Lucas "Bubba" Duff

Hello again!

2010-03-20T13:34:00.003-05:00

I guess it's been about 4 months since my last post. That phrase made it sound like I was in confession's at church. Anyway, Lucas and I have lived in our new house for almost a week. We slowly got everything moved in and unpacked minus the few boxes I still have left in my car. Thanks to everyone that helped me get things set up. Lucas is back at The Learning Tree for daycare and he loves it. I am working at Nodaway County Abstract & Title as a Title Agent.

Lucas is almost 2 1/2 years old and that is hard for me to believe. He is growing so fast. The stuff he remembers is amazing. The other night we looked at some pictures from our trip to Illinois and of Cole playing basketball. Lucas said "Cole is playing basketball, Lucas is too little to play basketball". I said yes but you will be big enough to play someday. Another thing Lucas likes is Toy Story. We have watched Toy Story 1 & 2 so many times that he almost has them memorized. I would like to see the 3rd Toy Story when it is released in June but I'm not sure how Lucas would do at the theater.

This summer should be fun for the two of us. We live close to Sunrise Park and our yard at the house is huge. So a lot of outdoor fun should be in store for us. We hope everyone is enjoying their first day of spring. For most of you I'm sure there is fresh snow on the ground. Maybe this was the last snow for the season but I'm not going to hold my breath.

Another video

2009-11-18T21:27:00.003-06:00

Bath time fun

2009-11-18T20:31:00.007-06:00

During this evening's bath I thought I could get Lucas to sing his ABC's but no such luck. Instead he wanted to talk about trying to fall in the bathtub and who we are going to see this weekend.

Halloween

2009-11-01T12:07:00.003-06:00

We spent Halloween weekend at Andrea and Richie's. Mariah and Michael joined us for our weekend of Halloween fun! Lucas dressed up as Superman. We didn't make it out trick or treating, but he had fun playing Superman and sucking on his sucker from Price Chopper.

Halloween Fun

2009-10-04T09:56:00.001-05:00

Check out the link.

http://www.monstermashup.com/9b7f45

SUPERMAN!!!

2009-09-20T11:53:00.005-05:00

Lucas' newest thing is dressing up as Superman and running through the house. I thought about making him a Superman costume for Halloween and Jon laughed at me. I'd be better off buying the costume, at least it would look like the real thing.
There hasn't been much going on here. At work we started the Biggest Loser again. It's going to be an 8 week ordeal and I'm excited to see what I can do this round. I kind of fell off the wagon after the last time. I've been to the gym a few times this week and can tell I haven't been to the gym since probably May or June. That's pretty much it. We are very boring people so not much to blog about. So, have a good week!

Evil Knievel??

2009-08-29T23:48:00.005-05:00

Jon bought Lucas a tricycle at Hy-vee for $5 last week and what is the first thing Lucas does? He stands on it instead of sitting. His little legs are too short to reach the pedals but he can still make it go. Another new thing he is trying out is jumping off furniture. I'm not too fond of him jumping off the recliner or couch or even standing on it for that matter. This afternoon he was playing in his room and screaming "jump". Jon went to check on him and he was jumping of his bed. Lucas then yelled for me to come and jump off the bed. Oh do we have our hands full. We hope everyone is having a good weekend. See everyone next weekend!

More pictures

2009-08-21T23:39:00.003-05:00

A chocolate shake on the way home.

Lucas playing in one of the fountains.

Lucas and Cole under the Natural Bridge at Ha Ha Tonka State Park.

Natural Bridge, Ha Ha Tonka State Park, Camdenton, MO.

Ha Ha Tonka State Park, Big Surf, MO State Fair and so much more

2009-08-21T23:11:00.003-05:00

Last weekend was busy for the Duff's. Jon and I both had Friday off so we went down to the lake to spend a couple of days with Jon's parents and Cole. Friday morning we went to Ha Ha Tonka State Park to see the Castle Ruins and Natural Bridge. Both were unbelievable sites. It's definitely a place I'd like to go back to. Then that afternoon we took the boys to Big Surf Water park. The boys had a BLAST and I think the adults did too. It was a very relaxing afternoon. The park wasn't too crowded and there was a lot to do. Jon and I even did a few water slides. There was a kids pool and Lucas and Cole probably went down the slide 50 times. They had so much fun together.

Friday night Mariah and Michael arrived at our apartment to spend the weekend. We played the Wii for quite awhile before going to bed. Saturday we got ourselves around and headed to Sedalia to the state fair. I've only been once and that's when I was a kid. The weather was a little hotter Saturday and it was hard to find any exhibits with air conditioning. Luckily, the Children's Center was air conditioned so we let Lucas play for awhile. We also decided to let Lucas ride some of the rides. He loves them so much and is so impatient when waiting for them to begin. He probably only rode 6 rides before the tantrum began. He was so tired and hot and was ready to go. Good thing because it started to rain as we were driving out of Sedalia.

