I'm Baaaacccckkkk!!!

Well probably not consistently again. I just have the hardest time sneaking in blogging time, in between working and trying to love on my family. But the hubs uses the blog to show people pictures of Luke, so he has been on my case about no new pictures. 

So in the spirit of Mother's Day let me show off my sweet boy. 

I have never known a love that could come on so quickly and literally grow with every giggle, laugh, smile, hug, and kiss. I feel like I could burst from joy. My husband looks at me like I am crazy when I look at Luke with my crazy goofy grin. If you are struggling to smile and have good days, you just need Luke for a few minutes. He is making me a better person daily. I pray I am the momma he needs not just that he wants. I pray that I am letting God use me to an example of love, patience, kindness, and what a lady looks like. 

I love seeing his personality bloom everyday. And he is a force to be reckoned with. He is a tornado of energy! He can be so serious when he is playing, but then he turns into a crazy pants. But he is the sweetest, giving away hugs and kisses. So here has been the past few months. I may try to back track and do some Birthday and Easter blogs. 

Thank you, God, for letting me be his mommy. 

Baby's First Christmas

So...

It wasn't what we hoped it to be to say the least! 

It started out with good intentions, we had early Christmas with the Sour side on Thursday. I cried helping Luke open his first gift, and he got some good ones! Loved playing with them the next day and into the weekend. Monday I left work early and we headed to TX for my side of the family's Christmas. Every year we go to my Nanny's house Christmas morning and she makes everyone breakfast! Yes she is 81 and there are approximately 50+ of us, but she loves it. Well we finally out grew her house this year so we were going to have it at my aunts. 

My immediate family does gifts on Christmas Eve, so you just have Santa in the morning. We do our traditional Mexican Chrismas Eve dinner and leave cookies and milk for Santa. 

We had big plans to visit people all day Christmas Eve, but those changed quickly when Luke woke up at 4:30 am with fever and a cough. Well in small town of SS the one urgent care place was closed, so the ER is where we went for a flu test (our doctor in Shreveport said we should go). No flu but possible croup, no medicine except one dose of oral steroids that did nothing. 

We stayed home all day trying to get his fever of 102 down and make him comfortable. We did dinner and presents with him seeming to feel a little bit better. But the night was a different story, poor thing couldn't sleep for more than 15 minutes at a time. So no sleep for mommy and daddy, either. We headed back to Shreveport first thing Christmas morning. We called our doctor on the 

way in and she said we needed more than an office visit, so to the ER we go again. Another flu test, chest xray and more Tylenol and Motrin, we still have the croup. This time we were sent home with steroids and cough medicine. We had to skip the Sour and Brooke's Christmas dinner. 

He slept good last night and woke up sounding better. 

Luckily we have a birthday right around the corner we can make up with that! And we have the Christmas spirit all year long! 

So here's to a better 2nd Christmas! 

11 months!

So we made it! To 11 months that is. 

I cannot. I tell you, CANNOT, believe my baby is a month from being 1 year old. 

So that means we are in full planning mode. 

As much as I say that I don't want to go overboard, it is going to happen! We have a huge family, tons of family with kids and close friends with kids. It is just going to be huge no matter what I do, so might as well make it spectacular, right?!?! 

So it has been a good minute, let me update you on my ever growing baby: 

He has been a crawling pro since 6 months. 

Pulling up and walking around furniture since 6.5-7 months

Eats like a grown up since about 7-8 months (table foods, feeding himself with hands) 

Finally started holding his on bottle at 9 months

About that time he started taking a sippy cup (so well we have basically already taken is bottle away)

He only had 3 bottles of milk a day, just with meals (none when he wakes up or right before bed) 

He sleeps 12+ hours a night, bedtime around 8-9pm

Naps twice a day, each 2ish hours

He is a super flexible baby with eating and sleep schedule. So easy. Very blessed. 

Walking since about Thanksgiving (still prefers to crawl)

He has officially started throwing temper tantrums when you take things away from him or does something he doesn't like! Where did my baby go?!?! This isn't supposed to happen yet! I was not prepared! 

We are loving holidays with this guy! He just makes everything Merrier and Brightet and more exciting! 

