Memorial Day Weekend

Gigi and Uncle Jon came up for a visit this past weekend.
It was a nice and relaxing
weekend of catching up and simply hanging out.
We went on a picnic to celebrate Mom's birthday,
tried out the video camera Mom brought up,
and Mom fed Sam his first cereal!




Sam loves his Gigi!


So...Sam didn't really get into his cereal at first,
and his tongue wouldn't cooperate.
It was a spectacle; everyone had a role:
Mom was the feeder, Scott was the encourager,
Jonathan was videoing, and I took pictures.
After a while, Sam thought it was a fun game.

The Sound of Waves

We met Papa K and Khaki in
Myrtle Beach, SC for a weekend getaway.
Sam didn't know what to think about the feel of sand between his toes and the sound of the waves. (Or the sound of ten thousand Harley's--we caught the tail-end of Harley Davidson Bike Week.) It was a little cool, so Sam decided to hang out under the umbrella.
We had a great time visiting with Scott's Family.
Sam was happy to see his Papa K and Khaki again.

Four Months Old

Head and shoulders, knees and TOES...
Sam has discovered his toes!
Whenever he's on his back, he has his toes in his hands.
Soon, they'll be in his mouth.


Here he is showing off his Bugs Bunny band-aids that he got after his four month shots.
This time he had to get THREE shots--not fun! Yet, he still smiles.

Mother's Day

This year, Mother's Day was extra special. It was my first with a child in my own arms. Last year, I remember Scott and I squeezing each others' hand during the Mother's Day service at church, containing our little secret that we were expecting. Now, a year later, it's hard to believe our little "Coffee Bean" is already four months old.
Mother's Day was also special because we had baby dedication at church. In all honesty, I was a bit reluctant. I have been struggling to trust the Lord with Sam. We had dear friends that unexpectedly lost their 8 week old daughter last year. Walking along side of them during their tragedy has affected me more than I realized. It is one thing for me to say, "We dedicate Samuel to the Lord," but another to truly believe it in my heart that he is God's and not ours. (It seems ironic knowing that we named our son Samuel after Hannah's son in the Old Testament, whom she gave back to the Lord for His service.)
I say all this to simply share that I was able to acknowledge yesterday that Sam IS ultimately God's. He was given to us as a gift, and we desire to be the best steward of his life however long we have. Each day that I get to squeeze his cheeks, sing him a song, and give him "mommy love" is a precious gift. Scott and I are learning what being parents is all about--the amazing privilege and sobering responsibility.

Strawberry Patch

For Mother's Day weekend, Scott took us strawberry picking. We went with our friends (and old neighbors), Matt and Kelli, and their two daughters, Ava (2) and Layla (8weeks). It was so much fun! Sam seemed to enjoy it as well!



Ava had so much fun...
By the end of our time, she had strawberry juice all over
her clothes and strawberries all in her teeth!



What great Daddy's...


It's amazing how the simple pleasures become even more fun when you have a little one, as if you are doing something again for the very first time.

Spring time fun...

Our little Bulldog!

A picnic in the park! With the busyness of life, Scott tries to squeeze in an outlet for exercise. Amy, Paul, and Kai Sarazen met us after work for a picnic dinner. After eating, Scott and Paul threw the football while Amy and I took the boys on a stroll around the park. It was so much fun, so we decided to do this regularly.


Sam enjoys hanging out with his buddy Kai! Kai is 3 months older, so he teaches Sam all kinds of tricks...




Sam's thumb has been finding its way into his mouth... Yep, he has become a thumb sucker!


My dear friend, Jessica Webber, came to visit us from Georgia. We took advantage of the beautiful weather this past weekend and spent a lot of time outside. One of our adventures was Wake Forest's "Meet in the Street"--an arts and crafts festival downtown. Sam did well being out for that long.



Sam's FIRST day in NURSERY... Scott and I have been keeping Sam with us during church ever since he was born. The last couple of weeks, I haven't been able to stay in the service or our class due to his squeals and cries. This past Sunday, we decided to put him in the nursery. Of course, I didn't want to but knew I needed to. I was so proud of him! Sam did great without mommy by his side. (We were a little worried, because he has already become a "Mamma's boy" at home.) All the nursery workers bragged on him--he was the hit of the nursery! Way to go son!