Well it's going to be an interesting...emotional...exciting month. September holds Hamilton's first day of 5K PreK (read Kindergarten) and Luke's first birthday (and add my precious husband's 35th birthday tomorrow (9.6)).
I took Luke's 11 month photos (which I love his Baylor outfit - thanks Emmy for the special gift!!) and got a few good ones before he rolled off the front porch swing onto the front porch. Needless to say the photo shoot came to a fast hault, but I think I got some cute ones. My chunk of love still only has 1 tooth, but eats like he has a mouth full (of teeth I mean, well of food, HA! well you know what I mean). He is still eating at 8, 12, and 5:30 for meals (which are still 8 oz. bottles of formula, a Gerber squeeze bottle of a fruit or vegetable (love those things - they are new since Hamilton was a baby) and then as much finger food as he wants whether it's Cheerios, Puffs, bread, and anything and everything that we are eating as well. He does not like things that are not warm (nothing cold enters his mouth). He is starting to drink some from a sippy cup, but man it's a battle! He is sleeping great - two naps around 2 hours each - at 10 and 3. He sleep from 7:30 to 7:30 at night.
(Just lounging, probably watching big brother - he's a big, long baby!)
He loves his big brother more than anything. Hamilton can get him to laugh and squeel like no on else. He flips and turns and scurries to keep up with Hamilton and to always have his eye on him. I'm so thankful what a fantastic big brother Hamilton is to Luke and that he adores him as well. And I think that Luke has someone amazing to look up to :)
(Not too many on the chair this time - couldn't keep him still long enough)
Luke is busy. He loves to growl (yes you read that correctly, growl - it's hilarious and have yet to be able to get it on tape). He crawls FAST. He's not that interested in walking yet. He loves his paci and needs it to sleep (but that's the only time he uses it). He loves bath time and you better come with a poncho on if you want to bathe him, otherwise you will leave drenched! He will attach himself to random items (a spoon, a pencil (not sharpened of course), a train, etc.) and keep it with him all day and if you dare to take it away be prepared for a fit of rage. There is not a specific toy or item he loves more than another (Hamilton was obsessed with cups at this age). And have I mentioned how he loves to be upside down. Be cautious when you are holding him or he might just fly backward out of your arms with no warning!
(You can barely see his tooth in this pic - it's on the bottom your left)
Luke, overall, is a very happy, cuddly baby. I love when he buries his head in my shoulder (which happens whenever a stranger approaches him or I'm putting him to bed). He is still my chunky monkey at 31" and 24 lbs. (my estimates based on my own measurements) wearing mostly all 18 month clothes now.
(And the last one before the toppling over - luckily no big injury...thank you God!)
I am in the process of planning Luke's first birthday party which will be a packed weekend. Mom, Dad, and Katie will be coming in town from Texas for the festivities and of course Mark's parents will be there, but that's all. For first birthdays we keep it immediate family only. I chose a sock monkey theme for my chunky busy monkey. (I asked Hamilton his suggestion for the theme and he suggested since he is Luke's favorite thing that we just put a picture of Hamilton on the cake...HA! Silly boy - how vain would that be!). The weekend before his birthday will be all the fesitives. We have family pictures and Luke's 1 year pictures that Friday afternoon. Saturday morning is Baby Dedication at church. Saturday night will be the party. And then Sunday Dad and Katie head home. I can't wait for the celebration of my baby!!
On to big brother - what changes a year can make!! I've done some comparison photos for you. (Of course I was 3 weeks away from Luke's birth and ready to pop so the addition of Luke to the pictures is quite the change as well). At the time of registration at his preschool (which I love) the county had not decided which elementary school we would be destricted to and I had strong opinions as to which one I desired him to attend. (The were splitting the lines based on the addition of a new school). We ended up getting slotted for the school I desired this summer, but had been under the assumption he'd be in the 5K PreK since January and just didn't feel right changing it all at the last minute (well last minute to me). More than likely Hamilton will enter into 1st grade next year and for all practical purpose this will serve as his Kindergarten year (it is not an accredited Kindergarten because it does not meet the required number of hours (only meets 9-1pm four days a week). The program has never had a child not be able to test into 1st grade if he/she desired in the past 15 years of the existence of the 5K program so I'm not worried. Hamilton continues to surprise us with his memory and what he can learn. He is really reading well and it is so fun to go to the library for him to pick out books he can read himself. He still hasn't caught on/grasped what an amazing skill it is - but know he will learn to enjoy reading like his parents do.
Comparison Pictures: Looking at it this way I can't believe how much he's grown up!
The 'Must-Take' Picture
Silly Face Picture
Heading Into School
Sitting At His Desk
As I mentioned my better half's birthday is tomorrow - my older man turning 35! This week was a week of new starts and officially started our 'Fall'. Hamilton started PreK. My Birds On A Wire group started. Hamilton started TBall. We start a new small group with church. And Mark started a men's fellowship group. (Don't worry some of those commitments are monthly or every other week - we aren't that cra-cra to have that type of schedule every week!!). But I'm so excited to have the consistency of a schedule back in our lives. The summer seemed to drag this year and I actually found myself happy instead of mad when I saw Halloween/Fall/Christmas decorations out at the stores. I say bring it on please!!
Can't promise when my next post will be. I do have a lot to say and share and get opinions on, but just don't seem to find the time to sit and blog. Right now Mark's at group and I'm flipping between So You Think You Can Dance and Dallas Cowboys game. But maybe now with thing a little more scheduled (did I mention I thrive on schedules - I won't mention the 'weekly calendar' excel document I made for myself since that would come across as way too nerdy!!) I can make time for blogging. But of course, I don't even know if anyone reads or is interested in what I have to say. I do this more as a journal and memory of this time in my life.
I'm rambling...good night! :)