A Williams Family Christmas

We had the joy of celebrating Christmas early with Andy's parents this weekend. They made a quick trip down to visit and spoil not only Luke but us as well. Unfortunately the day they arrived was also the first day of Luke's latest sickness. I had a suspicion something was up the day before when he wasn't acting like his music loving self in Kindermusik class, but the give away was his reluctance to let go of me to join in the crazy kid play of the gym daycare, when just the day before I couldn't get him down from the jungle gym thingy to leave. I thought maybe we were just dealing with another rough teething time. Until the cough and fever came the first of only three nights of Mamaw and Papaw's short visit. The following day his fever spiked to 103.6 and we had to cut our trip to ToysRus short and instead spend the afternoon in the doctor's office. But thankfully, "its just another cold, albiet terrible sounding and green, he should be feeling better by Monday". He was definitely miserable, and couldn't care less about toys... But lo and behold, by Sunday, just in time to open some new toys, he was feeling better enough tear off the wrapping paper and explore them all with delight. Although he is still not back to his happy healthy self, and now I am feeling it too, we had a great early Williams Family Christmas and we are thankful for the opportunity to celebrate with a special visit from Mamaw and Papaw.

Here comes Santa Claus

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Here comes santa claus riding an F-15!!
Today was our Tyndall Ops Group Children's Christmas party, and Andy had the honorable duty of flying dear Old St. Nick down all the way from the north pole to visit the HUNDREDS of kids there to meet him. And i should the mention they brought along the burr cold weather with them. Well, to be honest is was only 50' or so, but by now by blood is used to nothing but hot and humid and has reached a very high freezing point. Nonetheless it felt like Christmas is coming. Joyful!
Luke had lots of fun, running around with some other kids, bouncing in the giant blow-ups, decorating cards and cookies. Oh, and watching daddy fly in santa!!

Little Pool Boy

We spent the week visiting Andy's family in St. Pete for our Nephew Jaxson's 7th and Niece Jaeci's 2nd Birthday.... Happy Birthday Burneys!!!
Much of the week was spent in the pool. Luke has always loved the water, so it was no surprise he had a great time playing with the rest of the boys: Dad, Uncle A, Jaxson, and Papaw. However, we were a bit surprised in his eager fearlessness to jump in.(well, actually with the lack of any lift, it looks more like a walk in) But, He didn't even seem concerned whether or not there was someone right there to catch him; a few times purposely walking in away from us. I am glad he had so much fun doing so- but the lack of caution just kinda makes Moma nervous...
We all had a wonderfully relaxing time catching up with family and enjoying sunny Florida's October weather.

A Halloween Treat

Luke made the most adorable little train conductor this year for halloween.We got to enjoy the trick or treating a little too. He started off slow, but learned quickly that his pumpkin bucket was collecting treats. At grandmas house, we made a circle of her neighborhood loop, then spent the rest of the night passing out treats to all the other kids. Luke got in on this too, again slowly at first, but he quickly picked up on sharing his treats. But first he would take a long stare at the costumes, I can only imagine what he thought of it all. It was a fun and very memorable halloween. Trick or Treat!

Its that Time again....

Time to catch up: Luke is now an 18-month old- the age itself is a big milestone, and it is also a big fat reminder of my lack of tracking- the last few months have flown by with few pictures, and zero blogging, yet so much has happened, just where have the days gone!?

At 18 months Luke:

• uses words almost solely to communicate- which is such a turning point in the child-parent relationship omygosh! Its great, we can actually have conversations- well, in toddler terms, but hey its better than the brain cells dying daily one-sided conversations characterized by your first year of SAHMotherhood! Plus now I don't feel quite as silly explaining the most mundane tasks and observations out loud like I used to- no, but now I do find myself sounding silly when shortening and repeating this things in ways he can imitate.
  
• is Running!! he's been working up the speed for this one a while now- its fun to watch how excited running makes him. He will literally run from one side of the room to the next, back and forth, back and forth, tagging the doors on each end.


• has mastered matching items in the look and find books, ask where an object is and the kid doesn't need to look twice. and yes i tried new books, give him one chance and its mastered. its a good thing he doesn't mind looking at the same books over and over again!
  
