SADIE JOINS SAM

Sam's 3rd! Disneyland!

2010-03-07T07:07:00.000-08:00

Sam was treated to an exciting trip to SoCal for birthday #3. The entire family flew down from Seattle and met up with Nana Jan and Papa Alan, and of course locals Aunt TT and Mark. Onto the photos.

On the bus to the Happiest Place on Earth, Sam is ready to meet the residents.

First up is Goofy...."but I want to see Mickey."

Goof is more afraid of Sam...

Finally, Mickey! Put'r there pal.

The birthday boy can finally relax.

With the adorable Minnie.

Sam gets Autograph #3!

...poses with Pluto.

With TT on Donald's boat.

First ride on the teacups! (His fave)

We're going on a punny jungle cruise

Papa offers gorgeous Sadie some mint julep, yum!

the family four.

Check out the awesome dump truck cake that TT made.

matching cupcakes sitting on road cones.

Make a wish!

The candles were blown out in one breath.

Yum!

Pretty Sadie in her party dress.

Sam gets a great hug from Nana.

Palomitas! Seriously, popcorn was Sam's staple at Disneyland.

Bumper cars with Papa.

Boom, crash.

Sam wanted to ride the carousel, but not a horse.

Sadie got cozy with TT.

But I don't want to go on Nemo!

After Nemo, Sam got to finally ride the Monorail.

and he loved every second of it.

Excited to ride Dumbo

and got a photo with Nana.

Sam was stoked to meet McQueen and touch his lightning sticker.

One last go on the bumper cars...

with mini Mickey and TT.

done.

and doner.

Listening to some Manny on the flight home

Of course Sadie got some ears

Fun at the water park

2010-01-30T14:17:00.001-08:00

What a day! The whole family went down to the Great Wolf Lodge, a little south of Olympia, for a some water park excitement. Sam was excited to be there, of course, and not at all daunted by what was in store. He wanted to go in each pool and on every slide (at first) but of course, wasn't tall enough for the biggest rides. He found plenty to do in the mean time.

Let's do this!

At first, Sam didn't like this shooting water, by the end of our stay, he was laughing as he walked through.

Sam went down the big waterslide by himself! Just his leg is visible in the photo. Note: this was the last time he went down this waterslide.

Of course Sam wanted to hoop it up.

After a fun first night, Sam needed some down time.

Sam really didn't want to sit near the bear.

But he did want to watch the other kids play.

Sadie is ready for a swim!

But she wanted to discuss her plans with Dad.

"Can we go to the pool yet," asks Sam, repeatedly.

Rarin' to go

Sam tells us about the fun he's having.

Sam's favorite activity, squirting Dad from the jet ski.

Almost too much laughing.

It's almost as if he's actually in motion.

heheh.

This smaller slide was more Sam's speed.

Whee!

Success!

The bucket of water is about to land on Dad and Sam.

Another fun slide for Sam.

What can I say, great photo.

Someone was cute in her swimsuit.

Announcing the arrival of Sadie Anne!

2010-01-01T17:25:00.000-08:00

So did you hear the news?! Cabrelle went into labor early on Christmas Eve, and 24 hours later, at 12:43am, we welcomed Sadie Anne to our family! We would like to point out that it was Sadie's decision to show up on Christmas Day. So when she gives us grief later in life, we'll just remind her that she lollygagged on the 24th.

Anyway, we ended up celebrating Christmas on the 27th, as Mom, Dad, and Sadie got to go hom on the 26th. Thankfully, Nana Jan and Papa Alan were in town to keep Sam busy, and later Christina and Mark arrived to help with the duty.

Mom has done an incredible job with everything, and we're just glad the labor was a lot shorter than when Sam was born. And despite everyone being tired, Sam got an earache on the 26th which required a hospital visit late that night. He's feeling a lot better now.

A bunch of photos of Sadie are below.

First bath

Hearing test, which was passed with flying colors.

looooooong.

The pinkeration has begun.

The scene just after Santa came.

Getting close to seeing Baby Sister

2009-12-07T22:38:00.001-08:00

Christmas is nearing, and Sam's getting excited!..he's not sure what he's going to get, other than a baby sister. Mom and Dad are making the final preparations: baby's room is ready to go, and so are places for Nana and Papa to sleep when they arrive in just over a week...and then Aunt TT before New Year's.

Here are some humorous vids from the weekend of Sam having a grand old time!

Kick it!

The Fencing Dance Sam locates a tree!

...then hangs his ornaments with care.

An owie on his finger is no match for happiness!

Cute with Santa.

Again with the cuteness!

Punkin Chuckin

2009-10-29T06:40:00.000-07:00

Glacier National Park - Papa's Photos

2009-09-01T21:03:00.000-07:00

Here's why I've been a bad blogger...um, because sometimes it's just hard to find time to post.

That said, here are pictures that Papa Craig and Nana Sue took while in Glacier National Park during early August. It was a splendid trip and of course the weather cooperated perfectly. Once I get around to loading the photos from my camera, I'll get those up too.

Great photos, pops.

The fam on the Road to the Sun.

Sam in front of one of the many small waterfalls.

Look, mountain goats!

Papa and Sam playing outside the hotel.

Pointing at Dad.

St. Mary's Falls

Cool, eh?

Papa and Sam by the river.

Everybody posing in front of the falls.

Many Glacier Hotel from the lake in front.

Papa surprised Sam with a ride on Blue!

Sam thanked Blue for a fun ride.

Bighorn sheep close by at Logan Pass.

Of course we stopped at the sign on the way -out- of the Park.

We'll have to come back soon!

Sam and Dad at the M's Game

2009-08-31T13:30:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, August 30th, Sam and Dad went to the Mariners game against Kansas City, which was dominated by Royals ace Zack Grienke, who pitched to two batters over the minimum, allowing one hit, and retiring the final 22 batters he faced. Quick game. But not too quick that we didn't have a good time. It was the first 9-inning game Sam has made it through and afterwards Sam picked out a baseball from the gift shop so he could pitch.

Sam prepares for the game by chewing a hot dog.

Pop up! Sam was ready all game to catch a foul ball. None came. :(

Whuh-oh, in the 6th, someone got restless and started to play.

Sam's good friend Evan was also in attendance, and they played in the aisle until the mean usher came by and told Sam to sit down in his seat so he didn't get hurt.

Cotton candy all gone...must...lick...fingers.

Sorry for the delay! Here's some photos

2009-07-20T22:16:00.000-07:00

Hi, how are you? It's been too long. Wow, a lot's been going on lately. What? How long? Yikes, it's been 6 weeks since the last post. Wow...Wow. Well, let me try to fill you in on the last two weeks, because, you see, that gets me out of having to do too much more work tonight...since just over 2 weeks ago we were in Montana visiting Nana Jan and Papa Alan. That's a lot of great photos and stories, so we'll have to leave that for later.

What have we been up to recently? Well, a journey to the beach to see the Seafair Pirates, then a trip to the Seattle Aquarium, all in one weekend! Then this past weekend, yowza, there was a parade, a trip to the pool, and a visit with Thomas the Tank Engine.

Sam spies you with his scope.

