Luke is 17 months old

Luke turned 17th months old a few days ago (I used to not understand why parents told me how many months their child was after they were a year old...as if I knew the difference anyway. But now I totally do it). Anyway, Luke is 17th months old and I've never been really good at giving his stats or anything, but I thought I'd give it a try.

Weight: I don't know...but its not enough. And Dad will probably never think it is enough until he can tackle kids bigger than him.

Height: I'm guessing about 32 inches (see why I'm not good at this stuff)

Words: Ummm, we're still working on that. He sure does babble a lot but I can't make sense of any of it. However, he does understand quite a lot. He understands ball, book, dog, head, nose, hair, mouth, tongue, ear, toes, belly button, bathtime, diaper, all done, more, no, yes.....the list really goes on and on. I think he understands more than we could ever know.

Acquired Nicknames: Lukey, Luca di beppo, Lucas Maximus Aurelias, Bubba, Buddy, Will (the name of one of his best friends...I always call him that accidentally), Curly, Cheeks, Mister, etc, etc. If you've ever watched one of our videos, you know that really embarrassing, gushy, nerdy things come out of our mouths when we interact with our son, so he has a number of random nicknames.

Favorite Pastimes: Number 1 is still electrical plugs and outlets, climbing on things, buckles, pretending to vacuum, looking at books (this warms my heart), dancing, hanging out with boys (he is really quite partial to boys, the ladies always get a little too close to his face), going to see animals at the pet store (birds are his favorite lately), going to any indoor kids' playground that Mom can find, having visitors, playing chase, peek a boo, ring around the rosie, being outside (even if it is freezing), etc, etc.

Things about Luke that crack me up:

• Seeing how much he hates shopping. It doesn't matter how fun I try to make it, he already knows that this is going to be something he despises forever. It makes me laugh. People probably stare at me in the grocery aisles wondering why I'm smiling and laughing at my child having a meltdown. His moans get especially loud when we are in any kind of craft store or fabric store. He must sense the estrogen.

• When Luke wakes up in the morning, 95% of the time he is jumping up and down in his crib laughing. As soon as I put him on the ground, he grabs his binkies that he has previously thrown over the edge of his crib and breaks into a run. He continues to run as fast as he can all around the second floor until I corner him for a diaper change.

• Luke loves nooks. I always find him hanging out behind his crib or inside the cabinets. He likes having his own little space. There is a little bookshelf on the side of our entertainment center and he always likes to go and stand in it or sit down and chill for a while. So funny.
  

• Luke reminds me so much of Andrew. He has definitely inherited Andrew's sweet tooth. I don't know how he knows, before tasting it, when something is going to be sweet. But he must have some sensor for it because if there is something sweet in the house, he finds it quickly and wants it bad. I always catch Andrew slipping him sweets too, which usually makes me mad, but it also kind of warms my heart that they have this little secret combination going on.
  



• I love when Luke is trying to get one of us to play with him. He will run around the corner and then peek at us. As soon as we make eye contact, he squeals and runs away, hoping that we will chase after him.
  



• He has watched me do my hair often enough to understand every step involved. When I get my blow dryer out, he grabs the hair straightener, drags it into our bedroom and tries to plug it in (okay he is usually successful at plugging it in before I'm able to stop him). Sometimes I catch him putting the cold hair straightener up to his hair and pretending to use it. Dad is really going to be mad at me for this one.
  



• One of Luke's favorite treats is yogurt covered raisins. I initially bought them because I was hoping that it might help him develop a taste for raisins. It hasn't really worked though. He just sucks off all the yogurt (okay lets be honest, its just sugar) and spits out the raisins. I am always finding raisins all over the house. Every once in a while, he forgets and swallows the raisin, but it is rare. The other day I was checking out at the grocery store and there was a situation where things weren't being scanned right so we were trying to figure it out. Luke was getting annoyed so without thinking, I grabbed some of the yogurt covered raisins and gave him a bunch to keep him quiet. A minute later, in the midst of all the register confusion, and a bunch of people around trying to help the checker, I look over and see Luke spitting out raisins everywhere....looking at me so nonchalantly like they were sunflower seeds at a baseball game. As embarrassed as I was, he still made me smile.
  



