newsletter: month 5

Dear Samson,

Okay, you've been five months old for almost a week. I'm not a total slacker, I've just had some trouble thinking about what I want to tell you about specifically this month. So much has happened and so much is going on! Occasionally someone will ask me if I just want to freeze you where you are right now. I don't. Every time you do something new or something adorable and I think it just can't possibly get better or there's no way there's going to be another thing for me to excitedly tell someone about, there is. I am trying to savor all the moments that I can but you're such a neat little kid that I am looking forward to your future.

For example, this month you got to start eating solids. I don't know why they say "solids" because it's about as pureed as you can get. We started with rice cereal and then after we established you didn't have any problems with it we got to add peas and now we're on green beans. One new food a week so if there's any reactions I know exactly what food to avoid in the future is so boring. It's necessary but I feel a little bad. Luckily you don't actually know that there are a million kinds of food out there and you have no idea what you're missing by not getting to have a little garlic on those green beans. Next week we'll move to the orange vegetables and after that we get to do fruits.

Daddy and I both LOVE to cook and we love to eat, quite frankly. We have grand plans for you, Samson. We want you to grow up eating American, Mexican, Japanese, Thai, Indian, and whatever else kind of food we can think of. We are always experimenting with new recipes and trying new restaurants when we can afford it and thinking of foods you can grow up with that we have regularly in our household. You often sit in the kitchen with me as I cook and I hope that's something we continue for a long time.


This month, Daddy and I got to go to a wedding. It was our first big date night since you were born and we asked Grandma and Papa to babysit months in advance. We got all dressed up and kissed you goodbye and celebrated our friends' new marriage. We had a great time and then were surprised to find you awake when we got home close to midnight! Grandma said she had gone through your bedtime routine and about three quarters of the way through, you looked up at her and realized she wasn't me and that's when she knew you weren't going to sleep. I happily took over the attempts at getting you to sleep and let me tell you my friend, it was a long night. You were exhausted but you were a little mad at us for leaving you behind. After kind of yelling for about an hour, you had yourself wrapped around my arm and finally conked out.

Just last week, Daddy and I went to a party for his step-mom. You actually were asleep when we got home. You woke up pretty early and when I went in to check on you, you actually squealed with happiness to see me. It was adorable! I changed your diaper and got you a bottle and we went to the bedroom where you saw Daddy sleeping and squealed again! I had to wake him up so he could talk to you because you were just so excited to see us both. Someday, like when you're a teenager, and you don't want to hang out with me anymore, I'll remember the little toothless version of you that literally squealed with happiness just to see me in your room.

I love you, Samson. I love being your mom. I'm regularly covered in spit up, have baby food crusted on my hands, change toxic diapers, and am getting toned arms from carrying you everywhere. But I wouldn't trade it for anything because I also get these little grins, big giggles, and nuzzles from you. Having a kid is the hands down hardest thing I've ever done, but it's also the best thing that has ever happened to me. You're my favorite little guy, Daddy is my favorite big guy, and together the three of us are a pretty great little family.

Happy five months!

Love, Mama.