July 2012

July was a month with lots of firsts, and a BIG 2nd for Samara! She got to go fishing for the first time with Daddy, Uncle Brian and Papa. She got to sit on a motorcycle for the first time thanks to one of the couples in our church bible study group. She got to wear her first life jacket to go swimming. At her two-year checkup she weighed in at 28 lbs (66%), 34.5" tall (65%) and head circumference 47.5 (48%). As expected, pretty tall, but not the near 90th percentile as in her last appt. Now that Samara is two in some ways she seems so much more grown up than a year ago, even more than a couple months ago really. She can tell you exactly what she wants and talks all the time with people she is comfortable with. Any kids she will just walk right up to and say "Hi, how you doing?" Now, we are having to work on how to ask for things she wants and not saying that she can't do things, but rather ask how she can do them. She is also learning that other people say words that we shouldn't say. I.e. butt and shut up. She knows that if she hears them, she should say that these "are not nice words and we don't say them in our house". And if she says them, she'll have a time out in her room by herself. It's hard because even words such as these are in Disney movies like her beloved Lion King and Madagascar! Yes, the jungle-themed birthday party, was because of her current "lion obsession". She said she wanted a lion cake and that she wanted cupcakes, so we made it happen! Early on the morning I got up to create her lion cake and other "jungle snacks" for the party. She LOVED having us sing Happy Birthday to her and I even sang to her on her actual birthday morning with a candle in a muffin. We then had to watch the video that I took like 6 times! We celebrated her birthday the Saturday following her birthday with her grandparents, aunts/uncles, great-grandparents and a few friends invited. For gifts she got clothes(3T already!), toys, books and some college funds. Since then she's been cooking up a storm in her play kitchen and playing outside with her toys, when it's not 105 degrees. Enough of this weather already! She coaxed whoever she could into giving her M&M's during the party and into the days following. I made the first and second dress that I have ever made in my life for Samara. One as a practice and then a dress for her birthday party. They were super simple "pillowcase" style dresses, but in the end they turned out well, she looked cute and I was pleased. Not long after Samara's birthday celebration was Auntie Courtney's and Samara expected singing and candle to be blown out. She happily sat with Auntie Courtney to join in the song and helping with the candle. One funny story from the month - I asked Samara what she wanted for breakfast one morning, offering a couple cereal options. I held up the box of Life cereal, and she excitedly said "Yes!". I was surprised at her enthusiasm and she couldn't even wait for me to get a bowl, she wanted me to take one out of the box for her to sample. I pulled out a piece of the cereal to hand to her and she was instantly mad, "NO! Want this!" she says pointing to the box. I said this is what is inside the box of cereal you picked. "No! Want da candy" pointing to box, "not that!" pointing to my hand. Confused at her enthusiasm turned anger, I look at the box that I am holding and see that on the back is a picture of Life cereal birthday party mix - WITH M&M's in it! She thought I was offering her a box of cereal with M&M's-that explains her excitement! Once I explained that we were not having candy for breakfast, she eventually settled for second best, yogurt "yodote" as she says, and the day went on. Jeff was rather disappointed with his garden this year, but I think the heat is to blame. The cucumbers have still been doing great, but besides that a lot of the other plants suffered a bit. Samara enjoyed some of the peas right next to the garden, we had green beans a few times and we ate all the lettuce before it got too hot. Oh well, there's always next year... When Jeff comes home from work everyday Samara wants to hide, then jump out and surprise him. So as soon as the garage door opens, she scurries to hide or has me put a quilt over her on the couch. She jumps out saying "Surprise, welcome home, I Love you!" all in one breath. She then wants Daddy to play games with her like the shark game, where she shrieks "Save Me Daddy!" and jumps on him. So cute! Of course, Jeff finds this so funny that he HAS to play these games with her. While I make dinner, Jeff will often "play cook" in the living room with Samara. My work from home is going well, right now working max 20 hours per week doing work- before Samara is up or during a morning dose of Lion King for Samara and during her naps. We have had a couple big events lately which have kept me busy, and now I'll be working on Fall events and the new chapter website. My pregnancy is still going well, adjusting to being bigger more quickly than last time, but that is to be expected. I have started going to a chiropractor in hopes of reducing the pain in my hips. Three more months to go til baby #2! I think they will be bearable now that I have been going each week for chiro appts. Thankfully, or it was going to be a very long (and most surely final) pregnancy for me. Samara will now ask to "say hi to the baby" and lean in close to whisper to my tummy. Jeff foresees a lot of work coming his way, so has been going back into work on the occasional evening, early on a Saturday or bringing home the laptop to do some work from home. Besides working on Samara's new room, he also is working on wood trim on a remodel side-job. The London Olympics started at the end of the month and we've been enjoying watching them...not getting as much done as we should, but oh well, it's only a couple weeks. Thankfully Jeff got Samara's new room painted and he crafted and painted an awesome bed before they started. :) August update will be next - the summer months just keep going by!