Katelynn Joy
Katelynn and daddy.
Well, shortly after I posted I got a call from Mike at school. He has been feeling horrible all afternoon. It is the same way I started so it looks like he is in for it also.
Samuel also just woke up from his nap screaming and pulling on his ear. He tells me it hurts and that he is still sick. He is walking around the house holding his "t-t" to his ear. At least that gives him a bit of comfort.
Round 3...ding.
Although there has been drastic improvement in the health at the Clark household we are still pretty quarantined around here. Here is the breakdown of the past week...
Theme: natural light
Theme: Landscape
Theme: Close-Up
Theme: Close-Up
All in all, I am eager to use my camera more and more and hopefully get better and better! You can check out my Flickr account here.
7lbs 14oz
Sunday, Samuel's good friend Matia turned 2! It is so hard to believe that it has already been two years since her arrival. We were able to join the party for pizza, presents and cake!
So we knew he was tall, but didn't expect quite that tall. He has hit all his developmental milestones that they want him to at this point. He has started solid foods and is doing everything a typical six month old is doing.
Samuel is doing amazingly well with potty training. He has gone two days without any accidents. We are now working on him telling us when he needs to go instead of us always reminding him and asking constantly. Yesterday, while we were out running around, he stayed dry for over several hours. He even went on big, public toilets without a problem. We keep our fingers crossed that he keeps up the great work. He is such a big boy now!
This past month has been a busy one for us. We spent nearly three weeks in Michigan. There were so many people there that were meeting you for the first time. You were such a joy and traveled so well. You greeted everyone with smiles and enjoyed the holiday season. People are amazed by your patience, your "go with flow" attitude and your ability to adjust to whatever is going on around you. I guess you have only know life with a brother and understand that you have to share your mommy and daddy.
The big change for you this month has been your introduction to "solid" foods. I say that understanding that they food you eat is still very much in a liquid form. While we were at Nana and Papa's house you were introduced to rice cereal. I think you were disappointed that it didn't taste more like pizza but entertained us with all sorts of new faces and disapproving looks. Since we have been home you have been refusing cereal but have willingly tried sweet potatoes. After the first bite you looked at me as if I had just poisoned you (see below). You then began to like them and are eager to eat more and more. Although I am sure you would like to move straight to chicken fingers and french fries I think we will stick with more veggies for now.
You also have been playing with the idea of sitting up. You have become pretty stable on your bottom and are now mastering the ability to reach for a toy and not go crashing to the floor. The world is a whole new place to you from the vantage point of sitting. You often are content just sitting on the floor and watching mommy and daddy as we go about doing and watching Samuel as he races from one thing to the next. Every once in a while you make sure we haven't forgotten about you, trust me, we haven't! Samuel is also excited that you can sit up because to him "he is getting bigger. He plays with my cars"! Samuel is so excited for you to be able to play with him.
You still absolutely adore Samuel. You love to watch him and are always paying attention to where he is or what he is doing. I love to see your face light up when he enters the room or you hear him from across the house. Samuel adores you just as much as you do him. He is constantly wondering where you are, what you are doing and when you will be big enough to play with his cars. He loves singing to you, dancing for you and making you laugh. The two of you have a special relationship that is truly amazing to witness.
So, instead of wishing you little forever, I will just be here with you now. I will be there as you go from babyhood into toddlerhood. I will be there when you learn to crawl, walk and talk. I will wipe away your tears, kiss your bumps and bruises, and hold your hand when the world just seems to scary to go at it alone. I will cherish all the memories we make together and know that this time is precious, but the time to come is too. I love just being your mommy and just being with you. You are such a special gift. Samuel's latest attempt at Happy Birthday on his new drum. Liam is happy to sit and watch Samuel play and every once in awhile will join in with a few taps of his own. **No small children where harmed in the recording of this video.** Also please note that we generally do not allow Samuel to play quite so close to Liam!
Friday we went through all his underwear within a matter of a few hours. Saturday morning was much better and we made it all day until about 7:30 pm before we ran out of underwear (that's 12 pair). By Sunday morning Samuel seemed to understand the hold it part because he was staying dry much more but was not getting the "when I can't hold it I need to go in the potty" part. He would go every once in a while when we took him but we still had wet accidents in between. We did make it all day only using 6 pair of underwear! Progress!
This year for Christmas I made the largest purchase ever for myself. I am now the proud owner of the Cannon Rebel XTi DSLR camera and I LOVE IT! Over the past three years or so I have fallen in love with photography. I have always loved pictures and especially pictures that capture my little dudes so beautifully.
