Mother's Day 2012

 It was a very special Mother's Day thanks to my 2 favorite guys in the whole world.

Sadly, my only baby bump picture so far.  27 weeks pregnant with Baby Hoff #2.

Dear Luke, 22 months

Dear Luke,
I haven't written you a letter since you were 16 months.  It's been 6 months! I've missed it.  As you can imagine, a lot has changed about you in 6 months...

You woke up this morning in typical fashion, peeking through the cut-out on the back of your crib, saying, "daddy!".  Your crib has been facing backwards for several months now because you figured out how to climb out of it.  Even with the mattress all the way to the floor you were clever enough to wedge your foot in between the bars and hop right of over it (not so gracefully, I might add).  The back-side of your crib is taller and doesn't have any slats so you haven't figured out a way over it... yet.

A couple days before you learned how to get out of your crib.  We should of known something was coming.

You love your Daddy.  You ask for him several times a day, and always when you wake up in the morning or from naps.  Often, Daddy is the one to get you from your crib in the morning.  It's your special time together- Dad's favorite time of day with you.  There are several days out of the week dad has to leave before you get up.  I tell you, "Daddy's not here right now" and then you respond, "Worrrrkkk.". 

You say everything we say.  Or at least you try to say everything we say.  Reading books together has completely changed.  We no longer read to you, you just to point to everything on the page and want us to tell you what it is, that is, if you haven't already told us.  We have these flashcards with pictures and letters on them and they have become your favorite play item in the house.  You sit for long periods of time telling us what you see on the cards, making all the animal noises you know, and saying "x-ray" when you come to the x-ray card.  You already know the letter R, E, and A.  You like to point them out on our shirt or in books.  You are so smart.  As much as you are talking these days and putting 2-3 word sentences together, you also have your very own language.  It cannot really be described, except that it's one of the cutest noises I've heard and makes us all laugh when you do it.  Good thing we have some of it on video.

Some of my favorite phrases you say right now are;

"old ju"- when you want me to hold you
"dare eee esss" which translates to, "there he is!"
"uuuug?" - always asked in question form- you love to give out hugs
"Biiiirrrrrrd"  You love animals, but especially birds
"cooo duue"  which is, "cool dude" what we say when you wear daddy's hats or put sunglasses on.

I see so much tenderness and curiosity in you and I pray that God will make me equal to the task of developing those things in you.
I love you Luker!
Mommy

A peek at Christmas 2012

 Per our usual Holiday activities, we drove up to Michigan for Christmas and had our nieces and nephews participate in the annual "Uncle Eric and Aunt Melissa Holiday crazy".  This year, the kids learned all about planking along with joining in some other wacky game playing.

Click HERE to see our 2012 planking video with the kids.  Here are a few pics showing off our maaaad skillz.

 Luke experiencing some Michigan snow with Daddy! :)

 We were actually home, just the 3 of us on, Christmas Day this year.  It was so nice to start some of our own family traditions. 

 You and Daddy reading the Christmas story.

 Let the tearing of the wrapping paper begin!

 Grandma and Grandpa Hoffman got Luke this cool new ride!

 and just some silly Christmas fun....

Hope you had a wonderful Christmas!!!

Merry Christmas from Luke :0)

Dear Luke, 15 & 16 months

Dear Luke,

We have been really busy around here.  For starters we moved.... again.  These past few months of looking for a house, finding one, offering, negotiating, accepting, waiting, closing, packing, moving, unpacking, painting, and renovating has been a whirlwind to say the least.  Now that we are moved in the new house and all most of the boxes are unpacked, it's beginning to feel more like "our" home.

As excited as I am to have this new home, a part of me grieves leaving the last one.  Not because I wanted to live there forever (believe me I was ready for some more space) but because we made memories there.  Memories of you crawling for the first time, taking your first steps, holding you while you were sick, and so many more.  Each of those moments experienced there are precious to me.  As you get older, you will come to realize I'm quite sentimental about... most everything.

I can already see the "eye rolls" coming my way.

I'm a person who grieves over every ending that life brings, good and bad. To me, change usually feels like we are leaving something behind.  When I was in the 1st grade, I remember crying over getting rid of our woody station wagon.  I was upset when I had to leave my 5th grade teacher and graduate to the 6th grade.  I hated moving to any new house because that meant we had to leave the old one.  To this day, the last day of anything makes me a little sad if for no other reason than- it's the last day.  All of this occasional over- sentimentality is just how I'm wired. 

