Dear Samuel,This was your first month being "one" and you are learning so much each day. You are inquisitive, a fast learner, a good eater, and a hugger and a kisser. This month you:
*tried speaking several words - unfortunately all of them start with "b"; ball is a short "buh", balloon is a long "buuuuh", the sound a sheep makes is "baaaah", and book is just a quiet "b".
*started pointing to things and saying "uhh" when you want us to name something, take you to it, or fetch it for you; "you go get it" is usually our response.
*got your first top tooth
*continue to be impossible to grocery shop with, and now you think all the oranges in the produce section are balls that YOU should get to hold and throw!
*went to the Chick-Fil-A playground
*had the same breakfast as Mama for the first time - apple muffins!
*had Goo for dinner; you're definitely our boy
*learned more body parts: hands (Mama kisses), hair, head, tummy and ear
*climbed the stairs at Gram and Pops' house - with Gram of course.
*began dancing, clapping and/or swaying when you hear music on the radio or coming from one of your many musical Fischer-Price friends...
*became obsessed with playing three things: ball, bubbles and Mama and Daddy's bed where you like to stand up, fall down and flop around. You ask for all three multiple times daily.
*clapped to the music during the closing song at storytime which the librarians found so cute
*learned how to get down from the couch on your own safely...now we need to teach you how to get on the couch by yourself
*continue to kiss and hug, but now do both on your own without us even asking you!
*learned some animal sounds - you say them if we ask or if you see them in a book: sheep (baaah), cow (mmmmm), and cat (high-pitched squeal)
*met your Kansas City family and loved loved loved your three new adoring fans
*had your one-year check-up and passed with flying colors!
*played hide-and-seek with Megan and now try to get Mama to play it all the time!
*played ball with Granny Nell and belly-laughed everytime she caught the ball or pretended to drop it.
*started riding in the car facing forward and you love it.
*waved to Beebo the signing bear during storytime.
*learned from Aunt Carol how to sign "more" - a much-used sign at mealtime
*planted flowers and seeds with Mama and Daddy.
*got some bumps and bruises as you are becoming even more active and taking more risks
Each month I sit down with your baby calendar and our family fridge calendar to write out your accomplishments and I always start out thinking, "what did he do this month that I could write about". I never expect to have the long, long lists I always end up with. You are so amazing!
Dear Samuel, Today you are twelve months and that is ONE YEAR! You grew so much! This month you:
started to play pat-a-cake with Momma
got your first cold - you had a stuffy nose and a cough but you were such a trooper!
celebrated your first Valentine's Day
learned where your eyes are
learned where Momma's hair is (and Daddy's and Gram's...)
spent the day with Gram and Pops while Mommy ran errands
found a new way to laugh - a cackle - and practiced it for three days straight
celebrated Pops' 60th birthday
continue to shake your head back and forth when we tell you no-no, and then do whatever you want anyway
learned it's fun to dump Sophie's water dish over (fun for you, not Mommy)
started pointing to your feet when we asked you where your shoes go
had fun chasing Mommy and Daddy around the house
spent lots of time running party errands with Momma
finally added the "oh" to "uh-oh"
discovered how fun it is to hug and hug and hugh some more
showed your stubborn side with by kicking those tantrums up a notch
got even better at cruising around the house - I can't beleive how quickly you get from one place to another
wore your first tie
became almost impossble to grocery shop with
got a third tooth
saw a big snowstorm - over 6 inches - we enjoyed the view from inside our cozy house
discovered the musical doorstops at Gram and Pops
give kisses when we ask you to
became more difficult to watch; you're always on the move
celebrated your first birthday with a balloon party!
had a couple of close-calls with Sophie - you like her more than ever, but your feelings are unrequited
give hugs when we ask you to and you pat our arms as an added bonus!
You were such a good baby. You were rarely fussy, almost always happy, a good eater and a quick learner. Everyone loved little baby Sam. But I'm glad you're getting bigger and learning to do more things because we are going to have so much fun together!
Dear Samuel, This time last year I was exhausted, not sleeping through the night and my back hurt like the dickens because you were so heavy. Here we are, one year later and nothing's changed! Except now I'm worn out because we play so hard, and I'm up at night because you want to cuddle, and my back aches because of all the fun games we play. I like that much better!
