thompson

Tired Boy

2012-01-18T21:06:00.004-07:00

First time Luke fell asleep in his high chair.

Transferred right onto dad for a little nap.

Cute, tired boy.

The Kahala Resort

2012-01-11T17:23:00.000-07:00

As a "thank you" to their administrators, and to get a few budget meetings in as well (poolside, in flip flops of course), Chris's company took the administrators (Chris & Eddie) and their wives (Me & Jennie) to Hawaii at the beginning of December. There were 8 of us total because Mike and Brian brought their wives as well - Megan and Charity. It was an awesome trip and we feel really lucky to be part of such an amazing company (Eduro Healthcare). We stayed on Oahu, the south shore, a place called the Kahala Resort. It was totally beautiful. Dolphin's swimming around under our balcony, right on the beach, and the best breakfast EVER! :) The important things, right... Anyway, kids/babies were not invited, so Chris's mom Lou Ann flew out and watched Luke for 6 days while we were gone. She is the most loving Mimi so we knew Luke was in great hands and didn't have to worry. (Lou Ann we love you so much. Thanks so much for being so eager and willing to help.) I certainly was missing Luke towards the end of the trip, but it was really nice to have an awesome getaway with just Chris and I. Thanks Eduro for taking such great care of us. We had an amazing time hanging out with you guys! And glad to report Luke didn't even seem to miss us! In fact, he cried and was fussy for the first 2 days when we got home! Kids...I tell ya. Here's some pics from the trip. It was definitely different for me to be on Oahu and not be on the North Shore the whole time, but it's good to broaden your horizons once in a while! Still got to eat Ted's Bakery pie plenty, so I was a happy camper :).

Went up to North Shore the 2nd day to watch the Triple Crown contest at Sunset.

Got some shots of Dusty Payne for mom and dad. Even though you can just as easily see him in Surfer magainze. Still cool though.

Did the Waimea Falls trail/hike after the contest. There's the lovely bunch, minus me and Megan.

bunch of whiteys compared to Tucker!

On Sunday Chris and I drove up Kam Hwy, b/c Chris has never done that drive (crazy), and went to hang out with Tucker. And Becky and Doug, too. Then they came down later that night b/c Becky had a conference in town and we went out to dinner and hung out with her and Doug. Was really fun.

While I was running in the gym one day, there was a couple who got married right out in front of me in that little white gazebo. So I watched the ceremony while I ran. Pretty cool.

There's the dolphins. Well, one anyway...

We had practically perfect weather the entire time. We got so lucky.

Chris strolling by the pool

The others hanging on the beach

People would pay to swim and play with the dolphins, and a few times a day the trainers would go out and feed them. Fun to watch.

From our balcony

I miss the beach

Where we ate breakfast every morning. Does it get any more perfect?!

Was an awesome trip. And I'm ready to go back again!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LUKE!

2012-01-10T23:46:00.003-07:00

Well, it's been a very busy few months over here and tonight I can't sleep for some reason, so I figured now is a good time to start catching up on the blog a bit! I will start with the most recent event, and that is that Luke turned 1 year old on Dec 22! YEAH! (Well, Christmas was more recent, but I'll get to that...) We had a little birthday party over at our house with some friends and family, and it was a fun time. Luke is the greatest Christmas gift we could have ever asked for and love him so much.

LUKE AT 12 MONTHS:

Height - 29.5" (50%ile)

Weight - 22.9 lbs. We were certain he was a 25-pounder, but apparently not! (50%ile)

Has been walking comfortably for a few weeks now. Starting to get more daring and tries to run, then generally falls, and tries again. LOVES people and other kids most out of everything in this life! Social butterfly. Always smiling and waving at people anywhere we go. Loves Uncle Jake. Dogs. Balls. TV Remotes. Cell phones. Computers. Pretty much anything electronic or that has buttons. Loves to play chase (you run, he comes to find you. and gets really excited). Seems to love to be outside, can't wait for warmer weather. Did his first summer-sault the other day. Likes to dance (bends his knees and bops up and down). Eats pretty much everything - but loves to eat apples especially right now. Eats lots of hot dogs, rice, bean, corn, green beans, tofu, oranges, grapes (loves), berries, bananas, avacados. Drinks out of a straw sippy cup. Never took a bottle. Drinks milk (but we still put a bit of ovaltine in it every once in a while to get him to drink a lot). No allergies. Says - mama, dada, ball, woof woof, apple. And jabbers a whole lot if you give him a phone. (Don't know where he learned that from....) Is ticklish and laughs at "This Little Piggy." Loves Patty-Cake, Itsy Bitsy Spider. Loves climbing up and down the stairs. Gives kisses and loves to cuddle. Waves hi and bye bye. And starting to say Hi. Has had 4 haircuts and really needs a 5th! Has about 10-12 teeth and a bunch more coming in. He is a tough cookie. When he gets hurt, he hardly ever cries. He's such a loveable little boy! Luke, you make us happy every single day. We love you so much!

Here's a few pics from his bday party. In backwards order. (one day I'll figure out how to work this blogger.)

Got many gifts but especially loved this one!

Love the clean up after the party.

Luke helping Dad and Uncle D put his car together

opening presents

lots of bubbles

love this picture of him enjoying himself

balloons and bubbles were a hit

the cute birthday boy

luke adores his cousin Avery

aunt alli & uncle derek

Luke and Daddy

took him long time to get comfortable with his cupcake :)

We love you Luke. You are the best thing that ever happened to us! Can't believe you are already 1 and such a big, smart boy. We'll love you forever!!

One box = lots of fun

2011-11-16T17:45:00.001-07:00

Who needs all the toys? One simple box means 20 minutes of sheer enjoyment for a little 10 month old. Love how they do the same things over and over and never get sick of it. Get on the box, drop the drink. Get off the box, pick up the drink, get back on the box. Haha. So funny to quietly watch. Luke's definitely starting to be more aware and copying things others do. His latest thing is putting things in a bucket, then taking them out. Putting them in, taking them out. I love it, get a kick out of it everytime.

He is walking!

2011-11-14T13:15:00.001-07:00

Luke is officially walking. and Dancing. Pretty darn cute. Good job little buddy!

Sarah Hays Shurtz

2011-11-04T11:13:00.001-06:00

One of my dearest friends passed away 3 days ago. She fought the fight of her life and is now at peace on the other side. We miss her so much but feel comfort in knowing we will be with her again. I am so grateful for the knowledge of the Plan of Salvation, eternal families, and the peace that knowledge brings. Sarah, you are the most beautiful person, inside and out. We love you forever.

Sarah Hays Shurtz (June 7, 1981 ~ Nov. 1, 2011)

June 7, 1981 ~ Nov. 1, 2011

Sarah Hays Shurtz, age 30, passed away Tuesday, November 1, 2011 from her 16-month battle with cancer through which she courageously and gracefully fought to the end. Sarah, an Oregon native, was born June 7, 1981 in Grants Pass, Oregon to Lewis Hays and Donna McKenna Dotson.

Sarah was an avid runner who qualified for the Boston Marathon in 2007. She loved the outdoors, and enjoyed hiking, camping, competing in triathlons and various other races. Everyone who knew Sarah was captivated by her beautiful smile and laughter. She was a genuine friend to those who knew her. Her love for family and friends was apparent to all.

Sarah, a registered sonographer, loved working in the medical profession as she had a tremendous gift to love and serve those around her.

She met her husband Dan Shurtz in Salt Lake City in 2006. They were married in the Mt. Timpanogos LDS Temple on September 18, 2010. Sarah and Dan enjoyed an active outdoor lifestyle appreciating the beautiful simplicity of life with "Sam", their dog and loyal travel companion.

She is survived by her loving husband Daniel Ray Shurtz; her parents Lewis Hays and Donna (Buster) Dotson; her siblings Jamie (Nick) DeVos, Phillip (Chantel) Hays, James Hays and Rebekah (Traven) Haaga.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, November 5, 2011 at 11:00 am in the Union Park LDS 5th Ward Chapel (7699 S. Chad Street, Midvale, UT ). Viewings will be held Friday, November 4th from 6 to 8:00 pm and again on Saturday, November 5th from 9:30 to 10:45 am in the Union Park LDS 5th Ward Chapel. Burial will be in the Larkin Sunset Gardens Cemetery in Sandy, UT.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Sarah's name to the Utah Cancer Foundation or The Block Center for Integrative Cancer Treatment.

Stuffed Peppers

2011-11-02T21:04:00.001-06:00

Chris and I made these stuffed peppers for dinner tonight. Actually, it was pretty much Chris that made them. Ground turkey, peppers, garlic, onions, tomatoes, brown (or spanish) rice, cheese.

They are seriously delicious. Try them. Good job honey.

http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=183604

STILL CHEWING

2011-10-27T09:23:00.000-06:00

To follow up on Luke's furniture chewing habit, please see below. Obviously he's still at it...

I don't care what chris says, i love his little slippers :)

absolutely loves this remote (and to chew on it). if you take it away or try to give him a different one he knows!!!

on a more positive note, Luke's starting to free stand, sometimes 30 seconds or a minute at a time. pretty fun to see him gaining confidence in himself. his balance is quite good actually.

and one more quick nibble.

Luke's 4th bottom tooth popped through this week (8 teeth now) so I'm sure that contributes to all the chewing. We don't mind a few paint chips missing here and there. It's all worth it for this cute, happy boy.

The Magic Licorice

2011-10-26T22:58:00.003-06:00

Amanda came to visit us for a few days (which I will post about soon, was really fun) so I had to drop her off at the airport two nights ago. I left Luke at home with Dad, not even thinking twice about it. Well, I called Chris on my way home from dropping Mandy off and lets just say Luke was not a happy camper. He screamed for 30 min straight, bloody murder. Poor Chris, didn't know what to do. Poor Luke, got another tooth, has been sick, and didn't know what to do with himself apparently (b/c this is not normal behavior). After all that crying when Chris had him mostly settled down, he found the LAST piece of licorice in the house and gave it to Luke. Licorice is like his favorite thing apparently. Dad propped 3 pillows for him, sat him down, and Luke started laughing and jabbering away, chewing on his licorice. SO FUNNY! Chris is like, why didn't I think of that earlier?! Lesson learned, a piece of licorice goes a long way.

when he first got the licorice

after a few seconds, lounging

little stinker. loving life. happy as can be

Baby Cougars

2011-10-19T16:00:00.001-06:00

Just catching up with all these blog posts. Been a busy month. We went to the Bewsey's this past Saturday to watch the BYU game. The three kids got all suited up in their BYU attire to watch the game. Or, to distract everyone from watching the game! Pretty darn cute, I must say. I have a feeling these three are going to be great pals.

Luke, Quinn and Max

Max, always eyeing everyone's toys. Haha.

Cornbelly's

2011-10-19T10:24:00.002-06:00

We spent a lovely evening last week with the Coombs family at Cornbelly's (Thanksgiving Point) - corn maze, pumpkin patch, rides, games, kettle corn...fun for all. We learned that Scott is a true cowboy and can lasso like none other, Cassie is the quickest at duck races ;), Chris is the one you want to help you out of the corn maze, and Amy has a great shot with the paint ball gun! Really fun night - the kids loved it, and so did we!