• I love how much Luke LOVES TO LAUGH. This kid laughs like it is his sole purpose for being alive. Now please don't think that he doesn't have his terrible cranky moments where he seems to despise the world, because he definitely does. But laughing is overly natural for this kid. It is not because of anything that we do (although Andrew is a pretty happy character...once a member of the Bishopric told him what a great smile he has). But I think Luke was just born with a high capacity for happiness. I'm really hoping I don't mess that up because it makes him immensely fun to be around.

Well, I could go on and on, but I feel much better after getting all that out. Luke had a rough day (Sundays are a little rough), and he kind of seemed like Satan's little helper there for a while. So it has been extremely therapeutic to remember what a fun kid he is and how UNBELIEVABLY GRATEFUL we are to have him in our home.

Caring for the poor

Our church issued this statement about Haiti. I think the second paragraph is especially interesting.

Our hearts are filled with sadness as we have watched the suffering in Haiti in the wake of the devastating earthquake. We turn to the example of Jesus Christ, who reached out to “lift up the hands which hang down” and “strengthen the feeble knees.” We are keenly aware that many in America are dealing with economic challenges caused by the recession. However, we are appealing to members to donate to Church Humanitarian Services as their means allow in order to help our Haitian brothers and sisters. Many have already contributed and others are anxious to do so.

Money is not the only need in Haiti. People are frightened, bewildered, and wholly uncertain about their future. In addition to what people can do in helping with food, water, and shelter, there needs to be a calming influence over that troubled nation. We invite our people everywhere to supplicate God for a spirit of calm and peace among the people as urgent aid and reconstruction efforts continue.

On that note, I'm almost done with this book about Dr. Paul Farmer who has spent the past few decades in Haiti trying to eradicate diseases such as TB and AIDS. I have found it to be a captivating story and a way for me to begin to comprehend the poverty and struggles that the Haitians face. I'm not a big bookworm (although I wish from the bottom of my heart that I was...I have to keep working at it) but this book has really opened my eyes to a new meaning of 'caring for the poor'. And it is very well written. I highly recommend it.

My favorite excerpt from it:

"How could a just God permit great misery? The Haitian peasants answered with a proverb: 'Bondye konn bay, men li pa konn separe,' in literal translation, 'God gives but doesn't share'. This meant, as Farmer would later explain it, 'God gives us humans everything we need to flourish, but he's not the one who's supposed to divvy up the loot. That charge was laid upon us.'"

for the g-rents

he's not a baby anymore...

Luke has mastered peak-a-boo and pointing out basic body parts. Enjoy.

Dear Jessica,

Happy Birthday! For your birthday, we made some DELICIOUS cupcakes (if I do say so myself) and shared them with some neighbors. I'm sorry you weren't here to enjoy them (Jessica lives in Utah), but I am going to give you the recipe so you can make them if you want (and trust me, you want to).

Chocolate Chip and Mascarpone Cupcakes

Ingredients

For Cupcakes:

• 5 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 1 c. water
• 1/3 c. mascarpone cheese, at room temp.
• 2 1/4 c. sugar
• 1 c. vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 1 T vanilla extract
• 3 c. flour
• 1 t. baking soda
• 1 t. salt
• 1/2 t. baking powder
• 1 c. semisweet chocolate chips

For Ganache:

• 1 c. semisweet chocolate chips
• 2/3 c. heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 t. vanilla extract
• (paper liners for cupcakes)

Directions:

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.
Combine the unsweetened chocolate and water in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir constantly until the chocolate is melted, about 2 min. Cool for 2 min. Whisk in the mascarpone cheese until the mixture is smooth.

Beat the sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl for 30 seconds. Stir in mascarpone mixture. Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and chocolate chips in a medium bowl. Add the dry ingredient to the chocolate mixture. Stir until just blended.

Divide the batter among the prepared muffin pans. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out with no crumbs attached (I actually think it is better to undercook a little ..and the melted chocolate chips will always make your tester a little gooey). Cool the cupcakes completely before dipping, about 1 hour (30 min. okay).

Place the chocolate chips in a small bowl. Combine the heavy cream and vanilla extract in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook until bubbles appear on the outside edge of the cream. Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate chips. Using a fork, gently stir until all the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.

Dip the tops of each cupcake in he ganache and transfer to a baking sheet. Place the dipped cupcakes in the refrigerator to set, about 15 to 20 min. Allow cupcakes to return to room temp before serving.

