Spring Break

Brusha...brusha...brusha...

To begin with, here's a photo of Samantha brushing her tooth, like mommy & daddy do!! I kept turning the brush around the correct way & she would turn it back. I guess the end is a better chew toy for a new tooth!

*
For their Spring Break, my brother & his clan drove up from Texas.

Just a swinging...
Zach

Madison

Cousins

Sami LOVED the swing!

*

Water Baby
We piled into my parent's hot tub. We turned the heat down & the jets off & let Sami get into the gigantic bathtub!! She LOVED it!! We even dunked her under water a few times; each time she looked shocked but was so peaceful in the water.




Nana & Sami

Aunt Tosha & Zach

*

Giraffes!!!!
The ladies took the kids to the zoo one day; it was Samantha's first experience. She didn't take much notice except for the animals that were moving & up close. This zoo allows you to feed & pet the giraffes, so Sami got VERY close & really enjoyed them!
Aunt Tosha & Zach

Dark side of the zoo... this is a fake 'decoration' in the giraffe pen. I can't believe I've never noticed it before!! Yes, the zebra's ribs are open & yes those are vultures surrounding him!

Sami's reaction to her first peacock. His tail was fully displayed.


A little perspective...


Zach had just fed the giraffe.

Look at this face!!!

*

Uncle Chris!!

Sami's hair is starting to be long enough for small bows!!!

*

John Deere green
No motorized Barbie jeep for this girl! Nope, grandpa's motorized John Deere instead!

Cousins

*

Cookies

*

All of us

Have tooth, will smile!!

At 6am this morning Samantha woke up screaming; her first pearly white had just pierced through!

Ba...ba...ba...ba...

Whew! Samantha seems to spend weeks attempting things & then within days hits multiple milestones. My sweet girl decided yesterday that it was time to get cracking at the crawling gig. She is now continually rolling to her tummy & attempting to get up on all fours. However she locks her waist & knees & ends up on her hands & toes; she then quickly topples onto her face & unhappily rolls over to her back. Then starts the whole fiasco again! I love her determination. Through the past 7 months we have definitely noticed that when she puts her mind to it, she is relentless.

*
In the mornings I sit Sami in the corner of her crib with toys & let her play a bit, this morning she turned around & grabbed onto the railing & was trying so very hard to pull herself up. My little girl is quickly getting mobile!
*
Also, we have been practicing on consonants; today my little girl said 'ba'! ALL day long! I'm loving our new little chatterbox!!!!

A father's love

I just witnessed the most beautiful half hour. Tonight my sweet Samantha was exhausted, rubbing her eyes & just pooped; but she couldn't drift off to sleep. I tried everything to coax her to dreamland & ended up bringing her downstairs to rock with me as Lance & I watched 'The Office'. My dear husband said, 'give her to me.' He took her, laid down with her on the couch & for the next half hour she held onto his finger while he gently stroked her cheek & whispered to her. She finally relented & drifted off to dreams.
*
What a beautiful scene! There was so much love there between daddy & daughter & it just about brought me to tears. As I sat there watching, I knew, this is a moment I will remember the rest of my life.
*
I love those moments!

7 months!!!

Samantha is on my lap slapping at the keyboard so this will be quick!

Still no tooth!!!

My sweet, always happy, quiet, observant little girl has been missing for the last 2 weeks & in her place is this little one who can go from the happiest little girl to mad screams in half of a second. AND STILL NO TEETH!!! Samantha is eating more than she was last week & isn't fussy for as much of the day; but when it hits nothing helps, it's inconsolable misery. My heart goes out to her & I wish those stinking teeth would pop out already. Ours is now a world of tylenol, teething tablets, & teethers in the fridge.
*
On a more upbeat note, Sami LOVES to stand! I guess now that she can sit on her own really well, standing is her delight. She locks her waist so that we can't sit her anywhere; this is our new battle! (It's rather funny actually.) She is also into banging things now; give her a rattle & watch her bang it against whatever is nearby over & over again.
*
Lance told her this morning, "You're almost 7 months old little girl." That startled me. I guess because 7 months is the downhill slide to 1 year. Wow! time is going so quickly; and even with the joys of the never-ending teething process Sami is so very precious! She knows exactly how & when to smile to melt your heart & win your favor. She is adorable when she blushes! She pulls her head down into her shoulders, looks up at you with her eyes & gives a flirty little smile. It's amazing how quickly little girls learn how to 'work it!'
*
Our Valentine's Day was very quiet & nice. On our first Valentine's Day together Lance made me dinner & we watched movies. This has been our tradition ever since. (Even the same meal & yes, Lance still cooks it!) We hope you all had an amazing Valentine's Day as well.
*

I moved the rug & coffee table for Sami to have room to 'zoom' around.

Which decade do you think this fashionista came from?

Grumpy, the Maynard dwarf

What a grump!!!!! We began this week with our 6 month well-baby visit & left a sick baby! (From what my mom tells me this was not uncommon for my brothers & I growing up!) Samantha got her last round of shots, including a flu shot & spent the evening projectile vomiting. On Tuesday the flu shot kicked in & she was achy, just wanted to sit bundled up on the couch. On Wed the fever began & so did the screaming. Inconsolable screaming; this continued through Saturday morning. She refused food all week & instead was pumped on Tylenol.
However, this morning she woke up with an appetite!! Still no teeth but the returned appetite gives me hope for a better day! Poor girl was so miserable but nothing seemed to help. I'm glad she's feeling better though, Lance even got a couple of laughs from her this morning!

Lance & Sami in the waiting room.

Weighing in, 16 pounds 4 ounces. (She measured 26 1/2 inches long.)

Waiting for Dr. Kara. Yes, my daughter has a big mouth!

Sami enjoyed chewing on my spatula while we made rice krispy treats.