Luke @ 9 Months Old

I've tried to write this post everyday for over a month, but just haven't been able to find the right words. It was a hard month for us.  Brendon and I each lost a grandparent this month, DaddyBob and Grandma Dorothy.  

But, this is why I can't just skip the 9 month post...

It was also a month of choosing joy, genuine laughter, remembering the past, and intentionally taking in the moment. 

On March 25th, Luke took his first plane ride to Florida.  In true second child fashion, there are no photos of his first flight.  Sorry, Luke.  I'm not sure how that happened.  It's quite possible that we were just so relieved to have made it to the plane and equally overwhelmed with with grief that taking a picture slipped my mind.

The next day he met almost all of the Walker family aunts, uncles, cousins and their kids! 

My little family, my parents, my sisters, and my nieces all stayed together at Grammy and Poppa's house.  

The boys loved every minute at Grammy and Poppa's house! Owen even got to have his first sleep over with Walker. Luke was, technically, there as well.  He just has an earlier bed time than the big boys!  

Luke got into trouble with Daddy and Poppa.  Yes, they're showing him a lizard...Owen and I were running the other way! 

Owen, Annika, Danya, and Rylee built a blanket fort with Aunt Alicia.  Then, ate popcorn and watched movies while it rained outside.  

The boys and I drove around the yard in Poppa's truck while Brendon picked up sticks to build a bonfire. 

We found a play place with giant inflatable bounce houses and slides for the kids.  

Let's face it, we all liked playing at Bouncin' Big.  Brendon was the biggest kid of them all!

Owen got to go fishing with Poppa.   Nothing was going to stop him from getting his time -- he didn't even let Brendon go with them.  He came home with a juice, a giant blue lollipop, no fish, and a HUGE smile!! 

We also went to visit Grandma and Grandpa Herbeck!  Luke loved their dogs and Owen couldn't get enough of the "tractor" and Grandpa's Legos. 

Luke was in L.O.V.E with the beach and immediately crawled to the water.  

Yes, that's right.  He crawls now and will sit himself up also! 

The boys were completely wiped out after the beach!

Brendon went back to work while the boys and I stayed a few extra days in Florida.  It was hard to leave, so I waited until the very last minute to head to the airport.  Somehow, I returned the rental car, made it to the airport with both kids happy, checked one carseat, hauled the second seat across the airport, along with food, bottles, a rolling carry-on bag, and somehow was scanned and cleared by security without needed a full pat down. And, I did it all without breaking a sweat... just kiddin' I was sweating bullets so the flight attendant took pity on me, gate checked the infant carrier and let me preboard. We walked to the plane and they opened the door for us --- first ones on!  The pilot was extra nice.  He let Owen go in the cockpit (I, of course, have no proof because Luke was so wiggly that finding a camera was impossible) and then he personally carried my bag to the very back of the plane.     

Owen took this picture after we planted ourselves in the seat and I think it's pretty much a perfect representation of our flight.  Luke cheered, laughed, looked for friends, needed a diaper change, and took a little nap while Owen read the safety manual, carefully listened to the safety talk before take-off, checked for the nearest exits and fell asleep (with his butt facing the tray table and used the armrest as a pillow) for the rest of the flight.   It was a perfect flight! 

Here's what made it even better... Our layover was in Phoenix! We grabbed our carry on bags, walked off the plane, and did NOT get on our connecting flight that would have taken us to Vegas.  Instead, we met Jessica outside at passenger pickup and spent the weekend there. I couldn't land in Phoenix and NOT go see the Rapers!  Brendon drove to Arizona after work and we spent the weekend having fun. 

The Home Depot Children's Workshop was a BIG hit with Owen.   He built a bird feeder.  Luke watched from the stroller. 

After our traveling was done, we relaxed at home.  I tried to dig out from under the mountain of laundry that we'd accumulated over the weeks we'd been gone.  Luke looked at all his old toys like they were magical and Owen took inventory of all his toys that he'd been missing. 

Luke's sleep schedule was a little off.  We spent several days playing during "nap time" and when he did sleep he woke up looking like this... 

One day, he fell asleep at 5pm and didn't wake up until 5am the next morning! 

Back at home, every day tasks were much more exciting.  Luke even helped us open up the mail!

He started learning to drink from a straw {which still isn't going well}. 

He is, however, doing a great job pulling himself up to standing and walking against the furniture. 

He wants to "walk" everywhere, but shoes are really blowing his mind.  He gets distracted by his own feet, tries to eat them, and really loves throwing them.  Most of the time he ends up barefoot! (which is what happened at church!)

The boys wore their coordinating Easter outfits from my parents and looked absolutely adorable! 

"ahhhh, I found an egg!!"

Easter eggs went straight into his mouth every time he found one! 

I think he likes the Easter bunny!

Easter morning, I made breakfast and Luke "organized" the tupperware.  Brendon and Owen continued their tradition of making orange juice. As you can see, Owen LOVES this!  

We gave Luke an orange, but he really wanted nothing to do with it.  Instead, he wanted to examine the camera!

 

We've gone for lunch or dinner picnics with Daddy several time this month.  

And, Luke got a haircut! More like a trim. We didn't cut the top... just the mullet!

  

This month has been FULL of firsts.... plane ride, meeting family, crawling, sitting up from crawling to sitting, 1st trip to the beach, standing up on his OWN {in the bathtub, of course, because Danger is Luke's middle name!}, and lowering his crib {to keep the daredevil from climbing out}.

He's grown so much and his stats prove it!  To us, he's HUGE.  Owen weighed 20 pounds when he was 1 year old and Luke has already hit that mark by his 9 month checkup! 

 Weight:  20 pounds (43 percentile)

Height:  28" (51st percentile)

Head Circumference:  43.5 cm (10 percentile)

On April 25th, Luke turned 9 months old and I started planning his birthday party.... because I've realized, this month more than ever before, that our time here is short and should be celebrated!