Good times...

It feels like so long since I've been on here. It's not really, but I know the days do pass. Truth be told... I've been cheating on you! I have a new blog! It's okay...You most likely won't be interested in it! It's all about Spanish, learning Spanish, teaching Spanish, sharing Spanish. For years people have told me to create my own textbook line with all of my resources I have made, but it never thrilled me. Instead, I'm loading all my worksheets and lesson plans online and even if no one ever looks at them, I can feed my fetish of grammar and games and have all of my ideas in one place. The new blog has been a nighttime job, just in case I needed something else to keep me up after 11pm. Samara is asleep now because, well, she doesn't sleep all that well at night these days. That said, she goes back to sleep very quickly the couple of times she wakes, but her mama, not so much. Actually, you know, I have this theory that I am waking HER up. But, life at 143 has been very happy. I am on the deck now, in fact, the garden is full of wild flowers (fine, weeds) and it is beautiful. We have stunning Azaleas, Japanese Maples, and so much more to admire. How we got this perfect a house for us, I'll only ever be startled! Samara is busy, busy. She can pull herself up to standing and can walk holding onto things, preferably me. This is good for my knees and back :) She is so animated and excitable, and truly a JOLLY girl. In case I didn't know, literally EVERY person we pass in the supermarket or store or on the street will say, 'What a happy baby!' We are so lucky! Actually, it's very true, she IS her happiest when we're out and about. She loves other kids, will always try to hold their hands and if they oblige will pull them rapidly right up to her face so she can kiss them, take their food and hopefully swipe their toy. She's smart and speedy! But she can share, too. Steve spent about 30 minutes with her in the garden the other day only to come inside with Samara holding a baby bouquet of the aforementioned wild flowers, putting them in my hand on command and then clapping so proudly. It was very, very sweet. What I love about her growing up is that as she becomes more and more independent, she also needs me more, in the most beautiful ways. She wants to walk, but she needs my hands. She wants to cuddle, but she needs someone to hold. She wants to go outside, but she can't slide the door open. She wants to sleep, but she likes a story first. She wants to eat, but she needs me to open the containers (well, that one she doesn't really need me for, but you get the point...) This is a tremendous age of quick changes and fast learning and every day brings something new. The spontaneous clapping happened like never before when she had her first bite of pizza the other day. And boy, did she steal the spotlight at my parents' church cabaret night! Sadly, Samara had her first real 'boom' the other day, as she was sleepy, but trying to walk on her own. I took the blame and tears for the little bruise that appeared on her head. Memories of poor Natasha Richardson flooded my mind. I checked her every 20 minutes in her crib, but of course, she could still clap, high five and wave bye-bye the next morning as well as each and every time I woke her up that night. I'll learn...
I've had a great week at school, or not at school, as half of my students were in D.C., the other half on local field trips, so we've enjoyed several play-dates, more swimming and so many great walks. We always do, but I love these summer days together, and only wish Steve were here to enjoy each one. He has a final interview on Wednesday for an even-more-dream-job, so I'm praying he gets it and can take a few unbelievably deserved days off in June before the switch. Until then, we enjoy the long and sunny evenings we have, at our place by the Atlantic waves, our family all around, and good friends and new babies, whom we pray for constantly, not too far down the road.