have many a goose egg and bruise on your head, arms and legs. Half the time, you get hurt and don't make a peep, so many of your bumps and bruises are mysteries to us. You are all boy! 

You have expanded your vocabulary quite a bit this past month. You say mama, dada, nana, yes (chess), no,  hi, bye bye, up, out, and what. You can shake your head yes and no, and you can do the signs for more and done. You babble all day long and it cracks us up to listen to you "talk". You give hugs and kisses all the time and you are the most affectionate and sweet little boy, especially to your mommy. I get hugs and kisses and big smiles every time I walk into the room that you are in. Melts my heart!

Your appetite has really expanded over the past few weeks and you'll eat anything now, and lots of it. You love hotdogs, cantaloupe, raisins, nilla wafers, chicken, yogurt melts, rice cakes, green beans, sweet peas, grilled cheese, cheerios, turkey, cheese, and much more. You eat great at school and then you come home and eat a great dinner. And sometimes a great after dinner snack while mommy and daddy eat dinner (usually green beans or bread). Your new favorite snack is popcorn! You also started whole milk this week. We went cold turkey, and you never even missed the formula. So happy for that!

Your favorite activities right now are reading books, playing with your golf clubs and puppy pillow, playing outside, going swimming (except swim lessons- you still don't like them), running through the splash pad at the country club, playing with your pop up farm from the Woods, cuddling with your stuffed animals, and rocking on your red rocker (climbing on, getting off, climbing on, getting off...)

At the end of June, you began transitioning into the toddler room at school. They have 3 requirements for infants to move up - you must walk, you must be off the bottle, and you must be off baby food. You did all of those things easily in your 10th month! I was a little worried because moving up meant sleeping on a nap mat and eating at a table, but you've done great. You love being in class with your older friends and your teachers are absolutely wonderful.

 

This summer has been an absolute whirlwind of fun! In late June, we headed down to Austin so that we could go out to the lake with some friends. You stayed with Grandma and Pappy for the whole day, and got to go with your cousins to the splash pad and just play and play. You loved it! We stopped at Aunt Jennifer and Uncle Jimmy's house on the way home and you had lunch with your cousins Julianne and Jordyn and played with them for a couple of hours. It was a great weekend for you! 

On the 4th of July, we spent the day at the country club with friends, hanging out, playing in the splash pad and kids pool and listening to good music. At noon, they played the National Anthem and you made your mommy proud and placed your hand over your heart! We had to drag you home after being there for almost 10 hours. You were water logged and exhausted and still did not want to leave. You got so many comments about how adorable you are, and I must say I completely agree! It was a great first 4th of July!

Last week, Nana and Papa came for the week to help Mommy get ready for your birthday party! Then on Friday, Aunt Emily, Uncle Adam and Maddie Claire came. You and MC ran to each other and you gave her the biggest hug. You two are best friends and are so happy when the other is around. MC loves to give you kisses and hugs and y'all wear each other ragged. It's so sweet to see you interact, and I hope you both have wonderful memories of getting to grow up together.

Your big birthday bash was this past weekend. We had a pool party and you had lots of friends and family come from all over Texas just for you! We swam, ate snacks and cupcakes and ice cream, played outside, blew bubbles and had a great time. You were absolutely worn out by the end of the day, but it was so special to have a lot of people who love you all in one place celebrating you. You got so many new toys and clothes, and you're having fun discovering each new thing you got.

Luke - this year has been wonderful! I know each birthday will be special in its own way, but there's just something about that very first one that will always hold a special place in my heart. I know I say this a lot, but it really is true that "the days are long, but the years are short".

Happy Birthday, sweet Luke. You mean so very much to me and daddy!

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11