Presents from Nana and Papa

Nana and Papa sent a few packages to the boys last week. Samuel was so excited to open his. Here are a few pictures!

A new puzzle. Much harder than his other, but he has it figured out already!

A new pumpkin cup with a straw! Exciting stuff!

"FIREMAN HAT...A BLACK ONE!"

Fitting...most mornings!

Samuel was also eager to help Liam open his!

Thanks Nana and Papa!

Three Months

Liam-

This past weekend you turned three months old. That's 13 weeks....or 91 days...or 2184 hours...wow you're getting old! You are growing like a weed. You are currently 26.5 inches tall and weigh 14lbs 15oz. At this rate you should outgrown your big brother sooner rather than later. Look at how big you are!

This month you have become a social butterfly. You love smiling and giggling. Even though you smiled at Samuel first, you defiantly smile at mommy most. I think you know how much mommy needs those smiles most days. Your smile can turn my tears into laughter and my frustration into relaxation. Your little smile is all I need on days when I wonder if I am measuring up as your mom. The sparkle in your eye is amazing.


You have taken a new liking to the car lately which I have to say is a huge relief. We are now able to go out and you remain calm and relaxed. You often talk to the bug that hangs from your car seat while we are driving. You also are learning that falling asleep in the car is an ok thing to do. This makes traveling amazingly better. Which is a good thing because we are in the car a lot.

We have really settled into a routine this month. You sleep in each day much later than your older brother. When you wake up you are instantly happy and eager to eat. You spend most of your day playing, talking and watching Samuel do all the "big boy" things. I wonder what you will want to play with when you are two. Will you be into trains, firetrucks and cars like your brother or will you find new toys to occupy your time?

I am amazed at how quickly this time is going and how big you are getting. I often wish that you would just stay little but I am also so excited to see who you grow up to be. You daddy and I are trying the best that we know how to raise you to be the man you are meant to be. I have to say...I think we are doing pretty well.

Love,
Mommy

Our Future Residence

Many of you know that over the past month we have been looking for a new place to live. We love our current apartment but they are raising the rent to ungodly amounts that we are not willing to pay. I have spent many hours each day on craigslist looking for a place for us. I thought raising two boys was hard.

After endless hours of internet searching, dozens of emails and phone calls made, viewing a few places, frantically filling out application just to get them in right after others, yelling at one another because someone had to pay for all the stress, and wondering if our new home would be the back our our car...we found a place!

Last Monday after a horrible (and I really mean horrible) weekend of endless searching I found a place too good to be true. I called only an hour after it was posted and was invited to come and see it right away. Mike got home from work, we packed up the boys and headed downtown. It was a bit scary from the outside and we debated about even going in. But we did and are so glad we did. We gave the man our info and received a call Wednesday offering it to us. I am heading down in about an hour to get the keys and we will sign the lease the beginning of next week! Yeah!

Positives
--located in one of the most desirable neighborhoods (Green Lake)
--LOTS closer to the majority of our friends
--walking distance to Green Lake, a huge playground, a wading pool, coffee shops, and a grocery store.
--two blocks from a bus route that will get us to MHGS in 10 minutes
--very spacious two bedroom old home (we get to keep most of our stuff)
--lots of windows
--they are honoring a 9 month lease
--they will allow us to paint whatever we want and not have to paint it back
--cheap and the landlord pays water, sewer and garbage
--fenced in yard for Bailey

Negatives
--located on one of the busiest roads in Seattle
--no dishwasher
--outside is pink (yes...pink)

We are so excited to start moving and being closer to school. Yesterday it took 6 minutes to get from MHGS to the house. Right now we are driving at least 30 (on a good day) but generally more like 45. I am also thrilled to be walking distance to the lake. Maybe I will start to exercise more!

Click here to see it on Google Maps!

My Boys

This is what makes getting up at 6am each morning, working non-stop all day and hitting the pillow well after 11pm each night worth it...

Legos

Let's just say...Samuel has lots of Mike's blood in him.
He LOVES Legos.


We hadn't really gotten him any yet mainly because he has so many other toys we figured he was pretty content. A couple of weeks ago while at MHGS, Samuel discovered a bag of Legos. Welcome to the newest addiction. Since, Samuel loved building with them so much and Mike loves them also we got a small set for him to have at home. Now life revolves around towers, tunnels, and firehouses. I don't know who it is more enjoyable for!

Talk and Tantrum

So hard to believe that he is getting so big!

The Case of the Missing "T-T"

Friday afternoon and evening we had our first ever traumatic search for the beloved blanket Samuel carries around. We headed out mid morning to run some errands and stop at a few stores. Samuel handed me "t-t" as we were heading down the stairs and I put it over the diaper bag as we made our way down.

About halfway through the mall I realized he didn't have it and didn't recall taking it out of the car. I figured I had left it and we would worry about it later. About 6 hours later we made it back home. Samuel was napping so he went straight into bed. I mentioned to Mike I hadn't seen the blanket and the search began...

We looked everywhere, the apartment, the car, the stairwell, the garbage cans....
We called everywhere, Barnes and Noble, the mall, the apartment complex...
no "t-t"
we then put up lost signs. I know it sounds a bit much, but we were desperate. We had lost the beloved security object. What kind of parents are we?

We decided that we needed to tell him and that we couldn't wait until it was bedtime. So Mike sat down with him and explained that "t-t" was lost, missing, no where to be found. Samuel did a quick look through the typical places in the apartment. It was about 2 minutes later that it hit him. It was really gone. The sad lip stuck out and started to quiver and tears welled up in his eyes. Our hearts were broken.

