Your 2008 World Champions

In Town Long Sailor?

Before Luke was born, his Grammy bought him a fleecey peacoat for him to grow into. As Luke is a superstar at growing (12-18 mo clothes, for those of you making shopping lists...), he will have to cram a lot of wear into this coat at the front end of cold weather season. We broke it out last week, and, at Grammy & Grandpap's request, had a little photoshoot with Luke.

First he went with a classic baby model "happy baby" approach:
Then he showed his sporty side with this "action" shot:He next wanted to showcase how much this coat allows him to move by standing up:
This coat came with a matching hat, but his big ol' bean didn't begin to fit in it so Mom had to find a matching hat (and mittens!). Again, he started with his classic happy baby move:
He once more showed how versatile it is by standing, but this time decided to take a more "coy" approach:
And in case the picture above made him seem too dainty, he gave his best gangsta:Finally, to show his full range, he summoned some tears for the end of the roll:
The coat is a big hit. When Mom suited him up at daycare last week, all of the women ooohed and ahhhed, and his caregiver, Miss Stephanie exclaimed, "Oh! He looks like a little man!"

Thanks, Grammy!

One for Each Grandma (and the Grandpas, too)

OK, Luke's not doing anything terribly exciting in these videos, but he's being pretty cute and showing off his sitting up skills, his newfound playing skills, and does lots of babbling. And his outfit is rather adorable as well - thanks to pants on loan from The Ronan & Jacob Collection and a sweater from Aunt Cathy (alas, the last of his "Year of Sweaters" from Mom's baby shower), and his stuffed puppy from Auntie Lisa (and it's not too late to click on the link at the right to donate to Team Lisa & the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. Cough cough).

Since Grammy Rosella gets a shout out in this one, we'll call this one for her:

And in this one, Luke makes toys out of two Casey relics. The first is a tupperware pitcher Paul has had since before Paige was in the picture that I think was originally Grandma's pitcher. It's now so old it was put out of service (due to some decomposition occurring in the tupperwareyness) and Luke rescued it from recycling. The second is a recent gift to Paul from Grandma & Grandpa that has been donated to the teething cause. Or, rather, comandeered by Luke for the teething cause - sacrificed so that the Phillies and Packers hats may go undrooled upon. And so, we'll call this one for Grandma Casey:

Catch up Post II: Viva La Madonna

One of our favorite Hoboken events is the Feast of the Madonna Dei Martiri, which sends summer out with a bang. This year we were joined by Luke (for the first time) and Charlie and Sharren (for the umpteenth time). Not only was the weather beautiful, but the beers were also cold, and the rice balls hot.

It took Luke a bit to get into the swing of things...


But Soon he was having fun with his BFF, Sharren



Guess which bottle is Luke's?


Later on, Charlie played with Prince Buster...

And pulled the old "Look, I'm giving the baby a drink" trick.

Catch up post I: Paper is an enemy to be defeated

We are behind a bit on the blog, so to catch up here are a few posts.

Many of you know Luke's obsession with paper. At the doctor, daycare, or at home, when he sees a newspaper, magazine, grocery list, or packing supplies, he needs to grab it, tear it and often eat it. Here is some proof.

Celebrity Impersonations VI

"You know, that, that Luke smile of his.... That old Luke smile. Oh, Luke. He was some boy. Cool Hand Luke. Hell, he's a natural-born world-shaker."

Sure one is a baby who is more concerned with bottles, banging cups and napping, and the other was a philanthropist, actor, and icon, but look around the eyes and tell me you don't see a resemblance.


Rest in Peace Paul.

Mom & Luke Ran Breast Cancer Out of Town!

As many of you know, Luke and Mom participated in the Komen Greater New York City Race for the Cure last month. We were honored and thrilled to walk on Luke's Auntie Lisa's team, Team Lisa, and we were even more thrilled to have raised $1250 thanks to the generosity of our friends and family. What's more, our $1250 is just a part of what Team Lisa has raised - as of today, we have received over $11,800 in donations!

We had a great day - despite the crazy heat & humidity in Central Park. Paige & Lisa's friend, Katie, came all the way from Seattle to walk with us, and Luke finally got to thank Katie in person for all of the great hand-me-downs she's sent our way after E-train's outgrown them!

Luke really wanted to fit in on race day, and since Komen doesn't offer "onesies" as an option for team members, Dad designed a special one just for Luke.

As you can see, he looks quite handsome in it!
Mom & Luke got suited up in their team gear and got ready to walk! (er, and ride...)

When Dad dropped Mom, Luke, and Katie off in Central Park, Luke was busy taking it all in, and also preparing to spend 4.5 of the 5k race napping!
He did manage to stay awake long enough to see Auntie Lisa & her niece, Lauren arrive. Doesn't Lisa look great in her pink survivor's shirt?
Team Lisa had three pre-teen members who immediately joined the Luke Fan Club. Below you can see his adoring public marveling at his tiny feet, toes, and pale, soft skin. Luke repaid them with lots of smiles and giggles before settling in to his nap.
....aaaand two hours later we were done!
Sadly, the only photographic evidence we have of Katie's visit is here, she's the one taking the picture of Lisa and her sister, Amy, at the finish line. Hi Katie!
After the Race, a bunch of us went to Ocean Grill for a celebratory brunch. Luke honored the occasion by sitting in a highchair for the first time!
Finally, the race and brunch were done and Dad picked Mom & Luke up brought us back to Hoboken. Luke had a great day, but he really needed a nap!

A heartfelt and enormous thank you to all of you who donated to Mom, Luke, and Team Lisa this year! Should you want to learn more about what Komen does for people affected by breast cancer, please visit their site. If you find yourself with some charitable dollars kicking around - in spite of the last few weeks on Wall Street - it's not too late to help Team Lisa hit the $12,000 mark! Donations are accepted through October, 31, 2008, they're tax deductible, and it's super easy to do online! Go here and follow the instructions.

Next year: Dad designs Team Lisa t-shirts...