Dear Luke,
I have started telling you "No" a lot these days. It doesn't matter where we are and how many toys are around you. You find a way to get into the things you're not supposed to... electrical outlets, the gate on the stairs, the panel curtains, the front of the oven, pulling up on dressers and bookshselves... My, oh my! And when I tell you no, you just laugh. It's not a devious, disrespectful laugh, but I think you really just don't get it and think I'm playing with you. I'm sure you'll learn before long. :) You are much less content to be in your jumperoo or exersaucer now than you used to be, which makes me a little sad. I really have to keep my eye on you and don't get to sit still much when you're around! I need to think creatively about some places I can take you to crawl and pull up. It's easy to get in a rut with our routine and your normal toys, but then we will do something new and you will be so happy. Like even just sitting on the front porch and looking at our plants. It doesn't take much as long as I'm there and it's something new. You remind me of someone else I know. :)
Love,
Mommy
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Happy 9 Month Birthday!
Dear Luke,
At 9 months:
You weigh 19.8 pounds and are 29 3/4 inches long.
You can pull up to your knees. You first did this in your crib and I saw you in the monitor, but now you do this anywhere and on anything.
You have sprouted 2 little bottom teeth.
You eat 3 solid meals and 4 liquid meals a day.
You have developed an angry cry of protest when you don't like something, like when we take a toy from you or when your oatmeal is all gone.
You love your stuffed animals. You like to cuddle, rub them on your face, and chew on their noses.
You crawl with one hand open and one fist.
You love music... to play piano, listen to Daddy play piano or study his hands as he plays guitar.
You get bored if you're in the same place for too long.
You very clearly mimic what we do, such as sticking out your tongue, saying lalala, panting like a dog, and growling like a bear. :)
You bring us so much joy and we love you so much!
Love,
Mommy
At 9 months:
You weigh 19.8 pounds and are 29 3/4 inches long.
You can pull up to your knees. You first did this in your crib and I saw you in the monitor, but now you do this anywhere and on anything.
You have sprouted 2 little bottom teeth.
You eat 3 solid meals and 4 liquid meals a day.
You have developed an angry cry of protest when you don't like something, like when we take a toy from you or when your oatmeal is all gone.
You love your stuffed animals. You like to cuddle, rub them on your face, and chew on their noses.
You crawl with one hand open and one fist.
You love music... to play piano, listen to Daddy play piano or study his hands as he plays guitar.
You get bored if you're in the same place for too long.
You very clearly mimic what we do, such as sticking out your tongue, saying lalala, panting like a dog, and growling like a bear. :)
Love,
Mommy
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Changes
Dear Luke,
You're upstairs asleep in your pack & play for the night because you pulled up in your crib for the first time late yesterday afternoon and Daddy's not here to lower it. In the past 5 or 6 days you have really taken off! You are crawling all over the place, grabbing on to dresser drawer pulls, finding new doorstops to play with, going after shoes and slippers on the floor... you are keeping me busy! This past weekend Daddy installed a gate at the top of the stairs and your new carseat since you've outgrown your old one. He's on his staff retreat this week, so it's been just you and me for the past 3 days. It's gone really well, but I will say I'm pretty tired by the end of each day!
You transitioned from 3 naps to 2 just 2 weeks ago after day light savings. I am enjoying this change. Your naps tend to be longer and it allows us more time in between to run errands, go to the park or out to lunch. On the flipside, it's also more effort to keep you entertained. You are low on toys, so I am glad Christmas is coming up! I used to run errands with you when you were napping in your carseat or leave you at home with Daddy, but now I try to think of errands to nearby places that I can take you as an activity. So, we've been to Hobby Lobby, World Market, Homegoods, TJ Maxx, Ulta, Kohl's... People always comment when we are out about how cute you are... I've been blogging less now than I did when you were younger, and I can see why - our lives are full! Between working out, church, small group, ibloom, play dates, trips to the grocery store, and laundry, we stay pretty busy! You are such a happy little boy as long as you get enough sleep and food. Today I noticed 2 tiny baby teeth coming through on your bottom gums. So very cute...
Honey told me recently about how one Thanksgiving she was cooking all the food when Aunt Holly and I were young. She was feeling overwhelmed, but then stopped and thought, this is the only year Holly and Ashley will be these ages. I've thought about that a lot. I will be at a store and hear your little Baby Einstein caterpillar music toy clashing with the Christmas music while I am in a rush to finish and get home before your nap. And I will think, I have plenty of years ahead to listen to the music uninterrupted and spend more time shopping, but this is the only year I will be celebrating Luke's first Thanksgiving and Christmas. And I treasure that. I love you!
Love,
Mommy
You're upstairs asleep in your pack & play for the night because you pulled up in your crib for the first time late yesterday afternoon and Daddy's not here to lower it. In the past 5 or 6 days you have really taken off! You are crawling all over the place, grabbing on to dresser drawer pulls, finding new doorstops to play with, going after shoes and slippers on the floor... you are keeping me busy! This past weekend Daddy installed a gate at the top of the stairs and your new carseat since you've outgrown your old one. He's on his staff retreat this week, so it's been just you and me for the past 3 days. It's gone really well, but I will say I'm pretty tired by the end of each day!
