Wait... is it summer?

We spent another beautiful weekend day at the beach. We have now been 4 times in the last 6 weeks or so. I guess it is because we have had the most mild and spring-like winter I ever remember. Or maybe it is because I didn't make it to the beach this summer because I was at home caring for a newborn so now I am making up for lost time. Or maybe it is just because my little baby LOVES the beach and I find peace and feel recharged when we go. Whatever it is, we have had a great time sharing one of our outdoor passions with our growing boy, who is ever-more inquisitive about his surroundings every day.

After Matthew and I slept in until almost 9:30, Daddy came home from work and made us feel a little lazy for sleeping in. We decided to immediately pack the car, fed Matthew some watermelon to get in a beachy kind of mood, and hit the road. Bonnie and Gary joined us and we had a really nice time. We played paddle ball a bit, Gary tried to play volleyball with Alex, and the big boys hit up a beach bar. Matthew played in the sand as usual. This time his cute beach hat barely fit his giant melon. Alex was able to set up a sleeping spot for Matthew which blocked the wind, kept him out of the sun, and stopped the sand from blowing on his face, and then he napped for over an hour.


We had a late lunch/early dinner at Frenchy's just as the air was starting to cool. Matthew was as active as ever. Wanting to get his hands on everything and then just as quickly drop everything on to the floor. Daddy and I had grouper sandwiches, Matthew ate peaches! I'm so glad we are enjoying each other and our baby on our days off together. It makes going to school that much more bearable to know that we have quality family time ahead of us.

Weekend Getaway

We have all been so busy now that I am back to work. Thankfully after only 2 weeks of work I had a four-day weekend because of Martin Luther King Jr Day. And I needed it. Daddy took a day off, which gave him a 5 day weekend. I kept telling daddy how darned cute you are at the beach so I suggested we get out of town and go to a beach. We decided on St. Augustine. That way we'd get to see our good friends Jen and Milo and their boys, Zachary and Joshua.

We piled all your stuff in the car, and Maggie some how found a small corner of the car to sit in for the car ride there. When we got there on Saturday we went to the park to play Ultimate Frisbee. We had a nice time and you hung out with Jen and the boys and chased them around the park while daddy and I played. You were tired but didn't want to nap on the ground so Jen was patient and held you and you fell right asleep in her arms for a while.

On Sunday we went to the beach. It was pretty chilly, but I loved it anyway. The sky was bright blue and the water looked like something out of the Caribbean. Because of the cold weather and high tide the beach was nearly deserted. The only people there were people jogging or bike riding on the firm Atlantic Coast sand, and some people walking dogs. You had a great time digging in the sand. You were such a boy, making a mess of yourself and loving it. And you had a great time showing daddy how much you love the beach. Daddy dug a hole and put you in it. You liked having the sand higher up to your chest. You didn't have to bend over to play! You were cute too when you tried to climb out of the hole. The boys built sand castles while we played Paddleball or threw the Frisbee. Later Milo came to meet up with us at the beach and brought the doggies. Maggie had a great time stretching her legs and showing off some of her agility tricks with daddy. When you were tired we tried to calm you and let you nap on the sand but you were not having any of it. It might have been too hard, or maybe you were cold. The second we put on your winter hat and Jen held you in her arms, you were out for the count. Sweet sleeping baby.




On Monday we went with Milo and the boys to the fort in St. Augustine. Some day when you are a big boy you will probably love to make your own fort so it was fun to show you your first fort; one that is about 350 years old! We walked around the inner walls and went up top, which was beautiful overlooking the bay on a slightly warmer day than the day before.

Mr. Independent is 7 months old

Our big boy has had a lot of new things on his plate this month. Matthew is becoming such a kid these days. He is always upright now and is very content to play by himself with his toys for extended periods of time. He is eating new foods every day it seems, and adding more to his meals as the weeks go by. Matthew has become pretty flexible when we are out and about and if we have a late night over at a friend's house he just rolls with the punches. He is very interested in other babies, always reaching out to touch them and talk to them.

Probably the thing that makes Matthew most independent is that he spends a lot of his time with his babysitter during my work week. I am back at school now, and although I have a pretty good class, am happy to see my coworkers again, and the year is already half over, I can't help but feel that I am missing so much of Matthew every day. I have come to enjoy our early morning breastfeed and bedtime routine as my most precious and calm moments of the day. When I am rocking Matthew in the morning at 5:30am, I just want to sit there all day long with his little head resting peacefully on my shoulder. As far as working moms go, I think we have a pretty nice schedule worked out. Alex has been FANTASTIC about sharing the parenting load. On days when he is off from work he takes care of the house, runs errands and grocery shops, and then usually picks Matthew up mid-day or lets him sleep in and takes him in for a half day. Matthew has only had a few all day visits to the babysitter, so even though I can't be with him all day I am happy to know that he is spending lots of time with his daddy.