The last few weeks have been quite eventful for you, Baby Sam. This past month you:
started "reading" books on your own; you're so cute flipping through the pages, even if sometimes you read the book backwards
celebrated your first Christmas and New Year's Day
spent two very special days with your Uncle Randy
drove your stroller-car through Stonebriar Mall - beep beep!
saw snow for the first time on Christmas Eve and again a couple days later grew out of your infant seat and are now enjoying a roomy toddler car seat (still backwards, though)
got your first haircut from Momma - I just trimmed the back a little
officially started crawling, all over the house, on New Year's Eve
pulled up on Daddy's leg a couple of days after crawling
discovered how fun it is to toss things over the side of your crib, your
high-chair, and the grocery cart
started cruising up and down the couch
learned to say "Mmmmmmm" when Moose A. Moose comes on the TV screen
stood up in your crib for the first time
figured out all by yourself to point to your feet when Mommy asks you, "Sam, where do your socks go?"
got your second tooth - bottom front, next to the first tooth
said what Mommy's going to count as your first word - while at CostCo you looked at Gram's jacket, pointed to one of the buttons and said "buh" - so smart!
started scowling, a face you make when you bump your head or have to do something that you don't want to do enjoyed cuddling on the couch in the morning with Daddy, watching Jack's Big Music Show
started taking a bath in the big-boy bath tub, with all your toys, too!
learned how to sigh a big, long sigh after Mommy sighs a big long sigh started pointing to Mommy's teeth, in addition to her nose, when she asks you where they are
ate spaghetti for the first time - yum!
continued charming the pants off of everyone who meets you!
The picture I got of you in your chair was the only good one out of about 20. The rest of them looked like the one below - blurry, with you trying to escape the chair and pull things off your table. This picture pretty much sums up this month - constant motion and curiosity - and you're not even walking yet!
But that's okay buddy. You're a bundle of fun. I expect next month to be eventful as well and we'll celebrate the end of the month with a special Balloon Party, just for you!
Dear Samuel, Oh my! You are now in the double digits! This year is flying by, but what a month you had! This past month you:
tried beef - you liked it at first, now not so much pulled up to your knees at the couch put up Christmas decorations with Mommy started throwing things; you weren't mad, just having fun! waved bye-bye for the first time visited North Park Center to look at the lights and decorations figured out how to really splash in the tub celebrated your first Thanksgiving had your nine-month appointment - we learned you're going to be a slender guy like Daddy took a few real crawls here and there got really good at standing (with help) learned the word nose!! visited Santa for the first time - he loved you extra-special tried and loved finger food; puffs and Mommy's Gourmet Toast Sticks went Christmas shopping with Mommy
and best of all....you met Papa and Grandma!
You make the holidays so much fun. Can't wait for Christmas this week!
Dear Samuel, You look like a little man in this photo. You are such a handsome guy! This month you kept us busy while you:
started creeping around the house on your tummy like a soldier ate and ate and ate and fussed whenever we took your empty bowl to the sink discovered your love of balloons and became our own little "balloon boy" learned how to get yourself from a tummy to a sitting position figured out how to rummage through your toy box, looking for just the right thing sat in the seat of a grocery cart for the first time suffered from an increasingly bad case of separation anxiety - even if Mommy took two steps from you, you cried...hard played in the grass outside - you like to watch Sophie play fetch. She runs by you extra fast, just to show-off! started sleeping in your crib with the mattress all the way down - fun! played on the playground for the first time, swinging in the swing with Granny Nell crawled all over Mommy, all day long... ate some new foods got your first card in the mail; Papa and Grandma sent it to you became The WonderPets biggest fan celebrated your first Halloween - you were the cutest kid in the neighborhood - moo! pushed your first tooth through, just a little bit became a not-so-good shopper; you want to be out of your stoller and moving around stopped being such a good listener during storytime at the library - again, you liked to crawl all over Mama enjoyed music - baby songs, grown-up tunes, even tv jingles make you bob up and down to the beat!
Dear Samuel, You're eight months today and the cutest little pumpkin in the patch! You've been very active this month, although I know it's nothing compared to what you'll be capable of once you start crawling and walking. This past month you...
started sitting up on your own, though it never lasts for long (see previous blog entry) decided you also like blueberries, peaches, plums and asparagus, but not so much turkey - it was a little rough on your tummy, huh? attended your first outdoor festival - Richardson's Cottonwood - with Gram and Pops rolled over on your tummy and fussed met your Uncle Jeff, who promptly posted you on what Daddy affectionally calls "the Facebook", where sadly you've never been before! rolled over on your tummy and grunted shopped with Mommy for your first Halloween pumpkin (a little baby one) rolled over on your tummy and cried started playing peek-a-boo...with Mommy, Gram, and even by yourself! rolled over on your tummy and screamed learned how to play catch with your pretty rainbow ball; you get so excited when you "catch" it! started bouncing up and down, like you're keeping a really cool beat, when you decide to sit on your own sat and watched while Sophie tried to steal your socks - right off your feet - TWICE! added "da-da" and "nuh-nuh" to your list of baby babbles watched a helicopter take off close-up continued to work on pushing those bottom two teeth out began playing in your big-boy play-pen - out came the newborn mattress. You like your little baby-cave belly-laughed at Mommy's impression of Adam Sandler impersonating Scooby Doo...ZOINKS! It's not as good as Daddy's, but it still gets you every time tipped the scales at 19 pounds at the beginning of the month got a big-boy umbrella stroller for quick-trips propped yourself up from tummy position once. Please do it again! It will make my life your life so much easier!
