Luke says Merry Christmas!!!

Luke's First Vacation!

We left on Saturday, December 8, 2007, for Breckenridge, Colorado! Luke was so excited to be going on his first vacation. Nate and I were both nervous how he would handle the 16+ hour car ride, but he was a super trooper! We drove 12 hours the first day before we had to stop in Walsenberg, Colorado, because it was snowing on us! We made it to Breckenridge on Sunday, December 9. We stayed in an amazing condo at the Four O'Clock Lodge, just down from the Snowflake chair lift. The condo had three levels - the lower level had 2 bedrooms and a bathroom (we were in one room, my mom & dad were in the other), the middle level had the kitchen, dining and living areas with a beautiful fireplace, and the upper level was a loft with beds and a bathroom where Beth & Justin slept. The best part was it was only a short walk to the chair lift, and then you could ski right down to the condos!

Luke had a great time in Colorado. He was the center of attention, which suited him just fine. He loved to inchworm crawl around in front of the fire, and he even went sledding in the snow. He also tried fresh apples and bananas in his mesh feeder. Luke wanted to eat the snow, too, what else is new! The only bad part about our vacation was that Luke DID NOT SLEEP. We aren't sure what the problem was, but I guess he just never got used to being in high altitude. But he was perfect otherwise!

Pictures of Luke's First Vacation!

Check out the snow on Dad's 4Runner!

(Where we stayed in Walsenberg, Colorado)

Looking back at Breckenridge

(from the ski rental place in town)

Camo hat!


headed to the ski lift

Beth & Justin on our first day of skiing



Nate & me at the top of Peak 8
(it was SNOWING!!!)

Luke & me sledding!

Nate & Luke in the snow!

(Luke is wondering what the heck this white stuff is)

the balcony with all the icicles is our condo!

Look how he's grown!

June 6, 2007

8 pounds 12 ounces

21 1/4 inches long

December 6, 2007
18 pounds 8 ounces
27 1/2 inches long

Luke is 6 months old today!

My baby has been on this world for half of a year. That is so incredible. I can't believe how fast time has gone by - it seems like just yesterday I was 39 weeks pregnant, wondering WHEN my baby was going to make his entrance into the world.

I want to share just how much Luke has grown in the past 6 months. Everyday he continues to amaze me. He is still doing his inchworm crawl, but he is extremely good at it and is fast. I'm not sure if he'll ever full-fledged crawl because he can get everywhere he wants to go while inchworming it! He's getting really good at grabbing for objects and holding them in his hands. He is always after things he shouldn't have - especially Daisy's toys! His favorite toy is still the jumperoo - he is quite the little Tigger in it, too.

Someone once asked me if Luke was more physical or more vocal. My response - he's never still and he's never quiet! There is always somewhere to go and someone to talk to, in Luke's mind!
I can't wait to see what he will come up with next!

Check out our house!

Santa should know where to find us now!!

Luke's Keepsake Ornament

My grandmother started a very special tradition for her grandchildren. Every Christmas, she would take us shopping and buy us a Hallmark Keepsake Ornament. It was our job to pick out the ornament of our choice, and the only stipulation was it had to have the year on it. Every Christmas I look forward to putting my ornaments on the tree, and I have one for every year from 1983 - 1998, which was her last Christmas with us. What I love about this is it keeps the memory of my Nana alive during Christmas, which was her favorite time of year.

My parents have taken on this tradition for their grandchildren. Yesterday was very special because we got to hang Luke's first Hallmark Keepsake Ornament on our tree. I am so excited that Luke will have this same tradition to share with his grandparents as I did with mine.

This is the ornament:

It says "'How delightful,' said Pooh, 'to be so brand new.'"

Luke was intrigued by the ornament...

Giving the Luke seal of approval...

Hanging it on the tree!

A Must-See

Just had to share a picture of Luke in the bath. I don't think it gets much cuter than this....

The Luke Face

My baby has the cutest smile I have ever seen. It lights up his whole face and makes him look like the most adorable baby in the world!! The best part about Luke's smile is that when he flashes it at me, I know it is the greatest compliment I could receive from him right now. It truly says "I love you, Mommy, you make me so happy." And that is the best.

He's on the move...

Well, we still don't have a full fledged crawler yet...but it is just around the corner! On November 15, Luke started getting up on his hands and knees and rocking back and forth. He is very proud of this accomplishment, too. He has perfected the inchworm move and has it down to a science. There is no stopping this little boy! Everything that isn't one of his toys is a new adventure...

These are fun toys and all...

But they don't keep me entertained for very long...

This box in the corner looks very intruiging...

Oops, Mom caught me!!

Almost Crawling Luke!

Introducting naked (almost crawling) Luke!

My little monkey was naked as a jaybird earlier (that's what happens when there is exploding poop episodes...so much fun) and he started crawling all over the place. It's not a full fledged crawl yet, but he's getting really close! It looks like he thinks his clothes have been weighing him down!

Disclaimer: I hope no one is offended by a naked baby! :)

Luke is 5 months old today!

Time is flying by. I can't believe that this time 5 months ago, I was in the hospital with a brand new baby boy! So much has changed in the past 5 months, and there is so much change yet to come. I will say that I am loving my time with Luke, every moment with him is different. Being his mother is the most challenging and rewarding thing I have ever done.

