Amy's Anecdotes

Yes, its an update!

2011-10-14T16:49:00.003-04:00

I never imagined both children would be asleep at the same time as it rarely works that way (sometimes even at night) BUT i will not complain and update my blog instead.

We are doing very well. Luke started preschool at Southport Presbyterian two days a week. He is enjoying that, along with making new friends and learning in a school atmosphere. We have been so many cute crafts and he enjoys telling us exactly what he did in school.

Miles is doing very well. He is now 6.5 months. He is a very solid strong baby. He sits by himself, but much prefers to stand. He is already trying to crawl and he can stand by himself holding the coffee table. He is a very cuddly baby and loves to know that someone is in the same room with him. He hates riding in the car (even 5 minutes) unless Keith or I are in back with him.

A life update

2011-04-18T11:56:00.004-04:00

It has been a long time since I updated, but I really hope to update a little more again. We have had some problems with our home computer so are relying on our laptop. I still need to upload some new pictures but here are some of the 1st week at home.

We have a new addition to the family since I last updated. Miles Andrew was born March 16th at 11:49 am. It was a quick labor, but he is continually growing everyday. He was 8 lbs 4 ozs and 21 1/2 inches long. At his one month appt, he was 10 lbs 11 ozs and 22 inches tall (both in the 77th and 75th percent)

Luke is doing a great job adjusting with his brother. The other day I needed to shower while Miles was napping so I turned the monitor on and laid Miles in his pack n play. About 3 minutes after beginning my shower, I hear Luke over the monitor saying "I found you Miles." It goes to show how much he loves and wants to protect his brother already.

Christmas Day!

2011-01-11T15:08:00.004-05:00

We had a nice relaxing Christmas at our house. Luke was so tired from Christmas Eve that he actually slept till almost 9. After we got up, we read the Christmas Story, and he opened his gifts. The big gift he received was a train tent, which said Easy Assembly. After realizing we forgot the first step, we finally got that thing assembled. Christmas was very enjoyable this year, as Luke loved Christmas Carols, Christmas Lights, Santa, and even enjoyed the giving aspect. We made several cookies/treats for the neighbors and Luke even put boxes (of his toys) to give to mommy and daddy under the tree for us to open on Christmas Morning. He has such a sweet heart, and even at such a young age, we loved how much he enjoyed giving.

Christmas Eve

2011-01-11T15:02:00.001-05:00

This year we hosted Christmas Eve at our house. It was a fun time with lots of good appetizers, and lots of laughter.

Austin, Karsen, Bryce and Luke with their Christmas Eve PJ's
Luke cheesing for the camera

still going strong with his cheese face:)

Christmas in Minnesota

2011-01-11T14:53:00.003-05:00

We had a nice visit with Keith's family in early december. We were there right in the middle of the blizzard, but due to the fact Minnesota gets a ton of snow every day in the winter, it hardly altered our plans. We did miss seeing his cousins/aunts/uncles though. Here are some pictures.

Luke with his new Thomas Train Set

Luke and Uncle Jeff

Luke with his new favorite "cheese" pose

Luke stealing daddy's hat:)

Snow day!

2010-12-07T14:10:00.004-05:00

Cookies with Santa

2010-12-07T14:04:00.004-05:00

Luke spent the evening with Mrs. Claus and Santa. The hospital had an event that Mrs. Claus read cookies to the children while they ate cookies in their pajamas. Luke talked about Santa all day, but when it was time to meet him, he took to Mrs. Claus more. They read Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph the Red nosed Reindeer. His favorite part of the evening was getting a candy cane. He is so easy to please:)Luke with Mrs. Claus

Luke with Santa

Storytime with the kids.

Cooking Club

2010-12-07T13:58:00.002-05:00

I have been doing freezer cooking for awhile now after a group of girls got together from church and started exchanging them. Since then, I have gotten together with another group and exchanging meals as well. We make one meal but make enough for each family to get a serving of 4. It is a great way to get new recipes and try something you normally wouldnt try. This freezer cooking group is a little different than the first as we all bring our kids and let them play together. They all range from age 2.5 to 3 weeks. It is very hectic, but it is so fun watching all the children interact. This last month we got a picture of them and most of them looking (what an accomplishment!)

Bowling!

2010-12-07T13:51:00.003-05:00

Here are some pictures of our bowling fun that we had a couple weekends ago. Luke had been couped up in the house after being sick, and thought he would enjoy getting out of the house. He very much enjoyed his bowling experience, and almost beat me one game! Luke using his assistant bowler.

Very excited after knocking over a pin. I wish we all got excited like this, even if it isnt all the pins.

