The Looney Family

Happy (belated) New Year!

2012-01-04T21:04:00.000-05:00

Dear Max and Sami,

I'm a little behind the times here, finally writing a New Year's letter on January 4th. The days leading up to and following Christmas were particularly busy this year, what with stomach bugs and ear infections making their rounds. But since neither of you read this blog yet, I figure I'm safe.

Sami, you turned three! Hold tight, baby sister, you will be grown up soon, I promise. It's hard being 28 and trapped in a three year old's body, but I hope you make the most of it. Being three has its upsides, too. You don't need a reason to blow bubbles or play with Play-Doh, and it's still acceptable to eat your meals sitting in your mom's lap. And the world cuts you a lot of slack when you're that cute.

Max, you will be six tomorrow! Where does the time go? You are still our sweetie boy, but you surprise us every day as you grow and change. You've gone from the kid who cried every single day at preschool dropoff to a confident, charismatic Kindergartner.

Your dad and I spend a lot of time figuring out what the future holds for you two. Engineering degrees for both of you, my little mathematical geniuses! Max, you'll letter in baseball and cross country, and be vice president of the senior class. Sami, you'll be the life of the party, and the one who refuses to do homework and then aces her SATs.

But really, what do we know? Your dad and I planning out your futures - that's just fun. We don't expect it to pan out exactly like that. In the past year there have been so many surprises as you grow - imagine what ten or 20 years worth of surprises will do to you! Don't ever think that you are stuck being exactly who you are all the time. Let life change you. Hopefully for the better, though you will stumble along the way. We're doing our best to lay a solid foundation, but really, who you become and what you do is entirely up to you. You are works in progress. I hope you are works in progress your whole lives.

Happy New Year!

Love,
Your Mom

Bigger

2011-08-29T21:54:00.002-04:00

And he's off! Max is a full-fledged kindergartner now! He doesn't like to talk about his day the second we're reunited, but after lights out tonight we talked and talked about kindergarten, both his day, and my memories of kindergarten from long ago. Our favorite subjects are both math! I gave him lots of hugs and kisses for liking math. Tomorrow he will buy milk from the cafeteria for the first time, and we've been practicing typing his PIN into the pinpad. He has lots of friends from preschool in his class, and today he said he made a new friend, but doesn't remember her name.

That's my girl. Sami is moving up in the world, too. She told us last week that she did not like her crib any more. So we finally ordered a new mattress for her big girl bed to replace the original one from when it became Mama's big girl bed in 19mumblemumble. Needless to say, the mattress delivery guys were really impressed at the classic mattress they hauled away. In the days before the delivery, we hyped it up, and she was so excited when her, as she calls it, "Bigger Bed" arrived. Between the earthquakes, hurricanes, and teething this week, bedtime has been rough, but no rougher with the bigger bed than with her crib.

Summer fun

2011-07-10T20:01:00.002-04:00

We are keeping busy this summer! Too busy to blog.

Max learned to ride his two wheeler overnight a month or so ago and is now crazy for his bike. So I got a third-hand trailer for a steal on Craigslist and now we bike to the pool a few times per week. Dearest Sami, thank you for being game for being dragged all over the place. It's all about family togetherness, right?

Beach vacay

2011-05-24T21:20:00.003-04:00

We had a great time at the beach. Every day was a bonanza of sand, fighter jets, crabbies, ocean, and general happiness. Life doesn't get much better.

We got home and Max suddenly learned how to ride a two wheeler, so now his Mama has dragged her old bike out of the garage, and we've gone for our first bike ride around the block together!

April Showers

2011-04-26T20:58:00.001-04:00

We've been too busy enjoying spring to blog! Sami inherited Max's old green raincoat to keep dry in all the rainy weather we've been having.

Max is registered for kindergarten and has just a few short months left at his beloved preschool.

Little things

2011-02-17T11:42:00.004-05:00

I'll admit that I've been less than diligent about blogging. But a few funny things came to mind today:

-Max builds tunnels out of pillows for Harri the cat to use to go in and out from under the bed. He calls them "interests." He means "entrance" but somehow, "interest" makes perfect sense, too.

-We're having some springlike weather, and after being quiet all winter, the birds are chirping again. Sami told me "birds are squeaky."

-Sami always begs for cat treats to give to Harri. When we give them to her, she takes them to her toy kitchen, puts them in a dish, puts the dish in the toy oven, goes "beeeeep" and then takes them out to present to Harri. Why yes, we do microwave a lot of leftovers, why do you ask?

-For Valentine's Day, each child in Max's class had to write what they thought love is. Max wrote "Love is when Grant comes over." and drew a picture of the two of them together.

Stats!

2011-02-16T22:32:00.002-05:00

Whoops, forgot to update Max's stats.

He had his five year checkup last month, and it's no surprise that he was pronounced awesomer than ever.

Height: 42.5" - a hair under 50th percentile
Weight: 41 lbs - suprisingly low for him, but not out of the ballpark depending on the poop/footwear/lunch situation
Force of will: 2 nurses' worth

Yes, it took two nurses, one of whom is THAT nurse that they only pull in off of her smoke break when there's one of THOSE kids who needs to get a shot, to give Max his shots. But he's fully checked-up and vaccinated, and ready for kindergarten in the fall.

How fast they grow!!

Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T20:24:00.000-05:00

Dear Max and Sami,

What a year it has been. We made it through Charlottesville's snowiest winter with smiles on our faces (mostly), and survived our hottest summer ever only to have our second white Christmas in a row! I'm afraid you're growing up with unrealistic expectations about our winter weather. For now, I'm perfectly content to let you think that every winter will be a bonanza of snow days, sledding, and snowmen.

