The Funnies Just Kept Coming

...That night continued to get better ;-) Jamie's parents offered to babysit Micah so that he and I could have a date night. Jamie is always telling me how dangerous the city is, so when we had to stop for gas after dark, I got a little nervous. We found a well-lit station in a good part of town and pulled in. Jamie had just stepped out of the car when four teenage girls ran up. From inside the car I couldn't hear what was being said, but I distinctly remember thinking, "Crap, we are being robbed by Taylor Swift fans." A few seconds later, one of the girls was pumping our gas! I kept trying to catch Jamie's eye, but he wouldn't look my way. After pumping our gas for a few minutes, the girl and her friends left. Jamie was smirking when he got back into the car, so I knew everything was cool. He said the girls were on a scavenger hunt, and one of the items on their list was to pump a stranger's gas. Random.

So next we headed to a restaurant recommended by Jamie's dad. The wait was about 30 minutes, so we found a spot to sit up near the hostess stand. Soon after, a black woman and her mother came in to inquire about the wait time. They were not satisfied with what they heard and began to debate whether it was worth staying. At that point, the younger black woman claimed she heard someone back in the kitchen say to her, "Well then take your @$$ back to the city!" This was all happening right in front of us, and we did not hear this comment, but both the woman and her mother claimed they did. They asked to speak to a manager, but it turned out the person they accused of making this comment was the manager. So they waited around to speak to his manager. Awkward. They got a bunch of apologies but no free meal. Our food was good though.

A Funny Thing Happened in Baltimore

This is a funny story that I just have to share. We are in Baltimore this weekend visiting Jamie's dad and stepmom ( having a great time so far ;-). Earlier tonight, I decided to wash some of our clothes. The (senior) Orrs have a very fancy washing machine, so I asked if they would show me how to use it. Michelle patiently walks me through all the steps, and when it's time to pour in the detergent, she reaches for a bottle of Snuggle. "Oh, we don't use fabric softener on our clothes," I told her. She said, "We don't either." I'm a little puzzled, but I let her continue to load the detergent dispenser with whatever is in this Snuggle bottle. It sure looks like Snuggle. Smells like it too. After she finishes and leaves the room, I examine the bottle closely. It's definitely Snuggle fabric softener. They have several bottles. And absolutely no real detergent to speak of.

As soon as Jamie and I are alone, I tell him this story. We both get a good laugh. We decide that one of us needs to tell them that their clothes really aren't clean. Haha. So right now I'm drying dirty clothes that I'll just wash again when we return home. Good times :-)

Planning For Christmas

A quick pre-holiday post as I scrape dried food off my space bar. This is what happens when I leave my laptop at the kitchen table.

I'm in the middle of Christmas shopping. Normally I'd be done or nearly done, but not this year. I've pledged not to get all stressed out about it - I have great gifts already for Jamie and Micah - and the rest are falling into place. This year Micah's big gift from us/Santa is an "early engineers" train set. He's also getting a neat puzzle/train toy I found at the Holiday Show and some crayons. We're only doing three gifts this year (it was good enough for Baby Jesus ;-). Plus, with 7 grandparents, we have to actively engage in toy control.


We also like to get Micah a Christmas book every year. My goal was to always select a book that tells the real meaning of Christmas. We did that last year with What Is Christmas? by Michelle Adams, but this year I could not resist Llama Llama Holiday Drama by Anna Dewdney. We are in love with this series and all things llama. In fact, Nana Santa told me Micah might be getting the stuffed llama toy from the series.

***

One thing I've learned through my Motherwise Bible study this semester is the power and importance of praying for my children. I've always prayed for Micah, but not in the ways this study has challenged me. It never occurred to me to pray that he would become a Christian early in life; that he would desire the right kind of friends and be protected from the wrong friends; that he would be protected from evil - spiritually, physically and emotionally; that he would be kept for the right mate and saved from the wrong one. There are so many things to pray for, and I just love doing it! It's a humbling reminder to me who he really belongs to, and it's also such a simple thing I can do for him that makes an eternal difference.

First Year Book

This is Micah's Christmas gift to all the grandparents. I'm so proud of how this book turned out. I'm not a scrapbooker, and I don't take as many pictures as I'd like. But, thanks to our wonderful friends and family who DO take lots of pictures, we got some really great ones of Micah's first year. I hope to make him a book every year...we'll see ;-)

Click here to view this photo book larger

Pumpkin Patch 2010

We planned several trips to Briley's before we actually made it. We originally planned to go last Tuesday during Jamie's fall break, but then we found out "the patch" is only open to the public on weekends. We had a great time when we finally made it yesterday - in addition to pumpkins, they also have hayrides, farm animals and lots of outdoor toys. I know it'll be even more fun next year when Micah's running around (hint, hint kid ;-).

We let him choose his own pumpkin

Daddy and Micah

He knows what he's supposed to do when Mom pulls out her camera ;-)

Micah is a friendly ghost :-)

Family photo...with Micah sticking out his tongue

It's the Climb! #notamileycyrusfan

I entered into a valley experience around the time Micah was six months old, and I finally feel I'm heading back up the mountain! My everyday experiences haven't changed - no big news or changes to share - but mentally I feel refreshed and renewed. I started feeling this way over a week ago. I feared it would only last a few hours, but here I am now, continuing to feel better every day. I don't think my "valley" was particularly unique - I've found that many first time moms hit a wall after the newness of the baby wore off. I will just say that nearly everything felt out of whack - my marriage, my decision to stay at home after working full time, my parenting skills - just everything. But then I read this blog post, and a light bulb went off. I know that Satan hates marriage (among other things) and that he tells us lies to steer us off course. But never had this become so real to me as it did in the last six months. Once I realized what was happening - DUH! - and called the sucker out, my life changed, or at least my perspective on my life. True story.

***

I don't scrapbook and rarely take pictures (although I have good intentions). But thanks to the photographers in our life, we have some really good images of Micah's first year. So I decided to put together a "First Year" book for him on Shutterfly. I'm so excited with how it's coming together and can't wait to give these as Christmas gifts. The book includes lots of pictures, some of my favorite quotes, and a special letter to him from me and Jamie. This is all part of my clever plan to re-invent Christmas this year: I'm aiming for personal, meaningful, and for many people, hand-made gifts over the usual expensive and meaningless crap.

Micah Turns 1

This post is almost 2 weeks late...I was waiting on my father-in-law to mail me the CD of pictures.

Weight: 19 pounds, 6 ounces
Height: 31 inches
Diapers: Size 3
Clothes: 12-18 months
Sleep: 7pm-6:30 am, 1 nap
1 Year Checkup: Doctor has no concerns about his development!

At 1 year, Micah enjoys:
bathtime
swinging
exploring the kitchen cabinets and dishwasher
waving
dancing (rocking back and forth)
strolling
playing with ball popper and balls in general
playing in the grass
feeding himself and drinking from a cup
playing with mom's cell phone

At 1 year, Micah does NOT enjoy:
diaper changes
being separated from mom (church nursery, Mother's Day Out, etc.)
two naps
being told "no"
mom taking her cell phone back
getting out of the bath
wearing shoes
letting mom and dad eat a meal in peace

Modeling Grandpa Orr's hat

Sitting in my new recliner

Enjoying one of my favorite birthday gifts, a new swingset!

Everybody but me thought this cake was so YUMMY!

Happy birthday to me!

Not a fan of cake :-( By this point I was ready for a bath and bed.

#justbeingreal

One of my blog goals (yes, I have them) is to move beyond just sharing Micah updates and happy bits about our family. I also want to be real about some of the things I'm thinking or feeling or struggling through in my life. When I think about the qualities in my best friends, the word that comes to mind for each of them is authentic. They are the real deal, as I strive to be as well. So here goes...

Many years ago, I think I said a prayer that went something like this: God, if you would just bless me with x, y and z, then I would be complete. I would spend the rest of my life giving you thanks and just enjoying and nurturing my blessings. God's response shocked me; afterall, that's a pretty immature prayer. But He said, yes. To x, y and z. So here I am, a very blessed woman, whose life is far from perfect. Maybe I didn't consider that, while basking in my blessings, I'd still battle bad habits, insecurities and other sins. Maybe God is trying to teach me that only He (and not His blessings) can fill me. So I'm trying to figure out what that looks like, from a day-to-day, practical perspective, to look only to Him for complete fulfillment. I have not figured it out yet. What I do know is that sometimes, Satan's tracks are so much easier to see in my life than God's, and I don't like that.

***

We celebrated Micah's first birthday Sunday. I am so proud to be his mom! The party was a perfectionist's nightmare...food came off the grill 1.5 hours late, a stray pit bull wandered into our backyard while babies were playing, Micah screamed when the crowd cheered over ECU's final touchdown and win, and he never quite recovered...but that's just life I guess. We had a great time seeing everyone, and some really sweet friends helped us cook and then stayed until late washing all my dishes (yes, you want a friend like that ;-) Micah has his 1-year physical Thursday, so I can't wait to hear the report. We've already pronounced him awesome, so I'm not sure the doctor could tell us any different ;-)

Jenn's Fall Preview

For the first 2.5 years of our marriage, Jamie and I led a couple's small group through our church. Due to scheduling conflicts among the members - and a little burnout - we took a break last semester. Since then, we've sort of been sitting on our fannies wondering, "Where should we serve next?" When I was pregnant with Micah, we went through Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University and have since become extremely passionate about our own financial fitness and about sharing what we've learned with others. At different times, we've both said, "It would be fun to serve in THAT ministry," but I guess we were just waiting for the opportunity to fall into our laps (read: lazy). Well, this week it did. A leader from our church called and asked to meet with us about serving in the financial ministry. I am so proud to attend a church that values financial fitness so much - it is of huge importance in people's lives simply because it's the source of either much stress or much peace. So anyway...lots of opportunities to choose from in that area. We are super excited to see what God will do through us!

I kind of forgot over the last year that, in addition to being a mom, I'm also a lot of other things. And after a year of pouring myself 100% into my new family, some of my interests and passions that have laid dormant are waking up. Last week, I starting sewing again. The stars must have aligned just right because I made a complete baby tag blanket in 24 hours. I had so much fun...can't wait to make another one. This is not to say that my family is getting less of me; I've just figured out how to balance things better. So I'm probably stupid for considering having another child soon.

Speaking of children...I'm also helping this fall with MotherWise. My role is mainly organizational, which I used to be really good at before I had a baby ;-) Mainly I just love building relationships with other moms. Last week we had dinner with our neighbors and their two kids. My child was throwing his typical "mom and dad are trying to eat and can't give me 100% of their attention right now" tantrum and banging his toy against the table. If we had been eating with people who didn't have kids, I would have been totally embarrassed. But I wasn't, because I knew our friends understood.

So there's a little update on me (and not Micah this time ;-). He's still my most favorite baby ever though, in case you're wondering.

A Little Wisdom After Baby Wise

I've been wanting to write a post on Baby Wise for awhile now. In fact, I have a draft saved that I just scrapped. I was having trouble articulating what I wanted to communicate, but I just read my friend Nickie's blog, and she reminds me so much of myself during the early days of implementing Baby Wise.

First, I want to say that we had a lot of success with the Baby Wise principles. Micah goes down awake with little to no fussing. He takes two 1.5 hour naps and sleeps 11-12 hours at night. He's been doing that for months. We are so grateful!

However, it breaks my heart when I hear of moms who want so badly to rock their crying babies to sleep but fear that doing so will create a habit they can never break. I was that mom. Micah has always gone down great at night, but we struggled with naps. Different tips and tricks worked temporarily, but I eventually "caved" and rocked him. I felt like I was failing at Baby Wise at the time; I had visions of rocking my 5-year-old to sleep. But by 8 months, Micah indicated that he no longer wanted/needed to be rocked at nap time, so I started putting him down awake. He transitioned with no problems.

So here's my point: while I embrace many of the principles in Baby Wise, I think in some ways the book encourages independence between mom and baby too soon. Simply put, moms shouldn't feel guilty for wanting to hold, cuddle and rock their babies more than the book thinks is wise.

With the next one, I still plan to establish an eat-awake-sleep routine. I will still do all the tricks to make sure baby gets a full feeding, and I will wake baby up to eat if necessary. I think that alone - keeping Micah from having a long stretch of uninterrupted sleep during the day - helped him distinguish night from day. But I will also rock him/her to sleep if necessary and won't feel guilty about it. Now Micah is mobile and rarely wants to be held, let alone rocked. I miss the days when he would let me rock him, and I realize how quickly those days pass by.

A Peak at Micah-Life

Dad cannot wait to take me fishing!

