Big Brother, Little Brother

Hello Everyone!!

I’m on top of life right now, not because Mom just let me eat two cookies, because I’M GOING TO BE A BIG BROTHER!!! This is the biggest deal ever!  I also got word today its a BOY!!!! Holy smokes, I can’t contain my excitement. 

I’m going to teach him to spit up, throw food, pee during diaper changes, and how to cheer on the Tide!!  I’ve been waiting my entire life (15-months) to become a big brother and he’ll be making his big entrance around March 9th- perfect timing, so he doesn’t interrupt football season.

Mom and Dad have named him George Leonelli Farris.  Just like me, he is named after two grandfathers.  “George” is for Mom’s paternal grandfather, George Neidhardt and “Leonelli” is for dad’s maternal grandfather, Joseph Leonelli.  We both have some seriously big shoes to fill!

In other news, life is going great! Last week Papoose (Joseph Leonelli) turned 90 YEARS OLD!! How is that even possible?  It will be the year 2103 when I turn 90!!!! Maybe by then, we’ll be driving space ships to work! Anyway-Papoose had a big birthday party with all the family and it was a blast!!!

The football season has been ok.  Last weekend was tough, but Mom and Dad had friends over, which meant I got to spend the entire game playing with little people like me!  We played chase, ate food, and even got to dump all the toys out to play!

Well, that’s all I’ve got for you folks.  I’m sure George will be in charge of writing a monthly blog once he decides to wake up and join the world.   Until then, take care and I’ll stay cute!

Luke

ONE-YEARS-OLD!!!!!!

Listen up people….I’m now a ONE YEAR OLD!!!!! It is officially official- I am now a big boy!!!!! No more baby bottles, bibs, passies, onsies, or baby milk!!!!! I’ve been waiting my entire life for this to happen!  Let me tell you how much of a big boy I am: I weigh 23 lbs (79% percentile), 30 inches tall (58% percentile), AND my head is 18.5 inches around (75% percentile). Booooyeaaaaa.  Exact measurements of a  ballin’ big boy!  I can walk and run, shut doors, open the baby gate, climb stairs, put my shoes on (wrong foot usually), drink from a cup (but I spill), chase Nellie, chew on my toes, and I can find food in the pantry and bring it to mom.  Pretty gosh-darn exciting, isn’t it?

The Doc even told me I looked good! Don't you agree?
#IWorkOut

My birthday party was better than I could ever imagine.  All my friends and family came, we played, ate food, and I got to smash a cake and make a mess!   I’ve never been so messy in nice clothes before, and I’m sure mom won’t let it happen again.  People even brought me gifts! How crazy is that! I got TWO Radio Flyers (one from grandpa and monc, and one from Mimi), tons of toys, books, balls, a water & sand table, AND my first golf club!!!!! It was the most wonderfully fun day of my life!! Grandma and Papa came a few days later and we got to eat cake all over again!!!

Cousin Vince holding me as I open my girlfriend Katie's gift.
She loves me!

I get my own personal cake!!

This is so much more fun than finger painting!

Playing with cousin Regan with my new golf club

Uncle Rob got me a drum and musical toys that makes loud noises!

My favorite things continue to be taking naps with daddy, going to the YMCA pool, going to lunch with my girlfriends, playing outside with Mimi, and chasing Nellie.  A big thing will be happening soon- mom signed me up for Mothers-Day-Out.  I’m not sure what that means, other than Mom said I have to dress up every Tuesday and Thursday -I really don’t care for that.  But she did say that I’ll makes friends and get to finger paint.  So, I guess I’ll go.  Also Mimi told me every Wednesday we’re going to go to the library and listen to some person read me books.  She even got me a library card! #fancy.

Getting ready to take a nap while dad works his booty off running

In other big news, in August I’m taking my first airplane ride to someplace other than Tampa….we’re going to North Dakota!!! Mom and Grandma tell me stories about North Dakota all the time----and how we’re going to go to the lake, eat ice cream with Uncle Jim, and one day go to church camp just like mom and Aunt Ann did!!!

Ok Party People.  I hope you’ve enjoyed my 12 months of blog posts as much as I have.  I’m not sure if mom will let me post anymore.  Guess it depends on my behavior.  If you need to find me, just call mom, but if it’s a weekend, don’t even bother, I’ll be watching football with daddy.  Thanks for reading my blog!!

I’ll stay cute,

Luke

My first parade!!! 

11- months!

11-Months people….Do you hear me? 1-1 M-O-N-T-H-S!!!!!!! Whaaaaawhooooo!!! Only one more month until I’m a big boy!  It has seriously taken the longest time evvvver to reach this age!

Last month was pretty awesome!  I did the usual stuff, like sleep on daddy, climb on Nellie, broke some of Mom’s home decorations, organized a few drawers, threw food on the floor, became king of all things wild, pushed around boxes all over the house…you know, the normal stuff. But I also did some brand new things!! Like, went to the beach for the first time, surfed, ate big boy food, tried mom’s birthday cake (I’m a H-U-G-E fan!), walked, and now every morning, Mom, Nellie, and I go snake hunting!  To say this month was busy is an understatement!