Daddy working on Luke's form

Luke's hospital visit

2010-11-21T07:30:00.004-05:00

Luke had to go to the hospital 2 weeks ago with Pneumonia and Asthma. It came on very quickly, and as unenjoyable the hospital visit was for US, he enjoyed every little part. We got there with a warm greeting, and a room right across from the nursing station. They were excited to see such a perky little sick child. He was very cooperative to let them do all his vitals, and loved helping them with the stethoscope.

His first field trip was to the x-ray area. They pulled him in a wagon, as he greeted everyone like he was in a float, with a little wave and hi as he passed. He can be very shy at times, but really enjoyed this part. I was not allowed to go in since I am pregnant, and Keith hadn't got to the hospital yet, so he was very cooperative "getting his picture taken" and receiving a new stuffed animal. The x-ray tech said he said "cheese" at one point.

Luke ended up having to stay over night and most of the day on Tuesday, but he did great. The student nurses came in and played blocks, and he got to order all his favorite foods whenever he wanted. When he started feeling better, Luke would stand at the door of the room and look at the nursing station and say "Hey Guys" and wave to them.

He is recovered quickly, and is back to his normal self, but he does ask to go see "Nurse Francis" about every few days. Since he went to St. Francis, he must have thought they all had the same name because everytime he had a breathing treatment he would say "Tank you Francis" when they were done.

Sneak Peek of Baby Bartusek!

2010-11-21T07:18:00.003-05:00

We had our 20 week ultrasound at the end of October, but things have been busy so I havent been downloading pictures like I should be. We did find out the gender but my dad likes to be surprised so I wont be sharing it on the blog unless I give a warning, but we do know and have a name picked out, so just ask!

Baby Bartusek looked very good and healthy, although they did a marking called an echogenic bowel so we were given a 3D ultrasound to check that out. I do not have pictures of this to scan, because apparently I was supposed to bring a dvd to record it, so when we go back December 7th, I will have more pictures. Our lab results came back normal, so hopefully the marking goes away on its own. The baby was measuring 1.5-2 weeks ahead in all areas, and was even sucking his thumb in a couple of the ultrasound shots.

Luke really enjoys calling baby by name, and trying to share snacks with baby through my belly button. Every once in a while, Luke will refer to baby as baseball or scooter, but at least he is acknowledging him at all times:)

Halloween 2010

2010-11-20T14:36:00.006-05:00

Luke had a great time trick or treating this year. Last year, he was still a little wobbly on his feet, but this year he really made up for what he had missed. We started in our cul-de-sac where he was familiar with the people, and he was a little timid at first. After about five houses, he was saying "tick/teat" and "tank you" than running to the next house.

After the evening was over, he did not want to take his penguin outfit off, and has since worn the costume out to the mailbox in hopes of more candy. We have used the halloween candy for 'potty training treats" but more on that issue later:)

Apple Works

2010-09-21T15:24:00.002-04:00

Yes...two posts in one day :) On Friday night, we went to Apple Works with our church group. It is always such a good time going down there. Luke enjoyed the train ride, petting zoo, and of course the hot dogs.

Luke and Ari after climbing to the top of the haystack!

Luke and I on the train ride!

Luke feeding the animals.

Tuttles Apple Orchard

2010-09-21T15:14:00.004-04:00

This week we have been to two different Apple Orchards. Luke had a great time at both, and is very much enjoying apples now.

This morning, we went with a Mom's group to Tuttles Apple Orchard and enjoyed picking apples and playing on the haystacks, corn mazes, and the playground. Luke ended his morning with an apple slushie that he finished off very quickly.

A day at the park

2010-06-03T08:49:00.004-04:00

Luke loves the park. It is amazing how much more of a climber he has become since we have started going to the park. His favorite activity is the swings, but as soon as one of his friends is ready to go on the slide, he is ready for the slide as well.

He is also very "tough" outside. Inside, he can trip over his feet and cry for 5-10 minutes. A couple days ago, we were practicing on the big swing and he let go and fell. Of course we werent going very high since we were just learning, but he stood up and said swing again, without even a hint of a tear.

More Indian Shore Pictures

2010-04-19T14:22:00.002-04:00

Here are some more from Florida!

Indian Shores, Florida

2010-04-11T20:46:00.004-04:00

We had a great time in Florida a couple weeks ago with my family! Keith had to stay home because of his MBA classes, but both sisters and their families along with my parents all had a great time! Luke loved the pool, and practiced blowing his bubbles like a big boy! He also liked the sand, although didnt care to keep his feet in too deep in the ocean and the sand. I will try and post more pictures a little later this week!

Luke and I outside our condo

Auntie Erin and Uncle Ken with Luke at breakfast.

