My World

Overheard

2010-12-28T13:42:00.000-08:00

Overheard from my son at the Discovery Center while he was playing with another little boy, "that right over there is my mama and she is my favorite". How does it get better? Had to get that one down. Didn't want to forget that!

Luke Covers Mayer

2010-12-15T18:50:00.000-08:00

He is perfecting his moves while other toddlers sleep!

School Days

2010-11-14T13:10:00.001-08:00

This is Luke's first school picture taken at Small Wonders. It turned out pretty cute!

Luke's Lines - 2

2010-10-17T11:27:00.000-07:00

"They call me Dr. Love, Mommy!"

Pumpkin Time!

2010-10-17T11:12:00.000-07:00

We carved our first pumpkin together and picked it out at the Rutledge-Wilson Farm this weekend. It was perfect weather and the perfect place to be!

Three Pals

2010-06-23T09:31:00.000-07:00

We have had the honor of taking care of our cousins on a couple of summer days. Luke is having a ball with them. They all play so well together!

Bright Future

2010-05-18T19:12:00.001-07:00

Someone has recently started watching ZZ Top.

He Spells!!

2010-05-15T19:31:00.000-07:00

We were writing with sidewalk chalk tonight and he just announced that his name was spelled L-U-K-E like he had been spelling his whole life. When I picked my jaw up off the ground we had to catch it on tape!

9th Tidbit

2010-05-13T20:01:00.000-07:00

Man, I don't ever want to forget these! You do this over and over and over again at night. Yes, I know it is to stall so you don't have to go to sleep but I'll take them any way I can get them! You ask for "dail tisses" (jail kisses) repeatedly. We love it!

Giggles

2010-05-08T11:51:00.000-07:00

Luke enjoys when I blow bubbles with my gum. Well, he kind of enjoys it and it kind of scares him but it TOTALLY makes him giggle!

Axe Man

2010-04-25T19:43:00.000-07:00

Most parents read to their kids before bed. Luke would rather have his face melted off. He loves to rock out!

Eggs!

2010-04-22T20:09:00.000-07:00

Easter at Memaw and Paw's was full of egg hunts and yummy food!

Happy Easter!

2010-04-07T20:00:00.001-07:00

We celebrated this year with a few muddy egg hunts and one cool Easter outfit!

Birthday Pics

2010-03-30T19:38:00.001-07:00

Luke's 2nd birthday was celebrated at Pandera Bread. It was a blast. All of the family came to watch him blow out candles and open presents. We also got to break open an pinata which was a lot of fun too. It was a perfect afternoon!

TWO!

2010-03-07T19:35:00.000-08:00

A birthday wouldn't be complete without a song!

Singing Debut!

2010-03-06T18:45:00.000-08:00

Luke is currently fascinated with Johnny Cash. Here is a little sample. He thinks he whammy bar is a microphone....good stuff!

Just a Minute!

2010-03-03T19:45:00.000-08:00

Luke calls for "five minutes" whenever he isn't quite ready to end ANY fun activity. It is pretty darn cute!

The Big TWO!

2010-02-26T19:06:00.000-08:00

It is almost time to party!

Luke's Lines - 1

2010-02-15T19:52:00.000-08:00

This weekend has been a weekend of hilarious talk. You are really into basketball. You now say "bick" (bick) and "fiss" (swish) constantly while we play hoop in the living room. You also instruct us to "use the window" pretty often.

I think my favorite spontaneous thing you have said happened tonight. I put dinner on the table. It is called Cowboy Casserole (I think you and daddy both like that it has "Cowboy" in the name). Anyway you said, "NOW YOU'RE TALKING"!! I've heard daddy say that a million times when I put dinner on the table. I guess you were listening too. This is all so incredibly fun!

Hoops

2010-02-13T20:45:00.000-08:00

Luke is great with the glass but he most imprtantly has a GREAT outlet pass!

Hoop Gear

2010-01-30T13:00:00.000-08:00

This is a new AWESOME present from Uncle Tony. Wish you could have been here to give it to him. We miss ya Tone!

First Cut

2010-01-16T21:18:00.001-08:00

Luke got his first cut today. We went to Cookie Cutters. Those people know how to treat a little person! It was awesome. I wasn't prepared for how different he was going to look. We were very pleased with the final result though. He looks like such a little man!

Letters!

2010-01-11T20:04:00.000-08:00

We got the 1-2-3s...now we are on to the ABCs. He aced the last half here. He is pretty proud of his new accomplishments and we are too!

Let It Snow!

2010-01-08T13:26:00.000-08:00

It is a great week to be a teacher! We are out for some snow days. When it wasn't bitterly cold, Luke and I went out and checked out all of the white stuff. Luke kept saying, "messy, messy, messy car all messy!" He likes things to be nice and tidy...not covered in snow! He was really impressed with the neighbor's snow blower. We had to improvise and use our own snow mower. It seemed to do the trick. While inside during the snow days we spent a lot of time playing cars and listening to music. Snow days are so much more fun now!

Still Buddies

2010-01-03T19:38:00.000-08:00

Luke, Carolina and Aubrey had their first playdate very early on. Their ages ranged from 1 week to 3 months during the first visit they had together. We recently got the kids together for another playdate. I think this one was a little more fun for them. We played for an hour at Gold Minds over the break. We also joined Hayden and some of his good buddies. I wanted to post this picture to show the before and after. My, how they have grown! What sweet babies they are! Asher did have a great time playing. He was just not into stopping all the fun for a picture. Who can blame him?

Christmas 2009

2010-01-03T12:41:00.000-08:00

Holy Cow! What a Christmas it was. We hit all the family celebrations this year. There were a total five stops. There were, however, countless laughs, bites of goodness, and piles of presentes. Luke had a ball. He thought every single time we left the house we should go somehwere and open presents! Hope your Christmas was a blast too!

While The Cat's Away

2009-12-26T19:41:00.000-08:00

This is what happens when Daddy leaves us alone.

Getting The Basics

2009-12-21T18:51:00.000-08:00

Luke has started counting. He can do 1-10 but it is VERY difficult to capture the entire thing on film. This one had the greatest celebration at the end so I decided to use it. You will just have to use your imagination on 1-5.

Meeting The Big Guy

2009-12-19T13:37:00.000-08:00

We had a family day out today. In the morning we got our ticket to return to see Santa in the afternoon at Bass Pro. We ran some errands and had lunch while we waited for our big moment. When we got to Bass Pro we still had to do quite a bit of waiting. It was all worth it though. We got to meet the big guy! We had to prompt Santa to ask Luke what he wanted for Christmas. I think Santa must have been a little shy or something. When he finally asked Luke what he wanted Luke said, "CARS!" It is going to be a great Christmas. He was a very friendly Santa. We got to take our own pictures which was very nice! What a fun day. Mom and Dad will never forget it!

Month 21

2009-12-10T20:03:00.000-08:00

Dear Luke,

I am late with this update. That of course means that all further updates will probably be late. Once I've been late, I usually make a habit of it.

You went from one word utterances to four word utterances this month. You are a TALKER! It is so crazy how just one day it all clicked. Now you say things like, "Daddy go get cars". You are ordering us around and we are following directives because we are so thrilled to hear your sentences!

You love to look at the Christmas lights. At night when we get home you tell me to "go drive". You sit in my lap while we go around the block about 3 MPH and you say, "see 'em, SEEEEE 'EM!" You honk the horn repeatedly/lengthy and loudly while shouting, "HONKIE, HONKIE, HONKIE".

I knew the day would come where you would become a Daddy's boy. I think that time has come. You love playing cars with Dad. He is usually the first thing you ask for and talk about when you wake up in the morning. When you get something new you say, "show Daddy". You can't wait to share your favorite treasures with Dad. You two spend most of your time together in the floor playing cars. You guys have named all of your favorite cars. You two also play quite a bit of football in the living room. Tackling is on your top five list of things to do, for sure!

