new year

did you blink and realize the year was gone?  surely this year has gone by as fast for you as it has for us.  this year has been packed full of, well, everything.  i'm sure it has been crazy for you, as well.

luke was born.  4 lbs 10.5 oz.  Feb. 3, 2010.  4 days in the NICU.  perfect in every way.  we call luke lukeasaurus, mister and stinkapotomous.  let's just say he can clear a room.

we bought our very first home.  technically we've had 2 homes, but my parents bought the first.  i was put on bed rest right after we decided on this home which created a lot of challenges that we wouldn't have otherwise encountered, but the Lord always provided a solution.  chris had to come close on the house by himself and afterward, my dad and dear friends joe and jennifer helped get luke's room together and paint the dining room.  we moved in January 27th, and it snowed and iced the next couple days.  when we finally got our OBGYN appt rescheduled, we were immediately sent to the hospital, just 6 days after moving in.  on the 7th day, luke was born.  we've made a lot of changes, mostly painting and new appliances, and we love making this house feel like a home.

i started work with my dad, and i love it.  he's laid back, luke can come with me (although it gets harder and harder now that he's mobile) and i only work 4 days a week.  it's great.  and the drive isn't bad.  it's actually pretty relaxing.  i can gear up for the day on the way there and calm down on the way home.

chris and i celebrated our 6th year of marriage, and we're fast approaching our 7th.  since we started dating, it's been 12 years together.  you'd think we'd be sick of each other, but we're not :)

chris hasn't worked but a few weekends this year and that's been wonderful.  i love having the weekends with him.  he goes to work early early (he leaves the house by 430 a.m.), but that means he gets to pick luke up from mrs. kristin's house by 230 or 300 in the afternoon.  and that means he gets some good time in with luke in the afternoon before i get home.  they like to go to the grocery store together.  chris says luke is a chick magnet :).

i gave up carbonated drinks about 2 months ago.  every time i drive past a sonic i start to salivate for a vanilla dr. pepper, tho.  so far, i've not relapsed, and plan to continue to abstain from carbonated drinks next year.

we don't really have any new year resolutions (except to continue to stay away from carbonation).  we just want to make this new year as good as this one has been.

happy new year.
clare, chris and baby luke

Pearly Gates

This morning, an elderly gentleman I recently fit with a new aid, and whose granddaughter has been taking care of him while his wife has been in a nursing home, called to reschedule an appointment because said wife passed away last night.  Of course I obliged, but he ended up making it to his original appointment anyways.  His granddaughter always brings him and after our appointment, she told me that she stayed with her grandmother all day yesterday waiting for the inevitable. 

She told me that towards the end of the evening, her grandmother would take a deep breath and after a few moments, the granddaughter would think that was her last breath, only to hear her grandmother breathe yet again.  Granddaughter told me this went on for a while before finally she did take her last breath.  When I asked how she was coping, and how grandfather was coping, she said she thinks of it like this. 

You see, her grandmother was apparantly quite the hoarder and granddaughter thinks when she would get to the Pearly Gates, grandmother had a bunch of stuff with her and God said, you don't need that in here.  So in life, she'd take another breath, get rid of some of her 'stuff', and try to renegotiate with God.  Finally, granddaughter figures grandmother let go of all her 'stuff' to get inside the Pearly Gates, and grandmother took her last breath here on earth.

I love that she thinks of it like that, and just wanted to share.

10 months

Wow!  I'm really behind in posting this!!

10 months old

side note:  I love the mischievous grin and that his outfit says 'it wasn't me' :)

Pedicures at Home Depot?

I'm in desperate need of some nice alone quiet time.  I just want to cuddle on the couch with a good book and let the story take me to far away places, and then I'll take a bath and let Calgon do its' thing.  At least that's my dream.

Monday I stayed at home with Luke and he's fairly congested with a head cold, I think.  Maybe it's teething.  Either way, he was not having a good day, so when Chris called me to tell me he was coming home from work and I could go get a pedicure, I was elated.  When he got home I was in the middle of wrapping Christmas gifts and Luke was asleep, so he took Baxter for a walk.  Then Luke woke up.  And Chris got back from walking Baxter only to go in the garage to hang his new ladder and find out he didn't have the right hooks.  So he looks at me and says 'I've got to get some new hooks to hang the ladder, but I don't want to go because you'll be here alone with Luke and Baxter.'

This is where my face got very red.  And I might've had steam bellowing from my ears.

But I replied 'If you're going, we are ALL going.'

And that's how my pedicure turned into a trip to Home Depot.  With the whole family.  Still waiting on that quiet time.
 

