Smiley Face

Luke has been taking a single step every so often for a couple of weeks now, but this morning he took three steps before dropping to his knees.  Brooke and I were cheering and clapping for him.  Surely full-fledged walking cannot be far away now.

Luke is so, so close to walking now.  You can see it in his eyes that he is ready and could do it if he just decided to try.  Several times today he would take one step and then get down and crawl.  To further encourage him, last night we broke out Brooke’s “scooter” and converted it back into a walker toy.  It is very similar to this one, but ours is the previous version of the toy.  Luke didn’t really seem to get it last night, but this afternoon he got behind it and took off like an expert.  He walked across the living room and through our bedroom.  If he fell down, he got right back up and kept going.  It was very impressive, and he should be even closer now to walking on his own.  I think this toy should build up his confidence enough that he will feel comfortable trying to walk on his own.

Luke celebrated his first birthday by…going to the doctor for shots!  Luke went for his checkup first thing in the morning and got two shots.  Luckily, he calmed down instantly and didn’t have any problems the rest of the day.  He weighed in at just over 20 pounds (around 20th percentile) and was around 29.5 inches long (just short of 50th percentile).  Frankly, we are not sure how this boy can be so skinny given the enormous quantities of food he eats on a daily basis.

Luke’s birthday party involved opening presents (or looking on while Brooke opened them for Luke) and eating Elmo cake.  Brooke and Luke then tried out the new toys, which included a bouncing zebra (which Brooke rides like a bucking Bronco), some nice wooden blocks, new bath toys, a touch and feel book, and a toy CD player.  Luke also loves the little chair he received so he can sit right next to Brooke in a little chair just right for him.  Luke devoured his cake and then looked for more.

First of all, I apologize to everyone checking this site for updates and finding nothing. In some ways I am guilty of second child syndrome, in some ways I have been too busy (Brooke’s site is relatively lacking in content too), and in some ways I just kept putting it off until a bigger milestone. And now the first year is gone. I can hardly believe how it passed in the blink of an eye. I remember one year ago preparing for Luke’s birth. I had finished my finals a few days earlier, my parents had arrived, and we were getting ready for the scheduled c-section. It seems more like a couple of months ago than twelve.

The first year with Luke was a challenge and a joy. Having a new baby is always hard. Having a new baby and a two year-old is harder. Having all of that along with colic and a Ph.D. program? Well, it was a test of our ability to keep it all together as a family. Then the rough patches started to get less frequent, and we started to get to know Luke. Seeing his smile and hearing his laugh now makes the hard times seem more distant. So, let me tell you a little about the Luke as he turns one.

Luke and Brooke could not be more different in many ways. Brooke was always very intense, keenly aware of her surroundings, independent, and demanding. She always wanted to do everything for herself, and she started taking off with her bottle and walking long before her first birthday. Luke is much more content and easygoing. He is pretty happy to just watch the world around him and take it all in. Brooke has never been a great eater. Luke is eating just table or toddler foods now and loves them. He has a voracious appetite and will eat as much or more than his sister during meals. Still, he is pretty skinny, and we have no idea where the food is going. He will happily finish eating anything Brooke does not want.

Luke is not walking yet, but he is pretty stable on his feet and could definitely walk if he wanted to. He just needs to decide that he is ready to go. Look out when he does because this kid is fast! He is also very good at climbing and particularly enjoys climbing up into chairs and lounging as well as climbing up the step stool to the sink in the bathroom (where he then tries to grab at the toothbrushes and googles at the giraffe toothbrush holder). He also likes to sneak into the bathroom to try to climb in the bathtub or flush the toilet. He is a little crazy about the bathroom and Brooke’s bedroom. As far as Brooke’s room, Luke will most often try to crawl in there to play with the dollhouse or close the door behind him and cry for someone to let him out.

Luke is quick with a smile (especially for the camera) or a laugh.  He adores his big sister and his big dog.  He loves crawling into Mommy’s lap for cuddling and hugs.  He loves laughing at all of Daddy’s antics.  Luke is a sweet and happy little boy who brings joy to everyone lucky enough to be a part of his life.