Growing Up

Look at me!

Luke has an Auburn hat and a UT hat. He had to graduate to the larger size UT hat. He much prefers to wear his hats backwards and usually for less than a minute. I got a couple of pics this weekend when he was running around. He is definitely a little boy now! Some days I look at him and it is like I am looking at a different child. I can't believe how fast the past 18 months have gone by!

Itching

It did not look this bad

Mosquitoes love Luke! We have had a problem with him getting bit since he was an infant. This summer is no exception. We can not take him outside for more than a few minutes before he is covered in bites. We have used Off and some other insect repellents but nothing seems to work. He got two bites close to his eye Saturday. Of course any kind of anti-itch cream says not to apply in the eye area. I took my chances and kept him from rubbing it for awhile. When he woke up this morning (at 5:15!) it looked like his eye was swollen shut! We made an early morning trip to Wal-Mart to see if we could find something that would help the swelling. $100.00 later we were leaving with numerous insect repellents and anti-itch ointments. Don't worry, we also bought groceries! The swelling has gone down considerably and it does not seem to be bothering him anymore. We are going to have to find a remedy soon. Luke likes to be outdoors too much to keep him inside all the time!

18 Months

Luke felt the need to take the pot
into the laundry room and
try to put it in the dryer!

Well I am a little behind. Luke was 18 months old last Thursday. So much has happened since then that I forgot to mention it. We go to his 18 month well visit this afternoon. I am anxious to hear what Dr. Patterson says about Luke's two episodes from the weekend. So far we have not seen that side of our little fella again. Thanks to everyone who offered their advice and reassurance that this was normal behavior for a toddler. When one of my best friends sent me a lengthy email after she read my blog posting detailing her sons episodes I felt much better!

A Rainy Wedding...

Luke before he got upset

Angela and little Jake!

Unfortunately the best pic I got of
the happy couple...

Beautiful wedding!

On our second attempt to get to Mt. Juliet I kept thinking how sorry I was for Audrey that it was raining. The ceremony and reception were being held outside at her parents home. Of course we arrived after the ceremony had begun but we got a birdseye view from the patio. It rained off and on the whole time. At one point there was concern the tent was going to blow over. The wedding party and guests took it all in stride and enjoyed the evening despite the weather. The decorations were amazing. A lot of work went in to making the night perfect. The band was awesome and I even got Paul to dance with me! Even though the evening had a shaky start we had a wonderful time and enjoyed getting to catch up with friends.

Independence Day!

Corn on the Cob....

Yum, yum!

I had to work Saturday morning so Paul and Luke hung out at Nana and Grandpa's. Luke had his first corn on the cob! Paul said he tried to hold it for him and finally gave up and let Luke do it himself. He ate a whole ear! Guess we have another fresh corn lover in the family. Saturday afternoon we rested and did some chores before we got ready for a night out. Paul cut the grass while Luke and I played inside. I happened to be flipping through the TV channels when the news broke about the untimely death of Steve McNair. It was very sad but it was also interesting to see how fast the news traveled from local news, national news, Facebook and Twitter. I guess that is the age we live in.

Paul and I had a wedding to go to last night. My friend Audrey was getting married to Jason Blankenship. What was so unique about this wedding, besides the fact it was on the 4th of July, was that it was a double wedding! Audrey and her sister planned their weddings together. I had been looking forward to this wedding since we got the Save-the-Date months ago! Nonna was coming to watch Luke for us again. The grandparents definitely got some quality time with the little fella this weekend.

I had warned Mom of Luke's "episode" the day before. Right before we left Luke smashed his fingers in the door but seemed to recover quickly. He was eating supper when we left and started crying when we were leaving. We did not think much of it since he has done that before. We had been on the road less than 10 minutes when Mom called us saying she did not know what was wrong with Luke. He was screaming and shaking uncontrollably and was fighting her. He did not want her to hold him but when she put him down he would get even more upset. I told her this was similar to what he had done the day before. It was also pouring down rain so we ended up turning around and going home. I was so upset because I was looking forward to the wedding.

When we got home Paul took Luke and he immediately calmed down and started drifting off to sleep. Even though it was only 6:30 we decided to put him in his pj's and try to put him to bed. Well, that worked. He slept like a rock and did not wake up until after 6:30 this morning! I guess this tells us that whatever is going on with Luke was not an isolated incident. We are going for his 18-month well visit this week so I will definitely be talking to Dr. Patterson about this and what we should do!

In the end we ended up going to the wedding!!!

The 4th on The 3rd!

Keeping Luke entertained

Notice he is chewing on his fingers

It's your turn Grandpa!

Sue and Claudia

Aunt Claudia and Cousin Lauren

After our crazy afternoon we were not sure if we would make it to Nana and Grandpa's cook out or not. Luke was perfect all night! Not even the slightest whimper which made us even more perplexed as to what could have happened earlier. Since everyone had different plans on the 4th we all got together on the 3rd to enjoy a great meal. Paula had the idea to do a traditional southern summer supper. We had fried chicken, fresh corn on the cob and green beans as well as cornbread and some yummy desserts. This kept anyone from having to cook over the grill in the heat. It was delicious!