Playing by the pool with all his toys

Auntie Erin on the boat ride

Luke playing in the sand

Childrens Museum

2010-02-25T20:18:00.002-05:00

We went to the Children's Museum a couple of weeks ago one day when Keith was off work. I had been wanting to take Luke to see the Bob the Builder area since I had heard it advertised. Luke very much enjoyed himself, but I think his favorite part was the trains. He is very into setting up his railroad set at home and pushing the trains around. There was also an Egyptian area, that I thought was really neat. They had a market set up in that area and you could shop for fruits and vegetables and then when you were done shopping you checked them out. It was also a good activity to work on our clean up skills since you had to put them away when you were done. Luke really enjoyed purchasing the bananas.

Luke watching the trains through the tunnel.
Buying some canned beans at the market.

This was in the Bob the builder exhibit, although his favorite part of this exhibit is the map they gave us when we entered. HAHA.

Picking out some bananas from the market.

Driving his car at the Bob the Builder exhibit.

If you do have a chance to go, I highly recommend going. They have several free days a year (all federal holidays) and also the first Thursday of the month between 4-8 pm is free as well.

Luke's 1st Haircut

2010-01-28T15:26:00.003-05:00

(after I took the picture I cut the straggler on the left as well)
Luke got his first haircut last night...by me. Now mind you, I was very nervous because I have never cut any hair, except my barbies when I was little and they did not move as much as our little wiggle worm. It looked really good while it was still wet, but now it is looking a little heavy on the sides still:) Oh well, at least his bangs are out of his eyes. Let's face it...who does he have to impress except the women in the nursery:)

GO VIKINGS!!!!

2010-01-24T15:26:00.003-05:00

Or as Luke would say "Purple"
Don't worry Colts fans, Luke is learning blue next, and we do love the Colts too!

Christmas Part 2

2010-01-09T14:24:00.003-05:00

One year ago....

2010-01-03T20:49:00.002-05:00

I was downloading Christmas pictures and saw Christmas pictures from last year. I dont see how much Luke changes on a daily basis, but I can not believe how much more grown up he looks compared to the last year.

Christmas Part 1

2010-01-03T20:21:00.003-05:00

As most of you know, we closed on our house on Christmas Eve, and moved the Sunday after Christmas, so we have been rather busy. That did not stop us from celebrating Christmas not one, but three times. We went up to Minnesota the weekend before Christmas and celebrated Christmas with all of Keith's family. We always have a great time up there, and I got some great grab bags. Keith's aunt spends all year putting together grab bags for the ladies of holiday decorations for the house. We then play the white elephant game and have the opportunity to steal to get the ones we want. LOVE IT!!!

Keith's cousins and brother and sister

Luke with his Great Grandpa

Luke and second cousin Melissa

All of the great grandchildren (Luke is the only grandchild on Keith's side but has lots of second cousins to play with when visiting)

Luke looking at pictures of himself with Grandma

Happy Halloween from a special Dragon!

2009-11-03T15:29:00.004-05:00

This was Luke's 1st trick or treating experience. Last year, we took him to a couple neighbors but just to show him in his costume. We had planned on doing that again this year since we didnt want to carry him around the whole night (and he is allergic to milk so he can't eat the chocolate) but Luke surprised us and started walking on Friday!!! Once he started, he really hasnt stopped yet. He is extremely proud of himself and showed it off the whole time we were trick or treating, which was only about 7-8 houses. He also enjoyed seeing all the kids in their costumes. When they came to the door, he would sometimes say"ohhhh" or get a big grin on his face. Here are some pictures of him in his dragon costume! Luke and Mommy
Luke and Daddy

Watching the kids from the porch trick or treating, probably waiting for us to stop taking pictures

Getting candy

Seeing what kind of candy he got!

Bible Heroes Party

2009-10-28T12:58:00.007-04:00

On Saturday night, we took Luke to my parent's church to go to a Bible Heroes party. All the children were supposed to dress up like their favorite bible hero and then they all played games and had some food. We didnt plan to go till the last minute because we werent sure if Luke would be better, (he had an ear infection again last week) , which is the reason he is not in a costume. Each game represented a hero from the bible, and Luke's favorite game was trying to throw a football in the lion's mouth (Daniel and the Lions Den). Austin and Karsen liked the game where they had to find a treasure in a big bucket of shaving cream....MESSY! Anyway, here are some pictures.

Luke looking through the Lion's mouth cutoff instead of throwing the football.

Austin and Karsen dressed up in ponchos with their box of animals to represent Noah.

Grandma with Luke, Austin and Karsen.
Austin and Karsen trying to guess how many animal crackers are in the jar.

Luke riding the waves!

