Layman's Terms

All right... this puts it in MY terms!!!! Take note people!!! (Thanks for sharing the picture, Melissa - LOVE it!!!!) Happy Voting!

Surprise!

Last night after we put the boys down, Mama and Daddy called. They wanted to know if it was OK if Daddy flew over and picked Sam up (YES! was my reply before I heard anymore!) to take him to Rome to take my grandmother out for lunch. But wait... it gets better! Then, they're taking him back home and they're going to the farm the weekend! I'll get him back Sunday or Monday!!! (Daddy remembered the deal we made last time: if you take Sam flying, he has to go home with you... he was SO DISTRAUGHT when Pop Pop returned him and flew off without him).

This was divine intervention/perfect timing! Of course, I miss my little boy, and as soon as he woke up I couldn't get enough hugs and kisses... BUT, yesterday had been especially tough!

Let's see... Sam woke up at 6:30 AM, Jake woke up at 7 AM. While we were attempting breakfast and getting ready for the day, I looked over and saw something shiny in Jake's mouth. Ran over to investigate and found my WEDDING RING in his mouth!? WHEW... he can't even eat PUFFS without choking! And how did he get THAT??? I dunno.... If it HAD made it down, I guess I would have been poop-diving for awhile!? That would be super emberracing to have to call the doctor about!!!

We went to a friends house to swim. Sam would not listen to ANYTHING I said. He raked cushions off of the chairs, threw towels into the pool, knocked Jake over in the water (a few times), attempted to put their sand/water table IN the pool, and pretty much anything else I DIDN'T want him to do! I got them home, Jake down (who slept for two hours), Sam fed and down. Stormie barked about an hour and a half into Sam's nap (Jake was already up) and woke him up. He wouldn't go back to sleep.

OK, since we were all up for the afternoon by 2:30 (YIKES!), I decided to go to Publix. They (OK, Sam) love to ride in the race car cart, so I loaded them in. One isle in, Sam had hit, elbowed, attempted to bite, and kicked Jake so many times that I just removed Jake and carried him (he was in sobbing tears at this point). A lady walked by as I was spatting Sam's hand and talking firmly to him and said, "OH MY!" I looked up at her and shot her a look and bit my tongue to not say, "You can be next, Lady! You don't want any of this!" I grabbed a few more items and headed for the checkout. I had picked Sam up a bottle of water at the beginning (b/c he was WHINING about how THIRSTY he was and how he NEEDED WATER!), and by the time I needed to pay for it, the cap was missing (it WAS NOT in Jake's mouth). Cashier guy gave me a funny look and I mustered a smile and apologized! Before I finished paying, Sam had managed to spill the rest of the water all over the cart and the floor. The cashier and the bag girl had to get towels and clean it up (I offered, but they gave me a funny look given the 25 pound baby on my hip). I apologized AGAIN, and muttered something about "I bet we're those people you see coming and you pray we go to the next line, huh?" and hung my head in defeat and ran on out of the store.

From there, Sam just got more and more difficult. Poor Jake spent more time crying than smiling! And Sam would do something to Jake then go put himself in time out!

Needless to say, it was a day. So what a WELCOME surprise when Mama and Daddy offered to take him for a couple of nights! Now Jake can have a couple of peaceful days!!! Even after all of that, I miss the little guy terribly!

I couldn't resist... I walked outside a few minutes ago and saw this. Sam and a couple of kids from the neighborhood apparently did this last night! Sam is obsessed with finding sticks and usually giving them to me. Guess this is where they end up when he has friends over!!!!! I couldn't help but laugh!

Always something!!!

Baby Jail is up, and in full force. Jake must be contained! He is on the move... fast. He went from not moving to full-on crawl across the room in seconds overnight!!! He LOVES being able to follow Sam now... Sam, not as much! ALTHOUGH, Sam likes to play in Baby jail!? Even without Jake!? Whatever, I'll take it while it lasts! Sam IS a little more jealous now that Jake is moving. Jake waves now, and I'll work with him to do it, and Sam will wave and say, "I'm waving!" Awwwwww.... he's so cute!!! When he's in the mood, Jake is like his little puppy dog, and Sam gets him to follow him around!!!


I was about to get Jake out of his crib after a nap. He started crying before I got there, and Sam said, "What's wrong with Jake?" I informed him he was ready to get out of bed, so Sam went in there. I heard him saying, "It's OK Jake. I'm here Jake!"