• LOVES 'buggies'- bugs- carries as many as he can fit in his hand around with him- sometimes even to naptime- lets all thank god that they are of the plastic variety, for now. (as a sidenote- this is funny to me- because i was actually one of those moms who tried to get my kd to like his blanket, pacifier, stuffed animal, or something to 'love' when he needed a little extra comfort and mommy couldn't be there-say, like at midnight, but no, none of these things were as cool as bugs!) Guess we're better off this way.


• is learning to color, and he seems to really enjoy it, usually at the gym daycare while the big kids are all sitting around doing it. Its actually quite cute to watch. I have been very thankful that he enjoys being at the daycare period, but lately it has been harder to get him to leave!


• is now fully using the word "mine". it is those older kids at Daycare that have taught my otherwise more passive, gentle little boy to demand what is "MINE!" - no really, i literally saw a 4 year old teaching him how to say it. Its inevitable i know, but geez kids.
  
• is currently adding 8 new teeth to his mouth. 4 of which are molars and are almost through, the other 4 are both upper and lower incisors. Ouch! and you can see the pain take over, turning an otherwise sweet boy into a little teething monster. poor guy.
• Still hanging out at 24lbs, he's grown an inch up to 32in, My Little Luke is becoming a big big boy.

"I See You!"

August 31, 2009 -16 months 3 wks:

Luke said his first 'sentence', complete with noun and verb!
"I see you". and he continues to use it... with prompting.
Yeay Lukester. I am so proud of you- my own personal recorder.

16 months

After 16 months Luke is full of even more personality, charm, humor, and energy.
Luke has learned and loves to do many new things month:

• blow his own bubbles


• fly an airplane (pretends of course, with airplane sounds)
  
• dance like his Daddy
• copy anything and everything you do or say


• test his limits and see what reaction he'll get
• eats well on his own with spoon and fork


• chase frogs


• point to and name things he knows: birds, airplanes, cars, trains, all his body parts, animals, objects, and pictures


• say "Heywo" to EVERYONE, he loves attention from all and hasn't the least bit of stranger anxiety


• 'talk' on the phone or anything that looks like it could be used as a phone


• pound out some "Nugs"- something he has been capable of doing for a while- but this month he has been more of the initiater- without any prompting he'll offer up some "Nuh"
• asks for kisses, again all on his own, such a sweet boy.


• laugh- at you, at himself, and sometimes just for the sake of hearing laughter.... something his Mamaw taught him which he still does with delight. its infectious.


• follow directions or requests-eagerly.... mommy likes this.
  
• Answers questions with a sweet drawn out almost southern "Yeeaah"


• watch "momo": movies
  
• wash his hands


• count to three


• play ball- kick, hit, and throw balls-every -single- ball- he owns- particulary into the kitchen


• push toys, cars, carts, strollers, his lawnmower, and anything else he can move- for miles.



• being a big boy doing boy typical things, and sharing in these with his Dad.

Take Me Home Mountain Road.....

Luke made his first trip to West Virginia to see where Daddy grew up. The Trip went great-thankfully- I honestly feared the airplane rides with our boy who wants to walk all on his own everywhere. But he did so good. He had already been noticing airplanes flying in the sky, pointing them out constantly and always before we notice them. So he was saying "Airplane!" non-stop while at the airport, and Daddy had fun telling him all about what the airplanes were doing. It was cute.

WV is a beautiful place, roaming hills, big trees, and old homes mark the landscape in a way that almost makes you feel like you are taking a glimpse back in time, especially for Andy. He enjoyed catching up with some old friends, family, and sharing it all with Luke. It was special for Luke to be and play in the home where Andy grew up, he even played with some of Daddy's old toys. We spent a lot of time outside enjoying the warm summer sun, a much appreciated milder heat than here in Fl. where we instantly melt or burn ALL summer long.

One of those warm days was spent at the little lake house, where Luke experienced his first paddleboat ride, and by the look on his face I don't think he knew what to think. But he definitely had a good time splashing around in the baby pool and throwing rocks in the water.

