Update

Sorry it has taken so long for an update. I have been enjoying my free time with the kids so much it is hard to sit down and spend time on the computer. I finally downloaded some photos here to the blog.

Luca is settling in nicely. The only issues we have are really the whole sleeping thing, but really I can't complain. He was going to sleep in my arms with a bottle, then sleeping in his crib for 3 hours, awake, needed to be held for about a half hour, back to bed for another 3 hours, held and given a bottle, then back to bed for another 2-3 hours. The last couple nights I was mean and let him basically finish crying himself to sleep. Two nights ago he fell asleep standing up at his crib side. I peeked in when it was quiet and freaked out thinking he hurt himself so went in and he woke up. After about another half hour of him crying without tears, I went in, gave him a little water in a bottle and he fell asleep in my arms. I then laid him in bed. He slept until 3 am that night. Then last night he cried and whimpered for an hour, falling asleep standing up, then waking up as his legs started to buckle. I laid him down, patted his belly, and sound asleep until 6am. We then snuggled on the couch with a bottle, both of us falling asleep, until 8:30am when Daddy came home from work.

Nico and Brian have been great helpers. Luca loves to have Brian hold him and Brian is good at calming him when I walk out of the room and Luca cries. Nico loves his brother so much. He is always hugging him and informs me when he has a dirty diaper (but refuses to help change :-).
Luca gives kisses and hugs already. He will go up to Nico and lean in basically giving him a kiss, but then ends up as a head butt to Nico, because Nico hates other people's slobber on him, thus not liking those open mouthed, drooly, kisses.

Luca has done fine with the big dog Petey and the three kittys. They have also done fine with him.

Luca is eating well, playing well, and just a joy to have in the house. His facial expressions are so great. The joy of discovery is so fun to watch. I remember when Nico came home and fell in the grass. He freaked out and for several days would not touch the grass with his hands to get himself up, he would sit and cry. Luca on the other hand, stood there for a while looking around and trying to walk through the grass. He leaned down, touched it, and laughed. He has continued to pull the grass and let it fall through his fingers and fling it around while laughing. The simple things in life we take for granted! It makes me appreciate every moment I have with my children that much more.

He takes to everyone without crying and throwing fits. Tonight we went to the last outdoor concert of the season and he met many family members again. He went to all of them without any problems. He loved Uncle Vince (or rather his ice cream he was feeding him ;-)

I will end this now and update more as time goes on. He is a joy and we are all doing well. He has so much to discover and so do we. God works in mysterious ways and his ways have brought these three special children to me. Life would not be the same without them and I would be very lonely without them in my life.