Dear Lucas (65 weeks),

This past week you have FINALLY started calling me "MAMA" on a consistent basis. It is so wonderful to hear you say "MaMa" that I don't care that you've been saying "Jadie" for months or that you called me "DaDa" for a while. I don't even care that it took you 65 weeks to get to this point. It was worth it of course now that you say "MaMa" you never STOP saying it either. Since you have been sick all week your favorite phrase has been "Bye Bye Mama, Bye Bye" while you quickly point over and over to the window or door saying "TAKE ME OUTSIDE THIS INSTANT WOMAN BECAUSE I AM SOOO OVER BEING INSIDE" When things aren't going your way (like you have to go to bed or when I won't let you repeatedly heat Jadie on the head with your little toy Baby Baseball bat) you say "MAMAMAMAMAMA" making it into one long pitiful word to let me know "LIFE IS SO NOT FAIR! DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO BE A BABY? DO YOU?"

Since your runny nose wasn't running this morning we went "bye bye Mama bye bye" and headed to the library reading. You were so happy to just be around other kids that you just crawled from kid to kid giving them the once over. After the reading we went with some of our mom's group friends to lunch and you would not eat a bite because you were too busy staring at your friends that you haven't seen for two weeks.

After everyone else finished eating their lunches we let you guys lose in the indoor playground. Being the fearless climber that you are one of the first things you did was get on the big kids slide trying to climb up. You weren't getting to far because your shoes kept slipping so I took them off.

Before I knew it you climbed so high up that I couldn't see you from the bottom anymore. I was about to climb up tunnels and find you when you came sliding down on your butt with a big smile on your face and your hair sticking up every which way. Then you were back to climbing up the slide and all the other babies started to try and follow you. When you got tired you climbed off the slide and started to bring me your socks so I put your shoes back on and we headed home. Right as we turned on our street you passed out and you were dead to the world. You didn't wake up when I took you out of the car seat or carried you inside. You didn't wake up when I laid you down in your crib. You must have been exhausted because that NEVER happens!

When you woke up from your nap you were starving so we gave you snacks while I made dinner. Then when dinner was ready you weren't really hungry anymore so you kept putting your food in your hair for some reason and rubbing it in so we had to give you a bath. Hmmm maybe it was your secret plan all along because when I got you our of your highchair you were happily saying "ba ba ba" which is what you call your bath. I have never seen a kid happier to get clean in all my life. You love to splash and eat the bubbles (for reasons that I do not understand) You were getting so into splashing tonight that you actually flipped yourself face forward into the water and I know now why they say "NEVER leave a child unattended in the bath" You recovered quickly from your underwater adventure and kept right on trying to down your rubber duck by smacking it with your wash cloth.

You have become quite the little performer. You have really mastered standing up and standing unsupported on your own and will clap for yourself every time you do so. You are so proud of your personal standing ovation you will drop to your butt over and over just so you can stand up and clap again. This always sends your me and your Daddy into fits of laughter. Hearing us laugh will also make you laugh. Hearing anyone laugh actually makes you laugh. We've tested it. We will randomly laugh and then you follow suit. I guess your Dad has a horrible fake laugh because you don't fall for his like you do for mine. Speaking of copying us, one of your new favorite phrases is "ow" except you don't say it when you get hurt... you yell "ow" while you are trying to hit Jadie on the head with your bat (which has been taken away from you for the moment) or when you try to hit us when you are frustrated. So now I find myself saying "No Ow, baby. Be Nice" over and over and over. Now when you try to give Jadie hugs she runs away because she never knows if an "ow" or a hug is coming.

I don't think I have ever had this much fun in my life. Bugga, I love you to the moon and back,

Mama!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!