The stage that Luke is in is so wonderful. Everyday he discovers something new, and it is so amazing to watch that little light bulb go off in his mind. He's in constant motion, and he is never quiet! I love to hear him 'talking' to himself, his toys, me and Nate. He's discovered that he can squeal, so he does that as often as possible. He has also discovered the love of his young life - Daisy! He is fascinated by our little dachshund and he is constantly trying to pet her and play with her. Actually, I think he talks to Daisy more than he does anyone or anything else!

Here are the obligatory 5 month pictures:

Why would I sit still when I have perfectly good toes to grab?

Okay, Mom, I'll flash you my dimples...

Ohh, what's this?

Can I eat it?

Mmm, that is so tasty!

Sittin' pretty (or should I say handsome?)

Check out Luke's latest trick! He just mastered sitting up unassisted this morning! Gone are the days of falling face forward when I let go of him. He obviously does not have perfect posture, but it's a start!

Getting into mischief...

Luke is getting more and more mobile by the day! He is thisclose to crawling which makes me very nervous. Right now he is rolling all over the place, and scooting himself across the floor. There are just so many interesting things to look at! He is learning how to reach for objects, and when he can't reach them, he scoots over to them by tucking his arms underneath his chest, burying his head in the ground, pulling his knees beneath him, and himself forwards. It is hilarious, I can't wait to get it on camera! Here are a few pics of what he's been getting into lately...

Who needs toys when you have a basket under the coffee table?

Oooh, what is this thing? Maybe I could swing on it like Tarzan!

A Little Aggie's First Words are...

GIG EM!

Happy Halloween (a couple days early)

I know it's not quite October 31st, but we had our neighborhood Halloween party last night so Luke got to dress up! And since he's a little too young to appreciate trick-or-treating, he most likely won't be in costume on Wednesday night. So here are some pictures of Luke's first Halloween costume - isn't he the cutest little penguin you have ever seen?!?!?!

Our Little Pumpkin

In honor of fall and the approaching Halloween holiday, we decided to take Luke the the First United Methodist Church Mansfield's pumpkin patch. I wasn't sure how Luke would react to the big orange objects, but he wasn't fazed one bit. He kept trying to eat the small pumpkins! The picture we took aren't the greatest - it would have helped if Luke could sit up on his own! Plus there was too much activity for Mr. Curiousity to pay any attention to the camera.

Here are some pics:

Giggling Luke!

Just wanted to share Luke's highly contagious laugh! Make sure to turn the volume on your computer way up - you won't want to miss this adorableness! (Sorry for the poor quality of the video - I didn't have time to grab the camcorder, so the digital camera had to suffice!)

Roly Poly Luke!

Check out my little roly poly Luke!

He has been rolling tummy to back for about a month now, but over the weekend he started to roll all over the place! He thinks it is great fun...

A Solid Experience...

Well the time has come for Luke to learn how to eat solid foods! Our first attempt at rice cereal was on Sunday, October 14, and let me tell you - it did not go well. We tried again today and there was significant improvement!
Okay, let me try this stuff again...

Hey, it's not too bad!

Thanks for your help, Mommy, but I can do this myself!

Luke's going to have an uncle!

Congratulations to the Future Mr. & Mrs. Justin Burgin!

Yes, you read that right - Beth and Justin are engaged! Justin proposed last night, October 14th, on their 9 month anniversary. (Say it with me now - awwwwwwwww!!!) We are so excited for them as a new chapter in their life begins and it is titled "Wedding Planning!" I can't wait to help Beth plan her dream wedding, it is going to be so much fun.

A few pics of the happy couple

Update to baseball playoffs...

Yeah, okay, I was wrong. I'm okay with it. Who knew that the Diamondbacks were any good? At least the Yankees got eliminated AGAIN and A-Rod still isn't a hero in the post-season (insert evil laugh here) and I still won't pick the Red Sox no matter what. I'm all about the underdogs! :)

Here are my championship series picks---

American League Championship Series:
Boston Red Sox v. Cleveland Indians

National League Championship Series:
Arizona Diamondbacks v. Colorado Rockies



We'll see what happens!

4 month stats!

Luke had his 4 month well baby check-up yesterday. He weighs 16 pounds 10 ounces and is 26 inches long! He is such a big boy and he is definitely thriving! He did get his second round of vaccines yesterday, too. The shots themselves were AWFUL, the poor thing screamed so hard that he stopped breathing (I had to blow in his face to get him to take a breath!) But once they were over and I picked him up, he was back to his smiley, happy self. You wouldn't even have known that he'd just gotten 2 shots in each leg! What a good boy!

Happy 4 Month Birthday, Luke!

Luke is four months old today!! I can't believe how fast he is growing. He is just so fun to be around. In the past month, he has started to roll over, grab for things, and belly laugh. He rolls tummy to back and supposedly back to tummy, but neither Nate nor I have seen this happen. Luke has also started to grab anything he can get his hands on - my hair, his toys, you name it. It is amazing to watch the little light bulb go off in his mind as he discovers something new that he can do. And his laugh is absolutely contagious. I really hope I'll get it on camera soon because it is just SO CUTE.

Checking out the sign.

Grins & giggles from Luke.

Looking at his daddy.

"I'm HOW old?!?!"