1 year!

Luke,

I can't believe you are one. I mean, really, I can't believe it. It seemed like just yesterday I was holding you in the hospital. Now I hold you and you're so long that your body stretches all the way off both sides of my lap and more.

You're walking all over the place now. You even sometimes walk faster like you are almost running. Especially when we play the 'I'm going to get you' game. When daddy says I'm going to get you, you run to me. When I say I'm going to get you, you still run to me. It's really cute.
We still do dishes together. You still LOVE it. You also still love to vacuum with Daddy.

You've been teething pretty badly so you haven't really been interested in much food lately. Though you are really getting good at using a fork. And I saw you try to cut something with a fork today. You are very willing to try new things. And recently after sampling some watermelon at New Seasons, I think it might be your new favorite. We got a whole one for your birthday party.
You had a cupcake at your birthday party and I think you kind of liked it. But you definitely liked the candle with the fire and the berries on top better.

Outside is your favorite place to be now. You even walk up to the front door while you're inside and knock on it so we can go outside. You also take my keys and try to open the front door.

I love to take you outside so you can explore new rocks and sticks or point at the ball on our front porch and say 'ball ball ball ball'.
You still LOVE dogs, even though we don't have one. For your birthday we had a 'happy birthday' banner that had dogs on it. When you saw it you pointed said 'dog, dog, dog, dog...' You can also say 'up', 'da da', 'ma', 'cheese', 'this', 'cat'. It seems like you learn a new word every day. You chase Pickle around the house with your hands up like saying 'where's Pickle'.
Sometimes you get really excited and you double wave with both hands.

Your Grandparents say that you walk just like Daddy when he was a little boy. They called him 'animal'. Your other Grandpa says you smile just like me when I was a little girl.

I just can't believe that you've been alive for one year. This has been the best year of my life. You are so wonderful and special. We love you so much, more than you will every know. Stop growing up so fast!