Sam and Evan await the arrival of the pirates by making castles.

Jeff and Evan found a pirate! Scurrrrvy Dog.

Nope, Sam does not measure up to a sixgill shark. Give him some time.

Somehow, Sam was convinced to get an octopus painted on his cheek. He chose gray.

Just outside the aquarium, a photo with an engine.

First bite of first home made taco!

Sam wanted to talk to the policeman at the Hi-Yu parade.

Choo choo! Sam and Mom in the passenger cars, behind Thomas.

Sammy is happy to see Thomas.

And off the train there was so much to do!

Thomas pulled the cars back into the train station while we watched.

While Mommy shopped, Sam got to ride the horsey.

Cabrelle enjoying a root beer float at XXX Burger in Issaquah.

Family Portrait Time

2009-06-06T07:24:00.000-07:00

In early May we sat (mostly) for some family portraits, but mostly to let Sam shine. And that he did. Look below for his GQ pose, among some of the great shots.

Latest and Greatest

2009-04-28T21:09:00.000-07:00

In the past four days, Sam's done a lot of fun things. Over the weekend it was helping Daddy in the yard with getting grass to start growing where the carport used to be. Tonight it was stopping at the beach during one of the lowest tides of the year to play in the sand, chase some birds, and toss rocks into the water.

But before we get to that, here are a few vids. Note: the baseball video is from April 19, the rest are more recent.

Line drives
Singing with Evan 4/25
Rock Tossin' 4/28
Please Louise 4/28

Sam shovels some dirt, ready to drop it in the wheelbarrow.

Raking time!

More shovellin'!

After not wanting to touch one for a few days, Sammy finally holds a squirmy wormy.

Playing in the sand at Alki.

Sam the Pianist

2009-04-13T22:00:00.000-07:00

This morning Sam opted to sit on the piano bench and thrill us with a rendition of one of the Handy Manny songs. Sadly we don't have the capabilities to splice the videos into one, but you'll find each to be fun-filled and appealing.
Number 1
Number 2
Number 3

Easter Weekend Jamboree

2009-04-13T21:25:00.001-07:00

Wowsers!! what a busy weekend. With Nana and Papa in town, it was time for lots and lots of activities. It started off with an Easter Egg hunt at the Thriftway, a great annual event in West Seattle. Then we quickly traveled to SODO for Sam's soccer practice. During Sam's nap, Dad and Papa did yard work while Mom and Nana hit the stores to prepare for our friends who were coming to Easter dinner. After Sam awoke and played for a bit, it was time to dye white AA Large eggs.

Sunday morning began later than expected; Sam slept in which strangely allowed everyone else to get dressed for Mass. Since he didn't get his usual morning play time, he was a bit unwieldy during church. He must've been excited to get home and search for eggs and find what the Easter Bunny left him, because that was his list of priorities when we got back home.

Mom did a fabulous job preparing a delicious Easter dinner that ended up having very few leftovers. It was great to spend time with our family and friends, including the four young ones who made it over.

One of Sam's first eggs at the Thriftway would later reveal a big prize...a game of Chutes and Ladders!

The excitement continued in the meat department.

Typical Sam, excited from afar, scared up close.

Time for soccer practice! Sam took off running.

In his second week of standing up cones, Sam is getting really good.

Time to score a goal!

...tuckered out.

Sam's turn to color eggs.

Mom lets Sammy use the copper hook thingy.

Onto the green dye.

Nana's idea. Easter '08 is the photo on the right, '09 is on the left. Note Sam has the same reaction in both photos.

Sunday morning: Sam's first gift is a digger backpack full of goodies.

On to Church!

There is no way that Sam is tired.

Easter dinner time! Sam and Evan take a drink.

Photos from Sam's 2nd B-day Party! (Finally)

2009-04-06T21:39:00.001-07:00

Back in February, the Tumblebus came out to West Seattle to help celebrate Sammy's 2nd birthday. And many of Sam's friends were in attendance as well to enjoy all that the birthday brings with it...food, drink, goodie bags, other friends...it was a great day to turn two!

(We've got lots of photos from the party that can't be posted, if you were there and want any pics, let us know)

The crew listens to the rules of the Tumblebus.

Sam successfully navigates the slide.

...but then is tired out. I thought he took a nap!?

Can the bus go now? Time to clean up!

On second though...wheeeeee!

Can you explain the complexities of that again?

Birthday cupcake!

One of many presents for the Samster.

D'oh, I opened all my presents.

I have another birthday next year? ...must...hit...high...C.

Arizona - The Videos

2009-03-09T21:58:00.001-07:00

Before we take the time to sort through the ~600 photos taken during our week-long trip to Arizona, here are a few videos which prominently feature the Sam-man having a grand-old time.
Video 1 - Fire Engine
Video 2 - Horsey
Video 3 - Jeep
Video 4 - Sweepin'

Sam's Birthday Celebration

2009-02-26T22:00:00.000-08:00

The boy turned 2 today...and what a day it was! We woke up to snow this morning, which Sam loved. At school they got to play in it, and then later Sam furnished a delicious (and healthy) afternoon snack for his classmates. And was he ready to open presents when he got home! But before that, it was dinnertime, Sam's favorite - pizza! Yum.

A train card!

A new digger book!

oooh, what did Papa Craig and Nana Sue get for Sam?

Cake!

Two tries to blow out the candle. Not too shabby!

Sweet, t-ball set! "Get it out?"

Food cutting set? "Get it out?"

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse! Legos! "Get it out?"

New table and chairs! And what's that package?

Knuffle-Bunny TWO!

Ok, this is hilarious. When Sam was ready to open the food cutting toy that he got from Mom and Dad, he went and got an oven mitt. Can we call him Crab Man?

He chop...(with one hand). Sadly he's not choppin' broccoli, or choppin' broccoliii.

The Seattle Aquarium

2009-02-16T21:09:00.000-08:00

Sam and Dad spent the morning of Presidents' Day at the Seattle Aquarium. Letting Sam out of his stroller had its good and bad moments...the kid races around and around and keeps finding new things to explore...it's hard to keep up! But when he finally conks out, it is a serious sleep.

It's Octopus Week at the Aquarium, so the octopi (octopuses, octopodes) were the big hit...and Sam loved all there was about the exhibits, including all the fish. We pretty much toured the aquarium three times, and he was finally worn down. But it was lots of fun, and Sam got to choose his own treat because he did so well, a stuffed animal with eight legs. :)

Here are a couple vids from the trip to the aquarium: Number 1, Number 2

A diver fed the fish.

The octopus wasn't moving, so the starfish was more interesting.

At first, Sam was afraid of the tentacles, then warmed to them.

And he even showed them to others.

Part 1: The Jellyfish

Part 2: The Octopus

In the underwater room, Sam ran around to see all the fish.

The model of an orca's dorsal fin got Sam thinking.

How cool is the aquarium? It's got a play area with books!

We paused in the lobby to chill, Sam found the windowsill.

On our final visit to the octopus, it was moving!

Awestruck.