Hamming for the camera...I'm used to it!

Climbing on some (probably) antique furniture at my great-grandparent's house

Much more interested in having my picture taken than eating!

Peek-a-boo!

A Dream to Wake Me Up

I had the craziest, most vivid dream last night that I want to record because it gave me a new perspective on my waking life. I dreamed that I was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. I had been having headaches, so the doctor did a scan of my brain. In my dream, we were looking at the scans together, and he was pointing to various parts of my brain saying, "If the tumor were here or here or here, we could operate, but this area right here (where mine was located), we don't even touch." I was told I would die at anytime, probably later that day. I remember laying in a coffin eating a piece of chocolate cake (Jenni Farrow's Coca-Cola cake that she brought to our July 4th cookout this year...haha) - my "last meal" I guess - just waiting to die, but I didn't. So then I was told, "Well, it will probably be tomorrow." My emotions were somewhere between grief and acceptance. I wasn't really afraid to die, I had accepted that as my fate, but I was so filled with grief that Micah would never remember me and that we wouldn't get to have more children. I remember thinking, "This just isn't part of my plan" (and I love to plan ;-). When I woke up, I was so thankful this had only been a dream that I immediately said a prayer thanking God for my health. Then I went to check on my baby.

Today, I've had a new appreciation for the things that I commonly take for granted: my health, my family, even just sitting in the floor playing with Micah. I realize that although it was just a dream (thankfully), things like this DO happen and none of us are promised another day.

Vacation, Family Planning and More!

We just got back from our first long vacation with Micah. We went to my parent's house at Emerald Isle for the week. We did not choose the best beach week - the wind was blowing hard and the waves were rough - but Micah did great. He slept very well - something he usually doesn't do on trips - and he loved the beach for about an hour at a time. As any parent knows, vacations are not the same once children come along. I love watching Micah experience the things I love - especially the ocean - but I do miss sitting on the beach for several hours with a book in hand.

This vacation gave Jamie and I some perspective in making a few major decisions about our family. Lately we've been discussing how many kids we want (2 or 3) and how far apart we want them to be (2 years or 3 years). We had pretty much agreed on 2 kids 3 years apart, but this trip might have changed that. We are a very go, go, go couple - we love to travel and do things all the time - and although we love the baby stage, we are very excited about all the things we can do with Micah when he's 2, 3, etc. Then it occurred to us that around the time he gets REALLY fun (we're thinking 3), we'll be starting over with a newborn.

So we're considering having #2 soon so that we basically get through the baby stage quicker and then have two kids who are ready for the same activities around the same time. I know if we do this I'll be a crazy woman for awhile (I'm kinda crazy with just one), but I really love the idea of Micah and his sibling being close enough in age to be best friends. So we'll see...

***

A quick update on what's new with Micah at 10.5 months:

• finally crawls with stomach off the floor, standing and cruising along furniture
  
• eats about half baby food, half table food
• babbles constantly (da-da, ba-ba, na-na, hey)
  
• LOVES books (I couldn't be more proud!), will stop playing to sit and listen to a story
• more controlled movements (goes gently from standing to sitting, can place objects with control as opposed to always slinging/throwing them)
• understands a lot of what I say
• loves opening/closing cabinets
• loves drinking from a straw
  
• is a most awesome napper/night time sleeper
• goes to Kindermusik playgroup on Tuesdays and will start Mother's Morning Out on Mondays this fall
  

For Micah's 1st birthday on September 5, we've decided to have a family barbecue. We are looking forward to doing a party with friends when he's older, but we ultimately decided to keep things simple and intimate this year (if you call 7 grandparents, 3 aunts and 2 uncles simple or intimate ;-). I can't believe he's almost 1! We love him so much and are so thankful that God chose him to be our baby!

July 4th Celebrations!

July 4, 2010

We spent Micah's first July 4th at the river with Grandpa Steve (who kept referring to himself as 'Grammy'...not sure about that ;-) Saturday we had a cookout with the Farrows, Littlefields and Bells. Several of us have celebrated July 4th together in the past, and it was way different this year with little ones running around. We had a good time watching four babies under age 2 play together.

Micah and Dad

Sunday we went to the annual Kilby Island Pig Pickin'. Jamie and I both agreed that it has been better in past years. Micah sure looked cute, though! I hope we'll get to celebrate at the beach next year.

Gettin' down in your pjs!! This picture makes me laugh :-)

Micah, you are such a delight right now at 10 months old! You have mostly overcome your separation anxiety and enjoyed spending one-on-one time with Grandpa. He enjoyed taking you out for golf cart rides to give Mom a little break. You're also pulling up on everything and even cruised along the sofa today. Mimi said you did that at her house last week, but mommies are supposed to see milestones first, so I say you did it first today ;-) You babble constantly and clearly understand a lot more than you can communicate. When you wake up in the morning, I tell you to "put passy night night," and you throw it in the crib. We're still working on 'No' - I think you get it, but you like to test me!

Micah's 1st boat ride. You were sleepy, so this was not a pleasant experience! The second trip was much better!

We've done a few activities lately that are still a little advanced for you (splash park), but I get excited about all that we can do together next summer! I'm already planning your first birthday party (can it be???)! We are doing a Tigger theme because you really seem to like him. I think Mom and Dad are giving you your first Bible. I'm sure the grandparents will provide all the toys ;-)

Sometimes Momma Needs A Break

Today I had a little "desperate housewife" moment. I couldn't stand to play with blocks anymore or hear another toy that sings (usually several are going off at once). Micah woke up whiny from his afternoon nap and never really recovered. And I haven't really had a break all week. My sweet husband works three jobs so that I can stay home with Micah, so unfortunately he's not able to help me much during the day. I understand and don't ask him to very often.

But tonight, around 5pm, I announced that I was taking dinner to a friend and would be back when I got back. I left Micah with Jamie and dinner for both of them. I listened to one of my favorite CDs in the car - Everclear's "Songs From an American Movie Vol 1" - not exactly lyrics I want Micah to pick up. I played it LOUD. I sat and talked to my friend for an hour, then I road past the house in Windsor where I grew up. It looks so tacky and awful now, I'd be embarrassed for anyone to know we once lived there. I enjoyed going down memory lane as I passed homes where I used to babysit or where friends lived.

When I walked back in the door, I heard whaling (pretty much how I left things), but I was refreshed and ready to scoop up my baby and get him ready for bed. Sometimes momma needs a break.

Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to my dad and to my baby daddy ;-) We spent the weekend at the beach with my parents. We always have a great time, and they are so helpful (my step-dad entertains Jamie and my mom entertains Micah). Jamie and I even went out on a date Saturday night! We don't stay gone long...a couple of hours and we're missing Micah...but we had a great dinner at Ruddy Duck's in Morehead.

Micah has become such a happy baby (compared to those first few months). He loves the water and doesn't mind sitting in wet clothes for long periods of time. Today he pulled up (from sitting to standing) completely by himself. We are so proud! I can also tell that he understands a lot of what we are saying (for instance, he totally knows what "no" means even if he doesn't always obey.) He's also starting to get underwhelmed with baby food. He would much rather feed himself. Tonight I made Jamie's favorite, a chicken and broccoli ring. It's basically ground up chicken, broccoli, cheese, sour cream and a few spices baked inside of a crescent roll "ring." When Micah rejected his baby food, we gave him some of this and he loved it. Our baby is getting so big!

Tomorrow night we're having my dad over for dinner. I'm trying one of Amber's recipes - crock pot lasagna. Yum!

Micah's Dedication

June 13, 2010

Yesterday we had Micah dedicated at church. He did so well, even though the service was during his nap time. In fact, just seconds before we walked on stage, he fell asleep on my dad's chest. He never does that...it was so sweet and we hated to bother him.

You did very well letting Pastor Branson hold you.

Until very recently, our church practiced infant baptism. Jamie was baptized as an infant, and when he made his own profession of faith as an adult, he was very disappointed that he couldn't have a "believer's baptism." We really wanted Micah to have that option, so we had decided not to baptize him as a baby. We were excited (and a little surprised) when our church began dedicating children instead, and we jumped at the chance to do this for Micah.

You received a letter from Pastor Branson, a certificate and Just In Case You Ever Wonder, a children's book by Max Lucado. The book explains how very much you are loved by us and by God.

My mom, stepdad and dad were present, as were Jamie's mom and sister. Our good friends, Brian and Rebecca Taylor, also came. After church, Jamie and I hosted a lunch at our house. We had sandwiches, chips, fruit (and deviled eggs and cake courtesy of Mimi). It was a really great day, and Micah did so well with all the company and excitement.

Your very special dedication outfit (Mommy could just eat you up in it!)

Show Us your Life - Things that you LOVE/make you HAPPY

I took this from Kelly's Korner several weeks ago. I do a lot of posts about schedules and doctor's appointments and things that are probably not very interesting to others but that I hope will help me when Micah gets a sibling. I also feel that I sometimes come across as whiny or...worse...ungrateful. In truth, I'm the opposite. There was a time not too long ago when I did not think God's plan for me included many of my "loves" below. He had brought me to a place where I was truly content with His plan - whatever it was - but now that He has blessed me with the desires of my heart, I am so thankful. My son is 9 months old, and almost every night, with the same emotion (it just gets renewed daily), I thank God for his birth.

Ok, so here's what I love...not many surprises here ;-)


My sweet husband, Jamie. This picture was taken the summer we got married (2007). Here are some things that come to mind when I think about him: man of God, wise, faithful, funny, calm, respectful, sensitive, determined, silly, kind...I once heard Angie Harmon tell Oprah about her husband: "I'm honored that God thought enough of me to put me with him."


My favorite picture of Micah, taken with Jamie's blackberry in the hospital. One of the biggest surprises of my life has been how much I have enjoyed being a mom to a son. I recently asked my friend Stephanie, "Do you feel like God gave you the exact child you were meant to have?" She said yes, her son's personality fit perfectly in their family. I feel the same about Micah. I also think he's the cutest kid alive (as I'm sure all parents think about their children). I really can't wait to have another one.


This is a picture of us at Ocracoke, one of the prettiest beaches we have ever seen on one of the prettiest beach days we have ever shared together. All three of us LOVE the beach. I love this quote by Isak Denesen: The cure for anything is salt water - sweat, tears or the sea. We're fortunate that my parents have a house on Emerald Isle, and we go there all the time.


I'm a homebody. I love to travel, but I especially love coming back home. I take a lot of pride in making our home warm and comfortable. I clean it...a lot...but not nearly as much as I did pre-Micah. 2007 was a busy year for us...we got engaged March 3, bought our home and moved Jamie in by end of May, and got married August 3. We just love our home and our neighbors and couldn't imagine being anywhere else.

***

God has used Covenant Church to bless us in more ways than we can count. Jamie and I met through Covenant's Twentysomething ministry. Shortly thereafter, I was hired to manage Covenant's web site, a job that I loved and worked for 3+ years. Jamie and I were married at Covenant, and when we were expecting Micah, the staff rallied around us in so many ways, including throwing us a baby shower and providing meals after Micah's birth. But we love it for far more than how we have been blessed. We really believe God is present in that church and that the staff truly loves Jesus. We are excited about raising Micah in Children's Ministries, and we believe in the work the church is doing, specifically in missions in West Greenville and the DR.

Vacation and 9-Month Checkup

We just got back from a wonderful weekend at Myrtle Beach with the Dicken family. We had an ocean-view condo, pools and a lazy river, and NO PLANS! The kids absolutely loved the water! Micah was so cute splashing in the ocean and really enjoyed riding on our laps down the lazy river (I opted for video instead of pictures this time, so I will upload those later). We found some great buys at the outlets (Micah's summer 2011 wardrobe) and ate our weight in food. Usually after a trip we look forward to returning home to our own beds, but this time I was truly sad to leave. We loved traveling with another family and hope to do that more in the future!

Yesterday was Micah's 9-month checkup. He weighs 16 pounds, 10 ounces and measures 30 inches long. He is doing well but is slightly behind in some of his development (gross motor skills). The doctor said his delay is not significant enough to recommend any therapies at this point. In fact, she told us to continue doing exactly what we have been - letting him have lots of playtime on the floor. He also needs to drink more milk. He currently takes 12-16 ounces a day (24 oz. is recommended), and that little bit is a struggle. I have to sing, feed him in a dark room, stop and start several times, etc. just to get him to take that much. We've decided to cut back on his solids and re-introduce the dream feed because he will normally take 6+ ounces then. We are also going to add a little strawberry syrup to his milk to entice him to take more. We are willing to try anything!

