Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Quick Update

I haven't updated on Luke's development lately, so I just wanted to note some of his new skills.

I'm pretty sure he understands almost everything we say. When we tell him "let's go change your diaper" he gets up and walks right back to his room. When we tell him it's time for a bath he walks right to the bathroom. When we tell him it's time to go night-night he either pokes out his lip and runs for Daddy (he always thinks Tommy is going to save him) or if he's really tired he walks right back to his room and stands next to his crib :)

He is saying lots of new things like "thank you." The cutest thing he does with this is when he's disobeying and I tell him "don't touch that!" or "bring that to Mommy right now!" or "put that down!" he'll get a startled look on his face and say "thank you" because he's used to me always telling him thank you when he stops doing whatever he's not supposed to be doing. :) It's SO cute! He also says uh-oh, bye bye, wooooooow, right back... I think that's all. I'm sure I'm leaving something out.

When you tell him to "JUMP!" he makes a motion like he's jumping- knees bent, then springs up with his arms in the air, but he never actually leaves the floor. If you tell him to "get dizzy" he'll spin around a couple of times and then stagger around. I absolutely love his personality and love when he's silly and smiley all day long. He really likes to be home or at Grandma and Grandpa's. You take him out of his element and it takes a long time to get him warmed up. I'll have to work on that.

I'll have to post some videos soon. I've been slacking on the videos. I'll make sure to post some from Christmas.

Christmas Festivities!

I have been so terrible about taking pictures lately!! But, to recap our weekend, Sarah and Brad threw their annual "Drinks and Desserts" party on Saturday. Everyone brings a dessert and a cocktail to share, and it's always so much fun. Luke came and got to stay up way past his bedtime, and then crashed in Claire's crib because she was spending the night with her Nana. Luke and Tommy went home around midnight and I stayed and proved that I'm old and should retire from drinking. Forever. :)

Sunday morning we headed to my Aunt Miriam's for my Mom's side of the family Christmas Party. It was a brunch because that time seemed to work best for everyone. My Mom has 8 sisters and 4 brothers! They're spread out in several different states, so on Sunday only 6 of them were there, along with many of my cousins. One of my aunts converted lots of Christmas footage from years ago from VHS to DVD and we watched it and laughed and laughed. Mostly at our parents hair from the 90s, but my Christmas sweaters and scrunchies as a child were pretty horrendous. We left Aunt Mimmy's, went home for a couple of hours, and then headed to Indian Head for the Wood family Christmas party. This is Tommy's Mom's family. This was the only party where I took pictures!

Luke actually sat on Santa's lap! He wasn't crazy about it, but he didn't make a peep! Maybe it's because Daddy was with him this time.



opening his present from "Santa." Thanks, Natalie ;)


Krystal: I want a car.
Santa: Like a real car?
Krystal: Yes, like a real car. That I can drive.
Santa: I think you're sitting on the wrong lap!

Makenzie and Molly. Makenzie gave Santa a hug and told him "Thank you for bringing me dis."

My amazing boys


We were in Potomac Heights and during the party Santa came through on the fire truck with all of the ambulances in tow and Luke LOVED it. They came through our neighborhood earlier this month and I was at work and missed it, so I was SO happy to get to take him outside and watch them all go by. He was waving and pointing frantically.

So that was our big weekend! Way more to come this weekend! Hopefully I find my camera charger! (I know, I'm a total loser.) Can everyone please say a prayer that the snow stays away long enough for everyone to do their Christmas day traveling?! I would be pretty devastated if we couldn't make it down to my parents house.

Monday, December 6, 2010

November

Here's what's been going on since the last time I blogged...

Chrissie had a beautiful baby shower for Baby Calla who is due to arrive February 9th. Chrissie is my cousin Willie's wife and they live right down the street from us and are amazing neighbors and friends. I can't wait to meet the beautiful new baby!!

Luke and Aunt Bon Bon

Luke eating fruit- his favorite!

Bonnie, Chrissie, Lynsi, and Claire Bear

Baby Andrea- born 9/20 and is already laughing out loud!!

Chrissie and I with our signature faces- the serious and the excited


Just some adorable randoms of Luke playing in the leaves in my parents' backyard


Luke with some serious hat hair at his 15 month check up. He weighs 20 lbs, 12 oz (10th percentile) and is 29 1/2" tall (10th percentile.) He's definitely a little guy but Dr. Miller says he's not concerned at all. He said he looks great in all areas and that his picky eating sounds typical.

