Summer Start!

We've had so much excitement with the start of the summer that I haven't blogged in a while!  Our Smith family beach trip always marks the beginning of summer for us, and this year was no different....well it was actually a lot different!  Taking a baby to the beach is fun but it is WORK!  We actually only made it to the sand with Jackson 3 times in a whole a week.  I felt like he did pretty great.  He didn't mind the sand.  In fact, he liked the sand a lot.  He tried to eat it by the fist full!  We enjoyed some pool time, family time, and we had an exciting event take place!  On Tuesday, Jackson crawled for the first time!  He was motivated by an eye phone and crawled half way across the room to get it!  His crawl was kind of jerky as he would raise up on all fours, then bring both legs forward in a kind of bunny hop.  After a few of these motions, he would collapse on his belly and do a very unsuccessful move we call the "swim" with legs and arms flailing.  After a few seconds, he would push up on all fours again and start the process over again.  His 11 month old cousin Olivia who is now an expert crawler, was a fun playmate for the week!

Now that we are home Jackson and I are enjoying our summer together.  Jackson has already learned a new trick!  Monday morning when I went to get him from his crib, he greeted me as I opened the nursery store by STANDING up holding on to his little crib bars.  Now that is the way he greets us when he wakes up every morning and after each nap.  He is pulling up on anything he can find now, and crawling all over the place!  He is so motivated to be mobile.  You can just tell by the look on his face and from his frustration that crawling just doesn't get him where he wants to be fast enough!

I was really looking forward to spending the summer at home, but I must be honest.  I was also fearful. My first round of staying home with Jackson was not all that I had expected it be. Post-partum depression and anxiety had taken hold, Jackson had multiple health issues, and it was so hard.  I knew logically that it would be better because so many of those issues have resolved themselves, but I was still scared.  I just didn't want to go back to that emotional state.  To guard against the "blues" I planned a lot of activities and opportunities for Jackson and I to be out of the house this first week.  We had a great first week at home!  I am really enjoying my time with him, but there are definitely frustrating moments.  Kudos to all of the full-time stay at home moms, because this job truly is more difficult than my day time job!  When my good friend and full-time stay at home mom texted me an invitation for pie with friends at her house at 3 p.m. I was excited.  I will admit that I wondered, "Why pie?"  I mean why not desert and coffee?  Chips and dips? But I like a good pie, and even more I love GIRL TIME, especially when I can bring Jackson and don't have to get a sitter!  I arrived with a vase of freshly picked  flowers from my garden for my friend and hostess and my favorite pie...Edwards Lemon Meringue.  Our time was fantastic.  The babies played, we laughed and shared, and I learned what PIE really is!  So thanks girls!  It was a great end to great first weeks of summer!