Stay tuned for birthday stuff, Christmas pictures, and tantrums updates!   

Now picture overload! 

A Job

So sometimes since leaving my job in the NICU, I really struggle with my purpose. As an NICU nurse, I knew without a doubt I was making a difference. I was saving life's, contributing to someone else's well-being, a supporter and friend to people who felt alone. 

But in the clinical education role, that difference isn't so noticeable or noted. Not many thank yous occur, no one is bringing me

treats, or hugging me for making a power point or putting together skills fair! 

My heart was definitely with those babies, and I really believe sick kiddos will always have a piece of me, it was my calling for a short time. And I do know that it was God's timing for me to go to this position. I really do love it! 

With all that said, when I have those questioning moments, God gives me a little pop, and tells me he gave me the most important job of all. Being a mommy! 

He has entrusted me to teach this little boy how to love unconditional, live,and look like Jesus.  What a big, important job. My job is to love him! My job is to teach and raise him to be amazing. My job is SHOW him how to do all these things. 

Boy how I love this BOY! 

Behind! 8-9 months

So I have been awful with the posts! And I really do have a lot I would love to update on! But I just can't squeeze it in! Between working full time and then going home and loving on Luke, cleaning the house, or trying to be social, blogging doesn't have much of a priority. 

But so maybe the next couple of days I will jam pack some posts in. 

Let's catch you up on the highlights of Luke:

He turned 9 months on Thursday, October 10th. 

He weighs 22 lbs and 4 oz. (75th percentile) 

He is 31.5" long (97th percentile)

He is a pro-crawler now

He cruises around furniture

He dares to let go and stand by himself every now and then. 

He loves "real" food. 

He would rather feed himself then by a spoon. 

His favorites are yogurt and spaghetti/ravioli. 

He has 6 partial teeth. 2-4 all came in at about the same time. 5 & 6 are working through now. They all still have some growing to do. 

He had his first ear infection, and he decided to make it a double! He was miserable! So sad to a momma's heart. 

There is no doubt he has his daddy's allergies/sensitivities. He has an almost constant runny nose, gets all swollen with mosquito bites, and almost always has a rash! 

He is making more and more "sounds" daily. We went thorough "ma-ma" and "buh-buh" and now he likes to put all of it together with some spitting! 

He still loves bath time, and watching the washer and drier. 

He is constantly in poor Willard's dog food. 

He loves being outside. 

We are trying to get used to shoes. I was a bad momma, and didn't put any on him all summer, and now he cannot function with shoes on!

He loves other babies/kids. We have been to a few birthday parties, and he has a blast chasing and playing. 

Okay that's all I can think of at the moment. I am sure there will be more. So that was information overload, now here is picture overload! 

6-7 Months

So it's been a good minute, and let me tell you these babies grow right in front of your eyes! So I am going to try to catch up on the highlights. 

We moved from a unsupported sitter to a crawler very quickly! We only got to enjoy the sitting and playing age for about a month. He was soon up on his hands and knees rocking. Around 7 months he was a mover! It took him about 2 weeks to really get the hang of it and see the perks and moving on his own. But now he is in everything and everywhere. He is a fast little booger! 

He even went from the sitting up from his back to pulling up very quickly. Changing diapers is a STRUGGLE! He will not lie down! But now you can't get him to sit down on his bottom, either. Every morning and after every nap we find him standing in his crib. 

Now he also figures he can walk too. So he moves himself all around the coffee tables and couches. I need him to slow down! I need my snugly baby! 

He is an eater! I am still pumping plus he gets 3 meals a day. We are starting to really throw in some table foods, but he pretty much enjoys anything you put in front of him. He has not met a food that he will not eat. 

Sour has gotten him into a lovely routine! He is finally a good sleeper. Sleeps about 10 hours a night and takes 2-3 hour or longer naps every day. 

He really is just a pleasure. So much fun! His personality is stronger everyday! You can tell he will be a mess when he is older! He brings so much joy to our daily lives. Everything is brighter, funnier, sweeter, better with Luke. I can't believe I had him missing from my life for so long! 

Catching up

First I will catch you up on some pictures! Then I will catch you up on our (Luke's) month to month progress. And then just life in general!  

Here is my growing boy! He is 7.5 months old!