Because really, isn't that what being a kid is all about? Those impossible possibilities? Your dad and I are wise enough to know that we shouldn't expect snow on Christmas every year. Or much snow at all during the winter. We know there's no way a fat man could fit down our (nonexistant) chimney to bring presents made by elves. But to you, these are everyday occurrences. Of course there's always snow on Christmas! Of course Santa always comes! Of course I can be an astronaut or a firefighter or an astronaut firefighter!

I'll admit I do the bare minimum to keep the Santa fantasies going, because I was always a skeptic. I am the kid who hated magicians, because I knew they weren't really magic, they were just putting one over on me, and I resented it. I am glad, Max, that you are not one of those kids who believes for believing's sake with all your being. But I think you walk a fantastic line. Whenever the subject arises, I can see the wheels turning in your head. How could this work? Is it really possible? And in the end, so far, you have concluded that yes, yes it is possible, but not because of magic. Before long you will figure out the science behind it all.

Meanwhile, Sami, Santa is just an abstract concept. But presents are real, now, and urgently required. Sometimes it's hard for us to be patient as you seize the world in your pincer grasp and snatch it right out of someone else's hand. But every night, as you scream when I put you in your crib, even when I'm at the end of my rope, I always tell you never to lose your fighting spirit.

I hope that you're both always just naive enough to believe that anything is possible, even as your conviction in Santa wanes. So many of the things in my life that I've done, and done well, I've undertaken not because it was the most logical path, but because I was just dumb enough not to know that it shouldn't be achievable. There's great possibility in not knowing what is supposed to be.

As stunningly brilliant as you both are, I hope you are never smart enough to know that there are things you can't do. Max, you have the great gift of laser-sharp focus, and I hope that you use that to blaze your own unique path. And Sami, I have no doubt that the world is your oyster, because even if it weren't, you'd go find it, take it, and crack it open in one swift motion, with your hair flying out in every direction.

Happy New Year, my treasures!

Love,
Your Mom

Happy Solstice!

2010-12-20T20:58:00.003-05:00

The winter solstice is still about 24 hours away, but I figured we're close enough. Driving home today, we spied a big, round, full moon rising in the twilight, and we decided to take a walk after dinner to see the Christmas lights and appreciate the moon and stars. We talked a little bit about the lunar eclipse that will happen in the wee hours of the morning, while everyone is sleeping.

We sang lots of Christmas carols as we strolled, and some old favorites as well. Sami now knows the entire alphabet song, among others. There's still snow on the ground from last week, and where sidewalks were unshoveled, the kids had a blast as I bumped them along the icy ruts. Even the most modest display of lights earned a hearty "look at THAT, mama!!" from Sami.

We go to great lengths to make sure the kids have every material thing they could possibly need, but it's the full moon, the songs, the snow, and the Christmas lights that really make this a season to remember.

Stats!

2010-11-19T11:43:00.002-05:00

Can you believe that Sami will be TWO tomorrow?

Happy birthday, Pepita! Welcome to the terrific twos!

Cupcakes at day care and your annual physical kicked off the celebration. The stats:
Height: 32.25 inches (10th percentile)
Weight: 23 pounds (10th percentile) fully clothed and dripping wet
Laugh: 99th percentile

I think you are as glad as I am to be leaving babyhood behind. You were a cute baby, but boy do we love the Sami that walks and talks and likes a job to do.

Happy Autumn!

2010-11-13T14:08:00.002-05:00

Not much time for blogging as we are spending every possible minute outside enjoying this beautiful fall that (almost) made the long, hot summer worth it.

Happy Autumn, everyone!

Even more handome

2010-10-08T22:42:00.002-04:00

The other night, as Max was sitting on the potty, taking his sweet time, Sami brought over her hairbrush and tried to brush his hair. He pushed her away, and cried, "Mom, why's Sami tryin' to brush my hair. I don't want her to." I said, "Because she's trying to make you even more handsome!" He said, "But I don't want to be even more handsome!!"

It's tough being so good looking, isn't it?

Fall hike

2010-09-30T23:03:00.003-04:00

We had planned a couple of nights at the cabins at Lewis Mountain, but it didn't quite work out. Jack and Max went up Tuesday afternoon, and Sami and I joined them Wednesday morning. Not long after we arrived, heavy rains started, so we abandoned our plans for a second night of camping, and headed home for hot dogs on the George Foreman. Nevertheless, we all had a great time, and we even managed to roast a few marshmallows for smores before the rains set in. Happy Autumn!!

Max, the fearless free solo climber.

Sami's losing her baby face, and looks like a little girl now.

I'll be honest, I think she looks just a touch like Randle McMurphy in this photo. It's the hat. Better McMurphy than Nurse Ratched, right?

Heavy, part 2

2010-09-26T13:01:00.007-04:00

Remember this?
(it's rendering weird in my browser, but you get the idea)

Well, looks like Max isn't the only strong kid in our house.

Purple pebble

2010-08-11T22:35:00.002-04:00

Our sweet little Sami has a love of geology. Specifically of pebbles. How she loves to collect pebbles. She has a special little container that she carries pebbles around in. Some she finds in the yard, others are special treasures in shades of purple, yellow, and blue. Sometimes she will carry a pebble or two curled deep in her fist. So deep that her dad might not realize it when he helps her wash up for dinner.

Tonight as I was cleaning up from preparing dinner, I flipped on the garbage disposal and a terrible, terrible noise came out. Did you know that a garbage disposal can break a pebble into many small pieces that make a terrible, terrible noise? And a couple of large pieces that will make the disposal stop working? And that there is a magic red button on the bottom of the disposal that will make it go again? And that moms possess the power to find and use this button without even consulting Google first?

So, no harm done. Except poor little Sami couldn't figure out why her inventory was short one pebble. Hopefully she'll find more special pebbles soon, and keep them safely in the little jar where they belong.