Letter to Baby

Dear Mister,

You are 10 months old now.  This time last year, I was on bed rest and you were still in the womb.  That was a hard time, I'm kind of stubborn and had a difficult time staying in bed, or the couch, or recliner, or in the house for that matter.  And that stubborn streak I have, well, it looks like you've inherited it.

We've baby proofed almost everything we can think of.  The fireplace, the kitchen, the outlets...all baby proofed.  But who would've known you're favorite thing to play with would be the floor vent in the living room?  And the door stopper that also acts like an alarm?  Yep, you found that, too.  We put up the Christmas tree and put a gate around it.  That seems to deter your curiosity in it and you don't pay too much attention to it.

You can sit up from laying down now, like you've been doing it your entire 10 months of life.  You army crawl e.v.e.r.y.w.h.e.r.e.  Seriously, you're constantly on the go.  And Lord help Baxter if you sneak up behind him, you love grabbing his tail!!  You crawled down the hallway to our bedroom last Sunday after church when your dad and I were putting our church clothes up.  You were so cute stopping and starting again and laughing at us when you finally made it!  What a great accomplishment!  You are trying so hard to pull yourself up.  Once you get to your knees, you're not quite sure what to do next.  Also, you are mimicking us and it's fun to try to get you to make noises.  A lot of time you like to initiate it.  It's super cute!  You play so great in your room or in the living room.  It gives me just enough time to blow dry my hair in the mornings without having to wrangle you before you get bored and crawl away.  Peek-a-boo is also a favorite, and you've gotten to where you initiate it.  It's so awesome to see you develop!!

You are still so great when we're out and about, never really fussing, and when you do, it's nothing a little snack can't solve.  Everyone compliments us on how well behaved you are.  We really are blessed!  I took you shopping on Black Friday and you were terrific with all the people!  And you really are quite the flirt!

We have celebrated your first Thanksgiving, and you were thankful for sweet potatoes that M made for you and lots of people to play with you.  Jack (M and Pa's dog) even warmed up to you :)  You handle being passed around and kissed on like a seasoned pro!

We don't swaddle you to sleep anymore, we just cover you with a blanket and rock you.  Most of the time we do just fine, but then that stubborn streak rears its' ugly head and you pull my hair or pinch me.  Those nights are the hardest, but we do just fine anyway.  Also, you're back to sleeping through the night (although I'm sure that will change now that I've said it out loud), but you still wake up at random times in the morning.  4:15 a.m. is pretty early, but we've adjusted.  Thankfully, you're dad is pretty great at getting up with you on the weekends.

Bath time is your favorite time of day.  If you hear that water running, you start kicking your legs and we can't get you naked fast enough.  Once in the bath, all the toys must come in with you.  And now you've figured out how to lay on your tummy and kick your legs so that water goes everywhere (including on your mom and dad).  And you love how your voice sounds in the tub.  You get louder and louder each time you belt out a squeal.  Bath time is just too fun!

We just adore you and can't wait to celebrate your first Christmas, your first New Year, and *gasp* your first birthday!!

We love you with all our hearts, and we are oh so thankful for you.  You're pretty amazing.

Hugs and kisses, mister.  We adore you.
Mom and Dad

kissy face

Thankful

Most are posting every day what they are thankful for this month.  It is the most popular month to give thanks and count your many blessings, after all.  I'm breaking from the norm and will post at the end of the month.  (I'm a bit of a daredevil :) )

1.  Cooler temperatures!  And rain!
2.  The power of prayer.  And Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.
3.  My job.  It's crazy sometimes, but it's totally awesome.
4.  My husband for stepping in and taking over when I need it and knowing when to do it.
5.  Working with my father.  And Peggy.  And Cheryl.
6.  Great friends who love to hug your neck as much as you love to hug theirs.
7.  Early bedtimes.
8.  Random strangers who comment on how freaking adorable Luke is.
9.  Thankful for my little boy.  He's pretty amazing.
10.  Bug spray.  And lots of it :)
11.  Watching Luke learn new tricks (he's sitting himself up from laying down without any assistance!)
12.  Chris' job.  And the insurance it provides.
13.  Saturday's
14.  The mother's lounge at church.  And church.
15.  My patients.  And my patience.
16.  Luke's curiosity
17.  Music.  It's amazing how the right song can help your mood.
18.  Our pediatrician.  And his staff.
19.  Family.  Brothers, SILs, parents, aunts, uncles, nephews...everyone.
20.  A Hog win!!  WPS!!!
21.  Cough medicine.
22.  Nasal bulb syringes and infant tylenol.
23.  The drive to and from work.
24.  Piles of toys in the living room.
25.  Family gatherings with lots of food!!