Mr. & Mrs. Nielson

2011-10-19T00:25:00.000-06:00

Alli and Derek got married a week and a half ago in the Salt Lake City temple. Mr. & Mrs. Nielson. It was a perfect day and perfect weekend. Alli looked absolutely gorgeous and they seemed so happy. What a great couple. A bunch of the Psillos's came out and Aunt Barbara; all of the love and support Alli had was awesome. Here are a bunch of pics from our fun weekend. Thanks for being here everyone, really meant a lot. We miss you!!

they were so excited when they came out. just adorable!

the beautiful bride getting ready for her big day

thanks for all the love and support everyone. and for making the trip out here.

cute daddio

and cute boy! he really held up like a trooper even though he was not feeling tip top.

that was a tired boy. grandma had the gentle touch.

so fun seeing the hundertmarks! we love you guys!

zeke looking quite dapper!

jess and ellie. so fun having you guys here.

loved their cake!

and yet again, thanks julia for the beautiful bridesmaid dresses. they were perfect.

my handsome boys!

the grand exit. it was awesome.

it was such a fun time hanging out with everyone. plenty of trips to cafe rio!

congratulations alli & derek. we love you. so happy for you. and happy you live in utah!!

Baba

2011-10-18T10:42:00.002-06:00

He'll chew on it, lounge with it, crawl with it (which is pretty funny), and even say it....but alas, still cannot get him to drink his baba. Grandma, we're going to need some serious help when you get out here!

West Gilgo Beach - July 2011

2011-10-17T12:25:00.005-06:00

We had another fabulous family reunion at West Gilgo Beach this summer. So many pictures were taken so I'm just putting up a few of the winners. Chris and Doug were both busy with work so weren't able to make it this year and they were sorely missed. Hopefully they will be able to make it next year. Anyway, the pictures pretty much explain all the love we have for each other. Our family wouldn't be the same without these yearly reunions. Thank you for always getting us together each year Grandma Barbara and thanks for being great hosts Mom and Dad. The memories and friendships we have made are priceless. We love you and appreciate everything you do and have done for us.

Great Grandma Gerry

Cute Addie.

Luke loved playing with cousin/aunt Hannah!

Baby Ellie. Such a cutie pie.

Luke and Zeke were loving each other.

Collectors of the whale puke. Must not forget this! Maybe we'll get rich next summer....

Great Grandma reading with Luke

This picture makes me smile.

Alli and Derek. The very cute and engaged couple!

Sweet Grandma

Rathgebers

Psillos Crew. Getting quite large.

More Rathgebers

Love this pic of Rich and Zeke.

Tucker. Such a ham.

Great Grandma. Very amusing trying to get the kids to cooperate for a pic!!

Luke and Colt. Love these boys.

Rae.

Livy.

Colt.

So many great times. We miss you all. Can't wait for the fun next year!

Puppy

2011-10-12T13:22:00.001-06:00

We thought we had a son but maybe he's actually a puppy. He chews on everything around. Coffee table, shoes, people's toes (with or without socks on), the couch and we just found his crib in prime condition this morning. Please tell us, is this normal?? Haha. I say it is, but Chris isn't so sure....

I know, this is a cute face, but don't let it fool you. There are lots of teeth in that mouth waiting to destroy all your furniture...

9 Months Old

2011-09-27T18:22:00.001-06:00

{Fair warning, tons of pics in this post because I haven't put any up in a long while. I know I have a lot of catching up to do, still haven't even put up pics from our awesome trip to NY.}

Luke turned 9 months old on Sept. 22nd. He's officially getting to be a big boy. 21lbs 2.4oz. and 29" tall. Still in the 75%ile and doc says he looks terrific. Healthy and happy.

He eats lots of food now, just about anything you give him. But I'm pretty sure carrots and avacados might be his favorite. Still won't take a bottle of any sort, only nursing. But drinks well out of his sippy straw cup. He has 7 teeth, all came in within 1.5 months. And plenty more on the way it seems. He says mama, dada, and seems to try to copy lots of other words. I really think I heard him copy me and say, "thank you" the other day. No joke. He waves hello and bye-bye, loves to clap and without a doubt loves other kids & babies. If I had to describe Luke's personality I would say bubbly, happy and a total people person. He started pointing this week, crawls fast, pulls himself up on everything, walks while holding things, and lets go and free-stands once in a while. He really is a mama's boy. Cries at the gym so my work outs get cut short and I have to take him home. He loves peek-a-boo and all electronics (cell phones, computers, remotes) and yells if you take them away. Actually, he growls, really. He is starting to give daddy more positive reinforcement these days so that is great. Chris and I love this kid so much. Sometimes we give him a big squeeze or a bite or even a little spank, just because it's hard to hold all the love in!!! He's got so many rolls still so he is so squishy and squeezable, he's hard to resist. Cutest boy around. Here's some shots from the last month. Most recent first, I believe. Oh, and he had his 4th haircut 2 weeks ago.

great shot of those lovely teeth

classic Luke face. scrunchy nose.

his latest move, hands behind the head

he loves snuggling and playing on the couch. can't stand the cuteness.

this is where he hangs out now when mom really needs to get something done. usually lasts about 15 min. then the high pitch screaming begins and waterfall of tears.

spends lots of time standing here as well

ok, how much does he look like his cousin Quinn here... a lot! the boy version, of course.

WE LOVE YOU LUKEY! YOU MAKE US HAPPY EVERYDAY!

Standing Tall

2011-08-29T18:15:00.004-06:00

Came out of my bedroom to find this yesterday. How can you not just smile...

Sweatin For Sarah

2011-08-29T14:37:00.005-06:00

My dear friend Sarah Hays Shurtz was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer last year at this time. She has been fighting a strong physical and emotion battle everyday since. More than she even realizes she has been an inspiration to everyone who knows her with her continued faith, smiles and optimism. This past Saturday me, Chris, Luke, Julie and Steve ran the 2nd annual Sweatin for Sarah 5k. It is so touching to see hundreds of people out there running for Sarah, showing their love and support. God has a plan for each of us, and it is part of His plan for Sarah to be here with us still. Our prayers remain with Sarah everyday!

Here are a few pics and a letter that Sarah wrote to everyone for the benefit run:

One year ago I was diagnosed with “stage 4, terminal cancer.” The doctors predicted I wouldn’t live more than two months, it was difficult to determine. But here I write, one year later. I won’t say it’s been a blissful year, without any pain or difficulties, I just know I wouldn’t change much about last year.
Aside from being diagnosed with cancer, there were a lot of good things that occurred during the same time. I had a race prepared and ran in my name, married my boyfriend of three years, moved into a new house, and my health began to improve. The new chemotherapy started working shortly after I was married so I wasn’t bed ridden the first year of my marriage. I was living life to the fullest! Unfortunately all good things do come to an end and I ended up in the hospital for three days one month ago. My chemotherapy had stopped working and my painful tumors (sacral), grew back, causing severe nerve pain. I remained hopeful and faithful and the physicians were able to treat me with a pain pump and an additional ten days of radiation.
I thought I was through the worst when my oncologist informed me we were almost out of chemotherapy options. I hadn’t realized I had been on four different chemotherapies in the course of a year. Next Tuesday will be the second dose of my new chemotherapy treatment, (a chemo used to treat breast cancer). I’m currently receiving treatments to drain excess fluid that has built up around my lungs and abdomen. Apparently it’s a common treatment with advanced cancer patients. The tumors produce excess fluid and the liver can’t process or filter the extra fluid. Today I had approximately seven pounds of fluid removed to make me more comfortable. I laughed when I realized seven pounds was the size of a newborn baby!
With symptoms of pain and labored breathing decreased, I remain faithful that the Lord has a plan for me and remains mindful of my needs. I find it very difficult to give in to the fight against cancer while I still have friends and family refusing to give up on me. I remain forever grateful for the love and support given to me by so many.

All my love, Sarah Hays Shurtz

We love you Sarah. Keep on fighting, Sista!!

Quadruple Date

2011-08-23T22:31:00.004-06:00

Really fun date night this past Friday. Jake and Beck (and Doug), wish you guys were here for it! Me, Chris, Alli, Derek, Julie, Dan, Britt and Steve (and Luke and Quinn) went to Cheesecake Factory for dinner. Then we all came back to our house and played Cranium til 2am. Felt like we were kids again :). Haven't laughed that hard in a really long time!

This was Luke at the end of the night after dinner when we took him out of his carseat. Didn't even wake up when we changed him into his PJs. Poor kid. But as you can tell from the first picture, he thoroughly enjoyed himself!

Oh, then this was the next day. Jake, I forgot to thank you for showing this new game to the boys...

Great weekend. So fun to have family living so close.

8 Months

2011-08-23T10:56:00.004-06:00

Luke turned 8 months old yesterday. And he is crawling. And starting to pull himself up on things. Let the fun begin!

Boondocks

2011-08-19T15:08:00.007-06:00

We had a family night last week and went to this place called Boondocks. Was really fun. Chris and I played mini golf - which I haven't done in about 10 years - and Luke stayed in his stroller the entire 18 holes. His reward was to play a few video games with dad afterwards!

ha. love this picture. boys....

More Firsts

2011-08-17T20:58:00.007-06:00

Firsts. While we were in NY for our annual Rathgeber Reunion Luke had a bunch of firsts. Sad that Chris wasn't there to witness them - but we sent him lots of pics. Wanted to jot some of these things down so we could remember. He's 7 1/2 months old now. Getting to be such a big boy.

While in NY (for 2 weeks) Luke -

*Got his first 3 teeth (bottom middle, top right incisor - or fang, as we call it, and the start of the top left fang). He was such a good boy I didn't even know his teeth came in. Hardly even fussed. But would wake up 1-2 times a night. I should have known something was up.

*Started eating real food and sitting in the highchair. (Cheerios, puffs, yogurt melt things, NY bagels-of course, pretzels, and caught Aunt Patti feeding him a Fiber One bar at some point too.) He won't eat baby food anymore, only real people food.

*Started scooting/army crawling. And pretty fast, too. He was doing it a little at home, but in NY he started going forward, and not only in a circle and backwards. Now he is up on all fours and has started crawling but hasn't really taken off yet.

*Ate his first handfuls of sand. And thoroughly enjoyed it I believe. Cousin Tucker is teaching him everything he knows :)

Other things Luke is up to -

*Going to the Kids Club at 24 Hour Fitness now with mom & dad. And cried the last 3 nights so we have to pick him up and our workouts get cut short. He's turning into a mama's boy!

*Got another tooth coming in. Bottom middle.

*Can sit up from the crawling position. So cute, went to get him from his crib the other day and he was just sitting there talking to the wall. haha, love it.

*Starting waving hello lately. So adorable.

*Chris and I both think we heard Luke say "mama" the other night. Not certain though.

*Sounds like he's on his way to saying "dada" & "duck" as well.

*Starting turning pages when we read instead of just eating them.

*Loves when he does something good and you clap for him. He's starting to attempt to clap himself.

So fun to watch him learn new things all the time. Thankful everyday for a happy, healthy baby!!

Mister Boyee

2011-07-24T16:09:00.004-06:00

Dear Daddy,

I'll miss you a lot while I'm gone in NY. Here are some pictures you can look at to remember how cute I am. I'll be back to mess up your closet before you know it.

Love, Luke

Heading Home

2011-07-24T13:41:00.011-06:00

We're excited to head home to NY tomorrow for another lovely Rathgeber Reunion. Here's a few pics from last year (2010) since I don't think I ever put any up. (Please no comments on how ravishing I was looking. Glad Luke is finally here and not in my tummy anymore.) Luke and I are really sad because Chris can't make it this year so we will really miss him. Glad Julie and Becky will be joining us this year though.

Chris's big catch of the day :)

Concert at Tobay

Colt being cute as can be.

Can't wait to see you guys soon!

Aunt Alli

2011-07-22T21:35:00.002-06:00

Luke turned 7 months old today and is cute as can be. Here's a quick clip of him with Aunt Alli. He loves her, as you can tell!

LAKE SHASTA 2011

2011-07-08T10:30:00.029-06:00

{**Get ready for picture overload. Couldn't choose which pics to put up so these are few of the 1000 that I decided on.}

We just got back from the annual Thompson Lake Shasta houseboat trip. June 18-25th. It was a perfect trip. Weather was in the 90s -100s everyday. Not a cloud in the sky. Clean water. We celebrated Chris's 29th bday! Amy & Scott broke the news about baby #3 on the way! Celebrated Father's Day. Carson & Avery jumped off the rope swing and were really great & daring swimmers this year. We surfed. We skiied. We tubed. Luke & Quinn's first Shasta trip - they were both terrific babies the whole time. It couldn't have been more fun. Thanks Mike & Lou Ann for such an awesome trip.

Splish Splash

2011-07-06T17:07:00.005-06:00

Thanks for coming over to play. And thanks for being my friend, Van!

6 Month Appt

2011-07-04T11:24:00.014-06:00

Luke turned 6 months old on June 22, while we were in Lake Shasta with Chris's family. So we had his 6-month doctors appt a week after that. Here is what he weighed in at:

Height: 27 1/4" (an inch tall for his age)

Weight: 18lbs 15oz (perfect weight for his height but in the 95th% for weight for his age!!)

So, in a nutshell, he is a big, lovable, perfect little baby. Everyone thinks he is 11 months old because he looks bigger than most of them :). Alli came over the other day and Luke had his shirt off and she said "whoa, look at all his muscles!!" Haha, I was laughing. That's one way you can look at it. But really, we love all his rolls so much and will be sad if he starts crawling and they go away (since he seems like he is starting to scoot and get his knees up more everyday).

(mama wanted to watch beauty and the beast. luke seemed to like it too.)

He got his first sickness (cold and cough) this past week and has handled it like a real trooper. He is like his dad - never really complains about anything. If he cries or whines, you know he's really not feeling well.

(thanks for the ducky grandma. he loves playing with it)

Luke sleeps 9-11 hours each night. Takes a 2 hour nap and then usually 2 shorter naps later in the day. He just started eating rice cereal and does a great job with that, so I will start baby food tomorrow (since today is the 4th of July) :). He is starting to really love his mommy and generally prefers her if he is tired or hungry (obviously). I'm pretty sure his favorite song is Itsy Bitsy Spider because it always gets a smile or laugh out of him. He loves the hand motions especially. He has already had 2 hair cuts. No teeth yet but he sure does drool a lot! He started sitting completely on his own this past week. He scoots and rolls all over now so I think he will be crawling in the next month as well. Time to get the gates up. Luke still cuddles sometimes, but is starting to be a real busy body. He loves being around his cousin Quinn, and they are starting to interact a little more, so it is really fun that Britt and Steve live so close and they can be friends. He loves his toys, cell phones, and TV remotes now, so the time has come where we have to start putting things away. Why do kids love electronic so much? How do they even know??

(i love this picture. quinn was just lounging on luke. pals.)

He says "bababa" mostly and some other baby sounds. But bababa is the most distinct.

He is happy and playful and really, how can you not love everything about this kid?! Chris and I feel so lucky to have him everyday. Families are the greatest. We love you Luke.

Oh, and had to put this pic up bc it is so funny. I put a baby einstein video in for him to watch and he ended out just lounging on the boppy, chewing on his rings, watching the video. So funny. Am I creating a couch potatoe?

FEED ME

2011-06-30T17:12:00.007-06:00

Luke turned 6 months old a week ago (and seems very interested everything we eat) so we figured it's time to get him started on some the real food for him. He did awesome eating rice cereal for the first time tonight! Hardly spit any out and kept trying to grab for the spoon and bowl for more. Seriously love this kid. Good job Luke!

I Love Summer.

2011-06-14T14:26:00.006-06:00

Spring/Summer - they have finally arrived. For good. No more snow! I love all the flowers that have bloomed in our yard.

and I love when Daddy and Luke BBQ outside together!

Life is good.

5 1/2 Months

2011-06-13T10:10:00.015-06:00

It's been forever since I've blogged. I figure I had better take a minute to write down what Luke's been up to so I have something to refer back to when he gets older. B/c we all know that I have the Rathgeber memory. (Here's hoping that Luke gets his from the Thompson side).

So, we've made it 5 1/2 months and Luke is a pure joy to be around. He is more fun everyday. We know without a doubt that he knows Mommy and Daddy now b/c once in a while he will cry when "strangers" hold him and he is tired. (Sorry about that Uncle Scott...he'll come around.)

WHAT LUKE'S DOING...

EATING - mommy's milk still. Haven't introduced any rice cereal or solid's yet. I'll prob start doing that next week. Even though he wants it I won't give him any Diet Pepsi, quite yet....

WEIGHT: We don't have another doc appt for 2 weeks but I'm sure he must be pushing 18-19lbs. I will keep you posted on that. Happy, healthy baby :)

SLEEPING: He no longer sleeps in his "Rock n Play Sleeper." He is a big boy now and has graduated to sleeping in his crib, in his own room, on his tummy (when he turned 5 months I knew it was time!!). I never thought I would want him to leave our room, but now that he's sleeping in his own crib it is very nice. He sleeps about 8-11 hours a night (I know, he's a dream) and it usually only takes him about 15 min to cry himself to sleep. (Occasionally he screams for 40 min and then mom or dad will feel bad and go get him. Yes, he has us trained well... I know this....)

