Sammie

June Roundup

2011-06-08T18:17:00.000-07:00

1 year, 8 months. Its been over a month since our last post which signifies how busy life has become. Sam is busier than ever and amazes us with his vocabulary. We have been to the zoo, bought a bigger Sammie pool, went on a hike, played with friends and family and much more as you can see below. Life with Sam is a whole lot of fun. He's a great and very sweet kid.

Hi there! Welcome back!

I got a water table shaped like a pirate ship! Its fun!

I went to the Zoo with Mommy, Daddy and Gan-pa. It was an amazing day!

I got a bigger pool and Daddy built Mommy a garden. I love playing in the pool when its nice outside!

I still play with Mommy's jewelry from time to time.

We went on a hike in the nature preserve. I had a lot of fun but got tired, hungry and cranky.

We went to a local farm where I saw all kinds of animals. I even chased a muster of peacocks!

Grandad helped me feed the "moos" at his farm. I loved it!

Daddy laughed but Mommy bought me a 3 foot duck. He's my buddy!

Friends, Family and Sam's First Easter Egg Hunt

2011-04-17T15:40:00.000-07:00

1 year, 6 months old. The past few weeks have been great and Sam is really starting to talk even more. He spent some time with his next door neighbor Dillon when they played with some sticks. Sam also went to his cousin Houston's 1 year birthday party which was a lot of fun - they even had an inflatable jumping room and lot of balls! Today we went to the arboretum and to our neighbor's Easter egg hunt which was a first for Sam. He is now able to run around the house and is an expert at making messes multiple times every day.

Nemo and the Aquarium

2011-03-12T18:38:00.000-08:00

1 year, 5 months old. This past month has been a lot of fun as Adam has had some vacation time and we have been able to spend a lot of family time with Sam. We were able to relax with Sam's cousin Micah and his parents (as well as Grandparents) last weekend. Sam has also discovered Finding Nemo and is absolutely infatuated with the little orange and white fish. We took him to the Aquarium which he really enjoyed. Today we were able to go to Grandpa Dennis and Grandma Pat's house where we ate pizza and played in the dirt with worms. Such is the life of our little boy.

Welcome back!

I have my first official Tonka truck. I love it and play with it daily!

I can now stack block very tall and I like to watch them fall.

I absolutely love to watch Nemo and his friends. I can even say some things from the movie! My parents bought me a Nemo who I now sleep with. He's my friend.

It was Daddy's birthday. I helped him blow out the candles (there were a lot of them).

This is my cousin Micah. He's fun.

I still love story time with Mommy. Its our nightly ritual.

The animals at the aquarium were great! I touched a horseshoe crab and starfish!

We stopped in to see the frogs. Daddy and I took a picture on the same frog as last year.

In the rain forest I was able to feed some birds. Fun!

The shark tank was great! I even saw a ray swim right over me!

The aquarium was great. Can't wait to come back!

I played outside with Grandpa. He showed me a worm from his garden.

It was a great time seeing my Grandparents. I had a great day!

A Great Month with Family

2011-02-20T12:31:00.000-08:00

1 year, 5 months old. This past month has been a whole lot of fun as we have been able to spend a lot of time with family. The weather is warming up now and we have even been on a few bike rides with Sam in the Burley this past week. He is now running around the yard and has a huge vocabulary. Some of the new words in the last month include Ready.Set.Go, Nice, Please, Oh No, Blue, Red, Baby, etc. He is a ton of fun.

Its been a while! Welcome back!

I still love balloons.

Bath time is a whole lot of fun!

I love to get things out of the fridge. Like this ball, er, I mean orange.

My family is great.

My cousin Houston is hilarious!

Momma bought me some sidewalk crayons. Fun!

Naps are hair raising!

My socks go with me everywhere.

This past weekend we went to the farm to spend time with the cousins. I love the moooooos (cows).

Sitting on the tractor was fun.

The hay bales were fun to sit and run on!

We went back inside to play with the cousins.

Me, Micah, Crosby and Houston.

There were lots of books to read and things to do!

Micah is really loud!

I can't wait to see everyone again!

Sam, Snow, Family and Monkey Joe's

2011-01-17T18:25:00.000-08:00

1 year, 3 months old. Its been a cold snowy winter and as a result Sam has had to spend more time than he would like inside (he's an outside boy). We've been passing the time by spending some time with family and recently took him to Monkey Joe's - which is an inside inflatable park. Although Sam didn't really enjoy the inflatable part of the park he did love the music, kids and especially the ba-wooooooonnns! (balloons!)

I have recently started to color! Its a lot of fun.

This is one of my favorite things to do. Daddy and I lay on the floor and "shoot" the ball into the air! Sometimes I want to do it right when he gets home from work!

I love looking at the snow and birds outside my window. Mom and Dad bought me a birdfeeder for outside my window although I haven't had many bird visitors to it yet.

Grandpa and Grandma watched me the other night. Cousin Houston came over to play!

I now not only unload the bottom drawer but also climb in when I am finished.

Today I went to Monkey Joe's. The inflatable areas were okay. The balloons, kids and music were awesome (I danced). I didn't like the slide that Dad made me go down.

Sam likes to dance!

Merry Christmas from Sam!

2010-12-25T13:54:00.000-08:00

1 year, 3 months old. Sam is celebrating his second Christmas today and his first ever white christmas! We awoke today to about 2 inches of fluffy white powder that Santa brought when he came. Prior to today Sam traveled to both sets of grandparents (and even 1 set of great grandparents) to spend time with his aunts, uncles and cousins. He had a great Christmas and Santa was very good to him. He's been a great little boy this past year.

