It felt so good to sleep with the windows open and to feel the wind blowing from off the ocean. I loved it! We woke up every morning and took the dogs and Blake on a walk along the beach. The dogs had a blast! They would chase birds, twigs, and yes, even crabs. We didn't think that they would go near the water, but they did. Ellie jumped right in and Suzzy would follow, although a bit reluctant at first. They loved to play in all of the loose sand and to run along the beach. It was fun to watch their first beach experience.
Blake did wonderful traveling. He slept most of the way there and most of the way back. I sat in the back with him for part of the trip because he was awake and got a little bored. So I got to bond with him some more and talk with him and make him smile. I love his smiles!
During the trip, there were also some wonderful family moments that I captured on the camera. Once again, they almost all involve Raun because he forgets we have a camera!
Raun couldn't wait to dip Blake's feet into the ocean (which was rather warm) or to put them in the sand. Blake didn't like either of them...he cried. However, I think he'll like it better when we take him to Florida on our family vacation next summer. Maybe Raun will have better luck with him then!
Blake even got in his first round of golf. However, he did not heed to the golf rules of no talking or crying on the course. Good thing it was just a putt-putt course!
As far as development goes, Blake is definitely getting heavier! He's so precious and every time we go shopping we have a bunch of people asking us if they can look at him because he's so cute. (I'm kinda partial and must agree with them!) We even had one lady tell mom that we needed to enter him into a beauty contest. I doubt that we'll ever do that, but it was nice to hear that so many people think he's adorable! He's definitely a lady's man and can make any girl fall for that pout of his. It's so hard not to pick him up and cuddle him every time he sticks that lip out!
He's becoming more attentive to lights, colors, and different textures. He loves music and is tracking so many things now. He pays CLOSE attention to our faces, and when we smile he is starting to smile. It's not every time, but he's starting to figure it out. It's neat to look at things from his perspective and to wonder what he's thinking. He loves to look at Ellie and Suzzy...since they are both colors that he can see quite well. Ellie and Suzzy are still protective over him and let us know the moment he begins to cry. Who needs baby monitors when you have dogs?
I've started back to work last week and it was so good to be back. I missed Blake, but I was only gone for one feeding, which made me feel better. It was a great first day back, too. I was offered more job positions and because of that, I am handing over my Knoxville facility to another music therapist in Knoxville. I will miss them terribly, but God worked everything out perfectly. That facility stopped being a Level 4 Sex Offender facility when I went on maternity leave and they became a place that is dealing with male adolescents with behavioral disorders. They have handed over all of their sex offenders to other facilities or have released some, which means the music therapist that will take over will be starting with a clean plate. I, on the other hand, get to increase my time at my psych hospital and my nursing homes are growing from one facility to another. In the meantime, I am also adding a few other aspects to my business, including Kindermusik. I will be starting my first class, Baby Sing and Sign, in January. I'm doing them so Blake can be with me and I don't have to leave him. Plus, I get to spend this extra time with him doing what I love...music!
Our basement is working on completion. The father of one of my guitar students is putting in the ceiling now and will be done with that in 2 weeks. It looks great! I guess after that, Dad gets to come and put in lights. Raun did a wonderful job finishing up the laundry room. I'll post pictures of that room once the ceiling gets in. He laid the floor down all by himself because I had to tend to a crying baby most of that time. I can't wait to do the floors upstairs and to paint the rooms. Not much longer...especially since we have leftover paint from downstairs! Then I guess it's on to finishing a bathroom.
Well...it's bedtime for my baby, which means one last feeding for the night. I'll leave you with some other rand
om pictures of
him.
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