Playhouse Disney and a couple vids

2009-02-12T20:19:00.000-08:00

Sam Sings: Video 1, Video 2
===
At the end of January, Mom and Dad took Sam to see Mickey, Donald, Goofy, Manny, the Tools, Mr. Lopart, Tigger, and Pooh...whew. He was super excited to see his Disney pals and was super-attentive (We brought his blanket so that he wouldn't talk the whole time). :)

Of course, it was rather corny; of all the characters, only one was not lip-synced. But the actors did a great job and Sam couldn't stop talking about it.

Garsh, the cast of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse sing and dance.

Clapping along.

Hey look, there's Handy Manny!

Sam and Mom wait for the next scene.

After the show, we posed with the glove.

Happy Birthday NANA!

2009-01-25T21:14:00.000-08:00

We headed down to San Jose for Nana's birthday, and what a party it was. Maggiano's was the place where friends and family gathered to celebrate the occasion.

Before Sam went off to bed, he was the hit of the party.

Mark and Christina drove up to celebrate.

Nana and Papa, just after the candles were blown out.

Shoes!

2009-01-18T19:02:00.000-08:00

Yep, early one morning, Sam opted to see how well Mom's new shoes fit...and he even knew where to put them away!
Shoes!

Christmas! Christmas!

2009-01-05T20:45:00.000-08:00

Christmas #2 for Sam was a big success on all fronts. A lot of Sam's friends made it over to say hi during the week, and of course Nana, Papa, and TT made it up to Seattle in between snow storms, and they were a great help to Mom and Dad in addition to a joy to Sam.

Sam received lots of great presents...the highlight of which was prepared the night before in the basement. Papa Alan designed and built (with Dad's help) a train table for Sam's new choo choos. It's already kept Sam occupied for hours, and we hope that as he grows, he uses more and of it and explores the possibilities.

There were tons of highlights from this holiday season but we can't show them all, here are some of the best!

Isaac and Isabella stopped by to exchange gifts with Sam...and pose for this quick shot.

I mean, really, does it get any better than this?

It took forever to get Sam to wear his slippers. They're warm.

The train cake is complete..with a snowman.

Sam decorates his train car with some help.

Papa-Alan and Nana-Jan with Sam.

Nana Jan, Mommy, Sammy, and Aunt TT on Christmas Eve!

Both Evan and Sam loved their gifts and were ready to play!

Evan and Sam give a hug of thanks.

The tree and the gifts wait quietly for the Sam-man.

Check out this back-HOE!

Sam's first glimpse of the train table. Speechless.

First things first! Gotta pull the choo choos.

Ooh, the Fire Station is intriguing.

The Christmas family portrait.

Mr. Lopart and Manny go for a ride in the new airplane.

After playing with his plane, Sam explores his new Elmo.

A big hug from Aunt TT.

Sledding!

2008-12-23T14:14:00.000-08:00

December 22, 2008 was a big day! For starters, Dad had to put chains on the car in order to run some errands. And wouldn't you know it, he found some sleds (still available!) at the local sporting goods store. That meant that sledding was imminent. Sam was skeptical at first, but just check out the videos and figure out for yourself if Sam had a good time.

Video 1 - Sam and Dad on the sled (look out Papa!)
Video 2 - Sam on his own disc

More Snow, and the Santa Train!

2008-12-21T11:40:00.000-08:00

Silly Sam is having a busy weekend. Aside from playing in the snow each morning, there has been a lot to do! Saturday afternoon included a big trip to North Bend to ride the Santa Train and meet Santa(to tell him what he wants for Christmas). Sam was ready for Santa and though he didn't smile much, he didn't freak out at all and listened intently while Santa talked to him. For the record, Sam requested a choo-choo from Santa. Of course he had talked to Mom and Dad about also wanting a soccerball and basketball too, but apparently the choo-choo is a big-time gift that is harder for M&D to find.

Appropriately, the gift that Sam got for seeing Santa was a little choo-choo that Papa helped him assemble and color.

Here's a video from Sunday morning of Sam in the snow!

Mom asked Sam to keep his eyes open to see the snow.

It's no coincidence that Sam and "ham" rhyme.

Again, keeping his eyes "open."

Sam got hold of the camera and this is his first self-portait.

The Santa Train just arrived! WOO!

He was super-excited to ride the train. WOO WOO!

Waiting outside in the cold to see Santa, brrr. Of course, he didn't complain a bit about the weather.

Santa asked Sam what he wanted for Christmas.

What a good Santa.

Sam liked the old-timey policeman.

Snow in Seattle

2008-12-18T13:59:00.000-08:00

Six to Eight inches of snow have fallen since about 5:30 this morning. We headed out around 10:30 to experience the flurries first hand.

Sam and Mom.

Early on, Sam was happy to be outside.

Time to get frosty!

He blazes new trails.

The car is nearly hidden.

An Early Christmas (now with tree)

2008-12-08T23:03:00.000-08:00

Lucky Sammy gets to celebrate a couple Christmases this year, the first was of course when Dad's parents were in town. Sam got a gift or two for Nana and Papa, and they got a few things for the little man as well.

This is the second year in a row that Dad's parents have been in town for the Christmas Tree excursion. We headed down to Auburn and didn't spend much time at all before we found the right tree. Sam wanted to pull the wagon when he wasn't riding in it.

In all, one week was not enough time to spend with Sam for Nana and Papa but that's just all the more reason for them to come back out again (and again!).

Sam's content to be sitting with Nana and Papa.

Both mouse (a gift from Aunt T) and meow (Mowter) were very interested in the gift Sam got from Grandma Sophie.

A Christmas House with animals! Awesome! Thanks Grandma.

He's excited about a new set of diggers (these will work great with his new train set - that he doesn't know about yet).

Choo Choo pajamas!

Mom gets a good knee-tickle in there during a car ride.

Yes, part of our tree-finding excursion included a brief game of capture-the-flag.

Cute cute cute!

With Momma and Nana.

He's working on his balance.

The tree went "Boom" and of course, Sam wanted it to happen repeatedly.

Yup, they all look good.

The first ornament on the tree? Mom helps Sam place Elmo.

The night before Nana and Papa had to go, Papa built two neato towers...

...which were promptly knocked over.

Nana and Papa! YAY! (and Thanksgiving too)

2008-12-08T22:11:00.000-08:00

With Nana Sue and Papa Craig heading into town for Thanksgiving, Sam's excitement grew daily as their arrival neared. But before they showed up, Sam had his final Music Together class of the fall session. Sam's friend Isabella came as well to experience the class, along with her parents.

Finally, just two days later, Nana and Papa arrived. So much fun to have, in so little time. They made sure to build plenty of towers for Sam to knock over, and brought a train video that Sam has really enjoyed. Sam loves it when N&P are in town, and Mom and Dad do too because it means a share of keeping track of the little one.

Of course, we all had a great Thanksgiving. In addition to Dad's parents, Mike, Dawn, Isabella, and Dawn's mom all came over. Sam loved to spend more time with Bella, and it was a great dinner. Dad made sure that there were some left overs for turkey sandwiches the next few days.

Sam has already said that he misses Miss Summer. Can't wait til January!

Sam waited patiently until it was time to strum the guitar.

