3 months old

Dear Luke,
Exactly 9 months ago (to the day), your daddy and I were sitting in a restaurant downtown, waiting for some friends to join us for dinner. We were there to celebrate a very special birthday, but we ended up having a conversation that would change our lives forever.

Over a basket of chips and a pitcher of margaritas, your daddy and I hatched a plan to find you. We wanted to pursue adoption and we wanted to become a family. We were ready.

And it took exactly 9 months from the day we had that conversation to the day you were born.

Today, marks the day you turn 3 months old, but it also marks the day when you brought hope back in to our lives. It marks the day (and the exact moment) when I knew it was no longer "if" but "when" I would finally become a mommy. It was just a matter of time before we found each other and our struggles would all be worth it.

In 3 months, you've gone from looking like this:

To looking like this:

You are happy and chunky and very strong. You have learned to smile (on purpose) and you stick your tongue out at me to say "hello" every morning. When I do it back to you, you instantly smile - relieved to finally communicate a small fraction of what you've been feeling. It must be wonderful. You only had crying and screaming in your arsenal before. Now you have smiling and "cooing" and the ability to express delight while simultaneously melting my heart.

Luke, you are so much fun.

You absolutely love your bird mobile, now that you can really see it. You talk to those birds and you kick your arms and legs to show your affection. I pretend they talk back to you - singing funny little songs and whispering riddles in your baby ears. You watch those birds with such concentration. I'm grateful every day for the sweet, talented Hallmarkers who made them for you.

This month, you met your cousins - Mia, Christian, Lily and Anya (in town from Colorado):

You hosted (and slept through) a play-date with Cory, Anya, Lily, Mia, Cortney, Holly, and Miss Kendall:

You went to the doctor for your 2-month immunizations (we waited until you were 3 months old so you'd be a little bigger). You got three shots in your delicious little thighs. You only cried for a second, but (again) you peed all over the doctor's office. I don't know what it is about marking your territory, but you do it a lot. You measured 9 lbs. 14 oz, and 22" long. We were just sure you would tip the scales at 10 (or maybe even 11) pounds, but the doctor was very happy to see that you'd doubled your birth weight and you were a perfectly healthy, happy little boy.











You also had a very special visitor in November - your buddy Stu flew all the way from Chicago just to see you (and bring you some super cool Chicago Bears stuff!)

You met Nate and Amie for the first time (you really liked Amie!):

Your glider arrived this month (and we have logged some serious snuggle time together on that glider!):

Again...thanks to some very generous Hallmarkers, you now have the coolest, comfy-est chair in your nursery:

You've been an excellent shopping companion this month, as we have purchased (and wrapped) about 80% of our Christmas gifts already. You don't know it, but I bought some of your gifts right in front of you!  You've attended lots of birthday parties this month (including one for your daddy where you played DJ on the floor with your toy gym).  You're a very social little guy and everyone just adores you.

This Thanksgiving, your nana and papa drove up from Houston so they could bring you a swing and spend Thanksgiving with us.

And now blogger seems to be stalling, so instead of posting this tomorrow I'm going to post it now...with a little video to show just how adorable you are.

We love you, Luke. Happy 3 month Birthday!!
- mom and dad