10 months old

Lucas is now a 10-month-old baby.  So big!  This month has brought lots of changes.  

He hung out with Grandma Donna, Grandpa Carl, and Uncle Michael, who visited Easter weekend.  

He went through our parenting transition of mama working nights...

(and started sleeping through the nights - lucky papa)

He still loves eating and will eat just about anything

  

Grandma Donna taught him "how big is Lucas? SO big!"

He plays with little farm animals and knows that the cow says "mooo"

He knows what socks are and where they go (he is not very concerned about them matching)

He is CRAWLING! and is quickly on the creep

And perhaps most exciting of all, he said his first word: "creek"

Last summer Grandpa Chuck built this bridge over a small creek that flows next to their house.  

Lucas loves visiting the creek - we visit it at least once a day. 

 Last weekend we went to the Blandford Nature Center and every time we came upon some water (a creek, stream, pond, large puddle) Lucas said "creek."  Was it our imagination or was he really communicating?  We stayed quiet to see what he would do when we saw water next.  He definitely said "keek", slowing down and speaking with intention, different from the sounds he makes for dog or anything else.  His first word!  Certainly makes papa proud.  

Morning coffee and sunshine

Playing with Tessa & Peter

Today we had a fun time with Tessa & Peter Henry.  We met at Wilcox Park where Lucas experienced swings for the first time!  He got to crawl all over grass and cement, eat some leaves and wood chips, then we played at their house.  Thanks Kwants!

Lucas crawls!!

Lucas finally mastered the crawl this weekend!  

I can't believe how cute his little chunky legs are when he crawls.  

So cute that we had to get a second video with a side view.  

Thanks to videographer Auntie Em.  

Grandma & Grandpa & Uncle Michael...oh my!

When Grandma Donna & Grandpa Carl visit Jacob I always look forward to Carol's pending blog post (although you are getting behind, Carol.  November 22?  Time for an update).  And now I can do the same thing!

Checking out the butterflies

Late Thursday night Grandma Donna, Grandpa Carl, and Uncle Michael come for a visit.  Their timing was so helpful because this was my first week working night shift (Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday nights) and I wasn't sure how I would adjust or when I would sleep during the day.  I was so excited towards the end of my shift Thursday night (or Friday morning), knowing that I would come home to see everyone, plus it was my 31st birthday!  I came home, slept for a solid 5 hours, then we all went to the Frederik Meijer Gardens to visit the butterflies.

Grandpa Carl showing Lucas the bear sculpture outside at the Gardens

So sweet! 

We celebrated my birthday Saturday night by going to Brick Road Pizza, then put Lucas to bed and watched a James Bond movie, Casino Royale.  Sunday morning we went to church then had an amazing Easter brunch at Trillium Haven Restaurant before they went back home.

In Lucas news - he made big intellectual gains during their visiting!  In the past few days he started clapping and playing patty cake, he covers his own face with a blanket for peek-a-boo, he makes kissing lip smacks (Uncle Michael taught him this), and, most exciting of all, he signed "more" while we were eating!  His first sign!  I have read about this mega-surges in development and now I have seen one.

9 months

It is officially spring!

Officially - although it doesn't feel like it quite yet.  In Portland we'd be walking around in 60 degrees looking at the blossoms on the green, green trees.  Here, it snowed and hailed yesterday.  Woe is me.

On the bright side, Lucas is such a great little boy.  I think he's found his groove now at 9 months old.  He has figured out how to get around without crawling by doing a creative bend forward/sideways leg move.  And he can go from laying on his belly to sitting up.  I'm hoping that by 10 months I can report he is crawling for real.

So close to crawling...but best to avoid if possible

For fun we've been visiting the Frederik Meijer Gardens' butterfly exhibit, reading lots of books, watching the birds, bundling up to take walks in the snow, playing with other little ones at the library, and eating gourmet meals like Banana Souffle (mashed banana & egg yolk), Salmon Hash (roasted salmon, avocado & sweet potato), & Root Vegetable Medley (rutabaga, parsnip, celeriac, turnip & carrots), to name a few.

To top it all off, he is taking very predictable and long naps and sleeping well at night.  This is good timing, because our family life is shaking up a bit because I start working nights TONIGHT.  Plus, Grandma & Grandpa Darby & Uncle Michael are coming to visit TOMORROW!

Enjoying the butterflies

He likes to read books...and eat them

This little guy loves to eat

8 months

Lucas turned 8 months old this week.  He is sitting up like a champ and wants to crawl, but hasn't figured it out yet.  He loves trying new foods, especially the new additions of spices and herbs.  Some recent favorites include carrot with dill, sweet potato with cinnamon, and egg yolk with anything.

The Gardens

Yesterday we celebrated the beginning of Sam's spring break with a trip to the Frederik Meijer Gardens.  Friday was the first official day of the Butterflies are Blooming exhibit, where more than 6,000 different butterflies will be in the tropical conservatory.  I've always wanted to see the exhibit!  There are a lot still in the chrysalis stage; I imagine we'll get to see even more next time.  I'm excited to go back many times before it ends April 30.