Category: Luke

It’s been awhile since I’ve written a Mr. Boy post. Maybe it’s because I’ve been in a state of utter exhaustion for the past 5 months. Anyhow, here’s the 15, 16, 17 month update. . . just for the record.
This whole stage of Mr. Boy’s life can pretty much be summed up with two words: wheels obsession. What can I say? The child is over-the-moon in love with cars, trucks, and  pretty much anything else that has wheels. He even shows a preference for clothes that have trucks, cars, or tractors on them. It’s hilarious.

Next to “all things wheels,” I would say that books are his second love. L LOVES to look at books, and he loves for me to read to him. Some of my favorite times with him are spent sitting in his rocking chair reading a story. There’s really no point in picking up his books off the floor at the end of the day because he pulls them ALL off the shelf every single day and looks through many of them on his own while I”m drying my hair or folding laundry, etc.

Lately, he’s started picking out which book he wants to read before nap/bedtime and bringing it to me in the rocker. Current favorites are The Little Blue Truck and The Goodnight Train {wheels of course}. He also likes to take a book with him to his crib to look at before he falls asleep.

L is a true mama’s boy. If something upsets him, he wants nobody but his mama. I’m eating this up while it lasts. At the same time, he loves his daddy to pieces and gets so excited when Adam walks in the door at the end of the day. Every time my phone rings or I get a text, he says, “Da-Da!?!” He also recognizes and loves all of his grandparents, Aunt Jenny & Uncle Will, and “Aunt” Chritty, Jackson, & Mae-Mae.He’s truly “all boy” and into EVERYTHING, but he’s also got a very tender, loving nature. L “gives love” by putting his thumb in his mouth and nuzzling his head against who or whatever he’s loving. He does this to dogs {even animals in books}, us, and “baby bubba.” We can ask, “where’s baby bubba?” and he will come up to me, touch my stomach, and try to look under my shirt. Then, we can tell him to “give bubba love” and he will lean down and snuggle his head against my stomach.  I realize he has not a clue of what’s to come in June, but he associates the word “bubba” with my tummy, which I find endearing.

{Speaking of “bubba,” I think we have almost decided on a name. I just haven’t quiiiite fully committed yet. It’s a big decision, and it takes us a while to agree and then actually commit!}
At his 15 mo check-up {actually around 16 mos}, L weighed in at 21.2 pounds {10-25%} and was 31 inches long {50%}. He finally took off and started walking on his own between 15 and 16 months. He gets faster every day.
Still sleeping and eating like a champ. Loves to watch The Adventures of Chuck and Friends, a cute cartoon about a little red truck named Chuck. He gets SO excited and starts making his “truck” sound every time we turn it on.

This month, the Lord was SO gracious to protect L despite a big tumble down the stairs. The fall resulted in a bad bruise on his forehead and a scratched, bleeding nose. We had to make a trip to the ER, and he had to have a CT scan to make sure all was ok internally. Praise God for a normal report. This incident made us so aware of all the potential danger around our son. It made us grateful for his protection, his health, and every day we get to spend with him and care for him. What a timely reminder that Luke isn’t really ours. God has graciously entrusted him to us for a season that we may care for him and instruct him in truth. Our prayer is that we may be found faithful in this joyous, albeit challenging, task.

We’re so thankful for each precious season with our rumbling, tumbling little Mr. Boy!

Even though we’ve said goodbye to the dreaded monthly photo shoots in the rocking chair, I still want to document a few things about our little 13-month-old-Mr. Boy. Plus, from time to time, I like to dump some of my favorite iphone pics on the blog in case, God forbid, I ever drop my phone in a toilet or something. It’s a miracle this has never happened. Knock on wood.

At 13 months, Mr. Boy is OBSESSED with lights. He points to them in every store and restaurant and says “ight, ight, ight.” When we go in to get him from his crib, he’s usually standing, pointing to the two lamps on top of his bookshelves. He squeals and says “ight” until we turn them on. Then, he grins like you’ve never seen.

Most days he wakes up really happy.

But other days, he wakes up on the wrong side of the crib.

And on those days, we snuggle and watch some Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. It’s wise to let Grumpy get a little more rest because meals can be difficult enough without anyone being in a mood. At the one year mark, Mr. Boy started getting pickier about what he will eat. Things he once seemed to love, he won’t touch. He still REFUSES deli meat and pretty much all meat unless it’s hidden. He loves cheese and most fruits and veggies. He loves to squeal “ot, ot, ot” {hot} anytime I pull something out of the microwave or oven. He loves to repeatedly throw food and sippy cup on the floor during meals. Unfortunately, pops on the hand don’t seem to be conveying the message that this is a no-no.

Still not much interest in walking on his own. He enjoys walking while we hold his hands or pushing the bottom part of his stroller. He can stand on his own, but {usually} he refuses to do it. He had fun at the Wild West fall festival at Southern this year.

