Pictures from the Holiday

These are our holiday pictures. Lukas opening presents at our house, my Mom's, and Chris's Mom's house. Enjoy!

1 Birthday and 3 Christmases

Well Christmas has come and gone. The whole month of December went entirely way too fast! This Christmas was a bitter sweet one. My family had to deal with not having my Step Dad Brett. He loved Christmas and the whole time of the year! It would have been his birthday on the 23rd so we all got together that night to basically honor him and be there for each other. That is the bitter part of it, however the sweet part was Lukas. He finally learned how much fun it was to rip open presents. I know if Brett could have been here he would have had a blast with him this Christmas! The three Christmases started Christmas Eve we went to my husband's side of the family's Christmas. It was really fun, but Lukas really didn't get into it that much. He thought it was funny everyone was ripping into things. Well Christmas morning we opened presents just with our little family. He remembered from the night before that you rip open a present. So Christmas morning he did much better! Christmas night we went to my Mom's for Christmas and he was a pro by then at opening presents. He would laugh when he would see what was inside. It was very cute! The last and 3 rd day of Christmas was Saturday the day after Christmas. We had some bad weather so all my family didn't make it back until the day after Christmas. We all got together and did the present thing again. He had alot of fun with all his new stuff. We had a really great Christmas and Lukas made it great! I will post pics soon!

The French Fry Snatcher!

My baby boy loves French Fries! Lukas, my family, and I were out to lunch at Perkins yesterday. It was a nice Sunday lunch we were all just enjoying each others company and a few of us were munching our salads before our food came. Well we had a few other families seated behind us and to the side of us while we were sitting there. Their food came and the waitress was handing out their food. The waitress used a big tray on a stand to serve the food. She put the stand with the tray right next to Lukas. While we were all visiting my Grandma said "Jessie" and pointed to Lukas. My Mom, Grandma, and Aunt all started laughing. Lukas had gently stole two french fries off someones plate from the big tray. I was so embarrassed! It was very cute. He was pretty happy with his two french fries he got. He didn't know any better and was happily munching them as we all laughed. The waitress was very young...perhaps she didn't know how grabby toddlers can be!

So much climbing...and other toddler fun!

Lukas is a master climber! He climbs the couches, chairs, lazy susan, and the other day he almost got on the kitchen counter. He has learned that if you push something up to something tall you want to climb...it makes as a step! (sarcasm on) What a wonderful development this is! (sarcasm off) I hate that he has learned how to climb everything! Get down and sit just aren't good enough anymore! You literally leave the room for 1 minute and come back to him standing on the kitchen table. One of his favorite things to climb and stand on is the end table between our recliner and love seat. Not as scary as the kitchen table, but still scary! He doesn't climb out of his crib yet and I am praying he never does. He actually likes his crib and I have only seen him climb in. Thank goodness!
We have had other "fun" moments this weekend too. Lukas was napping the other day at my Mom's while we were there making Christmas cookies. He woke up, but he did it quietly so we didn't hear him. My brother Eddie went in to get him when he heard him. Right when he walked in he noticed "brown" stuff on Lukas's hands and he seen it on his blankets too. That's right...Lukas had did a #2 and did some digging in his pants. Only to then touch everything in his pack and play and get it all yucky! I got him straight into the bath and all cleaned up!

Man...this toddler business is alot of work. He is still cute...alot of work, but well worth it!

Dancing to Christmas music!

Instant happiness when dancing to Christmas music!

Cupa tea

I am sneaky! Let me tell you why. Lukas was fighting me tooth and nail when I was trying to get him dressed in the morning. I mean I couldn't blame him. I don't like to get up from a warm bed and get dressed to leave either. ..it's the pits! So I came up with something to give him to distract him. I give him a cup of juice in the morning while I am getting him dressed! He just drinks his cup and I change him and get him ready for the day! I feel a little guilty using a cup like this...it kind of feels like a pacifier or something. However, it's a form of nourishment and he likes his cups! I took away his pacifier when he was 6 months old...and we haven't looked back. He wasn't that attached to it anyway. However, a cup of something he loves to drink is the trick! He calls all his cups "cupa tea". So when I wake him up in the morning I play and tickle him a little...give him is cup and start getting his ready. I have done this and for two weeks it has worked! I know it won't work forever, but for now it is working and I will take it!

Bob...

Lukas always wants to watch "Bob" which is SpongeBob Square Pants. I sit and watch this cartoon wondering if I should let him be watching it. It's goofy and it definitely has adult jokes, but also kid stuff. I have tried to get him to watch other cartoons too. Like Curious George, Magic School Bus. I am thinking he is just too young to understand these cartoons. SpongeBob is just a goofy no learning cartoon. Maybe he will be more interested in the educational cartoons as he gets older.

Getting Dressed Blues

Lukas has started to really fight me the last few weeks when it comes to getting dressed. He wants absolutely nothing to do with getting in his clothes for the day. Diaper changes can be a challenge, but they aren't as bad. I have started looking into ways to make this better for the both of us. I don't really like pinning him down and wrestling with him just to get him dressed. So I started asking friends and family. They all have really suggestions. Some said to let him help me get him dressed. So I did this. He doesn't want me to help at all. So that isn't working right now. Some said to try giving him some options like 2 or 3 different outfits to make him feel like he is in control of something. I did this and I was surprised that he did actually pick out an outfit, but when it came to putting it on he still didn't want my help. I did ask him to put his pants and shirts on without my help to show him that he needs my help. Well that didn't work either. He tried to put them on and he couldn't get it. So he threw them and yelled "No!" at me. I am hoping this phase doesn't last very long. I am going to start trying to show him how to put his clothes on and take them off. Which could also backfire, but I gotta try something.

Dancing in the Newspapers

Lukas can be so silly at times. We were over for dinner at my mother in law's place and Lukas found something he likes to do. Play and dance in the Newspapers. He is very silly!

Soooo Tired...

My little guy has been so tired lately. He has been grabbing his blankies and just laying on the floor in any random spot. I ask him "are you tired?" and he just smiles. Two nights ago he decided to rearrange the bakers rack and lay down on the quesdilla maker. I wish I had a camera for when he did that...it was so funny and cute! Both of my brothers used to do the same thing when they were little. They would be on the go go and then just lay down and fall asleep in some random spot. I wonder if this is just a boy thing? I am sure girls do it too. I think he has been tired between his teething and possibly growing more. Plus I think the weather and season change always does it to people too. Who knows the real reason why he's doing it, but it is cute when he just lays down with his blankies in random spots!

Christmas Cartoons

Christmas cartoons are something I have always enjoyed this time of the year. I would watch them even when I didn't have Lukas. Who can resist Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, The Grinch who Stole Christmas, or Frosty the Snowman! These are childhood classics! My Mom, brother, and I used to sit down around Christmas time and watch these Christmas cartoons all cuddled together. It was a tradition. Well now I am doing the same with Lukas! Last night we cuddled on the couch and watched The Grinch who Stole Christmas. With Lukas starting to actually sit and pay attention to something is just great! Now I can make this a tradition of ours! We will make sure to watch these Christmas cartoons as a prelude to Christmas for years to come. How fun!