The month of May started off with two special family celebrations, Shawn's forty-somethingeth birthday and Mother's Day! We dedicated each of those days to enjoying time together as a family. Whether it was early morning breakfast in our jammies, lunch at our favorite restaurant, playing in the park or taking a family bike ride...no matter what we did, it all added up to perfect for us. And of course, little Sam was happy to simply play with the balloons!
A typical kid...so fascinated by a balloon!
We enjoyed a visit with Shawn's sister Kathy and her husband Mike who live nearby in Palm Harbor, and who we always love to have around as much as possible! Mike and Kath had been interested in spending some time at Disney World, and we had been looking forward to taking Sam to see some of his favorite characters from Disney Junior, live on stage. So off we went to Disney's Hollywood Studios for a fun-filled day!
C'mon, Aunt Kath...we have a Fast Pass!
Hola, Handy Manny!
The Disney Junior Live show was the highlight of this visit for Sam. He is crazy about many of the characters he sees on TV each morning, like Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Doc McStuffins and Jake the Neverland Pirate. And Sam loves to dance and feel almost any kind of music. So he was very excited to see, hear and dance along with the show...and for the grown-ups, he was a joy to watch!
Another Disney trip was in store when we had a brief surprise visit from some of Shawn's family visiting from up north. Sam got to meet and enjoy some play time, this time at the Magic Kingdom, with his Wisconsin cousins who are affectionately known in our family as the "Cheese Curds". He also got his first kiss, somewhat reluctantly, from the fairest of them all, Snow White!
Natalie, Jack, Sam and Maia at the Magic Kingdom...they all actually stood still for a split second!
I know, I'm irresistible.
Back at home, we've been experimenting with sensory materials. We try to keep Sam active and engaged throughout his days, and sensory activities have offered us a creative, safe and inexpensive way of helping him explore the world around him. The best part is that he has a ton of fun and gets to make a mess! And our boy is happy to dig right in - literally.
This oatmeal is no match for Sam and a Mac truck!
There are several bloggers out there that offer sensory play ideas. One of our favorites is Fun At Home With Kids. So far, we've been inspired to play with cloud dough (flour and vegetable oil), "dirt" (dried coffee grounds) with plastic toy creatures, oatmeal, shaving cream, jello and rice. We've mainly been using edible items because Sam can't seem to resist taking a taste. As you can see above, he's not afraid to get his hands dirty, but nothing gets this boy more excited than a tub, or pool, full of water.
Which brings us to one of the most fun and exciting developments of late, Sam began taking swimming lessons! We are so lucky that one of Shawn's oldest friends lives really close by and she is a certified Infant Swim Resource instructor. Sam's lessons were ten minutes per day, five days a week for about six weeks. At first, we were really nervous for him. Sam cried during his first lesson (and Heather may have even shed a few tears herself), but soon enough he was smiling and laughing as he showed off his new water skills. He took to holding his breath very easily, and it wasn't long before he could swim to the wall or to an outstretched hand all by himself. We are so impressed with Sam, and proud of his courage and hard work. And we couldn't be more grateful to our friend for such an amazing gift. Here are a few shots of Sam in the beginning of his six-week program.
Sam's instructor, Brynn, said he took naturally to holding his breath under water.
Hey Michael Phelps...check out my butterfly!
Snackin' and relaxin' after working hard in the pool...
If you live in the West Orange County area and would like more information about Infant Swim Resource or our favorite instructor, please feel free to contact us!
Here is a closer look at these and other photos from the month of May.
