It's so fun to turn one!!!

Bye-bye, baby!

Hello, toddler!

Gone in a wink is Luke's first year. And what a year it was! (Understatement.)

Oh, how we love our little Luke!


Birthday Eve:






Birthday morning:





Birthday party! A small, intimate affair with family and two wonderful pals, Shealyn and Timothy. Poor cousin Alexander was home sick, or he would have joined the menagerie. Theme of the party: balls and balloons. (That one didn't take too much thought.) Waiting for his guests to arrive...







Having fun with his friends.




Shealyn was a big help--Luke's sidekick and right-hand-woman for the evening. She helped him open his presents and showed him how all his new toys worked.




The hat didn't last long.





But the cake did! Luke ate it slowly, methodically, stoically, all alone in his high chair. He especially enjoyed the blueberries on top, and the bowl of raspberry non-dairy ice cream just for him from his Grammy and Poppy.








How old are you, Luke? ONE! (So he shows Auntie Robin's phantom hand.) (Her name is now "GABA," by the way.)




Two major milestones Luke reached in the week before turning one. First, he is a real walker these days, often choosing to toddle to his toys rather than to crawl. Record: 18 steps. Second, he now says "Mama" and means it! When he calls for Dada (Richie) or Papa (Poppy) he has a delighted tone, but when he calls "Mama" it has a desperation and "Meet all my needs please Mommy now!" tone to it. Still, it warms Bethany's heart. Finally, she has a name.




Luke was happy all evening, and didn't go to bed until 11 PM. Such a jolly fellow for his birthday. He ended the evening voluntarily cuddling on Gracie after picking out a book and bringing it to her. YAWN!




Oh, how we love our little Luke!

(Did I already say that?)