You are saying a million things and blowing our minds in a million different ways. Christmas is almost here and we are going to have an absolute ball. We can't wait!

Love,
Daddy and Mama

Zoo Outing

2009-11-28T11:58:00.000-08:00

We all hit the zoo today for a little 65 degree November day. What a treat it was!

Jumpmania

2009-11-27T11:50:00.000-08:00

This was a Sunday afternoon spent with Luke's awesome cousins at Jumpmania.

Hard Worker

2009-11-08T12:26:00.001-08:00

Luke spent the entire morning outside working in the yard. He got a lot of mowing, trimming and raking accomplished. He is a determined, hard working little boy!

Month Twenty

2009-11-07T20:11:00.000-08:00

Dear Luke,

This is going to be a fall to remember! Holidays are more fun than ever. I can't wait until Thanksgiving and Christmas. You don't really understand what is going on yet during these holidays but you LOVE IT just the same! Halloween was so much fun. Experiencing everything for the first time with you is something we wouldn't miss for anything!

This month you have become more and more independent. You now insist on eating with a spoon. You also want your own bowl/plate to eat from. You are getting quite good at feeding yourself with utensils and it is adorable to watch! Your favorite meal to eat with a spoon is salad (from my plate). We share a lot!

You don't want us to hold the books for you at night when we read. YOU want to hold the books. If we try to take the books away and hold them there is a lot of thrashing and grunting involved.

Your Pop and Grandpap have started a fun little game with you. One of them will say "Tigers" or "Jawhawsks" and you automatically say the opposite team. You love to tease and tourment your grandparents who are diehard fans of opposing teams! It works out in your best interest because you always get really awesome team apparel!

You have gotten into coloring lately. I've never seen you sit still for quite so long. You will sit on a lap at the table for 45 minutes or so and play with markers. You like sticker books quite a bit too. While you sit there it is AMAZING to smell the top of your head. I'm sure that if there is a bakery in heaven it has to smell something like the top of your head.

Just a few more short months and we will be celebrating the big TWO! I'm sure it will be here before we know it with all of the holidays keeping us busy. I'm going to try to slow down and soak up as much as I can. We love you! Happy big 2-0!

Halloween 2009

2009-11-06T12:17:00.000-08:00

Halloween was Daddy's birthday. We spent the day at Branson. We had a ball at the Landing and had lunch at Famous Dave's. Luke said, "HAPPY BOODAY DADDY" allll day long! We made the rounds trick-or-treating this year. He didn't have to be pushed in a stroller. He ran the streets as Elmo. Luke had a death grip on his candy bucket. I didn't think we would ever pry it out of his fingers. What a memorable holiday it was. Everything just seems to get more and more fun!

Goofy

2009-10-30T19:01:00.000-07:00

"Now be honest. Does this tongue go with my eyes?"

Just when you thought Cheetos could not get better, Paw finds some that turn your mouth blue!

Ammmmnils!

2009-10-25T09:50:00.000-07:00

Luke loves animals of all shapes and sizes. We went to Race Brothers this weekend and he was pretty excited about their animal display. He talked about AMMMMMNILS all weekend. Everyone got a kick out of him in the store. I also got a chance to try out my video camera on my phone (which isn't the greatest but certainly better than nothing). Luke has a new favorite store!

8th Tidbit

2009-10-17T11:46:00.000-07:00

You are OBSESSED with helping me eat my salad. I eat a lot of salads. You want to help "shaky, shaky" them in the bowl. You want to help take the lid off. You want to have your own "sfoomahhhhh" (spoon). The salad bowl must remain on your tray at all times or I hear about it! You eat all the raw onions, green peppers, and black beans you can shovel in with your baby spoon. You grunt while you try to break up the salad chunks and you LOVE every minute of it. I don't think I will be eating a salad at the table for a very long time!

Month Nineteen

2009-10-07T19:48:00.000-07:00

Dear Luke,

Fall is in the air and it is exciting! We have been out and about to do many fall activities. You think pumpkins are absolutely delightful. We are taking you to get a costume this weekend. It should be fun!

Each night Dad likes to review some of his favorite words with you. He has you imitate him and then we all giggle. Some of these favorite words are, "zingahs, burgers (boogahs), awesome, slam dunk (see kunk), touchdown, binky (binka, binka, binka) and scoobies". Some of these words have significance for different reasons but they all make us giggle.

Each time we go to the gym you say "money" as soon as we pull up to park. You want to make sure that I have two quarters to put into the machine to get some "tips" (chips). You sprint into the building and run over to the machine to watch the chips drop. This always makes you grin from ear to ear.

Your very first sentence popped out yesterday. Out of nowhere you said, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!" I'm pretty sure that Grandma has been practicing that with you. The work paid off. We were totally delighted. Daddy's birthday is coming up in a few weeks and he already got the coolest gift from you!

You just do things all the time to make us giggle. The other day Mariah Carey was on TV and you stopped dead in your tracks and pointed to the TV and said, "MAMA!" You got some extra sugar from Mom that night! I don't get mistaken for pop stars often!

You were very, very sick a week ago. Daddy and I heard you in the middle of the night. You were throwing up in bed. That was such a pitiful sight. We brought you out to the couch/ottoman with us and we camped out for most of the night. We spent the next few days watching you closely. Thank goodness you were thirsty. You kept fluids in you this time but we knew you were feeling terrible because you didn't eat much at all. That is certainly not like you! Daddy and I felt very helpless while you were sick but we all shared the sickness and got some pretty good bonding/snuggle time.

Happy big 1-9! We are looking forward to the holiday season right around the corner. We are going to show you so many fun things! We love you with all our hearts!

Too Cute Part One

2009-10-06T19:21:00.000-07:00

Luke had his first crunchy cheetos last weekend (they were all out of the healthy whole grain graduate puffs). They must have made an impression. When we were walking tonight he ran right up to this object and shouted, "CHEETOS, CHEETOS!!" I do believe this is where he things they are grown!

Puh-kins!

2009-10-03T19:17:00.000-07:00

Luke hit a pumpkin patch today and loved it. All he said for 30 minutes was "puh-kin" PUH-KINN!!!" It was very difficult for him to leave his little patch. We brought home some treasures though. He won't quit playing with them. He likes the black one and the bumpy one the most. He likes to whisper, "bumpy, bummmmpy". Notice the little black eye. That is courtesy of his new favorite way to get from point A to point B. He has to run, run, run and he still isn't quite coordinated enough yet.

Pop Retires!

2009-09-28T19:40:00.000-07:00

Pop was honored on September 24th by the department of Safety and Transportation at Missouri State University. He is retiring to spend more time with Grandma and Luke. Everyone is thrilled about having him around more. The party was very touching. They posted many of Pop's accomplishments for everyone to read. They had delicious food and funny stories about Pop. Luke had a ball running around squealing and eating lots of crackers and carrot cake. Everyone thought he was pretty cute and a snappy dresser just like Pop. HAPPY RETIREMENT! WE LOVE YOU!

Rocket Launcher

2009-09-08T19:22:00.000-07:00

New car = Big Fun

Month Eighteen

2009-09-07T19:15:00.000-07:00

Dear Luke,

Oh my gosh! You are a year and a half old! THAT IS OLD! You are quickly approaching TWO and that just blows my mind. I'm going to try not to think a lot about TWO because it will be here before we know it.

We sing happy birthday to you on the 7th of each month. We sang to you tonight. You grinned like you just won a lifetime supply of popsicles.

You are doing this most hilarious things now. Your personality is just shining through and you are ornery!

