What's This?

Good thing he has his diaper on, because he found his little "you know what" this week! I'm afraid he's going to pull it off, but they tell me it's normal. My theory is that men are trying to make it longer even from this young age.

What Hams!

Riding Ryder!

Rolly Polly

Look at those giant monkey feet!

I'll Get You My Pretty!

These two are already really close. They just love each other. I'm getting pictures of this now so I have proof of it!

Awwwww! My sweet baby boy.

Smiling during tummy time.

This is the only picture of Grayson that I could get with her eyes open. She is really sensitive to the flash so we take about 20 pictures to get one where she isn't blinking.

He's a Mouth Breather!

Creux is wearing his first pair of Levi's that he got from Terry and Darla for Christmas. I caught him sleeping with his mouth open today. Reminds me of myself unfortunately.

Catching up

It's been a while since I've had time to blog, so I've got some catching up to do. Creux is getting so big! We had his 4 month check up the other day and he is up to 16 lbs. 11 ozs, and he's already 27 inches long. He's in the 90th percentile for weight and 99th for height. But his head is 50 percentile. Just like his father! Creux and I are now staying home together. We love it! Although, it is DEFINITELY a full-time job! I'm hoping to add a few more children to my day in that I'm looking for 3 to 4 more children to watch in order to supplement Jeremy's income. Some say I'm crazy, but if I can work in a group home, I think I can handle anything! Plus, I get to see Creux more. He's really starting to smile and hug and TEETHE! He's really struggling with his teeth right now. He's in so much pain and his Daddy can't hardly handle it! At least his Mommy can stay home with him and hold him throughout this difficult stage.

Invaders from Charleston

Uncle Josh and Uncle David came up on Friday night and surprised Jeremy. I called them after lunch and set it up. Jeremy wishes his family lived closer, so it was a nice visit. We took them to one of our favorite restaurants, California Catering Company, played card games with Grayson and went Antiquing. 9 shops in 7 hours! In an ice and snowstorm. Jeremy and I only tried to kill each other once trying to find a hidden antique mall....so it was a good day! LOL. I have no pics, but at least Creux and Gray will know someday that their Uncles love them very much. Either that, or they had nothing better to do this weekend. LOL.

Little Miss Smarty Pants

Grayson got her report card and she received all A's and S's! Even in Math, which she is good at, but she had to get so far in Rocket Math and we really had to buckle down on it to reach her goal. And I mean WE. It's a group effort! Let's just say that speed math in 1st grade sucks! She has more homework in 1st grade than I did in High School! We took her out to Red Lobster tonight to celebrate. Creux slept through the entire event! It was a good night!

Cereal Coma......mmmmmmmilestone

Creux loves rice cereal! Ok, he's a little young, but he's so big that we can't get him full and I read it can help with spitting up which we are still battling. Not as much as before I switched to all liquid formula (no concentrate, no powder). It's more expensive, but his belly seems to tolerate it better I think. I took my grandmother's advice and gave him about 4 tbs of rice cereal tonight with a spoon out of a bowl with a bottle chaser--for the first time. So far so good. I went upstairs to tuck in Daddy and he and Creux were sacked out watching The Bob and Tom Show on TV before I could get him into his crib. Both snoring of course. He seemed to handle it pretty well. He kind of just licked the spoon, but eventually he understood that if he let me put some on the top of his tongue, he would get more. He was lunging after the spoon by the end of the feeding session. He was covered, but you should have seen him afterwards. He looked like me after getting off of a roller coaster.....yes, I'm a four year old, I know. He was smiling and laughing and giddy. And he was exhausted, even after a long nap! Yay! I have to transfer him to his crib when I go up because he's sleeping in my spot, so hopefully I don't wake him from his deep cereal coma.

Chocolate Moooooooo Cow

Not sure if I ever got pictures of Creux's room on here, so for posterity, here they are. These are after using it extensively for three months so it's messy....three months as of 42 minutes ago actually. Well, I guess since he was born at 2:01 am, he still has a couple hours techinically. I should be sleeping right now, but instead I'm blogging due to peer pressure! Especially Darla! LOL. His room was called the "Moo Cow" collection from Babies R Us and I just love it. Much better than the puke green we started with in his room. We had it repainted in I believe the name of the color was 'Are You Freakin' Kidding Me Baby Blue'. Everything is baby blue now! Oh well, he's only going to let me treat him like a baby for a short time before he starts wanting posters up and red and black walls or something. Maybe I'll get him to go with Old Gold and Black like his future college colors! Go Boilers!

The Headless Gingerbread Man

Grayson and Grandma Janice made a gingerbread house over Christmas. We ate the head off of one of the men, but I managed to salvage a picture before it was destroyed and eaten. Great job Gray!

New Year's Eve Pasta and Pool

We were off to Danville on New Year's Eve for Pasta and a pool party. We celebrated with Dad, Cheryl, Zoe, Chris, Lily, Jeremy, Grayson, Creux, Pam Carli, Kevin Carli, Ross Carli, Theresa Fries, and Steve Fries, Michael, and Darian. Jeremy had an auction to go to the next morning so as soon as Ryan Seacrest dropped his ball, he left and had to exit the pool tournament. I'm not sure who ended up winning, but those in the final four were Zoe, Dad, Jeremy, and Steve. My guess is Dad, I mean Steve, no Dad....I don't know. I wish someone would call me and tell me! :) Hope you had fun in Chicago!

