Sam....almost 9 months - Steven Edward quite two

So, one day I woke up and realized Sam was a real little person with a personality - not just the second that you try to pacify so that you can deal with the first. On that day....i realized he was almost one too! (I know I know, this is still 3
months away...but that is so close!) He has been a
joy to get to know and seems nothing like brother. It is amazing to see such different personalities come from the same parents.
*He is always smiling or yelling. He entire personality is just louder than Steven Edward's ever was. He smiles louder, he yells louder, he eats louder....
*He was slower to start moving, but fast in the continuum. He started crawling well and pulling up on the same day (8.5 months-ish) and was borderline cruisng a week later. He has already figured out in this short span of time how to sit down without using his hands. In fact he was climbing steps on Sunday in church.
*He is always in clothes that are slightly too big for him. This is relevant because when he crawls he pushes with his left foot and drags his right foot. So he often gets his foot stuck up in his clothes, attempts to stand (even though his foot is standing on his clothes), and takes a tumble or gets frustrated with the confusion of the situation.
*He seems to be a drama-"king" No matter the type of fall (hard or easy), he MUST yell so that I can see him and either sympathize or pick him up.
*He is a jabber box
*He always wants to be playing beside or on top of his brother. This can be a source of frustration with Steven Edward seeing as Sam doesn't always understand the rules that Steven has set up for playing with his toys.

The funny part about having my second is that while I remember so much - there are many things that I had totally forgotten. I am beginning to have to tell Sam no (now that he is mobile), and man I'd quite forgotten how to do that with an infant.


Steven Edward seems to go in an out of two year old tantrums, but from what we've had to deal with is doing quite well with being two (I'm sure it will come!) He is quite the little flirt and loves spending time outside...especially in water. His memory constantly amazes me and he LOVES to sing. He walks around the house singing Wheels on the Bus, ABCs, Jesus loves me, or Twinkle Twinkle Little Star...which ever he decides he is interested in that day. He has the self-proclaimed nick name of G-pepper. If you ask him his name he has started giving his nickname about 50% of the time. And he thinks he is adorable when he does it. He has started thinking it is funny to give you the wrong answer to questions (for example he often tells you the wrong color and laughs...or that he is one instead of two) and he is very into comparing things. His new obsession is David and Goliath. The only Bible stories I have been allowed to read in the last two weeks have been ones that have David in it - and sometimes he is very specific about which ones. We recently brought up a lamp that my husband had in his childhood with cowboys on it and he informed me that it was David, Goliath, and God. We explained the third had to be Jonathan in order to steer away from theological questions at such an early age! He is also quite the flirt. Whenver he does something wrong or when he wants a hug he will run up to me with this sideways grin and say, "Hey mama" in the sweetest voice he can conjure up. We have just started to see a bit of brother on brother violence. He has been known to shove Sam on his face and proclaim that it is tummy time. Or roll over on him while i'm in the other room and I rush in to Sam screaming Steven is saying, "Sam okay mama, Sam okay."

They definitely keep me on my toes, but now that Sam is capable of getting around of his own, he is so much happier....making my life so much easier. My life is rarely quiet, but is almost always enjoyable.

Independence Day

For the 4th, we had a picnic for some of the young families at our church. We did the traditional cookout with hamburgers, blankets on the lawn, and the big hit....the slip and slide. Some of the fathers even took a turn or two!










The kids seemed to have a great time. Steven Edward loved hanging out with the older kids. Sam was virtually the perfect baby because he had so many people to watch and entertain him. Steven and i finished up our night sitting on our porch listening to the fireworks being set off at Lake Julian (less than 2 miles away). We couldn't see them through the trees, but they were beautiful in my imagination. Our neighbor also set off private fireworks in their yard at the same time so we did get the occasional glimpse!