You transitioned from 3 naps to 2 just 2 weeks ago after day light savings. I am enjoying this change. Your naps tend to be longer and it allows us more time in between to run errands, go to the park or out to lunch. On the flipside, it's also more effort to keep you entertained. You are low on toys, so I am glad Christmas is coming up! I used to run errands with you when you were napping in your carseat or leave you at home with Daddy, but now I try to think of errands to nearby places that I can take you as an activity. So, we've been to Hobby Lobby, World Market, Homegoods, TJ Maxx, Ulta, Kohl's... People always comment when we are out about how cute you are... I've been blogging less now than I did when you were younger, and I can see why - our lives are full! Between working out, church, small group, ibloom, play dates, trips to the grocery store, and laundry, we stay pretty busy! You are such a happy little boy as long as you get enough sleep and food. Today I noticed 2 tiny baby teeth coming through on your bottom gums. So very cute...
Honey told me recently about how one Thanksgiving she was cooking all the food when Aunt Holly and I were young. She was feeling overwhelmed, but then stopped and thought, this is the only year Holly and Ashley will be these ages. I've thought about that a lot. I will be at a store and hear your little Baby Einstein caterpillar music toy clashing with the Christmas music while I am in a rush to finish and get home before your nap. And I will think, I have plenty of years ahead to listen to the music uninterrupted and spend more time shopping, but this is the only year I will be celebrating Luke's first Thanksgiving and Christmas. And I treasure that. I love you!
Love,
Mommy
Saturday, November 9, 2013
Where's Mommy?
Dear Luke,
In the past few weeks it has been clear that you grasp object permanence, meaning you remember that objects exist even when they are out of sight. My favorite example of this is when Daddy gets you up from a nap. He says it is clear you are looking all around for somebody. Then when you see me, you smile with utter delight, even if you've been crying. It melts my heart. :)
Love,
Mommy
In the past few weeks it has been clear that you grasp object permanence, meaning you remember that objects exist even when they are out of sight. My favorite example of this is when Daddy gets you up from a nap. He says it is clear you are looking all around for somebody. Then when you see me, you smile with utter delight, even if you've been crying. It melts my heart. :)
Love,
Mommy
Monday, October 28, 2013
Happy 8 Month Birthday!
Dear Luke,
At 8 months:
You weigh 18.5 pounds.
You are fascinated with tags on stuffed animals and toys. I cut the tags off some of your toys months ago and now wish I had kept them on!
You shriek quite loudly when you're excited and wanting to communicate.
You just started to babble consonants the other day.
You LOVE your evening oatmeal and almost always cry for a minute when it's all gone.
You have started sucking your big toe on your changing table.
You have begun to flip the pages when we read books.
You have long, beautiful eyelashes.
You have started sitting in your highchair, your umbrella stroller, and the shopping cart at Walmart.
You have started crawling!
Love,
Mommy
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Go Sox!
Dear Luke,
The Red Sox are in the World Series this year, so you've been sporting your Red Sox gear as one of their littlest fans. I know Daddy is especially proud of you in your cute little getup. :)
Love,
Mommy
The Red Sox are in the World Series this year, so you've been sporting your Red Sox gear as one of their littlest fans. I know Daddy is especially proud of you in your cute little getup. :)
Love,
Mommy
My Favorite Little Pumpkin
Dear Luke,
It's been fun to celebrate fall with my favorite little man! We went to see the pumpkins at the Dallas Arboretum a few weeks ago with Honey, Aunt Holly, Caroline, and Wesley. You weren't very happy at this patch because you missed your morning nap and had been away from your normal routine for several days, but the rest of us had fun and we still got some cute pictures. :)
This past weekend, Daddy and I took you to a much more "country" pumpkin patch in Simonton. You missed a nap for this one, too, but had a better time overall.
It's also been fun to see you in your cute pumpkin pj's that Honey bought for you after Halloween last year!
Last year, I felt you move for the first time on Halloween. I was sitting at my desk and knew clear as day that it was you I was feeling. I went to Garden Ridge on my lunch break and bought the two music prints that are hanging over your crib now. Then Daddy and I ate taco soup and watched TV that night in between opening the door for trick-or-treaters. I had fun seeing the cute kids and thinking about how you would be with us the next year! I'm so glad you've joined our family, little Luke.
Love,
Mommy
Happy 7 Month Birthday!
Dear Luke,
At 7 months:
You weigh close to 20 pounds.
You get so excited when you see me. You can be bawling your eyes out and when you see me, break out into a big grin, start kicking your legs and reach out for me. Of course it warms my heart. :)
You like to grab people's faces, focusing on mouths, noses, glasses, facial hair...
You get excited when you see your vitamin D drops. You used to hate them, but now you love them.
You can make an enviable Spanish trill noise.
Your little throat growls, just like Mommy's:)
You sleep with your cute little tush up in the air. I don't see you do this when you're playing, but only in your crib.
You are eating 2 solid meals a day.
You like to grab the spoon when you're eating and you have quite the death grip! I really have to work to take the spoon from you.
You have begun to growl and scream... loudly... in public. You are quite the entertainer and cause me some embarrassment when we are at restaurants!
It's getting harder to take your monthly pictures as there's a lot of this going on...