Micah also had to get four shots yesterday :-( During his 6-month checkup, we learned about the alternate vaccine schedule and decided to try it. But after I went home and researched it more, I changed my mind. The vaccine most feared is the MMR at 15 months because it contains several live viruses. The thought is that the human body would never be fighting off more than one virus at a time, so this particular shot could be "overload". In the past, parents could opt to have this particular vaccine split up into several shots, but that's no longer an option. So, I decided to follow the traditional vaccine schedule, and he had to get caught up this time. He did very well and is having a good day so far (normally the day after his shots it the worst).

I'm a ball of nerves right now...worrying about my baby and wanting him to be healthy and "perfect" in every way. We got the impression that while he's behind in a few skills, the true "deadline" for achieving these things is his first birthday.

Let Summer Begin!

Micah with Mimi and Aunt Sarah

We had such at great time with our families at the beach and river over Memorial weekend! We started out at my parent's beach house. Micah LOVED everything about the beach, which is more evident than DNA that he is my child ;-) He is fearless around the water and enjoyed playing in the sand. We tried not to let him eat it, but that was pretty futile. My mom cooked wonderful meals and helped out with Micah so that Jamie and I could spend some time together. Micah thinks my mom is hilarious. I don't know what she does, but every time I walk in on the two of them, he is laughing at her.

Micah eating Mimi's hat
(that's our pink house in the background...jk ;-)

Monday we headed to the river to see some of Jamie's family. Micah seems to be overcoming his separation anxiety. He let several people he'd never met hold him for awhile and even allowed Mommy to walk out of the room! He is such a joy right now...laughing, playing with his toys, scooting around the house. I miss those newborn days, but I'm looking forward to his next milestones.

Here's what Micah is up to at 8.5 months:

• scooting (like an army crawl)
• standing with legs straight and arms on the floor
• sitting very well on his own
• babbling
• loves to play with toys (many of his play music and he likes to have several going at once...I hope he doesn't develop ADD!)
• struggles with distractions during meal time (Mommy is constantly pulling hands, toes, bib, etc. out of his mouth when he's supposed to be eating)
• requires singing during bottle feedings...prefers food over milk
  
• wears 12 month clothes

Schedule:
6:30 am - 4 oz. bottle + baby food
9 am - nap
10:30 - 4 oz. bottle + baby food
2 pm - 4 oz. bottle followed by nap #2
3:30 pm - snack (yogurt)
6 pm - baby food
7 pm - 4 oz. bottle and bed

Milk Strike

My mom thinks I'm the greatest!

We've had a whirlwind of a week with this boy named Micah! He was doing so great on his four hour eating schedule and then BAM, a week ago Friday he stops drinking milk. I'd been slowly introducing formula into his diet since he was six months old. He's a small guy (16 pounds, 5 ounces at 8 months), so I thought the formula might help him gain weight. Well, he'd been on it almost exclusively for about a week when he stopped taking it. I almost lost my mind. We went to the doctor twice, including a trip to the night clinic. I've tried nearly everything short of starving him (he takes baby food just fine) when finally my mom suggested that maybe he no longer likes the taste of soy. He was on soy because it was easier for him to digest, but when I switched to the milk based formula, he started taking it again. He's still not eating like before, but I'm managing to get around 14 ounces a day into him.

So, now I think he's going to need more frequent, smaller meals. He seems to do better if he gets solids and then a couple hours later, milk. He basically said, "screw you" to the lovely little schedule I had him on :-) But I hear that's "normal" for his age...whatever normal is.

Oh, and by the way, I always thought that bottle feeding would be easier than breastfeeding. The only thing easier about it is that I don't feel self conscious doing it in public. Other than that, breastfeeding is soooo much easier - always the right temperature, always readily available, no tools (bottles, liners, etc.) required, no wasting, and I don't fret so much about how much he's getting because I don't know. He just eats until he's full. I truly regret giving it up so soon.

UPDATE: Milk strike finally ended this week. We tried him on Similac, and he LOVES it. Of course, it's the most expensive formula on the market, so he would love it. Here's the schedule that seems to work best now. I'm posting this so that if our second child goes on a milk strike around 8 months, I'll be more prepared. These times are all "ish":

6:30 am - 4 oz. bottle + breakfast
8:30/9 am - nap #1
11 am - 4 oz. bottle + lunch
2 pm - 4 oz. bottle
2:30 pm - nap #2
4:30 pm - snack (yogurt?)
6:30 pm - dinner
7 pm - 4 oz. bottle and bed

8 on 8 (or some variation thereof)

I found this cute little do-dad on another blog and thought it would be fun to play along. I tag you all!

8 TV Shows I Like to Watch
1. House
2. American Idol
3. The Office
4. 19 Kids and Counting
5. Say Yes to the Dress
6. The Cake Boss
7. Hoarding...Buried Alive
8. What Not to Wear

8 Favorite Places to Eat and Drink

1. California Pizza Kitchen
2. Bonefish
3. Bojangles
4. Chick-fil-A
5. K&W Cafeteria
6. Any Japanese steakhouse
7. Any Mexican restaurant
8. My mom's kitchen

8 Things I Look Forward To

1. Taking Micah to the zoo and Disney
2. Having a second child
3. When my family stops giving me childrearing advice (one can hope...lol)
4. Beach trip in June with the Dickens
5. Micah's next year, and the year after, and the year after...
6. Retiring with Jamie, buying an RV and traveling around the US
7. Rafting down the Colorado River at the Grand Canyon
8. When Micah meets Jesus

6 Things that Happened to me Yesterday (I have a bad memory)
1. Celebrated my first Mother's Day
2. Micah said dadadadadadada (ok, maybe that was today)
3. Ate lunch at California Pizza Kitchen
4. Let Micah sleep in our bed part of the night...in our hotel...he was sick
5. Got my first Mother's Day gift, a ceramic plate from The Accidental Artist with Micah's footprints
6. Cried only once

6 Things I am Passionate about...because I can only think of 6
1. My marriage
2. Being a good mom...also the thing I'm most insecure about
3. Taking care of my home
4. Just saying no to clutter
5. Protecting Micah
6. My faith

7 Words or Phrases I Use Often
1. Mr. Llama! (to Micah)

2. I love you!

3. Mind your own business, please (to my family mostly)
4. He's actually a boy...
5. Gotta go, Micah's crying
6. Hey (also Micah's first word)
7. It's night night time!