Hi everyone! Merry Christmas!

I am starting to like to wear my hats.

About a week ago we had our first snow of the year. I thought it was a lot of fun...

I still am loving the Christmas tree. I have even figured out how to climb behind it to turn it off and on.

I am climbing all over everything.

We had Christmas a few days early with the cousins. I got some great toys!

I love reading (especially naked).

Grandma Billie and Grandpa Terry bought me a tent with a tunnel! Its awesome!!!

Here you can see the typical mess that mom and dad deal with on a daily basis.

My dog is hilarious. I love her feet especially.

2 days ago we spent time with Grandpa Dennis and Grandma Pat. It was fun!

Aunt Bethany, Uncle Tony and Uncle Ben were all there.

Great Grandma and Grandpa's house is always exciting!

Santa brought me a Lego table! I love it!!!!!

I wouldn't let mom vacuum alone so I offered to help.

The table is nice. I have only fallen off the chair once (so far).

Christmas morning was great! Santa came and I opened my stocking. I helped daddy open up a present and then I stole it.

I still adore my dog.

I have learned how to climb on the chair, stand on the chair, and retrieve an ornament. Success!

Santa must have brought some snow on Christmas Day. We had a lot of fun playing in it.

Getting Ready for Christmas

2010-12-09T18:12:00.000-08:00

1 year, 2 months. Its been a few weeks since our last post because we have been busy. Its cold here and we have a little bit of snow which Sam enjoys. We have put up our Christmas tree but are only able to decorate the top half because a little someone would destroy anything within reach. Sam now can say 4 or 5 words, can wave "bye" and can even use sign language when he wants "more". He is a whole lot of fun.

Hi guys! Welcome to my blog!

I like to try on daddy and mommy's shoes and walk around the house in them.

One of my favorite new places to hang out is in the bathroom sink. I fit perfectly!

Mom and Dad put up the Christmas tree. I love all the lights.

The tree is really big. It needs something on the top.

Daddy helped me put the star on top of the tree. It was awesome!

I listened to Daddy explain how to hang an ornament on the tree.

I had so much fun putting the star on the tree the first day that we did it again on the second day.

I watched Mommy eat a bowl of cereal like this. I tried to eat my strawberries the same way (it didn't work very well).

Sam's Second Halloween

2010-11-11T17:40:00.000-08:00

1 year 1 month. Sam celebrated his second Halloween and had a lot of fun. He struggled with his costume at first but eventually warmed up to it. He was able to visit his neighbors and hand out candy to the kids. Sam can now say "bye" and wave when you leave. He loves to crawl up the furniture --- especially his new "Sam sized" chair.

Happy belated Halloween!

It was fun learning how to carve a jack o' lantern!

I tried my lion costume and at first hated it...

... then adjusted and had a great time!

I wanted to show Dillon and Jorden my great costume so I headed next door.

To my surprise they were in costume too!

I transformed from a lion to become a skeleton to hand out some treats!

Halloween was fun but pretty tiring.

My Dad and I like to build skyscrapers out of mega blocks. I'm pretty good at stacking them.

I tried on my Dino feet and liked them so much I did laps around the house!

What do you think of my new Sammie chair? I love it!

My New Ride

2010-10-28T18:18:00.000-07:00

13 months. Since our last post we have been busy as usual. We went to the World Equestrian Games with the family and although Sam didn't really watch the horses he still had a great time. We also bought bikes for mom and dad and a Burley trailor for Sam (which pulls behind one of the bikes). We have taken Sam out in his new ride and he really likes it so far. He also now has 2 additional teeth and has a 5th tooth coming in as well. He can now almost run around the house and is getting better at saying his favorite (and first) word: baa-woon (balloon).

Mom and Dad bought me a sweet new ride. I love it!

We went to the horse games. There were lots of stairs to climb and I even found a few new friends.

My uncle Ben came down to stay with me for the weekend. It was great seeing him! He brought me a volleyball.

I like being naked!

I am starting to ride my rocking horse.

Eating is fun. But mom and dad say I make a mess.

I went home to the farm and had a great time.

This is a sneak peek of my Halloween costume.

Sam Goes to the Zoo and Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-07T06:23:00.000-07:00

1 year, 0 months. So far this week we have gone to the pumpkin patch and zoo. First we went to the pumpkin patch and Sam helped us pick out some pumpkins and gourds for the fall. Yesterday we went with Grandma to the Cincinnati Zoo and Sam absolutely loved it --- although I think he liked seeing the little kids as much as the animals.

The pumpkin patch was great!

There was a horse there. I'm starting to like them a little more.

The wagons were a lot of fun. I helped Mom and Dad pick out the perfect pumpkins.

Here we all are at the pumpkin patch!

Pumpkins are fun!

I am getting tall!

I now have my own toothbrush since I have a few teeth!

I liked this alligator statue at the zoo. I tried to feed it my sock.

This gorilla was funny looking!

Daddy and I really liked these goats.

The animals were awesome. These elephants were pretty cool.

Its just my size.

Grandma and I had a blast!

Sam's 2nd First Birthday

2010-10-03T17:58:00.000-07:00

1 year, 0 months old. We wrapped up Sam's birthday extravaganza by having his second birthday party for his first birthday. This party was mainly attended by his little friends. We also took him to a petting zoo which was met with mixed emotions from the Sam man. He continues to walk more and is getting faster and more coordinated every day.

