Christmas Recap 2009 Part 2- Christmas with the Floetkes/Lustilas

We headed over to my parents house Christmas afternoon where we were joined by my brother and his girlfriend and 2 of my mom's brothers and their families.  Luke continued to receive lots of great toys and again had no idea how to handle so many toys.  I suspect that my cousin Grant had more fun with Luke's toys that day than Luke did himself, but thanks to Grant, Luke learned how to play with many of them.
Luke did really well with opening the presents himself and being super excited about whatever he received.  I wasn't sure if we'd have to wait until next Christmas for him to really get into it, but I was pleasantly suprised that he understood as much about it as he did.  He talked a lot about baby Jesus, Christmas trees, and Santa and became very fond of saying "Merry Christmas Tree!"
I guess my photographer got worn out taking photos (or else was too busy opening his own mound of presents to afford me a large selection of photos of the whole group of us) so here are a few of Luke.

Luke's mound of gifts

Checking to make sure we got them all out

Luke and Grant distributing gifts

Luke popping bubble wrap with Grant

We had a really nice time.  It was a little bittersweet as we had once thought that maybe this would be our last Christmas that we would have to travel to FL, but as many of you now know we have decided to stay in Atlanta.  I could right a whole page on the subject, but I'm just going to let it stand that Josh has been blessed with a wonderful career opportunity here and we are looking forward to him finally being done with school/residency/fellowship.  It has been a long time coming for him and us as a family.  While we will miss being closer to our family and good friends in FL, we hope that everyone will come visit us here in Atlanta!

Christmas Recap 2009 Part 1, Christmas with the Elliotts

Ok so I am a little behind getting the pictures from Christmas up.  Josh did a great job as usual being the photographer and there are way to many pictures to choose from so I will just share a sampling of our trip to Lakeland and St. Pete.  Luke and I were able to spend about 10 days in FL, we stayed for a few extra days after Josh had to get back to Atlanta for work.  We spent Christmas Eve and morning with Josh's parents and brother and sister-in-law.  His aunt and uncle came over on Christmas Day and joined us as well.  It was great to see everyone and spend Christmas together.  Luke received so many great toys, he didn't know what to play with first. 

Luke building a tower with Aunt Jayce

Luke building a tower with his papa and Uncle Matt

Luke wrestling and pinning his papa

Christmas begins with a carrying case for his cars!

So happy

Shrek!!!! (the 3rd...Josh and I were getting seriously tired of Shrek 2, we also ended up borrowing the orginal Shrek from my parents, so at least now there is some variety to the Shrek watching at our house, which still occurs daily).  He also got several other movies, but none have replaced his favorite...Shrek! I think Shrek 4-D coming out in a few months may be the first movie we try to take him too.  That is if he still loves Shrek in a few months!

Animals!!

The aftermath of Christmas morning

Luke helping mommy with a snowman puzzle

And finally a little teaser for a future post involving video:

Luke goes to the live nativity

Luke goes to a church based daycare here in Atlanta.  Before Christmas, they had a live Nativity for a few nights.  It was so cold, but I took Luke twice.  The first time just he and I went when we were on our way home from my work Christmas party.  Josh's office had a staff party the same evening so he wasn't able to go with us.  I really thought Luke would be scared of the animals, given his history with a horse and the chick-fil-a cow, but after a few minutes he really got into it and wanted to go touch all of the animals.  There were sheep and ponies, a rabbit, a dove, and even a camel.  The church was also open and serving hot chocolate and hot apple cider and cookies which was great because it was freezing!  After a little break inside where it was warm we went back outside for some more animal petting.  We were there nearly an hour.  I knew we had to go back with Josh, I was so sad he missed seeing all the fun Luke had.  Here are some pictures we took when we went back for the second trip.

A few family pictures:

And a random shot from later that night:

he does this to himself people, I couldn't make him wear that if I tried!

Things Luke knows about Santa

1) Santa drinks Coke.

-We live in Atlanta, there are billboards of Santa drinking Coke all around and all of the Coke cans have Santa drinking a Coke on them. There will be no milk set out for Santa at our house.

2) Santa is scary.

-Luke is fascinated with anyone or anything dressed up as Santa. Loves to see him on TV (even Snoopy dressed as Santa draws his attention). However, try to get him within reach of a real-life Santa (or any inanimate object large enough to pose a threat dressed up like Santa) and his death-grip and screaming "NO, NO, NO" are triggered instantly.

-A few additional points to this, we tried to take him to see the mall Santa before Thanksgiving (we were so smart, we beat the crowds, there was zero waiting time!). Maybe we were too early, he hadn't been inundated with Santa's image really yet. So when he saw the big guy he freaked (think back to his experience with the horse in May and the Cow at Chick-Fil-A). Wouldn't even get close enough for the photographer to snap a crying on Santa's lap picture to tease him with years from now.