I took you shopping not too long ago. I stopped to look at something and when I turned around you had snagged the biggest bra in the store. You were swinging it around grinning from ear to ear screaming, "soot, soot, soot!!! (shirt)

You love to hold out treats and command for Roscoe to sit. You try to make me sit too sometimes but you really need to dangle something in front of me a little more appealing than a dog treat. You often run through the kitchen and point at the dog bowl and cheer, "sit, sit, sit" which means you want the bones to go play with Roscoe.

Your absolute favorite toys right now are trucks, cars, and tractors. You love anything with wheels. You love to drive them on the tables, the refrigerator, the walls, and anything else that will hold still. We try to keep you from off roading and keep you on the floor but that is a non stop job!

Your favorite phrase right now is, "watch this". You say it repeatedly. You yell, "watch this, watch this, watch this" and then you turn to make sure we are watching. We ARE watching. However, you don't do anything! You just stand there and smile! You haven't gotten the part down where you actually do something, but I just know it is coming soon!

You are also using an unknown phrase quite often. You are constantly saying "oweeeebaba". I mean you say oweeeebaba A LOT. We have no idea what it means. You use it in a million different contexts and it doesn't make sense in any of them. I'm sure one day the phrase will become very clear and it will evolve into a sentence like "you guys are the coolest mom and dad ever". However, right now it is just OWEEEEBABA.

You love to tackle us when we are lying on the floor. Dad has taught you to say the word ATTACK. It usually comes out "tat" and you jump on us and squeal. We find this pretty hilarious but something tells me the ladies at daycare may not appreciate you "tatting" everyone!

You are obsessed with spoons and mowers. If we need you to do anything, all we need to do is talk about one of the two and your eyes glaze over and you become putty in our hands. They are two of your favorite things. You are giddy with excitement when you see, talk about, or touch a spoon or a mower. Man, you are easy to please.

Luke, you rock. Almost every single day one of us says, "is he the best ever, or what?" If we knew you were going to be this cool we would have wished for twins! This has been the happiest and FASTEST 18 months ever. We love you!

Love you,
Mama and Daddy

Moooooooooooahhhhhhhhhhh

2009-08-29T19:25:00.000-07:00

Luke lives for the one day of the week when Daddy mows. He talks about it all week long. He also talks about it the ENTIRE time that Dad mows. He just runs around the house saying "mooooahhhh" and "cuk" repeatedly. He also gets to take a couple of spins on the tractor too which he LOVES!

"Cuks"

2009-08-24T19:34:00.001-07:00

Luke's newest favorite thing is a truck (or "cuk" as he loving refers to them). He loves trucks of all shape and size! We finally broke out the fire truck our neighbors gave us when he was born. He has grown into it. I remember when that truck was twice the size of him! Keep truckin' Luke!

Cool Treats

2009-08-09T18:50:00.000-07:00

Summer is so much sweeter with a mushy ice cream sammy!

Month Seventeen

2009-08-06T12:58:00.000-07:00

Dear Luke,

This has been an unusual month. It is different because it feels like it has gone by in about 45 seconds. I don't know where it went! We have gone non-stop this month. Some of the highlights have included the airport, fishing, The Butterfly Palace, and Bass Pro. You are pretty impressed with fish, trucks, and wheels so there are always lots of fun things to see around here.

You are currently very excited about spoons. You ask for a "stoon" every morning when we sit down to eat breakfast. You like to attempt to feed yourself and I am trying to sit back and let you practice. It is sometimes difficult to watch you smear yogurt all over your face but I am getting the hang of it.

Daddy and I took you to Jumpmania on a rainy Saturday. You learned all about jumping and how much fun this activity can be. You now try to jump on your own but you haven't quite made it off the ground yet. I think it will be a while before we get there but you love to practice.

Your words are becoming more clear every single day. It is true. I've heard kids are like sponges and you are proving that to me. You help me around the house and learn new words every single day. You put the plural ending on a lot of words which I get a kick out of. When you look where we keep all the cleaning supplies you call them "soaps". Sometimes I open up the door just to hear you say "soaps".

You go to daycare at the gym and all of the ladies love you there. They say you are one of the happiest kids they have seen. There is nothing more we want than for you to be happy! We have had to remember to pack you snacks for the gym because you constantly try to tackle and take other children's' snacks. You also are a little aggressive with the babies. You try to hug/love on them so we have to remind you to be gentle. You love babies and puppies. You try to show them just how much you adore them with squeals and tackles!

Dad has started chasing you around the house making very strange noises. This pleases you to no end. You squeal your head off and run as fast as your little size 6's will get you to the other end of the house. I think this is one of your favorite daily activities and I KNOW it is one of his!

We are three weeks into swimming lessons. The first two weeks all you did was swallow water. We were all miserable. It was very hard for you to hold your breath. This last session was by far your best. You went under water and did so well. You LOVE swimming in the pool. You grin from ear to ear as soon as we get to lessons and don't stop until we have to get out.

I just cannot tell you how much fun this summer has been for us. I have two more weeks off with you and we are going to enjoy them to the fullest. Thank you for being our incredible, sweet, baby boy!

Love,
Mama and Daddy

Emily's First Fishing Trip

2009-08-04T19:07:00.000-07:00

We took the kids fishing at the Rutledge-Wilson farm. Emily was finished fishing after about the first ten minutes. She wanted action and we couldn't blame her. Angie and Kati Ann fished for an HOUR solid. They wanted to catch a fish for Emily so badly! Angie wound up catching a fish on her last worm. She saved the day! The fish wasn't exactly a trophy but it was enough to spark Emily's interest. She was begging to go fishing again when we were packing to go home!

Hanging With Uncle Tony

2009-07-25T11:39:00.000-07:00

Uncle Tony came to visit from Michican again. We love seeing him and we all HOPE HE WILL MOVE CLOSER VERY SOON! We had several fun gatherings while he was here. Luke loved playing in the pool and cooling his jets. He also got a new bike that he is going to grow into over the next few years. It comes complete with a helmet, bell, and horn (which he loves to toot). It sure was nice having Tony back. Can't wait for him to get back and play again!

Rutledge-Wilson Farm

2009-07-17T19:15:00.000-07:00

We discovered the coolest place in Springfield today. Melissa and Hayden went with us to the Rutledge Wilson farm. It was amazing! We were there for over two hours. That is like a week in toddler time! They have a pond where kids can catch and release fish. They have a petting area for animals. They have a stable full of cool critters. They have the greatest slides and climbing area. I think the boys liked the tractors the best. They could have driven them all day long. We had a picnic on a blanket to top it all off. We will definitely be back several times this year. It is my new favorite place!

Butterfly Kisses

2009-07-13T11:07:00.000-07:00

We went to Branson today and took the kids to The Butterfly Palace. It was AWESOME! Emily loved it the most. We couldn't leave until a butterfly landed on her. She got her wish and had several land on her delicate little hands. She was so careful with them. She couldn't hardly crack a smile for the camera becasue she was concentrating so much. They also had a bug and reptile room. The first picture below is of GIANT cockroaches. They were Angie's FAVORITE. I've never seen anything like them. They ate food that was the size of dog food pellets! Ethan liked the gift shop the best. It had lots of cool toys. Luke had one butterfly land on him. He was okay with it for about 3 seconds and then he was ready for his visitor to carry on about his business.

The Lady In The Park

2009-07-08T19:21:00.000-07:00

Luke is fascinated with this woman. I think he is so taken with her because she is the only woman who hasn't flirted back at him.

Month Sixteen

2009-07-07T19:35:00.000-07:00

Busy! You are sooooooooo busy! You love to push things. You are obsessed with wheels. When we go out anywhere I have to make sure to take a stroller so you don't follow everyone else around and chase their strollers. You usually run everyone down saying, "WHEEL, WHEEL, WHEEEEEEEEL!"

