Luke's Anatomy

Head: Covered with white, downy hair that sticks straight up. When his hair is wet, the first parts to dry are the sides, and then he looks like a bald old man with hair tufts over his ears.

Brain: Expanding with curiosity. The other morning he stared at Dad with his shirt off and investigated Daddy's nipples. How flat and how hairy, and yet how vaguely familiar...

Eyes: Losing their blueness, gaining hazelness. The doctor has confirmed that he will probably not have blue eyes. Sorbellos, mourn. Armstrongs, rejoice.

Mouth: Two upper teeth are on their way. (Sleepless nights, hands incessantly in the mouth; like a puppy, Luke has turned everything into a chew-toy.)

Vocal cords: Often exercised. Luke has discovered that he loves to make noise. Every bite of food is followed by loud "Mmmm"s that sound like an engine. He has also developed a high-pitched squeak of a whine when he is not getting his way.

Legs: Luke has been enjoying lounging around with one leg stuck straight out into the air. And he even makes it look comfortable.

On with the show.


Pacifiers aren't just for babies anymore.


Bethany's cousin, Daniel, came over to visit Richie and got more than he thought he was in for. We handed him Luke and made him babysit for a while. Sorry, Dan. But you two sure do look cute together.


Luke loved having Liz here. Perhaps she went along with his favorite theme these days of Old MacDonald? (She grew up on a hog farm in Indiana.)


AAAAAAA.


Luke's favorite toys seem to be objects that really were never meant to be toys. Pancake turners, for example.


He used this "toy" as a drumstick and beat wildly on a box of spinach.


This is the lounging position previously described. One leg proudly protruding.


When your boom-boom is dirty, just soak it in a bucket.


Luke has returned to his old ways of spitting. When he is happy, he will spit with all his might until he runs out of air. Then he will gasp, and spit some more. Cycle continues on for a loooong time. Everyone's wet by the end.


We treated ourselves to BJ's Restaurant for Sunday lunch. Liz needed to experience their pizza. Luke got so excited that he pooped in his pants. And all over the table. Be careful next time you're in a restaurant. You never know what's on those tables.


"Why are my cheeks always getting squished?" Because they're cute.


Liz and Sarah at Chevy's on Liz's last night in California.


Tuesday morning Bethany took Liz to the airport. But of course we needed a photo first. Look how happy Luke is that he doesn't have to come!


Instead of going to the airport with Mom, Luke hung out with Grammy. She took him for a ride in the stroller. He sucked Bethany's keychain lanyard the whole way, and it was sopping wet by the end of the walk.


Look at that twinkle!


Monkeycuddles.


Richie has graduated to crutches! Farewell, walker. Way to go, Richie.


Luke is especially happy about Dad's graduation.


Visualize whirled peas.


Today, the Fourth of July, kicked off with the Davis Criterium, a bike race in downtown Davis. Gracie competed, and the rest of us watched. Luke got the best view of all, seven feet in the air, atop Uncle Shi's shoulders.


Can you spot Gracie? (She's the hottie on the right.)


There she is! Go Gracie go!


Gracie approaches the finish line. With only four hours sleep, no breakfast, and a casual "I'm just doing it for fun" attitude, she hung right in there with the pack of ladies for nearly all of the 25 laps around downtown. She was the only first-timer there, and most of the others race often with their bike teams. She averaged 21 mph!


Home from the bike race, Luke was hungry. But when Mom tried to feed him, he kept straining backwards to look at Poppy. So when Poppy came to feed him, he finally concentrated on eating, and resumed his MMMMMM sounds in hearty approval of his applesauce.

Six days until Luke is six months old...