Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all! Sam seems to be getting used to the fun of the holidays. Yesterday we went to the afternoon Christmas Eve service at Grandma Barb's church. Sam was so well-behaved, wearing his Christmas sweater and coloring a picture of the Nativity. He started to get a little restless so Grandma Barb handed him a sucker. He sat there, happily sucking away, and the children's choir started to sing Go Tell It On the Mountain. He got so excited he started to clap along with the music, and his enthusiasm caused him to drop his sucker. It rolled out of sight. He dove after it, trying to wriggle under the pew, and then looked up with the saddest face any of us have ever seen. He was so upset, Uncle Mike had to take him out. When the service was over, we found them happily playing in the courtyard - all painful memories forgotten. We went right to my Uncle Bryce and Aunt Pat's house. It was full of family and friends, good food and excellent wine. Uncle Bryce made an appearance as a very convincing Santa Claus. He even has twinkling blue eyes! Sam was not afraid, but was also not interested in getting too close to him. Santa had a big sack full of toys, and Sam got a book and two big yellow trucks. We stayed much later than we had intended and Sam had a very late bedtime. This morning, Sam and I were dragged out of bed by Miranda. Sam was so good! It had to be overwhelming to see all of the presents, but he was incredibly polite. He waited his turn, oooohed or screamed at everything he received, and sweetly said "please" for each gift. (It's the closest I can get him to say thank you...it works for me.) Today we will stay in our pajamas, play with our new toys, and have a wonderful dinner. I pray that all reading this feel as blessed as Sam and I do today!

The Denver Zoo

Earlier tonight the whole family went to the Denver Zoo to see their holiday light display. It was amazing!

We all ooohed and aaahed over the millions of twinkling lights. Every tree and shrub was covered. Stars and globes hung overhead. Lights outlined the shapes of every imaginable animal, and many gave the illusion of moving. Sam was incredibly impressed, and we were having the best time. We had no idea the animal houses would be open!

We walked into the first house and there it was - Sam's first in-person encounter with an elephant. Two elephants, in fact, using their trunks to shove food into their mouths. Sam gave a little scream and then trumpeted his little heart out at both of them. Also in that building were two hippos, who were actually wallowing (I thought that was an exaggeration of their day-to-day lives, but there they were). Sam liked the hippos but 14-year-old Miranda was just blown away. I was watching her face as she scanned the water looking for them. The second her eyes registered on the huge, floating head she jerked back and her mouth fell open. She attests that it was the most amazing thing she has ever seen.

We went on to see several other animals, including camels (Sam didn't care) and sea lions (Sam barked and clapped his hands at them). Once he realized how amazing the zoo was, Sam couldn't stop squealing or pointing at everything he saw. The park benches wowed him just as much as the animatronic giraffe. (That reminds me - we saw giraffes, too. I thought it was awesome when the biggest giraffe bent his head down and stared directly at me and Sam, and then it started getting scary. After a few minutes I ended up backing out, terrified.)

Between the lights, the delight on Sam's face, and the Christmas carols sung in the car, I am definitely getting in to the holiday spirit!

Purging the Friendly Skies

Sam and I were up at 4 am today. This morning was the beginning of our Christmas vacation and we were both too excited to sleep. By 7:30, we were packed into a car with Jackie, Mike, Miranda, James, and countless bags. We drove to a park-and-ride lot, hopped on a shuttle, and checked our luggage at the airport.

Through all of this, Sam was an angel. He took it all in stride. He patiently allowed himself to be pushed and pulled through the Minneapolis airport. After arriving at our gate two hours before takeoff, Sam fell asleep in his stroller and didn't wake up until it was time to board.

Unfortunately, our plane was late coming through Chicago, and we weren't boarding. Sam started to get cranky. An hour after our original departure time, we boarded the plane. We then waited about 30 minutes for our bags to be loaded. After finally starting to move, we stopped again to have the plane de-iced. Sam was really, really mad.

I did everything I could to keep him happy. I sang, gave him snacks, and passed him to Mike, Jackie, and Miranda. He was just miserable. A couple of times I looked away from him, hoping that if I ignored him he'd get bored and stop whining. Each time I thought he was fine, I'd look back to find him sobbing silently in his seat, huge tears covering his face.

After finally landing in Denver, he just went limp. He didn't seem to feel anything about making our way to the main terminal, seeing Grandma Barb and Grandpa Doug, or waiting for our bags. He was silent as he was strapped into the car and didn't pay any attention to the rest of us on the ride to Grandma Barb's house.

As soon as we were home, Sam walked into Grandma Barb's living room and threw up all over the coffee table.

Since then, he has been his happy, giggling self. Happy holidays!

Faces of Sam

Thanks to Grandpa Mark for taking these awesome pictures of Sam!

Cookies are a serious business.

On the other hand, cookies can be the height of hilarity.

The antlers help him concentrate.

Embodying the essence of his Cobra Strike monster truck.

Just...about...there! The piano is perfectly tuned.

Grandpa Mark and the Mall

Yesterday, my dad drove up to spend the day with Sam. We originally planned to take Sam to the Children's Museum, but I was afraid of him catching something so close to Christmas. Instead, we went to the mall.

Grandpa Mark bought us lunch. The food court was very busy and we ended up sharing a table with two other women and their 10-12 kids. (I never counted...but there was a LOT of commotion from their end of the table.) In comparison, Sam was an angel. He doesn't cry or throw fits when I tell him no. The only poor table manners he showed was the non-stop pointing and staring at all of the good (junk) food the other kids were having.