But we distracted you long enough to get this one!
I love you!
Love,
Mommy
At 7 months:
You weigh close to 20 pounds.
You get so excited when you see me. You can be bawling your eyes out and when you see me, break out into a big grin, start kicking your legs and reach out for me. Of course it warms my heart. :)
You like to grab people's faces, focusing on mouths, noses, glasses, facial hair...
You get excited when you see your vitamin D drops. You used to hate them, but now you love them.
You can make an enviable Spanish trill noise.
Your little throat growls, just like Mommy's:)
You sleep with your cute little tush up in the air. I don't see you do this when you're playing, but only in your crib.
You are eating 2 solid meals a day.
You like to grab the spoon when you're eating and you have quite the death grip! I really have to work to take the spoon from you.
You have begun to growl and scream... loudly... in public. You are quite the entertainer and cause me some embarrassment when we are at restaurants!
It's getting harder to take your monthly pictures as there's a lot of this going on...
But we distracted you long enough to get this one!
I love you!
Love,
Mommy
Friday, October 11, 2013
I love the way you...
... are such a sweet little buddy on my workouts. You just sit quietly in your stroller and are content whether you have a toy or not and whether the shade is up or not. You don't make a peep.
... laugh when I come get you after a nap, sometimes then going back to crying because you're hungry. But you still take a break to laugh.
... laugh when I sing "The Wheels On The Bus" and get to the "sh, sh, sh" part.
... lean forward and open your mouth wide when you're ready for another bite of oatmeal or whatever other food you love (peaches, pears...)
... can be bawling and stop crying the minute I pick you up.
... tilt your head to each side when you are looking at something as though you are really studying it.
... sit so still and quietly study what I'm doing in the kitchen.
... sometimes look more like a little boy to me than a baby (well, I love and don't love this one!).
I love you, little man!
Love,
Mommy
... laugh when I come get you after a nap, sometimes then going back to crying because you're hungry. But you still take a break to laugh.
... laugh when I sing "The Wheels On The Bus" and get to the "sh, sh, sh" part.
... lean forward and open your mouth wide when you're ready for another bite of oatmeal or whatever other food you love (peaches, pears...)
... can be bawling and stop crying the minute I pick you up.
... tilt your head to each side when you are looking at something as though you are really studying it.
... sit so still and quietly study what I'm doing in the kitchen.
... sometimes look more like a little boy to me than a baby (well, I love and don't love this one!).
I love you, little man!
Love,
Mommy
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Sundays Are Too Much Fun
Dear Luke,
Sundays are busy days for us now that we have small group in the evenings again. I am also working in childcare occasionally (2 Sundays on, 6 off), so the last two Sundays were especially long days. You fell right asleep in your crib for a long afternoon nap this past Sunday...
And here you are zonked out after small group. You rarely stay asleep in your carseat once we get home, so you must have been really tired. But when we woke you up for your bath, you were snuggly and happy as a clam!
Love,
Mommy
Sundays are busy days for us now that we have small group in the evenings again. I am also working in childcare occasionally (2 Sundays on, 6 off), so the last two Sundays were especially long days. You fell right asleep in your crib for a long afternoon nap this past Sunday...
And here you are zonked out after small group. You rarely stay asleep in your carseat once we get home, so you must have been really tired. But when we woke you up for your bath, you were snuggly and happy as a clam!
Love,
Mommy
Rough Night
Dear Luke,
We had a rough night the other night, as evidenced by the pictures below. You typically sleep from about 8-8, but every once in awhile you'll wake up once in the middle of the night. Sometimes you just talk to yourself, so I don't do anything, but sometimes you cry. When you cry, I wait a bit to see if you'll calm down, but if not, I usually try gas drops first. Then I know within 5 minutes if that was the problem. If that doesn't help, I give you Tylenol or Advil, assuming it's your teeth. I also know when I pick you up and you immediately stop crying, that you're probably just fine and just wanted to see Mommy for a bit. :)
(Sometimes I get hungry when I'm up with you in the middle of the night, so the frosted animal cookies were good company while I waited for you to fall back asleep. :)
Love,
Mommy
We had a rough night the other night, as evidenced by the pictures below. You typically sleep from about 8-8, but every once in awhile you'll wake up once in the middle of the night. Sometimes you just talk to yourself, so I don't do anything, but sometimes you cry. When you cry, I wait a bit to see if you'll calm down, but if not, I usually try gas drops first. Then I know within 5 minutes if that was the problem. If that doesn't help, I give you Tylenol or Advil, assuming it's your teeth. I also know when I pick you up and you immediately stop crying, that you're probably just fine and just wanted to see Mommy for a bit. :)
(Sometimes I get hungry when I'm up with you in the middle of the night, so the frosted animal cookies were good company while I waited for you to fall back asleep. :)
Love,
Mommy
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Familiar Sights
Dear Luke,
The other night Daddy decided to take some pictures of you before and after bath and I'm glad he did. These are the kinds of familiar sights that one day will be over. Here's where Daddy lays you every night while he gets your bathwater ready.
After your bath he wraps you up in your towel and takes you to your room. The other night he laid you on your back, left for a second, and when he came back you had already rolled over!
You are just the cutest!
