great weekend

We didn't just sit around listening to all of Sam's jabber to see if other words were coming out, nor did we tease our daughter with toys all weekend to try and get her to walk.
We did other things too!

Chris and Sam put a wagon together that we got last year from Chris's Aunt Barb and Uncle Rich. She will be big enough to ride in it this year so we needed to get it ready (not that we don't still have like four more months of winter or anything!)!
Do you notice the "scruff" on Chris's face? He is growing a beard!!
They then did laps around the family room.
Sam practiced her funny faces.
Sam continued to follow Polly every where. We even had to close the door so Polly could eat by herself. Sam sat at the door and watched her eat!
Sam learned how to open one of the drawers in the kitchen and now has a whole NEW set of toys!
And (saved the best for last!) we practiced PEEKABOO!



Okay, that is a pretty good Sam fix for now.

a step!

What a week Sam is having!
Today she took her first steps all alone. She seemed so proud of herself.
No, they aren't big steps and only one or two at a time but they are definite steps!!
We forced her to show off her new talent later for the camera.
Take a look.

Okay, here is one of the first attempts (Chris developed quite the "teasing" system to get her to really want to move forward!).




Then here are the REAL steps.

HAT!

Yesterday was a big day. Sam said her first (other than dada) word!
We were getting ready to go to Target and I was putting her in her car seat. I had my Bears baseball hat on and she kept reaching for it. I was talking to her and saying things "you want mommie's hat" and "yes that's my hat". All of a sudden like it was nothing she said "at"; there was a very small "h" sound first but mostly the -at part came out! I couldnt' believe it! And then she wouldn't stop saying it, all day we practiced and practiced so that when dada got home she would still be able and willing to say it. And she did! Aunt Jojo even got to hear it over the phone.
She is growing up fast. It is funny because now I hold up pretty much everything and call it by it's name just to see what else she might be able to say!
Her current other tricks include waving (only when SHE really wants to however), kisses (again this is rare but she can do it), clapping (which she does all the time especially when holding food), standing on her own, climbing stairs and her favorite new trick is high fiving! It is really cute when you ask her for a high five because she does it so soft still. I just love it.
Okay, back to work.

HI PAWPAW!!

Today it was a bit cold in our house so I put Sam in one of her biggest, coziest sweatshirts and she looked so cute I had to get some pictures. Just so happens that the sweatshirt is one that Grandma and PawPaw had made for Sam and her cousins.
So, PawPaw these pictures are for you!!

She loves acting like Polly and carry things in her mouth. Yuck.

Sam wanted to get REALLY close to the camera!!
Oh Yeah...She's standing on her own!

Tickle Time!

We love you PawPaw (and Grandma!).

make it STOP!

No I am not talking about the cold, although it would be great if the warmer weather they spoke about would get here already. What I am talking about is the tear-out-my-ears, horrible noise that my daughter has discovered. She has all of three teeth (well, really two and a sliver of a third) and somehow she can GRIND THEM! Oh yes, my daughter grinds her teeth! I cannot stand that noise, Chris does it in his sleep, and now Sam does it at random times during the day.
So, someone PLEASE tell me how I get my daughter of ten months old to stop making a noise that makes me want to throw her across the room.
Don't worry, I won't really do that!!

my snot froze!

I don't think it has ever been this cold since I have moved to this state. Schools are closed today because the actual temperature this morning at 8:00am (even with bright beautiful blue skys) was -18 degrees!! With the wind chill the temperature is -42 degrees!! That is insane. The said on the radio that frost bite will begin on exposed skin within eight to ten minutes! 8 -10 minutes! That is how long it takes to let our dog out or go to the mailbox and get the mail!
Sorry dog, you will just have to hold it.
Sam and I actually left the house this morning because I still needed to go to work but I bundled her up in her full on snow suit and let the car warm up even though it was parked in our partially heated garage!
I parked illegally this morning because my normal street parking is THREE BLOCKS AWAY. Yeah right I am walking that far and crossing the busy street; I mean what if there were traffic and I had to stand there and wait to cross? 8-10 minutes and my nose could be gone!
This is just too damn cold. But they say that we only have about 24 more hours of this and then it will slowly start to warm up...we may even hit 30 by next week...a January thaw they are calling it! HA!

pointless videos

So grandma wanted pictures and while I was taking the pictures I shot some videos too. I didn't really capture much...I was trying to catch her standing on her own but of course that did not happen.
What I did catch is her acting like the dog and carrying a sock in her mouth, her love for her blanket, her fascination with the remote control, and a small tantrum from being told no ending in showing just how quickly she can forget about being mad at me!!

So, pretty silly videos but I thought I would share anyway.