Isabella enjoyed her time at Music Together.

Sam and Mom boogie.

Look Mom, cows! MOOO!

Nap time? Sam doesn't think so.

Who is going to read to Sammy?

The kids with their dads.

There must've been a digger on the floor.

Mike taught Sam how to pound.

Sam finds a way to liven up a family portrait.

Everyone is ready for a delicious Thanksgiving dinner!

Papa Craig bounces Sam.

He knocks over yet another tower.

Whoo! Upside-down boy!

A few weeks of Sam

2008-11-15T12:46:00.000-08:00

Busy weeks for us here in Seattle. Sam spent a good portion of last week with teething pain which interfered with his sleeping...he's been better the past few days. His vocabulary continues to expand quickly. A few days ago he brought something in for Dad and said "Dad, Chapstick." Who taught him that word? Needless to say, we're pretty impressed.

Sam's been pretty photogenic lately, and you'll notice in the soccer photos that he got a haircut.

Note: Blogger changed the way the photos load, so the order of these pics is all screwy. Just pretend they are in the order that they're supposed to be in and all is good.

Excuse me, this vest is toooo big!

Just up from a nap, Sam tosses a baseball to Mom.

Sam dropped the ball right on Lonnie's foot so he could juggle it.

The little one was quick to note that he had "two babas."

mmm, Popsicle!

Applesauce! All over!

Sam adeptly corrals the ball.

Tired? Already? We just got started!

Sam plays Godzilla to the bubbles' Tokyo.

Pop goes the bubble cause Sam's got some hops.

Airplane Sam zooms around the field.

He knows he can kick even if he is sitting down.

Putting the finishing touches on a cone tower.

Kicking the ball to knock over his cone tower.

Sam gets a photo with coaches Alan and Lonnie.

At the end of practice, the kids put their hands in for a cheer.

The dude works on his punting.

Sam's pooch kicking skills are well developed.

The Halloween Trip to San Jose

2008-11-03T21:56:00.000-08:00

Mom and Sam took a quick flight down to San Jose for Halloween weekend to see Papa, Nana, and Aunt TT (and friends) for lots of fun. Sam finally dressed up in his full construction worker garb! Woo! Thanks to Papa for all the great photography. Dad is sure glad to have them back home now.

Posing in his cute socks.

Finally, the vest is on! How did they pull that off?

There must be a mess, because Sam's got a broom.

No, you da man!

Dad has trouble figuring out who's cuter in this one.

Yeah, he's pretty cool.

Trick or treating at the neighbors.

Mirror mirror on the wall...(you know the answer)

Mom, Sam, and Aunt TT are all smiles on Halloween night.

Hey hey hey!

Three generations on the choo choo train ride.

Rocking chair redux.

While visiting Matt's house, Sam provides a hug.

The boys pose with their moms.

Sam's first pickle.

Something about this photo is way too cool.

Sam points out an airplane to Nana.

The Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-19T19:25:00.000-07:00

It seems like Sundays are the big day for us to hit the town and do fun things lately. Maybe it's because each Saturday is filled up with activities until about 1pm and then it's nap time. So this Sunday we hit the pumpkin patch at Remlinger Farms in Carnation; joining us was Sam's friend Jackson and his family and friends. It was a beautiful day to explore, enjoy the hayride, and eat a caramel apple. Yum!

Sam stands tall.

Is it me, or did this gourd look at him funny?

"Yeah Mom, this is a nice pumpkin, but that other one is better."

There's Jackson, hamming it up.

By popular (and repetitious) demand, Sam and Mom took the tractor-pulled hayride twice in a row!

The li'l man underestimated this pumpkin's heft.

He really enjoyed his first caramel apple, requesting many, many bites.

Before we headed home, we got one quick family photo.

Bainbridge Island! Let's do it!

2008-10-12T21:37:00.000-07:00

This weekend included a trip to Bainbridge Island for a day away from the city and some October fun. After a sweet ferry ride where Sam demanded we hang out outside the whole time and at one point danced to a man playing an accordion-type instrument, it was off to a park for Sam to run around and (hopefully) tire himself out, which will of course be measured by how much he sleeps that night. We made sure he climbed a few small hills and some steps to add to the energy release. Then before doing some shopping and having a bit of ice cream (at Mora, YUM!), we let him throw rocks in the water. On the ferry ride back, Sam met a State Patrolman who hooked him up with some schwag, consisting of a badge and a pencil. It was a fun day, Mom and Dad are tired too. Nightnight.

Once at the front of the ferry, a gust of wind suprised our young hero.

But he regained his composure quickly.

And we moved to the "back boat," where Mom and Sam waved 'hello'.

Perhaps he has a future in gymnastics?

Yes, perhaps so.

He's ready for the monkey bars.

Sam enjoys a swing with Dad.

Sam, you gotta work on your aim! Plenty of strength though.

Comin' atchya!

...just before the stick went **splash**

Just before leaving, he drew a line in the sand just to make sure that Mom and Dad were on his team.

The first weekend in Autumn

2008-09-28T21:02:00.000-07:00

Why is it that Sam is no longer sleeping through the night? Is it his new teeth that are poking through his gums giving him grief? Is it some unknown owie that he hasn't communicated to us? Or is it simply his desire to see Mom and Dad more often? We don't know. What do you think??

We had a fun weekend. Saturday morning included soccer practice followed by his second music class of the season, and then lots and lots of rest, for everybody. Sam also showed off his sprinting skills in his new skeleton pajamas. Sure, he's been running for months, but we've never video'd it. Sunday included going to the final Mariners game of the season and then the (potentially) final pool party at Matt and Corrie's. While at the ball game, Sam enjoyed dancing to the Village People (which we took video of but then the SD card died!) and searching for the Mariner Moose. Being Kid Appreciation Day at the park meant a bunch of mascots were on hand to celebrate. Any time Sam got close to one he was no longer interested in being near. Case in point near the bottom of the post. In fact, the Rainier Reindeer caused him to cry.

Of course he's happy wearing his new glow-in-the-dark pajamas.

Digger? Check. Rauuul hat? Check. Ready for baseball? Check.

Sam and Dad enjoying some baseball.

The Westerdam is visible behind Mom and Sam as they pose on top of Safeco Field.

Sam was fa-reaked out by Smokey the Bear.

Fun from the final pool party of 2008.

Grandpa Craig is Here! PART ONE

2008-09-14T20:27:00.001-07:00

With Mama out of town for a few days, Papa Craig came into town to help Dada manage the Sam Man. The help is definitely warranted as he's so quick you need to have at least 4 eyes on him at all times. During the weekdays it was business as usual and there wasn't enough Sam time. When the weekend rolled around, it was full time Sam! To keep him busy, we scheduled a full slate of activities. Saturday started with soccer practice (in post 2) followed by a nap. Then after lunch we headed to the Zoo. That tuckered him out and he was zonked right after we got into the car to head home.

Sunday was a great day too. Sam played outside in the morning and we headed to Matt and Corrie's for a pool BBQ in the pm.

Of course, Sam (and Dad) missed Mom tons while she was gone. She's back now and we can't wait to see how excited Sam is to see Mama.