With all of these, we are truly blessed.  We have amazing family, friends who are always there at just the right times, jobs to provide for our son (and the dog),  and a solid roof over our head (and if there's any problem with that, we have the hook up from a great friend who can fix it).

We are definitely counting our blessings, and this was our attempt to name them one by one (at least just a few)...

9 months

18 pounds, 5 ounces

26.5 inches long

You've only grown 1 inch since your 6 month check and your head circumference hasn't changed a bit.  You have gained about 3 pounds, tho :O)

We already have your 1 year checkup scheduled.  I can't believe it!!

fyi

Luke can sit up all by himself.  As in, he'll be rolling around the room and voila, he's sitting up.  It's like he's been doing it his entire life.  And he's super proud of this achievement.

He can also army crawl, which has prompted a household baby proofing afternoon.  Consider it a success...for now.

My little brother is married.  Yes, you read that right.  Her name is Jackie...short for Jacquelyn (at least that's how I think you spell it).  I met her once for about 20 minutes and she seems nice.  I'm still trying to cope with this...

I have a 9 foot pre lit Christmas tree for sale.  Please buy it.

Thanksgiving is right around the corner.  Which means Christmas is right around the next corner.  And then my son will be 1 by the time I pack up the Christmas tree.  Help.

We have been crazy busy these last 5 weeks, I'm looking forward to being a homebody for a while.

Hope you all have a great week.  I'm going to try my darndest, but I have a feeling I'm going to have a come to Jesus talk with the printers and the furniture store.  Pray for them...

Letter to Baby

Baby Luke,

You are 9 months old today.  9 months and counting.  What do you think about that?  I bet you think it's pretty neat.  You've got so much to explore to learn, you might not even know that this a kind of a big deal!

You've got a 9 month appointment with the pediatrician in a couple weeks, so we'll see what you're official stats are then, but your dad stepped on the scale with you and we guesstimate you're roughly 17 pounds.  That means that your dad and I have to trade off quite a bit when we carry you in somewhere.  We haven't quite adjusted to your chunkiness...we still remember when you were little :)

You're fitting into 6-12 month tops and 3-6 month bottoms for the most part.  You can wear some 9 month Carter bottoms, but it really just depends on the brand.  I cleaned out your closet over the weekend and put away your summer clothes.  Yes, it's November 3rd and you've been wearing shorts and t-shirts up until this point.  We had a couple of cool days, but it looks like you're in long sleeves and pants to stay.  I did keep out just a couple of t-shirts...you know, just in case.

Upon cleaning out your closet, I filled an entire 71 qt tub.  Filled.  As in, shoved clothes in cracks and crevasses that might not have existed to the naked eye.  Holy moly, you had some serious amounts of clothes little one.  I might've been able to clothe all the 3-6 month boys in a small 3rd world country with what you had.

But onto more fun things - like how you cry when I set you down to play so I can get something done, but as soon as I'm out of sight you're fine.  And then, like magic, once I reappear, so do the tears.  You sure know how to tug at your momma's heart strings!

You've figured out that rolling is way of transportation.  You.roll.everywhere.  I helped your dad make dinner a few nights ago, and I left you sitting up on your play mat.  Just a few minutes passed before I checked on you from the kitchen, and you had rolled across the room and under the end table.  And then you cried because I picked you up and moved you back to your mat.  It made me laugh :)

It'll be any day now and you'll be crawling.  You can go from sitting, to all fours, and then flat on your tummy, but you only end up on your tummy because you haven't figured out how to move both your arm and leg all at the same time.  You can rock back and forth on all fours, but moving on all of them is still just out of reach.  Hence the rolling.

You've discovered your reflection in the mirror.  I don't know if you know it's you, but you sure think that baby in the mirror is awfully awesome!  You grin from ear to ear and stick out your tongue.  It's great stuff to see.  I just love watching you examine that baby in the mirror...too cute!

You've been to your very first Razorback football game (we beat Ole' Miss and that mean old Houston Nutt, too) and you did great!  We even got you to sleep in guest services for about 30 minutes.  Just enough to recharge your battery and go back to the game.  We didn't stay for the whole game because of the threat of rain (and boy did it rain after we left), but I think lots of Hog football games are in our future!  Go Hogs!!  You've also been to your very first War Eagle Craft Fair and celebrated your very first Halloween!  Lots of firsts this past month, baby!

You're a pretty fun little guy to be around and I don't think we could ask for a more amazing son.

