Something That We Do: 2013

Guess who is five months old now! Time is going way too quickly for this momma! A week shy of his 5 month birthday, Luke weighed just over 17 pounds, and he was 26 and 1/4 inches long!

My little hunk is getting sweeter every day. I tell him he is my dessert, because I could eat him all up and he's sweeter with every bite.

This month Luke has enjoyed sticking his tongue out....again.....

He's such a goofball and knows just how to get a few laughs out of his momma and daddy! He's such a content little boy, and loves just hanging out with his dogs...

Actually, he's been doing more than just hanging out with them...he's enjoying petting them lately! That's right, Luke is PETTING our dogs already! He isn't very coordinated, but he tries so hard to run his little hands through their fur! I tell him we have to be gentle with the doggies, and we keep our hands open when we pet them. He does a surprisingly good job, but I do have to remind him to "Be gentle" regularly. The other day, Belle laid next to him (on her back!) and let him pet her for a good twenty minutes! She kept her eyes on me as if she was letting me know she's choosing to trust us and I need to make sure not to blow it.

So, how did Luke learn the word "gentle?" I'll tell you. Sometimes when he nurses, he will start to bite me. I unlatch him (latching is the technical term for the baby's mouth being suctioned to the breast, so unlatching is the technical term for removing them properly... you can't just pull them off and expect it to not hurt, you have to break the suction first)...so, I unlatch him, look him in the eye with a serious face, and say "Be gentle please" in a soft but firm voice.

The first time I did this, he smirked. I kept a straight face (fighting back smiles). And he continued to smirk... only bigger. He had to understand this wasn't a game. Again, I told him he needed to be gentle. Again, he smirked. I laid him down on the bed and made myself busy with other things nearby. He hollered for me so I picked him back up and let him nurse again.

Once he started nursing, I praised him for being gentle. Then, he started to bite down slowly, so I looked him in the eye again and I said "Be gentle please." And he unlatched. I told him that was very good, and I let him continue to nurse. A second later, he started biting down again and I said with a serious face, "Please be gentle." He immediately unlatched and grinned at me. Every time he nursed nicely, I smiled and praised him, and when he started biting at me, I become serious. I could tell he was trying to figure out exactly what I was saying, and I know consistency is key. By the next nursing session, instead of just pulling off of me while nursing, he opened his mouth and then turned his head (unlatching in rather dramatic way) so I felt he understood what I meant.

Since then, he knows not to bite me. Every once in a while, if I'm paying attention to something else TOO much, he'll start to bite down and I'll quickly remind him to be gentle, and he lets go. Sometimes he just wants his momma's attention! I like company when I eat, so I can't blame him for getting my attention the only way possible when his mouth is full!

So, I use the word "gentle" in other areas of Luke's life as well... like when he wants to pet the dogs (or touch the pages of a non-board book, or touch glass, etc.). I'm teaching him we use an open hand when petting the doggies, we keep our hand flat, and we move slowly. I realize that sounds like a lot to teach him, but he will learn. Our dogs are living creatures, and they deserve respect and to know that they are loved. Luke will one day be able to love on them without being supervised, and the dogs will know they don't have to be scared of the little one in the house.

So...let's see... what else has been going on in our home? Oh yes, I've been sick. I've been dealing with a couple different illnesses for about two weeks. Thankfully, Luke has only gotten minor congestion. I'm whipped and exhausted (as seen in the photo below) but Luke is happy and mostly healthy. Much better off health-wise than I am!

The other day, when Austin was out with a friend, everyone else was piled on our bed. Such great company I had! (And for once they are all on Carl's side of the bed...haha!)

Sometimes when Luke gets fussy or bored, I take out my phone and I turn the camera on to face us...so he looks at the screen and sees himself. I had to do this in the doctor's office to make him feel better after he was upset about getting weighed while nakey (scales are cold on the bum!) (...so I imagine...).