After lunch, we went to check out the little put-a-quarter-in-it-and-it-shakes vehicles. Sam sat in all of them, and was shocked when Grandpa actually put money in one. I'm cheap, and Sam is too little to understand, so I have always let him think just sitting in a little car is the fun part. Grandpa had no problem paying 75 cents, so Sam's eyes bugged out when his car began to shake and rattle.

After the cars, we rode on the carousel. Grandpa stood by Sam's horse and I concentrated on not feeling sick. As Sam's horse went up and down, Sam's head went the opposite way, staring at Grandpa. He was amazed each time he found himself looking Grandpa right in the eye.

Because we were having such a relaxed day, I thought it would be a good idea to try to see Santa. Eric took Sam a few weeks ago, and it was a fiasco. Eric saw no sense in buying a picture of Santa sitting merrily in his chair while Sam was a sobbing blur trying desperately to get away. So, we walked up to Santa's area and watched him for a while. Sam still looked pretty happy and I asked him if he wanted to go sit on his lap. He said yes, so we got in line. Within a minute or two the line advanced forward and Grandpa and I turned to see Sam still rooted to the floor. I asked him to move forward and he looked at me blankly. I asked if he wanted to see Santa, and he slowly shook his head no. And so we gave up - I was pretty happy Sam changed his mind before we made it to Santa's lap.

I shopped in a few stores while Sam played with Grandpa. They had the best time! Grandpa bought Sam a little ball and they must have sat on every bench in the mall, taking turns putting the ball in their pockets, while I shopped with no one hanging on me or whining. It was beautiful.

Grandpa Mark, you can come to the mall with us anytime!

How To Get To Sesame Street

Several weeks ago, Eric bravely took Sam (by himself) to the Children's Museum. The museum rotates special features, and right now they have an entire exhibit set up as Sesame Street. Sam was just wild about being there - we will definitely be going again before it changes!

Sam is happy - but the slightly crazed, glassy look in his eyes is worrying.

Sam chillin' on the front steps of 123 Sesame Street.

Ringing the bell for Gina...

...and leaving her a message when she didn't answer.

Simply one of the funniest pictures I have ever seen.

Sam's Perfect 10

This morning Sam and I went over to (my friend) Karen and (his friend) Aiden's house for a playdate. They just moved in to a house with a big, unfinished basement. It is full of great outdoor toys, including a large castle with a slide.

Sam and Aiden took turns climbing up and sliding down. Each time Sam came down the slide, he tried to land on his feet in a standing position. Each time it looked like he was going to do it, he'd fall over.

Karen and I were kneeling on either side of the slide, half-ignoring the boys. We saw Sam come down, concentrating. He landed on his feet (!) and almost lost his balance. Bent at the waist, he steadied himself with his hands on the floor in front of him. As soon as he stopped wobbling, he snapped straight up, threw his hands up in the air, tilted his head back, and smiled.

He had stuck his landing - and made sure everyone knew it!

Presents Under the Tree

This is a slow Monday morning. Sam and I are coming off of a weekend filled with Christmas celebrations, and we are wiped out.

On Saturday, we had Christmas at Eric's dad's house. It was a mess of adults, kids, cookies, and tissue paper. The first present Sam opened was a train flashlight. As soon as enough paper was off for Sam to see what it was, he said, "Oooooooh!" and ran in place watching his aunt get the rest of the paper off. He was SO excited. The presents just kept coming. He got a little overwhelmed in the middle of opening, so I took him in the other room to play with his flashlight. After less than a minute, he was ready to go back in with a clear head.

On Sunday, we had Christmas at my dad's house. We take turns opening presents, so it was much calmer. Sam is now the one-year-old owner of his own CD player and remote control car. He remained pumped up through the whole thing. Each gift warranted either an "Oooooh!" or an "Awwww!" and lots of running, jumping, and twisting. When he pushed the button to make his car go, he simply screamed in delight.

Now we're completely exhausted. I'm not going to tell him that we're doing it all again next week...

Sam Phones Home

First of all, I must assure everyone that Sam recovered from yesterday's trauma quite nicely. I painted a horrible picture (it was horrible) and didn't include a happy ending. Many people have voiced their concern for his well-being. Sam is more than fine - I would venture a guess that he'd like to go to the playland again today.

Sam is obsessed with phones. In a pinch, he walks around with a remote pressed to the side of his face, chatting away.

I didn't realize how phone-savvy he was until this morning. Sam was talking to Eric on my cell phone while I supervised, making sure he didn't hang up on him or throw the phone in the toilet. The phone is loud enough for me to hear Eric talking.

I got a call on the house phone and ran to answer it. I talked for a minute or two, and then went back to Sam. He was still holding the phone to his ear, and I heard Eric say, "Sam, did you just call me back?" Sam said, "I did!"

Sure enough, as soon as my back was turned Sam closed the phone, ending the call. That is nothing new. He has hung up on most of the people I know. My surprise lies in the fact that he then opened the phone and managed to call Eric back.

I am more than a little afraid of him.

Playland of Horror

With all of the snow and cold, Sam has spent a lot of time stuck inside. He was really climbing the walls on Tuesday, so on Wednesday I decided to take him to McDonald's playland. I figured it is free and he could run around to his heart's content.

When we first arrived, Sam spent quite a bit of time in a small room designed for toddlers. It was right off the beginning of the elaborate tube tunnels that climbed to about 15 feet in the air. When Sam started getting bored, I kicked off my shoes and led him into the tunnels.

We climbed up into one twist and immediately found an opening for a slide. We went down together, hair standing on end. Another boy's father (let's call him Boy 1's Dad) saw me come down and laughed.