We have had an jam packed summer. You love the various pools around town. We've went to public pools, the creek, and also to Jordan Valley park to play in their fountains. You like to splash and collect water in cups. You are starting to get a little tan on your arms even though I completely saturate your enitre body in sunscreen. We swing any chance we get. If we have an hour to kill we find a park to explore. We've went to storytime at the library and the toy store. You love to watch the other kids and dance to the tunes.

At your last Dr. appointment you were a brave boy. You were much more aware of all of the things they were doing but you hung in there like a trooper. They went on and on about what a good patient you are. You weighed in at 28 pounds which placed you in the 75-90th percentile. You were 33.5 inches long which put you in the 95th percentile. You are still a big guy!

Your cheeks bounce when you walk. You have the chubbiest, most adorable sweet baby cheeks and they bounce when you walk. It crushes my soul.

You got your first bloody lip. You took a running dive off a curb at the car dealership. You went face first into the pavement. It was HORRIBLE. I know it is not the last bloody lip you will ever have but I'm going to spend every birthday wish and coin I throw in a well wishing it would be. I don't think I can take it again!

You no longer have to clutch your hands to your chest while you walk. You are still a little wobbly and often resemble a drunken sailor but you are getting better all the time.

You have to sit all the way down to look up high in the sky. If you don't, you will fall over. When we go to the gym you sit at the base of the flag pole and look up high saying "sag, sag, sag". You adore the American flag. I think your Papaw would have loved to see that.

Your speech KILLS us. We laugh constantly at the things you say. Daddy has taken much pride in teaching you new vocabulary. The other day you were in the high chair eating your yogurt. Daddy was using the bathroom with the door open down the hall. You heard the splish splash and pointed to the door and proudly said, "WHIZ!" Cookies are "keekoos" to you. You love sticks. You like to swing them around. When Daddy gets out his golf clubs you say "steek, steek, steeeeeek!" Daddy is also teaching you some basketball terminology. Slam dunk is "sa kunk". With some prompting you will say your name when asked. You proudly say your name is "ook" or "gook".

This has been the best summer for your Dad and I. We watched you out in the sprinkler tonight and giggled the night away. I can't wait to see what the next few weeks of summer holds for us. Thank you for being the best part of our days! We love you!

First Ball Game

2009-07-03T20:06:00.000-07:00

Dad took Luke to his first game tonight. We sat out in the grass. Luke liked having room to roam. We enjoyed it because it was less crowded than the seats and we had a great view. We found a way to make baseball games feel like they last longer (because we always complain they go by too quickly). All you need to do is take a one-year-old to a game! It was the third inning and it felt like we had been there six hours. We chased Luke all over the place. It was exhausting! We had a ball though! He grinned the entire time. Everyone around him got a kick of being part of his first baseball game. It was a nice way to kick off the fourth of July weekend.

No Duck for You

2009-06-27T11:52:00.000-07:00

Not feeling the duck so much but knocked the snake and the sheep outta the park!

Dat's Day

2009-06-21T14:53:00.000-07:00

Father's Day was awesome this year! We went to Grandma and Pop's house on Saturday for dinner. We had fried chicken. Luke was more interested in playing with toys though. He was so glad to be back at Grandma's house! Friday we met Grandpap and Gramma Dana for breakfast at George's. They go there a lot. All of the servers knew Luke because Grandpap and Gramma Dana brag and show tons of grandson pictures! Sunday afternoon we went to the farm to see Paw, Memaw and the whole Sperry gang. We played in the creek again. Luke and Emily especially liked chasing minnows around in a bucket. Finally, Sunday night we took Daddy out to dinner and relaxed outside when it finally cooled off. It was a busy but fun weekend! Happy Father's Day to all of the wonderful Dads in our family.

The Creek

2009-06-17T11:20:00.000-07:00

Luke finally got to get his feet wet in the creek. I spent countless hours in this body of water throughout my childhood. It runs through my Pop's farm. There were so many things to explore. Luke got to run around with very little boundaries which he loved. He needed to be steadied pretty much the entire time in the creek but he absolutely loved it. As soon as he saw the water he went right in. We are going to try to make it a regular weekly stop during the summer.

First Zoo Trip

2009-06-12T19:44:00.000-07:00

We hit the zoo today with Grandpap. We had the best time. We laughed our way through the park. I think Luke may have enjoyed the geese the most. They were just his size and about his speed too. He probably would have chased them all day if we would have let him. Luke liked looking at the giraffes and the petting zoo critters too. He still liked pushing the stroller the best. He loves to use his new walking feet in all environments. Each time I would try to put him in the stroller it was a struggle. This guy is becoming more and more busy and indepdenent each day!

Month Fifteen

2009-06-07T05:00:00.000-07:00

Dear Luke,

Just when we thought you couldn't get any cooler, you proved us wrong. You started walking this month and it has been such an amazing thing to see! I would say your first real steps came on Mother's Day which totally delighted me. From that day on you got a little more brave each day. It only took you a couple of weeks to master the art of walking and now you are moving everywhere alone. Daddy calls it a "white knuckler" when you walk. This is partly because we hold our breath a lot of the time while you wobble and also because you clench your fists and hold them tightly to your chest while you shuffle along. You finally have a reason to wear shoes! You have went shoeless for pretty much 14 months!

You have become very independent lately. You want down to roam at all times. You don't like to be carried much anymore. You want to be down to explore! You are a hit everywhere we go. When we are out at restaurants you always announce whenever anyone is wearing a hat. You don't just say hat once. You say it at least 50 times. You say EVERYTHING at least 50 times. I think you get that from me! Daddy says I like to repeat myself. You are the first to let everyone know food is HOT. You also can clearly let everyone know without any doubt when you are ALL DONE.

You generalize things and it makes me giggle. You walk by watermelons and say "ball, ball, ball". You think anything that goes on your head is a hat. When I put on my headphones or my glasses you say, "hat, hat, hat". You have started to make some animal noises. You make a mean snake sound. I think it is my favorite.

You are just hilarious. Every single day daddy says, "I just get a kick out of this guy". You have your own little teasing, hilarious personality. Today we spent the afternoon crawling around in mud and playing with the water hose. Daddy sprayed you down and you giggled with each drop of water. The cold really shocked you but you seemed to enjoy every minute. I don't know if I have ever seen your dad so happy. There is no other place he would rather be than playing with you. You woke up the other morning and "DAT" was the first word out of your mouth. You moved through every room looking for him. Tonight we sat down to read books. It was poker night so dad was out. You sat down for books and immediately started with "DAT, DAT, DAT". You two are amazingly close.

I am off with you for nearly three months. I am BEYOND thrilled to spend this time with you. I've already had a couple of days off with you this summer and they have been some of the best ever. Daddy is off on vacation over the next week. We can't wait to take you to the zoo and do some fun firsts. We could not love you more!

Fun at Nathaniel Greene

2009-05-30T11:58:00.001-07:00

We made some new friends. Jessica and Ocean asked us to go to the annual Nathaniel Greene celebration at the park. They have many booths set up with various activities for the kids to do. They encourage children to plant, be kinder to the Earth, and have a ball! Luke was too little to do many of the activities but he really enjoyed looking at the bees, the flowers, and trying out his new walking legs!

Cards Vs. Royals

2009-05-26T19:46:00.000-07:00

We went to STL to check the Cards and Royals play over the weekend. It should have been a three game sweep but the Royals eeked one out. Matt was happy about that. We had killer seats. Somehow we scored seats in the folding chair section. They were awesome. There wasn't anyone climbing over us and we were close to the field. We also picked up a couple of autographs from Greinke which made the trip even more perfect! He signed for a long time. What a great guy!