Apple Works

2009-10-21T16:46:00.002-04:00

It has been awhile and I have a lot of pictures to update....but maybe tomorrow. We have been busy, and just enjoying the final few nice days by spending them outside before it gets cold for the winter. A couple weeks ago, Keith went out of town so I took Luke down to Apple Works. It is a cute little apple orchard with store, hayride, pumpkins, campfires, corn maze, slide and a little petting zoo with goats.

The Lukester!

2009-09-12T17:05:00.002-04:00

Another busy month is almost half over. I always look forward to September (probably since my birthday is the 1st) but it a good month weather wise too. It is also a good month as football season starts (probably more for Keith than me).
This morning, we enjoyed watching a couple soccer games, that Austin and Karsen had, with my whole family. Karsen is the the 4-5 league and seems to really enjoy it. She really does well with the ball for her age. Austin just turned 8, and is in the 8-10 league so it is much more aggressive. Austin plays all positions but I think he does best as a forward. He prefers Mid though...I wont blog his reasons though:) We always try and arrange a couple games a season where Erin and Ken from Fort Wayne come and my parents meet us there so they have a REALLY big cheering section.

Luke is finally feeling better after being sick this week. He had his sixth ear infection and it took a lot longer for this one to go away. Along with that, he may have had a cold or his teeth coming in were bothering him because his fever caused him a very high temperature and a very sleepy boy. He was put on breathing treatments also for when he gets wheezy. He is back to his smiley self. He is very much into the camera right now. He is getting much more talkative now, even though a lot of we cant understand, but he does say several words. He has been working on thank you for awhile now, and it sort of comes out annnn you. Here are some pictures!!!Luke getting up close with the camera. He loves to look at the picture after I take it.
Finding a new game with the bouncer.

Luke with his breathing treatments.

Luke and Aunt Erin at Ivanhoes celebrating our birthdays.

Luke and I at Ivanhoes celebrating our birthdays.

August Update!

2009-08-26T19:51:00.003-04:00

Luke after bathtime brushing his teeth (maybe a 1st haircut is in the future)
Cruising along at the zoo.

Peek a boo!

Feeding Austin since we wouldnt let him feed the animals")

Keith getting ready for some football.

I have a feeling this blog will be few and far between as we have been so busy lately...I will really try to do better. Im not really sure what we have done to keep us so busy but the days have been flying by.

Keith started his MBA this week, so this week has been getting home past 9 pm every night. His classes are Monday and Wednesday with group projects every once in a while. The showings on our house have really picked up lately as well. We have had one every day this week.

Luke and I have been keeping busy during the days by playing outside more. The weather has been mid 70's so we can go out before lunch and not get a sunburn:) He is still working on his walking, and after his 15 month appt our doctor has come to the conclusion it is just a balance issue (trying to balance his 6-9 month foot with his 33 inch tall (95%) body) If he isnt walking by 16 months, we will start physical therapy. He loves to walk/cruise and is down to one pinky holding my hand to walk....its just the letting go part. His new favorite thing (when we go to other's houses) is going up the stairs. He loves to go up the stairs and then just waits at the top till someone helps him down. He is starting to learn the down part too.

Some of the fun activities this month have been going to Minnesota to visit Keith's family and celebrate his parent's anniversary. While we were there we got to go to a Twins game and Vikings training camp. At the training camp, there were a lot of activities for little kids so it will fun to go in a couple years with Luke. We also went with my side of the family to a little zoo. It was fun seeing all the animals, and getting to feed them from our hands.

Another new highlight is Luke is now blowing bubbles in the bathtub. If I can ever figure out to post video (help anyone???) I will have to post because it is pretty cute.

Family Time

2009-07-31T14:26:00.003-04:00

We have had a busy weekend/week. Luke has been all over southeast Indiana this week! Keith was in a wedding for one of his friends, Mason on Saturday. Instead of taking Luke to the rehearsal dinner and wedding, he went to Aunt Kelly and Uncle Josh's to spend Friday night. He had a great time and enjoyed playing with his cousins. Saturday morning, my dad picked Luke, Austin and Karsen up to go to my grandpa's farm to visit all the family. For those that dont know, my dad comes from a family of 8 brothers and sisters spread all over (London, Costa Rica, Montana) and they were all here for the family reunion that was held on Sunday. Keith and I had a great time at the wedding, and it was a great time of visiting with friends. After the wedding, we headed to Connersville to spend the night before the family reunion on Sunday. I think Luke was glad to see us after being away for a whole day. Yesterday, Luke and I went back to Connersville for the fair and swimming. He enjoyed his hot dog at the fair, but the swimming he preferred to sit on the edge. He was not as into it as he is during bathtime. It will be interesting to see who he takes after, Keith OR me, when it comes to swimming. Luke sitting on the edge of the slide with Grandma
Immediate Family picture at the reunion
My dad's side at the reunion (although I believe a few were missing)
Keith and I at Mason and Danielle's wedding.