It was all so innocent and fun, I decided to go in with him to go down the tall slide. I don't know at what point I remembered that I am painfully claustrophobic. I think it was when each turn in the tubes led to a dead end. I started panicking. I was sweating and hardly able to breathe. Anyone who has had a panic attack or that horrible, closed-in feeling knows what I'm talking about. I had a brief vision of an employee taking the tunnels apart to pull me out when I found us at an end. We had totally missed the slide, but came out where we had to contort ourselves down a caged-in ladder. Again, Boy 1's Dad saw me and laughed.

A few minutes later, Sam was playing in the toddler room with two boys (Boy 1 and Boy 2). The boys were about 4 years old. After a few minutes, the older boys decided to go up into the tunnels. Sam followed them. I watched him go apprehensively. I wanted to stop him, but I try to let him have his own little experiences, believing it is good for him (and I hadn't been much help when I went with him).

For a few minutes, all I could hear was the boys climbing around above my head. Then there was some commotion at the top of the tall slide, which was a very tight spiral. Boy 1 came down, followed by Boy 2. I waited a minute, and then asked the boys, "Um...is the baby still up there?'' That, along with the wail that came from the top of the slide, got Boy 1 and Boy 2's parents' attention. I took off my shoes, planning to go in. Boy 1's Dad, familiar with my previous luck, offered to go in to get Sam.

He took off his shoes and went in. Boy 1 and Boy 2, eager to be heroes, yelled, "Let's save the baby!" and went in after him. By this time, Sam was yelling for me without stopping and I was yelling words of encouragement to him. It seemed like forever, and then I heard Boy 1's Dad saying, "Sam! Come on, Sam! Let's go see mom!"

There was a scuffle, and then Boy 1 came down in a sitting position. Boy 2 followed, head first, and they collided in a giggling pile of arms and legs. I could hear Boy 1's Dad trying to get Sam down the slide. He was obviously trying to go slowly down the slide, pointlessly trying to hold the sides of the slide, while Sam yelled and fought him. Then Sam appeared, feet first, still looking up the tunnel. Boy 1's Dad lost his grip and slid down on top of all of them.

Boy 1's Dad was contorting himself, trying to hold himself up so he wasn't laying on Sam, while Sam, unaware he was so close to freedom, was panicking and trying to climb back up the slide. I had to practically lay on top of Boy 1's Dad while I wrenched Sam out of the slide by one arm.

Sam was inconsolable. He wandered around the room, yelling at tables, crying out the windows, obviously traumatized by his feeling of captivity. I eventually wrestled his shoes and coat on him and got the heck out of there.

What is it they say about good intentions? I wonder if that road is a spiral slide.

The Wheels on the Bus Are Upsetting

Sam is really into music right now. His favorite songs are the ones that have hand movements. The little stinker won't sing them, but I often walk in on him doing a song, beginning to end, in just the motions.

He LOVES The Wheels on the Bus. If it were up to him, we'd never stop doing it. As soon as we are done, he looks up at me and says, "Again?" and hold his hands up, ready to go.

I was so excited when I found a Wheels on the Bus book. It has all of the lyrics inside, and the buttons on the side that make the corresponding noises. Doors? Check. Wipers? Check. Horn? Check.

I gave the book to him this morning. It was meant to be a Christmas present, but I decided to spread out his presents so he isn't so overwhelmed. He was so happy when I handed it to him! He sat down on my lap and merrily pushed all of the buttons. He got all the way down to the baby crying, heard it, and stopped. He pushed it again, and looked up at me, worried. He pushed it again and then put the book down and hugged me.

I got up and walked away, assuming he was fine. He squatted over the book, pushing the baby button, getting more and more upset. Finally he started whimpering and had to come over to me for another hug. I guess the baby sounds too real for him - ? Hearing the baby on his book cry makes him sad.

I eventually hid the book. Apparently Sam is too sensitive to hear babies cry right now!

Beckett Russell Paulson Is Here!

Any of one you who personally knows me has to also know my friend Tali. We have been friends since college, and I adore and respect that girl to the point of being stalker-ish.

On December 7 (the day that will live in infamy, now in more ways than one), Tali gave birth to her first child, Beckett Russell. So many people have been waiting (years!) for that little guy! I could almost hear the cheers across the country as people learned he was here.

Tali and her husband, Chad, are just over the moon about him. I can't wait to hold him!

Here he is - beautiful! Thanks to Tali's sister Marissa, who took these pictures that I subsequently stole from her site.

Sam Is A Weird Kisser

The snow has me feeling sluggish, and I am unable to come up with a better title.

Starting when Sam was very little, I kissed him on the forehead when we were snuggling or giving each other a hug. He therefore assumed that his forehead was for kissing. Anyone asking Sam for a kiss has to be ready, because the top of his 98th-percentile-head is coming for your mouth.

I finally decided that I was going to just make him use his lips. I've been grabbing the sides of his head, squishing his cheeks, and struggling with him until I kiss somewhere in the area of his mouth. (Typed out, that sounds just horrible. Honestly, he hasn't seemed bothered by it.)

Today we had a kissing breakthrough (!) followed by yet another bizarre behavior. We were getting a little crazy, with Sam starting about 10 feet from me and then running and tackling me to the floor. After each tackle, we'd laugh like maniacs and he'd offer me his forehead. I just kept saying "No, no, no," into his hair and then he turned his face up to me and gave me a real kiss! My heart melted - but just for a moment - because he immediately offered his hand for me to kiss. As if I were kissing his ring. And that's how the game went - run, tackle, laugh, kiss on the mouth, and kiss His Excellency's knuckles. Repeat.

I have said it before - the kid is deranged.

