Sam's Feline Friends

Dagny and Sam enjoy the winter sunshine

They've been living in the basement since I brought Sam home from the hospital. But about a month ago when Sam started to show signs of needing a playmate other than me (okay, okay, I needed Sam to have a playmate other than me), I decided it was time they were allowed run of the house again. Since then we've discovered that one of them isn't so healthy, but she's hanging in there, and despite her previous instinct to hiss at little boys, Dagny and Sam seem to be friends. Or maybe they all just tolerate each other.

Dagny and Sam are both interested in the mouse

Dagny, why are you hiding?

Here's a video showing how gently Sam can pet the kitties and another video showing that they have at least one common interest other than mice.

My Little Basketball Player

Sammy's Grandma

Sammy Loves his Grandma TT

One of my favorite things in life is watching my mother and son together, the way they don't need language to communicate, the way they delight in each other's presence, the way one of them leaving the room can cause the other to change their posture or facial expression. When TT arrived Friday evening, Sam was snapped into his high chair smearing mixed veggies all over himself and the tray, intentionally dropping syrupy mandarin oranges onto the kitchen floor. He was unhappy and he was letting me know it. But as soon as he saw TT's face in the corner of the entry way, his eyes got big and a smile expanded across his face, and he reached out his index finger to point to her.

TT makes dinner fun

The weekend went way too fast, but every weekend that Sammy spends with his grandma brings joy and delight to our house. Cries of "Yay!" with each basketball shot made, giggles and squeals as TT picks Sammy up and helps him climb the back of the couch. Music and laughter and hugs. Running and crawling and wrestling. Sammy clings to grandma's legs, and when she goes to the kitchen to grab a drink of fresca from the refrigerator, his little feet pad along behind her. "Wait for me, Grandma," you can almost hear in the gibberish coming out of his face. When TT went to take a shower Saturday morning, leaving him behind in the hallway and closing the bedroom door, his face melted into a mess of tears until she came back out to reassure him.

Oh, how he adores his grandma.

And having her around allowed me to accomplish some things, including two milestones... turning the car seat to face forward (after having a near meltdown trying to find the tether anchors which are in the ceiling on a subaru outback) and giving Sammy his first haircut--f cutting a few layers into his bangs and around his ears can be called a haircut.

Sam's First Trim

TT left right after lunch, and this afternoon Sam has been walking around a little slower, frequently looking back over his shoulder, peeking around walls and doorways as if he is sure that she is right around the corner waiting to smile at him or make a funny face or a funny sound or push her hair into the flesh of his belly and make him laugh. "Are you looking for TT?" I ask and his eyes perk up. "She went bye-bye," I remind him. But I don't think he believes me, and I find myself looking forward to her next visit.

Walking!!!

Ten steps tonight. Towards me, not away from me. This is important, as I'm sure so many of you parents know that being a parent is about watching them move away from you over and over as they grow. My little man. First 3-4 steps a couple weeks ago. Then 5-6 last week. Then standing up without holding on to anything and walking 7-8 steps. Tonight he consistently walked at least 10 steps without falling down, oftentimes while carrying his new favorite toy, the big Spiderman ball. When he's not trying to walk with it, he looks towards the ceiling and puts the ball on top of his nose and tries to push it skyward with his face. Somehow he thinks this is how Mommy makes the ball go up in the air.

My little man is walking.

Oh my.

(Pictures and video coming soon.)

Changes

Curly When Wet

My favorite moment from last weekend: Sammy's giant smile and infectious laughter as he lay on the living room floor and I rubbed my head on his belly over and over and over again, each time looking up just long enough to see him smile and beg for more. I never get sick of the sound of his laugh.

My second favorite moment: Sammy grabbing the spoon out of my hand and pushing the gob of freshly baked and mashed orange sweet potatoes into his mouth all by himself and then looking at me with a grin and handing the spoon back to me before making the sign for "more."

But that was LAST weekend. I can't even begin to keep up. Almost as soon as I post a picture he changes. THIS weekend he's spending a lot of time standing. Just standing all by himself. Not holding on to anything. And when I'm not looking he takes steps. 3, 4, 5 steps between couch and toy and ottoman and wall. By the time TT visits next weekend he'll be walking.

Sam Hangs up on TT

Sam Loves the Bath

Hanging Out in the Pampers Box with Tad

Two recent videos:

Hope 2009

More Kauai 2009

Swimming with Auntie Ann

Favorite things from our 2009 Kauai trip:

Sarah running up to me after dark one night as everyone else was busy making dinner. "Aunt Barb, Aunt Barb, Aunt Barb," she said. "I have something you MUST take a picture of." And then she led me to the horse sculpture in the garden by the pool.

Aunt Judy asking Uncle Ron if he had a Lau-wili-wili and his response of "Go fish!" Who knew a child's card game could be so fun for adults?

TT sitting at the breakfast table having a conversation with Sam while he inhaled an entire banana and asked for more.

Aunt Judy leaning over Sam (in the crib) and patting his butt while singing The Old Rugged Cross.

Uncle Ron saying "Was TT here feeding you before?" after a little bird swooped in to check us out while I ate four cheese quiche and drank my double shot latte on the Hyatt balcony

Zackary soaking his feet in the hot tub with me while the full moon floated in and out of the clouds above the resort.

Sitting at the dining room table after dinner our last night listening to Zachary and Sarah laughing and laughing in the bedroom with TT and Uncle Ron.

Watching the sunset (or lack thereof) with Uncle Ron one night, sitting there long after everyone else was gone talking about Jimmy Joe and war and tragedy and how really, really grateful we are for our lives.

The way Sam's hair got curlier and curlier with the humid Hawaiian air.

Sarah singing Dancing Queen and other songs from Mama Mia in order to distract me from the scary parts of the movie playing on the screen near the pool one night after dinner. "I'll tell you when the bad part's over," she kept saying as she looked back over her shoulder at the movie.

Laying in the sun drinking mango daquiris with TT while Sammy zonked out in his stroller in the shade

Inhaling 2 perfectly grilled hotdogs while forcing my elders to watch the season premiere of The Biggest Loser

Letting the buttery, cilantro-pesto-covered opakaka melt into my mouth at Roy's Poipu Bar and Grill, a family tradition

Watching TT walk with Sammy into the deep end, continuing to carry on their constant conversation as she dipped him in and out to get him used to the water

Peeking into the bedroom on the second day to see Sammy sprawled out on his back in the crib, sound asleep and perfectly comfortable in his little blue and white striped Elmo Explorer bib overalls that TT bought him for Christmas

The taste of that first lime daquiri that only TT can make just right

Red dirt and fresh papaya and super sweet pineapple and full moons over the ocean and the sound of the surf and the tradewinds in the palm trees that keep me coming back over and over again.

As promised, photos of some of these moments and more are here.

Coming Soon

Sammy Swims

More photos to come. I promise. We had a great time with TT and Uncle Ron and Aunt Judy and Ann's family, but life has been crazy at home since we returned. I'll add a link to our family photos soon, but here's a taste of what Kauai looks like for a one-year-old.

Whale watching with Uncle Ron

Swimming is hard work

Our Morning Walk