Creux in his new outfit he got from Grandma Cheryl and Grandpa Bruce. His first sweater pullover!

Creux and Grandma Cheryl. They are pretty good buddies!

Kevin even got in on the cuddling action! Here's Kevin with Creux.....and now that I look closer, I think that's Lily on his lap as well.

Upon Creux and I's exit at 12:30 am, Dad attempted to get a very awkward bouncer contraption to my Envoy. It was pretty funny! Is that wrapped around his neck?! That reminds me of that bad Will Smith movie with the spider contraptions. Wild Wild West Jared.... you didn't think you could stump me did you?! Those of you who don't get my reference, Jared and I are avid movie trivia lovers who battle it out every time we get a chance. It gets kind of ugly, but we equally impress each other with our random knowledge of crap no one should remember. I'm grooming my children as we speak to take over my thrown!

Christmas in Effingham...

We went to Effingham on the 26th to visit Jeremy's family. Somehow these are the only pictures that ended up on my camera. The rest are on Jim's, so he's going to have to send me some. The same thing happened on Christmas morning with my Mom, Jim, Em and Ash. I have no pictures of them because Jim has them all on his camera as well. They will also have to send me some pics to post.

Below, Uncle Josh is feeding Creux. In the next picture, you can see what Creux was secretly doing while Uncle Josh was feeding him! Yes folks, that's urine! That's ok, he works in the group home industry, so he's used to it. One Polo Shirt, $29, Mommy having proof that Creux peed on Uncle Josh...priceless. I laughed for about 5 minutes in front of everyone, and for about 2 days afterwards whenever I thought about it! LOL. I guess you have to know Uncle Josh and I's relationship to get as much pleasure out of this as I did.

Below, Creux is in his cowboy outfit at Grandpa Bob and Grandma Linda's house. They got this for him before he was born. He is now big enough to wear it. Jeremy was very excited about this fact!

SO FUNNY!

A Lutes Family Christmas...

Grandpa Bruce and Creux on Christmas Evening. This is Dad's first picture on the blog somehow. Not sure how he's avoided the camera this long. Maybe he's camera shy after all!

Uncle Jared and the little man in his favorite new toy. He bounces like crazy! His head is actually strong enough to handle this, which means that the Bumbo seat that Uncle Josh got him and the Exersaucer that Aunt Ali got him are ready to get out of their boxes! Creux really took to Uncle Jared. They got to spend some quality time together. Uncle Jared lives in Cincinnati so he doesn't get to see him much. Grayson says that Creux looks like her Uncle Jared all of the time.

Creux and Grandpa Bruce. I think Grandpa Bruce is watching football or something. I can't remember, but they both seem pretty happy here.

Grandpa Bruce and Creux.

Grayson and Creux on Christmas Evening at Grandpa Bruce and Grandma Cheryl's.






Late night at the Lutes'. Grayson and Lily dog were exhausted. I think Lily got tired of fighting with Creux for attention. She gave up and passed out on the floor with Grayson in front of the fire.

Christmas Morning on Orchard Drive

This was our first Christmas morning at our new house! We were so excited, because it is obviously Creux's first Christmas EVER! And Mommy was excited because she got to open all of Creux's presents! Yes, she realizes this is immature, but Mommy is the one who gets upset if we don't get our Christmas cartoon specials watched every year! AND WE DID...Garfield, Charlie Brown, Mickey's, Grinch, Twas the Night Before Christmas, Frosty, and Rudolph! It was a great month. Someday Daddy will realize that Christmas isn't a day, but a SEASON!

The kids loved their presents. Daddy woke up Creux so Sissy could open her gifts....big mistake! NEVER WAKE A SLEEPING BABY! We paid for it later with his grumpiness, but it was a lesson learned...and it wasn't fair to Grayson to make her wait. He rebounded by Grandma and Grandpa's house and we got to visit cousins while he slept practically the entire time we were there.

Creux meeting his Cousin Allison for the first time.

Grayson, Cousin Kylie, Cousin Phillip, and Phillip's baby girl Brooklyn who is so tiny compared to Creux and Creux is only 20 days older than her!

Brooklyn Myers, Creux's closest cousin in age. Mommy got to hold her, feed her, and rock her to sleep....she is sooooo sweet!

Twas The Night Before Christmas and....

all through the house, not a creature was stirring except a really large mouse and a gorgeous and thin Mrs. Claus, who enjoyed Grayson and Creux's cookies that they left for them. Ok, well almost all of that statement is true....I mean come on! Everyone puts on 10 lbs at Christmas time! Mrs. Claus had like 3 billion plates of cookies to eat...give her a break!

Creux and Grandma Janice on Christmas Eve.

Grandpa Shorty opening his golf glove and western movies we got him for Christmas.

Creux watching a Christmas Story with the family on Christmas Eve.

Grayson at Grandma Janice and Grandpa Shorty's house on Christmas Eve.

Creux and Mommy on Christmas Eve.



Grandpa Shorty with his girl on Christmas Eve.

One of Mommy's favorite pictures of Creux. Grandpa Shorty is holding him.

A great picture of Creux and Grandpa Shorty.

Creux's favorite toy. It's a lion that plays music and his cheeks light up when you push his belly. It's in his crib and he loves it!