Sam is One!!

It seems unreal that my little baby could already be a whole year old. Has it really been twelve mongths since his whirlwind entrance to this world in our hallway/bathroom? Wow. This year in particular has gone by especially fast. While I am a little sad that I don't have a baby any more, Sam is just such a joy and I derive so much pleasure from watching him grow and learn.

I took this picture of Sam just as he awakened on the morning of his birthday.

Yummy birthday breakfast of homemade zucchini bread and grapes.

Getting ready for his party!

I wasn't going to do it, but at the last minute I felt totally guilty about not having a party to celebrate Sammy turning one and decided to throw a little soiree in his honor. (Of course that meant cleaning the house from top to bottom and putting a few decorations out. ) It wasn't exactly little, however, as there were 14 kids and 7 moms to help commemorate the occasion. But relative to the norm for out here, it was small. Most people out here have these huge birthday parties during the weekend, planned months in advance, and even the husbands are forced to attend. (Believe me, Paul has grumbled through many a little kid's birthday party). But, I did it much simpler: I did it during the day (10:30 am) of his birthday (a weekday--Friday) and called it a playdate, and invited just the moms and kiddos. (I am sure that many spouses were thankful!) Anyway, since Sam was born shortly after I returned from a "playdate" birthday party with Max and Mimi last year, I thought it very appropriate that we throw a similar bash for Sam's special day, complete with the same pizza that I ate just hours before Sammy was born.

This picture would have been really cute, but there are two huge finger print smudges on the lens. Too many curious little kids around!

Later that day when Daddy got home, Max helped Sam open all his birthday presents. We all ate leftover pizza for dinner (Sam's favorite) and reminisced about how our lives changed so wonderfully a year prior. It was a really awesome day.

The day after Sam's birthday, we had another little celebration for him. We invited a couple of our good friends over--the Ouimet's and the Impriano's and had a little BBQ.

Everyone had fun on Max and Sam's new swingset (thanks to Mimi and my parents, and the guy we hired from Craig's list who actually showed up to get it put together the day before the big party).

More birthday cake!!

Sammy actually got birthday cake 3 nights in a row. The day after our BBQ, we drove to New Jersey to visit the Taylor's, our good friends from Park City who were in Jersey visiting family. We had such a great time with them, and Alexis made a yummy brownie ice cream cake. So, this lucky kid may not have had the hugest birthday party thrown for him, but he got to celebrate for three consecutive days!!!

Sam is a really messy eater in general. I mean, I literally have to hose him down after every meal; he gets food in his ears, his hair, and lodged into every little fat fold. The floor always looks like someone had a major food fight in the kitchen. However, his first birthday cake mess (which is traditionally and acceptably messy) was comparably tidy.

Here is a flashback photo of Max enjoying cake on his first birthday. Look at how much messier he is.

I didn't start my blog until after Max turned one, so I never got to post any of these pictures. This is Max on the morning he turned "1". He and Sam are starting to look so much alike, especially when I compare old pictures.

Our little family of three...getting ready for the big birthday bash just a couple months shy of three years ago. Max's party was a lot of fun since we actually had family there. Totally sucks that we have no one out here. Other than that, (and the humidity, and these gross flying "stink bugs" with hard shells that stink when you step on or squish them and come crawling out from every crevice in the spring and fall), our life would be really awesome out here.

And a picture from the present--The big brother. He was a really good boy during a weekend where he had to watch his little bro get all the attention. And all the gifts. At least Sam let Max help him open them. Truthfully, Max was excited about all the hoopla for Sammy. Heck, he got to eat birthday cake for three nights, too, plus--he was the one who blew out the candles. Very exciting stuff!!

Finally, when all the celebrating was over, Sam got to play with his birthday loot.

Since this is a post pretty much dedicated to Sam in honor of the anniversary of his birth, I want to record a few things about him that I love so much...

First of all, notice the cute hat and shoes. Sam loves to wear hats--if they're his idea. He doesn't like it when I strap a sunhat onto his blonde head while we're outside, but he is always bringing me hats for him to wear in the house. He also likes balancing things on his head, which I find hilarious. He will bring me something like a measuring cup and want me to put it onto his head, then he will just really concentrate on not letting it fall, meanwhile waiting for me to comment on his "funny hat". Then it will finally tumble down (or Max will knock it down), and then he will pick it up and want to do it all over again. And again. And again. It is hilarious.