We loaded up the car and headed to Target. We could a least let him pick out a new blanket and pray that it would serve the purpose and he would be ok. Walking down the aisle he saw a green blanket almost identical to the original. He started yelling "t-t" and quickly embraced it. He instantly started rubbing it between his fingers and singing his little song. Big sigh of relief.

We were gone most of the next day and when we got home that night, there on our doorstep...the old "t-t". Someone found it and returned it! Samuel was so excited. Here he is celebrating. So, the "t-t" has been found and the replacement has been stuck up in the closet for future situations.

Full of Smiles

Here are a few pictures of the cutest two boys in the world. Samuel being the ham that he always is and Liam beginning to catch on...

Fireman Adventures

If you have been reading faithfully, you know that Samuel is now obsessed with firemen and anything to do with fires. Ever since we mentioned Halloween and that he was going to dress up he has talked about a fireman. Instead of spending the insane amount of money on the whole fireman costume I went the more practical route and began searching for the fireman rain coat and boots. We found them a couple of weeks ago at Nordstroms but had to order the coat in his size.

Last Friday the coat showed up. The whole family took a walk down to our office since we were trying to convince them to not raise our rent over $200 (didn't work). While Mike and I were talking Samuel opened his fireman coat, put it on and was dancing around the lobby. A moment later I looked over to see him ever so cleverly pull the fire alarm! No kidding.

Sirens blaring, lights flashing, he comes running over to me and clings to my legs. It terrified him! We quickly decided that we had to explain that pulling the alarm was naughty that we could not make the connection that pulling the alarm sends the firetrucks. The maintenance man quickly turns off the alarms and Samuel spends the next several minutes in time out. We head out thinking all is done and go to pick up our mail.

Moments later the fire doors open (the firehouse is right across the street) and out comes a firetruck. Samuel is so excited until he realizes that it is coming toward him. The maintenance man comes out to tell them it is a false alarm and Mike turning every shade of red tells them it was Samuel but that he doesn't know. We all decided it is a good secret to keep. The firemen were great. They came out of the truck, said hi to Samuel and gave him a hat. I am sure it happens all the time but we were both pretty embarrassed. Oh well...I guess my 2 year old could be doing worse things!

Twenty-Seven Months

My Little Man,

This weekend you will turn twenty-seven months old. I will admit that it has been the most amazing, difficult, beautiful and memorable twenty-seven months of my life. Not because we live in a beautiful area of the country, not because your dad and my marriage is the best it has been, not because we now have Liam, but because of you. You bring so much joy to our lives each and everyday. Thank you!

I love watching you grow each day and wondering what you will do next. You take on the world with such an amazing spirit. You are so eager to explore and discover. I hope that you always keep this spirit about you. Your dad and I work so hard to honor your spirit, yet I know at times we fail you and leave you crushed. Don't ever let anyone convince you that your spirit is too much, too active, too adventurous, too daring. I pray that you embrace it. Although following that spirit may be scary and seem impossible at times, follow anyway. When you do, look around and your dad and I will be there with you.

This month you have discovered a show called "Fireman Sam." The first thing you ask for each morning is to watch a show. You will curl up on the couch with crackers, juice and your blanket. Firemen and really anything to do with them have become very intriguing to you. Each time we leave the apartment we have to see if the firetrucks at the station are out. You even have your new fireman boots you wear 24 hours a day. You run around the house in your boots and hat pretending to be a fireman. You often have your hammer attached to your pants, pretending it's an axe. You ride around on your firetruck and make siren noises.
Trust me...it's cute.

You are also learning how to be a fantastic big brother. You are so gentle and loving with Liam. I am amazed at your tenderness and compassion for him. You are always asking where he is at and if he is crying you are right there trying to help. You talk to him, sing to him, bounce him in his seat and even try to give him your beloved "t-t." Daddy and I are so happy that you love your brother so much. Although we know there will be times in your lives that you will "hate" one another we hope that you will always be close. That your brother will be the one person who knows you better than anyone else, the one you can call at two in the morning just because and the one who will be beside you through thick and thin.

Sometimes I wonder who you will be. I wonder what you will do, who you will bless and how people will describe you. I wonder what you will be passionate about and who you will fight for. I can't wait to see...

Love,
Mommy

With My Own Two Hands

I hear this song every time Samuel wants to watch Curious George. I love it...

With My Own Two Hands

Jack Johnson

I can change the world
With my own two hands
Make it a better place
With my own two hands
Make it a kinder place
With my own two hands
With my own
With my own two hands

I can make peace on earth
With my own two hands
I can clean up the earth
With my own two hands
I can reach out to you
With my own two hands
With my own
With my own two hands

I'm going to make it a brighter place
With my own two hands
I'm going to make it a safer place
With my own two hands
I'm going to help the human race
With my own two hands
With my own
With my own two hands

I can hold you
With my own two hands
I can comfort you
With my own two hands
But you've got to use
Use your own two hands
Use your own
Use your own two hands
With our own
With our own two hands

With my own
With my own two hands

Fireman Sam

Samuel loves firemen and anything to do with firemen. Including but not limited to firetrucks, axes (which he calls hammers), firemen, hats, boot, coats, sirens, the firehouse, and firefighter Penny!

A couple of weeks ago he got to go with Beth and Craig, Matia and Aaron and Roxy to the Children's Museum. Who remembered that they had a firetruck with real firemen costumes to dress up in. He was on cloud 9!

So this years Halloween costume...you guessed it. A fireman. We have the boots and are waiting on the coat and hat! Yeah!