Happy Father's Day

What a difference a year makes. This time last year, I was thinking I couldn't hide our pregnancy secret from our families much longer. I was running out of baggy blouses and about to explode with excitement. Fast forward a year later, and I sit here looking at a sweet little boy, fast asleep, swinging in his swing with stuffed monkeys rotating above his angelic head. His dad is still asleep upstairs after 9 a.m. and deservedly so.

I didn't know my father growing up. It wasn't a situation where I never knew who he was or never saw him, but I saw him only on visitation night, weekly, until around age 7. And then, I never saw him again until I was nearly 18. The formative years were gone and the ability to casually say "my dad" and have it mean anything and nothing at the same time all gone. Having a dad at the time was something other people had, not me. It just seemed to be a foreign concept.And to be honest, it was something I only felt the loss of on occasion. At that time, I couldn't have told you when Father's Day was except "sometime in the summer".  My mom gave me so much foundation and love all on her own that I often forgot what  I didn't have. 

My mom later remarried (during my college years) and I was fortunate enough to have a stepdad who adopted me and by any measure or standard was considered my dad. He helped me navigate some of the rough terrains in my young adult life. He always lent a listening ear and was supportive and I will be forever grateful for that. I love you, Frank Washington. 

Back to my husband and why his sleeping in is so deserved. Having a father around, period, seems deserving of accolades these days. Having a father who is excited to be a father is deserving of a standing ovation. From the time we began even talking about the prospect of children, Thomas has been happy and supportive. Maybe this seems a relatively "everyday" thing to be grateful for, but sadly, so many don't get that from their significant other.  Jackson has been loved by his dad long before he ever made his entrance into the world. 

Thomas was by my side, and by Jackson's side, for every visit to the doctor during my pregnancy and for the entire hospital stay once I delivered. He has changed just as many diapers, (if not more), fed the baby just as much as I have, played with him, laughed with him and most importantly, loved our boy to death. I often hear the two of them on our deck having conversations. Thomas imparts his wisdom upon Jackson and Jackson happily babbles back. And, as I headed back to work, and was still in school, Thomas totally picked up the slack as an amazing father would do. 

They attend sporting events together...

...lounge around and watch soccer at home together..

....and love getting dressed up for church together.

Some of my favorite Jackson and Daddy items:

The made up bath time song by Thomas

The song Thomas sings to Jackson that is basically a remix of Arsenal's fight song

Jackson and Daddy naps 

When Thomas asks Jackson: "Are you a big guy? Bigguy.com? Yeah!"

They have had a special bond right from the beginning.

Jackson has so many wonderful years ahead of him with Thomas as his dad. They are the best of pals. 

My heart is full.

Happy Father's Day from our little family to all the dads out there. 

Cheers,

Samara

Second Wedding Anniversary

Thomas and I recently celebrated our second wedding anniversary. We'd planned on staying in town this year and doing something low key. Thomas planned the evening (this was the weekend before our actual anniversary) and each stop that night was a surprise for me. 

It was our first evening away from our little guy together. Previously, I was away from him one night for a women's church conference and Thomas had been away one night for work. "Grandma No No" (my mom) was sweet enough to watch him. We reluctantly dropped him off at my mom's and headed to the first surprise stop--The Knight Cap.

The Knight Cap is one of my favorite restaurants in Lansing. The food is good, but the service and ambience are what make it really special. One unfortunate piece of news I have to report is that the legendary Mr. Ricque no longer works there. He really made a visit to the Knight Cap special. (You can read my totally non expert review of the Knight Cap--including a little about Mr. Ricque here.) 

I'm sure the recent college grads at the table next to us were internally rolling their eyes at this overaged hipster taking a picture of her plate of food, but I care not! I wanted to share how delicious my anniversary dinner plate looked with you all. 

After our delectable meal, Thomas and I headed home for a spell as we apparently had time between activity one and activity two. It was strange being home without the baby. I tried to not think about missing him and just enjoy the one-on-one time with Thomas. 

Speaking of overaged hipsters... 

Our next surprise stop was the movie theater. Thomas remembered my saying "Oh, I want to see that!" when the previews for "The Other Woman" came on. What a guy. Enduring a chick flick for his gal. Daw. 

We ended the evening with going to the place we met for the first time a little over four years ago--Tavern On the Square. We make sure to go there every year, right around the time we met (and now, right around our anniversary)to have a Guinness just as we did the first time we met. I didn't get a picture of our beers this year the way I usually do, so I'll share a few pictures that we took at TOTS on our wedding day. 

Thomas did manage to get an artsy shot of the scene, though. 

On our actual anniversary, we exchanged gifts. The second anniversary is the cotton year. We both, funnily enough, picked up robes for one another. 

