Leaning Lucas

Lucas likes to lean on things.  Sometimes it's on very flat object like his tummy-time pad.

Sometimes its older things like his Grandpa

Sometimes he like to lean on his pops while I am crashed out on the bed petting Tank who has  a boot coming out of his chest.

Sometimes he likes to lean it to the right in his swing.  The left too, but he takes better pictures leaning to the right.
And here is why this guy likes leaning so much - when you try to get him to stand up he is a good 6 inches from reaching the floor!

Rockin

Lucas is obviously a rap fan:

However, our neighbor Risky is more of a Rock Band girl

Raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawk!

And while Lucas runs our household, we ignore his pleas and just need to rock out from time to time.  Hopefully Lucas, Tank and I will get on the instruments at some point to battle the current all-female band that plays in our house.  3 Ladies and a little Animal.

Hangin' out

Lucas likes to hang out in his Bjorn.  He lets us know this by crying when he is not in his Bjorn, or a Bjorn-like position.  Thumbs up for the Bjorn! 

Sometimes that guy can get a bit snoozy in the Bjorn, especially when he rocks his red sock-shoes

Aaaaaaaaaand the gang signs come out once he starts snoozin.

Blanket spelunking

Nursery update

We have made a few additions to the room Lucas will eventually know as his own
- filled in the picture frame
- put his name on the wall so that everyone knows who's room it is
- a mobile so that Lucas can slowly learn to love the crib
- a new cowboy lamp/shade to expose him to other things besides cute jungle animals
- an old Speed Limit 8 sign that may become a fixture on his wall for a long time (born 11/8/08 remember)

And since we're in here I want to mark the passing of the Giant Elephant balloon from our cool neighbors - he lasted 70 days! This shot was right at the end, as he was hanging low

A final shot of the balloon in its heyday

Lucas voices his opinion

Lucas has opinions, this much is known.  Since he is boycotting English, I am going to have to translate for you:

"Who is totally awesome and has one thumb and a fist?  This guy!"

"Heeey!  I am a marshmallow."

"Yay!  The lights on!

"How YOU doin?"

"Do you see any teeth yet?"

A day by the Bay

Take THAT, Sparrow

Sparrow was nice enough to let her little cousin Lucas and his Mom stay at her house while I got some dental work done and Tank's leg tweaked.  

At first she was rather intrigued by the guy - is that his head that smells like feet?

Once confirmed, she blocked smelly foot-head from getting near her mom (or she did Mr Costanza's move, not sure)

Well, Lucas doesn't just take being blocked by his big cousin and immediately responded by sliming her back while throwing a gang sign.  Take THAT!

The smile!

There's the elusive smile we've been looking for!

Unfortunately it was all downhill from there.

An early adopter

Selling old stuff at the flea market is part of being a Famini.  Well, it is when your dad says that it is.  Lucas likes nothing more than to please his elders, and has already made his first Flea Market appearance!

At first he thought he had to pay his dues by seeing the process as a piece of merchandise.

One he figured out that wasn't the case, Grandpa Jim showed him off to his Flea Market cronies, highlighting the similarities between Lucas's warm bear suit and something from his booth (still for sale, email me if you are interested).  Booooooring.

Finally, Amy packed him up to return home noting that Lucas the stuffed bear did not meet the "everything must be 20 years old to be sold" rule.  

Lucas works on smiling

Lucas is trying his hardest to smile, but its not easy for the little guy.  Sometimes he can only get one side of his mouth to feel happy:

Sometimes its right there but eludes the camera.  

PS.  He loves his mom

Boo-Yah!

See that open lane ahead?

That's what a family of 3 can see when they drive on I-80 during peak hours!  A gift that will keep on giving.

Note that Amy isn't as excited as I am - her car-naps are going to get shortened!

Lucas has body parts! II

Lucas continues to show off different parts of his body.  

Here he is displaying some strong eyebrow action and tongue control:

This is a good shot of his "lady-killer" eyes (if they stay that color)

And finally, look at his short little legs!  Granted I am 90 times older than him, but still.  What a shrimp!

Holidays! Christmas and Christmas tremors

Christmas morning found the Richmond Faminis at Z-Ma and Z-Pa's in Santa Rosa.  Santa showed up overnight and it the pile of loot indicates that we were all very nice last year.  The Z's took turns holding Lucas and Tank.

We posed for a hot Xmas morning family portrait.  Notice my carefully crafted wardrobe - Fake Santa leg socks are the new rage.

Christmas day was spent with the larger Famini clan at the grandparents.  Unfortunately I forgot my camera so you'll have to imagine the immense amount of joy and merriment we had eating and white-elephanting.

We finally made it back home the next day so that Amy could give me Rock Band and I could begin to realize my rock star dreams.  I am a little afraid that this will be the last chill "Famini Family" Christmas or a long time as Lucas can't walk or rip into presents yet. 

We were able to convince Tank to wear his present from G-Pa David and G-Ma Melissa.  Santa Tank!

We returned to the Sanchini abode in Santa Rosa to celebrate with Granparents Famini and the Sanchinis.  The old folks enjoy their Grandchildren - see the happiness with Sparrow?
The celebration continued as the Schettlers and Gathmen came over to join in on the fun.  Of course, the combinations of cray kids and presents from Dan result in balloon mayhem

There was much interest in Lucas getting his diaper changed, though Dan would rather not have to see another diaper change if possible.

Celebration leads to babies needing baths, so we got our first fun/futurely embarrassing photos of the cousins Sparrow, Lucas and Sequoia.  Or as Sequoia calls him "Tiny baby Lucas"

Back to the inner Bay Area for our last celebration - with the Cardwell Great Grandparents and family in Berkeley.  This was the introduction to Lucas for some, hence a paparazzi scene:
His second cousin Emily FINALLY got to meet Lucas.  He was also excited. 
And thus ended the 2008 Famini Holiday tour.  Yay!!!