Sunday Jon had to work so Mariah, Michael, Lucas and I went shopping for some new tennis shoes for Lucas. We found a pair at Kohl's. Mariah and Michael wanted to get back early so they left around 1. All in all we had a good weekend with everyone.

Making pizza

2009-08-09T14:14:00.003-05:00

I've been letting Lucas help me do some cooking lately. Yesterday he helped me make biscuits and scramble eggs and today he helped me make pizza. His favorite parts were whisking the eggs, rolling out the pizza dough, putting the cheese on and playing in the flour. Here are a few pictures from today and our pizza making.

Happenings

2009-08-09T12:27:00.007-05:00

Last weekend Mom, Lindsay and Grant came down for a visit. We had tons of fun shopping, visiting and hanging out. Grant and Lucas played together which doesn't happen very often and that was fun. Grant pulled pretty much every toy of Lucas' out of his room and put it in the living room. The boys had fun chasing each other, talking and fighting.

This week Jon's parents will be at the lake because George has a conference. We will be spending time with them on Wednesday and then again on Friday. Cole will also be with them for the week. So more cousin play time. Friday evening, Mariah and Michael will be here. We are going to go swimming, enjoy some of the festivities at the State Fair and probably just hang. We will have a jam packed week but that's ok.

Another thing that happened this week with Lucas is he has been telling me when he is poopy. The other morning our conversation went like this:

Lucas: Mommy, I smell.

Mommy: You what?

Lucas: I smell.

Mommy: Oh, you smell. Are you poopy?

Lucas: Yes, I poopy.

Mommy: Let's go change your pants.

Lucas: Ok.

And then he runs into his bedroom. So to all of those Mom's who have been through the potty training stage, do I need to start??

That's pretty much it for us. We hope everyone has had a good weekend and that this week will be much cooler. We hope to see everyone soon.

PS I have also uploaded a video of Lucas and I singing one of the Blue's Clues songs. It's one of his favorites.

Fun at the Fair!

2009-07-19T21:32:00.003-05:00

Mariah, Michael & I took Lucas to the fair over the weekend. He LOVED the rides!! He cried after every ride because he didn't want to get off. The county fair in Jeff City is next week so Jon and I will be taking him again. Here are a few pictures we took.

Playing in the pool

2009-07-13T23:22:00.004-05:00

Grandma "L" bought Lucas and Grant a pool to play in over the summer. Lucas tried it out on the 4th but the weather wasn't the best. He had better luck this past weekend. Here is a picture of him playing.

A couple of pictures of Lucas playing with sidewalk chalk.

L-U-C-A-S

2009-06-28T09:31:00.002-05:00

Lucas, with the help of Mommy, spelling out his name.

Yee Haw, Yee Haw...

2009-06-17T19:14:00.002-05:00

Lucas and his newest phrase.

Bitten

2009-06-17T19:05:00.002-05:00

Lucas was the victim of a bitter today. Danielle said that he and Kyla were chasing each other around and then next thing she knew, Lucas had gotten bit. I guess that's what he gets for biting her 3 times in one week a few weeks ago. The other pictures are ones I took just for fun.

More pictures

2009-06-09T21:01:00.001-05:00

Drainage + Losing a Tube = Ear Infection

2009-06-09T20:36:00.004-05:00

Well it's been almost a year since Lucas had his tubes put in his ears. Last Tuesday his ear started to drain and would not stop. It was almost like his ear was a leaky faucet. Jon picked Lucas up from daycare on Wednesday and noticed a small black thing on the inside of his ear, yep it was his tube. Thursday we were scheduled to visit the ENT but they called and had to cancel. I was still concerned about his ear and the drainage so I made Lucas an appt with his regular doctor. It was ear infection. Now Lucas is on antibiotics for 10 days and we are going to see the ENT this Thursday. Wish us luck.

Michael and Mariah came down for a visit over the weekend. Lucas was so excited to see them and us too. I had to work til noon on Saturday but that didn't stop us from having a jam packed afternoon and evening. We met Andrea, Patty and Jayme at Osage Beach for some shopping. It was a good time. Sunday, Jon had to work so it was up to me to entertain Mike and Mariah. I had to go to Target and Mariah wanted to go to the Mall. We stopped for some lunch and headed back home. Jon didn't work too late Sunday so we went to the park that afternoon. The weather was perfect for park time. Lucas fell and scraped his knee again. I guess he's not coordinated enough to run on concrete yet.

