Celebrating one month!

Today I officially turn one month old.  I am already starting to push myself up during tummy time and hold my head up.  I am eating nonstop and because of that I am getting so big and strong.  Kate continues to be a stellar big sister.  She can give me my binky and my bottle and is obsessed with my eyes.  She shrieks, "Ooooh his eyes are open!"  And she says, "Oh he loves you so much."  And I do.  Love everyone, I mean.  I am still so snuggly.  I just love being held.

Merry Christmas 2010!!

Gigi, Mom, Aunt Amy and Luke

Tackling Bailey on my awesome new bean bag!

Luke slept through most of the craziness of the Christmas Eve party

Riley, Amy, Bailey, Hilary, Gigi, Mom and Baby Luke

Wonder Pets!

Viewfinders are nifty

On your mark, get set,

GO!

"When he gets bigger and bigger, Baby Luke will sit here."

Merry Christmas everyone!  We had a fantastic Christmas around here.  Thursday and Friday we were in La Grange where we got to see almost my Mom's whole side of the family.  We saw all of my second cousins who I haven't seen in two years and it was great.  Luke took his first trip to church on Christmas Eve when we went to Mimi Shank's Lutheran Church.  I loved the part where we lit candles and sang Silent Night.  I was even "silent" for the whole song!  After church we opened a few presents at Mimi's house and then headed over to Mimi Roitsch's house to play with all of the cousins.  We ran around the house ringing bells and eating cookies and tickle tackling each other.  It was great!  Christmas Day we woke up at Blackjack and it was time to head back to Austin so that we could have our Christmas.  This morning I woke up and had so much fun opening all of my great presents!  Uncle John gave me the biggest pink bean bag I have EVER seen!  Luke got a maroon one.  I love jumping from one to the other and from my new slide that Gigi gave me onto the bean bags.  I also got the Wonder Pets flyboat, a Dora  fishing pole, a fun dress up skirt, shoes, and jewelry set, a wiener dog purse, and a few other things.  Luke got a blanket and his big chair with his name on it.  And then there is the Jeep from Popo.  I spent the whole morning driving around the front yard and the street in it.  I can't wait to cruise down the road at Blackjack!  Popo, Gigi and Uncle John just left and I sure do miss them already.  Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!!

Christmas celebrations!

Last week Mama T, Bob Bob and Aunt Lynne came in for our Townsend family Christmas.  We had lots of fun together going to see Santa, shopping and just lounging around the house.  This is Luke's first Christmas and my 3rd, so I am really getting the hang of  all of the present opening.  I got so many fantastic gifts but I have been most obsessed with my Bedtime Stories book from Mama T, my American Airlines airplane and trucks from Bob Bob and my new alphabet floor puzzle from Aunt Lynne.  Everyone is astounded by how quickly I can put that thing together.  On Tuesday we dropped them off at the airport and then on Wednesday the Waldens came in to to celebrate Christmas because they are going to be in Syracuse next weekend playing in the snow and I am a little jealous about that.  We opened presents with them and they gave me a purple unicorn pillow pet.  I LOVE that thing!  Avery and I had lots of fun running around the house chasing each other for basically two days straight.  And she always cries when she has to leave and I feel bad for her because I know she misses me a lot.  I miss her too and can't wait to see her again.  After the celebrations my mom was talking to me about what Christmas is about and I told her that since it is baby Jesus's birthday, we should really have cupcakes and I will blow out the candle and eat Jesus's cupcake for Him.  Clever, huh?

You and me going fishing in the....day

Friday night Dad and I took our first fishing trip down to the tank at Blackjack.  I was mostly obsessed with the lure which is a good thing because Dad didn't catch a thing!  Maybe next time....

Meeting more of my family

Bob Bob's first time to hold me

Aunt Lynne and me

Mimi, Lottie and me

Those cute Swaneys and us

This week I have had the opportunity to meet lots more of my family.  I met my Bob Bob and Aunt Lynne, who are both in town with Mama T so that we can celebrate Christmas with the Townsends.  On Friday we took a trip to La Grange where I met my Mimi Shank, and today my cousins Amy, Ben, Bailey and Benjamin drove up from San Antonio just to meet me!  Everybody seems so excited to meet me and I just keep hearing my Mom say that I am a great baby and I only cry when I am hungry, and I love to snuggle up all day long.  This must be why I decided to arrive during the winter when it is cold outside!

Here Comes Santa Claus

Today I took Luke to see Santa Claus for the first time.  I don't know if you remember, but last year, I was NOT okay with sitting on the lap of some stranger in a red suit.  This year was a whole different story.  It was so exciting and as soon as I sat on his lap, I told him exactly what I want for Christmas: airplanes and Wonder Pets.  Just as I was telling him about how much I love airplanes, one flew overhead and I had to point it out to him.  Luke basically slept through the whole thing which was probably good because he is too little to tell Santa what he wants anyway.  As we walked away from Santa, I had to ask Mom, "Where are his reindeer?"  Mom suggested that they were waiting for him on the roof, to which I replied, "No, they are probably just eating."

Luke turns one week old

Today I am celebrating one week of life on the outside.  So far, I really like it here.

First bathtime!

Friday night Mom gave me my first bath at home.  I was not a big fan.  And Kate was quite concerned at the screaming that ensued as the bathing began.  Not to worry, though.  I have made a complete recovery and am ready to try this bath thing again in the next few days.

Sunday visitors

Mommy, Me, and Shanda

Leah and Ty

Kate and Leah

Alice and Kate watching a little Wonder Pets

Hollis and me with our Mommies

Today brought the opportunity for me to meet more of my people.  One of Mom's best friends from college, Shanda, came by to meet me with her mom and Ty, Tate, and Leah and that was lots of fun. Apparently Leah and Kate are friends and Shanda is a good snuggler and I am REALLY into snuggling.  And she brought me some new books which I am excited to start reading.  Then tonight the Jefferies came over to meet me and bring Mom, Dad and Kate dinner.  Alice and Kate seem to be pretty good friends because they decided to sneak off into Mom and Dad's room to watch Wonder Pets together and jump on the bed and practice their spin jumps.  And I got to meet Hollis who was born September 20th, so he and I will probably end up hanging out quite a bit as well.  All of this socializing has wiped me out.  Time to eat and sleep.

Mama I'm coming home.

Day 3 and I am going home.  I arrived at home for the first time on Thursday, December 2, 2010.  Aunt Rachel, Avery and Dax came to say goodbye at the hospital  before the drove back to Dallas, and then I headed home with Mom and Dad where Gigi, Mama T, Kate, Pater, Willie, Lucy and Max were all waiting to welcome me.  We spent my first chilly afternoon at home snuggling, eating and sleeping.  It was glorious.  Love, Luke