Happy Birthday Sammy!

What a week! Really it's only been a week since I last posted but so much has been going on. I'll start with Sammy since today is his birthday. We had his check up today, but due to the fever he has had the last two days no shots. Lucky boy, except we do have to go back next week and get them. Don't worry the fever is just his next two bottom teeth trying to come in and making him miserable. Today he is 32.5 inches long (97th percentile) 26 lbs. 11 oz. (87th percentile) and his noggin is still huge (96th percentile). So basically he's a big boy. He also has his check up yesterday with the Ortho about his feet, and even though we have not made him wear those dumb shoes in several months his feet are perfect. Yay!
We had Sammy's birthday dinner Sunday with both sides of the family. I've never been one to think a 1 year old needs a big party. Just a nice family dinner with cake is just fine by me. The problem is even with just family we had 24 people besides our little family of 4 over for the dinner. Sammy had no idea what was going on, but he did enjoy the cake and though he didn't want anything to do with opening the presents he had fun with the toys when we handed them to him.

Sammy enjoying his baseball cake.

Playing with some of his presents.

I remember Andi's first birthday and thinking how big she was and how she wasn't a baby anymore. She just seemed like such a big girl at one. But with Sammy I just can't believe it's already been a year and he seems like such a baby to me still. Maybe it's because I have Andi to compare him to now and next to her he really is a baby, or maybe it's because the year has gone by so so quickly. Either way, he's growing up way too quickly. Thanks to everyone who came and celebrated with us!
Sunday was also Andi's first primary program. After a very LONG rehearsal Saturday I was a little nervous about the program, but as usual, come Sunday the kids pulled it off. Normally Andi out sings the rest of the primary in sheer volume, whether she knows the words or not, so I was a little nervous about her being in front of the whole congregation. She did really well though and didn't drown everyone out. She did get shy when it was time for her speaking part, which was very weird for her.
We carved pumpkins Tuesday evening and Andi was very squeemish about cleaning the pumpkins out. I did make her reach her hand in and touch the junk once and she freaked out, so I cleaned it and she told me what face she wanted. An Andi face. . . and Daddy needed to make a Sammy face pumpkin. So this is what we came up with. Don't worry she was totally impressed.
The one on the right is the Sammy pumpkin because it only has four front teeth like Sam. And the one on the left is the Andi pumpkin because it has lot's of teeth.

Andi posing with "her" pumpkin. Can't you see the resemblance?

Sammy has made new discoveries in the computer desk. Drawers have all kinds of fun things in them to be pulled out and thrown around. I snapped the first picture thinking to myself that we have a little trouble maker on our hands now. Then I pulled him into the other room and put the couple of things back in the drawer.

Later that same morning I found that he has discovered the file drawer. Even better.

He also has become very speedy at getting up the slide all by himself and seems to feel very proud of himself once he gets up there. this time he crawled up one handed because he won't let go of the stupid golf ball. He carry's that thing everywhere with him!


And this is Andi watching Annie. . . again. I think we watch it once a week. Is it weird for a 3 year old to be that in to musicals? last week she grabbed out High School Musical and wanted to watch it. I figured she'd get bored and walk away, but she loves the singing and dancing.

Aside from the kiddos I have put a big dent into the list of Christmas projects. We are now done with the gift for Thads family, and done with the gifts for the girls in my family. Now we just have the boys, and my little family to work on. Thad is going to be gone again next week so i'm sure I'll have more projects to talk about then.

For record keeping sake

I hate posting without pictures, but due to multiple camera traumas I have to do so. On the camera issue, the battery in mine has been dead, and it took me a while to find the charger. In the meantime I have been using Thads camera, which we don't have a cord for yet to connect it to the computer, so even though I do have some pictures of the latest happenings there is literally no way to get get them off the cameras. Lame. But don't worry, the new cord and charger will be here in the next few days.
In the meantime one huge thing to note for record keeping sake is that Sammy is so so so close to officially walking. If you stand him up and back away he will take four or five steps to you. Okay, so maybe it's more like falling and catching himself before he dives into your arms. But it's progress. More encouraging is that he will try to do the same thing when he sees something he wants. This usually does not end well as the toy cannot catch his fall. I am very excited about the prospect of him walking because he is so HEAVY and my back could use a break.
Andi has always been a very verbal child and listening to her talk is usually very entertaining. Especially when she tries to use big words like besgusting (disgusting) or bemeber (remember). She uses pretty much all words appropriately and that's half the funny. She loses me though when she starts telling me about her "new friends" which happen to be imaginary. They always live far away by the sun and have a little brother like her, and I can never pronounce their names. She doesn't give them normal names, it's just a jumble of sounds, like she thinks since she is making them up she should make up a completely original name for them too. The other thing she does is clarify for me that she is betending (pretending) things. If she asks for something and I say no, then she says she is pretending that she is doing it anyway. Or if I tell her it's not time to be a puppy it's time to be a girl and do what mommy says she gets exasperated. "mom, I'm just betending to be a puppy!" She's interesting.
Thad is on his first official business trip with the new job and it's going to take some getting used to. I think this time was especially hard because he was on a scout campout friday & saturday, home sunday, then gone at 5am monday morning and won't be back till the end of the week. He seems to be getting things accomplished which makes him happy, but he says he will be loading some video games on his laptop for the next trip.
Next post I promise will include pictures and not so much of my blah blah blah.

Ahhhhh . . . .

I have been back home for a week now and it has been the best week ever! Monday was really just the sweetest day. We went on a walk, went to target, played in the backyard, and made a real dinner, something I haven't done in months.
Andi also started dance this last week. Classes started a few weeks ago, but for obvious reasons we had to hold off on enrolling her. In fact the first thing she said when I told her Daddy got a new job was "I get to go to dance class now?!" So we did, and she was so excited she could hardly stand still long enough to listen to the teacher. Her favorite is tap because of the "noisy" shoes. Here she is on her first day of class.


Sammy's new favorite thing is the computer desk, mostly the printer actually. We have a nice little computer cabinet that shuts and covers everything, but he has figured out how to open the door. I found him here a few morning ago.

Sammy is getting closer to walking, with a little help from big sister. He holds on to the back of her old ride on toy while she rides and she drags him around the house.


Andi has taken quite an interest in our cameras lately. Well not lately, she's always liked to play with them, but Thad let her play with one all day and 400 pictures later she actually got a couple of cute shots of Sam. And of course several self portraits inspired by aunt kelsie.


And now it is time to get working on Christmas projects. I have everything decided on, it's just a matter of doing it. Less than 3 months to go, I really better get working ;)