Love,
Mommy
The other night Daddy decided to take some pictures of you before and after bath and I'm glad he did. These are the kinds of familiar sights that one day will be over. Here's where Daddy lays you every night while he gets your bathwater ready.
After your bath he wraps you up in your towel and takes you to your room. The other night he laid you on your back, left for a second, and when he came back you had already rolled over!
You are just the cutest!
Love,
Mommy
What We've Been Up To
Dear Luke,
I thought I'd take a few minutes to write what we've been up to while you nap upstairs. So, what's new??
Well, you are sitting up for starters. That's a 6 month milestone and although you weren't sitting quite at 6 months, once I started practicing with you at home, it was only a couple of days before you got into it. I think it's fun for you to see the world from a different perspective.
You've been a busy and adaptable little bee. With the fall starting, we've had more going on than we did over the summer. You have been going to childcare at Grace Fellowship while I attend "Mom to Mom", spent more time in the nursery at our church since I'll be serving with preschoolers every so often, been to the park and out to lunch with my moms/play group, taken a day trip to Galveston, stayed home with a baby-sitter and stayed at friends' houses for the evening while Daddy and I went to a baseball game. You seem to be handling it all extremely well. You haven't napped yet at Grace, but the ladies always say you're such a sweet little boy and just want to play. I think you've enjoyed getting out and interacting with other people, too. Last night Daddy took you to church with him while he unlocked the building for some small groups. He put you in the Bjorn and apparently you were a big hit. You got lots of attention and you loved it. He said he should take you up there more often because when you're there, people are super nice to him, too. :)
You are also eating well and can make quite a mess with the way you try to grab the spoon and feed yourself.
You've been doing a great job sitting quietly on the couch for a good 10 minutes or so while Daddy and I have eaten dinner in the evenings.
You now sleep with a lovey or teddy bear. We give you the lovey after laying you down and it's so cute because you anticipate it and love to grab and cuddle it when time to go to sleep. You also like to put it over your face. You often sleep on your sheet saver and seem to find that comforting as well.
You're such a sweet and happy baby and I'm so glad you're mine!
Love,
Mommy
I thought I'd take a few minutes to write what we've been up to while you nap upstairs. So, what's new??
Well, you are sitting up for starters. That's a 6 month milestone and although you weren't sitting quite at 6 months, once I started practicing with you at home, it was only a couple of days before you got into it. I think it's fun for you to see the world from a different perspective.
You've been a busy and adaptable little bee. With the fall starting, we've had more going on than we did over the summer. You have been going to childcare at Grace Fellowship while I attend "Mom to Mom", spent more time in the nursery at our church since I'll be serving with preschoolers every so often, been to the park and out to lunch with my moms/play group, taken a day trip to Galveston, stayed home with a baby-sitter and stayed at friends' houses for the evening while Daddy and I went to a baseball game. You seem to be handling it all extremely well. You haven't napped yet at Grace, but the ladies always say you're such a sweet little boy and just want to play. I think you've enjoyed getting out and interacting with other people, too. Last night Daddy took you to church with him while he unlocked the building for some small groups. He put you in the Bjorn and apparently you were a big hit. You got lots of attention and you loved it. He said he should take you up there more often because when you're there, people are super nice to him, too. :)
You are also eating well and can make quite a mess with the way you try to grab the spoon and feed yourself.
You've been doing a great job sitting quietly on the couch for a good 10 minutes or so while Daddy and I have eaten dinner in the evenings.
You now sleep with a lovey or teddy bear. We give you the lovey after laying you down and it's so cute because you anticipate it and love to grab and cuddle it when time to go to sleep. You also like to put it over your face. You often sleep on your sheet saver and seem to find that comforting as well.
You're such a sweet and happy baby and I'm so glad you're mine!
Mommy
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Happy 6 Month Birthday!
Dear Luke,
What a special milestone! These past 6 months have been so full of joy. Sure, there have been some stressful moments and some tears, but the overarching words that come to mind when I consider the last 6 months are joy and thankfulness. You and I had a fun day yesterday. We went to Mary Jo Peckham Park in Old Katy for a meetup with new friends, then we ran by the library, World Market, and Whole Foods. I decided to treat myself to a citrus mint tea sparkler at Whole Foods since it was your special day. :) You took a really long afternoon nap when we got home. Then Daddy and I went to Menchie's with you last night to celebrate over frozen yogurt.
Here's the picture Daddy took of you before I held up Sophie la Giraffe.
Here's the one after you heard Sophie squeak.
At 6 months:
You weigh 18 pounds 2 ounces and are 28 inches long.
You reach out for me to hold you. :)
You take the bottle and hold it all by yourself (and you NEVER leave any milk in the bottle!).
You are a dedicated tummy sleeper and you love to cuddle with your bear or one of your loveys while you sleep.
You have eaten applesauce, pears, peaches, bananas, carrots, squash, green beans, peas, and turkey. That list goes from favorite to least favorite, with turkey making you gag the most. :( But you will happily eat a whole jar of fruit!
You are a roly poly. You don't play on your back for long until you decide to roll over to your tummy.
Sometimes you lean forward in your carseat, like you're trying to sit up.
You not only hold your head and chest high when on your tummy, but also lift your torso and kick your legs out. All signs point to you wanting to crawl.