Sam's sunflowers finally bloomed! This one has an 8' stalk.

After dinner at Endolyne Joe's, Sam and Papa say hi to a local dog.

Sam gets down to get a better view.

Prior to finding the petting zoo area, Sam had to reach to touch a goat ear.

He was so happy he did a jig on the grate.

...need...to be...taller!

Petting goats is fun!

Not pictured, the girl Sam was trying to impress.

He got a kick out of petting the goats.

Clappin' Papa Craig's hands.

Uhh, what you lookin' at?

The kid shows his excitement seeing the raptor show.

Sam and Dad observe the elephants.

Sam takes a break from examining the types of food that orangutans eat.

Grandpa Craig is Here! PART DEUX

2008-09-14T20:06:00.001-07:00

Pool Party at Mat and Corries! Followed by Sam's soccer practice.

The water is warm and Sam is happy.

So high!

Where'd Sam go?

Now he's coming back down.

Sooo much fun!

Hugo and Sam chillin'.

Here comes Sam!

Practice opens up with putting their feet on top of the ball.

Sam gets ready for the next game.

Silly Daddy

2008-09-05T17:53:00.000-07:00

Silly Daddy forgot to post video and a bear picture from our Alaskan Cruise. Sorry Sam, I forgot!

Anyway, check out this vid of Sam being Sam.

And here's the pic of the bear that we got kinda close to. The bear was hanging out by the salmon hatchery for easy pickins for dinner.

Alaska...the Big Post...part 1

2008-08-31T21:57:00.001-07:00

It's been one week since we got back into town and things are indeed settling down. Sam misses Papa, Grandma, and Aunt TT (which is probably affecting his nighttime sleep patterns) but appears to be having fun at school. Mom and Dad are not thrilled to be back at work, but this is a three-day weekend, which works. Our Alaskan voyage was pretty fun. Seas weren't choppy very much, the food was great, and plentiful, and as was said before, everyone loved the Sam-man. We're not too worried about his people skills, though a bit later in life we'll need to explain to him the importance of not talking to strangers.

The journey started off with a day at sea, followed by several hours cruising slowly around Glacier Bay. The next day brought about Juneau for a few hours, the at night we sailed to Sitka for the better part of a day, and our last stop in Alaska was Ketchikan the following day. Our final day brought us to Canada for a few hours, enough to see some pretty flowers and fireworks.

Oh yeah, purpose of the trip: to celebrate Papa's 60th! Dad's B-day was in there too and it was a nice consolation for him to get double servings of shrimp cocktail and king crab legs for dinner.

We're happy to answer questions, but we'll let the photos speak for themselves...

Sam starts the cruise off with Aunt TT in the pool.

Why not spin spin spin with Aunt TT?

Of course he's excited to be on a ship!

Breakfast is over! Yup, ready to move on.

Sam has a great time playing in the morning.

Entering Glacier National Park.

This bloody Brit tried to take our photo all week long. TAKE THAT YA BLOKE!

Sam and Mom on the lookout up on deck 10. Of course, Sam has a conversation with a stranger.

Mom and Sam are all smiles in the Park.

Sam and Dad pose with the Glacier National Park ranger.

Glaciers (and ice) everywhere.

A smaller cruise ship is dwarfed by a glacier.

Marjorie calves! This is the best of 20 or so photos we got.

The sun on Marjorie Glacier really brought out the blue.

Dad's artsy shot from the Promenade Level.

Alaska...the Big Post...part 2

2008-08-31T21:31:00.000-07:00

We took soooo many photos at each of our stops that it was painfully difficult to narrow the field down to the best. By the way, it's not easy to get a photo of a salmon in mid-jump...it's a good thing cameras are digital or we would have gone through 4 rolls of film just to get one of those.

Sam made great use of the window sill for playing.

The Mendenhall Glacier is sadly receding, like pretty much every other glacier in the world.

You can see the cruise ship way back on the left.

In Sitka, Sam climbs a rock.

Dinner time!

There are a ton of spawning salmon in the river!

In Ketchikan, it was a rainy day but quite pretty.

There's a jumping salmon in there, click on the pic to see it.

Bed time? No way.

In Victoria BC, the ship looks massive.

A long exposure at twilight leads to surreal lighting at Butchart Gardens.

The Cruise to Alaska

2008-08-24T21:21:00.000-07:00

When considering taking a week-long cruise with a youngster, worry should not be a concern...though when we got close to taking the Sam-man on the past week's getaway, that was a big part of our discussions. Would he get sick on the boat? Would he enjoy himself?

Well, he never got sick and by our observations, he had a blast (as did the rest of us). Add to that the fact that just about every worker on the ship knew him by name by the end of the cruise, and yeah, we'll go ahead and say that it was a very cool cruise.

More to follow later, but just to whet your appetite...

Sam carries a cone to stack on others at the bow of the ship.

At the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau.

Sam rests up on the bus ride to Butchart Gardens so he can be awake for the fireworks.

It's The School Pic-a-nic, Boo Boo

2008-08-03T21:36:00.000-07:00

On schedule for Sunday was a picnic for the students at Sam's school, so we headed out to Bellevue for it. And what was there in the parking lot??? A digger...and free access to it. Sam shrieked with delight when he saw it, and that triggered the rest of us to look. We could have probably headed home after that...but we stayed to meet Sam's teachers and for him to cruise around for a while. He caught a "fish" in the wading pond, played ball with some other kids, and ate most of a hotdog. Then it was time for the play structure which Sam has pretty well mastered at this point. His parents can just watch him enjoy himself now.

Must...drive...digger...

Mom's there to help!

What a great start to the picnic.

Blowing the whistle he won in the fishing pond.

Wheeeee!

Gazing skyward, he ponders the poor taste of the bubble solution.

Racing to see Grandma.

So they could sit together for like...10 seconds...then he was up and away.

Oh yeah, I slide on my own.

Sam appears put-off by the girl who picked a fight with him.

Another young girl plays nicely with him though. Is he enamored?

Hello there.

Hey, good lookin'.

Not sure if he's orating to the masses or what.

He has fun at the water portion of the park.

Seafair!

2008-08-03T21:07:00.000-07:00

Our one non-Sam post is all airborne today. Planes and birds. The A-10 Warthog (Tankkiller) is one of Dad's favorite planes, with the SR-71 being the all-time fave. It's designed for Close Air Support of ground troops. It's got a Gatling gun in the front and also can shoot missiles. It packs a punch. Then there were the Blue Angels who always thrill the crowds with their high-speed maneuvers. It was a partly sunny day so the clouds and exhaust made some of the photos less than great. Here are the best of the best.

The A-10 pilot should have waved.

Here the A-10 (woo!) flies with a prop plane.

After the Blue Angels first pass, this eagle flew right in front of us. Some said it was a young bald eagle, but we're not sure.

The Angels put on quite a show...

Including a high speed descent.

And some great technical flying.

The Lake Union boaters have the best seat in the house.

Skill.

Until next year.