Luke was one of the boys, throwing balls, crashing cars, and throwing rocks in the creek. He pounded out some nugs for them all, and took really well to everyone, except maybe the friendly but big golden retrievers. We are thankful for the quality time spent with his Mamaw and Papaw Williams.

Peek-a-boo at the Park

You made it Uncle A. .

A few more Firsts

This week was marked by a few more firsts for our little man....

1. Luke got to stick his hands in paint and get creative for the first time. While at a friends house, we broke out the paints so the boys could go to town using their uninhibited artistic skills on a big ol' box. The box turned out to be a masterpiece, and so did Lukes Face.

He really did like it although you can't see that joy in his warpainted face.

2. Luke loves to ride those toy cars... but he has yet to ride an actual bike or tricycle. I think it was first time he had even seen a tricycle, and he could hardly contain himself he wanted to ride it so badly. Well, actually he seemed to enjoy pushing big boy A on it even more. I think we know what he will be getting from Santa.

3. In honor of all firsts- Luke can now say 'one' as in "How old are you, Luke?"... He has also picked up on the "one, two, three" sequence we often use while gearing up for bed body slams- which he can not get enough of- he will ask to be thrown by saying- "one, two... please"! Boys!

4. This one we shouldn't be so proud of, but I will tell you oh so understanding fellow parents anyway...... Luke said his first curse word, and it had to be the big F-bomb!! Yes, it was all my fault.... but he is such a fast learner!:)

The First Hair Cut

This weekend we finally took the scissors to Luke's baby hair. His hair is still baby thin and all uneven- it seems to grow in a natural mohawk/mullet pattern- long on top and in the back, coming together to form a peak of bangs on his forhead.

So we used the little clippers and gave our rebel looking child a proper haircut. Although he wasn't too sure about the whole thing, he cooperated quite well, and looks like a handsome little man.

"Five....Five...Five"

Luke was a champ today spending most of it in the car while I drove to Ft. Walton to get my car checked (turns out there was nothing wrong and it was more or less a waste of time- but thats another story). So on the way home we stopped at a really great park on the beach side of town for a chance to get out and play.
Anyway, also at the park was a group of young boys, maybe 10 years old, and one of them very nicely asked Luke for a "High Five". Luke will happily give almost anyone who asks a high five, and thanks to Grandpa he has even mastered what every boy should know- "nugs" aka nuckles or pounds. It's one of the cutest things to see- such a little fist pounding it out. So, after one invitation for a high five from the boy, Luke continued to play a little and then makes his way back to the group of boys, stands there like he was part of the gang, and then HE asks for a high five. He held up his little hand and said 'Five?'
He has always been a friendly guy and curious, but it was so cool to see him be social with the big kids. The boys were great too, offering their fives each time Luke asked- which turned out to be quite a bit. It went something like this: high fives all around, circle the playground, climb a set of steps, walk a ramp to one of the slides, speed down, find the boys, 'Five....Five...Five', and repeat. So fun!

Word of the Week: OWIE

The last couple of weeks Luke's new favorite word was definately shoes- he would wake up saying it, set out for a search of his shoes, or anyones shoes really, bring a pair to me and ask to put them on. Then of course he wanted to go directly outside.



This week his new word is "Owie" (as in boo-boo, or hurt). It all started when I called a scratch on his knee and owie. Ever since- he has been pointing out all owies as he says over and over in a questioning tone "owie,owie,owie?" At first i thought maybe he thought his knee was called an owie, he kept grabbing at his knees. Then he fell hard on his hands and the poor baby pointed to his wrists "owie,owie,owie?" I felt so bad for him, you know usually kids fall and you try and brush it off so they don't get terribly upset- thinking 'oh they will be okay'. But now, the way the little guy tells me he hurts really pulls hard at my mothering heart.

It is pretty cute though, often reminding me of his little 'owies'. It seems to happen most often in the car, the only time he has to really sit still and take note of his otherwise fast moving little legs. But seriously, his poor legs are all beaten up-and so many bruises and scratches are hard to look at on the little guy. He really has been saying it alot and I have started to wonder if his knees really do bother him- with all the falls, and growing, (oh and when do they develop knee caps?).