Hello everyone! Welcome back!

It was great seeing some family at my second 1st birthday.

Yum! Icing!

This is my friend Arya. She's really nice.

My mom made me another construction cake. It was tasty!

Dad took us on wagon rides. It was fun!

Ty and I shot some hoops.

I'm still a little climber.

We went to the petting zoo. I didn't like it as much as Mom and Dad thought I would.

I tried on my UK hat.

I like to climb inside my toy basket now.

I like pushing my cooler in front of me when I walk.

Here I am with my cousin Micah.

I like climbing on my cousin Guy.

My great uncle Pat and I shared another birthday cake.

I can throw my football while I walk!

I still am infatuated with my dog.

Sam's First (of 2) Birthday Party!!!

2010-09-13T18:48:00.000-07:00

11 months, 20 days old. Yesterday we had the first of 2 birthday parties for Sam. This one was for family and his next party will be for friends. He had an absolutely awesome time as you can see below. Today was perhaps the coolest day so far for us as parents because he started to walk all by himself!!!

Its my birthday party!

Daisy and I shared our love for rocks.

I had plenty of people help me to "walk" around the yard.

Everyone was so excited to see me. It was great!

Crosby is getting pretty big.

Mom did a great job decorating and making my construction cake!

My cake was delicious!

It was great to see all the family at my party.

After cake it was time to open my presents. Thank you everyone!

After cake we watched the Bengals play (and get beat. Again.)

My grandparents are fantastic.

The next day something came over me. I began to walk on my own!!!!!

I was everywhere and all on my own! It was awesome!

I'm off!!! Wow this is great!!!

After all that walking I was tired. Luckily I never let go of my balloons!

My First Haircut

2010-09-13T18:20:00.000-07:00

11 months, 20 days old. In preparation for Sam's first birthday he received his first haircut. He also continued his fascination of balloons. He's getting pretty good at crawling and climbing.

My daddy let me drink some water out of his bottle. It was fun!

My dad let me try on his hat. How do I look?

I can climb!

My grandma came to watch me and it was fun!

I had my first haircut. It wasn't too bad.

The best part about my haircut is they gave me my favorite thing in the world - a balloon!

My mom gave me a few new toys. Still trying to figure out the round green one.

My yellow balloon popped so my Daddy brought me home a new one from the hospital. I didn't let it go for over 2 days. I even ate and took a bath with it.

Another Fun Weekend

2010-08-29T18:52:00.000-07:00

11 months, 5 days old. We're counting down the days to Sam's 1 year birthday by spending a lot of time with family and friends. Sam has been able to hang out with his cousins and also was able to "run" through the sprinkler for the first time. He is getting much better at communicating and is jibber jabbering even more. He can also walk between us by himself but hasn't gotten brave enough to try to walk alone. He's continues to crawl and is into absolutely everything because he's turning into a curious energetic little boy.

I was really tired after a 3 hour nap.

Sometimes I make toys out of just about anything. Here I am playing with the legs of my highchair.

I really like my cousins Micah and Houston.

It was great to see mommy's family at Nana's birthday get-together!

My daddy is pretty funny!

I have started to like my sunglasses. Don't I look cool?

Today I played in the sprinkler. It was a blast!

Sammie is Crawling!

2010-08-12T17:26:00.000-07:00

10 months, 18 days old. Well, he did it. Sam is crawling. We were sure that he was going to be one of those babies that skipped crawling all together and just started to walk. But about a week ago he surprised us and now he's a man on the move! He also is now walking "one handed" where he only needs to hold on to you with one of his hands for balance instead of two. He is getting big and fun (and fast!).

I got a new toy that helps me walk. I can't steer it yet though.

My babysitter gave me a balloon!

I like to put my spoon on my nose while sucking my thumb.

Sometimes I like to stick my feet out of the crib.

Friends, Family and a 2nd Tooth

2010-07-30T17:13:00.000-07:00

10 months, 6 days old. The past few weeks have been a lot of fun as Sam has been able to spend some time with some of his friends as you can see below. He also now has a 2nd tooth which came in right beside the 1st tooth. He absolutely loves to be outside and in the water. He's making new noises and jibber-jabbering even more.

I like making new faces. It cracks Mommy and Daddy up.

I love my books.

My next door neighbor Dillon came over and we played.

I still like the basketball goal.

I made a new friend. Her name is Carmen.

I like to stand at the ottoman on my own.

My butt wipes are fascinating.

My pool is great. My parents can hardly keep me out of it.

Every night I go to bed with a sock in my hand for security. When they moved my crib they discovered my stash of socks.

Here I am with my stash of socks. This is heaven.

I am getting pretty good at drinking and feeding myself.

Grandma came down to watch me today and helped me get in my pool!

I am a very good eater.

My buddy Bizzle and I have a lot of fun.

A Fun Little Boy

2010-07-16T14:41:00.000-07:00

9 months, 22 days. A day with Sam is never dull. He continues to love to "walk" and is screeching and "talking" more. We visited with family last weekend and also bought him a new table and basketball hoop. He's a fun little guy and keeps us laughing.

I have a lot of fun toys!

Do you guys like my dinosaur feet? I do!

I tried out my swing for old time's sake - I barely fit.

I still love the big pool at granddads.

I liked this apple.

My new table is great! I can stand and play!

Slam dunk!

I'm ready to play!

I'm learning to feed myself with the spoon - with limited success.