Holiday Preparation

Last year, Sam was 10 months old at Christmas time. He was mildly entertained by the decorations, and enjoyed his presents, but for the most part he seemed unimpressed by the gaiety. This year he is 22 months old and can't believe all of the fun!

His favorite part has to be the Christmas tree. When it is lit, he gazes at it and says, "Ohhhh...tree!" He loves poking the prickly branches and tries his hardest not to touch the ornaments. I have been amazed by his self-control. I gave him a set of Sesame Street ornaments and told him he could take them off and put them back on as much as he wanted. He showed me where to put them, on the bottom branch of the tree, and smiled. Then he pulled them all off and lined them up in front of the TV. Now a couple of them are in the pocket of his coat and I know I saw Elmo rolling around in the backseat of the car.

Holiday decorations have made shopping a whole new adventure. He loves going to Menard's to see the giant blow-up lawn decorations. This morning we went to Wal-Mart and spent almost 20 minutes walking around their Christmas displays. He pointed at the trees and said, "Tree!" He pointed at the snowmen and said, "Ball!" (Technically, he's right.)

When we left the store, I gave him my change to put into the Salvation Army bucket. The man ringing the bell was so kind, and held the bucket right up to Sam. His little fingers pushed every last cent in, and then he smiled and wildly waved bye-bye to the bell ringer.

Fa la la la la, la la la la!

Bedtime for Sam

I have worked very hard to establish a bedtime routine for Sam. I guide him through books, bath, pajamas and teeth, and he happily climbs into bed. I give him a kiss and within a few minutes he falls asleep on his own.

Routine is important, but I am not completely militant about it. If we are out late, I won't force an almost-sleeping kid into the tub. If Sam is feeling a bit off I'll sit by him for a while before he falls asleep. I assume his needs will just keep changing as he enters each phase of his life.

About a week ago, I waited too long to start bedtime. Sam was out of his mind, crying and carrying on like a crazy person. He needed a bath that night, so I let him bring his cars into the tub. He then clung to them as I dried him off, put him in pajamas, and brushed his teeth. He had never slept with a toy before, so I tried to take the cars from him as he got into bed. He screamed like I have never heard him scream before. I really didn't care if he slept with cars or not, so I put one in each of his little hands. Within 60 seconds, he was asleep.

Every night since, he has tried out a new toy. He slept with Big Bird and Cookie Monster, a truck, and a doll. Two nights ago, he took the little bear Grandpa Mark and Grandma Tina gave him when he was born. It plays music when its tail is pulled. I sat in the living room and listened to Sam pull the tail over and over, each time with less enthusiasm. Eventually it stopped all together and I could hear the bear hit the floor as Sam fell asleep.

Last night was a bad night. Sam had a short nap yesterday, which I did not account for when planning bedtime. He was miserable and sobbing as I started the tub. I had just finished reading to him from a book he had chosen from his bookshelf. It was a hardcover Disney book, one of a set of 18 my sister handed down from her kids to Sam. He had never looked at them before, but last night he acted like his life depended on being near those books. Trying to appease him, I carried his book into the bathroom, telling him it could come with. He stayed by his shelf, wailing, until I went out and found him trying to carry the other 17 books into the bathroom, too.

I choose my battles, and a kid wanting books is something I have no problem going along with. So I carried the little library into the bathroom. Other than Sam throwing #13 into the tub, hoping it would join him, bathtime passed without incident. He clutched #2 and #4 as I dried him and brushed his teeth. I set the entire stack next to him after he got into bed, and he fell asleep with his arm slung over #8.

Sweet dreams, Sam!

Itsy Bitsy Sam

I have not been posting as much as I would like to, but life has been VERY busy lately. With the holidays coming, it is just going to get crazier!

Sam continues to be a ridiculous amount of fun. He is still in love with anything with wheels. He sits in his carseat and yells at me every time he sees a car (crrr), bus (buh), or truck (truh). I find myself without Sam, with another adult, and excitedly pointing out every truck we pass.

Sam has also taken over his entire toothbrushing routine. He pushes his little stool (thanks Grandma Barb!) up to the sink and climbs up. I am in charge of turning on the water and opening the toothpaste, but other than that he is in control. He brushes his teeth and rinses the toothbrush about twenty times. Then he puts the toothbrush and toothpaste in the drawer, along with anything else that might be on the counter, and shuts it neatly. He sets his towel on the counter and makes sure his stool is pressed flush against the wall before he leaves the bathroom. (Ugh...again, thanks, Grandma Barb. The kid didn't get it from me.)

Much to my surprise, the other night I learned that Sam can do all of the hand movements to The Itsy Bitsy Spider. I have no idea where he learned it, other than him watching me do it all. the. time. He suddenly decided to join the fun and we now have to do it ten times before he is satisfied. If I could just figure out how to post a video here...

I will try my hardest to get back on track with my regular posts!

Sam the Duck

Sam is spending his Halloween at daycare, where he will be in costume and exchanging treats. We celebrated together on Monday, when we joined my moms group in trick-or-treating at a local nursing home.

If the group of strange women and children in costumes scared Sam, he didn’t let it show. He followed along without question as several of us wrangled little giraffes, ladybugs, monkeys, tigers, and polar bears to the residents’ rooms. I only had to show him how to hold his little bucket out once. He saw that Crunch bar hit the bottom of his pail and was hooked. He didn’t hesitate to hold it out at each door we went to.

We were having a great time and had finished with the first and second floors. With only one floor left, we went in to an apartment to get Snickers from a woman sitting in a recliner. Without a sound, Sam chose to lie down on her carpet - and stayed there. My son was exhausted from the revelry.