PLAYING: He just recently (this past week) started grabbing everything in sight. It is now a pain to take him to a restaurant b/c he grabs everything on the table, and your food, and your drink, etc etc. He is getting great at grabbing toys as you hand them to him. He plays in his Exersaucer now (which is lovely for mom & dad b/c he will stay in it 20-30 min at a time and be thoroughly entertained). He loves being around other little kids and loves his cousin Avery. She can always get him to laugh.

He's also getting better at sitting up. He can sit on his own now but still topples over to the side. The Bumbo seat has been good b/c we can sit him in that and put him wherever we are (ie: the dinner table) and he is happy and content to be hanging out with us. So yea, no crawling yet that is for sure, but the sitting is getting better. He can also roll front-to-back and back-to-front. He does not like laying on his back anymore.

In the morning when he wakes up Luke now watches a Baby Einstein video (Nursery Rhymes) for 20 min or so and he seems to love it. Fun for him, and reminds me of songs I can sing to him.

TEMPERAMENT: I think a bit of his temper is starting to shine through b/c now when he doesn't want to be in his car-seat, or he is done playing on the floor by himself, or he wants out of his crib, he starts doing this loud whine, and then it turns into a really high pitch scream. He will keep at it for 15 min at a time, too. When you're in a public place it really is a very effective tactic b/c obviously we're going to pick him up so he doesn't bother everyone else around. So yeah, for the most part Luke is still Mr. Mellow, but he definitely likes to be around people more now and certainly knows how to let us know when he's done playing by himself. As soon as we pick him up, screaming stops. Haha...little stinker.

The fun part now is that he isn't quite as tough of a crowd as he used to be. Now he will smile if you do something silly, and laugh a lot more easily. Well, giggle, I should say. He still doesn't give too many belly laughs, but he's starting to giggle more so that is really fun. He loves when his dad gives him a beat and dances with him, that always gets a smile. He loves his daddy.

TALKING: He really is quite a chatter box at times. When he is happy and content he will just be playing and chatting away to his toys. I need to get this on film. When he is sad, crying in his crib (or screaming, I should say), as soon as I pick him up he will start smiling, laughing and chatting. It kind of makes me mad at him but then it's so cute and just have to laugh.

Now that Luke is getting a little older it is so fun to observe him doing new things each day. It's even more fun to see Chris with him and to see what a great dad he is. Since Father's day is on Sunday, thought I'd give you an early shout out to let you know how much we love you, Chris. You are the best dad and husband we could have ever asked for. Thanks for being so loving, and so much fun!

Hawaii 2011

2011-05-10T11:41:00.001-06:00

Luke took his first trip to Hawaii to visit cousin Tucker. It was sad to go without Chris but we had a great time nonetheless. Thanks for having us Beck and Doug, it was so much fun seeing you guys. I will get more pictures up soon...

Aunt Julie

2011-04-29T12:18:00.005-06:00

Chris found out that the Mormon Tabernacle Choir practices on Temple Square on Thursday nights so we thought we would go check it out last night. I'm pretty sure it was meant to be because I kid you not, as soon as we were walking through the gates, Sister Rathgeber and her companion were walking out. So we walked right into each other! Julie seems to be doing really great and her companion is the sweetest girl from Cancun, Mexico. It is awesome to see her so focused on missionary work right now, and it was so fun for her to meet baby Luke as well. Keep up the great work, Sister. You are beautiful. We love you so much!

"He is not here, but is risen"

2011-04-29T10:48:00.010-06:00

We had a really special Easter this year. Yes, of course the Easter bunny came, but it was more than that. I got called as a Primary teacher 2 weeks ago so Easter Sunday was my first time teaching - of course on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Although I was nervous to teach the 8 years olds (don't ask), I felt so lucky that I got to study this really important lesson and have it on my mind all week. As infinitely important as Christ's atonement and resurrection is, for me, it brings on a new meaning now that Chris and I have started our own family. It is the greatest feeling knowing that no matter what happens we will always be a family, forever. Such happiness and hope comes from understanding the gospel of Jesus Christ - we feel very lucky to be members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints!

With that being said - here is what our day consisted of. Church, then checking out our easter baskets. The Easter Bunny hid mine (which was fun) so after I found mine hidden in the basement, turns out the Easter bunny got me a camcorder for my trip to Hawaii. So excited and can't wait to go and use it! Wish so bad the Easter bunny was coming with me to Hawaii....

Here are a few pics of Luke on his first Easter. Easter bunny brought him a few cool toys and some candy...

he was super excited...can't you tell...

After we did our own thing we all met at Amy & Scott's house for dinner. Thanks for always having us over you guys and being such great hosts! We ate some ham, hung out, then took some pictures. Alli and Derek came up to spend the day with us, too. So that was very fun.

love love this picture. avery is so sweet with luke.

the coombs

the cute couple

our other favorite thompsons

OK....And I almost forgot to mention that we took some pictures at the mall with the Easter bunny last week. A few shots for your viewing pleasure. It was pretty funny I must say...

Hope you all had a very happy Easter as well!

4 MONTHS

2011-04-26T18:48:00.002-06:00

Luke turned 4 months old on Friday! 16lbs and 26" long. Big happy boy :). More pics to come. Hope you all had a terrific Easter!

5K

2011-04-20T20:45:00.002-06:00

Well I ran my first 5K this past weekend. The Salt Lake Marathon was going on so there was also a 1/2 marathon and 5K option. Of course, I went with the 5k. I did it with my friends Becky, Danielle and Sheridan. I've only run 3 miles 2 times since I've had Luke (actually, who am I kidding, I haven't run 3 miles in about 12 months! Pathetic, I know!) so it's great to know that this mama's still got it :). It may have taken me 35 min but at least I finished! haha. Becky is 7 months pregnant and beat me! Good for you Beck! Danielle and Sheridan did awesome, too. Was a really fun morning.

Before

And after. Breakfast at Ruth's diner. Yum.

CLASSICS

2011-04-16T11:31:00.002-06:00

Classic excited move - hands and feet kicking and flailing :)

Classic cheeks

Classic eating the hands

Like Father Like Son

2011-04-16T11:20:00.006-06:00

Cutie Pie

2011-04-08T22:26:00.004-06:00

Love this sweet little boy.

What do you think of his first hair cut?

ROAD TRIP

2011-04-06T16:23:00.009-06:00

Luke took his first road trip to St. George this past weekend to visit Papa Thompson (great Papa T, that is). Luke never ceases to amaze Chris and I. He hardly made a peep the whole way down or the entire way back! That would be 5 hours each way. He really outdid himself this time. It was so fun to stay at Preston's house, especially because Mike & Lou Ann were there visiting with us too.

Luke = 4th generation Thompson

Preston with Luke - he was so cute with him.

Luke just started standing like this a few days ago. Now he always wants to stand. Getting to be a big strong boy!

and a mighty cute one!

I love these pictures. Chris, you are the handsomest daddy.

It was conference weekend while we were there. Always love listening to our Prophets speak. Luke was a good boy and payed close attention, as you can see.

Luke with his mimi

and last but not least, Luke and mommy getting some fast food on the way home to SLC. Sound asleep and being the best baby we could ask for! It was such a fun trip. Luke, you did great on your first big outing.

JESSIE

2011-04-06T16:01:00.005-06:00

Aunt Jessie came to visit us 2 weekends ago. And we want her to come back!! I'm so happy she could come out and meet Luke before he gets too big, and that she was willing to take the trip even though she has her own little girl coming out in 3 months. You look so beautiful Jess and really appreciate you leaving the 3 kiddies to come see us. I know it's probably really hard to be apart from them. We love you so much and had so much fun with you. As always.

Luke really loved Aunt Jess. So much that he did this while one her lap:

Haha, love this picture. Luke's like..."what'd I do???" Nothing a lot of wipes and a bath can't take care of...

Of course we had to stop by Cheesecake Factory, after all it was a special occasion having Jess visit. He was all fussy while we were waiting so Jess held Luke on her baby bump and he was sound asleep in seconds! She has the touch!! It was really funny...

Last but not least - me and the cuz. So glad we can stay so close even though we live so far. Life wouldn't be nearly as fun without you! We love you so much!

DOCTOR'S NOTE

2011-04-06T15:25:00.005-06:00

So, Chris came home from work the other day and handed me this:

...haha, his first doctors note :). He had a nurse write it up before he came home. I got a good laugh out of it. He has had a lot going on at work lately, but really, lets not kid ourselves, who would want to be off-duty from this little gem?...

We miss you while you're gone daddy but thanks for all of the hard work you put in for us each day!

Progress

2011-03-31T12:40:00.003-06:00

So this is pretty much where we are at on our tummy time situation :). This was 2 weeks ago, I think. Luke shows no signs of wanting to roll over at this point. I helped him roll one time so he could get the feel of it and he cried hysterically. Sad!! Happy to report that he can shimmy forward because he is getting better at bringing his knees up under his body but his arms are the problem now...considering he mostly has them laying down by his sides. Haha!! He'll get it soon enough. For now, I am just grateful that he stays in one place!!

Jogging

2011-03-31T11:52:00.007-06:00

All bundled up to go jogging with dad. They went running around 7:00 and by the time they got back it was dark and snowing. Luckily Luke didn't seem to mind and was happy as can be!

3 MONTHS OLD!

2011-03-23T11:43:00.008-06:00

Luke turned 3 months old yesterday on March 22nd. Yeah!! Here is a list of some of the things he can do now:

-Smile for mommy and daddy all the time!
-Giggled for the first time 2 days ago! (yet to hear it again though)
-Talk up a storm (especially when he is tired or wants to be picked up). Is he going to be a chatterbox like his mommy?
-Almost hold his head up all by himself - getting stronger everyday.
-Drool all over every outfit so mommy has to change it 4x a day. (I just smartened up and started putting a bib on him today. lol!)
-He's starting to grab toys - yea!
-Will look at himself in the mirror
-He will stare at me while Chris is holding him on the couch. Literally, a stare down. Haha. Chris always says, 'there's other people in this world other than your mommy you know". LOL!
-He watches everything that his cousins and friends do when they are playing near him. Soon he'll be copying everything they do!
-He eats and sucks on his hands all day long.
-Sleeps 10 hours every night.
-Doesn't cry when we put him to bed at night or for naps. He just plays for a minute and then goes to sleep. What a good boy.

We are so excited with all the new things he is doing. It's so fun watching him everyday. He is the greatest baby!

Here's a few other things he likes to do:

Snuggle with dad. This is his favorite way to sit. Although he'll only really do it with Chris.

Play with cousin Quinn in her bouncer :)

And read books with mommy. I love that he is so interested in books already!

Oh, and might I mention one thing he does not do anymore is take a bottle!!! Formula or breastmilk. Oh boy, we're going to have to figure something out asap!

Luke's Blessing

2011-03-11T23:13:00.009-07:00

5 March, 2011. Luke got blessed by his dad this past Sunday. It was a beautiful blessing that Chris gave him. Couldn't be more proud to have Chris as my husband and as Luke's daddy. Chris (and everyone else in the circle) said that Luke had his eyes wide open and was smiling during the entire thing. How can you not love that boy!?! Thanks so much to everyone who came and showed support to Luke on his special day. We love you all so much! Baby Luke, we love you so much too and will love you forever.

Wish I would have got a picture of Luke all by himself in his blessing outfit. It was pretty funny. Maybe I'll put it back on him another time and get a shot.

Thanks for all your help, Lou Ann. You are the perfect party planner!

and thanks for coming up to represent the Rathgeber's, Alli. I love you!

loved the flowers we bought - aren't they awesome...