But, I know Owies and boys go hand in hand and we plan on hearing, "Owie,owie,owie?" regularly for a while.

Rainy Day Play

It seems lately all Luke wants to do is put on his 'shows' on and go 'outdoor'. He just loves it out there whether its 100 degrees or raining. The few days of warm Florida rain we had this week were actually quite pleasant. I thought it would be nice to just sit out on the porch and watch the rain- Luke thought it would be more fun to play in it... and it was! He had a good time catching the raindrops and then followed after the frogs who also came out to enjoy the rain. Now though, he wants to make playing in the rain a regular thing and is always trying to find the frogs.....

But your only a kid once, right!

What a Fun week

Last week was a busy week. Wednesdays are always a busy day, I teach two Kindermusik classes in the morning and two in the evening as usual, but this Wednesday was Andy's 32nd Birthday. However, we did nothing special, but I did make his favorite, pizza, and we enjoyed it together, alone, while my Mom who was in town gave Lukey a bath. In our quiet munching, Andy says "Its kinda wierd sitting here without Luke". And it was, we were quietly able to focus on are our own plates and not keeping his from flying and have an adult led conversation. Of course we mostly talked about Luke. Happy Birthday Andy!!

It was so nice to have Granma's help for a few days, she and Luke had a lot of fun together. She played with his toys, read books, gave baths, taught him how to Roar like a Lion, and even helped clean up afterwards. Of course she spoils him- before she left Luke had several new toys: a plastic toy golf set, new matchbox cars, a T-ball set, and an inflatable pool. I honestly don't know which one he likes the best yet- because he loves them all so much. Thanks, Granma!

My Mom is one of few people i know that love to shop like I do- So we also spent plenty of free time roaming the Outlets, TJ's, HobbyLobby, and Target. It was nice to have someone over the age of 2 as a shopping partner again. The truth is she spoils me almost as much as Lukey! Thanks, Mom!

Friday we hung out with the much missed Tara and Jack, who drove down for the Hallman's COC. Tara and I were able to catch up and then later catchup with and congratulate the Hallmans at their RoofStomp. Congratulations!

Saturday we celebrated at the pool park for a friends 4th Birthday. We had a lot of fun. Luke loves the kid area, there is a lot to play on and fountains of water to play in.

Sunday was spent around the house, we planted some flowers, Luke helped Dad check out the light on the patio, and cooled down in his new cool pool.

We will definately be getting a lot of use out of this the rest of the summer!



Overall, we had a Fun filled week!

15 months: In Luke's words

Luke will be 15 months old tomorrow, July 7, and he has changed so much since becoming a toddler.

Nothing has changed more rapidly than his vocabulary- he amazes us with new words everyday... and uses some of his favorites daily. With a peek inside Luke's days since turning 1 we will share some of his favorite words and activities of the day.

He loves to be "outdoor":

Playing on his kangaroo climber, he climbs to the top and stomps his feet with delight that he made it- then without much comtemplating slides down head first with a spirited "Weeee!".

'Outdoor' always includes a trip to the very edge of the lawn in attempt to this time maybe make it past the point he is allowed (and because his little legs can be quite fast when on a mission- he has made it a couple times).

• From one end of the yard to the next- Luke is always also on a quest to reach past the driveway to the street- I guess that want for what you can't have starts young.


• A boy- he already likes to play with rocks, pick and taste the grass, bugs, frogs, and any other unknown dirty object on the ground.


• He must always be on the lookout for birds- because he'll point up to he sky or trees saying "Bir,bir" when we would have otherwise let the birds get past us unnoticed.

"Bubbles" and "Wawa"

• Luke LOVES bubbles, he can not get enough of them- even more than playing with them he loves to say "bubbles"- one of his first words.
  
• "Bubbles" can refer to any fountain of moving water, and is just as exciting as real bubbles.


• He also really loves swimming -especially if the pool has an airjet blowing bubbles, or any source of flowing water. Swimming for Luke is more or less splashing around and seeing how long he can stick his face in the water before parents will pull him up. His fearlessness has put the fear in us.

