Lessons from Sam #11, 12, and yes...13

So I've learned a lot these past few days.

Sam has started to really enjoy playing in our bed. He loves to climb in - get all comfy underneath the covers laying next to momma or daddy watching one of his "stories". Granted, once the routine of getting all comfy, turning his show on, and making everything perfect for King Sam is done - he's up and jumping around in about a millisecond. But that millisecond of being still is priceless. See?





Priceless.

Lesson #11

Well, the other day - during one of these "King Sam" moments as I call them, he had a sippy cup of milk in his hand that he proceeded to sling across the room (like he's been doing lately). Uggh. Well - he more or less ended up slinging it right into my face, leaving a nice sore spot under my eye for a few days. In the right state of mind, I would've told him that he shouldn't throw his sippy cups (like I tell him about a million times a day) and then put him in timeout. In the right state of mind. However, in MY frustration of just being sucker punched with a full cup of milk - I proceed to grab said sippy cup and toss it across the room. Hmmm. Good example I'm setting huh? Lesson learned:"I've learned that children's eyes observe more than their ears ever hear and the example we set for them determines their actions." - Author Unknown

Lesson #12

Speaking of tossing items across the room. I had high aspirations of grilling steaks for dinner with nice big baked potatoes and homemade apple pie. Yes, move over Betty Crocker. Well, we were out of my favorite marinade so Sam and I headed to the grocery store. Since I only had a few items - I figured I would just go to the self-checkout. As I was scanning my items, Sam grabbed the glass bottle of marinade and tried to see if it would bounce off the grocery floor. Much to his amazement, it did not bounce. Who'da thunk it? All I heard was a sweet little "uh oh" and a loud glass-breaking sound. Yes, the "uh oh" came BEFORE he decided to toss it. Lesson learned: Go to the eye doctor to see if the eyes in the back of my head need glasses.

The steak was still worth every bit of it. Mmmmm.

Lesson #13

Tonight we decided to go to our favorite bbq place for dinner. We were in a hurry to get out the door and by the time we got to the restaurant, I realized we forgot Sam's diaper bag. No sippy cup to toss. No snacks before the meal comes out. No diversions of any kind to keep a squirmy, loud, pointing to everyone and saying "doggie", bored toddler preoccupied while we wait for our food, which took about twenty minutes.....Lesson learned: Always come prepared.


He keeps me on my toes! He's such a fun kid - especially at this age where he's figuring things out and trying to talk more. He does something new every day. He's figured out what hot and cold is this week. He loves eating crushed ice out of the fridge. Every morning after waking up, he grabs his binky and his blanky and walks to the living room for his milk. Every ball he sees is a "bee-ball". Sigh - I love this kid....

Here he is playing with a "bee-ball" in big blue. He had a blast playing in the water while we filled up the pool!

Lessons from Sam

I've kinda taken a blogging hiatus for the past few months. I've had a mental block of sorts in what I want to share. It's not like we don't have things going on I could blog about - because believe me....we are no stranger to being busy. Have you met my kid? He keeps me quite busy and exhausted entertained. By the end of the day I just don't know what to write about. And then it hit me the other day.

Now that I am smack-dab in the middle of full-blown toddler world, I've been thinking about some of the things Sam has taught me over the past 20 months or so. He is quite a kid. And I know I've got a lot to learn in the years to come. Yes, we as parents should teach and discipline our children to grow up to be responsible, well-rounded, loving Christian adults. But, there are so many lessons that we can learn from them. Humility, faith, trust, how to never leave a dirty diaper in the back of a hot car....

So that is what I'm rolling with. Lessons from Sam. I'll try to post on a semi-regular basis...a lesson or two of what I've learned from Sam that day. Here are 10 that I've thought of to get us started.

1. I can't count how many times I secretly rolled my eyes and under my breath said “duh” when a parent told me how much my life was going to change after having a baby. Boy was I naive. You really..don’t...know...until you are smack dab in it. So yes, you may gloat now if you were one of those people. Lesson learned: sometimes people know what they are talking about.

2. Rotten chocolate milk is WAY more disgusting than rotten plain milk. Lesson learned: just throw sippy cup away.

3. It never fails. My son will always have some sort of scratch, bump, or bruise on his face or head just prior to a doctor’s appointment. He’s so darn klutzy and not afraid of a thing. Lesson learned: take extra flex money out for ER deductibles....just in case.

4. Sam is a good eater…but he is picky about certain foods. However, I fully believe that if I fed the kid off the floor, he would eat every bit of it. He eats everything he finds off the floor…everything. Lesson learned: make sure Barkley doesn't vomit...again.

5. He never ceases to amaze me. Every single day I look at him and thank the Lord for such a blessing in my life. Lesson learned: enjoy every second of it.

6. I've learned there is absolutely no better thing in this world than Sam’s, slobbery, dirty-faced, sticky fingered, love-filled hugs and kisses. Lesson learned: get as many kisses as I can now before he decides he's "too embarrassed" or "too old"....sigh.