Dear Samuel, Little boy! You are so much fun! You have grown a lot over the past four weeks. While you were six months you...
had a great six months check up with Dr. Guetersloh - you started out the month at 18.6 pounds hung out with Mommy in the kitchen while I made baby food tried peas and green beans (yucky), squash, sweet potatoes and carrots (yum), apples, pears, bananas and prunes (YUM-YUM!) started creeping all around the room began to pivot on your tummy, round and round propped up on your knees and forearms once for about 3 seconds took Granny Nell to McKinney rolled under your crib to play with your toys chewed on "Hoot" - the first toy Mommy made for you spent the day with Gram and Pops while Mommy took her sewing class worked your first yard sale with Mommy and Daddy were referred to as "she" by strangers in public on five seperate occasions - which is okay with me, it's just because your little face is so beautiful! started hanging on to Mommy like a little baby monkey watched your first cartoon - WonderPets on Noggin - you were mesmerized! practiced sitting up on your own - you are almost there started wearing your doggie jammies again...two sizes bigger this time!
Thanks for making each day so much fun for us, Sam. We love you!
Dear Samuel, I can't believe it. You are 6 months old today! How can this be? Your baby calendar was full of notes this month, you accomplished so much. This month you...
rolled over and over and over - yea! began rolling in your crib, would get stuck and cry for help...at all hours of the night! started babbling buh-buh and ma-ma; I know you're not saying "mama" yet, but I like to pretend you are! practiced and perfected eating rice cereal got a new high chair were good for Gram and Pops while they babysat you on Mommy's birthday grew out of this second round of clothes and hats and booties started sitting up in your stroller on our walks got your first set of dishes - a plate, a bowl and a cup learned how to shake your rattle - you even shake your arm when you're not holding a rattle! reached out to pet Sophie. I can tell you will be a "dog-person" like Mom and Dad. visited Uncle Andrew at work and were a big hit with the ladies! brought joy to your family each and every day!
Dear Samuel, Today you are five months. Like Daddy said, "you are a whole hand". This past month you:
found new kinds of SQUWAKS! wowed your surgeon and nurses with how cooperative and sweet you were the day of your surgery - that was a tough day...thanks for making it easier on Mommy and Daddy by being so good became more wiggly - half the pictures I took of you were blurry! learned how to roll from your back onto your side and.... came sooooo close to rolling over all the way got even better at tummy time especially when watching your new giraffe laughed and laughed when Mommy found your tickle spots on the side of your ribs were such a good baby when the air went out and the house was 87 degrees when we got home from your surgery. Amazing! got your first baseball cap started getting up more in the middle of the night to eat, instead of less...grrr.... tried rice cereal and spit most of it out got the morning nap down pat! laughed at everything Sophie did - she's hilarious isn't she? got a couple of new chairs - a high chair and a Bumbo met your Great Great Aunt Carol did lots of shopping with Mom and Gram - Central Market, Watter's Creek, WillowBend had your 4 month check up and passed with flying colors started splashing in your bath while we sing the bubble song became so much more alert talked and talked and talked drooled and drooled and drooled put EVERYTHING you could get your hands on into your mouth went to the pool once, but didn't go in the water because you're too little, so we just visited with friends continued to love trees started waking up and playing in your crib or talking to your fan before calling for Mommy to come get you played with your toys more - you like your keys and your teething bracelet best have become VERY easy to distract while eating, which makes feeding you quite difficult! began laying on our bed each day to watch Mommy do her hair started fake coughing - at least we think it's fake - you seem to just like making that noise! took your clothes off a lot - we found socks off in your crib, pj pants off in your crib a couple of times, and you started taking your shirt off for your picture today also started arching your back when we put you in your car seat - that's fun! seemed to enjoy playing peek-a-boo and you even like being surprised a little bit - so brave! started looking a little like Mommy...maybe? I hope...just a little? are the perfect size - I love holding you on my hip, especially when you rest your head against me. You're strong enough to hold yourself upright while we walk around, and you aren't too heavy yet. It's the greatest thing ever!
I love you, Little Sam. What else can I say, you're just the best-est.