We love your guts.
Mom and Dad

competition

Sometimes on Sunday, Chris and I babysit our 3 year old nephew Jude while my SIL and 5 yo nephew Grant go to violin lessons.  (Side note: Jude calls his brother 'my Grant'.  too cute!!)

Yesterday was one of those Sundays.  We have a little tricycle that was given to us and Jude loves to ride it.  He also prefers to wear Chris' big helmet, leaving Chris with my little helmet...with 'Princess Clare' written across the front :)  While they were riding, Jude started talking about 'my Grant plays the violin, I want a trumpet'.  I asked him what he wanted to ask Santa for Christmas, and of course, he said a trumpet.  Now, I play the saxophone, as well as Chris, so I thought I'd show him ours before he completely made up his mind.  You know, some healthy competition between the woodwind and brass families.

I mean, trumpets are nice and all, but saxophones are cool, too!

So I dug out my alto saxophone, Jude sat down next to me in the garage, watched me pull it out and piece it all together.  When it was all set up he looked at me with those deep brown eyes and super long eyelashes and said 'that's not a trumpet!'.

He was not impressed and made it very clear he wanted a trumpet.  What's a saxophone girl to do?  Admit defeat, that's what!

Brass: 1  Woodwind: 0

Maybe I can talk Luke into playing the sax...

Luke's 1st Halloween

We went to our friends' home for Halloween festivities last night, and we had so much fun dressing up for Luke's first Halloween!

Super Mario

Jennifer was 'a road' with cars taped to her legs.

Superman and Anna the Ballerina were 'tutu' cute :)

Chris and I were Celtics fans.  Or Irish hoolligans. Or both.

Joe was a knight and Micah was blown away by everyone's awesomeness :)

We walked the neighborhood with all the kiddos and parents, had a hot dog, and came home.  Luke was pooped out by all the excitement!  

I've decided that Luke will be a puppy dog next year so I can put a retractable leash on him for trick or treating!

choices

Sometimes I wonder if the choices I've made are the best, but in the end, everything seems to all work out.  But because they are my choices, I'm ok if the outcome isn't as wonderful as I imagined.  It's easy to see what's right in front of you, but sometimes that skews your vision.

And from the outside, you wonder why anyone would make such a drastic choice.  

Having a hard time processing someone's choice...

Feeling Crafty

This weekend, NWA hosted War Eagle, a ginormous craft fair that is 3 days long (Thursday - Saturday), one weekend in October every year.  Now, I'm not looking to make my house look like a bajillion crafts threw up in it, but I do like to go peruse, and occasionally I make a small purchase.  This year, I only left with a fried Snickers in my belly.  And I must say, I still prefer my Snickers frozen.

We went up to NWA Friday morning, and got to surprise Jim (Chris' dad) at work.  We walked around and showed Luke off to everyone we could find (most had bolted to go crafting) and I think he was pleasantly surprised.  Friday night we had dinner with Evan and Erin at La Huerta.  I was so hungry and devoured my entire plate.  Luke had a great time and we got him home and in bed at a decent hour.

Saturday morning, we left for War Eagle and met Ed and 3 out of his 4 kids (Kate and the 4th kiddo were not in town) for some serious perusing.  It was kind of cold, so we bundled Luke up in a beanie and jacket with a blanket over him for the morning.  We met up with Chris' parents later in the morning and then all of us went to lunch.  By that time, it was getting close to game time, so we headed to run one last errand and then home.  Ed took his kiddos home to rest, I hope!  I think we were all worn out!

This morning we piddled around the Beaty's home before going to have lunch and heading home.  Luke was so off his schedule that he whined the entire way home except for the 35 minute nap he took.  He was so glad to be home that it didn't take much to put him to bed tonight.  He's definitely a creature of habit!

We had so much fun visiting friends and having a little getaway!

Letter to Parents

Dear mom and dad,
 
 tcvb uvc7x6z5tyuuyvchgfsew dz fgj hh

b gfyrt cyxxzdqWRVIYV8KIr6ct gg   b gxt6b

hgvgfcxddsghthgyhuytiytbtcered x

love,
your son :)

8 Months

Luke is 8 months old!

Wonderful Weekend

We had a terrific weekend that started out with a date night on Friday!  My Aunt Susan and her husband, Robert, came and took care of Luke while Chris and I went to dinner.  My goal was to have Luke down at his normal time (6:30 p.m.) so they wouldn't have to do much, but by the time they got to our house around 7, Luke was still wide awake.  They said he was terrific and he was still somewhat awake when we got home about 830.  But the minute he heard my voice, he was out.  Aunt Susan laid him down in his crib and he slept all night.