Giving Nellie CPR. Daddy wore her out playing fetch. 

Sarah and I are helping Grandma by organizing her drawer

Found the sugar while organizing mom's drawers. Jackpot! 

Eating Mac n' Cheese. Keeping it clean. 

For Mother’s Day, Daddy and I went all out!  We made Mom breakfast in bed, pampered her all day, made BBQ ribs, and got her a special card and gift!  I know mom enjoyed it, but so did I; I got to spend all day with my best friend, Daddy!  When we’re not messing up the house, smoking ribs, or playing in the grass, you can find us chillaxing on the couch either sleeping or “watching” ESPN (we’re pretending to watch TV, but we’re really sleeping).

Our ribs for momma

ahhhhhhhhhhh Mom caught us watching TV and not working…again. 

The beach was great! I could do it all over again any day…except the fact that mom and dad layer on sticky sunscreen.  The water was great and I surfed the waves in my raft. We stayed in Grandpa and GMon's RV with all of us and 3 dogs and played nonstop!!! I had a blast- once I got tired of playing with the big people, I got to play with the doggies!!  We went out to eat for almost every meal, which is my favorite, because I can scream and make as big of a mess as I like!

Cast Away Baby.
And working on my tan.

After the beach, Mom and I went up to Knoxville to play with Papa and Grandma.  We ate Fugies, donated some stuff to Goodwill, spent all morning at Costco, played piano with Grandma, and helped Papa plant flowers.  I love visiting them….they always have cake for me when I come too!

I tried some mud while planting flowers.
Not too bad, tastes like mom's chicken

Working man

Making music with Grandma

This is Christine. One of Mom's friends.
She has my future girlfriend in her belly, Caroline. 

This is Kelly.  Another one of Mom's friends.
We're going to go to music festivals together when I grow up.

Overall, it was a great month. Next month, oh gosh, I get goosebumps just thinking about next month….I’ll be a ONE YEAR OLD!!!! Holy cow, holy cow, I cannot contain my excitement! I’ll get to drink real milk, go to Mother’s Day Out, I’ll be tall enough to open the fridge, I can ride Nellie like a horse…the possibilities are endless!  But until next month, I hope everyone has a great month and ready to party at my big boy birthday party on June 29^th…but you know the drill, I’ll be celebrating all month long!

I’ll stay cute,

Luke

Daddy couldn't find my swim diapers
#nakieboy #IpeeInPool

Mom likes nap time as much as I do

10-Month Birthday!

Time to party, people!!!  Its my 10-month BIRTHDAY!! Yup, that’s right, I’m double digits!  This means only two more months until I’m a big one-year old! As normal, some pretty cool stuff happened to me this month.

Got to fly to Tampa to see Grandma & Papa and meet, for the first time, Uncle Jim and Aunt Cyndy! They are just as much fun as mom told me- we played in the pool, went shopping, and got new toys!  But the best part was when Uncle Jim gave me my first chocolate chip cookie.  My life hasn’t been the same since.  I have dreams of going back and eating cookies with Uncle Jim for every meal!  We also hung out with Sarah and William-I’m bigger than Sarah now, not by much, but I’m still bigger.  I can also eat more than her.

Check out my leg room…its like 1st class. boooyeaaa. 

Love me some Sarah. Isn't she pretty?

 My new favorite game is to turn anything in the house into a walker.  Chairs, ottoman, my highchair, boxes…basically, whatever I can get my hand on becomes my personal walker to get me from toy to toy. It also keeps mom on her toes…always having to chase after me-just wait till I can walk, then she won’t have to go to the YMCA everyday!

I got to meet the Easter bunny before he came to the house.  He’s a pretty good bunny, I’d say.  He got me candy, toys, sunglasses, books, eggs, and new clothes.   Mom and Daddy taught me the real reason behind the Easter bunny…but I don’t remember it, I’m sure they'll teach it me to next year too.  All I know is that I like Easter, but not the goofy clothes I have to wear.

Hand over your eggs Mr. Bunny

At Church with Papoose. 

The sun never sets for me

Right before our big Easter Feast at Mimi's.  I ate all the left overs. 

I now have TWO teeth, am about 25 lbs and I hate naptime.  I can say “dada”, “book”, sing to myself, and I wave to everyone- in fact, I’m the new greeter at the YMCA in the morning.  Unfortunately, it doesn’t pay much, so daddy still has to work.   A couple weeks ago, Nellie and I got a kiddy pool for the house!! Its like a massive outdoor bathtub and I don’t have to wear a swim diaper!

Pool time at the Y

Well, Mom has 2 months to plan my birthday party.   Its going to be so much fun!! I’ve been waiting for-ev-er to be ONE YEARS OLD ….Anyway,  hope everyone can come!  

I’ll Stay Cute,

Luke

#LukeIAmYourFather

Watching daddy work in the yard

Me and Mom before Church.
This is the first time I've ever seen her not in workout clothes