More in the Month of May

 We can't believe it...Esther is almost one!
 As we were eating breakfast together as a family the other morning, I looked at our little sunshine as she was eating her oatmeal and fresh fruits, and couldn't help but think of the wonderful year that has flown by so very quickly. I thanked God for the blessing of her birth and what an amazing experience it was and IS to be a mother to one of His very own. I thanked Him for her smiles that light up our home and lives, her sweet girly fragrance, her laughter, fingers, and toes...I went on and on and on. Nothing can replace the loving moments I've been given with my family and in eight, I repeat, EIGHT days we will be celebrating 12 beautiful months of LIFE with miss Esther Ruth Gruntmeir! (Whooo hooo*)

Next month we will share Esther's birthday celebration with you...

This past month (May) has been Tornado season for Oklahoma but we have managed to stay safe and out of harms way. We hope to be coming to an end to this season, but not so ready for the HEAT of the summer! So far we haven't gotten above the mid 90's so we have been enjoying the lush green grass and trees, being thankful for today. Jeff, Esther, and I have been spending a lot of time at the pool each weekend since it's been warming up and Esther has absolutely loved her time spent in the water.

She's always been very independent but starting on Mother's day, Esther took her first steps and has been working hard every day to perfect her "walking skills". As of today Esther is able to take 6-7 steps on her own without any help (Nor does this girl WANT any help..."she must take after her mother," Jeff says!)

Books are her passion and saying that Esther loves to read would be an understatement. Before bed, after waking up, when playing...there is never a bad time to read a book. If we ask her to bring us a book, Esther will hurry off to one of her many book bins and bring us her favorite books to read. she enjoys reading books to mommy and daddy as well as having us read them to her as she works on signing along.

Esther signing "mommy"

Esther has added a few new signs to her repertoire this month.

Esther's Signing vocabulary includes:

1. Fish
2. Ball
3. More
4. "All done"
5. Baby
6. Sleep
7. Fan
8. Milk
9. Water
10. Eat
11. Dog
12. Mommy
13. Daddy

Esther's Verbal Vocabulary includes:

1. Op-a (Open)
2. Ba-bah (Jacoba)
3. Uh-oh
4. momma
5. Dadda
6. Blue
7. Bu (Book)
8. Duh (Dog)

Jeff and I carry our own CamelbaK water bottles around with us everywhere we go and drink lots of water each day. Of course Esther has felt the need to master drinking from our Camelbak bottle and has lost much interest in drinking from her boring sippy cups. Last month Jeff and I ordered Esther her very own baby CamelbaK water bottle and she loves it! It's so cute to see her drinking from it when she's thirsty. We tend to place it on a small table in the kitchen for her so when she is thirsty she is free to come and drink from it throughout the day.

So serious drinking from her water bottle at the pool

 

Esther has also been able to follow simple instructions this month such as, "Sit on your bottom, please" "Bring me a book,"  and "where is...?," along with a few other instruction/ commands. She seems to be very observant to the world around her in so many ways. She never ceases to impress mommy and daddy.

We have certainly enjoyed another month gone by and all that it has brought to our home. Here are some more photos of fun activities we enjoyed as a family during the month of May.

We won tickets to the Circus and got to see the Elephants and circus acts!

Our Adventure to the campus Theta Pond

Feeding the ducks

Feeding...Esther?!

"Bottoms Up"

Daddy Daughter dance at Cousin Matthew and Mandy's wedding

The month of May also brought with it our 5th wedding anniversary. I couldn't image my life without my best friend. Jeff is a strong leader, amazing father and loving husband. God has blessed us with a strong commitment to one another that is unified in and through Him, Jesus Christ. Not only being married to your best friend but ultimately the one God hand picked just for me brings joy and happiness to my heart each and every day. I am so excited to share eternity with my husband and grow together spiritually just as God has intended and promised!

We celebrated our 5th year together by spending our very first night away from home...and away from Esther. But Jeff did a fantastic job at surprising me and keeping my mind distracted enough to enjoy our time together (instead of being a worrisome mother).

Happy anniversary to my hubby

We enjoyed a couples massage at our hotel he reserved in downtown OKC and after, I was surprised with chocolate covered strawberries and a bottle of champagne brought to our room. Dinner at Flints followed by a stroll around Bricktown and the outdoor botanical gardens was just what I needed...quality time, connection and intimacy with my husband! Before heading home, of course, we had to stop by "Pinketzel" to find Esther a sweet little gift as a souvenir for when we returned home. 

"And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."

 ~ Colossians 3:14