Saturday we visited a few garage sales and got Luke a couple toys and 2 sleeper outfits.  He was so well behaved and slept in between house to house.  We got home just in time for him to have a nap and when he woke up, we got ready to go to Brock's 3rd birthday.  Earlier that day, my SIL called and asked if we could keep our nephews while she finished up staining the concrete on their back porch, so of course we said yes.  We picked up Grant and Jude and headed to Conway with Luke for the birthday party.  Brock had a huge bounce house and the minute we stepped out of the car, Grant and Jude were ready to test it out!  I told Jude (he's potty training) he had to go potty before he could go play and he agreed, so I got Luke out of the car, turned around, and Jude was going potty in the front yard :)  No time like the present, I suppose!  The boys had a great time and Grant said as we were leaving 'I had so much fun!'  Chris and Luke got in the bounce house for a little bit and I think Luke enjoyed it!

Sunday, Chris and I took Luke to Bo Brook Farms to pick some pumpkins and go on a hay ride.  Luke wasn't sure what to think, but as always, he just went along for the ride.

Hay Ride!!

Our little family!

We really enjoyed our weekend and were a little sad to see it end!  Friday can't get here soon enough!

Letter to Baby

Dear Luke,

You are 8 months old now!  The months just keep flying by and before you know it you'll be 1!  We've already started talking about your first birthday party!

It's starting to get a little cooler now, fall is definitely upon us and on closer inspection to your closet, you only had 2 pairs of pants that fit!  I've been buying ahead, and I guess I forgot about buying for now.  It's okay, I've been shopping and you've got enough pants to last throughout a week or two now :).  You love being outside.  You smile when the wind hits your face, you stare up at the leaves on the trees moving, and just love exploring the world around you.  Now that it's not 100+ degrees outside, we've also started going for walks in the afternoons.  Sometimes we hope you'll take a little nap, but you just kick your feet back and forth and enjoy the stroll.

Everyone still comments on what a wonderful, laid back baby you are.  We went to some garage sales yesterday morning, and every stop we made you were just perfect.  You took a few little naps in between sales, and then you were all smiles when it was time to get out.  We couldn't ask for a better behaved son!

You are now in 6-9 month tops and 3-6 month bottoms - you don't have any tooshy to speak of.  Oh, and speaking of tooshy, you love bath time, and so when we strip you down we yell 'Naked Tooshy!' and you just laugh and smile.  You can sit up in the bath now, but we had to put down a bath mat down so you wouldn't slip and slide everywhere.

We think you're starting to wave 'bye', but we're not completely sure.  But when you do it, it's pretty awesome!  You are still trying to crawl.  Those legs get up under you, but your arms just don't know what to do, so you lie there with your butt in the air until you finally roll yourself to the side.  You can feed yourself your bottle now, and that little bit of independence for us both is great!  You've started looking at yourself in the mirror, although I don't know if you know it's you or not, but either way, you smile at your reflection!

Your favorite toys include some rattle balls, a lion with teeter rings on its' feet, a soft car and the remote.  Everything goes in your mouth, too, so we have to be careful of what we can give you!  You've got both of those 2 bottom teeth in so we're trying you out on some more food.  Mainly some food called Baby Mum Mums, some puff cereal, and you had ice cream and a lick (or 7) of a sucker at a birthday party.  Just to be clear, your dad is the one that gave you ice cream and the sucker.  Bananas are one of your very favorite foods, so we slice some up and put it in a mesh feeder and let you go to town.  It's super messy, so we strip you down to the diaper, but you really love it!

I cannot believe how much you've grown since your little 4 pound 10.5 ounce self.  You're such a chunk now and I just love kissing your belly!  Your dad kisses it, too, and you laugh up a storm!  I think his beard tickles you :)  We are so glad that you are a part of our family!  We don't know what we ever did without you, you just make us so proud!

We love you, son.
Mom and Dad

Luke's First Lemon

7 months

Luke is 7 months old!!!

Vacation

Last week, Chris and I took Luke to Texas.  One day I was browsing the money blogs I frequent and one had posted that Southwest Airlines was celebrating their 39th year in business by offering $39 flights (one way, a certain distance, and within a certain time period).  I jumped on that offer and since Luke flies free, we were able to make a quick getaway to see friends.  We had a wonderful time and Luke had so many firsts!

Luke's first airplane ride!  

We had an extra seat to ourselves, so we propped him up and put his toys around him.

He slept during take off and he drank a bottle on the way down going and vice versa coming.  