The family fun doesnt end, we are traveling to Minnesota this weekend to help Keith's parents celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary. Happy Anniversary John and Shirley!

Here you go!

2009-07-20T16:34:00.005-04:00

Okay, I didnt realize that many people read this blog. I have been asked by several of my friends in the last week for new pictures. So...here you go.

Luke is doing good. We have been working on some new things this week.

He currently says mama, dada, uh oh, and some word that sounds like thank you. He has said ball a couple times as well as another word that sounds like more. I have been trying to teach him to locate belly button, nose and toes this week. The week has just began so that is a work in progress:)

We are still working on the walking, but I believe he will be a later than normal walker. He has small feet and a long body which makes him have a hard time holding himself up. I think once he gets the standing by himself down, he will take off. For now, we just hold on and walk and walk and walk around the house to practice.

Luke is also trying out his spoon. I wanted to start him out eating with a spoon early since he is extremely strong willed and wants no one to feed him but himself. He loves putting the food on the spoon in his mouth, but a lot of it is falling out at this point. With Lukes egg and milk allergies, it has been hard to try and have some variety on what he eats, but fortunately, he is a great eater and likes most things he tries.

Hope you enjoy the updates and pictures!

Feelin Hot, Hot, Hot

2009-06-24T10:04:00.003-04:00

So, our air conditioner has been out since Friday. Someone FINALLY came and looked at it yesterday...looks like we may need a new one. They ordered a part to "fix" it until we get a new one. I feel so blessed to even have an air conditioner now that we have lived without it for five days. Thank you to all the friends that have offered their homes to Luke and I during the day. We have been okay here, so far, as we have ceiling fans in every room and we sit in front of the fan while we play. We have also kept busy by stalking the library, frequenting the CVS outside our neighborhood, and playing in Luke's little pool (he swims not me:) Here are some pictures.

Luke playing in the closet. His new favorite activity...he opens one side, crawls through, and then comes out the other side laughing.

Taking a break from reading to pose.

Beating the heat by reading a book.

Take me out to the Ballgame!

2009-06-22T13:29:00.004-04:00

Last Sunday, Keith and I went with my sister, brother in law and nephew up to Chicago to see the Cubs/Twins at Wrigley Field. Keith and I have been to several ballparks to see the Twins (his goal is going to every major league stadium) and I have to see I really enjoyed the old fashioned feel of this one. We had a great time, despite the Twins losing 2-3. Kelly, Josh and Austin were excited about the win so we stayed around to sing the Cubs Win song. I was quite impressed with Austin getting almost every word correct of the song. Here are some pictures to recap!

The Cousin Reunion

2009-06-17T13:57:00.007-04:00

Luke and I got to go to Ivanhoes for lunch last Wednesday with my two sisters, two cousins and four adorable children. Growing up, my cousins and sisters have been close since we saw each other often. We lived about 45 minutes away, but went to the same church so spent many weekends together. Now that we are all grown up and busy, we try and get together more than just holidays with the cousins so we thought Ivanhoes would be the perfect reunion. For those of you dont know, Ivanhoes is in Upland (Taylor University) and has 100 flavors of shakes and ice cream. YUM YUM!!!! When I was pregnant with Luke, Keith even drove me a "little" out of our way so I could have some of Ivanhoes nachos. Anyway, here are some pictures of our little reunion at Ivanhoes with cousins, sisters and families.

Luke with Auntie Erin
Lukes favorite cousins Karsen and Austin

Karsen, Max, Austin, and Meryl

The whole gang after Ice Cream.

Hopefully, I will post our Chicago pictures from this weekend tomorrow....if Luke takes a decent nap:)

Fun in the Sun!

2009-06-15T15:14:00.003-04:00

We have been busy playing outside lately. The weather has been nice and not too hot so we can enjoy it. Luke has now been to three Indianapolis Indians baseball games. We got to go to a game last week with some friends A.J and Angel and their sweet son Ari. Luke seems to enjoy most of the games as long as we dont forget to keep his mouth full of food.

I did get the pool out for Luke to try last week, and he absolutely loved it. I knew he would like it since he loves bath night, but I wasnt prepared for the screaming once it was time to get out of the pool. Just swinging at the park.

Baseball game with the Hillebrand's
Enjoying the water

Nice Weather

2009-05-28T14:56:00.004-04:00

I realized I haven't updated for a while. The weather has been so nice, we have been outside a lot more.

Also, Luke and I have not been home in the afternoons due to many people coming to look at our house. It has not created any more offers but hopefully we are getting closer.