Now that Luke is older Lauren and Faith like to watch Luke. It really is strange to actually sit on the porch and carry on a full conversation with adults without having to worry about him. They are great with Luke and he loves Lauren and Faith! We had a wonderful night and were so glad Luke was doing better!

Freaky Friday

This room looks familiar

Well, Friday morning started out great. Paul and I were both off for the holiday and had big plans for lots of yard work. We all loaded up in Grandpa's truck and went to Long Hollow Nursery for some mulch. Luke loves to get out there and run around. Nonna came to keep Luke entertained so Paul and I could work more efficiently. He was in to everything. Playing in the dirt, running around the yard and keeping Nonna on her toes! He took about an hour nap around noon. He was fine when he woke up but shortly after that he got extremely fussy. We had never seen him act like this....he was screaming and was completely inconsolable. We have thought that he was getting his two-year molars for a couple of weeks now. I put some oragel on his teeth and gave him some Motrin. This did not help at all. He screamed and carried on for about 45 minutes at which time we decided maybe he had an ear ache. I made a quick call to the pediatrician's office and they advised us to bring him in.

Within 15 minutes of making the appointment he was fine. He finally ate some lunch and was back to his normal self. We thought that the Motrin had kicked in and that we still should take him to the doctor since we were heading in to the holiday weekend. The doctor thoroughly checked him over and found absolutely nothing! His ears, throat and chest were fine. I asked if it could have possibly been a "tantrum" to which the doctor said they generally do not last that long. She said to watch him close and call if we needed anything. We were a bit confused but finely decided he may have gotten some dirt or mulch in his eye since he was rubbing them so much. We quickly headed home to get our things together for supper at the Troutts.

Big Boy Seat

Luke has still been in a high chair which has worked great since he was about 6 months old. Lately we have wondered how he would do in a booster seat. When we made one of our recent trips to the store for diapers we decided to get him a big boy seat. He loves it! I must admit it is nice having him sit right at the table with us. He is such an independent eater. He is still using his fork and spoon well. He has recently learned some sign language. His favorite sign is "eat". He does it when he is hungry and sometimes when he is not! We also know he is hungry when he tries to climb up in his chair at the table. Other signs he can do are down, more and all gone. It is so neat to see him learn!

Nanny's Birthday

After 3 attempts this was the best
picture I could get.

Loving all the attention

This pic has nothing to do with
Nanny's birthday but
I think it is cute!

We went to Tullahoma yesterday to celebrate my grandmother's 83rd birthday. We had a cook out at my cousin Cynthia's house. Luke took a two hour nap before we ever left our house so he was wide awake on the way there. Nonna rode with us and kept him entertained in the backseat. It was fun visiting with our extended family who we do not get to see that often. Nanny loved having us all together. We wished Uncle Andrew and Aunt Mandi could have been there with us.

For those of you who I have not been able to share the good news Andrew is cancer free!!! He went for his post-treatment follow-up appointment this week. The chemo appears to have been very effective. Andrew will continue to do follow up CT scans every three months for a defined time period. We truly appreciate all of your prayers and support during this time.

Father's Day

When we got home fro Louisville last Saturday we celebrated Fathers Day at home. Luke helped Paul open his gifts. Luke got Daddy a hose pipe and a french fry cutter! We have already used the french fry cutter twice and it works great! We like to bake our "fries" and this tool helps them look like normal fries.

We went to the Troutts that night for a last minute get together. It was great to do something unexpected and unplanned. Luke ran around everywhere and loved playing in his swing. It was a great end to a wonderful weekend.

Anniversary Weekend

Posing at the track

To celebrate our 4th wedding anniversary Paul and I decided to take a quick weekend trip. We were perplexed about where to go. I really did not want to fly anywhere and we have been most everywhere within a few hours driving distance of Nashville. We decided on Louisville since we had never been there together. We had a GREAT time! It was extremely hot but we did not really mind. We drove up Friday night and stopped in Bowling Green to eat supper. We ate at a neat sports bar on the square. We stayed at a cool hotel in downtown Louisville which Paul found on Priceline.

Saturday morning we headed to Churchill Downs. It was so fun! I do not really know much about horses or horse racing for that matter. We took the group tour and visited the museum. We stayed around and grabbed lunch at the track and watched a couple of races. We did not bet basically because I did not know how to. I did indulge in a Mint Julep (mainly for the souvenir glass!)

I quickly decided going to the Derby is on my short "to-do" list! The atmosphere was so exciting this past Saturday. I can not imagine what it is like on Derby Day. There is a neat exhibit at the museum about Derby Day fashions. Some of the gowns were from the late 1800's and were amazing. I opted for the casual look although there were lots of ladies dressed up which was fun!

Louisville Slugger Museum

The largest bat in the world

Paul and Ted Williams

Me and Ken Griffey, Jr.