I hope everyone has a good week. I'm hoping we can make a trip to Maryville soon.

More pictures...

2009-05-28T21:18:00.003-05:00

This worm was on one of Mom's plants. The colors are so vibrant.

Hillary

Tubby

Michael's new truck.

Lucas in a crock.

Weekend pictures

2009-05-28T21:04:00.003-05:00

Just a few pictures from last weekend.

Lucas' first scrape from the concrete.

Eyes, ears, nose, mouth and Blue's Clues??

2009-05-16T09:31:00.005-05:00

Here are a couple videos of Lucas.

This one is of Lucas watching Blue's Clues.

Here Lucas is showing me where his eyes, ears, nose and mouth are.

It's been awhile

2009-05-10T08:46:00.004-05:00

The weather has been so nice in Jeff City that we've been going to the park a few times a week. Lucas loves to play on the swings and go up and down the steps to the slide. He doesn't go down the slide unless Jon or I send him down. After a day at the park I thought Lucas needed a popsicle. So I took his shirt off, put on a bib and he went to town. He ate the whole thing and Loved it!!

He also got to stay home 3 days this week because the Baby sitter's kids were sick. So, I stayed home Monday, Jon on Tuesday and then on Thursday Lucas got to spend the day with Gramma and Daddy. Lucas was very upset to see Gramma and Grandad leave. He kept watching out the window and crying hoping they would come back in.

Jon and I were so fortunate to find a girl that would babysit Lucas for us for a couple of hours so we could go out. Her name is Gabby, and her Mom works with Jon. So around 6:00 last night we dropped him off and we headed to TG's, a bar and restaurant. We met Stacy and Pat for supper and drinks. I work with Stacy and Pat is a policeman for Jeff City. We had a really good time and it was nice to have a kids free night. We picked Lucas up around 9 and Gabby said he had the best time. He was so good for her. Gabby's twin sisters were having their b-day party with their friends so he was flirting with all the girls. They made a circle around him on the trampoline as he jumped. Gabby said all he could say was "jump, jump, jump". He also had cake and ice cream which he liked.

Lucas is also working on saying and pointing to certain body parts. He knows head, eyes, nose, mouth, feet and ears. His talking is a constant thing. We also have his saying "Bubba". I will try and get video of that for everyone to hear.

Happy Mother's Day!!

Weekend Pictures

2009-04-26T20:58:00.003-05:00

Yesterday we went to Warrensburg to visit my friend Dawn and her family. It's about 1 1/2 hours from Jeff City to Warrensburg so we decided to make the trip. Dawn was in Warrensburg for her nephew's wedding. We had a good time and so did Lucas. He played outside most of the day.

New book

2009-04-26T20:33:00.003-05:00

Lucas left his hat and vitamins at Grandpa and Grandma Stiens' a few weekends ago so they shipped them to him. Along with the forgotten items, Grandma enclosed a new book. Lucas really enjoyed it. Jon got video of Lucas reading it.

Happenings

2009-04-22T20:42:00.005-05:00

We celebrated Easter in Maryville with my family and Jon's family. I wasn't going to get Lucas anything because he really doesn't understand, but everyone had such a fit that I bought him a non-traditional basket and a few gifts. He sort of went through the basket Easter morning but didn't get too excited. Jon and I also got him his very own vacuum. He is constantly trying to get ours out of the closet so I decided this would be a good toy for him. It has been hours of entertainment for him. He still tries to help me when I do the real vacuuming.

Also during Easter we helped Sammy celebrate his 1st birthday. He received lots of fun gifts and had a great time "smashing" his cake. Lucas was interested in all the neat toys Sammy got.

Last weekend Lucas and I left Jon in Jefferson City and we headed back to Maryville for Andrea's Bridal Shower. I decided not to take Lucas to the shower only because it would have been too much for him. Everyone was disappointed that I didn't bring him. After the shower, I headed back to Mom and Dad Duff's to pick up Lucas, well when I got there, no one was around. But it wasn't long before they came back. Apparently Lucas didn't want Granddad to leave to go pick up lunch so they all had to go. Lucas sure loves his Grandpas! Earlier that day, Lucas was throwing a fit when my Dad left to go have coffee at Coop. Later in the afternoon we went to visit John, Patty, Andrea and Richie. Andrea and I went to Wal-Mart and I bought Lucas a potty chair. He has been pretty interested in the potty for a few weeks so I went ahead and bought one. He sits on it but nothing ever happens. I guess that's ok as long as he's getting used to the whole idea. We then went back to my parent's house to play some Wii. Lucas is really getting into watching and mimicking us while we play.