Happy, happy Halloween!

He refused to stand still or smile nicely. He was WAY too excited about being a duck.

No, seriously, Mom. I am GOING somewhere looking like this?

Scoring big with one of the residents

Taking off to find more candy! (That is Owen the Tiger and Nico the Monkey scuffling in the background.)

Playing with his pumpkin at home.

Carving Pumpkins

Last Saturday, Sam carved his first pumpkin. Or - should I say - he touched pumpkin guts, was told to stay away from the knives, and eventually wandered off. He IS only one - maybe he'll be more actively involved next year!

Now It's Just Ridiculous

I think Sam is amazing. Of course I do. I write quite often about the adorable and wonderful things he does. However, I have always wanted to be completely honest here. I don't make any of this up, and sometimes we have bad days. But this kid of mine is such a blessing to me, it is unbelievable.

This week I started a new job, working Wednesdays and Thursdays. After having Sam at home with me for nearly two years, I found myself searching for a daycare for him. I found a home daycare I really liked, paid the deposit, and readied myself for Wednesday morning.

I've worked in daycare. I know how difficult morning drop-offs can be. I can literally count the number of times Sam has spent a day away from me, and all of those days have been with a family member. I barely gave my new job a second thought, but worried about my kid. I thought Wednesday morning might be okay, just because he wouldn't know what was going on. I then thought I'd get a call sometime that day that he was crying. I pictured picking him up that afternoon, him sobbing, me needing to rock him all evening, him waking up with nightmares all night. (Mommy guilt is REAL, people!)

I figured Thursday would be the worst. He'd leave Wednesday, needing me, but think it was all over. The sight of the house on Thursday morning would reduce him to tears. He'd be confused and angry. He'd become so upset I'd have to leave work to pick him up early. He'd be distant at home and it would take days to get him to play again. (I wish I was making this up. This is truly what I believed.)

Wednesday morning, I brought him into a basement full of kids and took off his shoes. He ran away. I called him back for a hug, which he quickly gave before again running to the toys. I called to check in on him around naptime. Sandy, his daycare provider, said that three times he looked up the stairs for me and got a little weepy (a knife through my heart), but that was it. He played and ate lunch and she rocked him to sleep for his nap. When I picked him up, he was happy and smiling and - I swear - seemed more self-assured. We giggled and laughed all evening and he slept like a pro.

Thursday morning I dropped him off and didn't even get a hug. He hit the ground running. I slunk out without him even turning around. At pickup that night, he saw me and gave a half-hearted whine. That was it. Sandy reported he looked for me once, with no tears, and had played all day. He ate lunch and went to sleep by himself on his little mat. We spent last night playing together. He was happy and adorable.

Thank you, God, for this sweet, social, laid-back kiddo of mine!

Raking Leaves

A few days ago, Eric and I raked the back yard. We love our huge, shady lot 11 months out of the year. October is another story.

When we started bagging the leaves, Sam ran over to help. We chuckled and thought we'd let him think he was helping. I held the bag low enough for him to reach, and he started filling it at an amazing rate. We stopped laughing when we saw how good he was at it. Bag away, Sam!

The three of us had a great system. I held the bag and stomped them down to make more room. Eric and Sam took choreographed turns lifting armfuls of leaves and shoving them into the bags. It was wonderful!

Once the slave labor was finished, I took the pictures below.

It's All So Confusing

It's hard to be one.

I've written before about Sam not being very interested in talking, but he is learning new words and phrases at an amazing rate. I find myself very nearly having conversations with him. However, some things are still getting confused.

Sam has a small stuffed elephant that lives in the bottom drawer of his dresser. Every time he pulls it out, I make a noise like a trumpeting elephant. About a week ago, he started trumpeting when he saw it. Today we were watching Sesame Street, and Sam pointed at Elmo and said, "I see it!" I said, "You see Elmo?" He thought a moment, and said, "El-ah?" and then trumpeted. I tried to explain that elephant and Elmo are two separate things, but he still looked bewildered.

A few minutes later, he brought me a box that he wanted opened. Trying to encourage him to speak, I said, "Use your words, Sam. What do you want? Do you want me to OPEN it? Open?" He dutifully opened his mouth as wide as it could go.

We're getting there!

Touch a Truck

On Saturday, Shoreview hosted their annual Touch a Truck event. The community was invited to a parking lot, where all were welcome to touch and climb in all types of vehicles. There were fire trucks, police cars, snow plows, water trucks, tractors, bobcats...it was incredible! Sam hardly cared that Eric and I were there. It was all about the trucks!

Can you spot Sam in this picture?

He was so happy to see the tractor, he froze.

Farmer Sam!

He was quite serious about listening to the firefighter describe

the inside of the firetruck.

Continued below...

Touch a Truck, Part Two

The Sheriff boat made him light up more than anything else!

My exact words were, "Don't you get too comfortable in the back of that police car!"

The good thing is, he seemed to really be listening.

Big trucks - happy boy!

Brand New Boots

Remember when you were young, and wearing winter boots for the first time of the season was such a great feeling? It was snowing! It was winter! Christmas was just around the corner! There were snowball fights and sledding. Snow-brick forts and making angels.

You wore the boots while walking to school with your sneakers tucked into your backpack. You’d change into your sneakers in the coatroom before school started. But…wait…you FORGOT your sneakers. So you were the kid clomping around the classroom, enduring snickers from classmates, remaining “it” at recess simply because you couldn’t lift your feet fast enough to catch anyone.

