Home of the Rat

Last weekend, we took Sam to Chuck E Cheese to meet some friends who have two kids. While she seemed to enjoy it, Mommy learned that 4pm on Saturday is peak Rat time (the mascot is some kind of rodent). Kids everywhere, and Sam managed to escape a couple of times and disappear from sight, yikes! She liked the slide and a game where you punch a button and win tickets. We ended up giving all of our tickets to some kid, since we didn't feel like waiting around to feed the tickets into the Ticket Eater than standing in line for cheap crap. :-)

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving and hopefully I'll get some of those pictures soon--YES, I left Daddy's backpack at home so we didn't have our own camera!

On Our Way!

And there's gonna be DOGGIES there!

Sammy in Her Jammies

Just a few random shots I took the other night!


Aha, Mommy is taking my picture so I shall make Ugly Face:That's better!
Cookie Monster!
Giving Cookie Monster a kiss. If I tell her to give something a kiss, she just puts it up to her mouth. We were in the grocery store a couple of weeks ago and I told her to kiss her crackers and she did. :-)
Chucking him out of the crib after the kiss:

Story Time

Jokie is enjoying the tale of...um, I'm not sure which book this is, but it appears to star a teddy bear. Chances are good that a rubber duck, a wagon, and a ball, along with a kitty cat and/or doggy make an appearance in this children's classic.

Sam loves books, and that is a good thing!

This page definitely has a teddy bear:
See? A ball!
The teacher and her pupil enjoy a silent moment as the page is turned:
Jokie waits with breathless anticipation as the book comes to its dramatic conclusion:

Toy Party

Last weekend, Sam and I went to a Discovery Toy Party at the home of a woman in my moms' group. I bought some nice things for Sam as well as Hanukah gifts for Lindsey and Stephanie (shhhh don't tell them).

Here is Sam and Matthew playing with a boat. They both loved this thing! There were a couple of incidents that involved crying and screaming but they worked it out. ;-)

Sam and Vimy share a toy. Vimy is an absolute doll--she's a couple of months older than Sam and very smart. She can already count to 20!

Sam's Best Friend

They do love each other, Sam & Jokie! Here Jokie is following her across the room:
Sam is teasing Jokie with a piece of paper--he loves paper and can talk and sing to it for hours.
Sam thinks about offering Jokie a snack:
And decides she'd rather have it instead.
Really, there isn't much difference between bird toys and baby toys!

Spa Samantha

Who needs to pay for pricey spa treatments, when oatmeal scrubs and yogurt masks are so generously provided by Mommy and Daddy?

Sam's Trip to Connecticut Part II

I think this is a giant tongue, which is kind of gross, but Sam seemed to like it!Lindsey calls Japan and runs up the phone bill:
This picture is a keeper! It's my favorite picture so far of Sam, Stephanie, and Lindsey!

Sam's Trip to Connecticut

Last weekend while Mommy was away, Sam went with Daddy to CT to see her aunt, uncle, and cousins. I can only post a five pictures at a time so here's part 1 of 2!

Sam & Lindsey chilling out:

I wish this picture had come out clearer; the two of them trying to share the chair is too cute!

Sam loves the fishies!

Fishing for toys as the handsome older more looks on admiringly:

Trapped in a bubble--might be a handy thing to have at home!

Baby in a Box

We've had baby in a bag, now it's baby in a box! We decided we didn't want to pay for another plane ticket to Minneapolis, so Sam will be arriving sometime next week via UPS Ground (heads up Michelle!).

;-)

All Aboard!

Sam had fun a couple of weekends ago playing on the wooden train at the mall near us. I was terrified she was going to fall off so I hovered a bit too much, but she seemed to have fun. Only 15 years until she starts driving for real!

Turns out we have quite a few pictures to post, including some of Sam & her cousins, so stay tuned!

Talking the Talk

I don't have a new pic today--there are a few from this weekend when Sam went to Connecticut, but they are still on the camera. I flew into LGA yesterday afternoon and was able to pick up Sam earlier than usual so we spent a fun afternoon and evening together.

She now says "apple," "chicken," "Ya-Ya" (which is Mayra), and "agua." Along with "hi" and "bye." As I suspected, she is picking up some words in Spanish and that's probably why she hasn't said too much yet. She yapped the whole way home yesterday but I couldn't understand exactly what she was saying.

It was great seeing everyone this weekend and I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving! Here's hoping Sam is a good girl on the plane!

Nothing New to See Here

Sorry I haven't posted for a couple of days--it's been crazy, we don't really have any new pics, and I'm leaving for Iowa early tomorrow morning. I'll try to snap something tonight and have it up so I don't leave you hanging for the weekend! :-)

Queens County Farm Part III

I will edit this post later with descriptions and a brief story--but right now, we have to go vote!

Sam Goes Trick or Treating

Hmmm my bag is not full enough...


The bag is now open wide enough, gimme candy!


"I'm the cute one!" "No, I'M the cute one!"


Mmmmm more candy--and a doggie!

I was at a birthday dinner, and it turned out there there was trick or treating at the stores--and a parade--by our house. Daddy took her out and said she had a great time, and Daddy had a great time because he got to keep all the candy for himself!