This week has gone by fast. I took Lucas to the doctor b/c he's had a cold for about 12 days and nothing seems to be helping. The doctor asked if Lucas had a nebulizer, which he didn't. He said Lucas was wheezing so the nebulizer should help. Now we are doing breathing treatments 4 times a day, plus antibiotic for 5 days. It's easiest if we let Lucas hold the breathing apparatus then us try to hold it. That should pretty much get you caught up. Sorry it has been so long.

In trouble

2009-03-30T22:05:00.003-05:00

Lucas wasn't listening to me so I put him in the corner. Apparently, he has been there before because he didn't try to fight his way out. He screamed the whole time and Jon wanted to know how long I was going to leave him there. I only kept him there for a few minutes.

Lucas dancing

2009-03-23T21:28:00.002-05:00

More pictures

2009-03-23T21:21:00.003-05:00

Funfilled weekend!

2009-03-23T20:47:00.004-05:00

We had another full weekend back home in Maryville. We got home around 10:45pm Friday night. Lucas has slept most of the way in the car so when we got to Mom and Dad's, he was ready to play. He played for a good couple of hours before I said it was time for bed. Saturday we headed to Jon's parent's house to see his family. Lucas' cousins, Cole and Sammy, were in town too. That morning we went to see all the new baby animals at cousin Kim and Martin's. They had new puppies, a bottle calf and baby lambs. Lucas got to bottle feed one of the new lambs. He did such and awesome job. I was so proud of him. He wasn't too interested in the calf or the puppies. He wanted to run and explore on the farm. He hasn't gotten to do much of that since the weather has been so cold.

Saturday night we helped my parents celebrate their 35th Wedding Anniversary at Galvin's in St Joe. Good food, good fun! After returning home from St Joe, Jon, Lucas and I went to the VanCleave's for a visit. It had been awhile since we'd seen John, Patty and Andrea. Lucas put on another good show with his dance moves. He's becoming quite the dancer.

Sunday we hung out with Chris, DeAnn, Casey, Laura and Charlotte. It was nice seeing the gang again. We went back to my parent's to get things packed up, said our good-bye's and headed back to Jeff City.

Busy Saturday and Sunday

2009-03-15T22:32:00.005-05:00

My Mom and sister, Hillary, came down this weekend to visit and shop. I had to work Saturday so Mom and Hill had the pleasure of watching Lucas for a few hours. Jon had to go into HyVee for awhile and when he got home, Mom and Hill did a little shopping on their own. After I got off work we headed down to the Lake of the Ozarks to get some shopping in. Children's Place was having a huge sale on their winter items so I bought Lucas some new things for this fall and winter. Could I really pass up a fleece pullover for $1.99? Jon was on the hunt for new work shoes, which he did find. His old ones were looking pretty bad. After browsing through too many stores to count, Lucas let us all know that it was time to stop shopping. By the time we got home it was already after 7pm and Lucas needed to eat supper and get ready for bed. Mom and Hill went back to the hotel and we decided to meet for breakfast Sunday morning at HyVee.

Sunday morning was just like any morning for me, fighting with Lucas to get out of the bathtub, getting him dressed, putting on his shoes...when will it ever be simple. I thought breakfast would go ok but Lucas doesn't like sitting in the highchair for more then 20 minutes. So Grandma took him for a walk while the rest of us finished up our meal. After breakfast Mom and Hill hit the road headed back to Maryville and I needed a few things from the store. I try and be a nice Mommy and let Lucas ride in the themed carts. Lucky for us there was one left. Lucas does ok the first couple of isles but then he gets bored. He tries to stand while I push the cart, is constantly moving around and I keep asking nicely for him to sit on his bottom before he falls out. I wanted to get a movie for Jon and I so we walked over to the Redbox. While picking out a movie, Lucas is standing and leaning out the side of the cart. He is only 6-8inches off the ground while in the cart. The next thing I know, he goes head first onto the floor. The screaming and tears begin. I try to console but have to remind him that I warned him of what was to come if he didn't sit down. When we got home from grocery shopping I noticed the goose egg that was starting to form on Lucas' forehead. A perfect circle turning shades of purple and blue.

The afternoon brought the Duff's more visitors. Shelly and Jacob Carpenter came over while Matt was at a reunion. Jacob is so sweet and has the cutest smile. I think this is the second time we've gotten to see him. Lucas is very jealous when I hold other babies and has to be sitting on my lap the whole time I try and hold another baby. We decided to go for lunch at Chili's and had a really nice time. We finished our meals and Shelly had to go and pick up Matt. We said our good-byes and we went home. After laundry and working out, Jon and I finally got to sit down and watch the movie I had rented. Transporter 3. Not a bad flick. I hope everyone has a good week. We will be in town this coming weekend. Hope to see everyone.