I fell and scraped my nose this week. But I'm okay!

Sammie Goes to the Park and Hiking

2010-06-30T16:25:00.000-07:00

We took advantage of the excellent weather the past few days and decided to get Sam out and about. We went to the park where Sam loved the swing and the slide. A few days later we went to a nature preserve and put Sam on our back to give him a look at the scenery.

I absolutely love to walk. I can't wait till I can do it on my own!

The swing was great!

We went down the slide too.

Hiking is fun - especially when you have a chauffeur!

We're ready to tackle the trails.

We made it to the lookout - but I was more interested in chewing on my pack's straps.

Sammie's First Tooth!

2010-06-27T12:42:00.000-07:00

9 months, 3 days old. Sammie now has his first tooth on the bottom in the front! It came through about a week ago and is slowly becoming more visable. Surprisingly he hasn't seemed fussy with his new tooth. He continues to like to "walk" around the house. He went to his 9 month check-up at his pediatrician and he is 95th percentile for height and 50th percentile for weight. Today we went and visited 2 of the new babies in the family --- cousin Houston and cousin Micah (who was born just 3 days ago).

I have my first tooth!

Mom and Dad bought me my first car. I am still getting the hang of it.

Dad and I like to play outside.

I tried out my rocking horse.

I love to "walk". I'll do it all day as long as someone helps me.

Bizzle and I are still friends although I am starting to get a little rough.

My mom is fun!

I'm trying out all kinds of new and exciting foods these days.

I went to Ty's 1 year old birthday party.

Mom got me a new ball and it made my day.

All the grandbabies were together for the first time - Houston, me and Micah.

Daddy Graduated From Residency

2010-06-13T18:38:00.000-07:00

8 months, 20 days. After 4 years of medical school and 3 years of residency Daddy is finally finished with training (only to accept a Hematology-Oncology fellowship for an additional 3 years). We celebrated at Uncle Adam and Aunt Christi's with a surprise graduation party and it was great to see everyone including both sets of Grandparents and Uncle Ben and Aunt Bethany. Sam has also been swimming in both a kiddie pool and regular pool. His favorite toy is his clothes basket which is filled with random objects. He also loves to "walk" around the house if you will hold his hands and walk behind him to give him a little balance.
Edit: Aunt Bethany sent a few pictures that she took - I'll add them at the end. Thanks Bethany!

Hi everyone! Welcome back!

I still love playing with my football.

I still suck my thumb. I don't use a pacifier at all though.

I think you're funny!

Our neighbors gave us this kiddie pool. I love it!

I went swimming in Granddad's pool and it was fun!

Here is my favorite thing - the clothes basket filled with toys!

We went to Daddy's surprise graduation party and it was fun.

I helped Daddy open some of his graduation presents.

It was great seeing everyone.

Cousin Houston is getting big. I tried to steal his binkie but they wouldn't let me.

My mom and dad.

This is my favorite ball right now.

Me and Uncle Ben.

This is Daddy's side of the family. It was great seeing them.

2010-05-30T18:46:00.000-07:00

8 months, 7 days old. Our friend Jennifer was kind enough to (again) take some professional photographs of our baby Sam last weekend. We think they are fantastic. Enjoy!

Trip to Newport Aquarium

2010-05-15T07:31:00.000-07:00

7 months, 21 days. This past week we took Sammie to the aquarium. He loved seeing the bright fish and actually even chased a few around that were close to the glass. He also liked seeing the other kids that were at the aquarium. Overall it was a great family trip and one that we hope to repeat when he's a few years older.

Look at all those fish!

I almost caught this flounder.

We took a pitstop for a little food.

There was so much to see. I liked seeing the other kids, too.

I liked the fish - the more color the better!

We stopped in the rain forest exhibit so that I could sit on the frogs.

The jellyfish were really neat!

The shark tank was pretty interesting.

I'm still loving the jumperoo!

Bizzle lets me tug on her fur. She won't let me chew on her ear though.

I went to Misty's baby shower and had a great time with the family.

The Jumperoo

2010-05-06T19:13:00.000-07:00

7 months, 12 days. A monumental item has entered the world of the Sam man --- the Jumperoo. Purchased for a portion of a day's wages this device has proved to be invaluable in the life of Sam. He took to it immediately and will jump for over an hour (if you will let him). The giggles and squeals are innumerable and it makes us laugh, too. Make sure to view the video of Sam's maiden voyage in the Jumperoo at the end of this post.

I give you: The Jumperoo

I like the dragonfly. It tastes okay too.

This was my first day in the jumperoo. Love at first jump.

Here you can see all the sweet controls. I'm the captain of this baby.

See how I can turn? I have a 360 degree view in this bad boy.

My shirt was weighing me down. I can jump a little higher without it.

Jumperooooooooooooooooooo!

I spent some time with baby Houston since my last post. Here I am with my great grandma, Nana, and great aunt.

Granddaddy was helping me jump!

Bizzle is hilarious! I light up when she walks in the room.

Mommy got me a new jogging stroller so that we can run together. I love it!

Just hanging out with my family!

Grandpa came down to watch me on Friday. It was great!

I like play time on the floor.

I like this big brown pigskin.

I am starting to get attached to my blankets.

My experiments with the sippy cup have been a little messy.

I went to my first ever Derby Party. Jessica was a great hostess.

My maiden voyage in the Jumperoo.