He Walks!

2009-05-23T14:46:00.000-07:00

He did it! Luke started walking pretty regularly this week. In the beginning of this video he sees Dad ("Dat") outside and he is trying to figure out how to get to him. He then sees me getting some video footage and has to come check me out...

Smartie Pants

2009-05-16T19:31:00.000-07:00

I recognize that all moms think their children are geniuses. I'm also sure there is a fourteen-month-old baby out there somewhere doing trigonometry. I still can't help but marvel at this little guy though. Daddy taught him this one...

Month Fourteen

2009-05-07T05:00:00.000-07:00

Dear Luke,

You are an amazing talking boy! You are saying so many things now. You are surprising us constantly. Daddy taught you to say “all right” (really drawn out and cute). You crawl around the house just randomly saying this phrase often. Some of the words you say now are: eat, ball, dog, hot, hat, bink, blank, brush, bottle, balloon, plant, book, eyes, more, up, juice, duck, and milk. Now some of these words are missing some syllables or consonants but I know EXACTLY what you are saying when they come out of your wonderful little mouth. You have started signing a little too. You sign eat, more, all done, and daddy taught you the sign for TOUCHDOWN.

You have learned some body parts. You can point to your toes, eyes and nose. You love to point out our eyes and gouge your sweet little fingers into our orbs while saying EYES, EYES, EYES, EYES!

At the end of the night before bed, daddy and I sit down and read to you on the couch. This is our favorite part of the day. We pile all of your books on the ottoman and let you pick out what book you want to read next. Each time you grab a book you sling it to one of us and ALWAYS hit us directly in the face with it. It makes the other person giggle each time. I don’t know how you have that kind of accuracy. You really seem to get a kick out of smacking us with your books. We read stacks and stacks of books while you turn the pages. At the end of our reading, we do a “test”. We ask you where things are in the room and have you point them out. You are SO proud of yourself while you point out things like plants, hats, blankets, and books. You grin and rub your eyes and I get a little sad because I know the night is almost over and you are very, very tired. I miss you while you sleep!

You like watching everyone more. You especially like watching kids. You have taken more of an interest in the children playing in the neighborhood. I know you are taking it all in and longing for the day you can run and play too. We have been going outside quite a bit. Each evening it isn’t raining has been spent outdoors. You love to watch bubbles being blown. I think you like to knock the bubble bottle over watch it roll down the hill the most, though! You like to touch every single tree we pass. We have a tiny slide in the yard now. You like to go down it and make a mad dash through the yard on your hands and knees.

You haven’t started walking yet. You are still curusing. You have started to take your hands off of the furniture though when you get distracted. You will just stand there not realizing what you are doing. Every now and then you will take a step or two to the side and then collapse. I’ve got my money on this being the month you take a step or two forward on your own. We shall see!

There could not be a more proud mother and father. You have amazed us more this month than any other month. You are learning every second of the day. It is so fun to watch. We can’t wait to teach you a few new tricks next month. I’m sure you will teach us a few tricks as well.

Much love,
Mama and Daddy

He Speaks

2009-05-03T14:49:00.000-07:00

Luke is talking up a storm. He is saying lots of single words and a couple of phrases. This is his very first phrase. He says "all done" (with a cute little hand motion) a lot!

Recharging

2009-04-25T19:54:00.000-07:00

Matt and I went to KC for a night over the weekend. We checked out the Royals play at the new and improved Kauffman Stadium. The new place is beautiful with lots of kid friendly things to do. We can't wait to take Luke there when he gets a little older. We ate a lot of good BBQ and went to the Chiefs draft party at their practice facility. It was good to get away and recharge the batteries. Luke had a great time with his aunt and uncle. He got to spend tons of time with his two favorite little people too. His cousins always make him laugh. Aunt Ang and uncle Bert sent us lots of pics of Luke having fun which was a hoot. We didn't feel like we were missing out on quite so much that way. I loved the picture below of the kids digging into their happy meals that Memaw brought. Looks like everyone had a nice weekend!

7th Tidbit

2009-04-22T19:13:00.000-07:00

You sleep with your legs tucked underneath you and your ankles crossed. I watch you sleep in the morning for a few minutes no matter how far I'm running behind (and believe me it is pretty far behind sometimes). You are usually in this position tucked in all tight like a neat little sweet package. I hope you don't need therapy one day because I blasted you with the flash half a dozen times and woke you up to capture these pictures.

Two Firsts

2009-04-18T15:13:00.001-07:00

Sometimes all you have on you is your cell phone when a memory comes along. I captured these pics on my cell. I'm so glad I got a new one for Christmas. The camera isn't half bad. The top picture was taken in the middle of our first happy meal together. He ate the ENTIRE meal. Luke enjoyed four nuggets and a small fry and quickly told me to step off when I tried to steal some fries. This little boy can eat!

The slide pictures came from my birthday at the park. The day was BEAUTIFUL. Luke braved the slide alone for the first time. He was so proud of himself. He squealed and clapped like crazy after getting to the bottom. It was an afternoon I will never forget. What a fantastic 33rd birthday!

Easter 2009

2009-04-12T14:54:00.001-07:00

Easter at Memaw's house was filled with candy and giggles. The whole family had a blast. We had to hunt eggs inside because it was so rainy but the kids didn't seem to mind a bit. It was a close race but I think Emily found the most. She was anxious to see if there were "pupcakes" (Reese's peanut butter cups) or candy bars in each egg. Happy Easter!

Month Thirteen

2009-04-07T18:51:00.000-07:00

Dear Luke,

I have debated over how to carry on the month to month notes. I think the monkey pictures are finished. They served a nice purpose to demonstrate your growth during the first twelve months. Now, it is clear that you can totally kick that monkey's tail. You are so much bigger than him! I think I'll just add a random monthly picture and talk about some of the fun things you are doing. I have to keep up the monthly details of your life because it is going just entirely too fast. I am so glad that I have kept tabs on each month. I can't help but keep it up! Also, it is one of the few things in my life that I seem to keep doing on time. That has to be a good thing!

This month you are constantly proving how brilliant you are. You know SO many words. Our favorite game is to ask you where things are and see if you look in that direction. When you do we go BANANAS. At the end of the night the three of us sit on the couch together and read tons of books. Afterwards we review different things around the room to see if you know where they are. We call it our review and I look forward to it all day long. It is so fun to see things clicking for you and the wheels in motion. You are so smart. Your expressive vocabulary has really taken off this month. Grandma says you say a million words for her daily. She said you said "sink" today. She also said you labeled "juice" yesterday. She laughs because Pop and I give each other a look like did he really say those and she INSISTS that you do. She tells me all of the words you have said for her each day and it is AMAZING. You two have your own little language and you talk all day long. It is so fun to hear about. I know for a fact that I have heard you say "book, blankie, balloon" and "ball". These words of course come out only as a /b/ and a vowel but they are still very much words. I'm so proud of you!

You are now climbing up on some things. Your favorite game to play with me is to climb up on the treadmill. You wait until I come pull you off and put you back on the ground. I am constantly worried that you are going to roll off over on your head. You think this game is hilarious. You will climb up on the treadmill 50 times and never tire.

You have learned to share at a very early age. Grandma eats lunch with you each day. She says when she has finished her meal you look at her plate and try to give her bites off of your plate. She tells me this each time and gets tears in her eyes. You are a very sweet boy. You also have become Roscoe's best friend. You love to drop bites of food down to him. Sometimes you will ask for more just to give to him. He was walking around the kitchen with a dried cranberry on his head the other night.

You lean if for kisses and it is the sweetest thing ever. This month I would ask for kisses and you would lean in and I would squeal and go crazy and you would shake your head all around and act wild while laughing. I have never felt happiness like that. I thought my heart would explode. Wow, I have worn you totally out kissing this month but I still sneak a few in every now and again. There is nothing better in life.