New Flip Flops

2009-03-07T16:44:00.002-06:00

We went to Old Navy today and I couldn't resist getting Lucas some flip flops. There were tons of colors to choose from but we decided on a blue Hawaiian print. Jon will probably hate them but I don't care, they're really cute.

More pictures...

2009-03-05T20:55:00.003-06:00

More pictures from today.

Gotta love this weather!

2009-03-05T20:43:00.003-06:00

The weather was so nice today that I couldn't resist taking Lucas to the park. Jon and Gramma had already been to the park with Lucas earlier in the day but I wanted my turn. We took the camera the second time around and got some really cute pictures. Lucas had a really good time playing on the slides, swings and steps. He also got to play in the leaves, which is something he's never done before. The weather is supposed to remain in the 70's for the next few days so hopefully we can take more outdoor pictures.

I also am showing a picture of the necklace I had made of Lucas' thumbprint. I have posted the website to the right if anyone is interested in doing something for themselves.

Where does the time go?

2009-03-02T20:16:00.002-06:00

I can't believe it's been almost a month since my last post. I really don't know what I've been doing but I guess it's more important then this. Jon and I are still working out, not everyday but at least 4 times a week. As of today, I've lost 13.5 lbs. I still have many more pounds to go. Jon wasn't too concerned with weight loss as he was with toning up. I can see a difference in him as well.

Lucas loves to dance. He is always trying to find those toys that play music. He'll get the music going just to shake his rump. He is also more aware of what's on TV. He recognizes when "Blue's Clues", "Dora" and "The Backyardigans" are on. He is really into saying "hi". When I pick him up from daycare he can't say it enough and waves continuously. Lucas is also being more affectionate. He likes to give hugs and kisses. Cousin Grant can attest to the hugs. It kind of freaked him out.

Gramma and Grandad are coming our way this week. Lucas will get to spend all day with Gramma on Thursday. Oh what fun they will have. Chris, DeAnn and Charlotte Davison are coming to visit this weekend. I'm excited for the company but wish the weather was nicer so we didn't have to stay inside. Oh well.

Off to put my little guy to bed.

Another bruise...

2009-02-10T20:38:00.002-06:00

Lucas wiped out last night on the kitchen floor. He was trying to run and watch cartoons but tripped over the chair. All I heard was the "splat" on the floor and then the crying began. I consoled him and he when he lifted his head blood was coming from his nose. I also checked all the teeth to make sure they weren't loose. This morning he woke up with a nice bruise on his forehead. Coordination is something he doesn't have and now I know why. Tonight I took a cardiobox class when one of the girls from the bank. I have no rhythm or coordination. It was pretty funny! I will do the class again, it was a good workout.

We finally decided to get a gate so that Lucas couldn't get back to the bedrooms or bathroom. I must say that it has made things much easier. He bothered the gate at first but now he really doesn't seem to care about it.

Well, off to finish Lucas' Valentine's. Have a good rest of the week.

New milestones

2009-01-24T09:42:00.002-06:00

Jon and I always keep the bedroom and bathroom doors shut because Lucas tends to get into things he's not supposed to. While I was in the shower this morning Lucas was playing in the cabinets, playing with my brush, pretty much the normal things he does while I'm in the shower. I was washing my face and heard one of his bath toys clank in the tub. I turn around and there he is, in the tub with me, clothes and all. I will never be able to shower by myself again. In our hallway we have two smaller closets. He's been trying to open them pretty much since we moved in, well now he can get them open. I'm going to have to take Gramma's advice and put a gate up in the hallway so he can't get back there anymore. Oh the ever exploring mind of a 15 month old.

Blog before work

2009-01-23T07:02:00.004-06:00

Lucas awoke this morning with two different hair styles. One represents my hair, flat and lifeless and the other side, Jon, curls, curls, curls.

Not much else going on here. Yesterday was beautiful so we decided to go for a walk. Needless to say after the sun set it got pretty chilly. I hope everyone has a good Friday.

New hat and DVD player

2009-01-11T20:33:00.004-06:00

Mariah, Michael, Lucas and I went shopping in Columbia over the weekend. We made a stop at Bass Pro and found Lucas the cutest hat. He didn't seem to mind wearing it around the store so I went ahead and bought it. This is really the first hat he will keep on his head. It's pretty much a fight every morning to keep the stocking cap on.