-Sometime in the beginning of December, Shrek the Halls was playing on TV. Luke loves the Shrek 2 DVD (a staple of car rides out of town) we have so I DVR'd this for him (and we watch it at least once a day now). Little did I know, but there is a scene where the gingerbread cookie is telling his experience with Santa. He's a COOKIE mind you. So just picture us watching this fun family holiday show, and here is the gingerbread cookie on a date with his gingerbread girlfriend on Christmas Eve when who shows up? A huge stalking Santa Claus that picks up his girlfriend, widely opens up his mouth bearing his teeth, and well you know, crumbs fall down. Luke's face was in pure disbelief and shock. What could I do but quickly say, "Luke, Santa loves cookies, don't we all like cookies, Yummy!" So now when that scene comes on, we all say "Santa eats cookies."

3) Santa eats cookies.

4) Santa says "Ho, Ho, Ho."

Perhaps all the Shrek watching, Christmas book reading, and Christmas decoration perusing has warmed Luke up to real-life Santas. Just a little bit. Santa came to Luke's school last week. I warned his teachers he may not go for it. They told me if they can get one brave soul in the class to do it, the others will usually follow. I asked Luke later that day if he sat on Santa's lap and he said "uhhhh" (which is Luke speak for either Yes, I'm not sure, or I'm not really paying attention to what you are asking me...those of you who have heard it know what I am talking about). So I assumed it meant Yes in this instance and asked him what Santa said to him and Luke said "Ho, Ho Ho." So I thought maybe he actually did sit on the big guys lap!

When I asked his teachers the next morning how it went they told me that at first Luke was scared and crying, but then he did sit on Santa's lap after seeing his best buddy Alec do it. They followed that with "Don't expect a smile in the picture though."

Here is that photo:

Classic.

Josh 2.0

The common impression is that Luke is Josh's clone.

Luke now.                    Josh (left) with brother Matt, probably a little older than Luke is now.

What do you think?

November catch up in pictures

Cowboy Luke!

He did this to himself!

Attempts at a Christmas card photo...and why you haven't received a card yet!

But unless I get something better you might be seeing one of these again :)

Some shots from Thanksgiving in Brevard, NC with Josh's parents and grandparents.  We had a nice relaxing trip...that is after the nearly 2 hours it took to get out of Atlanta!

Luke donned great-grandpa's Duke hat (that shot is for you Carrie!) and we cheered on the Gators vs FSU.  Luke was fascinated with the Christmas tree and said it was "Awesome!"

What's new?

*Originally written 12/2 (was going to add pictures but never got around to it)*

So what is new with the Elliotts? Not too much with me or Josh, although stay tuned for our announcement of where we'll be employed come next July.  We are getting close to making a decision but nothing to announce just yet. 
Really, all that is new is with Luke!  He has definitely become MR. INDEPENDENT.  He desperately wants to do everything himself, his favorite new phrase is "NO, my do it." Here is a little example.  Yesterday I picked him up from school, and as usual the first thing he wanted was his snack.  No "HI Mommy!" he just looks at me and says "SNACK!"  Usually they have a snack to take in the car hanging from his hook outside the classroom, but there wasn't one there yesterday.  I told Luke this and he immediately marched over to the door, tried to open it himself and when he couldn't said to me "Mommy, open this."  I did, and he went right to his hook and looked for himself!  Guess he didn't believe me :)  So typically, then since his classroom is downstairs, I carry him up the steps (he has been known to occasionally walk up them holding my hand) and out to the car.  Yesterday, nope, he had to walk up them by himself.  He even got upset with me when he noticed I had my hands hovering behind him and promptly told me "No, Mommy, No, my do it."  He did climb up all the stairs like a big boy, only near-falling once to which he said "Whoa!" and walked out to the car on his own.  He has also started to try climbing in and out of the car by himself, but I think this has more to do with his fascination of sitting in the driver's seat to play with all the of car knobs and buttons and he thinks if he climbs in unassisted he can outsmart me and get to the driver's seat before I grab him to get into the carseat. 
Seriously, he is so darn cute exerting his independence.  I hope I still think he is this cute when he goes through this again as a teenager :)
Josh and I have been trying to get him to use his pacifier only at night-time, but lately he has been a lot more attached to it.  Not sure what that is about but it is hard to understand him when he talks with it in his mouth.  This led to what I thought was the best moment of my mommy-hood so far this morning, only to realize that I had misinterpreted paci-speak.  Luke had his paci in and blankie in his hand this morning when we pulled into daycare.  I was unbuckling him and what I heard was "Mommy, I going to miss you." My heart melted (since he isn't quite to the point where he will say he loves us without being prompted) and I replied "I'm going to miss you too Luke."  He looked at me weird and then said his phrase again, then I realized he had actually said "Mommy, I bring these two" meaning the paci and the blankie which he knows he is supposed to leave in the car and he wanted to take into daycare.  Got to admit, I was disappointed. 
You can imagine what happened from there...removal of the blankie and paci...Luke screaming on the way into daycare...other parents giving me that knowing look while they are thinking I'm glad it is you not me this morning.