And then…there was no way to prevent it…you felt the first indication that your sock was slipping. It wasn’t a big deal at first, but as time went on the ankle of the sock slipped to your heel. Then the arch. Then, finally, the entire sock was mashed around three of your toes. If ‘fingernails on a chalkboard’ was a physical feeling, that would be it.

I couldn’t help being transported back to all of the highs and lows of winter boots when I saw Sam with his first pair today. I brought them home, and his eyes lit up. He carried them to me, sighing happily when I put them on his feet.

He was so excited. He watched his feet as he stomped around the living room. He sat down, stretched his feet out in front of him, and admired the Velcro straps. Then they started to get in his way. When he tried to kneel, he could hardly bend his knees. When he tried to stand up, he couldn’t get his feet into position, and he kept falling into the coffee table.

He bravely suffered through for at least 15 minutes. Finally, he came to me with tears almost brimming in his eyes. “Ah duh,” he said, pleadingly. Yes, Sam, all done.

The final insult? Finding his tiny little socks smashed painfully around his toes.

Being a kid is hard work!

Scooters and Snacks

Yesterday morning, I managed to make it to the toddler gym without getting lost. We had a great time! Sam held my hand as we walked through the building, but as soon as we walked into that big space filled with balls and blocks and climbers and bikes and slides, he let go and took off.

He was so busy! He isn't used to sharing toys, being an only child (and, I guess, only being one year old). There were a couple incidents when he just walked up to another kid and took their toy right out of their hands. He wasn't being naughty - he just didn't get it! When I intervened and had him give the toy back, he was puzzled, not upset. Then he'd scamper off to shove a half-deflated playground ball through a droopy plastic basketball net.

The gym was full of moms, babies, toddlers, and one dad. A couple of the moms had little plastic bowls of snacks for their kids. I bet they hadn't counted on needing to pack enough for my son, too! He has a supersense that allows him to hear a tupperware bowl being opened 50 yards away. I kept spotting him standing in front of a mother, feeding her child, who was also looking around nervously for the hungry kid's (Sam's) mom. After forcefully dragging him away from the umpteenth bowl of apple pieces and Cheerios, we (I) decided it was time to go home.

I have always believed that one should eat while exercising - my son just figured it out sooner than I did!

Serious Sam

Thanks to my dad for taking this great picture of Sam! We went to Grandpa Mark and Grandma Tina's house last Friday night. Contrary to what this picture suggests, we had a great time.

Mom 1, Dad 0

It is inevitable that Sam and I have our own little world. We spend all of our time together. There are dances when we hear music, ways to drive toy cars, and laughing when Dance Elmo! sings. Above all else, I am the one who knows how to read books to Sam.

Yesterday, Eric and I were in the office and Sam came in with his little copy of Brown Bear, Brown Bear. I could sing-song that book in my sleep. He gave it to Eric, excited to hear it. Eric opened it up and read the first page. Sam was unimpressed. In the middle of the second page, Sam simply took the book away and brought it to me.

I felt a little bad for Eric, but there was a book to read. I opened it up and started reading it as I usually do. With a completely straight face, Sam slowly swiveled his head and looked at Eric pointedly. He then turned back to me and listened to the rest of the book.

If his language skills were up to par, I know he would have asserted, "And THAT, Dad, is how you read this book!"

Samuel and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Being a stay-at-home mom is honestly the most fun I have ever had. I love waking up with Sam and spending every day with him. Most of the time.

In the last 24 hours, Sam has broken a teacup and a votive holder. I got lost on the way to the play gym this morning and we ended up missing it. Our yard is nothing but mud and we can't play outside.

Sam fed his lunch to Dee Dee while I did the dishes. Then he got the top off of his sippy cup and dumped milk all over himself and the padded kitchen chair. He screamed when I cleaned him up, mostly because he was still hungry. Dee Dee, on the other hand, was full.

His diaper leaked. He dumped out the contents of my wallet. He stuck his hand in the dog's water dish.

While I drove around like a crazy person looking for the gym, Sam fell asleep in the car. That meant a very late nap and about 45 minutes of crying before he finally fell asleep ten minutes ago.

He is now resting, but I know that if he could, he would offer something along the lines of this:

Thank God tomorrow is, indeed, new day!

A Sam By Any Other Name

Like most of the other girls/women I know, I have had an ongoing list of names I'd like to use for future children. Kourtney and Katie can attest to my horrible, HORRIBLE name choices from elementary school. My Cabbage Patch dolls were named Amaryllah Daisy and Savannah Marigold. Beautiful!

Eric and I loved so many of the girl's names we were considering. Girl names are easy to love! Finding a name for a boy is much harder. Shortly after we were married, we were discussing names while on a long car trip. We decided that we loved the name Jacob, nickname Jake, even though it was so popular. (Eric now denies this conversation ever took place and claims he never liked the name Jake. But it happened. He liked it. And now everyone knows.)

After my pregnancy was confirmed, we knew our choice for a girl name right away. While on a car trip (where are we always going?), we went through the boy's section of a baby name book. I literally read every name out loud and crossed off the ones we didn't like. We only made it to the C's, and all the names were crossed off. We gave up.

When I was in middle school, my friend Johanna had a little brother named Samuel. He was always called Samuel, never Sam, and even at 10 years old I thought it was such a nice, solid name. It was a favorite of mine but I thought that overall, it was too plain.

I don't remember announcing it as THE name, but I know I bounced it off of Eric and our families. My brother-in-law, Mike, was the only one in my family to believe we were having a boy. The rest of us insisted it was a girl! A week before my ultrasound, we visited my sister's family in Rochester. I remember walking away, and him saying, "Bye, Em." After a five second pause, he shouted, "And bye, Sam!"