However, just because I grieve over things that change doesn't mean I don't get excited about what change can bring.  Take you, for instance.  You are one ball of constant change.  Every day you are doing something new.  You are babbling new sounds, learning new signs, eating new foods, running just a little faster, and getting smarter by the day.  I get incredible joy over watching you do each and every new thing.  I must tell you, you have handled the change of moving very well.  You took to this house like you've always lived here.  We've been here several weeks now and you still enjoy running from room to room, exploring the nooks and crannies of the house, opening all the cabinets and doors, and dropping all kinds of objects off the catwalk on the second floor.

Like I've said in my letters to you before, change is a good thing.  Sometimes it brings wonderful new surprises and blessings and sometimes it's just hard.  Either way, change should cause us to acknowledge the One who is in control over all things.  Change has the ability to increase our faith and our understanding of who God is.  And those are good things, Luke.  I  can look back, so grateful for all the memories I made with you in our first home in Tuscaloosa, AL and our first home in Brentwood, TN.  And now, I can look forward with anticipation to the new memories we will make together in our home in Franklin, TN.  
Thanks for changing my life,
Mama

 This is what you looked like this time last year! Look how much you have changed! :) 

In these pics you are in your very first home in Tuscaloosa, AL.

 ..............

 This is what you looked like in December of last year.  

This was our first month in the Townhouse in Brentwood, TN

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Making one of our first memories with you in our new home in Franklin, TN.  

You are eating paint painting your very first pumpkin for Halloween. 

 You can still see the boxes in the background that need to be unpacked, but we're ready for Halloween!

In our new neighborhood having your first trick-or-treating experience. 

We got to meet our neighbors and their adorable 14 month old daughter who dressed up like a cupcake.  You ran right up to her and gave her a hug.  We are still not sure if you did that because you are friendly or because you thought she was a real cupcake.  ..... Ahhhhh memories :)

Sick :(

You got a fever today of 102 and all you wanted to do was lay down and hold my hand.  You were so pitiful today.  Just look how flushed your cheeks are!

I'm not going to lie, I LOVED that you wanted me to hold you and lay next to you holding your hand.  My heart breaks when you are sick, but I love being there to try and make you feel better.  Praying God's protection and healing over you today my sweet boy.

Dear Luke, 13 & 14 months

Dear Luke,

Where did the summer go?  We have been partying hard around here!   We've been enjoying all the things summer has to offer, as well as getting ready to launch the new church campus, search for and purchase a new home.  Needless to say, it has been one packed summer.  I may or may not have been a little stressed these past few months, but with out a doubt you have been my stress reliever.  All it takes is one giggle from you and I am reminded of God's incredible faithfulness.

One of your favorite summer activities was getting wet.  Your fearlessness in and around the water was a little surprising as well as nerve racking.   This summer we took a Hoffman family vacation to Indian River, MI in July.  It was so beautiful and we spent a lot of time at Burt Lake and Lake Michigan.  You went on your first boat ride with Uncle Josh and after getting over wearing the life jacket that squished your cheeks up to your eyebrows and forced your arms out like sticks on a snow man, you LOVED it.   You also had your first experience with Lake Michigan.  For your Dad and I, Lake Michigan is at the top of our list when it comes to favorite places.  It brings back such sweet memories or our childhood summers.  It was pretty great watching you enjoy it as much as your Dad and I do.

In addition to vacations we also celebrated weddings.

Took a visit to Holland to see your other cousins Emily and Abbi

And had lots and lots of trips to the zoo and to the park.

You have done a lot of growing and learning this summer.  There is a long list of things you learned to do, so if you don't mind I am just going to list them.
You can sign "more", and "all done"

You know what animals are which, but every animal makes the sound of a dog.  

You can stack blocks as tall as you can reach

You can run

You have 6 teeth

You love to sit in your reading corner and turn every page of every book

You are curious about everything and insist on exploring every space and corner of the new places you visit.  

You love to point and say "dat" which means- what's that?  

You have thrown some tantrums that include arching your back and falling to the floor

You give the sweetest kisses and prefer to give them out of the blue  

You say, "HI!" to every one who passes by

You like to find things on the floor and hand them to me  

You LOVE to be tickled.  You've learned to open and shut your hands, which means- TICKLE ME!

You give high fives and knuckles (dad's favorite trick)

You point at everything and you are learning to tell people how old you are by holding up 1 finger
You like to give hugs and snuggles. 

You like to put things under your chin and walk around with them there  

You are getting so smart and are understanding so much of what we say

I'm sure I am forgetting lots of cute tricks and milestones, but I hope you know that we have treasured each new discovery and want you to keep loving to learn.  We are so proud of you.  I have LOVED spending this summer with you.   Your Dad and I often comment that we can't believe God gave you to us.  We are learning new things about parenting all the time, mostly that it's really hard, but our very treasured responsibility.

I love you sweet Luke,

Mom