You like to stand (with help) and look at your toys from above. Sometimes I stand you up in front of your little basket of toys and you will lean in and grab one at a time. You also like looking at your activity mats from above.
You like it when I sing skinna-marinki-dinki-dink.
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Love,
Mommy
What a special milestone! These past 6 months have been so full of joy. Sure, there have been some stressful moments and some tears, but the overarching words that come to mind when I consider the last 6 months are joy and thankfulness. You and I had a fun day yesterday. We went to Mary Jo Peckham Park in Old Katy for a meetup with new friends, then we ran by the library, World Market, and Whole Foods. I decided to treat myself to a citrus mint tea sparkler at Whole Foods since it was your special day. :) You took a really long afternoon nap when we got home. Then Daddy and I went to Menchie's with you last night to celebrate over frozen yogurt.
Here's the picture Daddy took of you before I held up Sophie la Giraffe.
Here's the one after you heard Sophie squeak.
At 6 months:
You weigh 18 pounds 2 ounces and are 28 inches long.
You reach out for me to hold you. :)
You take the bottle and hold it all by yourself (and you NEVER leave any milk in the bottle!).
You are a dedicated tummy sleeper and you love to cuddle with your bear or one of your loveys while you sleep.
You have eaten applesauce, pears, peaches, bananas, carrots, squash, green beans, peas, and turkey. That list goes from favorite to least favorite, with turkey making you gag the most. :( But you will happily eat a whole jar of fruit!
You are a roly poly. You don't play on your back for long until you decide to roll over to your tummy.
Sometimes you lean forward in your carseat, like you're trying to sit up.
You not only hold your head and chest high when on your tummy, but also lift your torso and kick your legs out. All signs point to you wanting to crawl.
You like to stand (with help) and look at your toys from above. Sometimes I stand you up in front of your little basket of toys and you will lean in and grab one at a time. You also like looking at your activity mats from above.
You like it when I sing skinna-marinki-dinki-dink.
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Love,
Mommy
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Babysitter
Dear Luke,
We left you with a non-family babysitter at our house for the first time last weekend. One of the small groups at church got together a $75 giftcard for us to go out to eat at Dekkers and offered free babysitting! I had all the instructions written out to make it easy for our babysitter, Kristen. She had watched you at church for my women's small group this summer so you two already knew each other a bit. Daddy and I had a great time at dinner and you had a good time at home. When we got home, she immediately said, "He was really good. He didn't even cry." :)
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Love,
Mommy
We left you with a non-family babysitter at our house for the first time last weekend. One of the small groups at church got together a $75 giftcard for us to go out to eat at Dekkers and offered free babysitting! I had all the instructions written out to make it easy for our babysitter, Kristen. She had watched you at church for my women's small group this summer so you two already knew each other a bit. Daddy and I had a great time at dinner and you had a good time at home. When we got home, she immediately said, "He was really good. He didn't even cry." :)
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Love,
Mommy
Letter from Daddy
Dear Luke,
6 months ago today, you were born. I can remember it like it was yesterday, but it also seems like it was so long ago. I remember when I first saw you, and how your little body was kind of purple. I remember how you started crying for the first time when they put you on the scale to weigh you. Mommy was getting taken care of, but I stayed with you as the nurses cleaned you off and made sure you were comfortable. You were crying pretty hard, and then I said "It's OK Luke, Daddy's here", and you stopped crying. I guess you recognized my voice. It was a very meaningful moment for me, and I'll never forget it.
Today I was looking through all the pictures and videos I have of you on my iPhone. It brought back so many memories, and showed me how much you have already changed in 1/2 a year. In the early days, you didn't do a whole lot besides eat and sleep. You were small enough that we could hold you under your arms, and our fingertips would touch across your back. You spent a lot of time with your head resting on our shoulders, because you couldn't lift your head up yet.
The one thing that consistently got your attention in the first couple of months was the ceiling fan. You loved to just stare up at the ceiling fan, probably because it was a dark shape against the light background of the ceiling. I could lay you down in the middle of our bedroom floor and you would be content to just stare up at it.
Over the next couple of months, you started to become more active, and more interactive. You started to look around more. You started to make eye contact, and crack smiles. Mommy and I started to get the distinct impression that you knew who we were. You recognized us, and seemed happy to see us. You also started getting better and better at tummy time, and holding your head up. You also started talking to us (in your own language). It started out as just simple tones with a little gurgling sound to go with it. After that, your speech evolved into some other sounds including a dinosaur roar and a high-pitched squealing sound (which you're very fond of at the moment). It has been so fun to hear your language start to develop. I can't wait to have conversations with you as you get older!
You now seem very aware of your surroundings. You're paying such close attention to what Mommy and I are doing, and you're always looking around the room to make sure you don't miss something interesting going on. You reach out and grab anything you can get your hands on. You smile a lot, laugh a lot, and enjoy being around other people. You're such a good boy, and many other people have commented on that. You definitely know who Mommy and I are, and are especially happy when either of us come in the room. You're also jumping like crazy in your Jumperoo, and you roll over very easily. I don't imagine it will be long before you're crawling. It's a far cry from the early days after you were born, when you pretty much just laid there.
