QUAY-MAY!

This is what Sam says, loudly, when we say we're going to the Seattle Aquarium. Best money ever spent on a membership-- thanks Grandad! We've been a few times this fall and Sam's enthusiasm for fish does not seem to be waning. This was the first time Charlie had been with Sam in a while. We toodled over there on Labor Day.

Window on Washington Waters display

Sam is deeply suspicious of the divers that appear during the talk/shows,

but likes the display

Playing in the tidepool

With Mama in the Tropicals room.
Notice how he is completely uninterested in anything but
the fish.


Pointing out fish to Dad
Looking at water birds

Rare photographic evidence of both parents!

Mama and Sam

(Agan, totally uninterested in anything else!)

I think this captures the "addicted to FISH" quality nicely.

Here is Sam, attempting to say "anemone"

Halloween, the First Real One

When Samuel's first Halloween came around, he was four months old. He went as a baby. The second one, we were flying back from CA. We had been staying with Nana, and Sam was just getting the hang of walking. Because of this, I had grand plans to dress him as a zombie, but when we finally made it home, everyone was just tired. So this was Sam's first real, live Halloween. With a costume and candy and pumpkin carving--the works. Here goes...

We started the day with pancakes. Or, Samcakes, as Charlie calls them.

There's quite the pile of whip cream on that pancake.

We harvested our volunteer pumpkin on Saturday. (Volunteer as in, a volunteer plant from an uncomposted pumpkin seed in our compost that was spread on my garden bed.)

The toddler is there for scale.

A good looking specimen. It never got fully orange, but a gorgeous striped green and amber.

"PUMPKIN!!"

Intrepid carvers

Totally disinterested in posing with the handiwork.

Mama designed and carved. Sam supervised. And scribbled Sharpie all over himself.
Shaun the Sheep!

I attempted to re-recreate the overall look of Shaun. Sam loves the animation, but really didn't get the concept of a costume until we had him fully dressed and showed him his reflection in the bathroom mirror. THEN, he got into it.

If you don't know Shaun, you should: http://www.shaunthesheep.com/

The scene in Ballard.

For two hours, families swarmed Ballard and trick-or-treated the merchants.

Getting to work.

(Note the mitten "paws." I am especially proud of those!)

Okay, it looks like a fluffy mob cap, but Shaun has quite a tuft of wool on top.

Sam was very serious about the whole business.

Shaun's oversized tail

Distracted in Secret Garden Books.

A family was posing their kids on the other side of this tree, so Sam decided that it must be part of the whole Halloween business and got to it.
Sheep meets duckling
Bergen Place (or the Five Corners)

Dancing with Dad

We grabbed a cupcake, then headed out to harass friends. Over to Greenlake to see Zip and Jeanmarie-- plus the bonus of Erica. Then a stop at Zeek's for some pizza. Finally, we headed over to Capital Hill to visit the Cousins and crash their friends Geoff and Barbara's party. Cousin David was stationed on the porch scaring trick-or-treaters with elaborate tricks. We hung out and helped-- as in, Sam yelling "No, no! Go 'way!"

Hanging by a thread, but it lasted!

Ten years of costuming, my friends.

Sam was confused by the whole concept of using "trick-or-treat." But after I dropped a chocolate coin in his pumpkin, he was enthusiastic about the product, if not the process. He's been running around suggesting, "Treat!" in the perkiest tone.

Our favorite moment of the day:

Standing in line at Cupcake Royale, there was another little boy, about three, ahead of us. He was wearing a Batman costume, with the mask pushed back. Sam stepped ahead of us to lean on the cupcake case and gaze adoringly. Then Batman spied the Sheep, and the Sheep returned the gaze. Their eyes locked. Batman raised his hands to ever so slowly lower his mask. This was all wordless-- Charlie decided the subtext was, "So, Sheep, we meet at last."

Insanely surreal and wonderful.

Short Reading

My friend Tabitha writes. She's in PhD school too, and yet still seeks to keep her brain in overdrive. I added her blog to the "Read More About It" list and I suggest you go read some stuff.

2 Year Appointment Update

Because I know all of you have been waiting with bated breath:

Height: 36" (90 percentile)
Weight: 31 lbs. 6 oz. (80 percentile)
Head Circ: 52 cm (>95 percentile)

Sam is a yard high. He is no longer part of the Two Foot and Under club. He is part of the Four Foot and Under group. This is why he can climb onto his grow chair, why he can reach darn near whatever he wants on counters, why I can comfortably rest my hand on top of his head when he stands next to me.

Dr. Del Baccaro commented, "You'd never know he showed up early..." Too true. We love Dr. DB.

Playground Action 8.29.10

You might notice that our weekend adventures involve some repetitive activities. Yeah, well, he's two and we lack get-up-and-go. But here were some recent events. I'll get back to posting from the summer...well, when I get back to it.

First stop, Honore Bakery for beverages and pastry

Then onto the curly slide!!

(Please note the fabulous new footwear-- matches Dad's. Almost as big, too.)

Contemplating other children

First, what he can all by himself now-- with us spotting, of course!

Then the favorite activity of putting bark on Dad's shoes.

We finish with the truly terrifying climb up the arched ladder. It's not something we actively encourage, but he keeps going for it. Still cautious, but more daring every day.

Happy Birthday Nana!

Sam loves Nana.
(And we do too!)
Happy Birthday, Cheryl!!

Some Photos from June (Catching up)

We had some adventures before we went to California this past June. Not huge adventures, but enough to get some photographic evidence.

A little morning art.

A trip to the Seattle Aquarium with Megan and Holden. We started with Sam attempting to dive headfirst into the fountain outside the aquarium doors.

And we progressed to fish gazing.

This huge sea star was wiggling its way across the window, alarmingly quick.

Holden, who moves around so much this is the only photo I have managed to get in our two year acquaintance.

Two varieties of fry

At the tide pools

Lunch at homeSam and Dad get a hold of Mama's camera

Fine dining.

I don't know why, but I like taking pictures of him eating.
Reading See...more eating
and more reading!

The Moms and Company came over before we left for CA-- it was a chance for us all to meet Elijah's sister, Kessa. (Well, mostly it was a chance for Elisabeth to baby hog!) Kessa is great-- a welcome shot of estrogen to our boy harem.

Rudy shows Kessa a car

Boy party

(from l to r: Rudy, Elijah and Sam)

Zach

Rudy engaging in some serious car negotiation.

Zach and Elijah at the back door

Mama Jen and Zach

Elisabeth attempting not to laugh at something Sam said.

I'm catching up, so there will be more to come, as I can manage it. Enjoy!