That baby in the mirror always cheers him up.
In fact, he's happy to see the baby in the mirror even when we are going about our day....
Exhibit A:

Exhibit B:

And, Exhibit C:

...Exhibit D, E, and F:

A few of Luke's firsts:
First Thanksgiving!

First highchair (And first time sitting in a highchair)

First time finding his feet:

First I-Spy Quilt (Thank you Aunt Beverly! It's gorgeous!)

First scoots (he started out perpendicular to the yellow bar...not parallel with it!):

And here are some videos of Luke's fifth month!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgA9bTR5rm4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLuouDgF_pg

In the doctor's office:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7Z-6DIaxAs

After shots (I'll do anything for a laugh,,, especially when he isn't feeling good...gotta cheer that baby up!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ivt5RaTgQhw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glSwiXhmAkQ

He found his upper lip (and mom, here's proof that Sugar ignores me...)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VKwwC_C8vU
https://youtu.be/SdYzZGRNl_w
https://youtu.be/5eVCnL2Y5HU

And to enjoy this last one, here's the background story:
Luke had been sticking his tongue out for about an hour when I finally decided to video record him. I took the camera out, and positioned it so he could see himself (I'm in front of him, not in the direction he is looking). I even played our game where I stick my tongue out at him, and he sticks it back out at me...but he just looked at me like I was crazy. Then he turns to the camera and smirks, like "Whatcha gonna do with a crazy momma?"
https://youtu.be/M197G_7Qrr4

This is the best month yet!

Luke is four months old! Woah! Last week, he weighed 16 pounds, 4 ounces! Goodness gracious, baby!

This past month, Luke (as you previously read) discovered his tongue. He loves sticking it out when he smiles! He also learned how to gurgle his spit (which is a lot funnier than it sounds) and he learned how to actually spit! When he isn't drooling from teething, he is often spitting. It's adorable, but makes for many changes of clothes.

Luke has started actively seeking people out to smile at. He will stare at somebody and the second they glance his way, he gets a huge smile on his face! It's adorable and heart-capturing! If he doesn't initiate the smiling, he gets bashful seeing someone smile at him. A lot of the time, if someone other than me is holding him, he will be looking around for me. When he finds me and we make eye contact, I'll smile at him and he'll pull his hands up by his face to cover his face, or he will bury his head in Carl's chest to hide. It is absolutely precious. The morning of Luke's four month birthday, Carl was holding him looking at the baby in the mirror, and when that baby smiled back at Luke, Luke quickly buried his little face into Carl's shirt!

Luke loves listening to his daddy play the guitar and sing to him. This has become an almost-nightly ritual.

I found this blanket for Luke's nursery (which I am STILL working on..... pics to come once it is complete)!

At bath time, Luke has learned how to splash! A week before he was four months old, he accidentally slammed his hand down in the water making a big splash. I saw the wheels start turning in his little mind, and every night the splashes would get bigger and bigger. Now he splashes so much that his whole head looks like it was dunked under water by the time he gets out of the tub. He gets water in his eyes, and up his nose, but it doesn't bother him. He has a big time!

Sugar still loves Luke and wants to kiss him many times a day.

(And so do I, of course!)

And we all enjoy cuddling Luke, also!

We LOVE being close together; I often wear Luke in the wrap. It's so cozy.

After sleeping in his wrap for well over an hour, I looked down and saw that his eyes were barely open. I was a little concerned about his groggy state so I went into the bathroom so I could see his face better. When I angled him so I could see his face, he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. He went from a relaxed state, to all of the sudden sitting straight up in the wrap, looking in the mirror with one eyebrow up! He looked like he wanted to know who that baby was that his momma was holding! It was the cutest thing ever, and I laughed so hard!

Now that Luke has better head control, he enjoys his sling!

Once a week, we go on a lunch date with Luke. The weather has been gorgeous and we have been able to eat outside most of the time!

This happy baby just warms my heart.
Here are two sweet videos of Luke giggling. Music to my ears!
https://youtu.be/3VKwwC_C8vU
https://youtu.be/Q5FfsEvbvZg