The day of our ultrasound, we were so excited. Eric and I bounced around in the waiting room, hardly able to contain ourselves. Finally, I was laying on the table and the ultrasound tech got her machine ready. We assured her we DID want to know the gender, and she placed the paddle on my stomach. There, on the screen in front of me, was my baby's face. The first thought in my head, upon seeing the face of our little miracle, was, "Hi, Sam!" I didn't need her to go any further with the ultrasound to confirm what I already knew.

He was healthy, he was our son, and he was Sam.

Goodbye, Highchair

A few weeks ago, I recklessly promised to lend Sam's highchair to a friend (see Baby Hebert at right). It won't be needed for some time, but I thought I should try to get Sam used to eating without it.

Watching his chair leave the kitchen was heartbreaking for Sam. He panicked, running after me, crying and trying to hang on to it. I finally wrestled it out into the garage, where it waits to be scrubbed and passed on to another little eater.

Neither of us needed to worry. I put out a Halloween placemat (praise God for fall!) and showed Sam to his new spot at the end of our kitchen table. He didn't bat an eye. When food is being served, he asks few questions.

There he sat, happily eating chicken nuggets and peas off of an elephant plate. I use his meal times to take care of dishes, and in that ten minutes I had forgotten about his new location. I turned around and was shocked to see a little boy at my kitchen table. No more baby stuff needed!

Books on Wheels

I love books.

No, really. I LOVE books. I love everything about them. I love the way they feel in my hands. I love the soft hum of the lights in the library. I love the smell of new paper at the bookstore. I love to find an undiscovered gem in the bargain section. I love to read my favorites over and over again.

I have loved to read my entire life. When I was two, at bedtime my mom would tell me to go pick out only THREE books to read. I would come out of my room, pushing my doll stroller, stuffed full with every book I owned.

Once I was reading for myself, I read all the time. I read while I ate, while I watched TV, while I took a bath. I distinctly remember reading as I walked home from elementary school on Fridays (library day). My dad loves to remind me that I used to jump on my bike and go for a ride with a book propped open on the handlebars.

I am so happy that Sam shares my obsession with books. He loves them! We read for entire afternoons. Balls, trucks, and blocks are great, but he would rather read than do anything else. I laughed when I saw that Sam has already started reading while on wheels - just like his mom!

The Doctor's Office

Sam had his 18-month checkup this morning. He was at or above the 95th percentile for height, weight, and head size. He is a huge kid!

Before the exam, I told the nurse I had some concerns about Sam's language development. I went into detail about his lack of interest in talking. I really believe it is due to my ability to know what he wants without him having to ask for it. He doesn't have much incentive to talk. Anyway, the nurse made a note on his chart about my concerns and then we took him out to be weighed. While Sam was on the scale, the nurse handed him a sticker. With a huge smile, he turned to her, and said, "Oh, TANK you!"

He can be so annoying.

After the appointment, we were walking to our car when a large Red Cross van/bus parked in front of the doors. Sam loves anything with wheels and simply refused to keep walking. I saw that the driver was going to help his passenger out, so I tried to get Sam on his way so he wouldn't be staring. It was no use. When the side doors opened and the big ramp came out, his eyes were huge and he couldn't stop staring. Then, an elderly woman in a wheelchair was secured onto the ramp. She saw her rapt audience and smiled and waved like a parade float princess as she was lowered to the sidewalk. Sam was just thrilled. After the driver drove away, waving at Sam, he looked up at me with the happiest smile I've ever seen.

Even with the shots, he had a fantastic morning.

It's A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Is there any time in the year more beautiful than autumn? The crisp air and crunchy leaves have been calling both me and Sam outside for hours on end. The past two mornings have found us going for a walk around the block.

Such a short distance doesn't seem impressive unless it's seen through the eyes of a one-year-old. Sam's little legs have gotten tired on both of our walks and he welcomed being lifted into my arms.

When he is walking, he zigzags across the sidewalk, picking up sticks and leaves. Every few houses he breaks into an awkward run, zooming down the concrete. Sometimes he turns around and tries his hand at the Moonwalk.

He gazes up at the towering trees and knocks on the metal of the lightposts. He carefully touches the fluffy dandelion heads. He makes a break for every house with a gated fence, hoping to find a dog. By the time we get home, his cheeks and nose are red and he settles down for a long, snuggly nap.

Happy fall!

Close, But No Cigar

Getting ready for a new baby is so much fun. I loved shopping for the little clothes and blankets. I talked with other mothers about 'must-haves.' Putting together Sam's little room was my favorite part. My mom even joined in the fun during one of her visits. We went through a lot of different bedding sets, and decided on one in the pattern on the lamp below:

I wasn't a huge fan of the sheep, and I'm still not. But I knew I wanted beige, and to stay away from a lot of cartoony-type decoration. Mom bought the sheets, blanket, bumper pad, curtains, and diaper holder in this pattern. The sheep aren't as noticeable on the other items - some don't have any sheep at all.

Anyway, we were so excited when we found the matching lampshade. It didn't come with the base. We must have gone to three other stores, trying to find a matching base, and finally gave up. I eventually bought a cheap base and painted it to match.

Never once, in all of this decorating and messing around with the lamp, did I think beyond Sam being an infant. I certainly never expected to walk into his room and find his darling lamp like this:

Quite simply, the kid is deranged.

Sam Turns Four Years Old!

Last night, finally fed up with Sam's long hair, I battled him in the tub and gave him a trim. I know a lot of people liked his hair. I did too, for the most part. But when I look at the pictures of Wally, Sam, and Eric on the couch, all I can think is, "What a pretty little girl!" Not that there is anything WRONG with that. But I prefer my son to look like a boy, thankyouverymuch. He will have plenty of time to grow out his hair and drive me crazy when he is older.