"Mo","Dir","Eat", "Apple":

• Luke picked up on using signs pretty easy and still uses them mostly to ask for what he wants-which cuts down on the 'I want something' whiny cry, and i don't think i could take too much more of that- Thank you baby sign language!!


• "More" or as Luke says "Mo" was the first sign he learned. Now it is used to mean he wants something- not just more - and not just food. So, when he says 'mo' we know he wants something- now we just need to figure out what that is- Thankfully he is starting to say words for what he wants: "chicken, cracker, budabo, nini," (with some diciphering we are starting to better understand exactly what he might be asking for).
  
• One word he says clear as day is "APPLE"- seriously! Fruit of all kinds are definitely his favorite, but he loves to bite at a whole apple- which is quite funny to see such a little guy do.


• He has always liked seasoning to accompany his meal- olive oil with oregano, marinara sauce, and ketchup are his prefered choices. Now, he has figured out how to dip his food into his sauce, and is even using a spoon and fork quite well on his own. But, he loves the sauces so much that he usually ends up just spooning that into his mouth.


• "Dir"- Drink- and i swear the kid is always thirsty- always asks for a drink-usually "wawa" once he learned this sign he was using it so often i felt so bad i hadn't been offering more to drink before.


• But being a good eater- does not in anyway mean being mess-free!

"HOT!" and Cold

• Early on Luke picked up how to blow on his food when it is hot (Sooo cute!). Now he will tell us if its hot, and has translated this important word to other things that might be hot: the ground, patio chair, carseat, car tire, coffee cup, laptop computer, oven, or anything that is even slightly warm.
  
• "Brr" really means cold... and is even cuter than hot- complete with a shoulder shrug and scrunchie face-brr is also used for sour.

its so cute you have to see it:

"NO!"

As you saw in the last post- the word No is a funny one to Luke. He loves to say 'no' but it is usually more like "no,no,no,no," as he shakes his head and gives a big grin.

• Luke uses 'no' most often as he is doing something he knows we would most likely say no to: dropping food on the floor, playing with the stereo, etc.


• He will actually answer "no" appropiately if you ask him a question- but now you have to be careful what you ask him! Parenting 101: do not ask if he is ready for bed when it's bedtime and he really doesn't get a choice.


• He is finally starting to understand and use the word "yes"- YEAY!

"Daddy" aka "Andy"

• He has learned to say and do a lot over the last few months for a large part because he copies anything he can- sweeping the floor, brushing his hair, dipping chips, and especially saying new words.



• One day I was calling to andy from far away, "Andy! Andy!" quickly the parrot on my left calls for him too "Andy!" but it was a drawn out "And-eeee!" Now he actually will call daddy Andy... cute. and i am just glad it wasn't something else i could have been saying.
  
• "Daddy" however, is still one of his most favorite words- saying often throughout the day- maybe questioning where dad is? i am not sure. I do know that Luke sure does love his Daddy though!

"Momma?":

Me: "Luke, say mommy!"

Luke: "Daddy" (No- i am not kidding!)

Me: "No, daddy's not here. Mom-m-y!"
Luke: "Daddy?" as he runs to the front door to find daddy.

Me: "No, baby. Daddy's at work"

Luke: "Daddy?" now turning to look at the back door. "DADDY?"

Me: "Oh no, honey, Daddy's not here" (Feeling bad now that i brought up Daddy- wait-no, I did say Mommy right?!)

Instead of mommy i usually here "MO" (which means more-not mom, him- asking for something- but sometimes what he is asking for is in fact Mom!)

"Beh"="Bed"

• Luke signs for the word bed more than he says it-"beh". But it is a wonderful thing when your child comes to like his bed. Although we usually know its coming- he will say bed when it is that time.


• Some of you were there when my baby was not so affectionately called "my little catnapper"- you could set a timer to his 40min naps- and it took that long just to get him asleep. Well, months later (i guess just about the time we had stopped traveling and settled here in our new house) he started to take real naps-on a schedule- & sleep through the night. It was long overdue- but blissful still!
  
• Now, Luke is real napper- from 9-11 am, and 1:30-3:00pm. Down for the night at 7:30. Like clockwork! and it takes nothing more than telling him its time to go to sleep and his bed.
  