3 Things I Have Learned From the Past (there's more, but a certain someone doesn't give me much time to get philosophical)
1. God is the Great Redeemer!
2. Sometimes I just need to relax
3. God is pleased to give me the desires of my heart when my heart is focused on Him

3 Places I Would Like to Visit/See
1. The Grand Canyon
2. Hwy 1 in California (again)
3. Martha's Vineyard

4 Things I Currently Want/Need...
1. A housekeeper
2. A chef
3. Someone to iron my laundry
4. For my child to drink milk again...yes, he's on a milk strike

Hypocrite

Now that I'm a mother, I've become one. Doing all the things I said I'd never do. This post really got me thinking. Actually, I've been thinking about it since Micah was born, but after reading MckMama's post, I realized that I share some of her reasons. This is really ironic because two of my best friends are teachers, and I have always been very against homeschooling. I figured, and they concurred, that if it takes four years to get a teaching degree and be qualified to teach in public school, then what makes me think I can do it? But now I don't think it's as black and white as that. So Jamie and I are thinking about it...praying about it...not really sure we will but not really sure we won't. Just thought you'd like to know.

April Photoshoot With Grandpa Orr

Jamie's dad was in town this month and (of course) took some pictures of Micah. Photography for him is more than a hobby but less than a job. He always gets great shots of Micah in his "natural" setting - nothing posed, just playing and hanging out. We're having family pictures done in May with Angela. I can't wait!

His poor toys don't stand a chance!

Kissy face!

His laughter is the sweetest sound we have ever heard!

Happy baby!

Snuggling with Daddy

The Grass Is Not Greener

Here's a little wisdom I gleaned last weekend. I follow a few of my favorite celebs via Twitter (yes, I know...), and sometimes I start wondering if the grass is greener on the other side. They seem to have really cool lives that I sometimes envy. Only my very old friends will know this, but there was a time early in my college career when I was poised to pursue a career in acting. I'd done community theater, some extra work on Dawson's Creek and was already taking classes in ECU's theater program, but I chose instead to transfer to UNC and pursue journalism. I don't necessarily regret that decision, but sometimes I wonder, What if? I obviously wouldn't change where I am today in my personal life, but professionally speaking, I often wonder about the road not taken.

So anyway...I'm following my celeb friends on Twitter, and checking out some of the people who they follow, and one person who I think has a pretty cool job (casting director) is recounting an experience she had on a plane when another couple got engaged. This obviously made her quite jealous, and then it dawned on me. I have what she wants. I have a wonderful husband and the most adorable baby at home. And no matter what kind of job you have, I think the most famous person in the world still wants someone to come home to at the end of the day, a family to love. Then I felt very convicted for my envy and also extremely thankful for the family that I have. God has truly spared me no good gifts, and I'm just sorry I have to be reminded of that from time to time.

7 Months and 2 Weeks

I'm a few weeks behind on Micah's 7-month post, but running late has just become a way of life for me now :-) Six months was a big turning point for us - everything seemed to stabilize - and seven is even better. Here's what Micah's up to:

- Got his first tooth last week.

- Behaves in restaurants (finally) as long as he eats when we do (can't feed him beforehand or he'll cut up).

- Has the cutest personality! He loves to make different sounds and then waits for me to repeat them back to him. Loves being tossed in the air, peek-a-boo, and has several tickle spots.

- Flashes HUGE grins when he swings at the park.

- Will lay perfectly still and just let me kiss all over his face. I know this won't last forever, so I'm enjoying it!

- Separation anxiety is getting better. We've found that as long as Jamie and I stick around for a few minutes while he adjusts to new faces, then he usually warms up quickly.

- Can sit for several seconds unsupported.

- Eats stage 3 baby food...lots of it! Has 5 liquid feedings a day (some formula and some mommy milk). Update: Moved to a 4-hour schedule at 7.5 months. Now eats 4 meals a day, usually 6:30, 10:30, 2:30, solids at 6 and a bottle at 7 (we split up this last feeding so that he'll eat more).

- Wears 9-12 month clothes.

- We love him so much! Gotta run because I miss him!

MckMama's iPad Giveaway

For those of you who read MckMama's blog (and those who don't, you should check her out!), she's giving away an iPad to one lucky person who donates at least $5 to Compassion International's Child Sponsorship Program. Click here for more. The contest ends tonight!

Not Quite Done...

But almost! Now all that's left is the sewing...yikes.

Twitter

So I signed up for Twitter this weekend. I'm not sure why. I've always thought it was for stalkers and narcissists - those who either want to follow someone's every move or those who think they're worthy of followers. I really didn't even get it for the longest time. But every time I turn around, it seems, I'm directed to go to Twitter for this contest, this information, etc. So I checked it out. Let me tell you how cool and yet crazy this thing is. I can follow my favorite celebs (which happen to be the cast of House). I can send them tweets, and they might write back. They write back to other people who tweet things like, "Please say hi to me." So I figure one of them might write back to me if I tweet something like "Why so many reruns this season? I'm so depressed." I'll let you know...

But then I realized something else. Whether we admit it or not, we like to know what certain people are doing. Yes, to a certain degree, I think we're all followers. It would sound cooler to say that I'm so not into that, but I so kinda am...teehee.

In any case, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me at jennwithapen. Don't get too excited though. Today's tweet, if I'd left one, would have been "listening to my baby cry through his naps." Exciting stuff, let me tell you! He got way off his routine this weekend - grandmas have a way of doing that - so now we're (or at least I am) trying to readjust.

Easter Pic

Micah got a new swing for Easter, and as you can tell, he loved it!

Tick Off Tuesday

Celebrities who garner media attention by announcing they're gay. The latest is Ricky Martin. I don't know about you, but that came as a huge surprise to me...you know, about as much as when Ellen made her announcement on a Time magazine cover. It just seems so, as Simon Cowell likes to call this year's Idols, self-indulgent. Why do you need to send out a press release announcing your sexual orientation? Like...seriously? Do you know what would be really original? For a celebrity (if they exist) to announce that they've been happily, faithfully married for more than 10 minutes. Now that's worth a cover story.

New Sewing Project!

I'm sewing again, and I'm so excited! Why did I start back after a year? First, I'm no longer working for Covenant so I may actually have the time. Second, I found something I want to make (more about that later). And third, I had a mini breakdown Sunday, and the conclusion Jamie and I drew was that I need a hobby (read: me time). We got called out of church yet another week because my sweet little boy just loves his mommy! He will only stay with me, Jamie and my mom, which is hard on me at times when I want to do something like worship my Lord in church. Once I was in his classroom, he played in the floor with the rest of the children, smiling at everyone, only stopping to check every few minutes to make sure I was still there. Little stinker! I sure do love him, though!