L always has fun with his boy Jacks, despite the fact that Christy and I sometimes drag them through the absolute insanity that is Forever 21. . . and numerous other stores at the mall. Bless their hearts. Looks like it really bothers them, doesn’t it?
The zoo is a better option for little guys. Monkeys are definitely more fascinating than manikins. As they should be.

{Doesn’t L look like such a little boy, rather than a baby, in those shoes?!? Tears . . .}

{I’m still refusing to cut his hair, by the way.}

We’re enjoying football season. Ok, that’s a lie. We’re enjoying dressing for football season. Though it’s sad to admit, Adam works most Saturdays, which means that I rarely even turn the games on. I realize this is unimaginable to some of you, but admittedly, I went to football games in college to socialize and people-watch and wear something cute in orange and blue. And now I watch football games on TV when there’s a party or food or family involved. Or when Adam’s home and all into it. Or when it’s a big game that I care about. Subtract these factors and football just doesn’t do it for me. I realize this is southern football blasphemy. Seriously. I don’t even belong in my family of intense football people.

Regardless, we wear our team colors. Most Saturdays, we wear orange and blue . . .

{He’s changed so much in a year!}

But every now and then we wear purple and gold for Doc-Doc, Aunt Jenny, and Uncle Will. We love J-J dearly, but we just can’t bring ourselves to wear that crimson and white.

I walked outside one day, and Adam had Mr. Boy perched in the back of the car amongst  all his army gear. I thought it was a cute photo opp.
Mr. Boy LOVES to look at books and have stories read to him. And he loves a good swing . . .
 Loves being outside.

And I think he may even have a little bit of his mama in him 🙂 . . .

Mr. Boy will still put his head on my shoulder and snuggle. He’ll still let me rock him for a few minutes before bed. I’m hanging onto those things as long as I can.

Mr. Boy does this funny little laugh any time he really likes what he’s eating. He’s done it for a long time, but I finally got it on video. It cracks us up every. single. time.

I made a few one-year photos of Mr. Boy that I wanted to share.

We’re planning to have an actual professional make some family photos later in the fall when the leaves change, but I wanted to attempt a few good shots at Mr. Boy’s one year mark. You know, maybe score a few framers.

{Because, like I said, we just don’t have enough pictures of him}

{I’m hoping you’re catching the sarcasm.}

And. . . it was an act of congress. Fortunately, Mr. Boy was quite mesmerized by cars whizzing by on the street. That kept him still for a hot second. Or two.

L’s precious outfit was a gift from his girl Ama-Watts. I think her sweet mom helped her pick it out :). It is so special to me because it will always remind me of them.

Mom said that these pictures remind her of a young Brit roaming the English countryside. . .

{Hark! A lark!}

And I can see that. 

He most definitely is our little explorer. And he most definitely has our hearts.

Lukie Bear,

It’s hard for me to believe that our first year together is complete. It felt like such a fast year. It was certainly a year full of great grace as our little family adjusted to a new normal and your daddy and I started figuring out how to be parents. All glory, praise, and thanks go to our Father for sustaining us through this first year. He was ever faithful to bring us through the challenges and abundantly kind to allow us so much joy in the journey. 

When I look back, I’m amazed at how far you’ve come.

After you were born, we called you our little “burrito baby” because you were swaddled so often. You were powerless to do anything but sleep, cry, eat, pee, and poop. Now, you’re our “wild man,” ALWAYS on the move! You love to crawl  and climb. You love an obstacle like stairs. You’re not too interested in walking yet, but you are definitely strong enough when you finally decide you’re ready. You love to “cruise” with your motorcycle from Doc and J. 

When you were born, you weighed 7lbs, 9 oz. and were 21 1/2 inches long. A year later, you weigh in at 19 lb, 10 0z (10th percentile) and are 30 1/4 inches long (50-75th percentile). You’re definitely not the biggest kid on the block {as your pediatrician says}, but it’s amazing to look back and see how much you’ve grown and changed in a year. We are so thankful for a healthy, growing boy. 

We’re a little surprised that you’re not bigger than you are because you’re eating us out of house and home. I can’t even imagine what our grocery bill will be like during your teen years. You’ve pretty much transitioned to all adult/finger foods. You are not picky, and that makes a mama happy. Some of your favorite foods are fruit {any and every kind but especially bananas and blueberries}, green beans, squash and zucchini, pasta, bread, and black beans. The only thing that I just can’t get you to eat is meat. I often hide turkey and ham inside penne pasta and between bread and cheese to get you to eat it. It’s amazing to think that 12 short months ago, you only needed milk to sustain you. 

Speaking of milk, you were officially weaned around 11 1/2 months! After a year of pretty much never taking a bottle, THIS WAS A MAJOR!!!!! The weaning process started out a little rough. When we cut down from four feedings a day to two, you were not too happy. You pitched some fits and threw your sippy cup away, etc. It was hard for a brief time, but I was determined that we were going to have you weaned by 1. After a few days, I think you accepted the fact that you were saying goodbye to nursing. Surprisingly, it was very easy to drop the other two feedings (morning and night). One night, you just didn’t try to nurse. So, I read you a story and put you in your crib without initiating it. You did fine, and I had a {very brief} moment of sadness that we ended it so abruptly. All in all, the process was pretty smooth. It has taken you several weeks to adjust to whole milk. You refused it for at least 2 weeks, but I was persistent in offering it, and you’ve finally warmed up and started drinking it pretty well. 

