Oh, Internet, Where Have You Been? December 29, 2008

It seems that travel always slows the blog post production way down. If I were a more faithful blogger (ha! I just typed ‘blooger!’), I would already have pictures from Christmas morning up on the site for all to see. I’d like to blame the lack of pictures on the fact that I don’t have access to wireless right now (true) or that I have nothing to write about (false), but excuses get us (me) nowhere. While we (you) wait for pictures, just know that a fun time is being had by all and that nothing beats family and friends.

Oh, and I think you should know that I ate my weight in guacamole tonight. Not pretty.

How Does Sam Feel About Christmas? December 22, 2008

I’m so excited I’m so excited I’m so excited I’m so excited I’m so excited I’m so excited I’m so excited!

[sigh]

We said we weren’t going to buy a lot for Sam. We said, “He’s just a baby, he won’t know the difference.” We said we’d go easy on gifts for the baby.

We LIED.

And The Winners Are… December 16, 2008

Rob and I win the Bad Parents of the Year Award for our performances on Sunday and Monday. On Sunday, Sam was crawling up and over Rob’s legs, like he was a human obstacle course. Sam had finally reached the summit (Rob’s abdomen), when he toppled off and banged his head really hard on the floor. He screamed and promptly grew a large, red goose egg on the side of his head. This doesn’t seem like a big deal, except we had an appointment the next day to have pictures taken of Sam. (More on that later…)

Fast forward to Monday afternoon. We are at The Picture People getting Sam ready for his photo shoot. [The Picture People does portraits of babies. We became members to record Sam’s baby looks in print.] He’s on my lap and I am getting him in his new red hooded sweatshirt. I fumble with the zipper, finally getting the two sides of the teeth lined up. Got it, and ziiip! Then… SCREAM! Sam turns beet red and cries harder than when he bonked his head on the floor the night before. I zipped his neck skin. When I found the spot, I almost died. It was all whitish green and standing up like a tent from the rest of his skin. Like it was dead. And then I watched it swell and grow an angry purple welt in the center. Nice, Kristin. Zip your kid’s skin up. Niiiiice.

Needless to say, Sam was a little off his game for the portrait session. And between the welt on his head and the welt on his neck, he looked awesome.

Month Seven December 13, 2008

Dear Sam,

Today you are seven months old. You do realize what this means, right? You’re now closer to one year than you are to your birth. This may not seem like a big deal right now, but when you’re thirty-six and closer to forty than thirty, you will understand. (And this is neither here nor there, but I will be sixty-six. Yikes.)

We’ve traveled again this month. This must be no surprise to you at this point, since travel has been a large part of your life so far. We hope that you will always love to travel and find adventures in your life. You got to ride on another airplane when we flew to Appleton for your baptism and for our trip to Minneapolis for Thanksgiving. Once again, you charmed everyone on the airplane and made friends with the people sitting behind you. Many people commented on what a good baby you are. We attribute much of your good behavior on your stellar personality — and the rest on the earplugs you wear when flying.

You were baptized on November 23 with your baby cousin Sophie. Bumpa participated in the rite by pouring the water on your head. It was very special to have him baptize you. When you saw that baptismal font full of water, your eyes lit up and I swear you were thinking, “Awesome! Bath time! I LOVE the tub!” You reached out your chubby little hand to try to play in the water. You were your charming self throughout the entire service. While we were up in the front, you smiled and kicked your feet the entire time. Both Daddy and I, and Uncle Pete and Aunt Christine, were very proud of you and Sophie that you didn’t poop through your baptismal gowns. We don’t ask for much… Daddy said a funny thing during the service. When Pastor Detweiler said, “I’d like to invite Samuel and Sophia, and the parents and sponsors to the front…” Daddy turned to me and whispered, “Our parents are supposed to come up, too?” I whispered back, “We are the parents!” We giggled quietly. Actually, we almost lost it. I’m not gonna lie.

You attended Sig and Clint’s anniversary party this month, your very first anniversary party. Uncle Ang and I sang a duet after dinner, while you watched from the closest table. While I was singing you were bouncing up and down and grinning at me the whole time. I could hardly look at you, partly because it was so cute I wanted to laugh, and partly because it was so sweet I wanted to cry.

You don’t seem to exhibit any stranger anxiety yet. I’m not naive enough to think that it won’t ever happen, but I wonder if the fact that you have been exposed to lots of new people throughout your life has helped keep it at bay. Only time will tell.

While we were in Minneapolis for Thanksgiving, you found your vowels. You finally opened your mouth and said, “Aaahhhh!” And, Sam, it was not a soft, demure little sound (which is good because you’re a boy and boys aren’t generally described as demure). It was loud! Perhaps you have inherited your Daddy’s baritone voice. We love to hear you talk. My favorite thing is listening to you talk to your stuffed panda bear and beluga whale while you play in your crib after a nap.