The Northern Cascades

2008-07-29T20:27:00.000-07:00

The weekend of Sam turning 17 months old was made up of a trip to the Northern Cascades to do some hiking and relaxing. Of course, with a youngin' running around and always wanting to play, relaxing was not in the cards. We stayed at the North Cascades Lodge B&B in Mazama, surprisingly the only ones there that weekend given the great weather and awesome location. But we found out there were hosting a full house all week long and they didn't want a busy weekend. Other potential lodgers were glad they weren't there, since they would've been awakened each night at 3am to the sounds of crying baby. We hope to head back in the winter when there is 10' of snow on the ground.

Sam worked hard to gain control of his window on the ride North.

At the Northwest Cascades Lodge, Sam plays with the rocks while Mom and Dad prep for the day's hike.

View of Goat Wall from the Lodge.

Sam explores the property.

Sam and Dad pose on Slate Peak.

A family portait at 7450'.

The valley below was carved out by ice.

At exactly 17 Months old, Sam conquers Slate Peak. Sam is at 7491.5'.

One of the spectacular views from the peak. Mountains all around. Mt. Baker is the snow-covered one about 3/4 to the right...and we could see Canada.

Sam needed some sustenance after getting back to the car.

Sam really wanted to explore on his own.

The wildflowers were in bloom on the trail.

What's neater? The wildflowers or Sam and Dad? Or Slate Peak and its tower in the distance?

Mom takes the most pride in this photo of an Indian Paintbrush.

whuh?

On the way back to the car, Sam acquires a stick to attack Dad with.

Sam sits on a saddle and points out a motorcycle in Winthrop.

Outstanding In The Field

2008-07-25T20:01:00.000-07:00

Sam's parents called Kim to come watch their sweet boy on July 20. Their purpose? To attend a highly-unique and limited dinner in Carnation. Outstanding In the Field is its name, a traveling feast is its game. They bring in a local renowned chef to put together a 5-course dinner with locally available ingredients. In our case, it was Matt Dillon, not the actor, but a guy who knows how to make things taste good. Yes, it was an incredible meal.

Mom gets a photo with Jim Denevan, founder of OITF.

Mom and Dad having a great time.

Corrie and Matt pose with Mom & Dad.

A view from the other end of the table.

A Fifth Tooth Deserves a JUMBO POST

2008-07-13T20:35:00.000-07:00

Last week you got to see the highlights of Sam's stay with his grandparents. This time around we'll take a look at Mom and Dad's weekend w/o their boy, a visit from Mom's friends, the last day of Kim (Sam's nanny), and a fun weekend with Dad's new camera (woo!) at Summer Fest in West Seattle.

But of course the big story is the 5th tooth - a bottom center one! - that poked through a few days ago. We're not sure if it's that tooth (or the 39 others that have yet to show themselves) that is waking Sam up in the middle of the night, but whatever it is, Mom and Dad have kindly requested they either all show up or just go away so that everyone can sleep soundly. And yes, we do understand that if they go away that would not help in the long run. Thanks for the advice.

BODEGA BAY AND THE WINE COUNTRY

Though chilly, Mom and Dad enjoyed the beach at Bodega Bay.

Matt and Corrie were happy to be there as well.

We got to see one sunset while there, so here it is!

Matt grills up the steaks and fish. Super yummy.

Mom and Corrie enjoy wine tasting.

Desert at The Farmhouse restaurant looked good, no?

What timing! As the sun goes down, it cast a lovely hue on the church.

Mom's friends Chris and Alison get ready for dinner with Sam.

KIM'S LAST DAY... :(

Sam practices flying with Kim on her last nanny day.
(Sam's sunflowers, left, are growing taller every day!)

As Kim prepared to go, she posed for one last photo with the Sam man.

THE FIRST PHOTOS WITH DAD'S NEW CAMERA

Sam navigates the couch. And yes, there is an easier way down.

Sam and Mom are lookin' good.

What up dawg?!
(Dad's note: does it have to be a Cubs hat? Seriously?)

BREAKFAST WITH ALISON AND CHRIS

Sam indicates that he wants to see more diggers. So turn around, dude!

It was not easy to get Sam to more-or-less face the camera.

Chris and Sam check out a cool boat that used to be owned by John Wayne.

Mom does her best to hold Sam back as he wants to get a closer look at all the boats.

When a float plane lands, Sam can't hold back his excitement.

WEST SEATTLE'S SUMMER FEST
(these pics were taken the same day dad started using the camera, hence the same shirt as above)

After Mom's shift at the West Seattle Food Bank booth, Sam munched on a straw.

After successfully tossing two balls into the houses to win a prize, Sam was satisfied with himself.

An ambulance! COOL! Sam had to get a pic with it.

While waiting for the pizza to come out of the oven, Sam enjoyed some Lego time.

Sam's Excellent Adventure

2008-07-08T21:45:00.000-07:00

Sam came to Grandma Jan's and Grandpa Alan's for a 4th of July retreat while Mom and Dad enjoyed the cool breezes of Bodega Bay with Matt and Corrie. Everyone had a wonderful time, with Sam meeting new friends, playing on new playgrounds, going to Happy Hollow and laughing in the pool. I am not sure what Mom and Dad did, but they probably enjoyed wineries, good friends and a rest. Grandma and Grandpa learned that Sam is one active little guy. He surprised us all by figuring out how to get out of the porta crib by Saturday. Needless to say grandma worried about a late night visit as Sam explored the house. Mostly, though we had a good time and were sorry to see him go on Sunday.

But before we see the photos, please check out this great video of Sam's weekend!

Watching the digger with Grandpa.

Sam prepares to enter San Jose's wet t-shirt contest.

Enjoying a waterfall in the pool.

Grandpa and Sam share a snack

Making new friends at Deb's 4th of July party.

First ride on a hammock. "Save me Grandpa!"

Matt and Sam chill in the play structure while Matt's Grandma Deb keeps watch.

Sam and his Grandparents had a great 4th!

Tyler stopped by to visit and play.

Apparently Sam is now like 5 years old.

Sam and Tyler sit with their grandmas.

Grandpa Alan and Sam get some relaxing in.

The (HOT) Weekend in Review

2008-06-30T17:34:00.000-07:00

It was the first full weekend of summer and holy crap, did it arrive in fashion. It just got hotter as the weekend went on...80 on Friday, 85 on Saturday, 92 on Sunday. Yowza. It'd be a lot more comfortable at home if we had some AC or something. So we spent the weekend outdoors as much as possible. Friday afternoon Dad and Sam hit the beach...Saturday was a hike to Twin Falls and a baby shower for some friends, and Sunday involved a trip to Tacoma for Sam and Mom (while Dad cleaned the garage!) and a pool party at Matt and Corrie's.

Sam ponders getting his feet wet (he did).

Then after some time on the sidewalk, Sam directed Dad back to the water.

When Saturday's hike started, Sam was already thirsty. He figured out the Camelback in an instant!

Mom and Sam posed at the halfway point of the hike amongst the greenery.

And of course Sam pointed out the waterfall.

Yes, that waterfall. But by this point, Sam's attention had moved on.

So he ended up climbing some stairs.

But then it was time to head back, so they got one last photo at the waterfall before heading back to the trailhead.

