Happy 4th of July!  The end of the month crept up on me.  I know I say this all the time, but I didn’t even realize that July happens so soon!  Where does the time go?  First, a look back on the month of June.

The blog is back.  I have been slowly writing each week during Sam’s nap times, which end unpredictably so I’m giving myself grace if I don’t get a blog completed (and celebrate when I manage to write two or three in a row!).  I’m trying to get into a rhythm as well, especially with what posts go up on what days.  I haven’t completely settled on it yet, but it’s coming together nicely.

Other things that happened this month include my birthday and a baby shower for Sam.  I really cannot state enough the gratitude I have for my family and my community.  Sam is so, so loved, and I am so honored and humbled to get to be his mom.

He has had some milestones as well.  He now makes eye contact regularly.  And, the best part, he has started smiling, laughing, and cooing.  He loves to play on his activity mat and stare out windows or at windows (he loves the light!).  Breastfeeding is so much easier now and he sleeps pretty well, at least 3 hours at a time at night and a few naps during the day.  He still has his fussy days, but he’s a pretty chill baby most of the time.

And I did manage to go through some of my clothes this past month.  I cleaned out my drawers of very old and worn out clothes, and I have started a pile in the closet of clothes to donate.  Clothes that I haven’t worn in a couple years or that really just don’t fit or flatter me.

My body has changed after Sam, and while I do exercise every day (we take our stroller walks and I do a brief yoga practice while he plays on his activity mat), I’m embracing the body I am in.  It’s not the slim body I had in college.  It’s been on a rollercoaster these last five years, and honestly, it shows.  But that’s okay.  My focus is on getting strong and healthy, not losing weight.  It helps that so many of you have told me that I am looking great (you really encourage this mama!).  But also, I need to find the clothes that are for me, that fit well and that I enjoy wearing.  So, this purge was a letting go of the old and the past and I will be slowly adding pieces that are an embrace of the present me.

So now, a look into July.

• Visiting with Family.  This month, we are going to have our first road trip with the little one.  Michael’s dad, who has Alzheimer’s disease, isn’t able to travel anymore.  We waited until this month so Sam could be a bit older, and I was completely recovered before we made the trek.  We are excited for him to meet his grandson!
• Celebrating milestones.  We also have a lot of family birthdays this month (including my husband).  But also, Sam continues to grow.  I can’t believe he will be 2 months this month, working towards his 3rd!  It is true that the time flies, but I’m soaking up every minute of it.
• Blogging and Organizing.  I’m going to continue working on my blog this month.  I really want to organize the posts to make it easier to navigate.  I realize that I write about a couple very different topics, so I want to make it easier to find things without wading through a hodgepodge.  This may be a two-month project (or longer) but I’m hoping to begin really working on it this month.

So we survived June and racing full speed into July.  Again, just like last month, if nothing else gets done but that we get through our days (and nights) relatively unscathed, I will be happy!