He didn't fuss a bit!

The flight attendants just oohed and awwed over him :)

Luke got to meet our 'Texas family'.

That's me, Gretchen and Kourtney with Luke, Kamryn, Kane and Jayden.  We had gone to dinner the night before, but I forgot to take pictures!

We also had lunch with my dear friends, Shannon and Joni as well as Shannon that used to supervise me!  I also forgot to take pictures...shame on me!!  But here's a picture of Joni, me, and Shannon from a year ago.  We missed you, Lindsay!

Luke's first fairy ride over to Galveston.

We saw dolphins, too!

Luke's first time to put his toes in the ocean!

Ok, so it's the Gulf of Mexico, but give me a break!

We stopped by the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center.

We had a wonderful trip, but were ready to get back home.  It's amazing how much stuff is required to travel with a child.  Thank goodness Southwest doesn't make you pay for your luggage!!  Luke was so great the entire trip, even though we were completely off his schedule.  We couldn't ask for a more well behaved child!  

Happy Birthday!

I had my birthday last month, and my awesome husband bought me a delicious birthday cake.  If you didn't have any, you missed out.  The Blue Cake Company made it and it was so yummy!

I'm a child of the 80's, so it was only appropriate that it be adorned with 80's cartoon characters :)

6 months

Luke turned 6 months old in August.  

Because I just got around to moving files off the computer and onto the external hard drive, I'm finally able to upload new pictures to the computer and blog!

Letter to Baby

Dear Lukeasaurus-

You are 7 months old now!  I swear just yesterday you were 6 months, so I'm sure tomorrow you'll be 8 months old, so if you could slow it down a little, I'd be more than appreciative!  You must be the most awesome 7 month old ever.  How do I know, you ask?  Well, because everyone says so.  Not just family, either, but people who just see you at church, the grocery store, the office...e.v.e.r.y.o.n.e.  So it must be the truth.

In the way of stats, you are (or were at your 6 month checkup) 15 pounds 15 ounces and 25 inches long which keeps you at the 25th %tile.  We aren't sure if you stayed at the almost 16 pound mark, because after your shots, let's just say you went through a lot of diapees.  TMI?  maybe.  Sorry about that.

You are still great at rolling over to your tummy from your back, and you still hate rolling back over.  You practically refuse to do it.  You are trying so hard to crawl, and I'm sure in these next few months you'll be a pro at it.  You love love love your jumper.  You love to spin around in its seat and check out all the toys, talk, scream with pure enjoyment, all while jumping. :)  You are sitting up so big now!  We like to lay out a blanket, scatter your toys around, and watch with pure pride while you play.  We stick around just in case you topple over, but soon you'll be pushing us away and doing it all by yourself.

A little tooth has started to show through and man is it a sharp a little thing!  You always love chomping on our fingers, and that's how we found out that sucker was making an appearance!!  The drooling has increased, you suck on your lip, you suck on cold teether rings or washcloths, basically you suck on anything.  You've been so great about that little tooth, not really letting it bother you, just taking it all in stride!

Your favorite foods still include sweet potatoes and bananas, but we are venturing out and trying more of some other foods like sweet peas (which you hate), green beans (you don't mind so much), apples (mmmm) and carrots (more please!).  When you had your six month pediatric appointment, we were told we could bump you up to 2nd foods and by 9 months, start letting you sip out of a sippy cup and eat real food.  I might've had a slight stroke right then, but I just can't imagine all these new things that lay ahead of you!!  At Jennifer and Joe's, you had some of Pam's yummy mashed potatoes.  You were all over those, reaching for my plate, trying to gobble down some more.  And that brings up another topic, reaching!

You have never been interested for reaching for your parents, but when it comes to food, toys, or the most unimportant object, you're reaching for it.  I can barely sit you in your bumbo seat before you're trying with all your might to turn yourself around to reach for something.  Anything.  When we change your diaper, the reaching starts again, for the lotion bottle, clothes, the hand sanitizer, the corner of the changing pad, whatever you can get those little hands on.  I must say, it makes changing your diaper qualify for an olympic sport.

On the sleeping front, you sleep through the night like a champ.  Please keep that up!!  We like to give you dinner, play, have a bath, swaddle, give you a bottle, rock you for a bit, then lay you in your crib.  When we lay you in your crib, it doesn't matter if you've fallen asleep while rocking or not, your eyes immediately open when your head hits that mattress.  So we turn on your mobile, you squirm your arms out of the swaddle, and eventually fall asleep.  You also move so much when you sleep!  We always find you curled up in a corner of the crib with your pacifier at the other end.  I don't know how it happens, but it does.

