Lucas in a cage

Another swimming for Lucas ... this time with a ball

Lucas talking

Laughter

Lucas at 25 weeks

In keeping with tradition I have titled this post "Lucas at 25 weeks."  If I were totally upfront, honest, and using this blog as a means of communicating the realities of our lives and chronicling the day-to-day goings on of our family, it would be titled something like "Lucas's mom is a big slacker." 

By the way, to all of those moms out there who have children whose named end in "s," the rules of apostrophe usage have changed.  It is no longer kosher to just tack on an apostrophe to a child's name that already ends in "s."  Now we have to treat an "s"-ending name like it isn't one and still do the whole apostrophe + "s" thing.  When I was a kid we made Chris possessive by turning it into "Chris'".  This isn't the best demonstration of apostrophe usage because it gets camoflagued by the quotation marks.  Oh well.  It's incorrect now anyway and should be "Chris's."  I should write a song with lyrics involving as many names ending in "s" as possible, ensure that it is catchy, and encourage 6 year-old happy, off-key soprano singing females to sing it to their parents (all members of the English language police, of course)...incessantly.  What is more beautiful than a child's voice?  A tribe of extra apostrophe "s" pronouncing, snake hissing she-bandits will erase motherly love from the planet entirely.

Just so you know.....  I'm annoyed by this secretly issued mandate from the English language police.  Why wasn't I officially informed?  And in a timely manner?

I'm not going to edit old posts to reflect the new rule.  I guess the grammar police will have to hunt me down after reading all of my old posts about "Lucas' _____" and beat me with a giant wooden exclamation point.

Oh, and, I'm definitely not a big nerd or anything....

What's more interesting than my hand in the air?  My hand stuck in a SLEEVE in the air!

If my mom were a better photographer she would take fewer pictures with giant shadows across my face.  But she isn't.  So I'm just going to go with it.

Lucas at 24 weeks

Which one is the real baby?

I am beginning to notice that only having a male child is affecting me in interesting ways.  This is a picture of Lucas with the doll I bought him.  Yes, I bought my little man child a doll.  I have never been one of those "children-belong-to-the-universe-and-therefore-shouldn't-be-immediately-engendered" parents who dresses their child in only unisex clothing and doesn't believe in giving kids haircuts until age 3.  But lately I'm feeling the testosterone overload in my household and find myself reaching for more femininity.  So I bought my male child a doll. 

In my defense, Lucas somewhat chose the doll for himself.  So maybe I'm the one who took it from the shelf in the store, held it in his face, discovered that the doll laughs when you push on his belly, and made a fool of myself in public to get Lucas to enjoy the doll even more.  But, hey, Lucas laughs when the baby doll laughs and that's pretty cute.  Other than that, Lucas just chews on the baby's hands and feet.  So maybe the doll is more for me than Lucas little more than Lucas's favorite teething toy, but the laughter and comfort of a child are priceless, right?

Lucas's Godmother recently told me about an article she read.  Apparently male children who grow up playing with baby dolls make better fathers.  This means that I made the right choice in buying my son a baby doll.  Also, forcing it on him for my joy because I don't have a daughter ensuring that he engages in play situations involving the expression of care for a more helpless human being will make him a better adult.  So there.  There is research and it is proven. 

Lucas at 28 weeks

This picture was taken after Lucas was horribly sunburned.  More on that later...  I think that I started taking pictures of Lucas sleeping because he was beginning to grab the signs you see in his weekly pictures and shove them in his mouth.

Mom loves dressing me in this red and white sleeper.  I will just lie here and dream of having variety in my wardrobe.

Lucas at 27 weeks

My infant seat is so comfortable!  I think I'll just nap and let Mom and Dad handle the rest...

Lucas at 26 weeks

Yes, I am far behind on posting weekly pictures of Lucas.  But they are so much fun to see!  Enjoy!

Being in the baby swing is so relaxing!

Lucas eats pears

Pureed avocado didn't go over so well, but I redeemed myself as a baby chef by preparing pureed pears for Lucas.  They were a big hit.  I must thank Lucas' grandmother, Mimi, for giving us a wonderful baby food making machine, the Beaba Babycook.  It has made making meals for Lucas so easy.  It is compact and simple.  It steams and purees food all in one machine.  It comes with great instructions and I am amazed at the amount of food I can make for Lucas with just a few fruits or veggies.  Three pears costing under $4 made about fifteen meals for Lucas.  Fifteen containers of store-bought baby food is close to $15.  So way to go, Mom!  Thanks for the great gift.  Here is a link to a more in-depth description of the awesomeness of the Beaba Babycook and, as usual, below are more pictures of Lucas.

Pears are so good that I think I will take over this whole process.

Bite of pears, bite of duck.  Thanks, Aunt Ryan, for the wonderful rubber ducky!

I've got my duck, my pears, and a lot of attention.  I am content.

What else can I do with this spoon?

A dirty face, a dirty bib, and a boy doing the full-belly-stare-off-into-space.  Nap time awaits! 