Here is what you are up to this month, buddy:

You sit a lot during playtime. You are so good at it and love to be high above your toys. We have to get you on your tummy more though so you can practice crawling.

You can prop yourself up on all fours, but you don't move forward yet.

You are a champion sleeper. You go to bed by 7:30 at the latest, and sleep until 5:30 am, up to feed then back to bed until about 8:15. You take two naps totaling about 3 hours throughout the day.

You have started playing with your voice. You squeal and make loud noises in excitement. You laugh and laugh at daddy's funny faces and games. You think Maggie is too cool!

You have been to the beach, and love to explore the sand with your chubby little hands.

You are a good boy in restaurants and sit on our laps while we eat.

You are happy all the time! You respond well to your baby sitter, and are such a good boy when we leave you in the church nursery or the babycare at the gym.

You have taken well to eating. We have built up to 3 small meals a day of about 2 ounces each. You have had oatmeal, sweet potato, butternut squash, avocado, peas, zucchini, pears, apples, bananas, and your tummy's best friend... prunes!

You have started knowing what to do with your toys. Some of them have actions you can do to make a certain noise or turn on a light. Some toys have special compartments and you try to put the pieces in the right place.

You like to read books and daddy puts them in your crib, although I don't think you do much with them.

You are 20 pounds! This means you got a new car seat. You are riding in style, with a nice big seat that better last you a very, very long time.

Here you are with Granna, enjoying her back yard and learning all about nature.
Taking in the sights, sounds, and tastes of the beach

First time at the gym. Being groomed to be a champion.

FOOD!

Reflections on 2011

Dear Matthew,

I know you are just a baby and considerate gift giving is not yet something you are concerned with, but I want you to know that you, my sweet boy, have given me the greatest gift with the year you've given me. Hands down, 2011 was my best ever! Most people probably think that started when you were born, but in truth I fell in love with you all the way back in January. At the very beginning of the year I felt your precious hands and feet touch me for the first time. I spent the next few months getting to know you. I learned that you were an active, funny boy with a sweet touch. In February I was really sick and I was worried about your health too, but you kept up those kicks and sweet touches to let me know you were ok and you did your best to make me feel better and stronger every day. By May your touches were not so delicate and I could see you swim and flip around in my belly. I knew you would be a strong boy and I could hardly wait to see your perfect face and hear your sweet cries. The first half of 2011 was the time in my life I felt the most anticipation for anything ever. I loved being pregnant with you. It was such an intimate time. I fell in love with you more and more each day, but you were still somewhat of an unknown to me.

The night we went to the hospital to welcome you to the world will be forever ingrained in my mind. I remember every second like time stood still. You took longer than I had hoped but you came out perfectly healthy. You had the most beautiful color and the softest skin I'd ever felt. Your head was full of beautiful dark hair with some light little streaks. Your eyes were a dark gray and when you looked at me my heart melted. You were perfect. You were exactly the boy I was meant to have, and every day I've been blessed by your sweet spirit, your warm heart, your happy giggles, your inquisitive mind, and your tender touches.

The next two months were really challenging. You were so confused about the world and I wanted to give you peace. I had to learn a lot about being a good mommy and I had to learn how to read your wants and best meet your needs. It was exhausting but in helping you to make sense of your world you began to trust me and know I was here for you. When you smiled and laughed it melted my heart, when you buried your head in my chest you gave me peace, when you nursed in my arms you warmed my soul and helped me say prayers of thanks to God for all my blessings wrapped up in you. When you kissed me for the first time you gave me chills, and when I saw you accomplish feats of strength like rolling over, standing, and sitting you made me proud. Every day you became more beautiful to me. Every day I felt like I knew you better than the day before. Every day you gave me purpose and helped me find strength when I was tired or missing daddy.

The last few months have been my greatest gifts. I was able to stay home from work until you were almost 7 months old. That is a lot longer than most mommies are able to stay home. You seemed to become a boy in those months. You didn't seem like such a baby. You laughed at your daddy nonstop. You started becoming interested in family and friends and seeing you interact with people who love you as you get to know them has been very rewarding. It is so amazing to see life through the eyes of my child, who is experienceing everything for the first time. Your daddy and I have had so much fun with you. It is a different life than we led before, but it is the most precious way to live life I can imagine.

