Letter to Baby

Dear Luke,

19 months old.  More than a year and a half, not quite 2, but getting closer with every passing moment.  Once again, the past month has completely gone way too fast.  Hmmph.

We are so amazed at all you can do!  You can hold your finger up when you are asked how old you are.  You love to run, run, run!  You can show your muscles and you jump!  You can get on and off the couch all by yourself.  You follow directions (your receptive vocabulary is amazing!) and you are a complete master of getting us to follow your directions as well.  And, as of this morning, we learned you can walk down the front steps of the house without any assistance!  Whoa, baby!  Slow down!

You have finally really learned to say 'dada'.  It's been there for a while, but now you use it appropriately and we can understand that that's really what you are saying.  In the morning, when I get you up, you say 'Mama?'  I reply, 'Yes, buddy'  and you say 'Uh, dada?'  'Dada's at work' in which that gives you a cue to start the whole conversation over again.  You can make the sound of a car or truck and a dog, too, say 'bye' and wave, say 'otto' (mrs. kristin's hubby) and 'm' and 'pa'.  We're working on grandma and grandpa, but those two syllable words are a little tougher.  And you blow kisses!  It's the sweetest thing!  You also know how to raise your hands when we call the hogs!  Smart boy :)

And Luke, it is a fight every.single.time we need to change your diaper.  You run away from us until we get you cornered.  And once we finally get hold of you, you kick, squirm, cry, hit and make changing your diaper much longer than needed.  We've joked about getting you a changing table complete with a baby straight jacket.  Also, you used to run to the bathroom every time you heard the bath water, but now you cry and run away and we have to pry you off of us to get you in the dang tub!  What's up with that little man?

You love being outside and running up and down the driveway, stepping up and down off the curb and pushing your big Tonka truck up and down the street.  And you love love love the swing in the backyard.  A day or two ago, your dad was pushing you in it and you almost fell asleep in it.  It's a fight to get you out of it - but it's worth that fight to see you enjoy swinging so much. 

You are using a fork and spoon more and more, but you absolutely refuse to put your food on the fork.  No matter how hard we try, you refuse to eat unless we put your food on the fork and hand it to you so you can feed yourself.  It's getting out of control.  But like I said, you're a master at getting us to follow your directions.  And sometimes, we just have to pick our battles.  You still won't eat hot dogs anymore and if we try to give you a vegetable, you refuse.  We used to be able to hide it amongst a chicken nugget or fish stick and sneak it in.  Now, if on rare occsasion we do actually get a veggie on your fork and get it in your mouth, you spit it out.  But that doesn't keep us from trying.  You'll learn to eat your veggies if it's the last thing I do!

We love each and every day we have with you, dear son.  We love seeing you learn and explore.  Can't wait to see what the next month brings.  Who knows?  Maybe you'll start behaving when it's time to change your diaper. 

Love, always.
Mom and Dad