This morning as Sam and I played in his room, I tried to get some pictures of his new look. I could not believe it when I snapped this one:

Seriously. Who is that kindergartener? What is with that self-satisfied little smirk on his face? This picture is a little glimpse into Sam, the middle-aged accountant.
Now THIS is my baby. Still with the tax-preparer hair, but wearing puppy pajamas and reaching for the toy I'm dangling over his head.
What a sweet face! I hope I don't see any more of that 'old' face for many, many years.

I Say Tomato, Sam Says Nummy Nummy

I have written before about Sam's willingness to eat anything set in front of him. I know a lot of moms who have to hide vegetables in their children's food. I consider myself lucky to not have to worry about that, but I assume it is only temporary. I keep waiting for the day that Sam starts to refuse certain foods.

Wally, during his harvest deliveries, gave us several tomatoes from his sister's garden. I love tomatoes but clearly remember not liking them when I was a child. Yesterday I made myself a BLT for lunch and figured I'd save myself the work of fixing two meals by making one for Sam, too. I thought that at the least, he'd eat the bread.

Well, Sam is Sam, and he ate his 1/2 sandwich before I could take more than two bites out of mine. He then strained himself reaching for the bowl of tomatoes on the counter. He ate raw, plain tomato as fast as I could dice it onto his tray.

We eat lunch fairly early in the day. When we got home from the library at 4 pm, we were both hungry. I opened the refrigerator to look for something for dinner, not noticing Sam slipping in front of me. He grabbed a tomato out of the bowl and took a huge bite out of it like he was eating an apple.

Sometimes being his mom is just exhausting.

Dailey Men

Yesterday, Eric's dad stopped by to drop off his fall harvest. He is not a farmer by any means; but he's a guy who always knows a guy. Near the end of every summer, his house is overflowing with crops and butchered meat. He went on a little road trip yesterday, stopping by four of his kids' houses, pulling out bags and bags of fresh corn on the cob and coolers of steaks and roast.

He didn't stay at our house very long (he had deliveries to make), but Sam was just delighted to see his Papa. He showed him around his bedroom, complete with big-boy bed, and engaged him and Eric in a spirited game of catch.

For a few minutes, they watched some highlights of the last Vikings game. I couldn't resist taking a picture of them. They really do look alike. If Eric eventually grows into the person his dad is, and Sam turns into Eric, I would be a happy and blessed woman, indeed.

Just a couple of guys watching the game.
My past, present, and future - sharing a couch.

Samthoven

Last Friday night, a thunderstorm knocked out our electricity. On Saturday morning, in an attempt to distract Sam from the loss of Sesame Street and hot food, I let him play the piano. I don't usually allow it, because, well - then he'd be playing the piano.

I couldn't believe how serious he was once I set him on the stool. He carefully and deliberately used his pointer fingers to try out all of the keys. A lot of what he did actually sounded like music. He was incredibly impressed with himself.

He insisted on having the music in front of him.
Seriously considering his next note.
All the greats eventually go mad.

Signs, Signs, Everywhere Are Signs

I have said before that Sam (so far) is not really a verbal toddler. He seems to prefer using his own type of sign language to get his points across. A quick tutorial in communicating with Sam:

If you are peacefully enjoying a book or TV show, and are suddenly hit in the arm with an empty bowl, Sam is hungry.

If you are peacefully enjoying a book or TV show, and are suddenly hit in the face with an empty cup, Sam is thirsty.

If Sam suddenly starts running in place, grunting and grimacing, he is dancing.

If Sam walks up to you, hands out, palms up, something is lost.

If Sam stretches out his feet in his highchair so he can push against the footrest and stiffens like a board, he is full.

If Sam puts his pacifier in his mouth, holds his blankie to his face, and looks pitiful, he is tired.

If you are on the computer and Sam knocks the keyboard to the floor, he wants attention.

If Sam comes running with the TiVo remote in his hand, looking panicked, he has just erased all of our recorded shows.

If Sam holds his hands in the air, wiggling his fingers, and wrinkles his nose, he has found something gross.

If Sam shakes his head no, he is saying yes.

If Sam is standing next to your bed, in the dark, holding an empty pop can, he is ready to get up.

If Sam is holding his nose, he is looking at a picture of a skunk.


Armed with this information, one could easily care for Sam for at least an hour or two.

The Chicken Dance

For the last few weeks, Sam has been obsessed with music. He has a few toys that play songs, and he plays them over and over. Each song is about 30 seconds long, so he barely gets away and starts to play before he has to go back and start the music over.

Yesterday I got a birthday card from my Uncle Bryce. It is a musical card that plays The Chicken Dance when opened. Sam was just awestruck. He carried it around all day, opening and closing it. He never let it play all the way through, though. And so I listened to the first five seconds of The Chicken Dance about 400 times yesterday.

Da da dada dada da
Da da dada dada da
Da da dada dada da
Da da da da

And repeat. 400 times.

Happy birthday to me!

Sam the Builder

One of Sam's favorite toys is the MegaBlocks set he got from Grandpa Mark and Grandma Tina for Christmas last year. They come in a zippered-top, plastic bag. At first, Sam just loved dumping them out...and putting them back in...and dumping them out...and watching Mom put them back in...

I hadn't realized he was getting so good at building towers. He is learning to put the largest blocks on the bottom, and he can stack the single blocks over 10 high. Yesterday he was building on the coffee table, and he was so proud! I am particularly impressed by the three curved blocks on the bottom of his big tower.