Safari Park

2010-07-31T18:05:00.004-04:00

Today we trekked to the Safari Park where we learned that elks have terrible halitosis, tigers say roar, and we watched a llama being born. Sami was terrified the whole drive around the park - she looked like this the whole time:

She was one big cringe. I can understand why - when your carseat faces backward, you can't see what's coming. Suddenly, as if from nowhere is this:

Boo!

After driving the loop, we got out to walk around the Safari Village, where Sami gave us a lesson in animal communications:

And we got the obligatory picture of the kids on the turtle statue:

Say cheese!

Long hot summer

2010-07-29T22:53:00.003-04:00

After a record-breaking winter, we're having a record-breaking summer. Good grief. So we got a Wii. As you can see, it's fun for the whole family.

And when he's not busy swordfighting, he's been taking some fun pictures.

Meanwhile, sweet Sami is learning to use words. She is best friends with our neighbor's cat. And she still needs a good cuddle before bedtime.

Happy Independence Day

2010-07-04T21:05:00.002-04:00

We started the day bright and early and went to Monticello to watch the naturalization ceremony. Or, should I say, I chased the kids as they ran around while the naturalization ceremony occurred nearby. And it was hot. After a pit stop at Gram and Bull's for popsicles, we headed home for naps.

Max's best friend invited us to his grandma and grandpa's house for swimming - the perfect way to cool off after a hot morning. Max was the first one in the pool and the last one out.

HOV

2010-06-20T11:08:00.001-04:00

Max and Sami are going green by carpooling this summer.

Max the fish

2010-06-11T12:55:00.002-04:00

Max is swimming better and better every day! I can't believe how independent he is in the pool now.

Sami Spaghetti

2010-06-11T12:53:00.002-04:00

Seriously, is there anything cuter than a kid eating spaghetti?

Stats!

2010-05-22T21:58:00.005-04:00

Sami's 18 month well visit was Thursday. Stats as follows:
Height: 30.75 inches, 25th percentile
Weight: 20lbs, 8oz, 10th percentile
Head circumference: 50th percentile
Twinkle in her eye: 99th percentile

Yes, our Pepita is still a tiny little peanut. But I'm glad to know that if you follow the loose rule that twice their height at two years is their adult height, then if she grows just 1/4 inch, she'll be taller than me. I've never minded being short, but boy won't it be nice if she doesn't have to hem every pair of pants she buys!

We're seeing glimpses of the terrible twos already, but I think we've been seeing them pretty much since birth. If anything, she's getting more relaxed and happy as the days go by. She's clearly SO MUCH happier now that she's not a baby any more. Who can blame her?

She's got tons of new words - I can't even count all the words she has now. Smell, glasses, and tractor just to name a few. She's peed on the potty a couple of times this week! And she loves spotting birds. She'll shout, "A beuhhh!!" and point enthusiastically any time she sees one. And she adores Max, and wants to do everything he does. He's been in a Spiderman phase lately, and we've got a new theme song:
SpiderSam
SpiderSam
Does whatever
Her brother can!

Party time!

2010-05-15T17:51:00.003-04:00

Max and Sami were guests at my cousin's wedding. I was concerned that they would be bored, but they found ways to amuse themselves. And Max enjoyed the food.

Scuba diver

2010-04-17T14:16:00.003-04:00

Max wants to be a scuba diver. We're taking it incrementally - this week he started swim lessons. When he can swim by himself, we'll take a trip to the dive shop to buy a snorkel mask. At the rate he's going, he'll have his own regulator and wetsuit by the end of the summer.

Good morning!

2010-04-17T14:13:00.000-04:00

Sami is growing up, and getting crazy hair.

Tonight's tweet

2010-03-29T22:37:00.002-04:00

"Dear kids, I'm having fun, too. I want to stay up late laughing w/you. But I put u to bed bc I love you so much. Someday you'll understand."

Sami and Max went to the dentist today, where they were both very brave. We had an early dinner out, then Max and Jack went to Gram and Bull's for a bit while Sami and I went home and went for a walk and got her bath started. Once she was in her jammies, we played and danced, and laughed ourselves silly. And then it was bedtime.

I read Sami her stories, then gave her a sippy of water to drink. It made a funny noise and I put her into her crib still laughing. Laughter turned to tears, and it was so hard to walk away, but within minutes she was out cold.

Jack and I read stories to Max, and knowing that it was time to go to sleep, he refused to show me his dentist-shiny teeth, and wouldn't let me tell him a story. Over the monitor, we could hear him pounding his pillow and throwing stuffed animals.

Some nights I can't wait for them to go to sleep.

Tonight, I hated their bedtime just as much as they did.

Spring is here!

2010-03-19T22:44:00.004-04:00

Tomorrow is the first day of spring! So let's take a look back on how we amused ourselves during the very long, snowy winter, when we were trapped inside.

And when the weather let up a little bit, we headed for the bowling alley.

Egg tooth

2010-03-17T22:38:00.003-04:00

Sweet Sami has had a strange journey from toothless to toothy. First, her uppers. A front tooth, a side tooth, a molar, another front tooth. The two front teeth came in at such different times that she looked all out of whack - we called her Mater for a little while. That's Mater as in Tuh-Mater, without the Tuh. Please see the movie Cars if you don't know what I'm talking about. And after all those top teeth, finally, a bottom tooth!

One bottom tooth. Just one. For a loooooong time. We called it her egg tooth, because one asymmetric tooth couldn't possibly be a permanent thing, could it?

I'll admit to feeling a bit wistful when that second bottom tooth broke through the other day. And it's coming in fast. Already, the egg tooth effect is almost gone, and I expect ole Egg Tooth will be a distant memory by the weekend. So tonight after bathtime we tried to get a few pictures - this was one of the best.

In addition to getting another bottom tooth, she's suddenly loving playing dress up, has opinions about her clothes and shoes, and is refusing to wear footie jammies.

