New Adventures
I feel like we just registered again! We are (95%) going to watch the river dyed green tomorrow so we are making sure everything's ready to go on Samantha's big girl stroller. We've adjusted the straps, played with the foot rest, practiced putting on the rain guard which we are hoping will act as a wind guard, and have it sitting waiting to go. I can't wait to start using it! It's the exact same feeling that I had after our shower. Pure bliss at the thought of using the baby goodies we had been gifted for our daughter. Ha, I told Adam that she'll probably hate being strapped in and after all our playing around one of us will end up carrying her the whole time. Oh well, it'll be ready to go when it warms up and we walk to the park! And go to the zoo! And go to Starved Rock! And go on family walks at night! And...you get the idea. Tomorrow is only the beginning.
It got super late but we really wanted to give Samantha some sweet potatoes. I think it's safe to say she really liked them. She was tired but her mouth was open waiting for each spoonful. And she ate her peas this morning! Success with two solid meals today.
The blog - or blurb or blag as my dad calls it sometimes 
- is getting around to more and more people. I have two choices. Continue to be honest about all my feelings and not leave anything out as we go forward raising Samantha. Or pull a typical Kathy and get embarrassed and make the blog less personal. For a few reasons I choose option A. First and foremost, this is my journal. I'm not writing down anywhere else all of the things Samantha does on a daily/weekly/monthly basis. I want to remember these times as thoroughly as possible including how it felt to watch Samantha hit all of her milestones as well as every day life. And lord help Adam if somehow this gets lost in cyberworld somewhere. Also because it's not as easy to get in contact with busy family and friends so the blog can keep those up to date that want to when they can. Another reason is I'm trying to be a more open person. How more open can I get letting family, friends, anyone who stumbles across this online to read about our lives unfiltered?
Aftershocks of shots
Samantha was not herself today. I thought she was going to be sleepy all day because her first nap ran past an hour and I think the only reason she woke up is because I banged something in the kitchen. But after that first nap she wouldn't sleep in her crib. She fell asleep twice while feeding and I let her take a nap on me the first time. Fearing I would screw her up for the night I tried to put her in the crib the second time she fell asleep on me after eating. Of course she woke up. Good news is that she went down for Adam great.
The first day of attempting two solids meals = fail. I tried giving her some carrots this morning and she wanted nothing to do with it. While I was at Target around dinner Adam gave her some peas. She ate some but he said she wasn't too eager for them. I'm making more rice cereal tomorrow so hopefully we'll do that in the morning with fruit (once we start fruit) and then a veggie at night. I'm excited to start sweet potatoes so I may just do it tomorrow for dinner.
Mom and Dad leave tomorrow for Colorado. We are totally bummed out that we aren't going. Totally bummed. I wish it was going to be Samantha's first vacation so bad, especially since I have so many good memories there and Adam had a blast last year. It's the perfect place for us to have an annual trip. It would have been fun to tell Samantha she went every single winter she was little. Ugh. I have to believe that we'll(I'll) find a way to get us there no matter what next winter.
Bad Mama
No peas tonight, no carrots, and definitely no sweet potato. One of those things where the day just got away from me. She woke up from her non-nap at 6:30 and I didn't realize it was so late already. Tomorrow we're off to my parents so it'll be another pea day when we get home. Then Wednesday is her 6 month appointment. I'll probably give peas or carrots until Friday just in case she reacts to her shots I'll know it's the shots and not sweet potatoes.
In home improvement news, I'm over our big top circus powder room and want to paint. I'm thinking a ruby color. Can't wait to pick it out and have Butch paint! We're also thinking of finally painting the guest bath, now known as Samantha's bathroom. I'm half thinking of making it our 'beige' room of the house and going with a taupe. The other half of me wants to make it a soft girly color.
Blessed
I'm officially old. Alright not O-L-D but 27 is a weird age. 30 feels like it's just around the corner and celebrating the 21st is a distant memory (ha, if a memory at all). I'm just where I hoped to be around this age...with Adam and our young family.
We spent this birthday the way we did last year; at home with friends. There were a few faces missing and one new face : ) Samantha was great the whole day! She'd wake up from a nap and I'd feed her. We'd come downstairs and then she'd play with everyone. She did the best she's done at any party.
Daylight savings really screwed with us. It seemed like she was right on target for an 8 o'clock bedtime. She woke up right before 6 and I was feeding her peas at 6:45. Then that I realized I wasn't factoring in the time change. But she was still tired around 8 so we did our normal bedtime routine. She woke up about 40 minutes later though just as if she was waking from her last nap. We managed to get her to fall back asleep, we'll see how the rest of the night goes. Now I'm finishing up my birthday with Adam drinking some coronas and watching TV. It's really my ideal birthday: hanging out with friends, spending the day with my husband daughter and pup, and ending the night cuddling and talking with Adam. I feel wonderfully blessed to have amazing friends and am thankful the life that Adam and I have together. There's really nothing else a girl could ask for on her birthday.
Disney
All week long Samantha and I have been listening to the one Disney album we have. Sleeping Beauty, Mary Poppins, Cinderella, Little Mermaid...they are all there! She seriously gets a huge grin on her face while we listen. I'm not sure if it's the music or it's me belting out the tunes but she loves it. Tonight Adam acquired the Ultimate Disney Princess Album, yippee!!!!!!!!!! She's in bed but I'm still listening. I get so excited thinking of all the fun Disney things to do as she gets older. Princess parties, Disney movies, and the ultimate - Disney World. We've been talking about taking our kids there since we were there during our honeymoon. You can't not be happy when you are there.
Samantha did good with the peas again tonight. She still has yet to eat a full ounce of them but tonight she got the most of any food in her mouth. She's my favorite : )
Peas!
We gave Samantha peas tonight, she did great! She didn't eat much but it was late. Grandma Sue was here to watch and Butch got some on video!! And she didn't get too messy either, yay! We made them yesterday, Samantha and I. I tried them and actually thought they were delicious. I'm not big on peas so I was surprised when I was making them and couldn't help myself from having some. If all goes well the next three days it's on to sweet potatoes.
It was gorgeous out today and we got out for a nice walk. I put Samantha in the bjorn face forward for the first time. She seemed to like it except when the wind picked up in a few places. She was talking to Brody and I as we walked. Ha, sometimes when I would 'encourage' Brody to pick up his pace Samantha would start talking right after me, almost like 'encouraging' him as well. I wonder if she'll be bossy like me.
Over the past few days Samantha is getting closer and closer to crawling. If I turn my head for a second she'll bee line right for the edge of her blanket and start playing with the carpet. I am not ready for her to be on the carpet daily. I hate it. Maybe while we're robbing the bank for the convertible car seat will make sure to take enough to get hardwood floors.
Tuesday
I can't handle this anymore! I'm always second guessing myself. I put Samantha's lovey in with her this nap, I am again watching the monitor like a hawk, should I have left it in there? Will she smother herself if I look away for one second? She likes to rub it on her face before she falls asleep. I also decided to start on an art project if you will (can't say what it is, I want to surprise Adam). Samantha and I picked up some supplies when we were at Target. She went down for her nap and I started organizing. Did I buy the rightthings? Will it look good together? Will he like it? Will I like it? ARG! Adam calls me indecisive Kathy, it bugs me to no end, but it's true.
We're making progress in the sleep department. Samantha's falling asleep better on her own, but we've still got a bit to go. She wears me out everyday, putting everything and anything in her mouth, grabbing for said things, wanting to be held but wanting to be independent at the same time. I already have her food schedule set...start carrots this week, after that peas, after that sweet potatoes, then bananas. I'm hoping she likes the carrots!!