18 Months!

Somehow, Sam is 18 months old today.  I'm not sure how that happened.

 At 18 months, Sam:

•  loves spending time outside.  We walk circles around the house each day and Sam spends a lot of time exploring Mabel's doggy door and wishing that his parents would let him crawl through.  He still likes going for walks in his stroller, but also likes to walk around on his own and go visit/pet the dog statue that lives up the street in our neighbor's driveway.  
• loves animals of all kinds.  We have made LOTS of trips to the zoo this summer and he is proficient at making all of the various animal sounds.  He still calls Mabel "good girl" a lot of the time, but also calls her "Beeee" sometimes, too.  I'm not really sure where that came from, but he says it in the same tone of voice that we say "Mabe." 
• is very affectionate.  Sammer is a snuggler and hugger and has started to give kisses, too.  
• loves his books and spends lots of time each day reading with Mama and Dad and also flipping through books on his own.  
• can say about 20 words, although some of them require interpretation. 
• goes through phases of laughing at strange things.  For example, a couple weeks ago, he would laugh every time we would say, "A baby cow is called a calf."  
• is working on giving up his binky.  We've just recently started using it for nap and bed times only.  
• is a  healthy boy.  He's only been slightly sick a few times and has yet to need any antibiotics. 
• loves to brush his teeth.  
• loves his cousins. 
• likes to spend time rearranging the refrigerator and cupboards.  
• eats really well and almost anything. 
• is a big boy.  He is 35" tall (98th percentile), 27 pounds (80th-85th percentile) and his head is 20" around (>98th percentile).   
• usually sleeps about 10 hours each night and two to three hours each afternoon.  
• really loves his stuffed monkey.  
• is so, so loved!  

Sunken Gardens

Sam The Man

Thought it was about time to share a few photos of our little man.  Isn't he a handsome devil? 

Sam the Political Activist

Sam participated in his first political campaign, on Saturday.  I had to work all weekend, so Brian loaded Sam and the stroller into the car and went to walk a neighborhood in support of Trent Fellers, who is running for Lincoln City Council.

Brian campaigned for Trent, in a different part of the same neighborhood, a few weeks ago while I stayed home with Sam.  He said that his reception was much improved with a kid in tow.  They even stopped by a nursing home that was in the neighborhood and the ladies there were big fans of our Sam-Sam.  

Hopefully, all the walking, knocking and talking will garner Trent some extra votes and get a few more people to the polls on Tuesday. 

In related news, our yard currently looks like this:

Easter Pics

Home Is Where Sam Is

I took these photos of Sam, this morning and I am in love with them.  With him, too, of course.  He's pretty great with that tongue and all.

13 Months

Somehow, another month has flown right by us and our Sam is now 13 months old. 

Right now, Sam:

• is very unpredictable about what he will eat.  The only things that he will "for sure" eat, every time that they are offered, are veggie straws and Cheerios.  For everything else, it's a big guessing game.  Something he enjoyed for lunch may or may not be spit out at dinnertime.
• knows how to give five, clap, raise his arms in the air to show that he is "so big" and wave.
• likes bubbles.
• tries to say "quack" and "meow" and can successfully growl like a lion.  
• likes to read books.
• likes bath time.  
• hates having his diaper/clothes changed and squirms around like a crazy person.
• still likes to play peek-a-boo and patty-cake.
• still puts everything into his mouth. 
• drops half of his food onto the floor around his highchair.
• smiles every time that he sees Mabel.
• likes to "help" with the dishes and explore the inside of the refrigerator.
• really likes his nursery rhyme book.  
• is loved. 

Fun In Ravenna Sun

Birthday Time

Happy Birthday, Samuel P!

 

This handsome boy is one year old, today!

At one year, Samuel:

* is a fast crawler, likes to stand up anywhere he can get a hold of something and has started taking his first steps around the furniture. 
*is wearing 18 month pants and jammies and shirts that vary from 12-24 months, depending on the brand.
*likes to shake his head "no" and sometimes really means it.
*eats really, really well.  He occasionally decides he doesn't want something and spits it out, but in general he will eat most anything.
*still likes his binky - especially when he is tired.
*can wave and give five.
*loves his cousins and is always in a good mood when they are around.
*started sleeping past 6am.  Yay!
*figured out that he can pull up on the window ledges, stand up and take a peek at the world.
*loves Mabel.
*started to really enjoy our nursery rhyme book.
*thinks peekaboo is the cat's meow.
*is loved, loved, loved! 

Tunnel Vision

Growing Baby

This little guy is officially up to 18 month pants and the shirt he is wearing in these photos is 24 months.  Aaah!  Somebody stop my baby from growing so quickly...and also, come clean my kitchen floor for me.  :)

Jammers

I bought these jammers for Sammers last March or April or maybe May.  I naively thought that he would be wearing 18 month clothing when he was 18 months.  Instead, he is wearing 18 month stuff now and it seems that pjs run smaller than most of his other clothing, so he is almost ready for 24 month jamas.  Also, his room isn't really warm enough to put him to bed in these summery type pjs.  I think the little lion and stripes are so stinkin' cute, though and didn't want him to outgrow them without ever wearing them.  So, we had a "lounge around the house in your PJs" afternoon the other day.  It was cozy and Sam was stylin'. 

Eleven Months

Our 11 month cutie:

• is getting pretty fast at his army crawl.  
• likes things that he can open and close.  These things include doors, cupboards, drawers, books, the block box that has a hinged lid, the clothes dryer and such.
• can finally say mama, but hasn't really said it yet in a way that means "Mama."
• smiles whenever he sees Mabel, looks at the window or sliding glass door when we say her name or talk about "puppies," doesn't mind if she sniffs his face, likes to put his hand on her back and help give her her breakfast or rawhide treats.
• started playing independently with his books.  He likes to sit and flip through the pages.  
• has five teeth - two on the bottom and three on top.  Brian just found a new one this morning!  So, we will rewrite that as: Sam has six teeth - three on the bottom and three on top. 
• learned how to "give five."
• is super tickly and giggly when we change his diaper.
• had his first haircut and didn't seem to mind one bit.  He was interested in the clippers, but otherwise did a great job of sitting still and letting me cut away.
• is happiest in the early mornings.
• has a birthday coming up!
• is loved.  Immensely.

Threshold

Anticipation

Sam gets so excited for bath time, these days.  He likes to stand at the side of the tub and watch the water fill. 

In similar news, he has crawled into our shower (it's a walk-in, so there isn't a ledge for him to get over) twice this week - once when I was showering and once when Brian was.  He thought it was fun/funny until a big stream of water was aimed right at his head/face. 

Stripey Sam

To be fair, the title of this post could be used for most every post.  Our Sam is a stripey fella.  What can we say?  Hmmm.  We think he looks good in stripes.  Also, we're not into the cutesie animal shirts or the ones with funny little sayings.  It seems like I see a lot of good options for little girls and hardly anything for boys.  So, we've settled on stripes.  Sorry, kid.

In case you wonder about my use of the word "we" above, I really mean it.  Brian feels the same way.  I didn't expect that.  I thought he wouldn't really care either way.  But, we are on the same page.  I like that. 

Sam's Week

Brian lowered Sam's crib mattress on Sunday.  How can our baby be such a big baby / little boy?  Other new things this week - how to open cupboard doors and a new face where he scrunches up his nose and lips.

Wagon

Sam's Grandpa Birger and Grandma C gave him a not-so-little red wagon for Christmas.  Addison and Jenna spent a good chunk of Saturday night pulling him around the basement in it.

Hanging With an Odd Duck

Sammer is loving bath time, these days.  He splishes and splashes and give his tootsies big kicks when you try to wash between his toes.  Also, his hair is getting lo-ong.  We've trimmed the hair that grows over his ears a few times,  but I think it's about time for his first real hair cut.