And tonight while we were reading Goodnight Moon, when we got to the part about the old lady whispering "hush," she put her index finger to her lips and said, "shhhhhhhhh."

Piano!

2010-02-11T22:26:00.003-05:00

The piano fairy left a present on our doorstep. As we've been trapped inside due to the extreme winter weather, it's already seen quite a lot of action.

Thank you, piano fairy!!!

She walks!

2010-01-28T21:41:00.002-05:00

Sami has been taking a few steps here and there for a couple of months, and I finally got it on video!

Grocery Day

2010-01-28T21:27:00.001-05:00

I picked up groceries today. And Max turned into a robot.

Happy National Kazoo Day!!

2010-01-28T20:55:00.001-05:00

Sorry about the wonky white balance.

Happy Birthday, Big Boy!

2010-01-07T20:33:00.002-05:00

Max turned four this week, and went to the doctor for his checkup today. The stats:
Height: 40 inches (but he was definitely not standing up straight!!), 50th percentile
Weight: 38.5 pounds, 75th percentile
Aim into a cup: Excellent.
Vision: better than his dad's
Blood: Dark red

Poor little Max had to get three shots and have some blood drawn today. I am trying to keep him from being needle-phobic like his dad. He has a surprisingly sophisticated understanding of why he needs to get shots, but when the rubber meets the road, well, he cries and carries on. So I knew the finger-stick would be a really tough sell. I had to find a way to focus him on the results, and not the little lancet.

Max is a man of facts. Every other sentence of his starts with "did you know..." For instance, in the car on the way to the doctor, I was treated to a list of facts about tigers. "Did you know that tigers do not use potties? They just potty right on the trees!" "Did you know that a tiger can eat an elephant?" "Did you know that some tigers are white?" While we were waiting for the nurse to get the tray of terror ready, I asked Max what color his blood was. He didn't know. A-ha!

So while we waited, Max, his dad, and I all guessed what color his blood might be. Would it be blue? Orange was immediately eliminated from the list. Yellow was never discussed. We were left with red, blue, purple, and green. The nurse readied her supplies. Max eagerly held out his finger. One quick jab - and we had our answer. Max watched as his blood flowed into a small vial. It was red! And nary a tear, or even a flinch.

The shots were another story, but at least they were over quickly.

Happy birthday, Max!

Happy New Year, Max and Sami!

2010-01-01T12:19:00.002-05:00

Dear Max and Sami,

Welcome to 2010! Max, you are soon to be four. You don't really nap any more, but you do love a good rest in front of the TV. Sami, you've finally started walking - when it suits you. And today you ate your first apple, gnawing away with the three little teeth that have recently sprouted.

Last night your dad and I went out to see the Gogol Bordello show at the newly renovated Jefferson Theater. Even when out for a night of gypsy punk, you are always on my mind, and much advice for you came to mind. The new decade is the perfect opportunity to think about what's ahead. When 2020 rolls around, Max will be well into teenagerhood and Sami will be hitting the preteens with a vengeance. While it's fresh in my mind, here are a few things that I hope you will remember as you enter adolescence and beyond.

Sami, please do not ever throw your bra up on stage at a concert. And sequined tube tops are universally unflattering and inappropriate, even on New Year's Eve.

Max, even accordion players can be rock stars. I have seen it with my own eyes. In fact, you probably have a better shot at being an accordion-playing rock star than a guitar-playing rock star. Think about it - everybody and their brother can play a few chords on the guitar - guitar players are a dime a dozen. But how many accordion players do we know? I can think of only two. If you can become proficient at the accordion, and you have a little style, the world will be your oyster.

To both of you - As I watched from the balcony, your dad went into the thick of the crowd to photograph the band in action. I watched him get bumped around like a pinball, and struggle to disentwine from the pulsing, pushing, crowd-surfing melee that ensued the minute Eugene Hutz took the stage. And I thought to myself, I will never let Max and Sami go to a concert like this!

But you know, I hope that someday you do. For all their rowdiness, the crowd was generally affable, and everyone seemed to just be enjoying the chance to let loose and take in an amazing show. As far as I could tell, no one was really hurt at all. I hope you can feel such joy at music that you want to dance your heart out, and move your body, and scream at the top of your lungs in the company of friends and strangers.

Happy New Year, my treasures!

Love,
your mom

Happy Solstice!

2009-12-21T15:15:00.003-05:00

We've had two feet of snow - the most in December in recorded history in these parts. We've had fun playing, shoveling, drinking hot cocoa, building blanket forts, watching movies, sledding, and shoveling some more. If we have to have short winter days, then having them crammed full of winter fun is the way to do it.

In other news, Max is obsessed with Star Wars and Sami has three teeth, including one on the bottom.

Happy belated birthday, Sami!!

2009-12-06T20:01:00.003-05:00

It's not for lack of effort or love that Sami's birthday post is appearing more than two weeks late. First, we threw Samipalooza. There was not a trace of second child syndrome in this birthday bash! Carpe Donut was the main attraction, followed closely by our friends Matty Metcalfe, Ned Oldham, and Mike Clem playing live music on the front porch. The weather was beautiful, and hardly anyone was in the house - we were all outside, eating donuts, drinking hot chocolate, playing with all the outdoor toys, and enjoying the perfect weather. It was beyond description to have so many friends celebrate Sami's big day with us. For one little person to be surrounded by so much love (and so many donuts) is miraculous. I get all warm and fuzzy just thinking about it.