It's not easy eating green

A lot of new and wonderful things have been going on in Lucas' world.  A few weeks ago Lucas ate cereal for the first time.  Now that he is six months old we have started solids.  Our first try with solid food was pureed avocado.  I thought avocado would be a good first food because the likelihood of an allergic reaction is slim, it is easy to prepare, and it was endorsed by a pediatrician's wife.  Also, Lucas' mom--yours truly--loves guacamole.  I thought fondness for all things avocado was definitely ingrained in Lucas' DNA and he would adore his first solid meal of pureed avocado.  Yeah, that didn't happen.  What did happen was this.

A happy baby eagerly awaits his first bites of solid food.

This is not what I expected.

Do you see the tear forming in my right eye?  That means I HATE THIS.

I'm two more spoonfuls away from having a major meltdown.

I am stunned.  I just didn't think it could ever happen to me.

Let me out!  No more!

Lucas at 23 weeks

I am going to have to get more creative with Lucas' posing for the weekly pictures.  If you look at the weekly picture posts there is a recurring theme. 

Play yard?  Check!

Late at night?  Check!

Lucas lying on his back?  Check!

Lucas wearing a sleeper?  Check!

Lucas smiling?  Check!

*sigh* 

Being a stay-at-home mom in graduate school means that I am in the business of putting out fires.  As important as it is for me to document the journey and share it with family and friends, making sure that everybody is fed and clean takes priority.  I acknowledge that our weekly pictures are most likely predictable.  I will do my best to spice things up a bit.  If possible.  While I take a class.  And work on a project due in an hour.  On a computer with Windows in Polish.  One-handed.  With a crying baby.  Who needs food.  And is covered in poop. 

In other words, stay tuned for more pictures of Lucas smiling and wearing a sleeper while lying down in the play yard late at night!

The yellow and green turtle you see next to Lucas is a Christmas gift from his Aunt Dona.  It lights up and plays music and Lucas loves it!

I'm such a good sport and always smile for my mom!

Lucas at 22 weeks

These pictures epitomize our lives as parents.  It's getting late.  We are tired.  The baby is tired.  The sheets don't match.  Way too many activities that used to go on outside the bed are now happening in the bed.

Lucas poses mischievously.

Big grins help make the world go 'round.

It's good to be king!

We are getting tired.

I'm so happy to be developmentally capable of holding and mouthing this sign!

Lucas at 21 weeks

My little boy is 21!  I'm pleased that he celebrated this "birthday" by playing with his toys and drooling instead of going downtown for a wild night.

All the cool kids arch their backs when being put in the car seat.

These signs are getting more and more tasty!

Lucas is temporarily distracted.

Pitiful or cute?  You decide.

Kung Fu sign action

When do we start solids, Mom?

Lucas at 20 weeks

Dad isn't wearing polyester?

Overalls are so tasty!

Lucas enjoyed posing for his week 20 pictures in front of the Christmas tree on Christmas Day with his dad.  Lucas fell asleep while we opened presents, but I am sure that he will stay awake next year!

Lucas meets Santa

Santa visited our local toy store and I took Lucas to tell Santa what he would like for Christmas.  Lucas slept while we waited in line and did very well with Santa.

Not even Mom's flash can disturb Lucas' deep car seat slumber.

Pre-Santa slumber continued

The Big Guy looks pretty happy, but Lucas is slightly unsure.

Santa shares some words of wisdom with Lucas.

Santa and Lucas express their dislike of Santa's whimsical toy store chair.

Santa's white glove reminds me of something...

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, it is wrong.  Santa, I'm sorry, but it was totally worth it.  Coal next year for me?  Bring it on!

Lucas' acting debut

Recently I was approached by a fellow parishioner at church and was asked if Lucas would be willing to play the role of "Baby Jesus" in the annual Christmas pageant.  Apparently, the trend these days is to have a live Baby Jesus.  Here are some pictures of Lucas as Baby Jesus.  I played the role of "Mary's midwife," basically an adult who holds Baby Jesus amidst a sea of children in costume.

Lucas did very well.  He did no crying or anything else unacceptable in the theatrical/biblical world.  One of the children playing the role of a sheep did not do so well.  He saw mom and dad and scrambled to leave the altar and go sit with them.  Unfortunately for said sheep, he was strategically placed between two older siblings who tackled him every time he made an attempt to flee.  Eventually the little sheep escaped the clutches of his well-intentioned siblings and ran away to be cuddled by mom.

It was all very cute.  I'm sure Lucas will be a runaway sheep in two years.

Mom, Dad, and Lucas pose before the pageant begins.

Joseph, Mary, Baby Jesus, and Mary's Midwife

Dad shoots another picture of everyone before the show starts.

What a happy little sheep!

Lucas gets into character.  After all, Baby Jesus was a pretty happy kid, wasn't he?

Stretching never hurts before a big event!

Mom, I'm so tired!  Will it ever start?

Lucas gets some pre-show encouragement from Mom.

Are they serving milk?  I think I see milk!

Here is the whole gang.  Everyone is happy for now!

The sheep is getting a little restless...

Just a few...more...steps and I'm outta here!

Please don't make me stay!

I don't want to be here!

Notice the lack of sheep and the look of defeat on his siblings' faces.

It is so nice to rest in my car seat after a long morning on stage!