6 months!

Ok, shew! I really am bad at blogging.  I always think, I need to put this on the blog, but I don't do it! Maybe this month.. :)  So my precious little boy is 6 months!  Well, actually he is almost 7 months now but for the sake of the post, lets just say 6 months.  I think my favorite thing that Sam has really perfected this month is sitting up.  It is so much fun to play with him when we can sit across from each other and really interact during play.  As I always say, it is truly amazing to see the new skills that happen daily.  I really think he is getting ready to crawl.  We still have a ways to go but he is getting closer everyday.  Ok, I can't type up this post without mentioning the 13 baby playdate we had at our house.  It was hilarious! The babies were so cute and they loved seeing & interacting with each other.  It is crazy that there are so many little ones the same age (or at least within a few months of each other).  We also took Sam to the nursery at church for the first time this month.  I can't believe it has taken us this long to do that, but it went really well.  I think Sam really enjoyed himself.  The ladies keeping the nursery swooned over Sam.  They know exactly what to tell a new mom. 

Spring has sprung in Wilmington, and I am loving every minute of this warm weather.  I always forget how much I love this time of the year (spring, flowers, and of course March madness - Go Heels!) and it is especially wonderful when you have a beautiful baby boy to share it with.  Sam is the perfect age for this weather.  He loves being outside and I am just counting down the days until it is warm enough to get out the plastic baby pool.  We went to Topsail this past weekend and Sam loved the sand and cold ocean water on his tootsies. Speaking of pools, can't wait for him to splash in the little pools so perfectly formed by mother nature on the beach this summer!!

So.. the 6th month of Sam's life has been awesome and while challenging at times, everyday with him is such a blessing and so full of joy!!

 

babies galore!

 

5 months and counting!!

hello blog! i didn't think i would be very good at blogging but it makes it even harder to sit down and gather thoughts when you have a baby that does not sleep!! :)  Sam is a big 5 1/2 months old! I cannot believe it.  He gets cuter and more fun by the day but yes, we are still battling sleep!  He is a social man and does not like to miss anything.  But I don't want to bog down the blog with all of the sleep stuff becuase, we have so much to be thankful for and sam is really doing great.  Just a few more zzzzz's here and there would be nice.  All in all this has been a great month:  Sam met his sweet cousin Vivian, Vivian's dad (matt my bro) returned home from an 8 month! deployment, sam started eating solid foods, I have started to return to some of my old occupations [sewing, reading (I am a fronting reader but I am in a book club now and about 1/2 through my first book), exercise (ha! yeah right, did a workout video one day and was so sore, i have not had the guts to go back to it), Lewis and I had a night out on the town for our dear friends' (Austin & Cameron) engagement party while Sam spent his first night with Mars & Jeeps, and we are beginning our house search while ours that we rent and the one we own in Raleigh goes on the market.   I got my first taste of spring fever this week and am getting so excited about warm weather!  I found a pair of tiny swim trunks in some clothes my cousin gave me and it got me so excited about putting sam in some trunks and hitting the beach!  I will try to do better at updating the blog.  I think it is one of those things that the more you do it the easier it is.  I want to get good at the spontaneous blog post and branch out from just monthly updates.  Stay tuned..!

5 months!

I like this jumperoo but still trying to figure it out

Love this pic!

then.. (august 2011)

and now! (January 2012)  We are here!!! wooohoooo!!!!

4 months!

4 months!  As always, I cannot believe another month has passed!  This past month was great as we celebrated Christmas and rang in 2012!  I sit here a little bit slow as I gather my thoughts for my 4 month sam update because we had a little bit of a restless night!  Sam has not been sleeping that great at night recently and we just transitioned him to his crib at night instead of his rock-n-play sleeper (which I highly recommend).  He has way outgrown that thing.  So, despite the couple of awakenings, I am beyond thrilled that he is out of the cradle.  He is growing like crazy.  Everyday that I work and don't see him during the day, I swear he has gained another pound or so. As I always say, it is amazing to see the changes that happen daily.  He has really found his feet and likes putting his big juicy toe in his mouth.  In fact, he likes putting everything in his mouth.  The dr. told me he isn't teething until you can feel or see a tooth, but i swear we have some early stage teething going on.  Sam's awake time (which is a lot) is getting more and more fun and funnier!  He is really starting to be a ham!  He is gut chuckling at everything and he is an easy crowd.  Lewis continues to be Sam's main attraction though.  Sam rolled himself over this month from his back to his stomach.  This still isn't that consistent and he may need a little facilitation but he is really starting to move and groove.  Sam has also really started to love kate!  I will be holding him and will hear a big ol laugh and look back at Sam grinning from ear to ear at Kate.  He continues to power nap during the day.  His most predictable nap is in the morning and then he catches 20 - 30 minutes here an there the rest of the day.  I have learned to not stress over this napping stuff because he is so happy when he is awake and I really think he is getting the rest he needs.  So we just kind of go with the flow of the day.  In conclusion, with each month and day for that matter, I love this little man more and more.   He is such a blessing and I am so so thankful for a healthy baby boy, the best husband a person could ever imagine having, and all of the constant love and support from our family and friends!

