15 months

This month's update brings exciting news!

• Luke is in the 25th percentile for height and the 10th percentile for weight! Finally, things are looking up. His weight was 20 lbs 11 oz and his height was 30 inches. Little man is moving up in the world.
• We also have a walker! Well, maybe a 50% walk 50% crawl kid, but he is definitely exploring the world on two feet! We weren't sure this day would ever get here, but it has and it's very nice. He can just start to do so much more now which is very exciting. He's still good about staying next to you, so we don't have a runner yet- maybe next month, we'll see.
• Luke is looking pretty chunky lately, too. He's been eating really well. He still won't eat just anything I put in front of him, but he eats! He's a grazer for sure where he just eats a lot of small meals all day long. His snacks have become a constant thing- I always travel with food.
• Since Luke took swim lessons, he's really taken to the water. He even got in the lake in his float for the first time! When he hangs out in his float, he almost falls asleep every time. That thing relaxes him like nothing I've ever seen. We use his baby pool pretty regularly and if he can get his hands on the water hose, he's a very happy boy.
• Another of Luke's favorite things to do is to throw dirt. He consistently gets into my flower beds and throws mounds of dirt on to the sidewalk or deck. He also tends to do this on the playground. Playground outings have ended in bath time many times.
• The kid still talks all of the time. A lot of it is just babble in his own little language, but he's really good with hi, bye, mama, dada, and he can say ball and this. Pointing is still is favorite way to get what he wants. You'll pick him up and he'll point to where he wants to go which is usually to an exterior door to go outside and play. He's still just hanging on to the two signs, more and all done, but those have worked in many circumstances such as bath time, swinging, at the pool, etc. It's great!
• We're down to one nap! Occasionally, when he's super tired he also takes a quick morning nap, but that's used more as a catch up now than a regular thing. He goes down around 11:30 and usually will sleep for about 1.5-2 hours. He goes to bed at 7 and usually gets up around 6. It's not unheard of him, though, to get up at 5:30 or so just for fun. When he does this, though, he's good at lounging in bed with us until we're ready to get up. It's so kind of him.
• This summer Luke has been a traveling fool and done extremely well. I'm almost ashamed of how much we've stretched his schedule and his patience this past month, but he's been a champ about it all. We're pretty lucky to have such a laid back baby that will bounce right back after being away and drug along to things for weekends on end.
• He started his first Mothers Day Out program. The baptist church in Richardson runs a summer program, and he's going on Wednesday from 9-3. They do a splash time for them, feed them lunch, have a nap time, and then play time. Luke didn't nap the first day which was no surprise b/c he's not a good napper when other are around. He's too interested in what everyone else is doing. I'm hoping as he goes more, that'll change and he'll nap some. He seems to enjoy it and was happy when I picked him up after the first day. I'm enjoying it, as well, as I finally go the entry way painted, have plans to paint the hallway, plans for lunch out with a friend, and I'm getting to catch up on doctors appointments sans baby. All of this is pure bliss for me!
• Even though Luke is a very happy baby, he has started showing us his other side. He's throwing little temper tantrums when he doesn't get his way. He'll cry and put out these huge crocodile tears. At other times, he'll bang his head against the floor or whatever he's mad at (which is completely counter-productive on his part as it usually makes it worse, but I guess that's just how he shows frustration). I try to pick him and tell him to breathe deep. I'm really hoping he doesn't have a temper and this is the start of it. I don't deal well with short-fused people, so we'll see how that goes...
• On the 4th of July, Luke got to be in his first parade! He rode on the riding lawnmower with my dad through the lake's parade. He even got some beads on the route from some admiring girls, but don't worry, he didn't have to show anything for them! He loved getting to 'drive' the lawnmower and he looked pretty cute doing it.
• He also went on his first vacation to grandma's house! Trey and I went to Grand Cayman for four nights to dive and hang on the beach. Luke got to have a blast hanging out with grandma and grandad at their house while we were gone. He did amazing there and they said they really enjoyed having him which is great. My mom even made a little book of all the things they did which we put in his memory box. It was really cute!

I think that's about it for now. We're still loving our little boy every day. He's so, so sweet and kind. He makes friends everywhere he goes and continues to love everyone around him, whether he knows them or not. He's smiling constantly and loving life. We are so blessed by him everyday!!