Sami's birthday was followed quickly by Thanksgiving. So many preparations, so much pie crust to roll out! On top of that, with the majority of my work contacts in Europe, I had to cram a week's worth of work into 2.5 days. I figured that the rest of the long weekend would give me time to recuperate, write thank you notes, organize pictures, knit, blog, etc. But Friday I started feeling less than 100%, and by mid-morning Saturday, my temperature had spiked to 103. It topped out at 105 Sunday morning, and it's only this weekend, a full week of strong antibiotics later, that I'm feeling more or less myself, though not 100%. I was so sick that Sami and Max stayed at Gram and Bull's house while Jack took care of me at home. Another short work week, coupled with my needing a LOT of rest, and a computer crash, meant another week of nothing done.

But I'm writing now! The stat's, for Pepita's 1 year old well visit:
Weight: 18 lb 11 oz, about 20th percentile
Height: 27.5 inches, about 25th percentile
Lungs/vocal cords: 99th percentile, and a finely tuned machine.

Yes, my dear sweet little daughter is about the same size at one year of age as her big brother was at five months. She hasn't walked unaided yet, but can motor around at lightning speed pushing her walker wagon. She is saying a few words here and there - "DaDa" for both the cat and her dad, "uh-oh" when she drops something, accidentally or not. She waves, shakes her head no, and laughs at the cats in Goodnight Moon. She finally got her second tooth, and two more are coming right behind. She dances to music, and adores her big brother.

Happy birthday princess, I hope each year gets better and better!!

Highs and Lows

2009-11-09T19:54:00.003-05:00

Weeks ago, Jack and Max went to Target and while they were there, spied a toy chainsaw that Max just *had* to have. He dutifully saved up his allowance for weeks, and yesterday, we all went to Target together to buy, among other things, The Chainsaw.

Max was thrilled. He held the box on his lap all the way home. He talked about how chainsaws cut things, like trees, but that he wouldn't cut down too many trees, and when he was done he would fix them with glue.

Finally, we arrived home, and took the chainsaw out of its box. Max repeated back all the rules about the chainsaw - no cutting the cat, no cutting the baby, no cutting your friends. We showed him how to hold it. He pushed a button and very realistic noises emanated from The Chainsaw, a red light lit, and a plastic chain slowly rotated.

He begged for a stick or piece of wood to cut. So we sent him outside to find a piece of a branch that was leftover from some fall pruning. Moments later, he ran back in the house.

"Mom! Mom! The chainsaw is not cutting!"

He was deeply disappointed when I explained to him that his chainsaw is a toy. My heart sank as much as his did. But he perked up when I explained he could pretend cut just about anything, except pets, sisters, and friends. Today after school he spent a lot of time "cutting" the piece of a branch that has now taken up residence in our living room.

We promised him a shiny, new, real chainsaw for high school graduation.

Halloween

2009-11-01T07:46:00.002-05:00

Halloween, according to Max. More pictures of my firefighter/crocodile and Baby Vader coming soon!

Wheels

2009-10-18T23:38:00.001-04:00

Cuz that's how we roll.

Sami is also riding Max's Big Wheel around the house. And she can say "hi," "bye bye," "Dada," "Uh-oh," and "ki" (for kitty). Wow, is she growing up fast!!

Max has new shoes and needs a haircut.

Stats!

2009-08-31T20:59:00.002-04:00

Sami's nine-month well baby visit was on Friday. Except she wasn't well! The day before, she'd come home from daycare with that glassy-eyed look, a low-grade fever, and a smoker's cough. When she had to get measured, she was *not* happy at being laid out naked on the exam table, and was squirmy and protesting vigorously. The nurse measured her at 27 inches, which is 25th percentile, but I am pretty sure that Sami was a little bit sideways and scrunched up and I wouldn't be surprised if she were actually closer to the 50th percentile for height. Her weight was 17 pounds, 8 ounces - 25th percentile. Pepita!!!

Other than having an ear infection and the latest day care junk, she appears to be a normal, healthy baby. She is still not quite crawling, though she's been up on all fours a lot, and does a pretty job of motoring around every which-a-way except crawling. She's developed an appetite for finger food, which is delightful, since that means I don't have to spoon feed her as much. She especially likes chicken. She says "Hi" and "Dada" and occasionally "Mommm, Mommm, Mommm." And she waves and wiggles. And her hair is starting to grow! It's still pretty thin, but she could use a little trim over the ears.

Farewell, old friend

2009-08-31T19:52:00.002-04:00

When Max was exactly 12 weeks old, he started sucking his thumb. That night he began sleeping through the night. He was always a mellow little dude in any kind of stressful situation, because Thumbo was always at the ready. For the last three and a half years, he has sucked his thumb every day, and most of the night. He sucked his thumb even when it was blistered from Coxsackie virus. He tearfully tried (and failed) to not suck his thumb when he got a boo-boo on it from sucking too much. The first time the dentist ever peered into Max's mouth, he loudly declared that Max must have the cleanest thumb around.

We've loved thumbo as much as he has. Thumbo is never lost. Thumbo can never fall out of the crib in the middle of the night or drop on the floor of the car going 70 down the interstate. Thumbo's been a good friend through thick and thin. Thumbo saw him through new teachers, long car trips, his first (and second and third) haircut, and the arrival of Baby Sister.

Several weeks ago, we floated the idea to Max that it might be time for him to consider that he not suck his thumb. He met this suggestion with unbridled horror. Every time it was mentioned, in Thumbo went, and he'd suck a little harder. And then on Sunday, he declared that he was done sucking his thumb. Whatever switch needed to flip has flipped, and he hasn't sucked his thumb since Friday. Sure, we caught him with the tip of his thumb in his mouth while he was sleeping, but he has gotten over Thumbo. Now, of course, his left thumb is still attached to his hand, but it's apparent that Thumbo's spirit has moved on. Perhaps some other little baby is now sleeping through the night, having found his or her thumb for the first time.

Thank you, Thumbo, for you years of service to our family. You're a good friend and true.

