Luke is 11 months old!!

Wow! Only one month left until we hit the big one year mark!! He's such a big boy! And he's into everything. He's "cruising" around, which means he pulls up to standing and then moves around while holding onto things, such as the couch or the cabinets.

Here he is getting into the Tupperware cabinet...


This is his favorite thing to do... get into the kitchen cabinets...


What a stinker... after I say "no", he just smiles at me.... he thinks it's funny!


And he's learned how to make "fish faces."


He also loves to look out the window into the backyard...


And the big thing right now is to point at everything!


What a cutie!!

A Trip to the Zoo

It was Luke's first trip to the Zoo (as well as Mommy and Daddy's first trip). I am embarassed to say that we've lived in Knoxville for 8 years now and we'd never been to the Knoxville Zoo. Of course - now we have a very good reason to go. And Luke loved it. He had such a good time watching all the people and the animals. His favorite part was the Bird Show where there were hawks and owls flying around over our heads.

Here are some pictures from the fun day....
Click on the pictures to enlarge; Right-click to save them to your computer.


Check out his shirt... I picked it out special for wearing to the Zoo. It says "Lion and Friends"


Here he is watching the prairie dogs....




Here we are in front of the camels... (ignore the bad expressions and bad hair day)...
You can see him holding the stuffed Prairie Dog we just bought him.


Giraffes!


Zebras!


Of course Greg had to get their picture made in front of this Range Rover... (correction - It is not a Range Rover - Greg says it is an old LAND Rover, excuse me!!!)


And my personal favorite... the adorable Meer Kats! If Greg would have let me, I would've grabbed one and brought him home with me.
They were such hams for the cameras....






I love this picture... I took it of Ben and Cindy's triplets as they are watching the gorilla...


Here Kitty, Kitty, Kitty....


Zoom is a wonderful thing...


I love this gorgeous snow leopard, but I hate that it's behind a chain-link fence....


Here's Luke watching the Bird Show....






All in all, it was a great day!! The first trip to the Zoo was a success!!

Happy Anniversary To Us!

Today Greg and I celebrate our 8th Wedding Anniversary. And as I say all the time, "Time sure flies!" It really does. I'm not just saying that. =)

Even though it's only #8, we've actually been together for a total of 12 years, and we've known each other since 5th grade. We started dating the week before our high school graduation and got married the week after college graduation. Then we moved to Knoxville the week after the honeymoon. Whew - that was a crazy time. Makes me tired just thinking back on it. Yep - I'm exhausted. I think I'll go to bed now! =)

His middle name shoulda been "Trouble"

I knew we were in trouble the minute he figured out how to crawl. And he's only gotten faster and faster. Now he gets into everything. Regardless of how many toys he has laying around him, he wants to play with things that he's not supposed to play with...

Exhibit A: The TV and DVD remotes. (These are his absolute favorite)!!


I even gave him his own remote to play with -- an old tv remote with no batteries. But since that one doesn't work and we don't use it, then he doesn't want to play with it. No, he wants the ones we use. And he'll crawl around all over the kitchen with both of them in his hands.... (I just have to laugh at him because it's too cute)!


Oh, isn't this sweet.... Luke wanted to help Mommy with her filing.




"You don't need this important bank statement, Mom. I'll just tear it up for you..."




Then later, he decided he wanted to help reorganize the VCR/ DVD cabinet.


"I found this label for you, Mom. I'll let you figure out which tape it goes on."


"Yum... Toy Story."




And so, the baby gates were installed.... (poor thing - looks like he's in jail).

He doesn't like them too much. Imagine that.


The gates prevent him from going from the den into the foyer (where the stairs are) and prevent him from going into the dining room from the kitchen. So the open den/ kitchen area is his stomping ground. He loves it when we open the back door leading to the deck. (There's a screen door there to let the breeze in). He'll just sit at the door and play with his toys.

Despite all the "trouble", he's still a very good boy!!