7. I’ve really gotten a better understanding of my parents and why they did the things they did when we were little. Like, I really understand why mom would be in the bathroom for an hour every night. It wasn’t necessarily to take a bath – it was to get away from us rugrats!!! Yes mom – I understand now. Lesson learned: take a break.

8. Speaking of parents, things your mom or dad said growing up start to make their appearance. Like, “I just cleaned these floors!”, or “Don’t make me come over there!”, or “I need a drink.” Haha – just kidding on that last one. Or am I? Lesson learned: what goes around comes around.

9. Naptime is just as much a mental and physical break for parents as it is for the kiddos. Naptime is precious. I’m sure there has been a UPS man or door-to-door salesman that has gotten a well-deserved beating from a frazzled mother for ringing the doorbell in the early afternoon. Lesson learned: leave a note on the door that if a baby wakes, violators will be shot on premises.

10. No matter how much life has changed since having Sam – I wouldn’t change it for the world. There is nothing I would want to be or do more than being his mommy. I love this job the mostest! I mean, who could resist this face……



Lesson learned: take lots of pictures.

Luke 18:15-17 "People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have him touch them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. But Jesus called the children to him and said, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.'"

Guess who got a new phone

Yes - I have embarked into the world of iPhone and so far so good. Thought I would test my blogging skills in the mobile world. Crazy, I know.

I've been thinking a lot about my little boy who will not know what it is like to not have the world at his fingertips. Who won't know what a typewriter is or what white-out is for. Who can't imagine going out of the house without his cellphone attached to his hip. Who will never have to rewind a cassette tape to find a song. Who won't know how to decipher a map because google or TomTom can tell him how to get there. Who will never need a dictionary or encyclopedia because the internet is so much easier. Who will probably watch every single show and movie in HD...heck, even in color! Who will probably complain when his mom makes him write letters to family members when there is email, or when it is sunny and he is forced to go outside and play when there are video games calling his name. Yes - mean mommy is going to make him have his OWN imagination. Call CPS!!! Ha!

Seriously though - I envy my son for at this age, he is so naive to how the world really is. He doesn't have to worry about the bills, the chores, the everyday things we do to keep afloat. He just wants to play :) I wish i could just play! Yes, he would rather play with the remote control rather than his building blocks....it's already begun.

I pray every night that he grows up to be the same sweet little boy that he is today. That he has a love for the Lord and has a love for his family. I pray that he doesn't get wrapped up in the 'things' of this world, but enjoy the experiences we have been given during our short time here on earth. To be a positive influence on those around him and an example to follow. I love being a parent.....but boy is there a lot of fear and uncertainty in the mix. Thank you Lord for being by our side!!!

Okay - wow. Didn't realize I was going to go off on a tangent. Signing off now....from my phone. What a hypocrite. Haha!

Here is a picture of our little man!!



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Christmas Preview

I've been trying to find the time to get on here and post our Christmas pics. Hopefully I'll get around to it before next Christmas! In the meantime...

That's our boy...can't keep his clothes on!

Mr. Mischief

He was walking around everywhere like this one day.

Bathtime fun

Silly Sammer the Whammer

Our kid makes the funniest noises. Here he is below with his newest sound. This is self-taught...I don't know where he got it! And no, we don't always eat dinner in front of the TV. Our dinner table was (and still is) a complete mess. Ha!

We are leaving for Texas tomorrow morning to see my family. Looking forward to seeing them and my little niece Taylor. She's a cutie! When we get back, I'll post pics of our Christmas and the blizzard of '09. Wow. 14 inches of snow! IN OKLAHOMA.....ON CHRISTMAS EVE! What are the odds...

Random Pictures

Just was going through some of our pictures and came across these! Thought I'd share since it's been a while since I've posted.

Jon holding a snake!

This was NOT my idea....

mmmm....spaghetti.

TANTRUM! MEAN MOMMY!
I can't remember what he was mad about,
but this look was just priceless.

Already flipping through the toy catalog....

"Tisses....Tisses"

"Tisses....Tisses" - that's what Sam said tonight as he came up and planted one big fat slobbery kiss on me! Be still my heart :)

This kiddo is growing like a weed! My goodness!!! Here are a few pics of our busy little bee :) Some are from a few weeks ago when we went to the park, and some are from Halloween.

Sam....a.k.a Super Pooper!!

First time in a big boy swing....can you tell he loved it!

yummmm.....goldfish

he's not too happy with Mom's choice of costume -
but isn't he just as cute as a bug!!!

Trick or Treat!!

He's such a camera ham!

tuckered out....

Sam's 12mo portraits!

We had Sam's 12mo pictures taken today. He was all over the place - it took 2 photographers and a mommy and daddy to try and keep him in the area to take the pics. But, we got some really cute ones!!!

The place we take him is great. They take the pics, we choose the ones we like, they print them right there and we walk away with our pics and the cd of ALL the pics they take, not just the ones we buy. And it's relatively inexpensive too!

Here are the ones we bought. I posted a link below to the rest of the pics on the CD. I didn't realize how red my kiddo's hair is.....I wonder where he got that from??? (*wink*wink*)

 

 

 

 

And here's the link to more!

Sam's 12mo portraits

Happy Birthday Sam!

