Luca Quinn- One Year Old
Our Little Luca is one year old today! We welcomed Luca to our family in the peak of the pandemic in the epicenter of it all, New York. I still have vivid memories of walking past pop-up morgues on my way to my doctor appointments; t felt so scary and uncertain to be bringing him into this crazy world.
And it has been the strangest first year. Strangers will smile and talk to him at the grocery store, saying how strange they must look to him in their masks, but that’s all he knows. He’s spent his first year of his life surrounded by masks and very little contact with anyone. He has learned to read people’s faces just through their eyes. I can count on one hand the number of occasions he has been held by someone outside our family. Such an atypical first year, but we are so grateful for him!
Luca was born in Manhattan at the same hospital as all of his siblings. He lived in NY for 2 months, and from there, another 2 months in OK, and then on to his new home, California. We can’t wait to take him back to visit his first home, NYC!
While we have had a tough year with the pandemic and moving cross-country, Luca has certainly been our brightest spot. He brings such joy to our family and those who have witnessed his giant smiles! He smiles nonstop, crinking his nose, smile taking up half his face. He is a little giggle monster, laughing at his siblings, being tickled with the slightest touch. He is such a joyful baby.
Luca is not a cuddly baby at all, but he hates to be alone. I’m sure this is because he rarely has to be, with 5 of us in the house constantly! Someone is always willing to play with him or just be near him.
Luca is still breastfeeding, and I’m grateful we made it to a year. And crazily enough, he never once even had a bottle! I’m just thrilled that I went an entire year without pumping!
Luca has been in the Early Intervention program since he was six months old. He receives 3 different types of therapy, and is doing well with all of it. He loathes physical therapy and tolerates the other two!
Luca can roll from tummy to back, and is so close rolling from back to tummy. He is solidly sitting up now, and can scoot all over the place. It won’t be long before he’s crawling!
Luca was pretty big the first few months of his life, and then his weight gain really slowed down for awhile. These last couple months he’s started gaining more rapidly again. The boy can eat! He eats purees and table foods no problem. He can eat entire sandwiches, chicken, etc. all without teeth! He has yet to meet a food he does not like. It has bee so refreshing to have a good little eater.
Luca takes two naps a day, and has been sleeping through the night since 3 months old. He sleeps in the playroom right now, but in the next couple of months, he’ll move in with his siblings! He is our only back-sleeper. He loves to suck on his two fingers and drape his left arm across his face. I love it!
He is always happy to be in the car seat, which was something I worried about moving out of NY (all of our other children hated them!).
He loves to take baths with Jackson, swing at the playground, nap at the beach, and has his own specific grunts reserved just for Papi.
Luca, my sweet little guy, we love you immensely, and we are so glad you are in our family!
Happy first birthday!! We cannot wait to see what this year holds for you!