Saturday afternoon we went to the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory. They have recently renovated the museum to make it more interactive. It was really a lot of fun. We could not hear our tour guide that well in the factory but it is amazing how quickly they make the bats now compared to when they first started in the 1800's. We got to see bats that were once used by Babe Ruth and Joe DiMaggio. Of course we had to get the little fella his own shirt and bat!

Meanwhile....

Daddy is going to love this
peach cobbler I am making!

Hmm...what can I get
in to next?!?!

While Paul and I were relaxing and enjoying the sites in Louisville Luke had a blast with the grandparents. Nana came and watched Luke Friday when we left. They had fun playing outside and going to see Grandpa on the farm Saturday morning.

Nonna took the second shift on Saturday. They played with all his toys. Nonna was so surprised when he went in to the bathroom and started hitting the side of the tub letting her know it was bath time! He slept great both nights. It makes going out of town that much more enjoyable when we know Luke is having such a good time! He even helped Nonna do some cooking. He can make a mean peach cobbler already!

Adventurous Little Fella

So, Luke is in to climbing everywhere right now! You literally can not turn your back or there is no telling where he will be. He has climbed on top of the glass top coffee table, on to the bed and several other places without us knowing it. We did know he was climbing the ladder in the above picture though. And do not worry I was just out of view of the camera so he was fine. Like most kids his age he knows no fear. He will go anywhere. He is getting his share of bumps and bruises but always recovers quickly and is ready to go again.

I have also mentioned Luke's love for music on several occasions. We were dancing to "Brick House" in this picture! He just loves to move and dance. A still picture really does not do his moves justice! His favorite move is "raising the roof". We hope he keeps his love of music and like to think about what instrument he might play.

Lazy Summer Days

Not so sure about this

Just me and my boots

Last weekend was a great Summer weekend. There was nothing we had to do or anywhere we had to be. We got to set our own schedule. It was lovely! We spent the weekend doing some yard work and relaxing as a family. It has been so hot and it is not officially Summer yet! We decided to get Luke's pool out for the first time. For some reason he is still a little hesitant about water other than bath water. After some coaxing we got him in and then he had a blast! It was not worth putting on the special swim diapers, trunks, etc. It normally takes longer to get ready for water play than what he actually spends playing in it!

He also still has his fascination with shoes. He likes to pick out what shoes he wears and tries to put them on. He insisted on putting his cowboy boots on before bed one night. They are getting a little snug so we need to take advantage of letting him wear them when he wants.

More Please!

A full, happy boy

Contrary to this picture and much
to Paul's dismay, Luke usually
uses his right hand to eat.

Yes!

While Paul was gone I really tried to let Luke feed himself with a fork. We had done it some before but not consistently. He loves it! He prefers to use his fork now instead of picking things up with his fingers. It makes for longer and messier meal times but it sure is fun to watch!

Sweet Baby

Luke was trying to "pat" Hanne.

It's so easy to forget how small newborns are.

The girls hanging out.

Luke and Emma playing.

We went to visit our friends Katherine and Rico this afternoon to see their latest addition. Little Hanne is too cute! She slept while we were there and she did not seem to mind who was holding her. Emma is so proud of her little sister. Luke was not sure what to think when we first got there. It actually took him a while to realize I was holding a baby. He wanted to get up on the couch with us and touch Hanne. We tried to get him to be very gentle with her.

Emma was so excited to show us her "big girl" bed and new room. She is such a smart little girl. She kept saying things about Luke's car and Luke's house. She especially like the "polish" on my toes. Adorable! We hope to hang out with the Louws again soon.

Weekend

Mischievous little boy

What is he wearing?

Eating at Cheddars

We had a great weekend enjoying Paul being home. I had to work Saturday so Paul and Luke went and visited the great grandmothers. Memaw and Kitty were both happy to see him. I had a wedding shower that afternoon so Paul and Luke had lots of time to bond.

Welcome Home Daddy!

Luke did so good for me while Paul was gone. He did not seem to mind my random meals. One night we had rice and carrots! What was I thinking? Oh well! He slept good every night and was generally a good sport with Paul not around.

Paul got in late Thursday afternoon. I picked him up from his office and we went to get Luke from the babysitter. We both went to the door. Luke looked from me to Paul and back again before he broke in to a wide grin and went running into Paul's arms. It was so cute!!! Paul thought he looked different. I do think he has grown since he was gone. We were both so glad to have him back! We spent Thursday night just hanging out as a family.

Catching Up

All smiles

Worn out from "water day"
at school

Amanda and Julie!

I must admit blogging has been toward the bottom of my list for the past week. With Paul out of town on business I spent most of my nights trying to get ready for the next day. Luke and I survived by ourselves (barely)! I certainly have a new found respect for single parents. Both of the grandmothers helped out some which was nice.

Last Wednesday I had an impromptu trip to Murfreesboro to see my good college friends, Amanda and Julie. We have tried to plan something several times before way in advance. This visit came about rather quickly and we all happened to be free at the same time! We had a great time catching up and reliving old times. I had not seen Julie since before Luke was born. Both girls are expecting baby girls this summer! As always we vowed to not let too much time pass before we see each other again.