New Sam facts -
*I did forget to mention in the last post that Sam has three teeth. The bizarre part is that they are all bottom teeth. He kept acting like he was teething, and I kept feeling on the top of his mouth....then one day out pops a new bottom tooth! What a weirdo!
*He also pulled up by himself yesterday for the first time. Way to go Sam. Now we're at a new level of child proofing our place. Yipee.

Sambo

I wanted to give you all an update on Sam. He has grown so quickly as I look back - he is already 8 months old. He is always surprising me and doing something I didn't think he should be able to do yet. It has been incredibly fun to watch him grow. I feel like having a second gives me the ability to enjoy every phase. With Steven Edward I often just wanted him to grow quicker....so I could see what the next stage looked like, but with Sam I am able to watch and enjoy with anticipation.

*Sam doesn't really like being a baby. This means he isn't the best napper, he doesn't like baby food (he wants finger food), he wants to jump straight to crawling, and he just overall wants to do everything his brother does.
*He is super smiley. It takes nothing to make him smile, but also as a contrast, he can scream better than most. He goes from hot to cold incredibly quickly and can throw a tantrum to rival Steven Edwards when he doesn't get what he wants. He is almost always on the smiley side...but he has learned that if he wakes up from nap earlier than Steven Edward that he can be as demanding as he wants to be because I don't want him to scream and wake his brother. He definitely takes advantage of that time. It is an hour of sitting beside him and playing....or doing things with a 20 pounder on your hip.
*He loves to stand places and play. He is almost pulling up on his own!
*He can go from all fours to sitting very easily. He moves all over the room in a non-traditional manner (a mix of rocking, sitting, scooting, a couple crawling steps...and at times in anger pushing himself backwards). He truly has been working on crawling for 3 weeks. Now he can take 3-4 good crawling steps forward on all fours. He is not built for the army evidently and the bear bile didn't have the same effect on him that it had on his brother. We always swore that is why he crawling like a gorilla!
*He doesn't really like to be confined. He has pretty much given up the exersaucer and the bouncer, and wants to be on the floor crawling or standing somewhere playing with Steven's toys. He also doesn't really want baby toys. He wants his brother's trains and hotwheels. For the most part Steven Edward is pretty good when dealing with this.
*He is my social bug. He is starting to have some separation mommy anxiety (that phase where if I'm not holding him...I probably shouldn't even walk in the room), but overall he will go to anyone, talk to anyone, and smile at EVERYONE! He is the one people stop and remark at in grocery stores and on the street. I never knew Steven Edward was such an observer and a thinker until I had Sam.

I am excited to watch him grow.

My pictures........

Hilton Head

*All pictures from this entry were ripped off from our boy Jeff Dudley*

12 years later... I decide to post. I have no real reason why I waited so long other than the normal schemozzle of life with two little boys. Since our last post, my husband finished his first year as head of the upper school! Yea! And we spent our first week of summer vacation with three other families in Hilton Head. I had never been to Hilton Head and I must say, I very much enjoyed myself. It was a great week. Steven Edward loved the beach, the pool, and being with his friends all day long....and I loved seeing my husband all day long (not to mention hanging out with our friends 24/7). What a great way to start the summer. Enjoy the pictures.

Steven and his friend Ben playing in the tub

Poor Sam....the plight of a second child. This is one of the few pictures he makes on the blog. But isn't he cute? Honestly, he looks a lot like his brother.

Ben, watching the dolphins behind a commercial shrimping boat

Steven, Ryan, and Ben playing in the surf

Steven and Ben playing at a local playground.

More fun at the Sea Pines playground. Can you tell they are two weeks apart in age? How cute are they?

Steven Edward enjoying the waves. He loved how they would carry his toys away with the wave and bring them back. He would smile with joy when it came back to his feet!




Playing in the waves




Breakfast time

Normal husband during a "low country boil"

Note - not our rental in the background



Steven's first milkshake



The Kruegers

Ryan

Steven, Ben and Ryan defnitely spent a lot of the week wrestling.

Jill and Ben

Chris and Ella Brooks