Sam's First Christmas (Round 2)

Christmas has always been one of my favorite times of the year.  It was even more special this year with Sam.  I really don't think there is anything better than a child at Christmas.  Now, I realize that Sam is a few years shy of really getting into the spirit, but there is just something about Christmas and children.  I really cannot wait for Sam to be waking us up at the crack of dawn on Christmas morning, tearing through gifts, sliding around in footed pajamas, and checking to see if St. Nick grubbed his cookies and milk.  We had a great Christmas and it was so wonderful to spend it with family and friends.

I cannot believe that tomorrow is New Year's Eve!  This year has flown!  It was last year this time that Lewis and I had just learned that we were going to be parents!  I will NEVER forget that day.  Now we have a beautiful baby boy to ring in the New Year with!   Happy New Year everybody!!

the fam.. Sam was jacked up about his special secret gift from his Dad.. He loves that thing

Sam and Great Grandmother Nana

Lewis got the tape dispenser he had been asking for 

Merry Christmas! 

Sam's First Christmas (round 1)

We had such a great time last weekend in Morehead.  The whole fam was in the house!! I think at one point we had 14 + Kate under the same roof.  It was a blast.  Sam was quite cozy in his closet.  :)  This is no ordinary closet though.  It is quite spacious and well venilated so Sam was cozy as could be.  The girls (SB, Cordelia, Susan, and Maryellen) hit the town on Saturday and enjoyed a nice lunch and some shopping while the men held down the fort.  We opened presents Saturday afternoon.  There is nothing better than a child opening presents at Christmas.  Sam needed a little help opening all of his loot.  We had a delicious dinner on Saturday night. Lewis put the time of day on a tenderloin from Costco.  It was so good!  Sunday was another beautiful day at the Crystal Coast and we got packed up and spent a little time on the beach. And I managed to work in a little photo session of my sweet neices and nephews.  We had a great time and now on to Sam's First Christmas round 2. 

I am so sleepy but ya'll must be crazy if you think I am going to nap and miss out on all of this fun.

Fierce! Bjorn Borg

Daniel's album cover

3 MONTHS!!

Time is flying!! I cannot believe that Sam will be 15 weeks on Saturday.  It is getting hard to keep track of the weeks.  I really don't know where to start.  We have had an awesome last month.  I have gone back to work, Sam is laughing now, we are all decorated for Christmas, and we got a VAN!!!  I know, i know, it is official, we are parents!  I love the van though! I am a little bit obsessed with it.  I don't think a day has passed since we have had it that I haven't called my dad to say, "this thing is awesome."  I think I get a rush every time I use my blue tooth, turn on my heated steering wheel, and/or automatically open the back gate to unload the big BOB.  :)

Ok, so onto my Sam 3 month update.  Yep, he has the best little chuckle right now that completely melts my heart!!  His dad has a major way of bringing it out in him which melts my heart even more to see them interact.  He laughs more and more each day and it is hilarious.  We still aren't quite there with a predictable routine, but we are all working together on that and definitely not sweating it.  Well, maybe I am little bit but trying not too.  My new name for him is Samuel without a manual.  It is very true what everyone tells you that once you feel like you have something figured out, it changes.  But, he is happy so we can't ask for much more than that.  He has started to really like getting out and about which is great for me because we can easily run errands and Christmas shop (which is what we have to do today.) Oh, and I can't forget to mention that I really think he is teething.  He has been a leaky faucet.  Lots of drool and one day he had a little raised white dot on the bottom of his gums.  It went away, but I think it may have been signs of a tooth.  Anyway, we are all doing great and loving this special time of year with the best gift anyone could ever, ever ask for.  We count our blessings daily and thank the Lord for blessing us with Sam.

3 Months!  Can't wait for Santa!

haha! this picture cracks me up!  Introducing the newest member of the Deans family

Occupations

I went back to work 2 weeks ago today.  I am 2 weeks late on this post becuase 2 weeks ago, I had all kinds of emotions related to returning to work.  Now I am still getting into the swing of our new routine, but I am not quite as emotionally involved as I was.  I dreaded that first day back but I had grown so tired of dreading it that it was such a relief to finally go back.  Although it was painful to be away from Sam, I realized how much I really love my job and how very very fortunate I am to be able to do it 2 days a week. It is so perfect! I am loving being back in the working world.  It is great to get my brain juices flowing but I assure you I would not be so enthusiastic if it were more than 2 days.  Two days at work and 5 days with Sam is just how I like it.  I am still getting used to our routine because we have not yet had a normal week with Thanksgiving and some weekend work days thrown in the mix.  It is definitely taking me a little bit of adjusting as I switch back and forth from my different roles, but I am getting there.  

Sam has some new occupations as well.  He is a sponge!  It is so awesome to see him explore his world and constantly learn about his environment.  Since play is a child's primary occupation, we spend a lot of time playing!  I love seeing the changes that take place everyday as we he develops new skills. 

Couldn't really think of a good caption, I just like this picture.

Give me one more minute mom, this is the best part!

Sorry Bud, not for another 21 years