1-12 Months

Our trip down memory lane {tear} :)

Luke's 12 Months Old!

This is my last formal monthly entry {tear}. I can't believe our little baby is 1 year old! It feels like just yesterday Dave and I were at the hospital waiting to meet him. He's been such a joy in our lives and we are having so much fun. It's crazy that it only took a year to already become a toddler. I didn't realize how quickly it happens. It's sad to know I won't be taking monthly pictures any more:(. I think I'll still have to do quarterly updates though:). Now that Luke is a year my plan is to start doing more educational activities. He's already learning and soaking so much in, it's time!

What Luke was up to last month:

• New signs Luke does are "more" and "all done", we're still working on getting him to sign "please".
• When he wants something he points and does the "more" sign
• He says "mama" and "dada" and associates
• At night time he loves for Mommy and Daddy to read books. I'll tell him to pick a book and he walks to his bookshelf and picks one{or all}out for us to read. He like's Llama Llama Red Pajama, Llama Llama Home Sick with Mama, On the Night You Were Born and Tickle Monster.
• He can stick the foam letters on the bath tub during bath time.
• He likes to eat whatever Mommy and Daddy are eating including sandwiches. He'll take big mouthfuls. 
• He likes to be tossed around on the bed before bedtime. 
• He really likes to cuddle lately. He's been falling asleep on us and he'll give us big bear hugs and hold tight {Mommy and Daddy are lovin' this}
• He likes to hold and carry around his stuffed animals. Specifically he holds them up to his neck. 
• No more bottles for Luke, it's straight to sippy cups!
• He had his first contusion. Let's just say, those PB barn chairs flip real easily...
• He brushes his teeth with a toddler tooth brush and loves it. He likes to do it himself. 
• He definitely likes to do things himself {without help}.
• He's loving all his new toys he got for his birthday. 
• He has this funny fake laugh that he's been doing.
• He's into making all sorts of funny sounds.
• He likes to drink alot. He drinks a ton of milk and water. He even likes to pretend drink with anything that looks like a cup. He'll walk around the house throwing his head back taking a pretend swig. He even makes the pretend "sipping" noise.
• He's found his belly button {and Mommy and Daddy's}. He likes to pull our shirts up and dig his little finger in them:).
• He is eating much much better! Some of his favorites are blueberries, pears, oranges, peas, eggs {but it HAS to be on toast}, green beans, rice and fish.

Here is our last monthly photo shoot {tear/sniffle/sniffle}

Hippity Hop Horray, It's Luke's First Birthday!

Luke had his first birthday last weekend. We had SO much fun, you had so much fun! You did so well with meeting and greeting everyone, eating your fruits/veggies/chicken salad and mac and cheese, opening presents and digging into your first cake. The cake part was pretty priceless. We sat you in your highchair and started singing happy birthday. You stared with a slight grumpy/confused look on your face at the cake in front of you and at everyone singing. You didn't know what the cake was. We smashed your little hands into the cake and when you noticed it looked more like food you took your first bite. After that first bite you realized you loved it and went in for more. I'd say you had about five fistfuls of the cake. I think you may have had a little too much sugar because later that evening you threw up all over me right before I put you down for bed.

We love you sweet Luke and are a little sad you turned one but are happy that you are growing into a healthy young boy. Love, Mommy and Daddy

It's your official due date birthday {my letter to you}

My Letter to you:

My sweet little Luke,

This time last year was your due date. With you being my first pregnancy, I was anxiously awaiting the feel of contractions to happen at any moment. Little did I know you would make me wait almost a week later to deliver you. You weren't quite ready when we had anticipated. I went through another week of pack pains, swelling, growing larger and peeing every 5 minutes but it was all well worth it to see your sweet little body on February 10, 2011. There are not enough words to express how much I love you, how much fun I had with you your first year in the world, and how much I look forward to spending every waking moment with you the rest of your life, or at least until you move out;). You bring so much joy to our lives.

Let me share with you the ways you have changed my life. I have realized the importance of keeping my relationship with God through Christ of the utmost importance for you. I want you to see His love for you in the way I love you, discipline you, teach you and how I treat my relationship with your Daddy. We've already noticed how much of a sponge you are. You are learning everyday by watching us interact with you, with each other and with others around us {You are already starting to copy the things we do}. I knew before I had you I wanted to be a Mommy but not until I met you did I realize how much I would enjoy being a Mommy and how much I wanted to nurture, love, teach and train you. Some have even seen the bear claws come out in order to protect you and maintain my role as Mommy {Watch out, no one will want to mess with this Mama Bear}.

Throughout your life our prayer is that you will grow to become a man of God and live your life for Him and to do greater things for Him then your Daddy and I ever have. If you are anything like your Daddy {which I'm sure you will be}, I'll have to keep my eye on you as I'm sure you will get into all sorts of things being a boy. I'm certain you will give me plenty of heart failure moments as you already have within your first year {Which I am thankful to believe in a Sovereign God who protects you more than I ever will be able too}. I pray His hands of protection and healing on you as you will be into everything, I pray our Lord gives us {Mommy and Daddy} wisdom and guidance in the way we love, teach and discipline you.

To sum your little personality up: You are just the happiest most content little man we've met. You really have such a great personality and are so outgoing. You're always laughing and giggling. You're bashful with most everyone at first but are soon to warm up and be social with others. You love to make others smile by waving, cuddling, and pointing at them. You LOVE to play with other kids and you are happy to play contently by yourself also. Sometimes you can be such a busy bee with your tasks {you work so hard to get things in and out of boxes and screw and unscrew tops}. You like to sit and listen to Mommy and Daddy read books to you. You even laugh when the character looks silly.

My little Luke I love you so much. You truly are "my sunshine that makes me happy when skies are gray."

Lastly, I'll leave you with a few verses that your Daddy and I try to uphold for the glory of God. We pray   our living testimony will express God's love for you throughout your years...

"As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with Thanksgiving." Colossians 2:10

"I beseech you...by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." Romans 12:1-2

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those are the called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb." Psalms 139:13

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Psalms 139:14

Love,
Mommy