What's The Matter With Boys

Lately I've been thinking about the day I found out I was having a boy. Just before, my mom told the nurse, "We don't WANT boys. We don't LIKE boys." I don't know what she was thinking... I only wanted a girl because I had more experience with girls, I had a name picked out, and she would have been the first (new clothes and lots of attention). But by no means did I have anything against boys.
I think about that day when I see Luke's eyes light up when he sees his Grammy and reaches out for her. When they're playing on the living room floor. When she's taking pictures and showing him off. When she volunteers to babysit for the night. He's certainly changed her mind.

When Luke was little, Aldo brought to my attention that boys are rough. That Luke's going to be coming home with scrapes and bruises. As a mother, I feel protective and always worrisome. I don't want to see that little guy hurt. The other day he was helping in the chicken coop and the space heater fell on his head. Thankfully I wasn't there to freak out. And also thankfully, he didn't have a bump or sign of it anywhere. Lucky. He also had his first temperature this weekend. It got all the way up to 101.2 in his armpit. I, of course, took it to the extreme and had Aldo call the nurse hotline, thinking Luke was going to be in ICU or something. Turns out babies can spike a temperature from about anything.
All in all, I don't think I'm ready for the roughness. I'm not ready for scrapes and bruises. I don't think I would mind to have wimpy kid. It hurts me to the core when I have to let him sit there and cry on the floor, instead of running to his side for help.

This feeling has probably come around more and more with Luke exploring and testing out new things. The other night I was relaxing on the couch while he was playing on the floor with his toys. Usually when he's tired of them and wants me to pick him up, he'll crawl over to me and just look up. This time he came over, lifted his hands to my pant legs, and pulled himself up to his knees, almost his feet. When they stand, they fall. I hope I can just get through this.

Second Chances

Thank goodness for quiet mornings like this.. my few minutes of relaxation and deep thought, otherwise I'd be driven to insanity. In the last seven days, I have entertained friends that came back from Afghanistan, planned a surprise sweet 16 party for my sister (and even better - it was a hit!), and repaired both of our vehicles drastically. Just reading that, it doesn't sound like much, but I'll put a little emphasis on it for you...
We had friends from out of town to entertain. How entertaining is making signs and shopping for your little sister's birthday party? And the whole time not having working cars? I have no idea how we managed to do it, but we did. I'm ready for March.

Among those times, there's moments that keep me going. When Luke was a baby, he would only sleep with us in bed, in my arms. But after we moved in with my mom, he started sleeping in his own crib in the room next to ours. It wasn't too hard to do, because I enjoy sprawling out in my bed and sleeping all night. Well, a couple days ago, Luke was having the worst night ever. He just kept crying and crying, and finally I had to send Aldo in because I just couldn't do it. He was in there a while and then came to the doorway and said, "This is only for tonight." He brought Luke over to the bed and set him down gently next to my side. I remembered when Luke was first placed in my arms at the hospital. How small he was, and how emotional I was. This was like a second chance. So I could take in the entire moment, enjoy the whole blessing. I snuggled up real close, pulling the covers up, and he fell right asleep. It just melts my heart. 

Maybe it's because I see Luke growing and showing personality to where I'm thinking that one day he won't rely on me any more. So I enjoy this time where he's still my baby. And it's great.
Here's some pictures to make your day a little brighter. Be blessed.

Superman

Luke looking in the mirror for Mommy. And then back at me. Wondering how I moved so fast.. or are there two Mommys?

Who doesn't love a cute baby bum?

Playing with Tia's party hat

Snowpocalypse

Nothing much has been accomplished today. I passed a few levels of Super Mario with my husband on the wii, beat everyone at pinnochle (but I'm an awful player, so I have no idea how that happened), and googled John Stamos to see if he's available for my mom. I think I might have moved some laundry to the dryer, but it's not folded so I'll have to do it all over again. Lazy days like this are fabulous. We'll see if I think the same thing tomorrow.

Luke has changed so much. He has three teeth and one more popping through on top. The other day we got a free board book from Aldo's work. While we were there, I let him "read" it, which was basically him sucking on the pages. I wasn't paying attention to him until I felt a whole bunch of drool in my hand. I took the book out of his mouth and an entire chunk was missing out of the corner! Goodness, he's in the stage where he starts eating the things that probably aren't safe... like marbles, pennies, and game pieces. I know my sister and I have some stories. I'd rather he not have any.

He also army crawls everywhere; rolls; and sometimes gets on his hands and knees, rocks back and forth, and then plunges forward. He is quick! I have to keep an eye on him because he finds every little speck in the carpet. Who would've thought we still have fake Christmas tree needles around the house? 

Aldo's work also gave us a maraca, which Luke absolutely loves. He shakes it perfectly. And hits his head with it too. He has a bunch of other toys, thanks to Christmas, but I think this one is his favorite. All the others he'll either grab because he can suck on the strings or tags.

Oh, and he's learned some phrases and words. He can't say them, but I know he understands. While he's eating, I'll ask, "Mas?" and he'll turn away from whatever he's looking at and open his mouth to take the next bite. When he's playing with balls (pelotas), I'll ask for it and he'll put the ball in my hand. And then take it back and suck on it. It's a back and forth game. Recently we've been trying to teach him "No". I'm afraid that will be the first word he says. Who wants that to be their child's first word? Nobody. But we have to say it because he likes to grab onto the glass sliding door on our tv stand.

There's other things he does and I can only think of a few (sitting here as I watch him). He likes to crawl to the linoleum in our kitchen. It's just so much cooler than carpet! He nods his head... I call it "rocking out", but we haven't quite figured out why he does it. He gives kisses, only to a select few. He likes to look at your feet. Weirdo. I use that sometimes if he starts getting fussy before we have a bottle prepared. He'll be sitting in his bumbo, and I'll just play peek-a-boo with my feet over the side. And what I love most, he'll sing himself to sleep. It is so precious. It just reminds me how sweet and innocent he is.
It reminds me of myself when I was little.