Jon and I had been looking at portable DVD players for Lucas for quite awhile but could never decide on one. For Christmas Lucas received one as a gift, thank you John and Patty! It's been a great thing for the car and it's the perfect size for him. He LOVES it! Now I need to get some more cartoons for him to watch. I'm getting pretty tired of "The Backyardagains and Max & Ruby".

Trying to put on my new pjs

2009-01-05T20:13:00.003-06:00

Grandpa and Grandma Stiens got Lucas new pjs for Christmas. He is always trying to figure out how to get them on. As far as he's concerned, everything should go on your head.

"I see you"

2009-01-05T20:08:00.002-06:00

Lucas was more interested in the box parts then the toys. Here I caught him looking at his Gramma.

More Christmas

2009-01-05T19:57:00.004-06:00

We headed back to Maryville to finish up our Christmas. As usual, the weekend flew by but it was nice to see our family and friends. Here are a couple of pictures.

More Christmas Fun!

2008-12-25T20:01:00.008-06:00

Lucas being silly.

Merry Christmas everyone!!

2008-12-25T13:13:00.004-06:00

Lucas was up and going at 6:45 this morning looking to see if Santa had found us in Jefferson City. And yes, Santa found us. Lucas was a good boy this year because Santa brought him a lot of nice things. His favorite is the Little People Play 'n Learn Town. He also got two books, two puzzles, some clothes and new music to listen to in the car for long trips.

I made us a delicious Christmas dinner which included turkey and noodles, mashed potatoes, corn, squash and rolls. Lucas had an entire plate full of food. He especially liked the noodles, just like his Daddy. Right now we are relaxing and watching some of Lucas's favorite cartoons on Noggin.

We hope everyone had a good Christmas with their family and friends! We can't wait to see everyone next week. Again, our weekend will be busy but we'll try and make time for everyone.

Ear infection and croup

2008-12-18T20:13:00.002-06:00

It all started Sunday with sneezing. From there it turned into a bad cough and a runny nose. I decided to take him to the doctor on Tuesday b/c the cough wasn't getting any better. Needless to say I wasn't expecting an ear infection out of the visit. Apparently, Lucas lost the tube in his right ear and it was pretty infected. So he's on antibiotics for 5 days. We decided to take to the ER on Tuesday night b/c his breathing wasn't right. There was a lot of wheezing going on. The ER doctor heard him cough a few times and knew right away it was croup. For those who don't know what croup is, it's an inflammation of the voice box caused by a viral infection. It causes a bark like cough and is worse a night. We're not sure where Lucas got it but he sure does have a good case of it. He stayed home from daycare yesterday and today. From what I've been told he is now more susceptible to croup. Lucky us.
Jefferson City isn't supposed to have the ice like those in Maryville, Kansas City or Ottawa, IL. We are experiencing rain right now and the temp is supposed to get to 45 by midnight.

Not much else it going on. We're trying to get ready for Christmas like most everyone else.

Saying "Hi"

2008-12-09T17:48:00.004-06:00

Here is a video Michael took of Lucas saying "Hi".

Lucas

2008-12-08T21:55:00.007-06:00

Mariah and Michael came down over the weekend to watch Lucas for us while Jon and I attended my bank Christmas party. I tried to post a video Michael took, but it wouldn't download right. So here are some pictures I took.

Last post on "Family Guy"

2008-12-08T19:58:00.006-06:00

I swear this is the last post about "Family Guy". We finally got Lucas on video during the theme song to "Family Guy". He gets so excited and I think he ia almost singing along during some parts. Jon and I are trying to decide when it's a good time to stop letting him watch the show. It can get pretty bad. I don't think it's done too much damage yet. : ) You may have to turn up your volume to hear everything.

The Duff Family Christmas Tree

2008-12-08T19:50:00.002-06:00

The apartment doesn't leave much room for a big Christmas Tree, so we had to improvise and put up a 1 1/2 foot tall tree. I decorated it with lights and I found a little angel to put on top. I bought some little Christmas balls but decided against those in case Lucas got a hold of one and put it in his mouth or something. It's pretty sad when the gifts around the tree are 2-3 times bigger then it. I also put lights up in Lucas' room, but they have already fallen down. I did get a picture of them too. Enjoy!!

A smashed thumb and so much more...

2008-12-05T21:34:00.003-06:00

Lucas got his thumb smashed at daycare earlier this week. Danielle called to tell me that it didn't look to pretty and she was right. I was pretty sure his thumb nail was going to fall off after I first saw it but it is looking much better today. I tried to take some pictures of it but do you know how hard it is to get a 13 month old to hold his hand still?