And the shoes--since he has mastered the art of walking upright they have become his favorite thing. He will go on a mission to find a pair of shoes--anybody's shoes, and bring them to me and insist that I put them on. While it is almost impossible given his inexperience with ambulation, he will even try to put on a pair of my shoes and walk around. He doesn't get very far before tripping, but he wants to keep trying nonetheless. In this picture he is wearing Max's shoes--he actually can maneuver in those quite well.

Sam is 23 lbs 1 oz, and is 29 1/2 inches long. Pretty much right in the 50th percentile all around. As of the posting of this blog entry he has five teeth (3 on top, 2 on bottom), but the third upper tooth popped out a few days after he turned one. He is walking--and practically running--everywhere. He definitely has the motivation to get moving as Max is the highlight of his life (mommy might be the center, but Max is the highlight); always doing something interesting like running, skipping, hopping, playing and making strange, LOUD noises--way more interesting and entertaining than mommy or daddy, and Sam just wants to keep up with him! Sam really is a lucky, lucky kid--he has Max. Sure, Sam's clothes and toys might all be hand-me-downs, he has never really known a world where everything revolved around him solely, he has always had to share the spotlight/the attention/the time. But he has a big brother. A big brother who is way more stimulating than mommy or daddy could ever be, despite all the ways we try. He is really, really lucky.

As far as sleeping habits go--he sleeps all night, usually 12 hours straight, without making a peep. But, the kid is a horrible napper. This is probably somewhat due to the fact that we are often on the go when nap time rolls around and he frequently falls asleep in the car, but I really struggle to get him to take a nap while we are home. So, sometimes I just schedule outings around naptime since I know that that way he will at least get some sleep during the day while we're in the car. Sam loves to eat, and will pretty happily eat most anything placed in front of him (so long as he gets to feed it to himself). If we try to put something into his mouth for him, he usually spits it out, examines it, then eats it. He is also getting very good at using utensils, which he loves to do. I think he feels so big and independent when he eats this way. He will try and try, but he doesn't quite have the small motor skills to get food onto his fork or spoon, so I will help him, then he can get it into his mouth all on his own.

Sam is really such a joy! I am so in love with him. He has added such an incredible dynamic to our family. He is extremely good natured--always smiling. He giggles adorably over a game of peek-a-boo, or when I chase him around the coffee table. And he drives me crazy when he won't hold still for a diaper change--the kid is extremely strong. His favorite things to play with right now are his drumset, the recorder (which he can play remarkably well, considering), and the piano. I think we might have a little musician in the making! He really likes to push things--cars, the stool, Max's tricycle, the highchair. And, of course he likes to play with Max and/or anything that Max has at any given moment.

Sam is so snuggly and cuddly. I love to stroke the back and top of his head--he has such a good head. He gives the best kisses and hugs, and he is just so delicious!! I swear I must kiss him a million times a day. I can't believe it has been a year!

Happy Birthday Sammy!! We love you!

Bittersweet

Sam took five steps yesterday. On his own. And, although I was so proud of him, I just wanted to cry--what if this is my last baby? And where did all of the time go? I mean, two seconds ago I was birthing him on the floor in the bathroom and just yesterday he is walking. What?? Why does this precious time go by oh-so-fast? Why can't this wonderful stage just last forever--I think it is my favorite so far. He is so snuggly and gives the best kisses, and really is the sweetest little baby (if we can call him that, as he just turned 11 months old). Actually, he is the sweetest baby, unless he wants something--when he wants something, he wants it now! I guess that has been his personality since birth--no waiting for anything, not even a hospital room. If I am a little slow at feeding him--he definitely lets me know, and just trying to slow this kid down for a diaper change is probably more difficult than wrestling a calf. But, he is just so stinkin' fun. Interactions with him are so rewarding as he is so very generous these days with smiles and giggles, and watching interactions between him and Max is one of my favorite pasttimes. Those two boys love each other so much--it just melts my heart and puts a big smile across my face. Like I said, I think this is my favorite stage of Sam's life so far (although I think I could say that about every stage we go thru).

