6 days.....

Till we are in Tucson!  I hope the weather is in the 70's like it has been.  This morning we had black ice from freezing fog and tonight we are supposed to have severe storms.  Only in Illinois.  No wonder I can't get rid of my runny nose!!  I am so excited to go and visit and experience my first Tucson Gem Show!!  Grandma sent me pictures of tents going up today. 

I guess you could say Luke is crawling now.  LOL He doesn't do a whole lot of it, I think he would rather scoot around.  He does yoga though.  He will put his legs straight out and stand up with his hands out in front of him.  That's how he gets around.  He is very good at moving.  He also about to cruise.  He's so close, but when I try and get him to he just laughs and falls in my lap.  He's been so good at entertaining himself lately again.  He's also really close to being able to pull himself up.  It won't be long at all.  I think he also knows what kind of stuff he is not supposed to bother and goes after it.  (It just thundered by the way)  I think he kinda knows what NO means, but he just chooses to ignore it.  Sometimes I catch him playing with something he shouldn't and I will yell LUKE and he jumps.  Its funny.  And sometimes when he's doing something he's not supposed to and we yell at him, he just completely ignores us.  I think he may be one to throw a temper tantrum because even now he cries when we take away what he shouldn't have.

Last night we let him feed himself since he needed a bath anyway.  He had a fun time with it, and if you put food on his spoon he would put it in his mouth, with his left hand.  He is going to be a lefty.  He uses his right hand like and accessory to help the left one.  Its pretty interesting to watch.  He also discovered a few days ago that he could eat the "puffs" we give him.  The gerber star shaped ones.  Before he would just play with them and throw them at the dogs, now he CHOWS down!  If you sit him on your lap with a bowl of them he gets two handfuls and starts chowing.  It is so funny!  It also keeps him VERY happy, so we will be taking plenty of puffs on the airplane with us!

I think I sometimes take for granted how good of a baby he is.  Just seeing friends postings on facebook, like today a good friends baby just quit sleeping through the night and wakes up every hour, I don't know how she does it.  Luke has been the easiest baby! (wow it just thundered real loud)  I'm scared of what number two will be like LOL  Being a mom has been the best thing that has ever happened to me and my life is amazing with my two boys!  (and 3 fluffy girls!)

Crabby Paddy

Wow this week has been rough!  I don't know if it's because Joe was at home for so long and went back to work or if Luke is going through a growth spurt or trying to teeth, but he has been an absolute BEAR!  I cannot set him down to play or leave his sight without him screaming!  It is starting to wear on me.  And unfortunately Joe has been very busy and coming home late all this week.  I am exhausted and just want some time to myself!

There are a few rare moments when Luke has been pleasant and in these moments I have learned that he can walk!  Shock of my life.  Usually when I hold his hands up and try to help him walk he won't bend his legs to move, but yesterday I held his hands and he just took off!!  I was shocked!!  He is VERY proud of himself.  He cheeses the whole time he is walking around.  He tries to let go of my hands as if saying I can do it myself, but he always falls forward which he thinks is funny.  The only time this week he is really happy is when he is standing at his activity table.

He is so excited he can stand up now!

He also loves to "scoot" around on his cat truck which he also just learned yesterday

 He still is not technically crawling, although he does some really funny acrobatics.  He can also sit up from a laying postion which he figured out how to do today in his crib, so this weekend will be baby proofing the house and lowering the crib.  Gosh he is growing up so fast!!  In just 4 shorts months he will be a year old.  Tear! 

We are going out to Tucson at the end of January to visit the grandparents and the gem and mineral show, which grandma and I are super excited about!  I've never been to anything like it, so I am super excited to check it out.  I hope Luke does as good on the plane as he did the first time!

Trying to get the flash from my camera, he wasn't happy when I wouldn't give it to him

This is the face I have been dealing with all week

But he's happy here