May - month 16

What a month of changes! With Shannon graduating and staying home full-time, this month has been crammed full. I've been mildly envious of Shannon and PJ's time together. I wish I could hang out with them all day, but we need money and health insurance. Shannon's been taking PJ to story times and the zoo. She's taking lots of pictures too which helps me not feel so left out. We do have the awesome weekends together. I've been trying to give Shannon some adult time both during the week and on the weekends.

Our summer plans are moving along nicely. Shannon's found a swimming class for PJ and some yoga classes for herself. I've signed up for a sewing class. It's so awesome to have the time to do these things we've always wanted!

My phone up and died, only like 18 months old and kaput! I have since realized that I could have just looked on ebay for a replacement, but instead I just got another one via upgrade. It is not bad, but it is different. I lost all my old photos (although I send them to Flickr so they are not gone gone) and my contacts.

PJ is voracious lately! Food, words, actions, you name it. She wants to leave the house and do things. She'll point to her shoes, to her jacket, and then pick up a bag all the while exclaiming go, go go. Every 2-3 hours she wants to eat. Read her a story and make a gesture (shaking your finger, wiggling, exaggerated surprise) and she's right there imitating it. At playgrounds, she'll climb stairs and platforms, slide down slides by herself, and dig in the sand/wood chips. Shannon and I are exhausted at the end of the weekends. She's been napping on her crib for Shannon during the day with few tears. She takes a few minutes to wind down, but it's been good. We got her hair cut again, bangs mostly and a trim. Now she doesn't have to endure a ponytail everyday. Once it gets hot enough, we've found some wading pools for her that are going to be awesome. Shannon's going to get a disposable underwater camera to document the fun.

I've jumped on the online glasses ordering bandwagon. Two pairs and some sunglasses are en route from Hong Kong I think it was. All for about $55. I have high hopes and will totally be taking photos.

We are figuring out how we are going to move. I think PJ and I are going to fly out close to the end of July and Shannon and her mom are going to drive all our stuff and the pets. It's not ideal for lots of reasons, but I think it'll be the cheapest when all is said and done. But nothing is final yet.

We've also been figuring out our insurance for next year: health, life and for Shannon, malpractice. Our current situation has been really great, much more coverage and cheaper than most out there. I don't want to lament this again, but until gay marriage/civil unions are on a federal level, I am annoyed to read tax code and navigate these murky waters. I also still cling to the hope of a single-payer government health care. I don't care that it would be government and big brother will be up in my business. I just want to go to the doctor for annual checkups. I want to be able to try to have another baby in 1-2 years. I don't want to have to look at a bank balance when I try to decide if I should go in for a visit when I'm sick. I don't want to be forced into paying lots of money each month for spotty private coverage.

But enough about that, here are some of my favorite pictures from May: