Luca is 18 months old!!!

Luca is half way through his second year of life and he is changing daily! He is off the bottle!! I was nervous about starting that transition but one morning we just didn't give it to him and he didn't ask for it! I knew it would be easy for him it was just my security issue but I am stoked I made my goal of getting him off the bottle by 18 months. Just like I suspected in my earlier post because he is now off the bottle he is eating like a mad man. It seems like all he does is eat, which is a nice see finally. He is talking like crazy and repeating everything we say (the good and the bad:) He is also extremely loving nowadays. He gives kisses and hugs without us even telling or asking him. It is the best feeling when he just comes up and gives us a big hug and kiss on his own. He is sleeping well. In bed by 8 up around 6:45. Still taking two naps a day for now...I think this will be changing soon. He knows all his family's names now and when he sees them in any pictures he rattles off all their names. He still pronounces Monkey as Daddy :) oddly thank you also sounds like Daddy?? Anyways he is doing wonderful still in the 95% for height (we are praying this will last :) and 75% for weight. We are having a blast watching him grow day by day. He is also learning how to throw temper tantrums...we are NOT having fun with that :(

Current favorite foods: yogurt, nanas, cheese, peanut butter and jelly, and pad thai (he will eat pretty much my entire portion of it!)
Current favorite words: Mess, Nice, Outside (he wants to be outside ALL the time) puppy, pop pop, and poppi.
Current favorite things to do: play with his blocks Aunt traci got him, play outside, and read books

Luca at Jamison Park

Luca and Maddie playing in the water

Caught him sitting in his chair reading

Kissing Mia, he is a lover not a fighter :)

His newest "trick" we call it devil eyes...it is creepy

Thanks Aunt Traci

So this is Luca and I's new favorite thing. Jet Smoothies from Dutch Bros. Traci turned me onto these since Jack loved them. Dutch Bros has these Jet smoothies that are all natural and so delicious! The beauty of them is when you order they will put half in a kids cup and the other half in a cup for you! The even BETTER part is that the kids cup is perfect. It has a rubbery straw that doesn't break when the kid drinks it and it is mostly spill proof! Luca LOVES them, as do I. Thanks Traci for the tip and all you moms out there next time you drive by a dutch bros check it out!

Vegas Baby

Rob and I decided that before we start planning baby #2, a Vegas trip was in order. We went with our dear friends Rob and Nichole (Newlyweds from Mexico wedding see below) and of course my great friend since 6th grade Davy who lives in Vegas spent most of the weekend with us as well. Coincidentally my friend Miranda who lived with me while we lived in Vegas was in town visiting from Indiana so we were able to meet up with her as well. It was an amazing weekend. We stayed at the Palazzo (the Venetians new tower) and it was beautiful, I pulled every connection I had to get us upgrades to amazing suites. We went to a few new clubs that liked (Tryst, Blush, and Tao) and ate at some fabulous resturants (Del Toro and Nobu) We spent our days by the pool and did surprisingly very little gambling. Those of you who know me well know that is not typical. Anyways here are some pictures of our weekend. Nichole has the other half so I will post some from here later...

Rob and I at Tryst

Rob,myself, Rob and Nichole before going out.

The boys at Blush

My favorite picture of the weekend.
Nichole, Myself, Miranda
Rob, Rob, and Matt
At Blush

Dinner at Del Toro in the Palazzo (there were Lamborghini's in the showroom?)

Publish Post

Luca is 17 months old!

Ok well it has been a few weeks since I last posted...things have been awesome. I think Luca is attempting to potty train? Lately he will do the sign for poop then say potty and run to the bathroom. We have yet to actually "potty train" but he seems interested so I went out today and bought a training potty and a travel training potty. We will see how it goes, at this moment he is actually standing in the potty (they don't have water in them) so I think I have my work cut out for me. I probably wont force it for a while just follow his lead, I mean he is 17 months? I have heard boys don't normally potty train until closer to 3, is that correct?

Anyways other then that we are having a hard time getting him to eat and getting him off the bottle which I think these two are mutually exclusive. Once he is off the bottle I think he will eat more. Currently he only takes milk in the morning and before bed so I am going to start cutting out the bottle in the mornings. The sad part (well for me) is that the bottle in the morning is my saving grace since Luca has been waking up at 5:30 AM! But whatever I will adjust....I mean he will adjust :)

Here are some pictures as of late.

Jackson at the Zoo

Luca at the Zoo

Grandma and Poppi having fun with Luca

Our fam

Blake, Luca, and Jack after the zoo...still in decent shape. (We had just finished sitting by a little water fountain and making sure the boys weren't going to jump in when this little boy and his mom came walking up and he just ran right into the water, she tried to laugh it off but was clearly annoyed since they had probably just got to the zoo)

Poppi and Jack

The boys looking at the elephants

Grandma and Poppi trying to keep the boys under control

Luca goofing off

Playing with Bubbles

Happy Birthday Sista, Traci's 26th birthday!!!

Luca and Jackson

Mother's Day!

I had a wonderful mother's day weekend. Saturday we traveled to Lebanon to see my mom and visit with the family. Jackson and Luca are at such a fun age, they played together the whole day. Sunday Rob and I had a relaxing day then went to the Bellenghi's for dinner. It was a great weekend and it made me feel so overwhelmed with gratitude for the life and amazing family I have...some pictures of the weekend.

Happy Mother's Day

Luca and Madison

Bob Deneze and Andee

Estef and David

Rob and Jack

Mexcio!!!

We were in Mexico for a week for our good friends Rob and Nichole's wedding. We stayed at the Barcelo Maya Resort in Playa Del Carmen, and it was wonderful. There were a total of 55 people there for this wedding so the week was fill with fun and crazy times. Luca stayed with my parents and had a blast! Of course he was better for them then he is for us but it was a relief that he behaved all week. Here are some pictures from mexico.

Us with Rob and Nichole a few days before the wedding

So Beautiful!

The hotel lobby

Rob and I our first night there

The guys at the wedding

Rob and I at the rehearsal dinner

Rob and Rob in Playa Del Carmen our last night

At dinner

At the wedding as the sun went down

Some of the girls at dinner

Rob and I at da club :)

Nichole and I at dinner

A bar we went to in Playa

The beginning of the dancing at the wedding

Rob and I again

Dancing