Along with getting his thumb smashed, we met with his Parents As Teachers, Lisa, on Tuesday night. Things were going oh so well. Lucas was doing the activity she demonstrated and then he started to get tired. He crawled to my lap and was there for 2 seconds and lost everything. Any when I say everything, I mean everything. Lucas has never puked in his 13 months and that night he made up for it all. Jon and I felt terrible for Lisa. She was on the floor helping Jon clean up the puke while I was giving Lucas a bath. We thought things were better after the bath but we were wrong. After the second puke, we decided that PAT could wait a couple of weeks. I'll update you on how the next meeting goes. : )

Another busy weekend

2008-12-01T20:25:00.002-06:00

We went home for Thanksgiving on Thursday. We spent the weekend with family and friends. Jon and I had to move stuff out of the house and in to storage b/c we got our house rented...yeah!! That consumed most of our morning and afternoon on Friday. We had Thanksgiving supper at the Henggelers and then Jon and I went to our 11th Annual Thanksgiving Campout. The fire was nice and so was the beer. : ) Lucas stayed with my parents and helped put up the Christmas Tree. He did such a good job. Saturday we spent most of the day visiting grandparents. That evening we had Thanksgiving supper with the Stiens family. Sunday was another day of visiting friends and family. Lucas had lunch with Aunt Laura, Uncle Chris, Aunt DeAnn and cousin Charlotte at Carson's. This was the first time he ordered off the "Kiddie Menu". He followed in his Daddy's footsteps and had macaroni and cheese. Sunday evening we met Andrea and Richie in Liberty for my birthday. Lucas again ordered off the "Kiddie Menu" and had grilled cheese and mandarin oranges. He wasn't too fond of the oranges. We arrived back in Jeff City around 9:30 pm. We all slept through the night...yeah!!! It was good seeing everyone this past weekend. We can't wait to do it all again.

Say "Cheese"

2008-11-23T21:26:00.004-06:00

I got Lucas saying "cheese" on video tonight. He can't quite say his c's they come out as d's. I hope you can hear him in the video over me and the tv. We are all very excited to see everyone this weekend.

"Family Guy"

2008-11-15T20:54:00.003-06:00

I am embarrassed to say but my 13 month old child is obsessed with Family Guy. He will completely stop what he is doing as soon as he hears the theme song. He is on a mad crawl or sprint to get to the TV so he doesn't miss a second. Once the show starts he is all eyes. The pictures I am posting are from last night. He is in the zone.

The Aftermath

2008-11-15T20:46:00.002-06:00

This is what happens while I'm in the shower. Lucas thought it would be fun to unroll the toilet paper and then I caught him in the act of taking all his diapers out of the cabinet. What a silly boy.

The next Michael Phelps??

2008-11-12T22:11:00.004-06:00

Lucas never ceases to amaze me but last night during bath time, he decides to stick his face in the water. Why did he do this? I'm not sure. I then tried to teach him how to blow bubbles but he kept doing it when he'd raise his face. I guess it's still pretty good for a 13 month old. I guess my next plan of attack is to get him in swimming lessons. There is a YMCA here in town so I will see if they have an indoor pool. I better do it now before he is terrified of the water.

Nothing new or exciting for me or Jon. The weather here is apparently much better then in Maryville. Today we were in the 50's and I think it's supposed to be like that the rest of the week. I'm sure our time is coming. Enjoy the pictures of Lucas with his face in the water. Everyone take care.

Not a lot going on

2008-11-04T21:13:00.003-06:00

We haven't done much this past week. Lucas is walking more and more everyday and testing his limits. We have to keep the bathroom and bedroom doors shut b/c he likes go and see what he can get in to. I took video of him yesterday playing with a magnet and he was getting so excited when he got it to stick. Lucas has also been eating more and more table food. He seems to enjoy it better then baby food but can I blame him. I start my new job with Hawthorn Bank on Nov. 17 and I'm really excited. Lucas will be starting daycare full time then too. I haven't decided if I will stop working at Tuesday Morning. I might stay on through the holidays. Lucas and I will be coming home this weekend so we will try and visit everyone. It will be hard so if we don't see you this time, we will be back for Thanksgiving. Well, off to get my clothes out of the dryer.

Walking, Walking, Walking...