I was telling someone that Sam was being Captain Destructo. Sam looked at me and said, "No, Mommy. My name is SAM!" He doesn't realize he has multiple names depending on his mood, I guess!!!!


The other day, Sam was playing with his Thomas trains. One ran into the corner (when they do this, their wheels keep going, and it gets on your nerves rather quickly), and Sam left him there. I told him to go get Duncan out of the corner. He said, "I can't. He's in time out." I asked him why and his response was, "Duncan was taking things from Emily." I said ok, and before I knew it ALL of the trains were in the corner (running, mind you). Sam informed me that they were in time out too. I asked what they had done and he said, "They hit Jake." You think he gets put in time out for doing things to Jake or what??? Sometimes, he'll do something to Jake and go put himself in time out! What to do? Think I need a new method of punishment?



I have a hard time punishing Sam sometimes, because Jake has become such a drama king! He hears me raise my voice to Sam to tell him to leave Jake alone, and Jake BURSTS into tears!? Now, if I don't actually see Sam do something, I don't punish him. I ask him why Jake's crying. Usually he'll tell me if he hit him or did something. If he doesn't say, then I know I'll get another opportunity in 2.2 seconds anyway!!!


We went to the Aquarium last weekend. Sam and Jake were dressed alike with matching mohawks! They had a GREAT time. Sam LOVED all the fishies. Especially Nemo and Dory... and Domino... more on Domino later!


Here we are - ready to go... finally!Appropriate face for the mohawk!Here is Domino. The GA Aquarium Whale Shark. Sam couldn't stop talking about him. When I finally got him up there to get his picture, he wouldn't go near him.This is the closest he would get. After we saw EVERYTHING, we asked Sam what his favorite part was. He said, "Domino!" (!?) Really???? He got a stuffed Domino to remember the day. He sleeps with him and goes everywhere with us! When I ask him where Domino is, he'll run around the house asking, "Where is that whale shark?"Sam also knows that whales aren't fish. They're mammals. He informed everyone he saw of that!I was having camera troubles at the beginning. It's a shame because this is a picture of Jane Fonda. BJ's company had rented out a ballroom, and she crashed the party. Apparently, if you're a celebrity, you can just go to any party that doesn't require you to wait in line with 'the commoners.'Sam keeps asking to go back the the "Quaria" (Aquarium), and I tell him it's a long ways away. He'll ask where it is, and I tell him it's in Atlanta - close to where Opa and Ernie (BJ's dad and wife) live. So Sam now says he wants to go visit Opa and Ernie so they can take him to the aquarium! How does he put all of this stuff together???? Yesterday, I told him Daddy was on the way home and he works close to the aquarium (to express how far away it is and that it takes a long time for him to get home). So when BJ came to the door, Sam met him and said, "We need to go back to work, Daddy!" I had to explain to BJ what was going on so he didn't just think Sam wanted to get rid of him!!!!!! I'm glad he loved it though! We had so much fun 'seeing it through his eyes'!!!! We were tired by the end of it though - Sam only wanted ME to carry him (forget that we lugged the big double stroller in - which WAS useful when we weren't in the exhibits - and every bag we owned!), but he weighs the equivalent of FIVE GALLONS OF WATER!!!! He's HEAVY!!!!!! =) I would do it all over again, though! He would have stayed like this all day, I think!Sam and Jake went to Mimi and Pop Pop's while I was at camp. Glad to see they're loving on each other!Jake started crawling THE DAY they came to pick them up! Poor Mimi and Pop Pop! Jake had fun, though!!!!Awww... Sam likes pushing Jake in the stroller!Jake likes it too!Ahhh... ulterior motive! BUT - they're both still having fun!!!Apparently Stormie went looking for treats! Since her bout with pancreatitis, she doesn't really get any. Poor baby... that's all she has left to look forward to these days! That and the kids' nap time!Jake and Sam helped BJ pull his car in. BJ buckled Jake in - it was hysterical!Uh! Oh! I KNEW I drank too much coffee when I was pregnant with him!Jake's reading already!?Here he comes!Still the happiest baby! When he's not teething, anyway!Here he goes...Got it... yep, he's pulling up now - on EVERYTHING!!!!!!

Story Time

Get ready... lots of stories and lots of pictures!!!