Advance planning

2009-08-19T11:50:00.003-04:00

The subject of Halloween came up the other day.
Me: What do you want to be for Halloween this year?
Max: A police officer.
Me: And what should Sami be for Halloween?
Max: A little police officer!
Me: Don't you think it would be cute if she dressed like a burglar, and you could pull her around in the wagon?
Max: No, Sami's not a bad guy, she's a nice guy!

Can't argue with that.

Where's Sami?

2009-08-16T15:44:00.003-04:00

Some of my loyal readers have mentioned the dearth of photos and videos of Sami. Where is she? Don't we love her and want to show her off? Of course. But Sami, being a princess, is rarely content to sit at farther than arm's length while I photograph her. Royalty, of course, needs constant attention. Most of the time, she's snuggled up close to me, her faithful servant, too close for good pictures. But every now and then, she appeases her loyal subjects.

Turn up the volume for this one.

Summertime fun

2009-08-16T15:42:00.003-04:00

All it took for Max to lose his death grip on me in the pool was a plastic floatie ring from Kmart, and a little bit of peer pressure from his best bud. In typical Max fashion, he tackled swimming with great intensity and concentration.

Don't adjust your dials - there's no sound on this one.

Crab, crab, crab

2009-08-10T21:48:00.000-04:00

bah doo bah doo bah doo

Sami travels!

2009-07-26T15:27:00.002-04:00

Sami and I recently flew to Minneapolis to go to the commitment ceremony of Moe and Charla.

First, we drove up to IAD where Aunt M met us for lunch!

Then, we flew to MSP. Sami was great on the plane - she slept most of the way and was extra cute.

We took the light rail from the airport to our hotel downtown.

We were whisked from the hotel out to the rehearsal picnic where Moe and Sami got acquainted.

Finally, after a long day of travel, it was back to the hotel for a good night's sleep. But is this a bed fit for a princess?

No, it is not.
But this is:

We had a little time Saturday morning to poke around downtown Minneapolis. The weather was great, and it was a great day to stroll down Nicollet Mall and see the sights. I didn't get a picture, but we saw the Pedal Pub roll by. Please note that it rolled by at about 10am. As they say, it's always five o'clock somewhere!

I did get a picture of us in front of the Mary Tyler Moore statue.

We had a bit of a rest at the hotel, and then it was time to get all dressed up for the big party. Finally, the perfect occasion to wear the pretty dress and hat my book club gals gave to Sami!

It was a beautiful, sunny day for the ceremony on the terrace of Solera restaurant. Sami had her binky and played with the program and was quite well behaved, if a little wiggly.

When it was over, it was time to celebrate with Charla and Moe! Here's the happy couple:

Sami had a great time partying with Rev. Lisa.

And then it was time to go home.

We played some peekaboo on the plane.

And back in Dulles I snapped a pic of Sami at my old stomping grounds.

Some things never change

2009-07-26T14:37:00.004-04:00

March 2007:

July 2009:

Eight Months Old!

2009-07-20T21:49:00.002-04:00

Sami is eight months old today! Who would have ever thought that she'd go from a colicky, screaming ball of need into a happy, laughing, yogurt-eating, scooting little imp in just eight months?

I can't wait to see what the next eight months hold, Pepita!

Down by the May

2009-07-20T21:15:00.002-04:00

Max would never sing. I know they sang songs at school, but as far as I know, he never sang along. Suddenly, he has taken quite an interest in music. He'll ask to listen to his favorite, Guitar Paul, in the car. In the spaces between songs, he'll ask what the next one is about. And upon hearing the first few lyrics, he'll assign a title.

One day recently, he came home from school, asking me to sing him one of the songs they sing at school. He said it was called "Down by the May." I had never heard of this song. Finally, it occurred to me to Google it! And what I found was "Down by the BAY." Aaaaaaaah. It's a repetitious little ditty whose only changing line is, "Did you ever see ___ down by the bay." Fill in the blank with "A llama, wearing pajamas" or, "A whale with a polka dot tail" or, "A fly wearing a tie" or any one of a number of silly phrases.

So today, a breakthrough! Max actually took it upon himself to sing the song! And then we sang together, and then Dad joined us for a round of "Mr. Sun, sun, Mr. Golden sun, won't you please shine down on me!" as we all went around in a circle together.

I am bursting with pride. I know most kids probably sing about as soon as they can talk, but today marked the very first time I've heard Max sing! And he's not bad, his determined mispronunciation of "Bay" notwithstanding. It's fascinating to me how every child hits their milestones differently - sure, he couldn't sing till age 3.5, but a year ago we had to buy him a set of fake tools because he was actually taking things apart with the real screwdrivers.

My new camera

2009-06-30T22:10:00.002-04:00

...is totally awesome, except that any card put in it is now unreadable by my computer, and can only be read by Jack's laptop. Soooo, I've been a little behind the curve about getting pics off it.

But, to tide you over until I can share more pictures and movies of the kids - here's the latest:

Max is becoming very grown up. He does chores almost every day, and every Saturday gets an allowance of $3 to save or spend as he sees fit. He is saving up now for a helmet with a visor. Or a skateboard.

When we are in his room reading stories at night, Max will hear Jack about to come in to say goodnight. He'll perk up, just as the door is about to open and say, "It's the cat in the hat!!"

Overnight, Sami has gone from not caring at all about eating, to consuming an entire jar of peas mixed with rice cereal in one sitting.

She is very nearly crawling. Her daycare teacher claims she crawled at school today, but I will believe it when I see it. She is very determined, and will have it figured out soon.

I feel like Sami has crossed some sort of threshold in the last week or two. No longer do I need some kind of device to be able to put her down - she can sit up, and has no need of the swing or bouncy. If she is hungry, she can eat a snack, so it is not the end of the world if I am a little late getting home from work. Her personality is really blossoming, and she is keenly aware of everything and everyone around her. And happiest of all, she adores her big brother. Her biggest laughs come from watching him do tricks. He pats her on the head, and picks up her toys when she drops them. He'll tell me to give her special baby milk when she cries.