Last week, Luke and I spent almost everyday at the doctor's. I had an ear infection that would not go away so went back to the doctor last Monday for some more antibiotics. Tuesday Luke had his one year appt (height 31 inches weight 19 lbs 2 ozs---skinny and tall like daddy). Thursday, Luke decided he needed an ear infection as well so he went to the doctor to find out he had a double ear infection. We are so fortunate for good insurance. Here are some updated pictures of us having fun outside.

During one of the showings of our house, Keith and I took Luke to the park. He enjoyed the slides with Daddy. (notice the matching shirts...not planned but cute)

Luke enjoying his new water table from Aunt Kelly.

Luke will be attempting to eat the water in a couple minutes.

Deciding that the water in the table is not as good as the water in his sippy.

I had to post this one because he just looks so grown up in this picture. I hope everyone has a great week!

The Birthday Boy!

2009-05-18T13:58:00.004-04:00

We celebrated Luke's first birthday on Saturday with our family and friends. It was a great time of food, fun and fellowship. The rain held off so we were able to have the party mostly outside...YAY!

Luke's party was a baseball theme, so we had hot dogs, peanuts, popcorn, nachos, fruit and then cake and ice cream. I had found on ebay several mini baseball helmets so we used those for our ice cream sundaes.

Luke very carefully opening one of his gifts.
Luke with Papa!
Luke and Daddy.
Playing with his balloons
Luke eating his cake.

11 months ( a little late)

2009-04-30T14:32:00.003-04:00

I know that Luke was 11 months on the 16th but things have been busy here. The weather has been much nicer so we have been out and about and also have gotten into the garage sale season. Luke is becoming much more mobile now as well. He is cruising around tables and loves his car walker to push around the room. He has not taken steps on his own, but has no trouble getting around. Here aer some pictures from the last couple weeks.

Easter Weekend!

2009-04-17T13:57:00.002-04:00

We had a fun Easter weekend! Keith got off work a little early, so we all headed to Connersville to celebrate Easter with my family. We had a great dinner, and then finished the evening off with a little Easter Egg Hunt for Luke's cousins. There were a couple eggs hidden easier so Luke could participate as well, as you can see in the picture. The rest of the weekend was fun and relaxing. Luke slept till 9 am on Saturday morning, so it gave me a chance to sleep in as well. What a great gift! Sunday, we went to our church and were able to celebrate the real meaning of Easter. We had a great service. Here are some pictures! Luke "cheesing" for the camera at Grandma and Papa's
Luke finding his first egg (He found 4 total in case you were wondering.)

Luke and I

Daddy and Luke

In Honor of Opening Day

2009-04-06T15:11:00.004-04:00

Keith is a huge sports fan, and I can usually handle most sports. I have to admit, I get excited when baseball season begins. It must be the feeling of watching a game outside in the summer months, or maybe the fond memories of going to baseball games as a child. Today is the start of baseball season (even though you couldn't tell from the weather) and as you can see Luke is quite excited for the start as well.

The first picture is when Luke was four months sporting the Twins onesie. He doesnt usually always hold brooms, but this was taken about 10 minutes after a certain team got swept in the playoffs.

Here is Luke this morning very much excited to stay up till 8:10 just to see the first pitch. Then he will be whisked away to bed. I thought it was neat seeing how much he has changed in just six short months.

Such a big boy!

2009-03-31T13:48:00.005-04:00

Luke is really trying to help more around the house. One of his favorite activities is chasing the cord of the vacuum. I think when he learns to walk we will get him a toy vacuum so he can "help" us clean the floors.

Here is Luke just relaxing, taking a break from the many magazine articles he gets into a day.

He is really starting to pull and stand more, but his favorite part is pounding on the chair until you pick him up to put him in the chair.

10 Month Update

2009-03-18T13:40:00.004-04:00

I noticed I havent updated in a while, but we have been pretty busy lately. Luke is now 10 months old, and is officially a crawler now. The crawling has kept us both on our toes. We have also been very busy "decluttering" our house. Our house will officially be on the market on Friday!!! It has been a long couple weeks getting everything ready, but we are praying for a sale (hopefully a quick one). Here are some recent pictures of Luke!Trying to help me put away the dishes.

Luke still loves his bathtime!

This is my rocking chair from when I was a little girl, and Luke is starting to pull himself on and wants to rock now.

His first time at the playground, we have been several times since. Luke enjoys the swings the most.

Another 9 month update

2009-03-01T16:59:00.002-05:00

As promised, here are Luke's stats from the Doctors appointment last Wednesday (better late than never, right?) Luke is 18.5 lbs (25th %) and 29.5 inches tall (95 %). His weight percent went down but they said that happens a lot, at this age, since children start becoming more active.

Luke giving his "popeye" face

Looks like he is getting ready to take off

9 month update

2009-02-17T15:59:00.004-05:00

We are all doing well here. I will update more after we go to his 9 month appointment tomorrow on his stats for weight and height.

