The Long Road Home: Summertime Fun

Life is good around here these days! We...well, I, sure do love summertime. I'm just gonna say it, who in their right mind would love wintertime?? uh, no way. So cold, it gets dark so early and you can't get out any do anything in the frigid temps. No thank you. So we're still pluggin' away with soaking up all this sunny goodness.

P started swim lessons last Friday! His class goes through August, and I think I mentioned we're taking the class with two of my besties and their little girls, P's buddies, which makes it even more fun. Preston was a swim class star, if I say so myself. Straight from the mouth of his Mamma, of course. He was the only baby who wasn't even a bit nervous or scared...at all. He smiled and laughed the entire time and wasn't stuck to me like glue, or better yet, he didn't have tears streaming down his face, like a lot of the other little ones. He was a little gem, fully comfortable and independent. The instructor, Miss Jacey, sang lots of songs and had us do all kinds of activities to get them used to the water, such as floating them on their bellies and laying them on their back in the water with their heads resting on Mom's shoulder, and all Preston cared about was hearing Jacey sing. According to Preston, the songs alone make this class worth every penny. We also took the babies to the edge of the pool and had them crawl out and then jump back to Mom. Preston had no idea what was going on or why we were doing this over and over, but he was enthralled. Really looking forward to going back next Friday.

In other big news, Kevin and I got another date this Saturday, AND, for the first time ever, Preston was watched by a paid babysitter, a teenage girl whom is the daughter of a friend's friend and came recommended. She's a freshman in high school and her name is Akia, and she is perfect. We had her over last weekend for a little meet and greet/"interview" thingie so we could get a good feel for her and have her meet and interact with Preston before just leaving him with her and jetting out. She seems like a wonderful girl and most importantly, when we came home from seeing Gatsby on Saturday, Preston was smiling and laughing and running around having a good ol' time and the house wasn't destroyed. Worth.every. penny. I have to admit, it was pretty difficult leaving P with someone that I don't know-know, but with us not having close babysitters, we can't stay without babysitters forever. I can't believe this day has come and gone, I wasn't sure I would ever be ready, but you gotta grow with your kids, they don't stay little newborns forever. :(

Preston and I are gearing up for Father's Day and working on something one-of-a-kind for Dad. :) We get out and feed the ducks and swing and trample through the wood chips regularly, and sometimes just go have lunch together. My one year old son really shouldn't be my BFF. LOL But I know this time won't last forever and I'll be so sad when it's gone, so I'm soaking every single one of these moments up, no matter what we're doing in them. We've got a swim play date on the agenda for later this week, too. I have to get some good pictures of Preston in his swim gear, SO DANG CUTE, YALL. Seriously. :)

Preston can now find his/and your belly button on command and thinks it's hilarious
He initiates games of peek-a-boo
He is using a fork, albeit not super well
He is back to nursing in the mornings and here and there during the day when he wants to
He does a 'happy dance' on command where he stands in place and runs and giggles away
His new favorite word, "this". He wants to point or pick up everything and have you name it
He is "talking" more and more and making all kinds of neat sounds, I can tell he's working on those words, soon to come!
He likes to pick up things and put them into other smaller things, like bags and containers
He likes to "share" with you and likes you to "share" with him
He loves loves to play with DVD cases
He is now able to put two lego blocks together purposefully
Working on tooth #7, lower right incisor
He crawled all the way up the stairs at our house for the first time fueled by this very first PB&J. :)

Soo big!

Kevin and I are amazing, and we are more blessed than ever. God is so good to us, and I have been in the midst of God's amazing glory here recently and he has just overwhelmed me with his power. Love worshiping our faithful God.

Here are some pics of the wee one. Hope yall are having a fabulous week. Love yall.

His cousin Baylor's bowling birthday party: