Sam - 11 months

Sam, you are 11 months old!!! I'm so excited for all the fun that comes with turning one, but I can't help but long for your newborn days. As weird as it seems, the newborn stage is my favorite. Coming in at a close second is between 1 and 2.

You are walking everywhere. You have really gotten the hang of it now and there is no stopping you! You love to follow your sister around and push your walking toys and your sister's little chair all over the house.
You are talking up a storm. You say dadadada and babababa and you love to screech and scream. We all think it's so funny and we like to take turns screaming :)
You love to touch people's faces and give them big open mouth kisses. You like to lay your head on our shoulders when we first pick you up as if to say I love you. It's so sweet! You smile all the time and are so happy. People always comment on how happy and smiley you are and how easy going you seem to be. They are right!
You love to feed yourself and your favorite foods are pasta pick-ups, cheese, chicken and turkey, bananas and pancakes. Your sister is so good about breaking off little pieces of whatever she has and sharing with you. She always asks me, "Can brother have some?" You don't seem to like any kind of juice or water, but you'll drink a little bit. You still drink formula.
You are sleeping great! You go down around 7:30 and wake up between 6:30 and 7.
Still no teeth :( I don't really care whether you have teeth yet, but it would make feeding you so much easier. I feel like you eat the same things over and over because I have to find things you don't have to chew.
You still have trouble with ear infections (separate post)
You wear a size 4 diaper and 12M clothes.
You weight about 20 lbs. and are about 28 1/2 inches tall.
You can clap your hands and you have really started dancing a lot when you hear music or the sounds on your toys. 
You make us happy, happy, happy!

Can't wait for your 1st birthday party!

Sam's Baptism

On Sunday, February 17th Sam was baptized at Huntsville First United Methodist. It was a great day! He was so good! The baptism went smoothly and our family was there so it was extra special. They put some pictures of him up on the projector screen and then the pastor walked him around the fellowship hall so everyone could see him. Afterwards we had lunch and cake at the club. Sam got several Bible story books and a Bible with his name engraved on it, some picture frames and a cross to hang in his room. The Lord blessed us with this beautiful baby boy and we promise to raise him to serve the Lord and support him as he tries to follow a righteous path. In these crazy times, I know it will be not be an easy thing.

The Lord came, and stood, and called as at other times, "Samuel, Samuel." Then Samuel answered, "Speak; for thy servant heareth." I Samuel 3:10

 Finley's favorite part of the day was cake.

 Sam liked the cake too.

Us :)

 Our family.

Finley's Baby Book

I realized last week how important it is for me to update this blog and keep track of the kids milestones. Last week I was in a baby store and I saw a really cute baby book. Since Finley is going to be 4 in a month I thought it might be time to buy her baby book and start working on it. Ya think?? I came home and got right to work. I couldn't believe how much I had forgotten! I used my blog, home videos and Facebook to fill in the blanks. Who says Facebook is a waste of time? I need a few more pictures and a copy of her birth certificate and it will be done. I'm going to start on Sam's as soon as I finish Finley's because I don't want to get behind again. I felt terrible about forgetting things I thought I could never forget. On the bright side, I had fun reminiscing about when she was a baby and writing little notes in the margins about how I had so much fun designing her nursery and how she got embarrassed when we sang "Happy Birthday" to her. I decided that I'm going to do a second little book about all of her firsts. There were so many that weren't in the baby book. First time on a n airplane, first time to face forward in the carseat (a big one for us), etc. With all that said, I'm going to try to do better, even if it's just a sentence or two about something funny or memorable that happened that day. I know what you're thinking, you've heard it all before ;)

Sam at 10 months

 I cannot believe I'm writing a 10 month post!

Sam is walking everywhere and getting into everything. He goes straight for the dishwasher if he hears someone in the kitchen doing the dishes and straight for the bathroom if he hears bath water running. He loves to take a bath! He loves to swing and climb stairs. He loves to see things fall, out of his crib, out of the grocery cart, off the table. If he sees anything stacked he knocks it down with ferocity! He loves to open and close drawers and cabinets. He loves to roam the house and follow his sister into her room. Finley asks me all the time, "Can brother come in my room"? I used to carry him in there for her, but now I just tell her to go in there and call his name and if he wants to come in he will. Then I will see her CARRYING him into her room against his will. So funny! He is babbling a lot. Dadadada, Mamamama, Babababa, etc. Sometimes in the morning I will hear him talking to himself in his crib and it's so sweet. I just lay there and listen. I have started to plan his first birthday. Crazy!!! I'm excited for the coming year and the milestones it will bring. I can tell he will have a great sense of humor. Sometimes I will look at him and he will cut his eyes at me without turning his head and then he'll laugh. He loves to be tickled and for me to pretend to drop him. He is great at playing peek a boo. We're done with baby food, he's having none of it. He loves bananas, pasta pick-ups and muffins.We've started him on a sippy cup for juice, but it still has a nipple so I doubt this is helping him transition. He wears a size 4 diaper and he is getting into 12m clothes. He takes 2 naps a day and is sleeping through the night for the most part. Every once in a while he will cry out, but he cries for about 10 minutes and then goes back to sleep for the night. Still no teeth, but lots of drooling and he is putting everything in his mouth so hopefully something will come through soon. 

