Some one is now 20 months old

Happy, Happy Boy

Loves looking at a phone

Just chillin' watching a little tv

Funny, loving life little boy

I asked him to go sit down and say cheese - so he did

Sam is a toddler. We will start Mommy and Me the toddler class in a couple of weeks. I can't wait. When you ask him his name - his response is "baby". That is right he is my baby Sam.

He says phrases now. For example. "I want that", I'm back", "Andrew did it"

Sam is still in love with his "beck" - tag blanket. He loves Mickey Mouse and I think that is the 2nd birthday party we will throw for him. He likes bath time. He follows directions well. He is so happy and sweet until he gets mad. Sam still likes socks and shoes and wants to make sure everyone is wearing their socks and shoes. He loves Ralphie. When he drops food - he tells Ralphie to eat it. He also can tell Ralphie "No".

Sam still loves milk but orange juice is making a close favorite. He is starting to eat oranges too. He loves breakfast foods like grits, eggs and pancakes.

He sleeps great and is working on his last 4 teeth.

Sam is the funniest little baby I know. He cracks little jokes and does things to make us laugh. But he also knows when to turn on the charm and love on us.

Happy 20th month little baby Sam.

Home Projects

We accomplished a lot of home projects this weekend. We went to our favorite furniture store - Charles Phillips Antiques and bought a new tv stand. This led to picture hanging and rearranging. I love weekends like this.

Started hanging our family picture wall. This has been a concept in my head for years.

The new piece of furniture

New home for the old tv stand

View of our new furniture - We also purchased the end tables and coffee table from Charles Phillips.

Owen and I are just so happy with how things are turning out.

Recent Pictures - August 2013

I wanted to post some recent pictures of the boys. They are changing so quickly that it is hard to keep up.

Watching a little tv waiting on dad to come home

this boy...he has captured my heart

CHEESE

Playing with mom's phone - he took this one himself

Oh this describes them perfectly.

Brothers "sharing"

They have started to play a little together. I love seeing it and Andrew is so good with Sam. He tries to include him and Sam is starting to understand Andrew more. I could watch them play together all day.

Bathtime fun

Two nights ago bath time was terrible. Both boys wanted the same toys and I was off my game. Usually I can handle situations but that night I did not have the energy or mental capacity to figure out to prevent both boys from crying over the same toy.

However with a new day brings new opportunities to make bath time fun again. I had my phone with me for some reason and decided to take a few pictures of the fun the boys were having.

They both were going under water. Sam does not hold his breath - so this ended the fun a little when got too much water in his mouth

Silly boy playing with the bubbles

Playing with their boats

A weekend of Firsts

This past weekend we went to Starkville to visit my parents. Andrew wanted them to come with us to see the new Disney movie Planes so we decided we would go to them for the movie experience. It was such a fun weekend. We got to their house late Friday night and the boys immediately ran around and owned my parents' house. The boys now have their own room and my parents decorated it so cute and functional. I should have taken a picture of it. Andrew loved it. He slept there but Sam still slept in the pack and play. Sam will be in the room soon once the two of them are on the same bed time schedule. Here are some pictures of our fun weekend.

Aha got the boys Planes shirts to wear for the movie. This is Sam's "cheese face" it is also his silly face

Trying hard to get a good picture of them...now this is Andrew saying "cheese"

Sam sat on my dad's lap for the 45 minutes he stayed in the theater. He loves the popcorn and the movie experience but then gets bored and fidgets

Andrew had to go to the bathroom on the way home. There was no where to stop. So he went on the side of the road. Classic!

I'm Playing with my brother

The 2 year age difference with Andrew and Sam is finally starting to not feel so far apart. Sam starting playing on his own for moments at a time recently - which is such a breath of fresh air. But what is also amazing is that the two of them are playing together now. This weekend was the first real play time. I loved sitting back and watching them. Andrew had Sam following him all over the house and then creating dance time in Sam's room. Sam's sound machines plays musical tunes and the two of them danced to their hearts out. At one point Andrew ran out of the room to proclaim that "I am playing with my brother Sam!". I hope the love and laughter of those two stays consent their whole lives. Here are some pictures of their play times this weekend.