A year ago today, our family grew by two feet....two adorable, walking everywhere, tripping over everything little feet! I can't believe my little guy is one. He has brought us so much joy this past year.

We had a little birthday bash for him this past weekend. My entire family came up from Texas to help celebrate as well as Jon's family and a few buddies. Boy our house hit it's maximum capacity, but we had a good time. And let me tell ya - this kiddo is SPOILED! We need a bigger house to put all of these toys :)

Here's some pics of his big day.

Sam's 1st Birthday

Sam is 11 months!

My baby turned 11 months old yesterday. Wow - time flies when you're having fun and are as busy as you've ever been, huh??? He's such a happy guy. Walking everywhere now and he thinks it's the coolest thing in the world!! He's learned that pulling Barkley's ears makes Barkley make a funny sound (poor pup - he's a trooper though!). Whenever Sam sees something that sparks his interest he whispers "wow-wow" like he just saw Disney World for the first time. It's great! I can't wait to actually take him there someday.

Here's a couple of pics of the little guy - he's all boy!

 

 

World of Trouble!

Yep - that's what we're in for, a world of trouble. Sam is walking!!! And he couldn't be more excited about it. We are so proud!! And astonished at how fast time is flying by - he's almost 1. Wow.





I really plan on keeping up more with this blog. It's insane how busy we've been. We are taking a trip to the lake with some friends this weekend and my parents are coming up to watch Sam for us. We are excited to get away for a few days, but I'm sad too :( I'm gonna miss my little buddy!

Our weekend trip to Texas

Here's is a picture of my adorable little niece that I got to hold this past weekend. She was born May 24th and weighed 7lbs 14oz. I love her so much already!

We had a great weekend with the family in Texas. We cooked out at my sister and BIL's house and visited with my family. Sam got to see Taylor for the first time, and play with his buddy Cody (my cousin's little boy). He also got to go on a couple of "mule" rides with Grandpa and Marma. My brother Reagan and his girlfriend Courtney have a new puppy named Ryder that Sam just LOVED. It was just his size! Here are a few pics from the trip. I didn't take many, because Sam is on the move constantly now....but here's some :)

Texas trip

We're in for it now!!!

Ok - it seems like just the other day, we were SO excited that Sam rolled over. Now - we just can't stop this little guy!!! He's crawling everywhere! And, this is what we walked in to see this afternoon....

Just yesterday, he figured out how to pull himself up to standing, and that's all he's been doing since. FYI - we lowered the crib just now to as low as it'll go....we'll probably be investing in a crib tent soon, because I can already tell he's gonna be a climber....

who needs toys???

Sam is most interested in anything that is NOT a toy these days. Remote controls, Barkley's crate, air vents, the space between our laminate floor and the sliding glass door that we really need to cover soon, calculators, cell phones, and most of all.......the keyboard. Thanks to Daddy - he now has his own. Enjoy!



(And, no - Barkley isn't ALWAYS in his crate whining. lol.)

Oh geez....

Wasn't I supposed to have a little more time to prepare?!?!? lol.

From Sam is scootin'!

PS - That is Mr. Barkley whining in the background. He's still getting used to not being the center of attention :)

Little Sammy Butt Crack

"Little Sammy Butt Crack" - doesn't that totally sound like a fun poem or song we should come up with???

For anyone who knows my husband - this is even more hilarious than just baby plumber crack :)

Sam is 6 months!

I am so behind! Sam celebrated his 1/2 birthday this past Monday! Time is flying by - I'm sure by next week he'll be 18 and out on his own. :( He had his 6 mo. checkup and the doc said he's a happy healthy baby!

We went to get 6 month pictures done and LOVE them! We ordered 5 poses I think, but we got the cd of all the photos they took. Here's a link:

Sam 6 mo Portraits

And here's a link of the photos I took over this last month:

Sam 6 Months

Growling Sammer....

Well, I finally got video of Sam growling. This is one of his many new tricks lately and it cracks us up!!! He really is one tough guy. Oh, and he's mobile too. Today, he rolled himself halfway across the office. Holy moly!!! I was supposed to have more time to baby proof the house! Guess I know what I'll be doing asap!

From My Videos

Sam is 5 months!

I can't believe Sam is 5 months - he brings so much joy to our lives! He's sleeping through the night, loves snuggling with his blankie at naptime, loves playing in his exersaucer, is ticklish under his neck like his daddy, laughs at all of Aunt Liz's funny faces, and is the only one who enjoys mommy's silly songs :)

He's had a very eventful month. He started eating cereal and is now on carrots, went to his first birthday party (Happy one year Molly! We had a great time!), and started going to Mother's Day Out on Wednesdays and Fridays. Of course, after his first week of going - he got sick and now he's on antibiotics :(

Now, Marma (my mom) is on her way as we speak to come for a visit. We are looking forward to it!

Here's some pics (some is, as always, an understatement) of Sam this past month!

Sam 5 months

Sam's First Cereal

We gave Sam his first cereal feeding last week - and he LOVED it - as you can tell :) Here's some quick pics.

Sam's First Cereal