Letter to Baby

Dear Luke,

Happy 17 months old!  You're one month away from being a year and a half old, and I'm not prepared.  I'm not prepared at all.  Let's let this month slow down a little so we can enjoy this 17 month mark.  There's no rush to move on to 18 months, OK?

These past few days have been challenging.  We think you're cutting some molars, and that's making life very difficult for you, and for your parents.  One day you're running a fever of 103 and the next day the fever is gone, but it's attitude city.  When you get your way, you're fine.  If you trip over your feet, it's meltdown city.  And heaven help us if your hungry/thirsty/tired.  It's just a roller coaster of emotions for you right now.  I wish there were more to do for you, other than give you Tylenol, teething tabs, or anything else for that matter.

We're trying to get you to talk more, but if you don't have a passy in your mouth, again, it's meltdown city.  On the off chance you'll give up the passy, we can get you to verbalize a little more, but no new words...yet.  We've been working on 'choo choo', 'ball', and 'up'.  Although, you can rawr when asked what sound a dinosaur makes, and you say 'oof' when asked what sound a doggy makes.  You also can blow on your food if it's too hot.

You love making piles.  You pile all your food to one side in like categories, you pile your laundry in and out of the basket as well as your blocks, and you love to pile your books from the night stand to the bookcase and vice versa.  If one sippy cup falls, you knock the other over.  I think you have a little OCD in you - and you come by it honestly.  Your dad organizes his t-shirts by color :).

You have learned to jump, which basically means your feet stay planted on the floor and you bounce up and down.  It's too cute to watch!  Also, you love to stomp your feet and try to get us to imitate you.  You dance when music comes on.  You've gotten to where you absolutely hate riding in the car.  The shortest car ride can bring the biggest tantrum.  And we never know how the car ride is going to go, so we're trying to be more and more prepared with your favorite things.  I think we're going to have to invest in some Mickey Mouse Clubhouse DVDs for the DVD player for longer trips.

You are getting so smart!  You know how to push the buttons on your Elmo night-night book, you know how to throw away trash (and any other random object for that matter), and you're trying so hard to put your shoes on all by yourself.  I love watching you problem solve.  Also, you can point to mommy and daddy in pictures.  Makes my heart melt a little!

We had your first zoo trip this weekend.  It was hot, and you were tired, and you were pretty indifferent to the animals.  But, we loved taking you and hope to do it again next year, and maybe you'll be more into it.  We also had your first family reunion this weekend.  You got to see a lot of your family from Illinois and Georgia, but also your cousins and great aunts and uncles that we see every Christmas, if not more often.  You're a little flirt and know how to mooch off of others plates.  Your little personality is pretty contagious and people just love watching you.  We love that about you!

We love you little guy.  To the moon and back.
Mom and Dad