On Sunday, at Point Defiance Zoo, Sam quickly became a professional goat feeder.

He insisted that the goats got seconds.

The mid-June offering

2008-06-24T21:44:00.000-07:00

What a busy month we've had. We celebrated the start of summer by visiting Sam's friend Max and then hitting the Fremont Solstice Parade. We tried out the new baby-back-pack which will be highlighted in a future post.

Sam's Dad struggles to keep both Max and Sam on his lap.

Sam goes in for the kiss...but it's a miss.

Mom and Sam on the Elliott Bay Water Taxi from West Seattle to Downtown.

Sam poses in Dad's safety glasses. He could be heard saying "where's my hammer?!"

Father's Day Breakfast

2008-06-17T21:15:00.000-07:00

Mom and Sam surprised Dad with breakfast at a local organic restaurant. Though the portions were a bit too big, the food was delicious, and Sam even got into the act eating some pancakes, eggs, and a bunch of fresh fruit! Yum!

Sam wonders what he's gonna have for breakfast.

Then plays "hide n seek" with his parents.

Shhh, don't tell anyone where we're at or it'll become too busy!

You told! Yarrrgh.

Two rocks make great clickers!

The fam spent the afternoon at Matt and Corrie's awesome pool...where Sam's main goal was to throw things into the water.

Another Trip to Alki Beach

2008-06-12T21:49:00.000-07:00

The weather was so splendid today that when we got home, we had to take Sam to Alki Beach for some more fun in the sand. And that meant Dad took a bunch of photos...and tabbed a mere 12 for view by the general public. Here they are in all their sunny delightfulnessity.

Fresh on the beach, Sam shovels some sand.

Sam's mom said I didn't have to write a caption for every one. Ta da!

Someone is eating sand.

Dad just really liked this photo.

More digging in the dirt.

Gorgeous afternoon.

Excited to get to the water.

Woo-haaaah!

Sam checks the sign from the catcher...

He's in his windup...

And the pitch...STRIKE!
(the first photo we've gotten with a mid-air rock.

Nearing the end of his beach time, Sam shows off his usual handsomeness.

Look who's smilin'

2008-06-04T21:50:00.000-07:00

We're happy to report that despite our best efforts, Sam won't slow down or take "no" for an answer. He's continuing to explore and try new things, while maintaining his great attitude and winning smile. This newest installment brings some photos of Colin's (Sam's friend) birthday, though Colin is nowhere to be found...Also is a Sunday trip to Alki Beach, where we're in the midst of the lowest tides of the year.

Check it out.

Good morning!

Sam hangs from a bar at Colin's birthday party.

Then he practices his upside-down hanging skills.

The little man searches for a parent to read him a book.

The monkey is climbing all over the sofa and telling us all about it.

At Alki Beach, Sam points out some boats.

Driftwood is no match for an agile li'l dude.

Ooooh, beach.

Low tide = LOTS of rocks

Lime? I'm intrigued.

TART!

HOLY SH*T! THAT'S TART!

2 of 2 - the Midwest edition

2008-05-22T21:25:00.001-07:00

The second of two posts about our trip to the Midwest continues in Milwaukee, where Sam's uncle Matt graduated on Sunday. On Monday, we headed down to Omaha for Sam to meet his Great Grandma Jeanne and the family of Dad's uncle Bob. On the last day of the trip, we spent some time on Chicago's Navy Pier before heading to O'Hare for the trip back home.

In all, Sam met his uncle Chris, 13 of Dad's cousins and many of Dad's aunts and uncles, in addition to those mentioned above. Busy busy for the boy but he ate it up, saving his sleep until we got back home.

Uncle Matt reacts to a goosing in a (typical) family photo.

Sam and parents pose with the graduate.

Are you kidding me? What a kiss!

Uncle Mark gives chase!

The graduate, Uncle Matt, makes Sam laugh while reading to him.

Sam entertains with his new plastic pan bit.

Grandma Sue reads Grandson Sam a book while his Great Grandma and Dad look on.

Sam and Mom surprise Great Grandma Jeanne at her window.

Cousin Jesse presents Sam in a cowboy hat. Yeeehaw!

Mom and Sam on Navy Pier with a Chicago backdrop.

Sam's last bite in Chicago was getting back at a pirate.

1 of 2 - the Midwest edition

2008-05-21T21:20:00.000-07:00

So many photos from so many events the past few weeks. Bear with us while we get things all organized. First we all went to Bellingham (near Canada) for a wedding, then it was off to Milwaukee for Dad's brother's graduation from Marquette, and Omaha to see Great-Grandma Jeanne. What a whirlwind, so it'll take two posts to get it all in.

Sam's new accomplishments: Giving actual kisses, not just blown kisses; finally making a shot in his hoop with his basketball. Sadly, no video (yet) of either.

Bonus video 1
Bonus video 2

After mom's friend's wedding, Dad hands Sam some rocks to toss into the lake.

Milwaukee! Sam's got wet pants (and shoes) ((and socks)). Uhh, Dad kinda allowed Sam full access to the fountain.

...but Dad played it off with aplomb, not letting Sam's feet get any wetter a bit later.

At the pre-graduation dinner, Sam decided to fire a warning shot across the bow of the table.

Grandpa Craig and Sam enjoy some time outside the restaurant.

Sam and cousin Mason meet and are instant friends.

Mason even takes a moment to pose for a photo.

This photo, and the next one, were taken back-to-back. We just missed them making the same face at the same time. First Sam puckers up...

...then Mom offers a kiss.

Sam's excited that the rocks splash so big!

Mason and Sam can't wait to get together again to make some big splashes.

Words that start with "BA" sounds

2008-05-14T22:07:00.000-07:00

Lately, everything Sam's been saying starts with a "ba" sound.
Let's see, we've got his favorite, which is basketball, all the way to baseball, balloon, and banana, followed by words that are similar, like bottle and bubble.
Of course, they all sound similar to "ba-ba" and so we've got to listen for little differences in his voice that lead us in the right direction. For instance, if he extends the first syllable, we are pretty sure he's saying basketball. If he gets fussy and it's not meal time, he wants us to blow bubbles. If he is hungry, he's most likely asking for a bottle unless he recently saw a delicious banana nearby.

Those are just some clues in case you are confronted with a talkative Sam in the near future. :)

Greekster, The Zoo...and More!

2008-05-05T21:27:00.000-07:00

So we're finding that we don't pull out the camera as often as we should (or forget it when we're out on journeys). That means fewer posts but more photos of the same event. This time we're looking at the time we spent with our friends at Greek Easter at a home on Lake Stevens. Sam ran around quite a bit and was tuckered out. On May 4, we hit the Woodland Park Zoo with Mom's friend Krista. Sam got to see an elephant, a few giraffes, snakes, raptors, and lots of monkeys. Then he had the freedom to roam some green space. Who doesn't like that? And finally, Cinco de Mayo meant Sam's 2nd haircut. A clean cut boy is headed to Milwaukee with his parents in less than 2 weeks!

Sam plays with the other kids at Greek Easter.

Sam explains the reason why Greek Easter and Catholic Easter aren't always on the same weekend.

Aunt Sandy ready Sam a book (in Greek!) Sam nodded along.

Sam zonked on the way back from Greekster.

Krista joins Mom and Sam amongst the monkeys.

Sam and Krista look at the hippos (and zebras).

Sam explores the big grassy space at the zoo.

Who, me?

He's been squatting a lot lately...it's one of his dance moves.

Sam's got rocks! And new green sneaks!

Another in the grassy series...happy Sam jogging around.

Dad and Sam celebrate his 2nd haircut!

And read Sam's current favorite: Dear Zoo. Ssssssssssssssnake!

1,000,000,000 Seconds

2008-04-23T21:49:00.000-07:00

OK, this post isn't Sam related ...BUT Sam's Dad will be one billion seconds old this Saturday at 8:05am Pacific time. Although presents are condoned, they are not absolutely necessary. Gifts should be unique for the event. That is all.

A Vidertoo

2008-04-16T18:48:00.000-07:00

It's amazing how excited the boy gets for strawberries...so yeah, we had to take lots of photos, and some videos. Enjoy!

See n Say from 4/15/08
Strawberries #1 and #2 from 4/16/08
Drumming #1 and #2 from 4/16/08

A whole strawberry...for me?!

yumyumyumyumyumyum

Big bite!

Mouth full o'berry

Pure joy!

Ahh, fragaria xananassa...and quite a specimen at that. The Rosaceae family produces delicious fruits. One cup of strawberries constitutes approximately 45 calories and is an excellent source of Vitamin C and flavonoids.

One Warm Day Amidst some Wet Ones

2008-04-15T21:02:00.000-07:00

So if you live in Seattle, or pay any attention at all to Seattle weather, then you know that last Friday and Saturday were tremendously awesome. Friday was sunny and 65, on Saturday it got to 80 and we were invited onto a yacht on Lake Washington, which we accepted. Those days gave us hope that spring was officially here and that we'd be spending more time at the park.

Wrong. We sadly welcomed back rain and colder temperatures on Sunday, and showers are expected all week.

Back to Saturday - it was quite possibly the longest length of time Sam has been out of the house when not traveling more than 20 miles from home. After music class we got to the yacht and found it to be rather large...56' with two cabins and plenty of room to play. Sam managed to take a 2 hour nap on the ride, which was pretty impressive.

New rain coat! He won't wear his pirate boots though.

First photo on the water for Sam.

He enjoys an ice-cold can of PBR on a 56' yacht.

Now up on deck with Mommy enjoying the sun.

Collin, Katina, and Sam enjoy a plethora of bubbles.

Sam ended up with the larger part of the wishbone...we wonder what his wish was?

Sam's chair has been relocated upstairs, he loves to climb and sit on it.

In your face!

The square won't whistle.

Someone find this kid a modeling gig

2008-03-30T20:17:00.000-07:00

Bummer...grandma and grandpa head back home tomorrow...but we've had lots of fun since they've been here. Samuel can now scooch down the stairs on his butt. Surprisingly it doesn't seem to hurt. Oh yeah, Grandpa taught him that.

So this morning we noticed that a top row tooth has poked it way through his gums. Pretty soon he'll not only be clicking sticks and rocks, but his teeth!

Rockin' the shampoo mohawk

Chillin' with Mom

Finally stacking cups instead of knocking them over.

We heard he scored 30 at the community center.

...before hopping on the police bike to catch a crook

He needs to be in Gap ads.

Further proof.

Sam watches the snow during snack time.

Gap ad, take 3.

A Saturday ferry ride to Vashon island. Sam watched the sailboats who were having a race.

He enjoyed playing at a park on the island...mostly just walking in the wet grass.

Lunch!

Where did I put my bib?

Sam ate a big lunch and was ready to go play some more.

Look everybody, I found a stick!

FUN!

At the park near home.

One more photo with Grandma before she goes.

I got 'im! Heh heh.

The Easter(y) Post

2008-03-25T09:00:00.000-07:00

We're still trying to take a few deep breaths and recover from Sam's birthday party a month ago, but of course Easter comes along and things get busy again. Grandma Jan and Grandpa Alan got to town the day after Easter and have been taking care of Sam and playing with him a lot. On his last visit, Gpa Alan has taught Sam how to drop balls (toys) in baskets (trash cans) and this time around he taught Sam how to go downstairs on his own. In between the visits, Dad bought Sam a basketball hoop so he could practice on his jumpshot. Of course, Sam's a bit short to dunk on it right now so he's been getting some hops from his friends and family.

New developments - Sam loves blood oranges and strawberries. Dad is worried that Sam will eat all of the (HIS!) strawberries. He can say "truck," "grandpa," "grandma," and "mommy." He kind of says "basketball" but it sounds more like "bak-ball." He knows what daffodils are loves to pick up rocks and click them together.

During the Big East tourney, Sam and Dad wore their Blue and Gold.

I forget exactly why he needed to get clean so quickly that neither a shower or bath was available, so here it is, titled, "baby in a sink."

Sam and Kim hit the community center where Sam got his photo with the Easter Bunny.

And got to play with firetrucks.

And look like a cute li'l bunny.

The Thriftway held an Easter Egg hunt (15,000 eggs) and Sam got about 20 of them.

He was good at finding and opening them - spilling the candy onto the floor.

Yay! Time for food!

During March Madness, Sam had his MU gear on again. Stupid Stanford.

Easter morning, 6am. Sam is into the M&Ms.

Yum! Choclut! Seriously, the kid is a chocoholic. He sees 'em, he eats 'em.

The Easter Bunny brought Sam some fishing gear.

And a stuffed ducky and a book.

And what a good book it is, with textures.

We just had to throw this pic in there.

Sam meant to slip and fall.

Breakfast! Time to eat the bunny's ears.

At Church, Sam clapped along with the music.

Compare this picture to the photo from last year when Sam was 1/2 the size (click below)

Easter07

The Sam/Evan Easter photo is now officially annual.

Of course, Sam was not too happy when it was time for pics with Mom & Dad.

Or Athena and Andy, but it was still fun!

More Party Photos and from his big day

2008-03-06T20:21:00.000-08:00

Yay! Dad finally figured out how to resize photos so they don't take so long to load...whoop whoop!

This final birthday post for 2008 includes select photographs from the party as well as a few showcasing how the SamMan spent his actually birthday, which was a Tuesday this time around.

Oh yeah, if you were at the party, there may be photos of you and your family that we can send you. Just let us know and we'll email them to you.

The fam gets a quick photo together just after the party got started.

Sam, of course, wanted to pose on his own a bit and show his dapper side.

Grandma's smiling, why isn't Sam?

Sam was fascinated by the player piano.

Woo-hoo! A smile!

...blue steel...really? He's dropping blue steel.

We managed a grin on this one.

Dad must've caught Sam off-guard on this one.

Smiling - check.

Time for cake!

How do I work this thing?!

Have some cake, Aunt Christina.

Blue steel again. Sheesh.

...but he manages a smile for Uncle Matt.

Time for the birth day photos. He's dunking!

Having fun at the Community Center climbing on anything he can.

Is he putting it on or taking it off?? The world may never know.