Bath time is one of your favorite times of the day.  You kick your feet, splash, play, suck on a washcloth, play with a cup and your ducky.  The cup is your favorite, and my worst enemy.  A few night ago, you were playing with your washcloth when all of a sudden you grabbed the cup and tipped it over on your face...with your mouth open like you were trying to drink from it.  You got a little too much water down your throat and it startled you; it scared the bejeezus out of me.  You don't like sitting up in the tub, you'd much rather lay on your sling and play from there.  We'll continue to work on that, but I know you'll do it when you're good and ready.

We love you so much, Luke.  We are amazed every day at how much you constantly change and learn new things.  You're pretty amazing, but you knew that already.

All our love,
Mom and Dad

a few thoughts

I've been spacing out while driving lately.  4 times I have followed the car in front of me, only to end up going the completely wrong way.

Thought about throwing my food at the car behind me while driving to H.S. yesterday, but then figured that would be considered road rage and refrained.

My six and a half month old is cutting a tooth.  And it's sharp!!  Pictures to come once it's here in all its' toothy glory.

The hard drive on our computer is full.  So, no more pictures until we find time to delete all these files once backing them up on the external hard drive.

Enjoy your Wednesday!

Home

Being back in the rock city has its' advantages.  Like having the most awesome nephews living just a few miles across town.  And they just happen to live with my amazing older brother and his awesomely talented wife.  Case in point:  Monday, when I came home on my birthday to a broken air conditioner and the temp in the house was creeping up in the 80's, they came to the rescue.  They let us crash in their guest bedroom where it was nice and cool downstairs while their own AC was on the fritz upstairs.  Kricia, my SIL, is even making me some awesome chairs.  Have I shown them to you yet?  Maybe not, shame on me. Well here it is.

Amazing, right?

And on top of having family here, we can't beat that our wonderful friends live just up the highway, and that we have more friends moving back from Utah.  Last night we went up to Conway to have dinner and games with Jennifer and Joe, and we always have a wonderful time.   Jennifer cooked up a delicious meal, we played a game of Yahtzee (Joe lost!), and they let me put Luke down in Anna's (Jennifer and Joe's daughter) crib.  I can't wait for our next get together!  We always have so much fun!

The rock city also has tons of fun things to do, and I can't wait to do it all as Luke gets bigger!  The zoo, Museum of Discovery, Jump Zone, Children's Theatre, the River Market, and the list just keeps going!  

This is home.  We didn't grow up here, but we love it here.  Home is where the heart is, and our heart belongs here.  

Letter to Baby

Dear Luke,

You are now officially a half year old!  A whopping six months!  Where does the time go?  I'm not sure, but I wish it would slow down a little.

These past six months have brought you from a measly 4 pounds 10.5 ounces to (at last check) 12 pounds 13 ounces.  From a premature baby not even on the charts to finally creeping up the charts.  From eating every 3 hours to, ummmm....well, eating every 3 hours.  Except at night.  You're sleeping through the night right now.

You talk like crazy, suck on your thumb, smile, laugh, and play.  You are rolling over from your tummy to your back now, which makes me so happy, except now I can't put you on the bed and get ready.  I'm constantly toting the bouncer back and forth in the mornings.  What am I going to do when you start crawling?  Do they make baby duct tape?

You are so bright eyed and such a flirt.  You love watching Grant and Jude.  They're the best thing since sliced bread as far as you're concerned.  We love living close to our family and so glad they get to take part in raising you.  We hope you know how loved you are.

We love you.
Happy half a year old!
Mom and Dad

thirty something...

let's not say it out loud, but today i'm thirty.  that's right.  re-read it if you must, but i'm refusing to write it out again.  i don't even want to say it.  i'm having a hard time with it, and so if you must make over the hill jokes, please do so behind my back.  thankyouverymuch.

some people have lists, you know '25+5 things to accomplish before i'm 25+5'.  me, not so much.  i had good intentions, but somehow, it just never got done.  and i'm okay with that and so should you.  i have accomplished lots of things though.  i think.  i can't be too sure since having a baby wiped my memory.

and now we shall take a trip down memory lane.  enjoy :)

not sure how old i am here, but i am pretty darn cute.

on a side note, this silky outfit was on my favorite doll, until my parents dog, jack, tore her, and the outfit to shreds.

thumb sucker.  luke is a thumb sucker, too.

he comes by it honestly.

posing for the camera.

i think my aunt susan took this picture.  she had it blown up, but it never got framed.

i think it's in the garage.