Last month, Mommy went on a trip to Fort Worth to meet your cousin Wesley. She was gone for a few days, and you and I got to hang out here at the house - just the two of us. It was such a fun weekend! I would work on my book while you were sleeping, and then take care of you and play with you while you were awake. It was such a great (and memorable) weekend.
Luke, your Mommy and I love you more than I can describe here. You bring a deep joy to our lives, and I look forward to seeing you every day. I have pictures of you in my office at church, and on my phone. I look at them several times each day, and always find opportunities to brag about you to other people. I'm so proud of you! Even at this moment, I am finding joy in looking at you on the baby monitor, sleeping peacefully in your crib. Mommy and I pray for you every day, that God would keep you safe and help you to grow strong. Most importantly, we pray that God would work in your life even at your young age.
I love you, my sweet boy.
Daddy
Monday, August 26, 2013
First Day of School
Dear Luke,
School starts today and I keep thinking how glad I am that you're not starting school. That will come soon enough, but for now I'm glad we get to hang out at home today. :)
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Love,
Mommy
School starts today and I keep thinking how glad I am that you're not starting school. That will come soon enough, but for now I'm glad we get to hang out at home today. :)
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Love,
Mommy
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Fan Club
Dear Luke,
You have quite the little fan club at church. Most mornings when I walk in, several girls from my youth small group are standing in the foyer and rush up to see you when we walk in, going on about how cute you are. This morning when I picked you up from your class after church Ms. Jen was holding you in a white onesie. Apparently you soaked through your cute new plaid romper, so good thing that onesie was in the diaper bag. Ms. Jenny, Ms. Ashley and Ms. Leslie were all congregating around to see you and pass you around, along with several of the girls from my youth small group. You are a popular little guy and I'm so glad so many people love you, in addition to your family. :)
Love,
Mommy
You have quite the little fan club at church. Most mornings when I walk in, several girls from my youth small group are standing in the foyer and rush up to see you when we walk in, going on about how cute you are. This morning when I picked you up from your class after church Ms. Jen was holding you in a white onesie. Apparently you soaked through your cute new plaid romper, so good thing that onesie was in the diaper bag. Ms. Jenny, Ms. Ashley and Ms. Leslie were all congregating around to see you and pass you around, along with several of the girls from my youth small group. You are a popular little guy and I'm so glad so many people love you, in addition to your family. :)
Love,
Mommy
Friday, August 2, 2013
Happy 5 Month Birthday!
Dear Luke,
At 5 months:
You weigh 17 pounds, 2 ounces (as of your last dr. appointment on July 15, probably more now).
You are incredibly curious to see the world around you and consistently turn toward noises, straining your neck to see all around.
You love to bounce in your jumperoo and stand up in your exersaucer and you've learned how to rotate yourself from toy to toy.
You have rolled over from your tummy to your back a couple of times.
Everything goes in your mouth. When I change your diaper, you grab my arm and it looks like you would like to put my whole arm in your mouth.
You love to chew on Sophie la giraffe and your little football that is easy to hold on to.
You push up on your arms during tummy time and your eyes will follow a toy pretty high in the air.
You love to grip my hair and hoop earrings... i.e. whatever is in reach.
You laugh when we play peekaboo with you.
You like to try putting your thumb in your mouth while you're eating, which doesn't work very well. :)
We love you so much!
Love,
Mommy
At 5 months:
You weigh 17 pounds, 2 ounces (as of your last dr. appointment on July 15, probably more now).
You are incredibly curious to see the world around you and consistently turn toward noises, straining your neck to see all around.
You love to bounce in your jumperoo and stand up in your exersaucer and you've learned how to rotate yourself from toy to toy.
You have rolled over from your tummy to your back a couple of times.
Everything goes in your mouth. When I change your diaper, you grab my arm and it looks like you would like to put my whole arm in your mouth.
You love to chew on Sophie la giraffe and your little football that is easy to hold on to.
You push up on your arms during tummy time and your eyes will follow a toy pretty high in the air.
You love to grip my hair and hoop earrings... i.e. whatever is in reach.
You laugh when we play peekaboo with you.
You like to try putting your thumb in your mouth while you're eating, which doesn't work very well. :)
We love you so much!
