Home is Where The Marine Corps Sends Us....

...right?

I used to have a plaque that hung on our wall that echoed those sentiments (yes, during my Americana phase)...I believed it then, and for many, many, many years after.

Not so much now.

Nowhere we are stationed is home.

This earth is not my home.

A huge piece of my heart is where my Home is...and I just try and keep that in mind as we are ready to move back to North Carolina for awhile.

My Matthew is Home.

One day, we will be Home with him too.

Until then, I have to say that we are blessed to be loved by so many in both our 'homes' here in Maryland and in North Carolina. That always makes just about anything easier--to be loved, and supported and cared for.

Many people have told me that they will visit (or will continue to visit) Matthew's grave for us while we are in North Carolina. I cannot even express how much that means to us. I pray that anyone who does knows what a priceless gift they are giving to us in doing so, and any pictures or notes will brighten any day I have in North Carolina.

Our house is packed. The movers come tomorrow. We'll be vagabonds for the next month and a half. Everything that Luke does is prefaced by me with, "This is the last time you'll...blah, blah, blah in this house for a while, buddy," and I realize that chokes me up far more than it does him.

As I posted on Facebook the other day...I have a much easier time coming to grips with my things being packed up in order for me to continue to exist in the days ahead than I do packing Matthew's things up to be stored for the next two-three years because there's really no 'need' to have them in limited space.

His whole little life is basically summed up here...in this house, this area, this state. Who knew years ago when I decided to "Do Maryland" that my precious little boy's life would be summed up that way?

And yet...North Carolina, here we come! I loved North Carolina. I have so many good friends who are more like family down there, and I am so excited to share Luke with them as well.

It just hurts to leave the tangibles of Matthew behind...

They are precious to me.

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Luke is just out of control with all the amazing things he is doing! He finally rolled all the way over from back to front (he does front to back at warp speed, continuously!) but we'd have never known had we not been watching him fight a nap on the video monitor (seriously, one of my FAVORITE things!). He is constantly reaching for everything he can, exploring face after face after face, putting anything (and I mean anything!) he can into his mouth and now reaches for us when he is in his glider or bouncy and we walk by and he wants us to pick him up! He is definitely becoming more determined in his needs and it's so funny!

Checking Brett's face out!!!

...and Miss Nia's....

He squeals! With utter delight, he squeals and squeals and squeals some more because he finds it so great! I love to hear him coo and squeal with just sheer joy. He LOVES having his toes and feet played with so much so that when you stop, he lifts his feet up in the air for you to continue. He is just now finding his toes and loves them.

"Play with my toes, daddy!!!!!"

Every time we put a warm cloth on his bottom when we are changing his diaper, he freezes and gets the most gigantic smile on his face...he literally acts like it's a wonderful spa treatment and his eyes just twinkle.

He is a happy, happy boy.

He was 15 lbs., 8 oz. and 25.75 inches the other day. That's 29th%tile for weight and 48th%tile for length. As predicted, long and lean for now. He is teething up a storm and get this--he has SIX teeth we can see that are working their way here!! SIX. His two upper front teeth are the ones that Dr. Sheth predicts will be here any day. There are 3 on the bottom back right and one on the bottom back left.

Yes. BOTTOM BACK! Dr. Sheth said that it certainly is early to see those, but that could happen. Just because they are at the surface and hard, though, does not mean they are about to erupt, and could be months. Hooray. Teething is so much fun.

Not.

I feel terrible for him, though he really isn't fussy at all. He just tries to stuff his fist as far down his mouth as he can...and puts everything else there too.

"Can I get my fingers back there any further?????"

Plus, sleeping is still hard for him, though I am working hard at getting naps under control and then hopefully using better napping for better night time sleep. Still hard to do with teething, moving, visiting and such, but we are working on it. He's good for at least one that's about 40 minutes around 9 and another that's about 30 minutes around noon. Then another around 35 minutes around 2 and another 20ish minutes around 5. He'd like to take another cat nap later, but I try not to let him and instead am trying to get him to bed a bit earlier. Tonight seemed like success.

There's no telling about tomorrow.

Sneaking in a nap...mommy couldn't stop this one!!!

We tried homemade organic brown rice. He was NOT a fan. My favorite part of it all? Him TOTALLY pushing his daddy's hand away every time John brought the spoon there. He is definitely interested in eating, but things he likes. He basically grabs his medicine syringe out of my hand and sticks it in his mouth and starts sucking away because he loves it. Pushes stuff he doesn't away. I think he's ready to try some more stuff in the next few weeks and I'm excited for him. I predict he'll love fruits --he has one heckuva sweet tooth!!

"What the heck is this stuff?

"Ummm...how about no more, 'K? Thanks."

I can't believe he's growing so fast.

The boy is still working on sitting by himself, though not as much as he likes to STAND!

Yeah, so check it out. He's standing. Leaning on the crib, but still...STANDING, for Pete's Sake!

"Yeah, mom...just so you know...this will be happening WAY sooner than you'd like!!!!"

Seriously, he is a mover, mover, mover and he just wants to STAND or have you stand with him...preferably moving around so he can take everything in. Everyone tells me you can really tell he's a thinker.

I think I'm in trouble when that thinking gets put to action!!!!

Cute, yes. Diabolical? Oh, yes!!!!

Here are some pictures from the week...it's been busy!!

Still LOVING his baths!!!! Now he reaches for the hand-held wand!

Yep...teethies for sure!!!

His new book. He LOVES those!!! Thanks to "Uncle Craig" and "Auntie Shelby"!

Oooohhhh....that's my foot!!!

You mean daddy will buy me a pony when I get bigger than Froggy????

Wait...what's a pony????

He was ALL about this precious little puppy!!! The puppy loved him back!!!

Yep...trying to put the puppy's nose in his mouth!

Luke and his expressions!!!!