7 Months of Sam

2010-04-24T13:50:00.000-07:00

7 Months Old. This past week has been a great one as Grandpa and Great-Grandpa visited and a few days later we were graced with Uncle Ben's presence. Sam has also been to Aunt Denise and Uncle Kyle's baby shower. He is "talking" a lot more as you can see in the video below. Still no crawling and no teeth although I am sure both are only a few weeks away.

Hello everyone! I'm 7 months old today!

My mommy loves me.

I've made a few trips to Adam and Christi's house.

I'm having fun!

My Grandma is great!

Granddaddy gimme those glasses!

Concentrate - I can do it. I can reach those toys...

Success. Victory is mine!

Bizzle is getting really friendly. She even checks on me during thunderstorms to make sure I'm safe.

Uncle Ben came down to visit. He's pretty cool.

My Uncle Ben is pretty funny.

Uncle Ben and my dog. It was a good day.

"DaaDaa" (not to be confused with Dada)

4 Generations of Men (with video)

2010-04-17T05:44:00.000-07:00

Grandpa John visited his great grandson for the first time yesterday. We made this quick video for Uncle Dale, who is the younger Brother of Grandpa Dennis. Enjoy. (PS - I have figured out how to post videos!) We also took a few pictures. It was great seeing Great-Grandpa and Grandpa.

Hope Dale gets to see this.

The 4 generations of men in our family.

Spring Is Here

2010-04-12T19:52:00.000-07:00

6 months, 19 days. Sam is getting a bigger taste of the outdoors now and so far I think he likes it. He also experienced his first Easter complete with Easter Eggs but minus the Easter Bunny (for this year, anyway). We also welcomed our first cousin into the fold with the arrival of baby Houston on April 10th.

Hello everyone! Thanks for visiting my blog!

The weather has been great! I'm trying out my hat!

Grandma Pat was here to experience my first taste of squash.

I'm still loving my Chey-Dog. We're fast becoming friends.

I'm really loving peek-a-boo right now. Its funny!

My Dad and I have a great time! I like when he tickles me.

Yum!

I enjoyed my first Easter. I'm still figuring these eggs out.

Our first family Easter.

Okay, now I get it. You eat these things, right?

Time for a quick nap.

Another nice day!

Hello again!

Sam's first meeting with baby Houston.

I like my Daddy's Japanese maple!

Look at all the colors out here!

Its pretty cool out here!

Its been a great Spring. Can't wait to see what else is in store!

Happy 6 Month Birthday Sammie!

2010-03-28T15:24:00.000-07:00

6 months, 4 days. We have been blessed to have spent the past 6 months with Sam in our lives. We celebrated the big day by getting Sam a birthday cupcake (as you see below). Sam also went to his 6 month check up this past week and is in the 90th percentile for height and the 75th percentile for weight and head circumference! This weekend he went with his Mom to a baby shower for Aunt Christi. He is getting big fast.

Mom and Dad got me a new hat this week to wear on my walks.

I'm getting pretty good at sucking on my feet.

Mommy loves her birthday boy.

Sam was very interested in his 6 month birthday cupcake...

Until the candle was blown out. Then he was upset...

Until he discovered the icing. Then he was happy again.

I still have my balloon. Best $3 Daddy has spent in a long time.

I spent some time with Grandpa and Grandma at Aunt Christi's baby shower.

I also spent some time with Marcella.

And Mawmaw and Shug.

They had some excellent toys there. My favorite was the wrapping paper.

I needed a little rest.

I was pretty excited to spend another day with Mom and Dad.

I had a great weekend.

I've been working hard trying to figure out the new horse toy that Mom and Dad have given me.

2 Days till 6 months Old

2010-03-22T15:26:00.000-07:00

5 months, 29 days. We're closing in on a big "birthday" milestone of 6 months and are looking forward to it. Sammie has enjoyed a few more walks now that he is able to sit face first in his stroller without the carrier. He is trying new foods such as banana in his cereal with limited success. He is now able to easily roll over and crawling probably isn't too far away. He sits up easily and is pretty strong. His favorite thing in the world continues to be Cheyenne and he lights up when he sees her.

I still love my feet and socks. Sometimes I chew on them.

Mom and Dad got me a helium balloon. I love it.

Feet in the air!

Nanna fed me some nanners.

Daddy has been in the CCU on overnight call every 4 days but I have still been able to spend time with him.

Hi there!

Sometimes I still prefer my thumb.

I like my new friend Lottie. This is our first playdate.

The weather is nice so I have been on more walks. Face forward now!

I still love my jungle except that now I sit up in it sometimes to play.

I can now "spin" my high chair toy. A few weeks ago I couldn't even reach it!

I'm still learning how to do this whole eating thing...

Success!

Sunny Days Ahead

2010-03-08T17:11:00.000-08:00

5 months, 12 days old. Sam was able to celebrate mommy's birthday with both she and daddy. He also took an overnight trip to Grandpa and Grandma's at the farm. The weather has warmed up enough to take a walk which he enjoyed (except for the sunlight in his eyes at times). Sam also received a new exersaucer which he is really loving as you can see in the pictures below. He is really preferring to stand now for which he requires some assistance. He is chewing even more often and his first tooth may be coming soon.

Its warmer! Let's go for a walk!

I like to be naked every once and a while.

Grandpa and Grandma helped get me ready for another day at the farm!

I'm still loving my feet.

I love my Teddy Bear. I have learned how to throw it around.

The first day I tried out my new exersaucer I wasn't quite sure about it......

But now I am absolutely loving it!