You have made out lives so fun. You keep us on our toes constantly. Sometimes it takes two of us to change your diapers. Daddy has to pin you down while I get in and scrub. You roll like a maniac. You don't like to sit still for long at all. It is also often a two man job getting your eight teeth washed. Daddy has been observed to even dance to get you to cooperate long enough to clean your pearly whites. These past few days I have taken on a new approach and just man handle you and hold you down. That has been miserable but it gets the job done. We will see how the next month goes with that. Our house will never be the same and I'm so thankful for it. The other day Daddy asked me if there was supposed to be an Easter egg in the dishwasher. Oh the fun we have!

We love you little thirteen-month-old sweet baby boy!
Mama and Daddy

Why Not a Few More Peeks?

2009-04-04T17:32:00.000-07:00

You may be getting tired of the peek-a-boo game but Luke certainly isn't! Getting ready for bed the other night he started this little game and I thought it was pretty darn cute!

First Tie

2009-03-30T18:45:00.001-07:00

We went to church with Memaw and Pa on Sunday. Luke got to sport his first tie. We took a couple of pictures before walking out the door. It is getting harder and harder to get this guy sitting still! He wants to move and groove and who can blame him? There sure is a lot to see!

Encore Cake Smashing

2009-03-24T13:13:00.000-07:00

Aunt Angie caught a little more footage and the entire birthday song. Thanks aunt Ang!

Dude, Where's My Peach?

2009-03-23T11:16:00.000-07:00

I was just enjoying a nice bowl of peaches. I was about to shove one in my mouth and I realized I misplaced it. If you find my peach please let me know ASAP!

Closer and Closer to Steps

2009-03-21T12:09:00.000-07:00

Luke is standing regularly now. This was the first place that his dad and I ever saw him stand. He was trying desperately to get to the KNIVES far back in the washer. He popped right up on his sweet feet. His dad and I were so thrilled to see this sight that we both yelled and scared him half to death. He fell right over after all the commotion. Standing has now become second nature. He has even thrown in a bit of cruising. Look out world. It won't be long!

Sugar Rush!

2009-03-14T19:57:00.000-07:00

The first bites of cake went down pretty well. I wanted to post a clip for those that couldn't be there. We missed you!

The Big ONE!

2009-03-14T12:48:00.000-07:00

Luke turned one last Saturday. We had a little family birthday at the Waterford where Nano lives. So many of the people who love Luke the most were there. It really meant a lot. It was a very special celebration for a wonderful boy. He was passed from lap to lap and was content the entire time. The only time he got a little upset was when I tried to take his new toys away from him so he could focus on smashing his cake. Once he got a little taste of the icing, he became VERY focused. He was on a giant sugar high before we knew it!

Month 12

2009-03-08T12:31:00.000-07:00

Dear Luke,

I’m sitting here the day before your birthday trying to compose this and not cry all over the keyboard. This year has gone by so quickly! Last year at this time I was waddling around anxiously awaiting the day you would be here. The night before you were born I told daddy that I thought I was having contractions and he looked really worried. I woke him up in the middle of the night telling him it was time to go. I’ve never seen him move so quickly or with more focus! The day you were born was the happiest day of my life. I’ve never seen a more beautiful sight than I did that day…my sweet, beautiful baby boy Luke. I’ve never had more fun than I did during the delivery. It was just the most positive and fun experience ever. Your dad was so supportive and sweet. I thought he might pass out but he performed like an ace. He was so excited. He was texting everyone in the state of Missouri after you were born. The entire family was there waiting out in the hall to hear your first wails. You sure did give them a show. You were born with a serious set of lungs! After you were born I didn’t think you could get any better. However, you have grown and changed and gotten better every single day! I never thought that would be possible. I felt you were about as good as it gets the moment I saw you.

This last month you have started to pull up. Dad and I saw you pull up together for the first time when you were at the dishwasher and we nearly lost our minds! We both yelled and scared the dickens out of you. You fell over and started crying. Since then you have pulled up about a million times. You are doing so well at pulling up that you often stand with just one hand bracing yourself very nonchalantly. I have to watch you now because you stand and try to get into everything! You love to watch the water go down the drain in the bathtub. You try to grab the water just before it goes down and you nearly land directly on your head each time. I have to watch your every move and something tells me you are only about to get busier! All of this action makes you a bit more accident prone. The other night you slipped while crawling and smacked your sweet head into the frame of the door. You got an immediate goose egg. I wanted to take you to the ER because I hadn’t ever seen anything grow quite that quickly. I certainly hadn’t ever heard you cry that hard. Daddy said we needed to wait. He said you were a boy and you would get many bumps and bruises. He was right. You rebounded very quickly. You were off and crawling again within a few minutes. I tried chasing you around with a bag of frozen vegetable on your head. You wanted no part of that. You will be celebrating your first birthday party with a giant bruise in the middle of your forehead. Something tells me it won’t bother you much, though.

There isn’t a drawer or a cabinet in the house that you don’t adore. I know that I should try to redirect you to keep you out of them but sometimes it keeps you busy while I am boiling a pot of pasta or putting on my eye liner. You are so cute when you pull each item out of a drawer. You will hold up a bottle straight in the air and look at me with a smile as if you have just found the coolest bottle of eye make-up remover in the history of the world. You are always so proud of each of your newly found treasures. The other morning when we woke up we found an old shower head that you had discovered somewhere behind our bathroom door. We are finding random things scattered throughout the house all the time.

You are the greatest eater ever. I put cut up broccoli, cauliflower, and asparagus on your tray and you eat the pieces like candy. You are now drinking from a cup for most of the day. However, you can’t stand a sippy cup. You drink from a regular cup that we hold. You only take about 7 ounces from a bottle and drink the rest from a big boy cup. This has made me very happy because the pediatrician nearly gave me a heart attack about getting you off the bottle at our last visit. I am starting to learn that while those experts give timelines to achieve certain milestones, we will get to each one in our own time.

You have eight beautiful teeth showing through now. You grin at us with the biggest, best, most contagious smiles ever. Thank you for letting us witnesses so many of those smiles for one full year. Thank you for bringing so much laughter and so many smiles to our faces. We love you with all of our hearts. Happy first birthday, Luke.

Love,
Mama and Daddy

Month One...

Month Two...

Mont Three...

Month Four...

Month Five...

Month Six...

Month Seven...

Month Eight...

Month Nine...

Month Ten...

Month Eleven...

Month Twelve...

The Big Day!!!

2009-03-07T02:00:00.000-08:00

Happy birthday sweet boy! We can't wait to celebrate!

Normal or Not?

2009-03-01T15:08:00.000-08:00

Each time I dry my hair, Luke repeatedly makes this face. Should I worry? :)

Diamond Night

2009-02-28T21:02:00.000-08:00

Diamond night was held at Highland Springs to benefit the Boys and Girls Town. We got to get all dressed up and go out on the town. It was fun! The night was a success and Luke got to have a good time with Grandpap and Gramma Dana.

A Little Game

2009-02-22T14:20:00.000-08:00

Luke's absolute favorite game to play right now is peek-a-boo. I was getting him over the couch today. Something about looking straight up, made him become Mr. Uncoordinated. He kept falling right over!

Happy Birthday From Daddy

2009-02-15T14:19:00.000-08:00

Dear Wook!

