What I Like About Luke...

He keeps me up at night
Never wanna let him go
You know he makes me feel alright
Keeps on babbling in my ear
Makes all the cooing sounds that I like to hear
Cuz it's true - that's what I like about Luke!

So, the song inspired me to write a little post about some of our favorite Lukeisms so far:

• When we sit him down but he’d rather be held, he starts crying and looks really dejected and puts his head down in a very dramatic manner, as if to say, “Oh the horror!”
• He moves around A LOT in his sleep. He can go from vertical to horizontal to the opposite vertical in a few seconds. Sleeps with his legs outside the crib bars, his hands hanging out, etc.
• Hates to sit on anyone’s lap for more than a few seconds. Loves to be held while you’re standing. Should make for an interesting plane ride home!
• Falls asleep on most cab rides.
• Has a little “freak-out” right before falling asleep. He squirms, screams, and arches his back for a couple of minutes and then he’s sound asleep. There’s no transition – screaming to sleeping without pause.
• He bonks his head MANY times daily. He gets excited while sitting sometimes and it seems the weight of his head is too much (No jokes please! His large head is supposed to indicate that he is intelligent and stubborn according to Vietnamese culture – so Loan tells us.) and he falls over backward! Bonking his head seems to be part of our bed-time routine. He invariably falls over backward, has a good cry, and then is asleep within about half an hour.
• LOVES Norah. Literally looks at her and giggles. And he has a sweet little giggle.
• Is obsessed with the kitchen in the hotel room and trying to open drawers. So far he hasn’t closed the door on his fingers as big sister is there keeping them shut to protect him.
• Is very grabby – quick like lightening he can grab your hair, your bowl, the flesh on your arm, shoulder, or face – or pretty much anything he can get his hands on.
• Loves the garbage can in the kitchen. Likes to move it across the room daily.
• Sweats like a fiend. Instantly soaked when he cries or when we go outside. Hold him for a minute and you’re soaked too!
• Only drinks out of the small bottles. We may not be able to break this habit. He’s used to drinking only 5 oz max at a time, 5 times a day and 2 times in the middle of the night. A large bottle, fewer times a day seems so much more efficient to me (but then I’ve never had a problem sleeping though the night!).
• Pulls himself to stand constantly, which is often what precedes the head bonking. Can stand for a very long time and usually does the splits when landing.
• Nuzzles his head into the first available object or person when he’s tired. I think this is how he gets scratches on his head – he really nuzzles hard and if the object of his affection isn’t soft…
• Does a little unexpected lurch when you hold him sometimes that completely takes you off-guard. Usually accompanied by a squeal of delight. Audrey calls it his dolphin kick.

Not many pictures - busy day without a lot of picture-taking.

Getting down to the Latin music at one of our favorite restaurants, La Cantina. Nothing like Mexican food Vietnamese style!

Action shot of Luke playing at the hotel playground

Pretty pleased with himself for standing up