Daddy's Birthday

2010-03-02T17:06:00.000-08:00

5 months, 6 days old. Sammie was able to spend most of his Daddy's birthday with him today. We spent some time in the bumbo and played with all of his toys. Leah made birthday cake and Sam helped me blow out the candles.

Happy birthday Daddy!

Sam thinks you're funny! (Sam's legs barely fit he has gotten so big)

The Happiest Baby

2010-03-01T19:59:00.000-08:00

5 months, 5 days old. Sam is one happy baby --- he spends most of his time laughing, smiling and giggling through the day. He now rolls over more consistently and does much better with eating his cereal. He can stand for a few minutes with a little help at balance. He took his first trip to the grocery today and was in awe of all his surroundings.

On my way somewhere!

I'm getting better at using my exersaucer.

I have definitely found my feet. I love to pull off my socks and chew on them.

Yum! I love my chew toys (but still no teeth to chew).

Tummy time under my jungle! I can flip over now!

Sam is fascinated with Cheyenne. He likes to pet her when she will let him.

I fall asleep in my swing sometimes.

I am figuring this thing out.

I really like my high chair and my cereal!

A Big Weekend With Family

2010-02-15T18:35:00.000-08:00

4 months, 19 days old. This past weekend was a big one for the Sam man. We spent Saturday afternoon helping Uncle Adam and Aunt Christi move into their new house. We then watched UK beat Tennessee and Sam was very happy. Sunday morning was a road trip to Uncle Kyle and Aunt Denise's house. Sunday afternoon we were fortunate enough to spend some time with Aunt Beth and Uncle Tony at Grandpa and Grandma's house. It was a fantastic weekend and Sam was a really good traveler.

Sam is starting to jump a little bit in his exersaucer. Cheyenne approves.

Rub-a-dub-dub the Sammer in the tub.

Sam enjoyed his time with Aunt Beth and Uncle Tony.

Hi Grandma! I love seeing you!

Sam has started to "talk" a lot more. Here he is trying out a few more new "words".

I am liking my exersaucer.

Sam is now wearing 9 month old clothes. We zipped through the 6 month clothes already.

Sam tried out his high chair for the first time tonight. I think he liked it.

Sam likes when you tickle his belly.

Sam's Snow Days

2010-02-11T14:43:00.000-08:00

Sam is getting big fast and we are enjoying the cold winter days that we have with him while he's still a little guy. He has really started to like using his round exersaucer. He also is getting even better at standing (with a little help). We are still feeding him cereal with improved results. He loves seeing his Grandpa and Grandma every Friday when they come down to take care of him for the morning.

Look at me! I can stand!

Sshhh. Baby sleeping.

Sam had his first cold last week. Luckily his teddy bear kept him company.

Mom propped Sam up a little with his boppy while he had his cold.

Sam is starting to really enjoy and discover his exersaucer. It scared him at first but he is starting to figure it out a little more every day.

He still loves to suck on his thumb. No teeth just yet!

Its cold. My cheeks are rosey.

This is what Sam sees when he visits the baby in the mirror.

Superbowl Sunday was a blast! Our friends Jill and Ryan came over to watch the game.

I'm getting ready for work. Sam's getting ready to go to his babysitter's house.

Sammie and Mommy. You can see how big he has gotten.

4 Wonderful Months With Sam

2010-01-30T12:23:00.000-08:00

Since my last post Sam has had his 4 month checkup. He now weighs 16 pounds 8 ounces and is 28 inches long. He's at the 75th percentile which for us is perfect. He is now able to stand for a few minutes with assistance and kicks a lot more often. We have tried to give him cereal with limited success as you can see below. He is chewing on things more often. He also experienced his first snowstorm today. He is still sleeping through the night and will sleep for 12 hours straight if you will let him (which is a huge blessing).

Sam has a hold of my ear.

Tummy time. Peyton Manning would be proud.

Dang he's cute. He spends most of his time in a good mood and is a very happy baby.

Sam's first attempt at food other than milk. He ended up wearing it rather than eating it.

One of Sam's new favorite things to do is to lie on our bed and talk to the ceiling fan.

Whatever you give him now goes into his mouth. Here a teether is his victim.

Sam likes his Lion blanket.

His legs are getting pretty strong. Here you can see him using them on his own.

Sam's homeboy Ryan and homegirl Danelle came over and brought Sam an awesome miniature rocking horse and Bengals hat. He's wearing some dinosaur slippers that Daddy bought him that are a little too big for him right now (but still really cool).

Sam and Cheyenne are quickly becoming friends.

Sam and I ventured outside briefly for his first snow picture. Next year we'll make a snowman.

Sam enjoyed the snow.

Almost 4 Months Old

2010-01-18T10:37:00.000-08:00

Sammie will be 4 months old in a few short days on the 24th. He is starting to chew on his toys more often but no sign of any teeth just yet. He is now playing for longer periods of time and can stand with support for a few seconds. We have been using his bumbo to help him get used to sitting as he will be ready to eat some cereal in a few weeks. He loves it when you sing to him and spends most of the day playing and giggling.

Sam loves to "swim" in his new ocean.

Cheyenne has been sleeping in Sam's room with him more often.

Sam looks great in his UK shirt.

Sam has spent some quality time with Grandpa Terry and Grandma Billie. He's also spent a few Friday's with Grandpa Dennis and Grandma Pat who are babysitting while we are at work.

Sam loves his thumb as much as his binkie now.

Sammie is liking his bouncy chair more lately.

He's ready to go!