This is the first time in a very long time that I have purchased something for myself simply because it makes me happy. It seems that life with children is so focused on them that I have lost sight of what I enjoy and what I am passionate about. I am ok with putting the boys and their needs first, but I am not ok losing who I am and what I love. So...I bought a camera.
I am amazed how I feel when taking photographs. There is a part of me that comes alive, part of me that I have been missing for too long now. To say the least, it has been so enjoyable. Given, I have no idea what I am really doing or what half of the terminology is or what it means, but I am learning. I have great friends who are helping me out and the Internet along with several manuals are wonderful. I may even take a photography class or two!
So all the pictures from Christmas along with any pictures posted from here on out will be taken with my new obsession, my camera!
Samuel-
Can it be true? Can you really be 2 1/2 years old already? The past six months has been full of new adventures for you. You became a big brother and along with the territory have become a great helper. You began speaking in sentences and have recently graduated to what seems like paragraphs. Your level of independence has sky rocketed and you can now entertain yourself for extended amounts of time. Most days you are a joy to be around. Like me, you have days when staying in bed might have been a better option and nothing seems to go your way. Luckily we have not had our days like that fall within the same 24 hour period. When it does, I am sure your dad and brother will run for their lives.
You are a great big brother to Liam. You love him so much and are always willing to help him in any way you can. You are the only person that can make him go from crying to laughing within a second. The way his face lights up whenever he sees you makes me so proud of the little boy you have become and a bit jealous of your relationship with him. You are so thoughtful and mindful of your brother that you insisted that Santa should bring him a blanket just like yours. You wanted him to have the same security and comfort that you get from your beloved "t-t." I hope you will always look out for him the way that you do now. 
I hadn't really noticed how polite you are until Uncle Mike mentioned it over the holidays. Please and thank-you have become common words out of your mouth. We often use them with you and have in the past asked you to use them with others. You are now doing it without us asking. I love when I hand you your cup of juice in the morning and you are off running yelling "thank-you mommy" over your shoulder. I hope that you are learning that respect for others is so important and that having these manners is one way of showing that. 
Your newest thing this past month has been your repertoire of songs. You love singing and dancing. You have always liked Old McDonald and I Love You but this month, with Christmas just passed, you have enjoyed some holiday favorites. Jingle Bells and Rudolf were some select favorites. You also surprised both your dad and I the other day when you knew the alphabet song. We have sang it to you many times and you have several toys that play it, but I didn't realize that I could sing it to you and stop randomly and you would be able to fill in the next several letters. This has now become a game for you and I. Always making you think!
Your independence has been growing and growing. You are so determined to do things by yourself you will often make dad or I undo something we did just so you can do it by yourself. The most frustrating for us is getting in the car. You often insist on getting in your seat and snapping your own belt. There are times that I forget and set you in your car seat. You quickly let me know that is not ok and will proceed to climb back out of your seat, give me a look of "let me do it" and turn around and climb right back in. Proving the point that you are an independently functioning and very capable 2 1/2 year old.
There are days when I wish the 2 1/2 stage to quickly pass but in all honestly I love watching your independence, determination and personality develop. I know we tell you all the time but you are an amazing little boy who we are madly in love with. You bring so much joy and laughter to our lives each and every day. You make my days worth living and my life worth remembering.
I love you my little (excuse me...big) boy.
Love,
Mommy
Samuel falling into the Christmas tree at Nana's. Yes I grabbed the camera before rescuing him! The picture was worth it!
Samuel loves his new fire truck!
Liam loves his new blanket.
Naps with Uncle Mike are always good.
Samuel and Lauryn. Lauryn is only three months older than Samuel. I am sure they will be great friends when we move back to Michigan.
Kaden and Liam. Kaden is only seven weeks older than Liam. I am sure these two will cause plenty of trouble together!Not only does Michigan mean the holidays with family, it also means snow! Oh did we have fun!
Liam and I watched from inside!
Checking the cookies Christmas morning...they are gone.
Liam chair with his stocking and his new "t-t". He had to have a blue one just like Samuel's (according to Samuel).
Samuel's chair with his stocking and his new fire truck. 
The boys in their Christmas jammies.
Liam attempting to wake up Christmas morning to open his gifts.
Nana and her painting (designed by Samuel of course.)
Me and my favorite two Christmas presents.
Liam getting a bit side tracked with reading his new Clifford book.