Sandy, you're a natural.

3 generations.

All tuckered out after a long, but perfect, day.

Cousins

2011-03-11T22:56:00.005-07:00

Thanks for coming over to play with me cousin Quinn. You're my best friend.

haha, this one makes me laugh. Quinn does not like laying on her back.

Tummy Time

2011-03-11T22:39:00.007-07:00

Here are a few shots of tummy time today. Please pay special attention to how strong baby Luke is getting. But just as importantly, please notice the fabulous hair-do he has going on!! Keep up the good work little boy!

(side view)

(plenty of drool these days)

(aerial view of the hair. do we trim it or let the mullet continue?? that is the question!)

2 MONTHS

2011-02-23T20:41:00.005-07:00

Luke was 2 months old yesterday and had his 2 month doc visit today. Glad to report that all is going great! He weighed in at 13lbs 12oz (much less than we expected) and 23 3/4 inches tall. For those of you who are concerned about his head size (ie: Nicole... haha) he's at 41cm circumference. He is in the 75th percentile all around and doc says his lungs are perfectly clear and heart is strong. After working with children with disabilities for as long as I did, it makes me really appreciate all the small benchmarks (social and physical) Luke has been hitting - tracking objects, smiling (social smiles for mommy, daddy and friends), cooing (which is so cute), holding his head up, paying good attention to sounds, etc. We love Luke so much. So glad he is healthy and happy. Here's a quick video for your viewing pleasure :).

FIRSTS

2011-02-14T15:51:00.009-07:00

There's a first time for everything. Here are a few of Luke's firsts:

1st Time To Church.

Slept through all of sacrament - obviously he really enjoyed it ;).

he looked like a toddler in his church outfit, not a newborn. lol.

1st Birthday Party.

For Charlie Wilde. Luke couldn't go on any rides yet but nonetheless had a great time having so many people hold him and love him.

1st Baby Sitter.

For Mommy's 30th birthday! Uncle Steve and Aunt Britt took great care of him. I was sad to leave him and wanted to hurry through dinner (Cheesecake Factory - yet again. I know, I just love that place), but it turned out to be a perfect evening. 2 bottles of formula and an arm to steep on, he was good to go. Uncle Steve has the magic touch! (please note that Britt was sick this day so couldn't hold Lukey - but she's a great babysitter too :)) Thanks so much you guys.

love this picture. quinn's like, excuse me dad....

as a side note - I really had a perfect birthday to welcome me to my 30's. Chris made me breakfast in bed, got me the perfect gift (video camera) and took great care of me. Jake and Alli also took me to lunch for my birthday that afternoon. So fun to have them living close. It was not a first for baby luke to fall asleep on uncle Jake - all warm and cozy on his big hot hands. lol.

"Say Cheese"

2011-02-09T21:55:00.008-07:00

Luke's first legitimate photo shoot. Compliments of our new neighbor Heather (HDG Photography)! I learned my lesson the hard way on this - if you're going to take baby pics do it the first week or two while they're still sleeping a lot. We took these at 4.5 weeks and Luke did not like it!! But turns out we got some good shots so I was happy. Priceless memories. What a little stud muffin we have.

And here are a few shots that me and Amy took one day. As a side note - if you are loving the hats and diaper cover that Luke is wearing in these pictures visit Amy's website (Loopty Loo Designs) at http://www.etsy.com/shop/looptyloodesign s.

by this time he had had it :)

Perfect Christmas

2011-02-07T10:59:00.013-07:00

To back track a bit - my whole family stayed with us as Christmastime and Chris's family were all in town staying with Amy. It was so much fun having everyone. Having Luke born and everyone there to celebrate with us was the greatest gift we could have asked for. Our families bring us so much happiness - we're so glad everyone got to be here and meet the newest edition to our family!

Here are some random pictures of the fun.

First of all - we got to talk to Sister Rathgeber (Julie) on Christmas day. She got transferred to Billings, Montana so she will be there until about April. She sounds like she is doing terrific over there and just became a trainer. It was so fun to talk to her and hear her laugh. I miss her. This is us talking to Julie on the phone.

Basically this Christmas consisted of a lot of hanging out, eating (cafe rio), watching Luke sleep, playing with Tucker (who started standing in his crib on this trip) - so fun to have him around!, Sequence (of course), and lots of laughing.

This video should give you an idea of how Luke spent his first 2 weeks on this earth. Lots of sleeping and hardly any crying :). My how things change! haha

The rest are pictures from Christmas morning, Thompson's coming over to visit, and us hanging out.

Dance Party

2011-02-05T21:04:00.002-07:00

Dance party with dad...

(haha this one makes me laugh. he's like 'whatever dad')

...then time to get dressed.

The Magic Sleeper

2011-02-04T13:07:00.004-07:00

For anyone who has a newborn with reflux, I highly recomment this Sleeper (Fisher-Price Newborn Rock 'n Play Sleeper). My mom told me about it 2 weeks ago so I ordered it from Target online. Luke already slept fairly well but kept waking up every 3-4 hours because of his reflux. The first night we slept him in the new Sleeper we got an 8 hour stretch out of him. It is great because it lays them on about a 30 degree incline which keeps the food, acid, and spit up down - so they aren't choking on it and waking themselves up. I think he feels snuggled in it too, so maybe that helps as well. Pretty much since we got it we can count on at least a 6 hour stretch of sleep - but one night Luke almost slept 9 hours. Love this thing. Although he absolutely does not like to sit in it in the day like some babies, at least he gets a great nights sleep!!

It's Love

2011-02-03T21:51:00.007-07:00

Love this little boy so much it's not even funny. Haha, how can you resist that cute little face?!! I'll post a few more recent pics soon so you can see his newest rolls. Not so litte Luke weighed in at 11lbs 4oz at his 5 week appointment last week - gained 2lbs in 2 weeks :).