2008-10-29T20:42:00.006-05:00

Lucas is getting better and better at walking. I'm going to attach a video (Hope it works) for everyone to see. I'm glad we're not living in a big place b/c he's everywhere.
There's not too much else going on. The weather has turned cold...ugh! I'm not ready for that at all. Lucas is doing awesome at daycare but the sleeping through the night is not so awesome. Any suggestions?? Jon is liking Hy-vee but was there any doubt? I really like Tuesday Morning. We are getting so much Christmas stuff in it's crazy. You should be proud of me, I have not bought anything...yet. :) I guess it's time to rock my baby he's getting very impatient. Oh, and I hope you don't mind the mess of toys in the background. :)

More pictures from the weekend

2008-10-20T21:44:00.003-05:00

Busy Weekend

2008-10-20T21:18:00.004-05:00

We took our first trip home since moving to Jefferson City. Did we pick a good one or what? We started our trip at 8pm Friday night and headed for the 'Ville. We arrived about 11:45pm and Lucas was wound for sound. He didn't go to bed until 2am. Oh, lucky me. Lucas attended his first NWMSU Homecoming Parade and he wasn't too impressed. Gramma fixed chili and chicken and noodles for lunch...yum. We went to visit Lucas's new love, Charlotte Davison. They make a cute couple already. We went to see the VanCleave's and then on to my Mom and Dad's for supper. We spent the rest of the night there and had some good family fun. Lucas and his cousin Grant were keeping us entertained.

Sunday was Lucas's birthday party at the MV Public Library. I think the party went well. Lucas came home with a car full of loot. He has so many things to play with now but is always at my feet wanting me. I guess I'm much more entertaining. We headed for home early Sunday evening and pulled in to Jefferson City at about 9:30pm. By the time we got the car unloaded and all the presents out, it was 11pm.

This morning Lucas had his 1yr well child check up and he is doing awesome. He weighs 26 lbs, is 31 1/2 in tall and his head circ. is 19 1/2 in. He is above or at the 90th percentile in each category. He also had 4 shots and cried for only a couple minutes afterwards.

That's pretty much it at the Duff Household. I'm sure there will be more to come later.

Happy 1st Birthday Lucas!

2008-10-15T22:11:00.004-05:00

I can't believe it's been a year already since Lucas was born. As I am typing this I was getting ready for my c-section a year ago at this time. Wow, how time has flown. He never ceases to amaze me by what he is learning. He pretends to talk on the phone all the time but when he really has to talk on the phone he just looks at it. He is still working on the walking thing but finds it much easier to crawl. "No" is not in his vocabulary but we are working on it. He is still the happiest little guy and we couldn't ask for anything better.

We didn't do anything special for his birthday. We had supper at Wendy's and he slept through the entire meal. We went to Hy-vee for some milk and then came home. He was ready to eat by then and he finished off a jar of turkey, rice, veggie dinner...yum. For dessert he had Nilla Cakesters. He loves them. I finally got him off to bed so that I could add more to the blog.

Lucas in Wonderland

2008-10-15T22:06:00.002-05:00

Lucas was trying to wear the barn? I'm not quite sure what he was doing but it was a great picture. It reminded me a lot of Alice in Wonderland after she eats the cookie. And from Lucas' size and the size of the barn it kind of made sense. ; )

Carving our pumpkin

2008-10-12T19:06:00.002-05:00

Lucas was helping me clean out the pumpkin. He wasn't sure about the guts or seeds but had a good time. He really wanted to use the carving tools. We chose a spider in honor of the "Itsy Bitsy Spider" song.

More pictures

2008-10-12T14:42:00.001-05:00

Here are more pictures from the pumpkin festival.

17th Annual Hartsburg Pumpkin Festival

2008-10-12T14:26:00.006-05:00

We were on the hunt for the "Great Pumpkin" at the Hartsburg 17th Annual Pumpkin Festival. There were all kinds of craft, food and game booths for all to enjoy. Lucas had fun picking out his pumpkin and looking at all of the people. We walked on the Katy Trail, which runs through Hartsburg and then we came home.

Lucas and Daddy are watching Lucas' favorite tv show, Pinky Dinky Doo. And I'm sure a nap is just around the corner...woo hoo!!

Learning to walk

2008-10-10T10:51:00.001-05:00

It seems to be something Lucas would like to do, but it is much easier to crawl. I try and stand him at the couch or chair and have him walk to me but his balance isn't all there. We will continue to practice everyday.

Being silly

2008-10-10T10:39:00.000-05:00

I thought I should take some more pictures of Lucas this morning. I decided to put him in a new shirt we bought at Old Navy. I wish it had been an option to buy last year during the 10th Annual Thanksgiving Campout Keggar, it would have been too cute. Plus, it looks like a shirt his daddy would wear.

Lucas fought the wall and the wall won!

2008-10-08T14:15:00.000-05:00

Lucas was trying to maneuver around the wall this past weekend but wasn't successful. As you can see from the nice scratch down his face and on the eye. It started to bruise on Monday and I'm not sure what type of scar, if any will be noticeable. Oh the joys of learning to walk!