Happy Solstice!

2009-06-20T21:31:00.003-04:00

Today is the last day of spring, and the second longest day of the year. Neither Max nor Sami seemed to be able to sleep, as if their bodies were tuned in to the solstice that is occurring just over eight hours from now. So rather than fight that fight, we all headed out to the front porch. Sami with a binky, Max with a popsicle, and me with bubbles to blow. I blew bubbles and told stories of summers long ago.

Stats!

2009-05-28T21:16:00.003-04:00

Sami's 6 month checkup was today, a week late because we were on vacation last week. My baby has now dipped her toes in the ocean (okay, the Chesapeake bay, but way down at the tip of the DelMarVa peninsula, so I think it counts as ocean). We celebrated her 6 month birthday with an ice cream sundae that Dad, Max, and I ate on her behalf.

Her stats are:
Height: 26 inches (approx 60th percentile)
Weight: 15lbs 10oz (50th percentile)
Head circumference: 17 inches
Disposition: 99th percentile

She is already starting to mimic waving, which astounds me, since Max was about two years old before he ever got around to it. She's on solid food daily now, though she still doesn't really care. I am pretty sure that she'll be just like I was as a kid - subsisting on air and water vapor 9 days out of 10. She will now get upset if you take away the toy she is playing with. But most of the time she is so happy, always wanting to catch your eye and smile and have a little chat.

Spring is here!

2009-05-09T22:20:00.005-04:00

And Max is busy helping in the yard...

While Sami kicks back with a snack of peas...

The weather is cold and rainy one day, hot and sunny the next. Max and Sami are just as changeable. They are both growing faster than the weeds that Max helps me pull in the yard. Max is tall enough to ring the doorbell at Gram's house without even standing on his tiptoes. And Sami's shoulders suddenly stick out the top of her onesies that were roomy just weeks ago.

The warm weather means Max get a "popstickle" on the front porch most nights. If he helps with chores during the week, like putting away laundry, or making pudding, he gets $3 a week to spend at the Dollar General. Every day he learns new ways of expressing himself with words. He appears to have his mama's gift for run-on sentences. As grown up as he is, he still needs extensive tucking-in at night, and always reads a few books before we finally turn out the light and ask him what he'll dream about. Depending on the day, he might dream about Muffin (our next door neighbor-dog), excavators, dinosaurs, or a moon made out of marshmallows.

Sami just gets sweeter and sweeter, and is our cheerful little sidekick. She's growing fast, but will always be my little Pepita. She's always got a smile at the ready, and Max's antics can bring out her rolling, roaring laugh. But I wonder what kind of depths we'll find to her personality. If the eyes are the window to the soul, then Sami's eyes are a window to a mercurial, mysterious soul. Some mornings, they'll seem nearly silver when she first wakes, but then seem blue-green in the sunlight, or hazel in the shade. At nearly six months, we've been assured that her eyes are the color they will be permanently. But we're still not quite sure what color that is.

My treasures

2009-04-13T20:52:00.003-04:00

Max spent quite a while fixing the underside of Dad's chair the other day. He needed a lot of tools for the job.

And sweet Sami supervised the whole operation, and had plenty of smiles when Max emerged.

Max has gone from our champion sleeper to our boy who would rather be perpetually exhausted rather than sleep and very possibly miss out on something wonderful. Of course, he's often cranky from lack of sleep, and ends up being very clingy and sensitive. Many mornings, he has had to eat his breakfast sitting on my lap, while I hug him and whisper sweet nothings in his ear.

The other day, I whispered, "You are my treasure." My grouchy boy cracked a smile and said, "No I'm not, I'm Max!"

Locomotion!

2009-03-22T19:47:00.003-04:00

We've been saying for days that Sami was going to roll over any minute. After her bath tonight, we gave her one last chance before putting her to bed. And lo and behold, she happily rolled over from her tummy to her back two times. Way to go, little girl!

Stats!

2009-03-20T21:15:00.002-04:00

Sami's 4 month checkup was today. Here are her basic stats:

Height: 25.25 inches - 75th percentile
Weight: 13 pounds, 0 oz - 50th percentile
Smiles and laughs - off the charts

Yes, she is a little string bean! I wonder how two kids from the same parents could grow so differently. Max was nearly 14 pounds when he was just two months old. He was around 75th percentile for height, but usually around 90th percentile for weight - a sturdy little square with a giant belly. Sami has just the barest little roll on her tummy, and pants just slide right off. Her 3 month sleepers still seem roomy on her, until you realize that she can't straighten her legs because she has grown so long. Max would always outgrow his clothes by width first. Max had brown eyes right off the bat, and Sami's are still stormy with a chance of hazel.

She is sooooo close to rolling over. I wonder if perhaps she has rolled over at daycare, and they are being nice and not telling us so we can think we saw it first. She has been up on her side many times over the past few days. This weekend will have lots of blanket time for Sami to practice rolling.

She has magically taken to the binky over the past couple of days. Poor thing has been trying to suck her fingers and thumb for weeks, but couldn't manage to do it without gagging. The binky seems to be filling that niche quite nicely.

And as for Max, he is growing up so quickly! He is very headstrong, and wants to be part of everything, and never wants to go to bed. He'll sassily comply with instructions with an "O-Kaaaaaay, Mom!" He'll fend off a hungry father with a snappy, "Get your own, Dad!" And he will insist on monitoring the scooping of his ice cream by commanding, "Do not scoop yet!" as he drags his stepstool over to the counter. But he is still the sweet little boy we have always known, with hugs for his best friend, and kisses for his mom, and sweet pats on baby Sami's head.