That said, I cannot forget to mention the incredible stage Max is in right now--the precocious little innocent questions, the use of big, multi-syllable words. That kid has a "why" for everything (drives me nuts sometimes). And sentences--I swear he is a genius. Just ask him why he is so smart and he will tell you he is a genius. He can carry on quite the conversation these days, and will really talk your ear off. He loves to sing now, too, and it is so cute to listen to him. He can count to 18 (except he always skips "2"), and he can pretty much spell his name already (I am sure it helps that it is nice and short). And FINALLY he loves to snuggle. While this might be just a procrastination technique ('cuz the kid is a genius, after all), he wants me to snuggle with him every night at bedtime and even before naps. How can I say no? Every once-in-awhile I can get Sam to fall asleep with us during naptime, and we have one big snuggle session together in Max's bed. Sometimes when I am snuggling with him, waiting for him to fall asleep, my mind drifts to the tower of dishes in the sink, the piles of laundry, or the toilets that could use a scrubbin'. But, then I remind myself that he is not going to want to snuggle with mommy like this for too much longer so I really should just enjoy it. And I do. Oh, how I do!--and suddenly everything seems so trivial. Vacuuming?--it's overrated. Dinner?--what's wrong with leftover's again? It will all still be waiting for me later. But, this--this wonderful moment spent with my precious little boys will not.

A little update on Sam's ear surgery: everything went smoothly. In fact, I was very impressed with the hospital and all of the staff. The day could not have gone better. Paul was able to take the morning off to not only provide assistance in the waiting room but also moral support as my baby was to be ripped from my arms and taken away to a cold, sterile operating room. Or so we thought when we listed that as one of the reasons he should come with me in the first place. Turns out the Versed they gave him right before taking him back really made him loopy. Paul and I were laughing so hard at how drugged he was.

30 seconds before this picture was taken he had been crying and complaining for like 3 minutes straight because the route of administration--nasal--completely pissed him off. But when the sedative finally took effect, he was completely junked-up and dopey, relaxed and chillin' and in-awe of everything. It was hilarious and Paul and I could not stop laughing.

Look at how cute he looks in the little hospital gown.

So, we were laughing as they took him back to the OR, and not even 10 minutes later the surgeon came out to tell us that the procedure was complete, everything went well, and that we could go back and see him shortly. It was amazingly fast. He was a little tired for the rest of the day, but by dinner time he was well enough to chow down on a slice of pizza, and the next day you would have never known that this cute, wonderful little guy just had surgery. Relief. For all of us.

Bats, Sparklers, and S'mores

Holy Mastitis! I have been so under-the-weather this last week. I am on antibiotics now, but I have been so extremely exhausted that I was a little afraid that I might be (do I dare say it?)... uhmm... pregnant. Thank. The. Lord. The test came back negative. Whew. It is just that I don't remember being so tired other than during the dreaded first trimester. I mean, I have been napping or wishing that I was napping every day. Haven't done that since early last pregnancy. It must just be that my kids are getting up too early and this humid heat is wearing me down. Oh how I miss the days when Max was sleeping in until 9 a.m. They were sure good while they lasted. Now he wakes up anytime between 6:00-7:30. I know that is a pretty typical time frame for 2.5 year olds to awaken, but I am NOT an early riser--infact, I am the anti-morning person. I do not function well that early. Never have. I can stay up all night long and well into the wee hours of the morning just fine, but 6:30 a.m. is just torture for me, and sometimes I feel like there is not enough coffee in the world...