Love,
Mommy
Sunday, July 14, 2013
The Everyday
Dear Luke,
Life is made up of the everyday, so I want to take a snapshot of what a typical day looks like for us. Lately you've been waking up ravenous sometime around 5am, so I feed you and put you back to bed. I go back to sleep myself, sometimes through hearing you talk in your crib, then wake you up again at 8 to officially start our day. After feeding you, I change your diaper, give you your Vitamin D drops, and change you out of your pj's and into whatever your first outfit of the day is (some days you make it all day in the same outfit, but this is kind of rare. :) Then we come downstairs and you hang out in your jumperoo for a few minutes while I get my breakfast together. I eat with you in the study while you have some tummy time. We are supposed to do an hour a day and I try to get 20-30 minutes in the morning during this first stretch since you seem to tolerate it best early in the day. Then you might have some time in your exersaucer while I get ready or lay on the floor outside the laundry room while I start some laundry. We lay on the floor in your room and read a book together before you take your first nap of the day starting between 9:30 and 9:45. You don't eat again until 11:30 or 11:45, but lately you've been waking up around 10:30. You are usually content to talk to yourself for awhile and sometimes fall back asleep. If you aren't falling asleep after 20-30 minutes and are fussy, I might put you in your swing downstairs while I work on other things. Then after you eat, you play in your jumperoo or sit in your bebe pod on the island while I get lunch together. Some days Daddy comes home around this time and he can see you for a bit, too, which is nice. You have more play time (tummy time, activity mat, reading, standing, talking) before laying down at 1. Your afternoon nap is usually your longest. You eat again between 3 and 3:30. We do more of the same and I usually give you 15-20 minutes of independent play time (I lay you on one of your activity mats where I can see you, but I don't interact with you) before you lay down again at 4:30 or 5. This nap is almost always short, so you usually play in your jumperoo while I make dinner or clean up the kitchen. I feed you at 6:30, then some nights we offer you a little rice cereal while you sit in your bebe pod. You haven't fully taken to it yet, so we are just trying every few days or so. Daddy and I usually sit at the table and eat while you're in your swing near the table, or we take turns eating. Daddy gives you a bath every other night and we put you to bed between 7:30 and 8. Of course there's lots of variation to our typical schedule. We have church Sundays, small group Tuesdays, you'll run errands with me and go to the grocery store, we will go out to lunch with friends, and you'll hang out in the Bjorn to help me vacuum. You're my buddy and I love you!
Love,
Mommy
P.S. Here we are reading in your room one ordinary morning. :)
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Life is made up of the everyday, so I want to take a snapshot of what a typical day looks like for us. Lately you've been waking up ravenous sometime around 5am, so I feed you and put you back to bed. I go back to sleep myself, sometimes through hearing you talk in your crib, then wake you up again at 8 to officially start our day. After feeding you, I change your diaper, give you your Vitamin D drops, and change you out of your pj's and into whatever your first outfit of the day is (some days you make it all day in the same outfit, but this is kind of rare. :) Then we come downstairs and you hang out in your jumperoo for a few minutes while I get my breakfast together. I eat with you in the study while you have some tummy time. We are supposed to do an hour a day and I try to get 20-30 minutes in the morning during this first stretch since you seem to tolerate it best early in the day. Then you might have some time in your exersaucer while I get ready or lay on the floor outside the laundry room while I start some laundry. We lay on the floor in your room and read a book together before you take your first nap of the day starting between 9:30 and 9:45. You don't eat again until 11:30 or 11:45, but lately you've been waking up around 10:30. You are usually content to talk to yourself for awhile and sometimes fall back asleep. If you aren't falling asleep after 20-30 minutes and are fussy, I might put you in your swing downstairs while I work on other things. Then after you eat, you play in your jumperoo or sit in your bebe pod on the island while I get lunch together. Some days Daddy comes home around this time and he can see you for a bit, too, which is nice. You have more play time (tummy time, activity mat, reading, standing, talking) before laying down at 1. Your afternoon nap is usually your longest. You eat again between 3 and 3:30. We do more of the same and I usually give you 15-20 minutes of independent play time (I lay you on one of your activity mats where I can see you, but I don't interact with you) before you lay down again at 4:30 or 5. This nap is almost always short, so you usually play in your jumperoo while I make dinner or clean up the kitchen. I feed you at 6:30, then some nights we offer you a little rice cereal while you sit in your bebe pod. You haven't fully taken to it yet, so we are just trying every few days or so. Daddy and I usually sit at the table and eat while you're in your swing near the table, or we take turns eating. Daddy gives you a bath every other night and we put you to bed between 7:30 and 8. Of course there's lots of variation to our typical schedule. We have church Sundays, small group Tuesdays, you'll run errands with me and go to the grocery store, we will go out to lunch with friends, and you'll hang out in the Bjorn to help me vacuum. You're my buddy and I love you!
Love,
Mommy
P.S. Here we are reading in your room one ordinary morning. :)
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Growing Up
Dear Luke,
I feel like you are growing up too fast sometimes. I can't believe how different you are than 4 1/2 months ago when we first brought you home from the hospital. You've about doubled your birth weight, you love to "stand" on your legs, you make all sorts of facial expressions, and are full of laughter and things to say. You no longer fit in the bathroom sink, but now take your baths in the guest bathtub. You rarely cry when we lay you down to go to sleep, and when you do, it doesn't last very long. You are simply the sweetest little baby and I cherish the time I have with you. I often feel like I have a list full of things to take care of, like menu planning, grocery shopping, cleaning the bathrooms, perpetual laundry, phone calls, etc. I'm often surprised at how long it takes me to get these kinds of things done. I focus on you quite a bit when you're awake and try to capitalize on nap times to take care of tasks like these. Not that I'm always entertaining you - I've realized I have to be sure you don't grow to expect constant attention - but I remind myself that I quit my job at HBU to take care of you, not take care of the house or other tasks that need to be done. I love the quote, "Children are not a distraction from more important work. They are the most important work." Sometimes I wish I had longer blocks of time to knock out things I need to do at home or to run errands. But then I stop and realize how fleeting these days with you are. One day you will probably (hopefully) have a little sibling and my focus will be more divided. One day you will go to kindergarten and I won't get to spend the weekdays with you. Of course one day you won't even live here any more, but will be an adult and live in your own house! So, I ask God to help me cherish the time I have with you now. You are such a joy to be with and I want to remember the privilege it is to stay at home with you. You've been waking up in the middle of the night around 5 am to eat for the past month after sleeping through the night so well for weeks before that. Of course I'd like to find a way to help you sleep longer, but I also realize what a blessing it is to be able to provide what you need when you're upset. If we were poor and you were hungry, cold, or sick, I wouldn't be able to necessarily give you what you need. Some parents have all the money in the world, but their kids are sick in such a way that they can't fix what's wrong. When you're older, I won't always be able to fix it, if a friend isn't being nice to you or you don't make a sports team you tried out for. But now, I am usually able to do what you need to make you happy. And I am SO GLAD I can do that for you. I love you so much, my little buddy.