Thomas totally wins the present award, though. My bumbling, absent-minded professor of a husband managed to pick up the most beautiful champagne colored, Turkish cotton Oscar de la Renta robe. This robe feels like flopping onto clouds and being served champagne. Yes, it is that pretty of a feeling. 

When the sun went down, we opened up the bottle of Shiraz we picked up in Rome while on our honeymoon. Our original plan was to drink it on our first wedding anniversary, but those plans were put on hold when we found out I was pregnant with Jackson. 

The wine was worth the wait.

We lit the chiminea on our deck and toasted to two years of friendship and love while sipping the most delicious glass...es....of wine. 

I drank to many more years of wedded bliss, discovery, teamwork, laughs and love. 

Cheers,

Samara

Five on Friday

I don't know what your week was like, but mine was full of deadlines and other stressors. 

I seriously just finished some nonsense assignment that our prof threw at us at the last minute. I think the assignment was created to buy him time to finish creating the final exam he was supposed to have ready by now, but I digress.

Who is ready to say "Goodbye work week, hello weekEND"? Raise your hand high for this week's Five on Friday!

1. Favorite Month

May has always been one of my favorite months. Not just because it's my birthday month, but because my two favorite seasons in Michigan are spring and fall, so basically any of the spring and fall months are good in my books. However, May contains my birthday and now, Mother's Day and our wedding anniversary. (OK, May always contained Mother's Day, but I can now enjoy it as a mother.)

2. Ice Cream Teether

Jackson is officially teething. He has been drooling and eating his fists for weeks (months, even), but wasn't teething. We'd bought a few different kinds of teethers and he hadn't really cared for them. I show up to daycare one day to pick him up and see him happily lying there, sucking on and swinging this cute teether. The handles are small and the chew area is large so babies can independently soothe themselves. His daycare always knows best with this kind of stuff. So, of course, we promptly ordered some of these teethers to have at home.

3. Low-Fat Dessert

Some time ago, I posted a low-fat strawberry dessert recipe. Well, my husband walked in tonight with these crêpes, so I had to switch up the recipe. Oh my. It was delicious!! And even fewer Weight Watchers points than the dessert shells in the previous recipe. ONE Weight Watcher point, people! 

4. Jackson Is On A Roll

So, unless you are a SAHM (stay-at-home mom), you probably miss many "firsts". And honestly, even SAHM's can be a victim of this as you are not sitting, staring at your baby for hours on end each day. But, when we miss a first because it happened while the baby was at daycare, it's still a first for us because it's the first time we're seeing it and doesn't bother me at all like I thought it might. 

I felt no loss in excitement tonight when my husband and I patiently watched our crabby son (to be fair, this was during the "witching hour" (the couple hour timeframe before bed) ever so slowly roll from his stomach to his back while on his colorful baby "gym". 

I'd privately thought that maybe I didn't have enough of a goofy parent factor within me to get excited about this milestone, but nope, I proved that I am a full-fledged nerd in this regard. I happily clapped and gave my excited praises through a big, stupid smile that seemed permanently stuck to my face. What a night! Mom is so proud of you, Jackson!

5. Approaching Two Years 

It's true what they say, that after a certain age, life just barrels ahead and the years seem to add up in the blink of an eye. The time goes even faster when your'e, ahem, older AND in love. 

It's hard to believe that I met my Thomas four years ago and that we are now approaching our second wedding anniversary. (Official date is May 5th, but we are celebrating tomorrow evening.) Last year, I was newly pregnant and nauseous around the clock. As a result, we had a very laid-back wedding anniversary out of town. We plan on staying in town this year and having an evening out.

I am such a fortunate lady to have someone at my side who is truly my best friend. I can't imagine traveling this road called life with anyone else but my T-Mo.

Cheers,

Samara

Happy Birthday, Thomas!!

This week we are celebrating my best friend's birthday. This week, we are celebrating my husband Thomas' birthday.

Yep, this week. 

Tuesday (his actual birthday), we had a nice birthday lunch and popped over to our favorite bakery, Bake N' Cakes, for dessert afterwards. 

(This is mine, his had sprinkles.)

Later that day, we had dinner at Ukai. Ukai has become a bit of a tradition on Thomas' birthday. If you're unfamiliar with Ukai, it's a Japanese steakhouse that is pure entertainment (the chefs put on a show at your table) and the food is delicious. 

As you can see from our faces, the birthday dinner left us quite happy.

The best part is, his birthday week continues on Sunday when some of our family returns from Cancun. We have a birthday brunch and presents in store for him! 

Happy Birthday WEEK to the most wonderful man I know! 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, THOMAS!!!  

Cheers,

Samara