There is nothing cuter than babies and puppies --- that is unless the baby doesn't like the puppy.

This is one of our favorite pictures of Sam.

Sam the man.

Sam wore his Colts jersey that uncle Ben gave him to cheer on Peyton Manning.

A New Year With Sammie

2010-01-06T10:28:00.000-08:00

New Years 2010 is here an Sam is now 3 months old. He spent New Years at home with Grandpa Terry and Grandma Billie while his mom and dad went to a New Year's Party at Ryan and Danelle's. Sam received a new play gym as a New Year's present and really likes it in addition to his older play gym. He's starting to sit in his Bumbo with a little help from Mom. He's a big boy, as you can tell.

Daddy is trying to make the same face as Sammie.

Sammie after a bath.

Sam still likes play gym 1.0 and his pack and play.

Sam likes to sleep in this position. Here he is on the couch.

Sam still likes to travel. He likes to sleep in the car.

Grandpa got to spend a little time with the Sam Man on New Years.

Sam still is doing great with his tummy time.

Sam watches football with Daddy like this. He's also becoming a huge John Wall fan.

He's getting better at sitting but still needs a little help.

Sam loves his new play gym. Its an ocean theme.

Sammie on his changing pad.

Sam's First Christmas

2009-12-25T19:36:00.000-08:00

Sam's first Christmas was a wonderfully busy one. He spent Christmas Eve at Grandpa Dennis and Grandma Pat's --- we were fortunate enough to also have Uncle Ben stop in. Sam got to see Grandma make her famous "Kraut Burgers". Later that evening we opened presents and Sam received a lot of fun things for his bath time. On Christmas Day we woke up at Grandpa Terry and Grandma Billie's and had breakfast with the family. Sam opened his presents from Santa and the family and received even more great gifts. We stopped by his Great-Grandparents "MawMaw" and "PawPaw" before coming back to the Grandparents for dinner. At this point Sam was exhausted as he had over 24 hours of intense family visiting from both sides. It was a great Christmas and one that we will remember forever.

Christmas at Grandpa and Grandma's was a great way to start Sammie's holiday adventure.

Christmas Day was spent in Owenton where Sam was greeted by a few dozen members of his family.

MawMaw was surprised at how big Sam has gotten. She did a great job rocking him, as always.

Poodle, MawMaw, Billie, Lana and PawPaw enjoyed their Christmas with Sammie.

Sam was really tired but rallied for one more calorie filled meal at Grandma's.

Sam continues to have an infatuation with his "Jungle"

Sam seemed to love his presents --- even the ribbons.

Sam was loaded up and ready to return to his crib by the end of his adventure. He loved seeing his family and had a perfect first Christmas.

Getting Ready for Sam's First Christmas

2009-12-21T18:35:00.000-08:00

Posting over 2 dozen new pictures here of life everyday with our baby Sam. He is continuing to grow and is becoming more vocal. He seems to be more interested in his toys now. He's also fascinated by the other baby in his mirror --- something that is very cute to watch. Leah is going back to work (part-time) and he is going to start going to a babysitter during the day while she is at work. We're looking forward to sharing Christmas with Sam and our families.

Sam supervised Daddy putting up the tree to make sure that I did it correctly.

Sam continues to root on the Bengals but still can't quite say "Who Dey"

You can see how pretty Sam's blue eyes are getting. They get lighter every week.

As you can imagine Sam loves the lights on the Christmas tree.

Sam has really started to suck on his thumb.

Sam is a really happy baby. He is hilarious and cracks us up.

Sam is fascinated by mobiles.

I told you he was hilarious.

He has really been working on his tummy time.

Sam is a pretty good buddy.

We think he's a pretty cute baby.

Leah has really enjoyed her time with Sam while she has been on maternity leave.

Sam and we say Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone who reads our blog!

Sam's Photoshoot

2009-12-05T06:23:00.000-08:00

Our friend Jennifer was kind enough to do a photoshoot for our baby Sam. A few of her many excellent pictures are posted below. We can't thank her enough for taking these which we will always cherish. Enjoy.

Thankful for Thanksgiving

2009-12-05T06:05:00.000-08:00

It has been a little longer than usual for an update as I have been working 12 hour days on the wards. We were fortunate enough to have been able to have spent Thanksgiving with both sets of grandparents. We went for lunch with Grandpa Dennis, Aunt Bethany and Uncle Tony (Grandma Pat and Uncle Ben were in Minnesota with Great Grandma Rose). Then we headed to Owenton to spend dinner with Grandpa Terry, Grandma Billie, Uncle Adam and Aunt Christie, and Uncle Kyle and Aunt Denise.

Sam is getting very big now. He he grown a lot and is having to wear a lot of 6 month old's clothes even though he is now just 10 weeks. He has almost outgrown his changing table, his bouncy chair and his bassinet.

He is much more aware of his environment now. He can see much farther and will actually try to "look past" you at times to things that are farther away in the room. He still loves his bath time and loves to smile when you talk to him. He is sleeping almost completely through the night now which is a big relief for Leah.

Sam is a very happy baby.

He is still loving his bath time.

Sam absolutely loves his bouncy chair. We're not sure what we are going to do when he outgrows it as it is the go-to for when we want to put him down to play.

Sam is curious about the big world around him.

Sam is a baby on the go!

We're amazed at how strong he is. He has incredible head control for a 10 week old.

Sam still loves to watch football with his dad. I have even figured out how to make him a "big boy seat" on the couch next to me. I tell him about all the players and about how evil the Steelers and Louisville Cardinals are.