Luke is getting very close to crawling. He scoots backward very well, and gets up on all fours. After he is up on all fours, he gets frustrated and falls down. He is standing a lot more now, and trying to pull himself up to tables and chairs. He very much likes to stand and watch what is going on at a higher level.

Luke is also playing with his toys more and enjoys handing them to me. After he hands them to me, he immediately wants them back though. It looks like sharing is already an issue :)

Snowy Day!

2009-02-03T15:10:00.003-05:00

We had yet another snowy day here in Indianapolis today. It was not the 12.4 inches we got last week, but we still got about 3-4 inches. We enjoyed staying in again today, but did manage to snap some pictures. We did not stay outside long enough to actually play in the snow because he was just getting over an ear infection. Instead of playing outside, he was quite happy just playing inside by the window as it was much warmer (it made mommy much happier this way as well).

My first car

2009-01-28T13:55:00.003-05:00

Well, as I write this, most people are either snowed in or having problems getting around in all the snow (about 12 inches) . As you can see Luke is having no trouble getting around in his truck on this snowy day! His favorite part of the truck is the horn (hope that is not a sign of his driving days).

Man in the Mirror

2009-01-24T17:00:00.003-05:00

Last Friday, Luke was 8 months old. He got to spend the evening with his favorite cousins at his favorite girl cousin's 5th birthday party. The party was at a bounce house, so Luke did a little bouncing (assisted of course).

Luke is continuing to sit up VERY well by himself, and is trying to crawl. He scoots a little backwards and sideways (usually only when he wants a toy) He is also getting quite amazed with himself in the mirror. Either he wants to have more playdates or he just really thinks he's cute, because he is always jabbering to himself in the mirror.

Indy Photography!

2009-01-07T06:04:00.003-05:00

My friend Heidi watched Luke yesterday for about an hour while I had a dentist appointment. She is a wonderful photographer, so she took some pictures. She has done several pictures of Luke, and has a wonderful talent of photography. I thought I would share yesterday's pictures with you from her blog.

click here

Lukes 1st Christmas

2008-12-28T17:54:00.004-05:00

We had a great time attending all five Christmas celebrations that we had. It was quite busy, but Luke was a trooper for the most part (even without many naps).

We started celebrating Christmas with Keith's side in Minnesota. We got together with Keith's dad side on Saturday for a very fun Christmas. The food was GREAT, and I had a blast (as usual) during the gift exchange!!!

Then on Sunday, we had Keith's immediate family Christmas. Luke had a great time opening gifts and trying to eat the paper. He also enjoyed rolling around on the carpet while we were enjoying our Christmas dinner.

We had a few days to recuperate before the festivities started once again. On Christmas Eve, we went to my Aunt Judy and Uncle Steve's house to celebrate with my mom's side. Luke enjoyed singing Happy Birthday to Jesus and hearing the birth of Jesus story. He also enjoyed playing with Cousins Austin and Karsen.

We had spent the night at my parents on Christmas Eve, so we enjoyed celebrating Christmas with my sister, brother in law, and my parents. We had a nice brunch, then opened more gifts. Luke enjoyed spending time with Grandma and Papa while Keith and I snuck out to see a movie.

With all the family festivities, we celebrated Christmas with just our family on the 26th. Here are a few pictures from the busy Christmas we had.

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-17T14:33:00.004-05:00

We have been busy with the Christmas season with some fun events! Last week, Luke attended his first Christmas program for his cousin Austin. He had a good time watching and jiggling "his" keys to Jingle Bells. We have attended several Christmas parties as well. We also took him to see Santa. He wasnt really that impressed and just sat there till we took him off his lap. I really thought he would try to go for the beard since he very much loves touching other people's faces. Our next Christmas activity is to celebrate Christmas with Keith's family. When we return from our trip, we will celebrate with my family.
Also, Luke got to meet his Aunt Katie last night for the first time. She is here for a whole month and then returns back to Derry till around November. He wasnt feeling well when he met her, but is very excited to see her many times during her month stay!!!!
Here are some pictures from the past couple weeks and his 7 month picture update. It is getting very hard to get the picture with the sign now that he is getting more grabby.
Well, I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas!

Fun times with the laundry!

2008-12-05T16:36:00.005-05:00

Luke has been enjoying playing in the laundry basket lately. My family has found this rather funny because when I was younger I used to have an infatuation with becoming a laundry lady when I grew up. At our house, we divide up the laundry duties. Keith sorts and washes, and I fold and put away. Keith puts Luke up on our bed as he is sorting, and it is so much fun watching Luke try to grab the clothes as they go into the designated piles. Im sure he will grow out the "fun times with the laundry" phase but until then it is fun to watch.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-29T20:08:00.004-05:00

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! We ended up going to my parents for Thanksgiving to celebrate with my mom's side. Lots of good food was eaten, and after dinner we played a little game about what we were thankful for. There were so many things to be thankful for this year.