Happy Place

2009-03-15T22:22:00.002-04:00

Max and his best bud Grant hit the Monster Truck Jam on Friday night. It was a big hit with both of them (bathroom accident and cotton candy fueled late-night meltdown notwithstanding).

Grammy was out of town for a while, but finally came home! I'm not sure who was happiest about Gram's return.

The bag game

2009-02-26T10:07:00.007-05:00

This is a fun little blog-y game that I got tagged for by my friend Becca. Here is my bag:

It's pretty cute, but is definitely a mom purse. I got it just before I went back to work after Sami was born. Because nothing can erase sadness quite like a new purse. Except maybe a purse filled with candy bars.

Here's what's in my bag:

Starting at the top left:
-Sticky notes, because you never know when you'll need to write something down (please note conspicuous absence of a *pen* in my bag, though)
-Handi wipe
-Coupons
-Sunglasses
-Clinique Black Honey Almost Lipstick
-Hairbrush
-Work ID and door card
-Business cards
-Stickers
-Preschool brochure for Max
-Dinosaur
-Phone (getting replaced w/smartphone in three days!!)
-Keys, on mom-style wristlet
-106.1 The Corner new music sampler CD
-Calendar
-Checkbook
-Wallet
-iPod
-CleanWell all-natural hand sanitizer
-Proof of car insurance
-Firetruck
-Jeep
-Dum dum (now strictly verboten due to Max's dental issues)
-Kleenex
-Burt's Bees lip balm
-Thumb drive
-Origins gift card with $18 left on it, planning to buy nice hand soap for the pumping room at work

Not pictured:
-Camera

How many kids do I have?

2009-02-08T22:16:00.001-05:00

Remind me, how many kids do I have?

Because I think I have acquired another one.

Brown Bear

2009-02-08T21:59:00.001-05:00

We've read to Max every day of his life. These days, he is reading to us!

Sweet Sami

2009-02-08T21:54:00.003-05:00

As we approach the magical twelve week mark, Sami has turned from a colicky banshee into a sweet, smiling, cooing, happy, napping baby. We've always loved her, but now we really, really like her.

Zen, meet Patience

2009-02-01T21:23:00.002-05:00

Parenting a baby is very different the second time around. I found the experience with Max very Zen. I was always in the moment, perfectly content wherever he was. Each moment was the best moment ever.

With Sami, I know (or think I know) what is coming. I am constantly reining in my anticipation of the next step. I am becoming more and more patient, knowing that whatever is next will come in good time.

Stats!

2009-01-21T14:29:00.002-05:00

Sami had her two month checkup today. In honor of inauguration day, the nurse gave her stars and stripes bandaids for her shots. Stats are:
Height: 22.25 inches - 50th percentile
Weight: 10 lbs, 8 oz - 50th percentile
Smiles: 99th percentile for cuteness

She seems like such a tiny peanut compared to our big boy - at his 2 month appointment he was 13 lbs, 13 oz - 95th percentile! He's my pumpkin, and she's our little Pepita.

Obama, baby

2009-01-20T12:57:00.002-05:00

Sami watches the 44th President of the United States take the oath of office.

can't get enough?

2009-01-06T15:45:00.003-05:00

Track Sami's every move

username: guest
password: Sami's middle name (all lowercase). If you don't know it, contact me to get it.

I'm doing a free trial for two weeks - it may or may not continue after that.

THREE

2009-01-06T12:54:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was Max's third birthday! He has grown into a very charming and handsome boy. For a special birthday treat, we took him and his friend Grant to the fire station for a tour. Both of the boys had a blast looking at all the trucks and even getting to sit in them and pretend to drive. Unfortunately, we forgot our camera, so we have no pictures to share. Alas, the cobbler's children have no shoes. But pictures or not, this visit will be well-remembered. I'll never forget the firefighter opening up a panel on the tanker truck where all the controls are, and Max shouting, "Gauges!!!!!" I think that was the highlight of the whole visit for him. He also enjoyed stepping up and down on the big steps of the truck, and hanging on the handles, just like our garbage men do. Afterward, we all headed to the DQ for some ice cream.

Today was his checkup and he is tipping the scales at 35 pounds, and is about 37 inches tall, which puts him at about 50th percentile for height and 75th for weight. The doctor suggested that we try to get him to stop sucking his thumb, which is totally absurd. I suppose if the good Dr. H wanted to come on over and take on that task, I'd welcome him into our home with open arms. Barring that, we'll just start saving up for braces.

We snuck Sami onto the scale while we were waiting, and she was about 10lbs, 3oz clothed, which would put her official weight at right around 10 lbs. Her terrible head cold apparently hasn't slowed down her weight gain at all. We'll have official two-month checkup numbers in a couple of weeks.

Baby's first...

2008-12-26T16:11:00.002-05:00

It was Sami's first Christmas, and just like her brother was for his first Christmas, she was a little under the weather. Baby's first head cold! Despite that, we all had a great time, especially Max, who enjoyed opening presents even more than playing with them. The difference between boys and girls starts early - Sami got jewelry, a baby doll, and a tutu, while Max got tons of Cars paraphernalia and a basketball hoop. He also got a hand me down camera from Bull, and ran around with it all day saying "My first camera!"

Merry Christmas everyone!

Three for the road

2008-12-20T10:23:00.000-05:00

Mom, Max, and Sami, out for a stroll last weekend.

Party of four

2008-12-08T16:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome to our new blog! Sami joined our family on 11/20, and is a great little sister. Max is a super big brother, and we're all getting used to being a family of four. Check back for updates, pictures, and the occasional movie. I'll still try to post occasionally to Max's blgo and I'm even starting a blog just for Sami. As you might imagine, things are a little busy around here, so please be patient while I get everything up and running.