My work was still busy, but not quite at the scale that is was during the Spring, so that allowed for some more playtime with the kids and a couple play-dates. MOPS wrapped up for the year and I have registered again for next year. It is a great time to get together with other real moms and to remind myself of my most important job, raising the two kids we've been blessed with. I find it so easy to get caught up in all the "busyness" of life and not soak up those moments of the everyday. I have been making a concerted effort to make mental snapshots of funny things, and take advantage of my iphone to take a moment to enter in things as they happen. So, there may be no actual baby books created for my children, but I have this blog with details that I can use to fill them when I get to that in my free time-ha! Jeff planned a date night for us to go eat and then see Star Trek the weekend it opened. We enjoyed the time just the two of us and really appreciate having family in town to help watch the kiddos. On Mother's Day we had Kalum dedicated at our church, then had all the family over for brunch at our house. It was a nice day to just chat and relax a bit with family.
Jeff's work took a big change this month, starting a new job at NIFCO Mechanical in Lincoln. After much debate, thought and prayer, we decided it was the best option for our family. Though he has a longer commute to work, almost 50 minutes, he works only 40 hours per week and doesn't feel the level of stress that he was dealing with before. I really was concerned he was going to have an anxiety attack or something with all that he had to get done, and his desire to always do his best work AND be a great Dad. He misses the co-workers he had become friends with over the 5 years at Continental, but we already had a chance to get together with some of them for a cook-out, so it's nice to stay in touch. He is adjusting to the new job and coworkers and so far, so good! He has even enjoyed some relaxing weekends at home with family, and we've been glad to have him there for sure! You don't realize what a weekend not having to fit in time at the office can be until you have one. :) He's had time to do some projects at home, including that start of the projects for this summer - his garden and a new shed in the backyard. Our two-car garage is packed and needs an addition, so this is the next best option. Samara tells everyone he is building her a house to live in in the backyard!
Samara's moments/milestones for May:
- I sang the Star Spangled banner once when we saw the American flag, the rest of the week she demanded I sing that song every time we saw the flag! Thankfully (for anyone with ears) it was always in the car with the windows closed when we saw them.
- If you ask her if she did anything naughty at day care or during that day, her response is "No, I'm a good girl."
- When I told her Daddy and I were going on a date night on Friday evening, she explained that she was Daddy's sweet heart and I was Daddy's love heart. Aw, how cute! :)
- She is so excited to wear her flower girl dress in Auntie Courtney's wedding! She has tried it on and showed us her "walk down the aisle". She walks really slow and smiles. Says, "And everyone will be smiling at me and looking at me. And I have flowers to hold." Oh dear, the Bride will have to work to get some attention it sounds like, according to Samara. I told her, yes they will, but then they will all be watching Auntie Courtney!
- May 21st - first swimming lesson. She is in the pre-school class where a parent is in the water with her and she loves it! Daddy helps Samara splash and float and do all the fun things the teacher instructs them to.
- She has now been mistaken multiple times for a four year old. Not sure if it's the height, long hair or fact that she talks in fully-comprehensible sentences, but it will be really fun to watch her as she learns even more at pre-school in the Fall.
- One night at the end of the month, she woke up in the middle of the night, realized she'd wet her pull-up, went on the potty, changed into a new pull-up and put her jammies back on. The next morning as she relayed this story and I had to go look in the diaper pail to see if I really believed her - it was true!
- She has reached a very bossy phase! Everything is an opportunity to tell someone how to do something it seems.
- Visually tracks objects (including watching Mommy walk out of the room, not always his favorite moment)
- Early May, actually had a couple days where we coaxed him to eat some baby food. After working way to hard at it, we decided to let that go for a couple weeks and see if he's more ready later.
- His sleep schedule is getting more predictable, usually a morning and afternoon nap about 1:00 each day now. At night, still waking up a couple times usually - c'mon kid!
- May 9th - first time sitting in the grass, not really a fan
- Mid-May - has mastered the raspberry or motor-boat sound and loves making it! Anyone who has held him lately has the spit splatters on their shirt to prove it. :)
- May 13th - first haircut! Mommy held him and he got a trim. He'll probably need another one before the wedding, but Mommy was afraid to cut it too short. With only having hair on top, it needs some love or it looks kind of like a toupe.
- Really likes to eat his toes, and bends right over to get them when sitting. Good thing he's so flexible so he can enjoy them!
- May 22nd - noticed the signs of first tooth on it's way in
- Memorial Day - had watermelon for the first time - yummy! Also will open his mouth for Cheerios.
- Rubs his eyes when tired, so you don't really have to guess if he should go to his crib. But, if he feels he isn't full enough, you'll get quite the tantrum before he goes to sleep.
