Swimming, shooting, eating...

This past Sunday, we went out to the Hamann's in Elkhorn to hang out for just a little while before our friend Chris had to head back to D.C. (he flew out for Dean's party). Ayla swam in a big pool for the first time...we weren't sure how she would react since she didn't exactly love her little baby pool when we first put her in it. Dean took her in and initially, she seemed a little bit scared. The cool water made her take a deep breath in and Dean said he could feel her little heart racing. Once she got used to the temperature, she really liked it! She was giggling and splashing her hands in the water and was even kicking her little legs.

Silly Daddy wearing Ayla's hat After we soaked in the pool for a little bit, we ate lunch, changed, and headed out to shoot clay (am I even saying that right? Shoot clay?? I'm such a girl...I don't know.) Anyways, we all had earplugs and since getting those suckers into Ayla's ears would most likely be a mini wrestling match, we bought her some headphone-looking ear covers. She looked so funny in them! She surprisingly left them alone for a lot longer than I expected. We were able to watch for several minutes before she flung them off and we had to go sit in the car. By the time we were ready to head home, she was past her regular naptime so I had to keep her entertained in the car so we could prevent a meltdown.For dinner (the dinner Dean thought we were going to have on Saturday...hehe), we did a shrimp boil. You put all kinds of stuff...shrimp, sausage, corn, potatoes, onions, garlic, lemon, spices...in a huge pot at various times (we used our turkey fryer) and when it's done cooking, you just dump the whole thing on a covered table and eat right off the table. It's great! And sooooooo yummy.We had such a great weekend...it was very busy, but it was fun...a wonderful way to top off my month at home with Ayla. My parents got home yesterday evening...I'm glad to have them back but that also means back to work for me. Today is my last day off. I was so looking forward to this time with her; I am floored that it's already over. It was the fastest month ever! The previous few times I was able to stay home with her, I was ready to go back to work by the end. During those times though, she wasn't on any sort of schedule...I had no idea when she would eat and when she would sleep. As a result, I felt like I couldn't go anywhere because I would be afraid that she would need to do one of the two. The whole day would feel so long and unpredictable...by the time Dean got home from work, I felt like I had been run completely ragged. Now, however, she is on a great schedule so I know what to expect every day. I know when we can leave the house to run errands or go shopping...she eats and naps around the same times every day. Before I know it, the day is over. I have had such a fun month with her...it's amazing to see how she does something new every day. She is so much more interactive now...she's incredible. I love her. And I am so bummed to be going back to work tomorrow...even more than when I had to go back after my maternity leave. I know I only work a few hours a day, but we have such a great routine going, I'm going to miss the time I've been able to spend with her. Sigh.