You always wake up happy, Sam. A few times this week, I’ve had to wake you from a deep sleep to take you somewhere, like to the car dealership or to work. You slowly stretch and open your eyes, then start clapping, with a sleepy smile on your face. Thank you for being such a flexible little guy.

At any moment, you are going to get up on your hands and knees and crawl away. You’ve been army crawling for weeks and last week have started rocking back and forth. The funniest thing is when you do your bunny imitation, by hopping your legs as far forward as you can, then trying to walk your hands forward to crawl. It’s a valiant effort, but invariably you flop forward onto your tummy. It’s so cute.

You are such a big boy, Mr. Man. I can’t believe how much you’ve learned and discovered about yourself this month. My baby boy is turning into a little toddler before my very eyes. I cherish every snuggle, the way you push your lower lip out when you’re done eating, every sleepy baby smile, all the glimpses of the newborn you that first came into our lives. You are carving your place in this world as your own little person, Sam, just as you have carved a deep place in our hearts.

Love,
Mommy

Caroling, Caroling Now We Go December 11, 2008

Last night, thirteen of Rob’s students came over for a Christmas caroling party. And it was a real party, too, because we used the Christmas plates from Nana and Grandpa and some serving dishes that haven’t seen the light of day since we unwrapped them after our wedding. Sam deserves some sort of an honorable mention, too, because he was Mr. Patient in his exersaucer while I cooked the two days beforehand. (Usually, he’s ready for a change of scenery after about fifteen minutes.) The best part was that Rob got home way before the students started showing up and we tag-teamed with Sam to finish up the last few things.

Everyone started showing up around 6:00. We served sloppy joes and the various accoutrements that accompany them, as well as fruit and dip and pepparkakor (peparkakor, pepperkaker, whatever… those thing Swedish gingerbread cookies). Everyone squeezed in around the dining room table and ate and talked and laughed. Our house has never been so loud — even with Sam’s squawking and Rob and I screaming at each other when we play board games. It was awesome. After everyone had finished eating, we ran through the carols and realized that our dirge-like tempos were not welcoming the birth of Jesus, but actually killing him slowly with a butter knife. Rob said, “This is not Lent everyone.” Everyone did their best to sing a little faster.

Then we set out into the neighborhood on a warm and rainy night. Yes, everyone, it was raining. Misting is probably a more accurate term. We sang at a number of houses with little kids, which was everyone’s favorite. There was one little girl, who was probably around six years old and clad in pink flowered jammies, was actually quivering at the door, she was so excited. It was extremely cute. By the time we were done, our sheets of music had melted into mush and everyone was quite damp. Upon returning to the house, everyone stayed for hot chocolate and watched “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” I learned that it takes a long, long time for 12 cups of milk to get warm enough to actually call it hot chocolate. I think I have stirring arm today. OK, not really, I’m totally exaggerating.

I think the best part of the night was when Rob pulled out the picture of him with long hair and passed it around the room. One kid, Dan, was so stunned he was speechless. Quite a feat for Dan, who has a quick, dry sense of humor. Once his speech returned, I think he said something like, “This is a dream. A terrible dream. My retinas are burning.” It was hilarious.

We had so much fun that we’re going to make it a tradition every year. Not so much for us or for the kids, but so the Christmas china will be put to good use once a year. 🙂

Oh hi, Mom. I didn’t see you there. December 9, 2008

No, no, I wasn’t grabbing the tree. Not me.

Here We Come A-Wassailing

Tomorrow night, Rob and I are hosting a caroling party at our house for Rob’s studio. There are about twelve kids planning on coming, though there are couple who have to see how finals studying goes before committing. Both Rob and I are very excited about it. We had a cookout this fall for his studio that was really fun. I am making cookies, Rob is making fudge, we will have sloppy joes for dinner and then go caroling. We’ll come back for hot chocolate afterward, hang out a little and then they’ll go home. Of course, we’re all music nerds, so the caroling will be in four parts. And we will rehearse beforehand, so we sound amazing. 🙂

Sam’s all excited because he’s going to wear his reindeer slippers from Debbie. He loves those things — he can’t believe he gets to have such fun toys on his feetsies.

Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! December 7, 2008

We are all excited for Christmas here at Sam I Am, so in honor of the season, snow will fall on this blog until 2009.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

See Sam Wiggle

This picture so clearly illustrates the new stage we are in with Sam.

1) See how his body is twisting away from Great-Great-Aunt Ruth. See how the fingers of his right hand are digging into her shoulder, trying to get away.

2) See the open mouth. That mouth is saying, “Aaaaaah!” And not saying it quietly.

3) See how Sam’s left hand is all wrapped up in Ruth’s scarf. That scarf was artfully tied around Ruth’s neck. Now it is a noose.

4) See the woman in the vest? She was leaning down to say hi to Sam. See how Sam has no intention of engaging with her.

5) See the crazed look in Sam’s eyes. Sam sees the shiny silver thing. Sam wants the shiny silver thing. Sam will get it if he has to launch off that lap like a penguin in flight.