This truly has been a year filled with blessings everywhere I look. Of course you are my most treasured blessing, but I have many others too. Your daddy. He is a great partner to me. He is helpful to our family and works hard to support us so I could stay home with you. He loves you so much and I know that having a great daddy is not something anyone is guaranteed in life. He is special! Our health. We know many people battling cancer and disease, and even know of a baby who lost her life right out of the blue this year. We take nothing for granted and know that without your health, not much else in life matters. Our jobs. Daddy has done so well this year as a firefighter. He is courageous, strong, and knowledgeable, and is compassionate when other needs it most. His job is often stressful and demanding and he is gone a lot sometimes, but it has also allowed him to be home with us during the day which has helped me and given him precious time with you. My job, although I'm not there now, has allowed me to have time away from work to be here with you. I'll never get this time back, your first 6 months, and I am glad that my time and energies were totally devoted to you. I could go on and on, but I'll just list a few more. Our family, who loves you so much and has been so generous to all of us. Good friends, who love you and who treat daddy and I like family. Our home, although it feels smaller and smaller each day with all your toys, we have been able to live in a safe and comfortable home and build lasting memories here, when so many people have lost their homes. Our salvation from the Lord and my reconnection to church. I felt continually blessed and finally looked to the Lord, the one from whom all blessings flow.

This brings me to 2012. I'm not sure what this year holds. I know it will be full of blessings, but challenges as well. I know I'll see you do so many things, like walk and run, say your first words, feed yourself, and make your own friends. But I am also going back to work, and I am saddened that I will not have you to fill each of my days. I know you will do fine with the babysitter. Everyone says what a sweet and happy boy you are. I know you will make friends and pleasantly surprise me with your independence, just like you've done all this year. But I will miss you so much. I will miss being able to cuddle you any time I want. I will miss your babbles and laughs. I will miss talking to you and showing you new things. I'm sure I'll miss some of your "firsts". I will miss holding you when you are sad or scared. I will miss walking into your room at 8:30am and seeing you smiling at me and talking up a storm telling me all about your dreams. I'll miss nursing you during the day, and your sweet hand that wraps around my back and your little fingers that tickle me.

So why do it? For one thing my job pays me money that I will use to help support our family. Daddy and I will work really hard to save money to buy us a new home, where you can grow big and play in the back yard, and become a big brother some day. I promise to be wise with the money I make, otherwise I am wasting my time away from you, and that is not fair to you. Secondly, I love teaching and I value my contribution to the children and families in our community. I was a respected teacher, one who loved her work and I found purpose in the influence I could have on young people. I have to remember that God gave me my talents as a teacher and I should glorify him by utilizing those talents. And for you. I want to be a good example of a woman who is a hard worker, who does things for the hopeful betterment of society, and who values education. I hope you grow up to be a boy who works hard, values your education, and does things to give back to others. Learn from what I do. My work must have a major purpose if it will keep me from you.

I love you so much, my sweet boy. I promise to cherish you and to make the most of the moments we have together first thing in the morning and at the end of the day. We will do new and exciting things as a family on the weekends. I will work hard to repay your gift and to make sure that you feel as loved and blessed in 2012 as you made me feel in 2011.

Love,
Mommy

Here I am, cuddling you for the first time. They pulled you right from my body and put you on my chest. I was a mommy.

Here you are, smiling at me for the first time.

Here I am introducing you to the beach for the first time. You love it, just like I do!

Hanging with our buddies

We have had a great time this week hanging with the teacher babies, the Baby Bobcats. All these boys were born within the last year. First was a playdate at Cohen's house. Cohen has started crawling and so is was fun to see the other less mobile babies take serious stock in what he was doing. Matthew loves other babies. He is always reaching out to touch them or put his arm around them. He had so much fun playing with Cohen and Anthony.




Then today we went to Jack's 1st birthday at a neighborhood playground. His mommy can teach Martha Stewart a thing or two or three about throwing a party and crafting. This party was as cute as you'll ever see. The same teacher babies were all excited to see each other again, and Matthew had his girlfriends Ella and Piper there to check out. Here is Jack, the birthday boy, enjoying his gift from Matthew.

Here is Matthew enjoying himself at the park and then checking out his take in his goody bag.

Sleepy fella

With all that's been going on lately~ family in town, beach trips, visiting other houses, playdates~ Matthew has worn himself out. Here he is with Granna, the first time he fell asleep to a bedtime story.

Here he is with Daddy the next day, peacefully snoozing on his shoulder.

Few things in life are as precious as a baby that is completely at peace in your arms. Total relaxation, total trust.

Matthew cracking up!

Matthew was sitting on his daddy's lap and was kissing his legs and I told him, "No, don't do that. Hairy legs are gross". Right before he was about to do it, I said no, and he laughed and squealed like he knew exactly that I was telling him not to do something. This went on for 4 or so minutes. He was testing me, slowing putting his mouth next to daddy and waiting for me to tell him no, and when I did exactly what he knew I was going to do, he went bananas!