One of the things I am most thankful for this year is my husband and Luke. Keith has been a great father to Luke, and it is so much fun watching the two of them interact. I very much appreciate all the help that he gives me since we both are working, even though I may not always tell him.

We did not get up early to go shopping this year (we both had to work friday), although I did go to CVS later that afternoon for some VERY good deals (Heidi, you would be very proud at how well im doing at CVS). I also got some good deals online from Children's Place and Gymboree. What kind of deals did you all get?

Soon very soon!

2008-11-23T20:26:00.003-05:00

Luke has made several attempts at sitting up by himself in the last couple weeks. However yesterday, he sat up and stayed there for almost 5 minutes. As you can tell he was quite pleased with his accomplishment (or maybe it was all the clapping we were doing for him sitting) Soon he will be sitting without the support of his arms on his own, and he can clap at his accomplishment himself.

Half birthday!

2008-11-16T17:34:00.001-05:00

Happy half birthday Luke!!!!!

Fun at home!

2008-11-15T16:10:00.002-05:00

Hi Everyone! We have all been well here, but staying warm inside the house on these rainy days. I had taken a few days off work this week and last week, so Luke and I enjoyed spending all day together. He had his 6 month appt yesterday and is growing like a weed. The doctor said he looks extemely healthy and is achieving his milestones quite well (he is very close to sitting on his own)
He is now 28 1/2 inches tall (95th percentile) and 16 lbs 13 3/4 ozs (50th percentile) He is done with his vaccines for 3 whole months now. Luke is currently enjoying more and more solids. He has had rice cereal, barley, sweet potatoes and pears. Tomorrow we will do some squash...should be fun! Here are some more current pictures from the past week!

Ribbit! Ribbit!

2008-10-31T16:45:00.002-04:00

Hope everyone has a great Halloween!

Don't forget to vote!

2008-10-27T14:41:00.000-04:00

On Saturday, Keith and I took Luke when we went to vote. It was nice that we were able to vote early because in May when we voted, the line was over an hour. Luke must have been excited while we were there because every couple minutes, he would let out a little squeal. This is Luke's friendly reminder to vote next Tuesday (or before to avoid long waits).

Weekend update!

2008-10-21T14:54:00.000-04:00

We have had some pretty busy weekends lately. This past weekend was another example of that. We started out the weekend on Saturday morning getting up rather early for a Saturday (I usually like sleeping in since during the week I start work at 5 am) and going to Fort Ben for Keith's mini-marathon race. It was a little chilly, but the sun did decide to shine for the majority of the race. Luke enjoyed strolling around to the various "cheer points" so we could cheer daddy on. Keith ended in about 1 hour 48 minutes. Later that evening, we attended a wedding reception for our good friends, Matt and Sarah. They got married in Hawaii and got back in time for their reception. We had a great time, including Luke. In fact, Luke had such a great time, he slept in on Sunday morning. In fact, we even had to wake him up for church instead of him waking us up. Keith's friend, Michael from North Carolina, was able to make it up to the reception so we enjoyed spending time with him while he was here.
We were also able to get some yardwork done in between all our activities. I laid out a blanket for Luke so he could enjoy the weather while we worked. He enjoyed watching the cars go by (some a little too fast) and our little neighbor girls playing tag outside. I think he wanted to play tag too because I would look over every once in a while and his little legs would be kicking and moving around.

Five months already?

2008-10-17T19:59:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was L's five month birthday! He celebrated by spending the day with his Grandma Mary. Since our babysitter is in Hawaii, my mom came over to watch him during the day. I think he was glad he was able to show off some of his talents to others. He has been rolling over a lot more, so he was proud to show Grandma that. I have been trying to get it on video, but he is too quick for me.

I have made a sign showing how old he is every month, so it was no different yesterday when I put the sign next to it. It is neat looking back from month one to see how much he has changed.

He is proudly holding his own sign showing how old he is. *Notice the top is wet from him trying to eat it*

Introduction

2008-10-15T11:01:00.000-04:00

It seems as if everyone else has a blog, so I decided this may be a good easy way to update pictures more often! Since my husband and I dont have family in town, we send a lot of pictures by email of baby L. Baby L is almost five months and is constantly changing daily. We are truly blessed with a GREAT son!

Here are a couple pictures from this weekend.

We started giving Baby L rice cereal on Saturday. He seemed to take to it well, but we have put that on hold since he has a rash now. After the rash goes away, the cereal will resume to make sure it was just a coincendence.

Have a great day!