Ok, so what am I making? Well, lately I've seen kids sporting shirts with fabric appliques. I've seen some with necktie appliques (for boys), some with monogramming and some with numbers to celebrate the child's birthday. I think those are so cute, so I'm going to try making a few for Micah. I have some cute sock monkey fabric (see blog header) and some ECU fabric that I want to use. Now I just need to go buy him a couple of t-shirts and some materials and we'll be set. I'll show pictures when I'm done. Yay!

And kudos to Micah who now eats five times a day, dropped the dreamfeed, and takes a bottle with no problems. And his favorite word is yayayayayayayayayayayayayayayaya....

Tick Off Tuesday...a day early

Here's my gripe: people who respond to a Craig's List ad, make an appointment to come see your stuff, then never show! This has happened to me twice in one week. One lady called 2.5 hours after her scheduled appointment, when we were already in bed, and asked if she could still come. The other one never came and never called. RUDE! When I complain to Jamie, he says, "You are dealing with the American public. This is how they are." Of course, this never happens to him...all his buyers come when they say they are and pay him his asking price. I don't care if someone doesn't buy my stuff, I don't even care if they change their mind about seeing it, but please respect my time and let me know that you aren't coming. Next time, my ad will say "Those who make an appointment and fail to show will not be given a second appointment." I may not sell my stuff, but honestly, my time is worth a lot more to me than what I stand to make!

Back to Basics

I laugh all the time about all the things I used to think before I had kids. I was SUCH A GOOD MOTHER back then . ha! I knew SO MUCH about parenting. Can any of you identify? Being a mother has taught me a LOT about not judging others. :-) - Kelly's Korner

Parenthood is so humbling. I read books on sleep training before I even got pregnant, and I just knew my child was going be to one of those "by the book" babies. I can just hear God laughing now...oh, what fun my little boy is, though! I cannot wait for his first spring and summer. Whereas now I look forward to his naps so that I can catch up on stuff, pretty soon I'm going to be waking him early so that we can go outside and play. We outfitted him with lots of summer duds this weekend...life jacket, baby pool and baby float. He is ready!

This post isn't about Micah, though. (I have a hard time not talking about him.) Have you ever been to church and when the pastor starts to share the crucifixion story, you think "heard this before, got it, ready for the next thing" and zone out? That was me. I had the story straight, but occasionally I would hear things like "carrying your cross" or "leaving your burdens at the foot of the cross," and it sounded nice but I didn't know, practically speaking, what that looked like. I got a new understand of that recently, and it reminded me (and humbled me) that even I have to sometimes go back to the basics of my faith.

What I realized is probably very simple and obvious to some of you. It goes like this: When I became a Christian, I didn't stop sinning, I just gained access to a new power (or strength...or weapon) to fight it. So "leaving my burdens at the foot of the cross" simply means that I say, "God, I can't beat this (insert sin here) on my own. I need your help or else I'm going to fall." And God promises to help us. In fact, the Bible says that we have the same power within us that resurrected Jesus!

It's more than that, though. It's not like we just call on the cross when we need it and otherwise we're left alone to live our lives as we wish. If I call on Christ's power, then I'm also calling on him to come into my (very worldly) life and start chipping away at all that is holding me back from bringing attention to His name. And that gets uncomfortable. Just ask MckMama...she's over in Kenya right now blogging on behalf of Compassion International. Her posts during this trip will rock your world.

6 Months Old

I can't believe my baby is 6 months old! My, how the time doth fly! I've shared this before, but Jamie was a little nervous about starting a family when we did. The other day he said to me about life before Micah, "I didn't realize he'd been missing from our family."

Micah had his 6 month checkup today, and all is well except that he has a slight heart murmur. The doctor said that if it was a serious heart problem, we would have noticed outward signs by now (we haven't). But, we still need to have him checked by a pediatric cardiologist. This is scary for a mommy, but my mom also has a murmur and is just fine, so we are hopeful. Please pray that all is well with Micah. Here is what our little blessing has been up to:

Weight: 14.8 pounds
Height: 28 inches
Meals: Nurses six times a day, and three of those meals include solids
Sleep: Sleeps 10-11 hours at night and takes 2 morning naps + 1 afternoon nap + an occasional early evening power nap
Diapers: Size 2 during the day and 3 at night
Clothes: 9 months

- Loves baby food and is now eating yogurt and some stage 2 things.

- Just learned to spit and loves to do this when he's supposed to be eating.

- Loves for Mom to sing songs with his name in them and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.

- Is sensitive like his dad and will cry when people speak loudly around him (not like his dad ;-). Loves smiling at new faces but always wants Mom in his sight.

- Smiles super big for dad.

- Loves to babble. Laughs when Mom claps or does anything silly for him.

- Loves when Dad and Mimi talk to him on the phone.

- Turns easily from back to tummy and will do this while sleeping (causing Mom a little anxiety). Loves to do the "superman."

- Loves his exersaucer, walker, strolling, playing under his baby gym and being held.

- Is learning to use a sippy cup but still won't take Mom's milk in the bottle or cup.

- Is teething (no protruders yet) and wants to put everything in his mouth.

- Loves to go on "horsey rides" on Mom's knee.

- Loves baths. We hope this means he'll love being in the water this summer.

- Does not like the church nursery or any babysitters except for grandparents.

5.5 Month Schedule

I haven't posted a schedule in awhile, and some say I may want to refer back to this someday. That is, if my husband agrees to have a second child. In all seriousness, we definitely will. As a mom, it's hard to imagine loving another one as much as I love Micah, but I know it's possible. You never hear moms say, "Well, I really love my first born and the other one is just o.k."

Here's Micah's Ideal Schedule at 5.5 months old (that means we follow this about 22% of the time):

6am - nurse + solids
7:30am - nap
9am - nurse
10:30am - nap
12pm - nurse + solids
1:30pm - nap
3pm - nurse + snack (sometimes)
5:30pm - power nap
6pm - nurse + solids
7:30pm - bed
9pm - dream feed

Micah's waking up around twice a night for his passy or just to chat. Sometimes I think about not introducing a passy to the next child, but they sure do come in handy! I also think about letting Micah learn to fall back asleep at night without the passy (this would involve a good deal of crying), but within 1-2 months he'll be able to retrieve it himself. So I may just go with it for now.