I am writing this to you to recap the first year of your life and the best year of mine.
Your Mom has done a much better job of writing monthly memoirs to remind us all of what has happened with you as you have grown. Though I haven't written these things formally, it is really easy for me to recall many of the highlights you have brought to our family.
I guess it all starts going back to weedeating one day following the fourth of July in 2007. Mom came running out to me and had some tests in her hand to show me she was pregnant with you. She had a huge smile on her face and I was just wondering what she wanted....in the past I had been weedeating and she came to me to let me know such things as Roscoe had gotten out of the house and was loose in the neighborhood. Needless to say the remainder of my day of yardwork (a normally less than favorite activity) was never better! I was so excited. I couldn't believe I was going to be a Daddy.
From then on Mom and I talked daily of what things would be like. We talked a lot about names and tried to find the perfect one, I liked Gus a lot but no good according to Mom. Keep in mind we didn't even know you were a boy....I was just secretly hoping!
That kinda takes me to the next stage, the day we went to find out if you were a boy or girl. I was very nervous this day. We got to the Dr's office and we had the WHOLE family there for the big day. We went in and I remember that things were happening very fast....pretty soon the gal said he is a Boy! She was very nonchalant....which bugged me of course. I said are you sure? She said yes and I sprung out of my chair...Kim later said it was similar to seeing my team score a Touchdown. I ran out and told everyone. Again, this was a big day!!!
So then it became time to narrow down names. We talked and talked about what would work best. I am very picky as you will learn and I refused to settle until we found just the right one. These conversations along with all of the great tips people were giving Mom for what to do and what to watch out for dominated our lives from then on.
One day I asked Mom what she thought of Luke. I wanted something solid and strong. I also liked that it was close to my name in the Bible, and one of my favorite movie characters of all time was Cool Hand Luke. I liked Cool Hand because he never quit and had great spirit. You will have to check it out someday. Mom looked at me and I could tell she liked it. In my mind from that day on it was decided that you would be Luke....my boy!
I guess fast forwarding a little bit, and remember I was very very nervous about preparing for you, was to go to the night you were born. I tell you how nervous I was because I remember so many times just worrying about you being healthy and Mom being OK. Mom and I decided to not do any of the tests in advance that determine if you were going to be healthy because we agreed that no matter what we would take care of you. That was always a great moment in our marriage I thought because we agreed that we would love you and take care of you regardless of any situation. We were totally together on that.
Sorry back to your birthday. The night before I went to sleep like 15 minutes before I got a tap on my forehead from Mom saying it was time to go!
I had everything ready and car packed in record time. My mind was racing and I was really scared. We got to the hospital and I told the nurse we were ready to check in....they got a big kick out of that! Then it went to just a blur. Waiting and worrying, calling everyone etc. It was just a complete blur. I paced and worried and worried and worried. Will Luke be OK? Will Mom? These were my thoughts. Mom was pretty mellow I thought, you will find out about her that while she is wound pretty tight, when the money is on the line she handles things really well. The nurses were nice I remember them a lot....matter of fact, I remember thinking how much more they do than the Doctor. They should be paid much better. Next thing I know it is time for you. Mom did such a good job...I had to count to help her with breathing and I couldn't do anything right. Next thing I know I see this bright red, screaming boy.....LUKE was here!
The previous paragraph rambles a lot and all I can say is that was what the experience was like...just unreal and hard to describe. It was kind of like an out of body experience for me really. I think it was easily the greatest day of my life and changed me forever.
I think it was the Doc that said it best....she said that until you get home with your baby it will not hit you. She was right, we got home and Mom and I were just kinda lost....not really knowing what the heck to do. It was scary for sure. The family was great though. I remember Aunt Angie coming over and staying with us and cooking us breakfast the next day. It was a great breakfast.
From this point on it was kind of a series of milestones. I remember watching you eat and gain weight. I knew you were going to be a great eater like your Dad.....and you sure were and are! Your Mom is a pretty good eater too, but don't tell anyone.
Let's see, then it was teeth coming in, crawling, talking, making faces, laughing, eating, sleeping through the night, more eating, standing up....all kinds of stuff the first year.
I would say that I have gathered many things about you. You are very personable and easy to get along with. This is one of your greatest qualities. You sleep and eat very well. You rarely get upset, but when you do you really really get upset. You are just a wonderful baby boy. You bring so much to my life and our family that words cannot describe.
Here is one request I have for you someday....spend some time and just thank your Mom for everything. She has been tremedous throughout everything. Her life totally revolves around making sure you are well taken care of. She makes sure that your best interest is first and that whatever you need you get. She loves you totally and has sacrificed many things for you and for the family.
Thanks to Mom for everything! We love you Mom!
Luke, we are going to be great buddies. I cannot wait to spend more and more time with you. This has been just a wonderful year and we are so lucky to have you. We love you very much and will take care of you always.
Happy first Birthday,

Love,

Your Dad.

Princess Emily Turns Four

2009-02-14T11:11:00.000-08:00

The sweetest niece ever to call a gal "Keeeeemeeeeeee" just turned four. *sniff* She will be starting kindergarten in a year. *double sniff* Having kids around makes time travel at warp speed. We had a great time at the party. Luke got to strap into his first "ride". (It moved 1 1/2 inches....can that really be considered a ride?) Everyone had a blast watching the kids run around like maniac munchkins hyped up on sheet cake. I'm sorry I didn't get Ethan in any of these. I think I only saw him for a minute. It was seriously blissful chaos...it was everything I could do to keep up with Luke!

Month Eleven

2009-02-06T21:12:00.000-08:00

Dear Luke,

One of my students asked me the other day how old you were. I told her you were almost 11 months. She said, "oh he is zero then". I guess this is your last month of being zero. One year went by in the blink of an eye!

This month you have started dancing. You really get in a groove when we crank the nursery rhymes. It is hilarious to see you bop up and down. You wave now not only to imitate but to tell those you love good-bye which is seriously the most heart crushing thing EVER. Daddy taught you to give a high five this month. You now give a gentle high five whenever we ask for one. It is pretty darn sweet.

You feed yourself. You love to eat cheerios and other bite sized morsels. You move the food very slowly to your mouth and at times move your head and mouth around to find the food...which tickles us. Roscoe is quite excited about all of this self-feeding. He loves to sit anxiously by your side while you eat.

You are not pulling up or cruising yet. People are asking me all of the time if this is happening. I am just fine with how mobile you are because I know before long you will be running circles around me. I'm enjoying the pace you are moving along quite well. What I think is amazing is how most babies try to pull up on objects first before they stand on their own. You are SO sure of yourself. You try to stand all by yourself in the middle of a room! You haven't made it to the standing position yet but I wouldn't be surprised if this is the way you finally stand for the first time. You are a pretty independent little guy.

I'm not sure if I have heard any true words come from your mouth yet but you are really trying to talk to us. When we say something you often respond right back with a "ba" "ta" or a "da". I could have sworn twice yesterday you said "hi" to me when I said hi. Grandma is sure you have said all sorts of words like "pot", "blind", "hot", and "ball". You two sure have your own language. You talk all day long with her.

Thank you for another wonderful month. We have a birthday party in the future for you. I can't wait to celebrate your birth because it is the happiest thing I have ever had to celebrate.

Love you very much,
Mama and Daddy

month one...

month two...

month three...

month four...

month five...

month six...

month seven...

month eight...

month nine...

month ten...

month eleven...

First Snow

2009-01-29T15:32:00.000-08:00

Luke discovered very quickly that snow days are awesome! We got to stay home, cuddle and play three days this week. We had a blast!! We made a key lime pie together. Luke was a bit intimidated by the high speed mixer but he liked licking the spoons. He was pretty fond of the snow days but I think it will take him a bit to get used to the actual snow. He never cracked the slightest smile while out in this stuff. I think his buns were kind of cold though. Back to work tomorrow...it was sure fun while it lasted!

He Did It!

2009-01-25T17:21:00.000-08:00

After months of meals and many dropped Cheerios, Luke finally got them to his mouth this weekend. We were so tickled to see him slowly raise a fist full of whole grain goodness to his lips. I think Roscoe is the only one that is sad to see less Cheerio fumbles in Luke's future.