• Sam brought me a toy and handed it to me and said, "Mommy, wash my roller." I told him to go put it in the sink and I would be happy to (after he said please of course). He ran to the sink, I heard it hit and he ran back by headed to his playroom. As he was running, he looked over his shoulder at me and said, "Don't forget to wash my roller, Mommy!" and kept on trucking!!!
• I am notorious for singing all the time (sorry for those around me - I can't carry a tune to save my life). Sam wanted some cantaloupe, so I was taking him to the kitchen singing, "It's Cantaloupe Time" to the timeless tune of "Can't Touch This" by MC Hammer. Sam put his fingers in his ears and said, "Stop singing Mommy!" YIKES!!!
• So Sam won't eat eggs... ever. I have tried and tried and tried. SO, one Saturday morning, I asked him if he wanted some eggs, to which he replied, "No, Maam." So I said, "How about some GREEN eggs and Ham.... try them, try them and you may like them I say." He tried them and proceeded to eat three green eggs. Whatever you gotta do!
• Sam is always picking things up and handing them to me to hold them. Why? I don't know... he's a man in training. He handed me his juice cup and I asked him why I had to hold it. He answered, "Because it's too cold for me to hold." Alrighty then!!!
• I was trying to get him to sit still for two seconds so I could take him picture. I said, "Let Mommy take your picture." He replied, "No." I asked why and he said, "Because." WAIT A MINUTE - that's supposed to be MY answer!!!
• Sam can't seem to play by himself very much! It's so cute, though, because he will poke his head out the door and say, "Come play in my playroom Mommy!" and if I don't come right away, he'll poke it back out and say, "I'm in here Mommy!"
• Sam is on this kick of NEEDING things. When he doesn't know exactly what he wants, he'll just say, "Sam needs something." The parental reply has become, "No, you don't. You're fine." The Uncle response turns this request into Gatorade. The Mimi/Pop Pop response turns this request into gummy worms..... etc!!!!!!
• This morning, Sam came over to where I was feeding Jake and said, "I made a mess." I asked where, and he said, "In the chitchen (kitchen)." I looked over and Cheerios were all over the floor (snack cups are wearing out, I suppose). I asked him if he cleaned it up, to which he told me he did not (Shocker). So, I asked him to go clean it up, to which he responded, "STORMIE!!!!" Yep, he got Stormie to come help him with that job!!!
• I was fixing dinner the other night, and I was talking to Sam. Looked down for literally two seconds then back up and Sam was buck naked. How he stripped down that fast is beyond me. It takes a minimum of five minutes to get his pants off when he needs to go potty!!!???
• Not leaving Jake out by any means... he is doing more and more everyday! I have let his crib mattress down already because he is sitting up with ease, and he is starting to pull himself up onto his knees on the crib rails. Not taking any chances with this little guy - we have escaped death thus far, and I intend to ward off anymore brushes BEFORE issues arise!!!!
• Jake turned his own mobile on all by himself... helping his busy mommy out!
• Jake is starting to 'follow' Sam around and 'try' and play with him! Sam doesn't notice too much... yet!!! Jake just laughs and laughs when Sam gives him attention! Until it gets 'violent' at least!!!
• Sam was also teaching Jake how to talk on the phone. He was having a conversation with himself then I would hear him say, "Jake, say 'I miss you.' or ' Nice to meet you.'" It was too funny!

Here are the pictures...

Sam and Jake playing together...

Flashing those pearly whites for the camera.Sam wanting his picture taken too!
Sam found this Santa hat and has yet to take it off!We took the boys to the playground on July 4th... yes, it was HOT!Sam told Pop Pop that he needed to ride his own four wheeler while Sam rode his. SO, they rode side by side! They were so cute. After awhile, Sam got off of his and wanted Pop Pop to take him on the big one!The boys swam in their pool... yes, naked! See Sam back there????? =)
Jake just LOVES the water! He kicks and splashes the WHOLE time!!!
Sam and his daddy!Just Sam... Just Jake...Jake's still playing in the pool. Sam was all over the place - mainly because Jake was splashing so much!

Sam and Jake's first bath together... See Stormie helping? Jake splashed a lot again!!!Here Jake, these are good to chew on...
Here Sam, I usually like to chew on these...No one can make Jake smile QUITE as big as his big brother does!