Not Me Monday

I did not have this conversation at Bojangle's last week:

Woman: Ma'am, you dropped something on the floor.
Me: Me? Oh where?
Woman: Right there.
Me: I can't see it. (Looking around, over and under Micah and the table.)
Woman: Under.
Me: (Still looking)
Woman (whispering in my ear): It's a tampon.

I did not tell the eye doctor that my son was home with a baby-sitter so that my appointment wouldn't drag on forever. My son was not actually home with his father. (In my defense, Jamie did not have to get back to work ;-)

Micah is not waking up 2-3 times a night now for his passy or just to chat. Jamie did not tell him at 5am Sunday morning that he would be an only child.

And that's all for today because Mr. Micah did not just wake up from his nap :-)

Flesh-y

I had heard that motherhood is a very selfless job, but I don't think I could fully comprehend how much until Micah was born. He and I are together nearly all the time, and while I love being his mom, there are moments when I want it to be about me. Yesterday was one of those. I really just wanted to have a peaceful shopping day. Our family of three plus my mom drove to Smithfield to hit up a sale at the Carter's store. Micah has more than enough summer clothes already, but that's beside the point ;-) He also has a knack for acting up the minute I walk into a store to shop for him. In fact, the ladies at the Gymboree store in Greenville laugh about it. So anyway, Micah did great on the car ride, but as soon as we walked into Carter's, he started to whine. And I had a mini tantrum inside my head as I thought, "Why now? Why can't I just shop once in peace? Why do I always feel rushed? Is your life that bad? Is eating, sleeping and being pushed around in the stroller your idea of a rough day? Grrrrrrr."

And then later I felt bad (convicted) for having those thoughts. Afterall, he's a baby on a schedule. He doesn't like disruptions, and he doesn't nap the greatest out of his crib. I can't fault him for not playing along with mom's plan. I've actually been studying "fleshness" - the need to be in control and have everything be about me - in my weekly Bible study, Freedom for Mothers. At times I ask, "God, is this stuff really sinking in?" But then I realize it is as He gently holds up pieces of my life for me to see that are very flesh-y.

***

On a side note, we discovered something absolutely delightful yesterday at Cracker Barrel. When we pulled up for lunch, my heart sank when I saw all the people hanging out the door. We were all hungry, and I could tell this would not be good with a baby in tow. Anyway, we go to put our name on the waiting list, and when the host saw the stroller, he ushered us to our seats straight away. No wait! Turns out, Cracker Barrel does not make babies wait. Love. It.

Fotogenic Friday!

I know all parents think this about their children,
and I know I'm biased,
but I really think he's the cutest thing I've ever seen.

Freedom

I'm doing a Bible study right now called Freedom for Mothers (actually, Micah and I are doing it together because he hasn't taken to the church nursery yet. Today he set a new record. They paged me to come get him before the class even started :-) Anyway, I experienced another kind of freedom today because I resigned from my job at Covenant. Don't get my wrong, everything about this job has been a blessing from the moment I was hired 3ish years ago. I've developed wonderful friendships and got to realize a dream of mine, which was to work at a church that had such a profound impact on my faith journey and my personal life (I met Jamie there). They even allowed me to work from home after Micah was born.

But during the last several months, Jamie's computer consulting business has really taken off, and he's been spending a lot of evenings and weekends working on administrative stuff. He was contemplating hiring someone to help him a few hours a week, but after considering this, we both decided he should just "hire" me. So, that's why I'm resigning from Covenant, to become an "associate" of Orr & Associates. This is freeing for me because I really want to do a good job, and I know that I haven't been at the top of my game with the Covenant website since I had Micah. And, by helping Jamie, he will be freed to spend more time with us and Micah will get more of my attention during the day. It's really a win-win for our family, and we're so grateful to God for how He's blessed us with work.

Wordless Wednesday (a day early because I'll forget tomorrow)

5-Minute Face!

My life was revolutionized recently while watching "What Not to Wear" as I rocked my son to sleep. I learn a lot from that show about how to assemble outfits, what looks good on certain figures (and what doesn't...I have a lot of those pieces) and also makeup. During this particular episode, makeup artist Carmindy was dealing with a no frills gal like myself. So, she told her about the 5-minute face. Wow! Usually I only have about 4 minutes to do my face before a certain somebody wakes up early from his nap (and no kidding, just as I typed that my monitor lights lit up), but still...Carmindy's all about helping women accentuate their natural beauty. If you use her tips to apply makeup, you should still look like your "regular" self...just better. Makeup is something I try to do most days, even if it means the dishes stay piled in the sink. I just feel better about myself the rest of the day, and if I have the opportunity to leave the house, then I'm more apt to do it if I have my face on :-)

So yeah, the 5-minute face. I think she wrote a book about it so maybe I could get in trouble for copying her secrets here. But basically here's what you need: foundation, one eye shadow that highlights your eye lid and brow line best, mascara, liner (except I'm afraid of it and don't use it), blush and lip gloss. You can figure out the rest ;-) Love me the Carmindy.

5-Month Update

Busy week for us. So busy, in fact, that I have to use bullets (not the kind in guns) to cover everything. This week:

• We started Kindermusik. Micah really seemed to like it. Part of me is like, "I could totally do this at home...for free!" But I probably wouldn't, and we both enjoyed meeting other moms and babies.

• I started the Motherwise: Freedom for Mothers Bible study and Micah lasted a whole hour in the nursery! After that, he hung out with me and the other moms and visited with his friend and neighbor, baby Joshua.

• Micah had has 5-month weight check on Tuesday. He gained almost a pound since last month and now weighs 13.8 pounds. Doctor says he's doing fine.
  

• Micah dropped his 9pm "dream feed" and is now eating 5 liquid meals a day. Three of those include solids. He has not rejected a single food yet...so unlike his mother ;-) Right now I buy his food, but my neighbor gave me a great book on how to make it myself, so I might try that.

• Not to be cryptic, but some job changes are in the works for me. I will share more once the affected parties are notified :-)

• We planned our first summer vacation. My in-laws own a time share that they graciously share with us. Since I'm not a fan of flying right now, we opted for the Myrtle Beach location in June. We are planning to go with some good friends and their little boy. I cannot wait to introduce Micah to the beach!