You are spirited and full of personality. You love to laugh and be silly. You have the most vivid facial expression. In all these ways, you remind me of your daddy. You love for us to chase you and tickle you and play with you. Yo do some “furious playing” as Doc-Doc says. You are a busy, busy boy. Favorite things to do are pushing trucks {particularly your Tonka truck}, cruising with your motorcycle, throwing your ball, and looking through your books. You also LOVE watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse when Mama gets desperate. 

You are strong-willed, and you are already testing the waters! You most definitely understand what “NO” means, but you don’t always obey. You test me most during meal-time by throwing your food and your cup {sometimes just to see what I’ll do about it}. You’ve already had to have some mild “discipline.” It’s not fun for either of us, but it is an act of necessity and love. We believe that if you learn the importance of obeying Mama and Daddy, it will be much easier for you to learn to obey and accept the authority of your heavenly Father. 

You love to talk. Most of your sounds are just babbling, but we’ve heard you say, Ma-Ma, Da-Da, Duck {your favorite animal}, Doc, Bye-Bye {die-die}, na-na, and ba-ba at times throughout the month. 

You are such a loving child, especially with me. In this first year of your life, we have not been apart for more than a few hours at a time, and I feel like we have grown such a close bond. You sort of replaced weaning with {brief} snuggling. Right before I put you to bed and right after I get you up, you love to put your head down on my shoulder and suck your thumb. Sometimes we even rock for a few minutes before you’re ready to rumble. I treasure these times when I can cuddle and hug and kiss you. I know all too well that it won’t be like this for long. 

I love seeing and hearing the signs of your active little life all over our home–little handprints smudged on the mirrors and glass door, squeals of delight and laughter during bath time with daddy, books scattered everywhere, toys strewn about. Every little shirt I stain treat and every BIG mess I pick up serves as a reminder that you are alive and very well. And for that I am so grateful. 

Luke, we recognize that you belong to the Lord. Your days and your steps are in His hands. We have been give the awesome privilege of caring for you and shepherding your little heart for a season, and this brings us unbelievable joy. We pray for many, many more years together. But we also pray that we would always hold you with open hands and open hearts, gladly allowing the Lord to use your precious life for His purposes and His glory in whatever way He sees fit. Most of all, we pray that He would receive glory by bringing regenerative life to your little heart and giving you the gift of faith in Jesus. 

Happy 1st birthday, my sweet boy. I hope you always know how much your Mama loves and cherishes you!

I have mixed emotions regarding the rapidly approaching first birthday. That said, I do not have mixed emotions regarding the ending of the monthly photo shoots in the rocking chair. The fact that we only have two left brings me only joy. What seemed like such a cute idea when I had a fragile little one-month-old propped gingerly against the pillow, has become a nightmare now that I have wiggling 10-month- old who refuses to sit still for even one teeny, tiny second.

Things started out ok. He had his super cool little silver flashlight to play with.

But there was too much exposure, and it took me a second to play with my camera and try to get the lighting right.

The flashlight got old. Fast. All he wanted to do was wiggle his way right out of that confining chair.

So, I sat him back up for more pictures. . . and he got a bit ticked. . .

Then, he just entered total meltdown mode.

And that was the end of the 10 month photo shoot :).

Despite the occasional meltdown or two, this is such a fun age!

{Do I say that every month? Probably.}

A few things to remember:

-Constantly babbling! Saying, “da-da, nana, dye-dye {bye-bye}” and lots of other talking sounds that I can’t really describe.

-Waving bye-bye {but only when it’s his idea}.

-Crawling at increased speeds. Loves to be chased as he scoots away as fast as possible. Tries to crawl away in the middle of every diaper change, but it’s hard to be too frustrated watching that cute little naked booty scurry away.

-Pulling up to his feet in the crib, at the coffee table, and anywhere else he can.

– The boy can put away some food! Eating baby food and finger foods. A few favorites are bananas, grapes, blueberries, peas, cheerios and any type of bread. He’s not so keen on green beans or deli turkey/chicken.

-Still nursing {usually} 4 times a day. We’ve made zero progress with weaning. With all the craziness lately, I think he really wants that security. Did great with the sippy cup for a while, but now he’s acting very uninterested again.

-Sleeping all night. Two naps a day.

-12 month clothes.

-No more teeth.

-Met a new friend this month. We are so thankful that Maeleigh Ann Tarver is finally home with Ben and Christy! We have prayed for her for so long.

-Mr. Boy went on his fourth and fifth flights {to and from CO}. On the way home, he even had his own seat. He did much better with his own space.

-He enjoyed some good cousin time.

Happy 10 months, Baby Boy! You bring us SO much joy!