Then it was on to Thanksgiving. We started out at Tommy's sister's house for just a few minutes, then moved on to his Aunt Joann's house for a couple of hours, and then to our final destination, my Aunt Dot's house. I have been to Aunt Dot's for Thanksgiving for as long as I can remember.


Luke playing with his big cousin TJ

my wonderful Aunt Dot

beautiful sisters and Baby Luke

As soon as Thanksgiving was over, Venus/Mary/Lousie/any other suggestions? got a makeover for Christmas. Sorry the picture is so blurry, but I was trying to take it really fast just in case the neighbors saw me being a stalkerazzi...

she's wearing some sort of light airy red fabric with a large spray of greenery and holly attached to her midsection

On the Sunday after Thanksgiving we went to the Festival of Trees at the Jaycees Hall. It's a fundraiser for Hospice and we always went as children and we took Luke last year, so I think I'll make it a tradition like my Mom did with us.

Luke LOVED the train set that was set up. He's looking at it in these pictures

He actually sat still for "Storytime with Santa" for a few minutes on Megan's lap. He kept waving at us.

Luke and I with some of the beautiful trees!

But he did NOT want to sit on Santa's lap!

I also tried the Santa at the mall. He's just not a fan this year.

Then, this past weekend was our trip to Ocean City with some of the other Blogger Moms! It was quite the whirlwind. We got on the road after dinner around 8? Friday night and arrived a little after 11 with some WIRED kids. They had been in the car for so long and they needed to run off some energy. We got up early the next morning and went shopping all day. All of the kids were awesome! They stayed in their strollers almost all day with no meltdowns at all.

This was in Carter's, our very last stop. I had let Luke out to run around and had just scooped him back up to put him in his stroller. He is NOT happy.

the Baby Brigade making our way across the parking lot. I felt bad for people who opened doors for us to come out of the stores... and then four of us with strollers came rolling through :)

We got back to the house after our day of shopping and had a couple hours of downtime before we headed to Winterfest of Lights. It was VERY cold and the babies got VERY heavy and were not VERY interested in the lights at all :) I think they were all too young for it.

Luke in his completely random outfit- onesie and fleece pants with dinosaur footie pajamas on top, grayish green hoodie, blue and red coat, green dinosaur hat. He kind of looked homeless.


Brandy and Sweet Ryder

Nicki and Sassy Mikayla

Jelena and Cuddly Owen. Well, he doesn't look so cuddly here.


and Lindsay and Pretty Emma met us!

We got up early the next morning and cleaned up and headed out. The boys crashed on the way home.


I had a great time with everyone and told Brandy this is probably the last time we'll be able to do this with so many people having more kids now! It was hard enough with one parent for each child. Once more people have multiple kids, we won't have the manpower or the space!

Luke was really good all weekend, but did have his pacifier in his mouth pretty much all weekend. He was really clingy and literally as soon as I put him down when we got home he was a different kid. We walked in the kitchen and I put him down and he just let out this little giggle and started running around and playing. I think he really just doesn't like to be taken out of his comfort zone! Thanks so much ladies for making the trip with me!

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Just a Couple Things...

First of all, please pray for Tommy's sister Sherri and her family. Sherri lost her husband Jeff on Monday when he lost a battle against aggressive cancer at just 42 years old. Sherri has two children, Krystal and Hunter, who thought of Jeff as their father, and Jeff has two children, Derrekk and Darlyn who have lost their father very, very young. They need all the support they can get to make it through this terrible time.

Secondly, next week is drop-off week for Operation Christmas Child. If you're interested in packing a shoe box for a child in need, check out their website here. They're a great Christian organization who brings the message of Christ along with a shoe box full of toys and goodies to children all over the world.

And, finally, Chrissie took some Christmas pictures for us today. I wanted to get it done early before the holidays get too crazy. Here's a couple adorable ones of our boy.


Sunday, October 31, 2010

Halloween, Part 2

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We were visited by the beautiful Katie and Claire butterflies

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Luke did not want to keep his hands out of the candy bowl!

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Alexa visited with her Mommy and Daddy and told us “HI!” and “thank you!”

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we had mummy dogs for dinner

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and Luke double fisted his french fry in one hand and cereal bar from Princess Alexa in the other.

It’s been a great Halloween so far! It’s 7:30 and we’ve had about 50 trick or treaters so far. Luke loves standing at the door watching the kids walk up. He’ll be going to bed very soon. He’s had a long day. Hope you’re all having a great holiday!

Fall/Halloween Pictures

Chrissie came over today to take some updated pictures of Luke and us.  I love them!! 

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I can’t wait for the trick-or-treaters to start showing up!!