Sweet Freedom

Happy Birthday America!

(edited) Also happy anniversary to me! I started my blog a year ago today. Kind of weird that I thought to check and see when I started....and it just happens to be today. Well not to weird considering I started this blog to track my pregnancy with Daniel and we figured out last year afer the 4th that I was pregnant. So I really do need to change the layout soon:-)

This holiday seems to always sneak up on us. Lately it also seems to end just as the holiday begins....guess that is what happens when it falls on a Tuesday.
This year we got to cram much into the holiday....camping, bocce, swimming, hiking, fireworks, movies, and hotdogs. No parade though.

Daniel had his first camping trip. It was only one night, but it was a good practice for when we go camping for real this weekend. I have a feeling I got off real easy because we camped with a Grandma, Grandpa, Great Aunt, and a couple of female cousins...ha I barely saw him! Daniel got to go swimming in a pond.
Then we went to my mom's and relaxed up there. There Daniel got to swim in Lake Huron. He did ok for being 4 months old. It wasn't really swimming...actually he got held while in the water...but it was fun none the less. His pediatrician said it was fine to put sun block on him even though all the "experts" say not to put it on him until he is 6 months old. It was nice to be given the go ahead since I was going to break that "rule" anyways;-)
What really surprised us this weekend was that Belle swam...of her own free will. You would think she would love the water, since she is a spaniel type dog (Brittneys are not technically spaniels...even though they used to be called brittney spaniels, the spaniel part was taken off a while ago). Well no our little web-pawed little dog does not like to swim (or did not). She avoided me near water because I would try and make her swim. However on Daniel's first "swim" I stood there jaw dropped because my little doggie was doing what I always expected her to do SWIM! She would always wade in the water, but once it got to deep she would jump out. However she just swam and swam and swam some more. I just can't wait until Daniel is old enough to go swimming with his doggie. I used to have a blast with my dog Bandit growing up swimming with him, the two of us could be in the water all day.
Chad and I are both really lucky to have come from families that embrace teaching children to swim young (also teaching water safety). Water has always been a big part of my life, which is one reason why I look forward to our move so much. I just feel so peaceful being near water. I loved living in the Soo. Just even seeing a large body of water on a daily basis keeps me calm.

Monday night Chad and I got to see a movie. We saw Cars, while my mom watched Daniel. It was our first time to a movie theater since Daniel was born. I love Pixar movies. They are so creative. One of my favorite movies of all time is Monsters Inc., however Cars just might have beaten it out. I will definitely get the DVD. I can't wait to see the special features on it.

Last night we tried to take Daniel on his first Geocache. However we went before a fireworks show and it got late before we could find it, also Daniel was crying the whole time on the hike in. I got him calmed down and he really enjoyed the hike out. I forget that he needs a few minutes to absorb new surroundings. If I would have taken the time before we headed out we might have been successful....but it was a nice hike anyways. We then moved the truck to get a better view of the fireworks. It is a huge park, so we could sit where it wasn't so loud. Daniel actually noticed the fireworks, it was nice to sit down and enjoy a traditional Independence Day event.
Now I am back here at work, however our new software tools have been launched, our client is gone for a week, so things are dead around here. I love being in the office this week, it’s so quiet and so easy to get into work. I hope much of the stress our team has been experiencing for the past 6 months will subside...Of course thanks to Daniel I did not get to experience all 6 months of it....lol....GOOD BOY!
Hopefully I will have time this week to finally make the changes to the blog.

Well happy Independence Day everyone.....Remember those who fought for our Freedom, those who continue to stand for our freedom, and the families of those who stand for our freedom.