Love,
Mommy
P.S. Here's my phone wallpaper to help me remember how fast time is passing!
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I feel like you are growing up too fast sometimes. I can't believe how different you are than 4 1/2 months ago when we first brought you home from the hospital. You've about doubled your birth weight, you love to "stand" on your legs, you make all sorts of facial expressions, and are full of laughter and things to say. You no longer fit in the bathroom sink, but now take your baths in the guest bathtub. You rarely cry when we lay you down to go to sleep, and when you do, it doesn't last very long. You are simply the sweetest little baby and I cherish the time I have with you. I often feel like I have a list full of things to take care of, like menu planning, grocery shopping, cleaning the bathrooms, perpetual laundry, phone calls, etc. I'm often surprised at how long it takes me to get these kinds of things done. I focus on you quite a bit when you're awake and try to capitalize on nap times to take care of tasks like these. Not that I'm always entertaining you - I've realized I have to be sure you don't grow to expect constant attention - but I remind myself that I quit my job at HBU to take care of you, not take care of the house or other tasks that need to be done. I love the quote, "Children are not a distraction from more important work. They are the most important work." Sometimes I wish I had longer blocks of time to knock out things I need to do at home or to run errands. But then I stop and realize how fleeting these days with you are. One day you will probably (hopefully) have a little sibling and my focus will be more divided. One day you will go to kindergarten and I won't get to spend the weekdays with you. Of course one day you won't even live here any more, but will be an adult and live in your own house! So, I ask God to help me cherish the time I have with you now. You are such a joy to be with and I want to remember the privilege it is to stay at home with you. You've been waking up in the middle of the night around 5 am to eat for the past month after sleeping through the night so well for weeks before that. Of course I'd like to find a way to help you sleep longer, but I also realize what a blessing it is to be able to provide what you need when you're upset. If we were poor and you were hungry, cold, or sick, I wouldn't be able to necessarily give you what you need. Some parents have all the money in the world, but their kids are sick in such a way that they can't fix what's wrong. When you're older, I won't always be able to fix it, if a friend isn't being nice to you or you don't make a sports team you tried out for. But now, I am usually able to do what you need to make you happy. And I am SO GLAD I can do that for you. I love you so much, my little buddy.
Love,
Mommy
P.S. Here's my phone wallpaper to help me remember how fast time is passing!
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Monday, July 8, 2013
New Tricks
Dear Luke,
A few days ago you started sucking your thumb for the first time. You've sucked on the back of your hands for a long time and often look like you're trying to stick your whole fist in your mouth. But recently you found your thumb!
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You've also started to consistently roll over in your crib. The first time I was gone and Daddy rolled you on your back over and over, but you just kept rolling onto your stomach. So, we did some reading and realized we should still put you on your back, but just let you sleep if you choose to roll over. There's not much we can do about it if your mind is made up!
You are so cute and I love you so much!
Love,
Mommy
A few days ago you started sucking your thumb for the first time. You've sucked on the back of your hands for a long time and often look like you're trying to stick your whole fist in your mouth. But recently you found your thumb!
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You've also started to consistently roll over in your crib. The first time I was gone and Daddy rolled you on your back over and over, but you just kept rolling onto your stomach. So, we did some reading and realized we should still put you on your back, but just let you sleep if you choose to roll over. There's not much we can do about it if your mind is made up!
You are so cute and I love you so much!
Love,
Mommy
Your First 4th of July
Dear Luke,
Uncle Sean and Aunt Elise came to visit for the 4th of July and we had a fun time with them. It was a big day for you - we took you to the pool and to see fireworks at La Centerra! You were so stylin' in your Baby Banz.
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I was a little nervous about the fireworks, but just thought we may as well try it and if you didn't do well, we could leave early. You stayed up later than normal (9pm), but fell asleep in your carseat and slept right through the fireworks. We put headphones on to protect your ears right after they started and you looked just adorable!
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Uncle Sean and Aunt Elise came to visit for the 4th of July and we had a fun time with them. It was a big day for you - we took you to the pool and to see fireworks at La Centerra! You were so stylin' in your Baby Banz.
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I was a little nervous about the fireworks, but just thought we may as well try it and if you didn't do well, we could leave early. You stayed up later than normal (9pm), but fell asleep in your carseat and slept right through the fireworks. We put headphones on to protect your ears right after they started and you looked just adorable!
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You will look so different next 4th of July!
Love,
Mommy
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