True Confession

(picture has nothing to do with post, just a joke by Luke's uncles...poor kid didn't even notice he was the butt of the joke)

Are you ready? It is perhaps my biggest weakness and I absolutely HATE it.

I get WAY too easily caught up in stories. It doesn't matter if it is a book or a show...whatever format it is in, I am quick to get addicted and MUST know what happens in the end. Some people can't say no to chocolate, others can't say no to a good sale, Luke can't say no to an electrical outlet...I guess we all have something.

Because I know this about myself, I really try to avoid TV shows and books that are a part of a series (like Twilight, Harry Potter, etc.). If I succumb to temptation, I end up finishing a book and looking around only to see that I haven't showered in a few days, I'm sleep deprived, my house is a mess, and Luke is still in his pajamas. I HATE IT. (and yes, hate is a strong word).

Andrew doesn't help the situation. He loves to bring home TV shows that are on DVD because he "heard from a friend" that they were good. The difference is that Andrew doesn't have my weakness. He watches a couple episodes, agrees that it is pretty good, comments that it is a pity that he really doesn't have any time to keep watching, trudges on up to bed, and it is all over for him. I try to do the same, but it just bugs me, not knowing what the end is.

This week, my dear sweet husband who was trying to help me cope with a bad case of the flu/cold (that said flu/cold...nope, not pregnant), brought home Friday Night Lights from the library (that was for you, Mike and Linzi). Less than a week later, I've finished season 1 and wonder how I managed to waste a whole week of my life. (not that it wasn't good, but a whole season probably shouldn't be watched in one week. I didn't watch while Luke was awake, which means a lot of sleep was lost). I think I might have even started talking with a Texan accent last night...

So I'm writing off all TV shows on DVD and books that are a part of a series. Some people, like me, just can't handle it. (p.s. it actually was a pretty good show, especially if you had a coach in high school who changed your life...you'd appreciate it.)

Haiti

I have to admit, our church is amazingly good at organizing and distributing humanitarian aid. If you would like to make a donation to help the people in Haiti, I suggest you visit their website. 100% of the donation is used to help the people in Haiti.

Fearless

I think he remembers the old carseat. He seems so excited to play with it.

Luke was on a hunger strike but has been making a comeback ever since I started letting him feed himself. He's pretty good with a spoon.

Yesterday, Luke was electrocuted (he can take the plastic things off the outlets), fell off the kitchen chair and hit his head (happens 9 times out of 10), and (drumroll, please) fell down the entire flight of stairs rolling head over heels. Needless to say, by the end of the day (when the stairs happened) I was emotionally drained and cried for about 20 minutes straight (My tears even outlasted Luke who somehow survived the mishap with only a black eye). The last fall of the day will forever remain one of the most horrifying things I have ever witnessed in my life.

I considered taking him to the hospital (I wonder if they would have thrown me in the slammer when they found out about all his life-threatning events that day). but he was acting normal and, unfortunately, I know from previous experience the signs of a concussion or skull fracture and he didn't appear to have any of them. So to stay sane until Andrew returned my message, I went over to my neighbor's house. It just so happened that her husband is a resident and so I felt a little more relaxed having a doctor nearby. I commented that I think Luke just might be a little clutsy. My neighbor corrected me and called it fearless. I'm glad that he put a positive spin on it because it helped to snap me out of my negative mood.

Friends, Luke is fearless! Because of his great courage and tenacity to never give up no matter how many times he bumps his head or electrocutes himself, I have put the following actions into effect:

• All chairs are officially being held hostage in the basement until Mom chills out a little. Until further notice, we are eating "Japanese style" on the floor.


• The baby gate at the top of the stairs is back in commission even though Luke has been going up and down stairs for about 6 months.
  
• All electrical cords have been confiscated (at least during the fearless one's waking hours). This might heavily reduce our computer time and my phone may or may not be charged at any given moment.
  
• The bathtub will always be drained while Luke is still in it. (Last week, after Luke took his bath and put on his pajamas, he ran into the bathroom and heaved himself over the edge of the tub to take another dip. Luckily, Andrew was right there to pull him out.
  

I try to laugh about it because if I didn't laugh, I would still be crying. Luke must have a LOT of angels watching out for him. They've been working overtime lately.