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.