Sold!

I have been waiting to post this until things were more certain; but we sold our townhouse!!!! We close in a week! My folks have graciously offered our little family use of their basement until we find a permanent address, at which point we will let you know. Until then, email us if you need an address.

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Oh, and the photo from the last post was a combination of playing with Photo Shop & inspiration from browsing the web. Thanks Lance for the GREAT Christmas present!!

8 months

Samantha is 8 months old! She has 2 teeth! She's trying so very hard to crawl. She gets up on all fours & instead of moving forward, scoots back. She eventually gets truly frustrated because she gets further away from her goal instead of closer. She is so very brave! She is already getting into everything. That little girl is quick with her rolls!

Sami's 2 teeth

Hanging out in her crib. Sami LOVES standing.

Getting into everything. (She's already into EVERYTHING. I can't imaging what will happen when she's crawling!)


Bathtime fun.

Brushing her teeth.

Sami fell on top of her toy. Notice the bruise on her cheek. Her 1st bruise.

Samantha with her puppy for her 8 month photo. (She also found the telephone!)


Samantha pulls off her shoes to chew on them, constantly!

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!

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

Just a swinging...
Zach

Madison

Cousins

Sami LOVED the swing!

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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

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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!!!

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Uncle Chris!!

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

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

Cousins

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Cookies

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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.

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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!
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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.
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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.
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I love those moments!