Daddy's Kicks

2009-01-24T10:46:00.000-08:00

This isn't going to move us toward our goal of walking but it sure is cute. Luke has some really big shoes to fill one day!

6th Tidbit

2009-01-17T14:40:00.000-08:00

Each and every time I put you in this jumparoo you jump out of exactly one sock.

Baby It's Cold Outside

2009-01-10T19:35:00.001-08:00

When the temperature dips down we have to bundle this little guy up. Luckily we have the right gear to keep him warm. Seriously, have you ever seen anything more adorable?

Month Ten

2009-01-07T16:47:00.000-08:00

Dear Luke,

You have now been on the planet ten months. This has been a month of fun firsts. We celebrated Christmas many times with many different family members. Aunt Megan came in from Alaska to visit you for the first time. Uncle Tony came back into to town to hang with you for several days. You can’t get enough of either of them. They think you are pretty special. You woke up Christmas morning with your first cold. I was sure that you were going to be cranky and sleepy because of all the sniffles. You proved me wrong (yet again). You partied harder than ever! You skipped all opportunities for a nap that day and only snoozed for about 20 minutes. I was astonished! It seemed you didn’t want to miss a thing.

Grandma discovered four teeth popping through the top. I have been amazed at your disposition. You have displayed a drooling smile through it all. You like to wave now. You can’t seem to wave enough at times. There are moments where I catch you waving at yourself in the high chair. You have started to imitate some movements. You love to lean really far one way and then really far back the other way and see if you can get others to imitate you.

You will try to eat anything if I cut it into small bites. You tried black-eyed-peas on New Year’s Day (mommy’s good luck superstition). You recently ate beans while daddy gave me the stink eye for introducing them to you. You ate two shreds of lettuce which means you have eaten twice as much as daddy has in his entire life. We broke out the sippy cup and tried to get you to drink juice or even melted popsicles from it. You wanted NOTHING to do with it. You got to the point where you just smashed your lips together and threw your head to the side each time I brought it out. I worried and worried for a few days about if you would ever get the hang of it. I’m giving it a break for a while because everyone assures me that you will not be 30 and drinking from a bottle. That is, unless you prove to be the most stubborn baby in the entire world (which could be possible since you are indeed daddy’s boy).

There are a million little tidbits that I could and should write about you but I find myself constantly running out of time these days! I sure did enjoy my Christmas break off with you. Those days of sleeping in and watching your every single move throughout the day are gone until spring break. I was swimming in a puddle of tears the first day back at work when I dropped you off at Grandma’s house. She keeps me posted on your every move though. She said yesterday that you two laughed and laughed all day. You thought it was particularly funny to bite the spoon and tease her during lunch. When I picked you up she had her knee pads out because she chases you all over the house on her hands and knees!

Your daddy says he loves you very much and loves watching all the new stuff you do every single day. He loves to get you down and tickle you until you run completely out of breath. We both agree your laugh is the best sound we’ve heard in our lives. We love you very much and can’t wait to see what new things you do in this new year!

Love,
Mama and Daddy

Month one...

Month two...

Month three...

Month four...

Month five...

Month six...

Month seven...

Month eight...

Month nine...

Month ten...

On the Move

2008-12-31T15:04:00.000-08:00

This was taken in mid November before he was really moving and grooving...

This was taken the last day of December. Wow, what a difference one month makes. My favorite sight is Luke making a B-line in my direction. I guess it is time to put everything out of reach!

Baby's First (five) Christmases

2008-12-27T13:09:00.001-08:00

What a Christmas! Luke hit all the grandparents for the holidays and the great grandparents too! He had a ball! We could hardly get him to nap due to all the excitement. He did remarkably well going on little sleep. He was also fighting off a cold too. He was full of giggles and wiggles throughout all the festivities. It was a great first Christmas for him filled with all of the people he loves the most!

Mr. Photogenic

2008-12-24T06:00:00.000-08:00

We took some nine month family pics together for the holidays. The place was PACKED. I think we are getting our family pics made in July next time. It was worth the wait. Luke was a ham. I think he could have gone on a couple more hours taking pictures. He loves to smile at pretty camera ladies!

Sweet Peeks

2008-12-20T10:18:00.000-08:00

I never had fun with a basket full of blankets out of the dryer before. Everything sure has changed.

Christmas Wiggles

2008-12-17T19:37:00.000-08:00

It took a few tears, patience, and extra batteries to get the picture we finally wanted to send out on our cards. We finally got it though! Here we are on the road to the winning picture. (I left off about 70 of the other not perfect pictures because I think you get the idea.)

Little Helper

2008-12-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

Already at such a young age he is quite the helper. Luke hangs with me while I make the bed and cook every single day. I hope he rubs off on Daddy!

Month Nine

2008-12-07T16:44:00.000-08:00

Dear Luke,

This was an adventurous one! You had your first illness. You woke us up at 2:00 a.m. throwing up all over your bed and floor. You were sick like this off and on for seven days. I took five days off work to give you a medicine dropper of fluids every ten minutes to try to keep you hydrated. It didn't work. We had to take you to the pediatric ER to get an IV of fluids. I'm not sure who cried hardest. It was AWFUL. It did, however, do the trick. Within a few hours you were drinking your bottle again and that was such a relief. You were quite fussy for a few days. It took some time for you to get back to your smiling, silly self. It was so great to hear your squeals again and see you slapping your knees with a giant grin on your face! We all managed to get the bug. There was one day where we were all face down in different rooms for about twelve hours. It wasn't fun but we got through it together!

You had several Dr. visits this month. The only one that was fun though, was your wellness check-up. We discovered you are 30 inches and almost 23 pounds. You are in the 95th percentile for everything still. You are growing and changing like crazy. I was thrilled to see your weight back up because you looked so thin while you were sick.

You are now on the move! You are crawling. Yikes! Daddy and I watched you crawl for the first time the day before Thanksgiving. We were all on the floor and you made a B line for his play station. We were all grinning from ear to ear. We called everyone to tell them your accomplishment. You are still a little slow but you are DETERMINED. You get where you need to at your own pace. At times you will just wiggle on your belly to get what you need. Daddy and I were talking about what an independent guy you are. You will play in the floor for a long time with toys scattered around you. Those early days when you needed to be constantly on our shoulders are long gone.

You now play a mean game of peek-a-boo. You eat whole cheerios without making the alarming vomit face. You laugh your fool head off when you get your belly, thighs, or feet tickled. You giggle every time you get startled. You ABSOLUTELY LOVE crowds. You haven’t met a single person who scares you. You have zero stranger anxiety. We can pass you around like a sack of flour and you just grin. I think you are incredibly smart. When you don’t want to eat, I will try to make you giggle. You have learned how to giggle with your lips closed tightly together so I can’t possibly get a spoonful of chicken past your lips. Watching you laugh with your mouth shut is worth the frustration of trying to get you to eat.

I just realized today I don’t really have to burp you any longer. The thought of not burping you made me incredibly sad. Some may think that is crazy. It is a simple little task…but it is something that you no longer need from me. I guess that is the first of a list of things that will be incredibly long. Don’t worry. I’m sucking it up right now and already trying to get a grip on you needing me less and less. I promise not to embarrass you and ask you a million times where my little baby went. I will probably, at some point post a naked butt picture of you on here though. Sorry in advance.

Love you so much,
Mama and Daddy

Month one...

Month two...

Month three...

Month four...

Month five...

Month six...

Month seven...

Month eight...

Month nine...

New Stuff

2008-12-07T06:00:00.000-08:00

Always the ham, Luke just had to show off that he can now eat whole Cherrios!