• Sleep makes everyone happy!
  

I am blessed to spend his days with him- watching him delight in little things, grasp an understanding of the world around him, and use words to express himself. I will say it every month- but I can't believe he is 15 months old! Each month it is getting harder to keep up with him and all the ways he is changing.

"No" is a funny word!

I am not sure if Luke knows yet exactly what "No" means- but he does at least know when No is usually said. He knows this so well- that he will say it for us-with a big smile on his face while watching to see our reaction. Whatever No means to him-he sure does think its funny and I just had to get it on video to share with you.

"When is your BABY a Toddler?"

The realization that my 'baby' isn't really a baby anymore has been a gradual one. The big 1st birthday- was when i first starting questioning "Does this mean he is not a baby anymore?"
Choosing to stay in denial -I put that thought aside, and continued thinking he could very well still be-afterall it was practically yesterday I gave birth to this walking, talking, growing boy.

But suddenly my son's growing sense of independence has forced me to ask "When does your baby become a toddler?"
Then I saw the signs:

1. Being carried-especially in public- is for babies

2. Holding mommy's hand while walking anywhere-especially in public- is for babies

3. Kisses-especially in public- are for babies

4. Any help with eating -especially in public- is for babies

5. "No,no,no"- complete with a vigorous head shake for added emphasis is a new favorite word

6. Doing something he knows he shouldn't be just to hear me say "NO" is a new favorite activity

7. But the undeniable sign that your baby isn't a baby anymore is-
The Tantrum: A full body protest characterized by a high pitch squeal, arching back, and body throw to the ground (or any nearby surface whether hard or soft); a classic sign that your baby is now a Toddler- especially in public!

So yeah, although I do still call him baby, my Lukey is a toddler -but even with the loss of babyhood, this age is an exciting one. Everyday continues to bring excitement and pride as I watch his spirited energy and neverending curiosity spark so much learning and wonder. The time I get to spend with him during this stage of his development is priceless, and I am so grateful.

Luke is a Walker!!

This announcement should have come sooner, but i guess my pledge to keep up with my blog didn't mean I would do so in a timely manner.
Luke actually started walking well around 11 months, by well i mean with the help of others- toys, chairs, and any leg or hand he could get a hold of. Everyone said- "oh he'll be off on his own any day now"..... for two months! We would practice with him walking solo back and forth to mom and dad, but he just couldn't quite work up the courage or balance to do it all on his own. That was until a friends daughter (3 months younger!) came over for a day and was showing him up. He waited for Dad to get home, and that night he was finally trying it on his own- over and over and over again!! The best part was to see how proud of himself he was, full of excitement every step. Within a few days (at 13 months) he had abandoned crawling and can now be called a ''walker". We are so proud!

Waterboy

He had so much fun crawling around in the baby pool at Disney World! His proud papa was having just as much fun!

Luke Now!

Little Luke then....

1 week old

Rewind-

Welcome friends and family.... we mark the start of our blog with our 4-Year Anniversary. So I would like to open with where the Williams all started, and catch everyone up to where we are today:
We were married June 11, 2005 with a small ceremony joined by our close friends and family in Wichita Falls, Tx- where I graduated college and Andy was an instructor pilot in the AF.
Following our honeymoon to Belize we moved to Panama City, Fl for F-15 training. Then in March 2006 we were excited yet aprehensive for our next move to Okinawa, Japan.

For those of you who have also lived the island life of Oki- you know that our time was spent traveling Asia, soaking on the beach, lots of flying, shopping, and eating, and most memorably sharing it all with life's best friends-otherwise you can at least imagine the difficulty in leaving such a place....
One of the most memorable times there in Japan was the birth of our first child-Luke Andrew in April 2008. Since then our lives have been endlessly filled with love and wonder as we watch him grow.
Now, back in Panama City, FL after just celebrating Lukes 1st birthday, his first words, and first steps, we look back in disbelief at how fast time has gone by and all the changes it has brought with it.
So-in effort to share with the friends we miss and the family we love we pledge to blog- so that you can continue to watch the williams as time flys.
Dedicated to cherishing and honoring my husband Andy, and son Luke and all they fill my life with. ~J