12 Monts Stats...a little bit late!

Ok.....so I am officially conquering my "to do" list and getting Sam's 12 month stats out to whomever really cares. Sam is now over 13 months old- still crawling, walking around furniture, only sporting two teeth, and working hard to ditch the bottle. He is so fun now and our family could live on the joy in his laughter forever!



1 Year Stats

Weight- 20 lbs. 3 oz. 11th percentile
Height- 28.3 inches 6th percentile
Head- 18. 7 inches 72nd percentile


In summary, still small in weight, short in height
and now has a head circumference
that exceeds his total body length of 18 inches at birth.

Keep growing...little man!

Spring Time Finery

For all of you who wait in anticipation for new photos of the kids or funny stories from our home, I am sorry for being a little M.I.A. lately. With the warmer weather we are spending more time outdoors (and less time in our basement where our computer sits) so I am behind in many photo downloading/titling/sorting tasks.

I have been remiss in posting Sam's 12 month stats... a post that I may type up this weekend now that he is 13 months old. I use the word "may" as to not disappoint anyone who is dying to know how much he has grown in the past couple of months.
I am sure there are many of you out there. ; )

Our home has been hit hard, mainly me with a devastating cold...one that put a huge damper on my spring break. But I guess I can not complain as I am lucky enough to have a profession that has a spring break in the first place.

Ok, enough babble...to fill you in since the last post about the minivan I celebrated my 34th b-day multiple times with family and friends, Sam is pulling up more and walking around furniture though he is not letting go just yet, the cold virus hit our home, and we spent a wonderful Easter weekend on the north shore with Mike's family
(a separate post with photos to come some day.....).

The weekend before Easter (Palm Sunday to be exact) the kids were dressed in their finest for church and a wonderful brunch with my family afterward.

So of course I have to share some photos of the kids looking prim, proper
and oh so cute!

Natalie and Amelia

Natalie and Amelia

Amelia


Natalie


Natalie and Amelia


and of course....little Sam!

Brand-Spankin'-New-Vowed-I-Never-Was-Getting-One-Wordless Wednesday!

1 Year Photo Shoot

Ok....I am not one of those with it kind of Moms that has been able to get milestone photos of the kids taken by a professional. You know the newborn, three month, six month, nine month, etc... I have friends who surpass me in organization (I know hard to believe, right?) and get the perfect outfits picked out and the photo shoot scheduled on the right days and at the right times when their kids are content, clean and happy to cooperate. Me...well I just try to remember to get photo taken "around" the momentous date. With either myself or Mike behind the camera we strive to get whomever just to look and smile. Clean is a must or why bother. In a cute outfit is a bonus. And happy well that we just hope for...for one shot that we can call good.

Enjoy the following shots from Sam's 1 year photo shoot.
I think they capture our little guy pretty well.

Now, I think I am off the hook for milestone shots
for at least another 6 months. Thank Goodness!
It takes quite a lot of energy to keep a very
mobile little boy in one place for very long. : )

Wordless Wednesday

One

Happy Birthday to You!

Happy Birthday to You!
Happy Birthday, Dear Sammy
Happy Birthday to You!


Samuel Johnston-

You did it big boy! You are now One!
You light up our family.
Your smiles, your giggles can turn any bad day
into one of laughter
Your sisters are so in love with you.
We see this in how they play with you, help you
and teach you about the world.
You are passionate about everything...
your cars, your balls, your food and your fun!
You are a Mama's boy and I hope that never changes.
Daddy loves having a partner in crime
and playing like boys with you.

You amaze us
You love us unconditionally.
You complete our family.

Happy Birthday Sam!
You have come a long way in a year.
It will be so fun to see what the next year brings.

We love you!

Mama, Daddy, Natalie and Amelia


March 2009


March 2010

One the Eve of...

As stupid as it may sound I just turned to Mike and said..."I am having a really hard time writing this post." I have a glass of wine beside me and all our kids (for the time being) are sleeping snuggled in their beds. It's not that I have to search for words to write about our little Sam that makes this so difficult...it's that my baby...well...tomorrow he will be one year old. When it comes to my kids I do not see myself as the sentimental/nostalgic type...but Sam...he is my last babe. Don't get me wrong three kids is enough for us and I don't need or want anymore. It is just that my baby, my wingman, my VERY difficult infant boy is now maybe not a baby anymore. And honestly I am sad about that.

It is ironic that I feel the way I do considering the many trials Sam put us through especially in the first 6 months of his life. A sleeper he was not. A quiet, calm, happy baby...not even close. For those of you who can remember those days I know you are nodding in agreement. Mike and I desperately wished on many occasions for time to speed up and Sam to grow older. Mike felt that one would be the magical number. I can't even count how many times he stated "arghhh, I can't wait until he is one."

But now...our little Sammy J, Samsters, Sam-Sam, Slugger, Super Sam, Samorama is so much fun. To think of him being a walking toddler (as the next year will sure bring for him) is hard. No worries though I will make it through this. The girls are so excited to celebrate tomorrow and this weekend at his party that I can't help but be excited too.

So there I am...on record..open and honest that I would love to keep Sammy as he is forever (ok..for a little while longer at least). I just hope that I will be able to remember the way he is right now...the way I feel right now...my love for him...as he grows and changes. Feel free to remind me of this post when I bemoan how "I need Sammy to be older so he can..." I will need it, the reminders I mean, because with three kids now under four...well I am lucky to remember my underwear when I walk out the door!

and now I will begin my next mission...his birthday post...