11 Months

Luke turned 11 months old 2 days ago. This boy just keeps learning and changing day after day. It is so fun being his mom!

• He loves books (he can't sit still for a whole story, but he loves to turn pages), balls (he has a little basketball that he throws again and again just so he can chase it and laugh), animals (real and stuffed), children (especially when they run and jump), water (both to drink and to play in), the ladies (It seems that, with the possible exception of family, he's a bigger fan of women than men. There are a few women in our ward that he just loves. He's kind of a little flirt.), and being outside.
• He plays peek-a-boo by covering and uncovering his face (with blankets, clothing, stuffed animals, etc.) and by ducking behind things (e.g. the side of the couch, the coffee table, the bed, etc.) and then popping up.
• He says, "uh-oh," usually only if he is imitating someone.
• He has added a whole lot of sounds to his repertoire. I can't even keep track of them. He says, "dada" now and sometimes it sounds like he's saying "no" when he objects to something.
• He throws things a lot. He will throw just about anything he can get his hands on (e.g. balls, blocks, toy cars, cell phones, remotes, food, etc.) and often, he will throw it, crawl after it, then throw it again. And again. And again.
• He laughs as he pauses and un-pauses the  TV (Netflix) with the Roku remote.
• He learned how to click his tongue and he imitates us when we do it.
• He has the best sense of humor. He laughs at funny sounds, faces, and games. And he makes tons of funny faces and sounds himself. And he knows when he's being funny.

He makes the goofiest grins when he is in a silly mood or when he is proud of himself.

He knows his silly faces are funny

• He's getting better and better at walking alone with his little walker and if we trick him, he takes a couple of clumsy steps on his own before falling into our arms. He cruises around along the furniture easily and he is constantly trying to get us to walk around with him so he can hold our hands while he walks. It never gets old for him.
• He thinks he is in charge and everyone is only there to do his bidding. He moves our hands if they are in his way. He just grabs our fingers when he wants to walk and starts walking. He gets really mad if we don't get up and follow him. He expects us to pick him up when he wants and give him what he wants when he wants it.
• He still doesn't really like fruit, generally speaking. But he's not too picky other than that (as long as it's not baby food). He loves grilled cheese sandwiches and yogurt.
• He is always sticking his fingers in his nose lately. And if you're not careful, he might shove a finger up your nose too.
• He has learned how to turn the water on in the sink and the tub. He turn the water pressure up and down and plays in the water.
•  He loves to clap and does it a whole lot. And he is so proud when we say, "Yay, Luke!" after he claps.
• He loves to play on our balcony. He crawls in and out and can entertain himself out there forever.

• He shakes his head no and he understands what it means. He shakes his head if we try to feed him when he's not hungry or he doesn't want what we are feeding him. He also nods his head yes, but we're not sure whether or not he understands what that means. However, yesterday at church when Luke was bullying another baby and trying to take his toys, Jeff said, "No Luke." and shook his head. Luke looked at Jeff shaking his head no and responded by nodding his head yes before going back to stealing Jaydin's toy.
• He still wakes up at least once every night, but lately it's usually only once, which is a big improvement.

These are a few pictures I took of Luke in his sunglasses a couple of weeks ago. We put them on him. He smiles, yanks them off, and hands them back to us so that we can put them back on him. And repeat.