Everyone who meets Sam adores him and I have a feeling it will always be that way :)

We love you, buddy!

It's my b'day!

I am having a great birthday! Joey brought me lunch and an ice cream cake, the kids are on their best behavior and I cleaned the house and did all the laundry yesterday so that I wouldn't have any housework to do today. You might be 31 when you race around like a maniac doing housework the night before your birthday for the sake of being able to relax on your actual birthday. Saturday night Joey and I went to dinner at Drake's and did some shopping. We stayed out as late as we could, but ended up back at home by 9pm. Birthdays have changed a bit ;) The best part was my gift from Joey...an iPhone!!! I actually never wanted an iPhone. I'm not into technology. I really need a full keyboard to type and I prefer to get on Facebook, check my email, etc. from my desktop. I'm old school like that. Surprisingly, I haven't had any trouble with the touchscreen and I love the picture quality! I also feel super cool now that I don't slide my huge keyboard out to text :)

30 was really good to me and I think 31 will be even better!

Finley Lately

Joe, a family friend: "Finley, what did Santa bring you for Christmas?"
Finley: "Poop."

(after putting Finley in time out for being mean to Sam)
Me: "Do you think you can be nice to brother now?"
Finley: "Nope."

Finley: "That's stupid."
Me: "Finley, we do not say stupid."
Finley: "Stup"
Me: "Don't say stup either."
Finley: "Stu"

Finley: "Mommy, can I have some cake?"
Me: "After dinner."
Finley: "Mommy, can I have some cake?"
Me: "Finley, I said after dinner."
Finley: "Mommy, can I have some cake?"
Me: silence
Finley: "Mommy, can I have some cake?"
Me: more silence
Finley: "Mommy, can I have some cake?"
Me: "I SAID AFTER DINNER!!!"
Finley: "Mommy don't yell."

That about sums it up...

P.S. I love Finley with all my heart, but sometimes she makes me seriously consider going back to work full time. I'm so ready for 4. I hear 4 is better.

Sam at 9 months

Here is a quick 9 month post.

 Height:

Weight:

Size 4 diaper and size 9-12M or 12M clothing.

No more baby food!!! If Sam could talk that's what he would say. Thankfully, our doctor gave us the go ahead on solid food. His favorites are turkey meatballs, pasta pick-ups, yogurt, bananas, Cheerios and lima beans. He will eat English peas and green beans, but he doesn't love them.

He loves to push his walking toys around, especially Finley's plasma car. He has taken a couple steps here and there and he is cruising the furniture.

He loves his paci. I haven't tried him on a sippy cup yet, but it's on my to do list. Finley had a bottle until she was almost 2! She loved her bottle and didn't want to give it up. I choose my battles and that wasn't worth it to me. I'm going to try to get him off it earlier so we'll see.

Sam smiles all the time and is a happy boy 90% of the time. The other 10% of the time his fussing is teething or ear infection related.  He has had 3 ear infections! Poor baby! Finley had her first sick visit to the doctor when she was 2 so we are in unfamiliar territory with all these doctor visits. He loves to take his medicine and isn't very symptomatic, no fever and starts improving after a couple days on antibiotics.

He loves his mommy which is awesome :) He smiles so big when Joey gets home and dives for him if I'm standing near him. If I'm holding him and someone speaks to him he smiles and hides on my shoulder and then peeks to see if the person is still there. It is so cute!

Finley and Sam's relationship is a roller coaster. Sometimes she will be so sweet to him and other times jealousy takes over and she pushes him down or gets in his way if he is trying to crawl or snatches toys from him. I doubt this will ever change so I'm just trying not to let it drive me insane. I do look forward to the day he can defend himself though ;)

The day we started solid foods, he started sleeping through the night. Hallelujah!!! He usually goes down between 7:30 and 8 and will sleep until at least 6:30, but sometimes 7 or 7:30. He takes 2 naps a day and usually the afternoon nap is longer.

You make us so happy, Little Man!!!