Waiting. . .

As we wait, very impatiently, for warmer weather, I will try to focus on some uplifting things around here.

First, Sammy is moving all over the place.  Although he doesn't crawl in the traditional sense, that does not keep him stationary.  He scoots, army crawls, rolls and wiggles wherever he wants to be.  He is still a pretty happy boy, but his mood can shift quickly if he is hungry, which is quite often.  If we can keep him filled up, though, we are in good shape.  His bottom teeth are finally poking through and he is enjoying more and more finger foods.

Lily continues to be a wonderful big sister.  Jealous at times, she will perform stunts to get our attention, but she is very loving with her brother.  We have seen the beginnings of otherwise, however.  The other day she was coloring on the floor and Sam pulled himself over to her and started messing with her markers.  She was patient at first, moving slightly away from him a couple times.  Suddenly I heard, "Sam, I'm serious!  Stop touching those!"  And so it begins.

Mike is officially done with the semester, minus a few more papers to grade.  And I am down to 24 days.  I have decided to take a leave of absence next year to be home with the kids.  I am excited about the chance to spend more time with them while under less stress.  I will admit, I am also a bit nervous about using the time well, managing our money, and keeping us all sane!  Mike and I feel good about the decision, though, and look forward to the change of pace.