It was wonderful to see everyone at Thanksgiving Lunch including Grandpa Dennis.

And it was great to see everyone at Thanksgiving Dinner including Grandma Billie.

Our friend Jennifer, who is a professional photographer, took time out of her schedule to give us a photoshoot of Sammie. I will post the result...

UK football and the Bengals

2009-11-15T15:22:00.000-08:00

This past week UK football became bowl-eligible and the Bengals swept the hated Steelers. Coincidence? I don't think so. Sam continues to bring excellent luck to all of our sports teams. Up next is the UK basketball team where Sam is sure to continue working his magic!

Sam did a great job keeping his dad company while catching up on the latest in infectious diseases.

Sam is getting stronger every week.

Cheyenne has absolutely been wonderful. She doesn't seem to mind Sam at all and this week actually licked his head.

Sam has some curl in his hair - especially right after his bath.

Mom and Sam sharing some quiet time before a nap.

Sam is "Daddy's All Star"

Grandpas and Grandmas got to see Sam play under his Jungle this week.

Grandma Pat tried her best to get Sam to sleep. It worked for a while.

Grandpa Terry and Sam look good in their matching t-shirts.

Dad is absolutely ecstatic after the Bengal win over the Steelers. As you can see Sam got so excited that he passed out.

The Growth Spurt

2009-11-09T10:00:00.000-08:00

Sam continues to grow quickly and Mom and Dad are convinced that he has hit his 6 week growth spurt. He is smiling more often and continues to be a fantastic baby.

Great-Grandma Rose's quilt has been getting a lot of use during Sam's play time.

Sam still likes to sleep. He's pretty good at it.

Mommy has been doing a great job with Sam's tummy!

Grandma Billie loves her #1 grandson

He sure is a "handsome" baby

Sam is getting a lot more vocal - especially when he is playing

Sam is still enjoying his baths

He's getting better at sleeping although still not quite on a schedule

He likes his swings now

Sam the Monkey

2009-11-01T03:44:00.000-08:00

Sam was a monkey for his first Halloween although we didn't actually leave the house. We did buy candy and put it in a bowl outside for the kids this year only to have the kids steal our bowl and candy. Sam had a very good weekend getting to watch plenty of football and even had a visit by Grandma Billie on Friday and Grandpa Dennis and Grandma Pat on Saturday.

Grandpa Dennis came down to see Sam. He took a nap on his lap.

Sam started out Halloween day in the shirt his grandma gave him but he quickly transformed into...

Monkey Man!

Sam even got to see Grandpa Terry get upset after a UK turnover on national TV

Our Growing Boy

2009-10-31T04:19:00.000-07:00

Its been a busy week for us for different reasons --- mom is busy tending to Sam and his ongoing growth spurt while dad is busy with work. Sam has grown out of some of his clothes and is starting to fill out. We are looking forward to spending our first Halloween together as a family.

Smile Sam!

I'm getting Sam used to what a football looks like (just in case UK needs him this year)

Our good friend Jessica stopped by this week. I wasn't present the whole time she was here but I heard Sam was a hit!

Sam is a really good baby. So far he only really cries when he gets hungry.

One of Sam's favorite places to hang out is his changing pad - he loves it there. You can see how his little arms, legs and especially his belly have filled out. Leah is doing a wonderful job making him into a bigger little man.

Happy 1 Month Birthday Sam!

2009-10-26T12:30:00.000-07:00

Work has kept me extremely busy this past week so I am later in posting than usual. Sam had his 1 month birthday this past Saturday. He is becoming more vocal and is smiling more often. He is keeping mom busy with his voracious appetite. He is doing well and is growing fast. We love the joys of spending our days with a little boy.

Sam was excited to watch the UK win on his birthday. He rooted hard for the Cats but still hasn't learned to say "first down Kentucky"

Sam tried out the quilt that Great-Grandma Rose made for him. He liked it so much that he decided not to soil it.

Busy Week

2009-10-17T15:39:00.000-07:00

Sam has had a very good and very busy week. He is eating and sleeping better than last week. He has had a bunch of visitors this week including his Aunt Bethany and Uncle Ben.

Sam's umbilical cord fell off this past week so he has now received a few big boy baths!

Sam has really started to enjoy his bouncy chair!

We've tried out Sam's crib to see how he fits (he fits great!) although he still sleeps in our bedroom in his bassinet.

Sam loves to watch football with daddy.

Mom is getting pretty good at trimming Sam's nails.

He sometimes does this. We're not sure why.

Aunt Denise and Grandma Billie came by this week.

Mom tried out a new carrier today. Sam liked it.

Daddy bought Sam some really cool dinosaur socks.

Aunt Bethany, Uncle Ben, Grandpa Dennis and Grandma Pat stopped by for a few hours to meet and greet the latest edition to the clan.

Sam was really glad to see Poodle.

Another Weekend Gone By

2009-10-12T15:07:00.000-07:00

Sam is closing in on being 3 weeks old now and we are trying to treasure every sleepless day/night that we have while he is so little. At times he is a handful (especially on Leah) but it is all worth it, of course. We are truly blessed to be parents and are thankful for every day that we spend with him. He continues to get stronger and is becoming more aware of his surroundings.

Ryan and Danelle stopped by Friday night to spend a little time with their new friend Sam.

Grandpa Dennis and Grandma Pat came down today and brought a surprise! Grandpa made a UK wagon for Sammie!

Mom and Sam after another long afternoon.