9 months old!!!!!!

My baby is becoming a little man so fast!!!!!!  As if the holidays alone weren't busy enough, Luke had his busiest milestone month yet!  He is taking one/two steps at a time, he learned to wave and play peek-a-boo, he pushes a car around while crawling (is that just ingrained in boys?!?) and his most favorite game in the world is to play catch while saying something prrreettyyyy close to "ball"...which was also both of the girls' first word.  He had a dr appt right after Christmas (ear infection!!!  Ughh!!!  I can always tell!!!) but it was good because he got weighed...he's 20 lbs and still growing on the exact pattern as the girls (he's dropped to the 50% for weight and is loosing those chubs!) 

His new cheese face!  He's too young to understand the concept of "say cheese" but this is a face he makes when he's flirting with you!  He's quite the charmer with the other moms at the girls' sports practices!!!! 

His tongue was constantly out like this after his tooth popped through...we are guessing that he was feeling it.  Still no second tooth!

A close-up of his tooth...it's in the middle next to a drooly glare spot that looks like another tooth!

He is quite the helper in the kitchen!  Our kitchen is so tiny to begin with that his messes make tiptoeing around even more difficult BUT not as difficult as trying to cook/move with him crying holding onto my leg!  He is also very helpful when I load/unload the dishwasher and he'll stand at it forever as long as he has a spoon in his hand to bang and put in his mouth! 

Santa brought him some football leg-warmers, so I put his jersey on for one more photo-shoot.  Let's hope the Cowboys can make something of themselves at some point during his lifetime (unlike my Miami Dolphins have yet to do during my lifetime!)  :) 

This is probably a huge safety violation in his crib, but he'll often use his bumper as a pillow!  We are still hit or miss with him getting himself to sleep and this is typically where he lays crying for us!  He's been taking great naps (1.5-2hr twice a day) AND sleeping in until 8-8:30!  Let's hope he stays on this schedule (when his sisters' activities allow it!) for quite some time!!!! 

He is still the most amazing snuggler and gives the best hugs (without knowing that he's really hugging!!!)  I could squeeze him all day long and it's no wonder I can't get anything done!  :)  And, holy moly, is he a huge daddy's boy!  It just melts my heart when he reaches for Leevi.  I can foresee many "girl outings/boy outings" in the future...mainly because of the age gap for activities, but it works out perfect! 

And some milestone fun....