i loved this motorcycle.  james had a electric 4wheeler and we would race.

jon was too cool to play with us.

i played softball until my senior year.  

i loved it.  

notice the perm i'm rocking?  don't be jealous.  

not everyone can look that awkward holding a bat and posing for a camera.

waiting on james to be done with his piano lessons.

i was his chauffeur.

on top of the eiffel tower.  

that's paris behind me people.  paris.  

incidentally, my camera broke right after this picture was taken.

my first cruise, courtesy of my mom and dad.

safety first!

i got married to my best friend.

he completes me. hehe :)

i finally finished school.  finally.

soaking up the sun.  after going to school that long, it was well deserved.

i got pregnant

i had a baby.  actually, i never went thru the 'birthing' process.

they came in and said, 'you're going to have a c-section.'

they wheeled me in a room and surgically removed him.

never even felt a contraction.  never.

from what i hear, that's the way to go :)

and there you go, the past 25+5 years wrapped up in pictures.  now i'm going to go crawl under a rock and hide for a while.  i'll let you know when i come out...

5 months and counting

I'm having a bit of a hard time coming to the realization that I'll soon have a 6 month old child.  When Luke was born, I saw this fragile little being and couldn't imagine him being anything but.  And now, 5 1/2 months later, I see this little boy, exploring the world around him, trying with all his might to crawl and I can't imagine him being that little fragile boy where he started.  I adore his spirit and determination.  I look back at his newborn pictures and can't believe we've come so far so fast.  I just hope he stays little for a while longer :)

5 months

natural pacifier

cooking with daddy

strong boy

beautiful baby

new pajamas make for a happy boy!

push ups :)

Letter to Baby

Baby Luke,

You are 5 (FIVE!!) months old today, and I can't believe that you're creeping up on that 1/2 year mark.  You are growing and slowly catching up to your peers.  You are (at last check) 12 lbs 13 oz and 24 inches long.  This puts you in the 25th percentile, which is really amazing, considering you weren't even on the charts at birth.  I can't wait to see where the next month takes you!

You roll over all.the.time.  I turn around and you're on your tummy.  You've only rolled back over twice, but that was just pure accident on your part.  You hold your head up so well, but then you get tired and mad, so we put you on your back again.  Then we turn around and you're back on your tummy.  You're sneaky like that :)

You've slept through the night a few times.  You actually slept through the night for a couple of weeks, but lately, you like getting up and playing for a bit in the middle of the night.  You think it's great to have a midnight snack and play time.  Us, not so much.  One time you even slept for 11.5 hours straight.  It was glorious.  When do you plan on doing that again?

You are well traveled now.  We've gone to visit Grandma and Grandpa in NWA and to Branson.  You don't mind so much the car trip as long as we can stop every once in a while and let you stretch.  You also like to be entertained, so either dad or I will sit in the back to play with you.  What can I say, you're pretty demanding!

You have definitely found your voice.  And your hands.  If you aren't talking, you have two fingers and a thumb in your mouth.  Sometimes you have 2 fingers and a thumb in your mouth while you are talking.  You are so great at multi-tasking!  Dad and I love listening to you talk.  It's too sweet!

You love playing on your floor mat and you've figured out how to pull and shake and wobble the toys that hang above you.  As a matter of fact, you're playing on that mat as I type this, talking and playing with the little lion hanging above you.  I just love the conversation you're having.

I love the way you squirm when you're fighting sleep.  I love the way you stretch after being un-swaddled.  I adore the way you look up at me with those big eyes in the morning and smile.  That melts my heart.  I fall head over heels for you every time you lay your head on my shoulder and sigh.  I love the way you giggle, especially since you save those giggles for your mom and dad.  The way you flirt makes my heart skip a beat and when you're serious I can't help but wonder what you're thinking.

We treasure every moment spent with you.
And we love you more than you will ever know.
Mom and Dad

first father's day

Today is Chris' first father's day!  So far we've enjoyed a yummy breakfast and church.  We are headed to celebrate father's day with my brother and parents soon, but just wanted to share a few pictures of Chris on this very special day!

He was such a great guinea pig!

ooohhh....awwww....

vegas, baby!

it was 'this big!'

moments before becoming a father.  he barely made it in the OR!

first father son picture

daddy and luke

And to my amazing dad - I love you!  Thank you for being so supportive!  I love being your daughter!

To Jim - you taught Chris so many things about being a good husband/father, just by the example you set.  We love you!

To Jon - I loved growing up with you and the relationship we have!  You're an awesome big brother and we love you!

Happy Father's Day!!!