Splish, Splash fun in the rain

They LOVE being outside

A brother hug

Andrew really wants to go camping so we made a tent

Sharing the Cozy Coup!!

Having a Blast

This was a really good weekend with the two of them. They were both so happy this weekend.

Sam at 19 Months Old

Someone is beginning to act and look like a toddler. That someone is my sweet, energetic, oh so funny Sam.

Sam is curious. He is loving. He is smart. And his is FUNNY! Sam has the best facial expressions. This has not changed. I say it month after month. He brightens up my day. He has perfected the hug and puts his arms around your neck for a real good "I love you" hug.

He is talking more and more. Owen and I counted and he has 25 plus words. He says something new every day.

Sam does not like to be left behind. But he loves to be chased. He loves peek a boo. He likes to be sneaky in a kindhearted way. I think he likes to be sneaky b/c he loves to be chased.

He loves to hold your hand and walk. He likes to walk everywhere.

He also likes to have what Andrew has. If I am holding Andrew - Sam makes a beeline to me and says "hold me" in an almost crying voice. Sam knows 8 out of 10 times I am going to put Andrew down and pick him up. I can't help it - he is the baby!

We call him Sam the swiper. In a Dora the Explore book (we don't watch the show so I am not sure if this is a main character) there is a character called the swiper. And there is a line that says "Swiper no swiping". This is Sam. He will come up and do a run by take of a toy that Andrew is playing with. So we call Sam the swiper. I can't tell you how many times in a weekend we say "Sam no swiping".

Sam is making small progress with staying in the kitchen to eat or drink. This morning in fact he put his cup down to come with me to the bedroom. This is BIG progress actually.

He is also developed a must have relationship to his tag blanket. He calls the blanket "beck". This has only just developed with in the last month. Sam has owned the blanket since he was 3 months old...but now it is his favorite item and the only item that will calm him down when he gets upset.

Last night I did not give him milk before bed. Normally he gets to drink milk while I read stories and rock him. But last night I switched it to water. I had done this months ago but then he hit his head and I went back to the comfort of milk. He definitely noticed and kept calling for his dad to get him milk. But he went to sleep like normal and all was well.

We love him so much! And one person that Sam loves alot is his big brother. Sam studies Andrew. It is so adorable and a friendship is blooming - I just know it or at least I pray for it.

Funny Big Brother

It is hard to believe my baby will be 2 years old in 5 months!

Owen is another year older

Sam during our pretend birthday party

The birthday boy

 Owen is now a year older. Andrew really got into Owen's birthday. He even planned a pretend birthday party for him. It was too cute. I was in charge of balloons and party hats. Luckily the party drawer came in handy and I was prepared. I am not sure what Andrew and Sam were in charge of but they also had missions.

On Owen's actual birthday he got the present he has dreamed of...a vintage Land Cruiser. This will be his main car but the vintage part makes it all that more cool. Or so I am told :)

 Andrew is in love and they have already been on "adventures" in the land cruiser. Andrew is planning their camping trip too. It is really fun to see how interested Andrew is in cars, just like Owen.

Happy Birthday Owen :)

Cousins

Owen's brother is still visiting and his boys came over yesterday to play with Andrew and Sam. There is a big age gap - at least right now there is. Wil and Andrew are 3 yrs apart and I think one day those 3 years won't be too far apart.

Here is a picture of the 4 of them. I think it is the cutest. :)

Sam (19 mo), Andrew (3),  Nate (10) & Wil (7)

The silly pose

a day at the beach

We went to the beach for a day this weekend. Owen's brother and sister were there so we wanted to let the cousins play together. Andrew had a blast and did everything he could to get Nate and Wil to play and talk with him. They are older - Nate is 10 and Wil is 7 so there is a big age gap. But Andrew loved being lumped into the big group with Sam still being a baby.

Poor Sam caught an 8 hr virus so his visit was not fun at all. I worried about him but around 5 pm he perked up and was good the rest of the visit.

Here are a few pictures we took.

Beach bound

Andrew loved everything about the pool

It started to rain so we popped in a movie.