I have a lot of catching up to do, and I am hoping to do so before this weekend--we are taking our first real vacation in almost 3 years. Although, I am starting to wonder whether this trip we have planned can actually be classified as a vacation since it will entail at least 13 hours roundtrip in a car with two kiddos. Doesn't sound like a thrilling way to begin or end a vacation in my opinion. In fact, I am so dreading this portion of the agenda, that I have actually considered canceling the entire thing and staying home instead--even though it has been so long since we have done anything like this. Sure, we have gone away to visit family in UT or VT, and while we really enjoy ourselves and always relish the entire experience, those visits aren't technically vacations. No. When I think of a vacation, my mind drifts back to that time we went to Puerto Vallarta, or Spain--or even all the times I went with Paul to Southern California: There was an ocean, a pool, and a lot of good food and drinks. This time there will be an ocean. And, maybe a pool. Not quite sure about what else is in store for us. Not even sure what to pack. Don't even really know much about where we are going. I guess I need to google Cape Cod.

Anyway, enough jibber-jabber. I have a lot of pictures (surprise, surprise) to post.

Sammy the pimp. Don't hate the playah, hate the game!

These pictures look like we are on vacation, but in fact, this pool belongs to our good friends Mark and Anne Ouimet. Sam was just a chillin' in the tube, taking in the sun while unwinding after a long, hard day.

Max. He is a little apprehensive around water, even though he has been taking swimming lessons since the end of March. He has gotten a little better, though, and his favorite thing to do is, as he likes to call it, "monkey bars". This is where he holds onto the pool edge and "monkey walks" along the perimeter of the pool. He does this all unassisted, and can go around several times. But, other than that he is pretty scared of the water. I cannot complain or nag him about it too much, as I am among those who do not know how to swim. I can doggy paddle, but it ain't pretty. Hopefully, with more exposure Max will relax and begin to take after his daddy, a very efficient swimmer and former lifeguard.

I know that a lot of my family have been anxiously awaiting pictures to illustrate the Bat Story. I have to say it is quite the story. The reader's digest version is that somehow a gigantic bat was flying around our house one night. Paul insisted that he saw a flying rodent with at least a 24-inch wing span. I admit I was skeptical--how in the heck did a bat get into the house? I was sure that it was just a giant moth or some creepy flying bug that lives in hot, humid climates. But, sure enough, after meticulously searching high and low throughout every room in the house we found it hiding out above the curtains in our living room. I immediately grabbed my phone and dialed my mom. I have no idea why, but out of everyone I know, she is the one who would know what to do. She is the bat expert (she did grow up in Kanosh, after all).

Anyway, we were pretty freaked out that this thing was going to go crazy and fly haphazardly all throughout the house, pooping bat guano all the while, possibly getting tangled in my hair or attacking us; hence, the motorcycle helmet, long-sleeved shirt and gloves. I was laughing so hard when I took this picture, but then I realized that I had no bat repellant armor to sheild me. So, Paul paused his bat mission to get me protection: a fleece hoody, a pair of motorcycle gloves, pants to protect my legs, and pants and a scarf for his own legs and neck. By then I was too entrenched in garb to snap any more pictures, so you will just have to use your imagination. It was pretty hilarious.

In the end, we got the bat. Poor thing. Shouldn't have come into our house anyway. (Still trying to figure out how he did--eeeeewwwww!!!)

Sammy is in love with anything food. So long as it is not pureed or from a jar, he devours it. His latest fave is pizza. Which works out nicely, as Max still really likes it too. Although, I think peanut butter sandwiches have replaced pizza as Max's favorite.

Look at that yummy face! Don't ya wanna just swallow him whole?

Anyway, as cute as he is with a food-stained face, he gets SOOO messy whenever he eats. This is mostly because he insists on feeding himself. He is actually already getting pretty good with a spoon. But, he really wants to do it all on his own, and he even pulls his bib off. So, dinner time (and breakfast and lunch) are all served au naturel. He eats naked, and I hose him off in the sink after every meal.

He actually really enjoys this after-dinner-spritzer.

Here is our failed attempt at capturing a self family portrait:

What a bummer--everyone was looking at the camera. At least Paul and I have nice smiles, and the two cutest members of the family are on display. Paul used to have the self-timer portraits down, but for some reason he fell out of practice. Maybe we can blame it on our fancy new camera that neither of us really know how to work.

So, we tried it again the following day, and Paul must have been practicing because his skills had markedly improved.

What a cute little fam!

The 4th of July.

I have to say that this was one of the most fun days of Max's life so far. I mean, it is right up there with the days he spent on tractors, playing on sand hills, and riding horses. He had such a good time and still talks about certain events from the night.

We went over to my friend Sara's house for a BBQ. What a spectacular time we all had, and given that we celebrated the 4th of July on the actual 4th of July--even though it was a Sunday--I have to say that there was no other place we would have rather been. Because if we had been in UT we would have been in church. Not exactly fireworks going off there. At any rate, we would have loved to have been in UT on July 2nd or 3rd, and instead spent the entirety of those days feeling homesick for our loved ones who, in addition to celebrating Independence Day in the manner that has become a tradition for me, were enjoying a family reunion. That would have been a lot of fun, and we were very sorry to miss. Plus, Paul was feeling like giving the Navajo Tacos one more chance.

Anyway, we went to my friend Sara's for a BBQ, and everyone enjoyed themselves. It was here that Max actually really learned to ride a tricycle. He finally figured out how to pedal and steer to get where he wanted to go. Since then he has been making the rounds inside my house. Yes, inside. I will miss it when he graduates to bigger bikes that are too substantial to ride around in the house, as it is really great entertainment for him and allows me to get dinner ready. We ride it outside, too, but it is SOOO hot and humid here (have I complained about that enough?).

Sam had a fun time crawling around on the deck.

Max enjoying a burger at the picnic table with Sara's two kids, Brandon and Gracie.

Max enjoying a hot dog with his daddy. According to Paul (he who grew up in New York--home of the dirty-water-dog), mustard is the only thing that belongs on a hot dog.

Max and Brandon playing "bumper cars".

Sam is taking the car out for a Sunday evening cruise.

It was like a hundred million degrees outside this day and humid as it can possibly get...
A

... and Paul and Eric built a fire.

Which so happened to be Sammy's first fire...

... and a great place to roast marshmallows.


Max's first experience with roasted marshmallows...

...and his first s'more. MMMMmmmmm. He especially loved the chocolate. Smart kid.

All four kids swinging.

My two little cutie-pie boys playing on the slide. Paul makes fun of the fact that I buy matching shirts for them, and some random woman at Home Depot actually asked if they were twins the other day--I think the matching shirts confused her.

Gracie, Sara and me. Sara is my best friend out here, and unfortunately I feel like such a lurpy giant next to her. She is like 92 lbs soaking wet.

All the kids got to experience fireworks for the first time. We weren't sure how late the kiddos would last, so we set up the show a little early. Little did we know they would all still be awake long after the sun had set.

Little Sammy checking out the sparkly display in the distance...

... then heading off on a purposeful crawl to get to the interestingly noisy and dazzling thing.

Max's first sparkler. I was a little surprised that my husband--Mr. Cautious--would actually allow him to hold on to this dangerous explosive device. Maybe I am the neurotic one in the family after all.

Not surprisingly, Max thought the sparklers were pretty cool.

Paul had him doing the Statue of Liberty pose. Everyone was cracking up, but he had this really serious look on his face. It was too cute.

One would think that fireworks and sparklers would have been a fantastic end to the night, but no--there was still more fun to be had. All the kids got in the wagon, and Paul pulled them around the yard.

The kids all got so incredibly dirty, and we left Sara's house so late, that we had to give them all baths beforehand. Here is Sam and Gracie in the tub. His first bath with his first girlfriend.

All in all, a wonderful night.

This post has taken me several days to complete, and as of tonight--11:20 p.m. EST on July 20th, I am finishing my blog even though I should be sleeping. I think I am trying to postpone the restlessness that will ensue once my head hits the pillow. Sam is getting surgery in the morning: Because of frequent, intractable ear infections and fluid in his inner ear, he has to have a bilateral myringotomy with tube placement--a very standard procedure, but for some reason I am a little apprehensive. Maybe it is the general anesthesia. Maybe the fact that I have to wake him up at 4:30 a.m. to nurse him one last time before his surgery as he can't eat or drink after that. Maybe it is the anticipation of the experience in a waiting room where I have a hungry 10.5-month-old and I can't even entertain him with snacks. There goes my entire bag of tricks. I will update with the good news.