The Wild Vees

Tiling and Mud

2009-05-05T20:43:00.000-07:00

How many Vennard men does it take to tile a bathroom floor? Three! Four, if you could Dad's tools! Jimmy, Dann, and Sampson successfully tiled our bathroom floor over the weekend.

I spent the weekend planting ninja vegetable plants among the decorative grasses. I got permission to plant my veggies in the ground this year instead of in containers on my porch. Sampson helped by collecting the weeds I pulled and well, attempting to sweep the dirt.

Oh, also by walking through the puddles.

Playdates

2009-04-21T20:53:00.001-07:00

Over the weekend we enjoyed a pizza playdate with Sampson's friend Allison. They had not seen each other in almost a year (which was the fault of their parental units!). It took a little warming up, but soon they were fast friends again.

They babbled on together and shared toys. Turns out, they both love to climb the stairs...

...and the television!

The next day, we had another playdate with Birth Center friends at Bellevue Park. It was lovely day and perfect for running ramped on the playground. The first thing we saw was a little Sampson-sized gazeebo filled with Sampson-sized chairs. He was so excited! He tested out a few really neat chairs carved from tree trunks. He really loved them! Any wood workers out there??

I was really impressed by how mobile Sampson is. I thought he would need my help on all the equipment but I could hardly keep up with him to take pictures! I guess he gets a lot of practice since Dad and Mr. Bill both take him to the playground a few times a week. He was cautious at first, tried things out to make sure he could do it. Once he mastered something , he wanted to go again and again and again. He walked across the wobbly bridge at least 10 times.

And of course the slides were hugely popular with Sampson. He climbed the stairs, maneuvered his feet around to the front, and pushed himself down the slide! He mostly went down the little slides, and then he got brave and tried the bigger twisty slide! He was startled the first time, but decided he liked it and went over and over again.

The park has a sandbox with a canoe. Sampson likes to dig holes and move earth! He'll be a great worker in a few years.

Friends!

Visit to Averill Park

2009-03-27T21:17:00.000-07:00

Parks and Pudding

2009-02-12T16:53:00.000-08:00

The weather is getting very nice here in Delaware and we've been spending more time outdoors. Last weekend, we took a family outing to the park. Sampson ran around like a wild man, practicing his jumping and climbing skills.

We held him up to the monkey bars but he did not quite get the idea of holding himself up.

His favorite is the swing! He finds every swing back and forth thrilling. He's all smiles the entire time and aren't those cheeks just irresistible?!

Jimmy is the pusher. He gets into it.

Today, we make pudding! Jimmy likes something sweet at the end of his lunch, so Sampson and I decided to make him a chocolatey treat. He likes to see all that is going on, so I let him pull up the step stool and help me. First I gave him his own bowl and spoon so he could pretend, but he is wise to this game and prefers the real deal. I let him lick the spatula and beaters. As you can see, he enjoyed it.

Disgruntled Aunt Laura

2009-01-03T21:28:00.000-08:00

I've recently gotten some comments from one very dissatisfied Aunt Laura! I've been very busy, blah blah blah, I know you don't want to hear about me! You're just here for the kid! Sampson does lead a very exciting life! So here it is... the return of the Wild Vees! Here is a bit of what Sampson is up to:

He is very mobile! He runs around and climbs up on the couch and is attempting to jump (a very difficult skill!). His favorite activities include spinning around on his orange carpet circles until he is dizzy, and climbing up on small steps he can jump off of. I bought this box of paper and it suited him just fine. He literally stepped up and jumped off this little box for an hour!

Sampson has a mouthful of chompers! The process was drooly and unpleasant (thank heavens for teething tablets!) but now he is eating more table foods. Here is a picture of him learning to feed himself back in September.
Now he is learning to use a fork! He received a set of matching plates, bowls, cups, and flatware for Christmas. He enjoys picking out the color for the day and sitting in the chair until he consumes every last morsel. His favorite meals are Annie's Shells and Cheddar, pasta with sauce (elbows or spaghetti), cheese and crackers, and beans with rice. He is meticulous and must get every... last... morsel before moving onto the next.

He loves cleaning! He must get that from his Oma who would vacuum everyday if she could. Now that we're on a regular routine, he has his favorite activities... like sweeping the tile. He also has a fantastic vacuum, complete with dust buster. When something spills, he runs for his vacuum and starts making a vacuum noise. It's really the cutest thing ever.

His good friend Carrie painted this beautiful table and chair set for his activity corner! He turns on the CD player (the Sugar Beats), adjusts the volume, and climbs into the chair to color. He watches Playhouse Disney in the morning (in preparation for our pending vacation this summer!) and the Little Einsteins are his fave. I print out coloring sheets from Disney.com and he colors pictures of Rocket, June, and Quincy.

The boy loves electronics. He knows exactly who carries what and where they keep it. He knows that Jimmy carries his cell phone right in his hand, so he just reaches up for it when he walks through the door. Grandpa's Blackberry his far more exciting though, and he keeps it on his belt in a case. He pulls him down to reach it. Carrie keeps her phone and keys and sometimes her camera in her bag, so that's what Sampson goes for when she arrives. I keep my little celly on our charger station at the head of our bed, so he likes to climb up there and get it. He sometimes has trouble opening the phones so we taught him the sign for "open." Alternatively, he was throwing them down on the ground until it popped open. A clever method, but not great for poor celly!

We sometimes take outings to the park when it is not too cold out. Sampson loves to run around. He can jump and gallop and has become a bit of a risk taker by jumping off high things like steps. He likes to climb the spiral stairs at the playground and can go down the little slide by himself now. He likes the rocket on the giant coil, but his favorite are the swings.

Happy birthday Aunt Laura!

Happy Birthday Sampson

2008-08-25T21:06:00.000-07:00

I can hardly believe it myself, but Sampson James turned a year old today. Just one year ago, at 11:08am, they pulled him out and he won our hearts. We threw a big party for him on Sunday with lots of friends, family, and Korean food. The family photographer, DZ, took tons of pics and they will be ready soon. Let's just say the party involved a beautiful hanbok, a shopping cart, an apple cake, and Jimmy's face. Oh yeah, it was THAT good.
To celebrate the real day and time, Jimmy took the day off and we headed to the beach! We were married on this beach, and we visit every New Years Day to run into the freezing ocean (There's also a poop story here... ask if you really want to know). On Monday, the ocean was a heck of a lot warmer than the last time I was in it!
So we woke up early to drive down, and Sampson took a a nice nap in the car. When he woke up, he was ready for fun (see mischievous grin above!). We got to the beach around 10 and set up camp with a blanket, two chairs, and an umbrella. We lathered up with sunscreen, plunked Sampson down in the sand and he took up his first fistful.

He liked the sand and fortunately did not attempt to take mouthfuls. He was very interested in the whole situation and found lots of things to explore. For instance, the beach chair made a fantastic jungle-gym. It was low enough to the ground that he could climb all over it and we didn't worry about him falling. He also liked to check out the umbrella to make sure it was good and sturdy (pat pat pat).

Then we took him down to the water for his very first oceanic experience. He took swimming lessons with Jimmy over the summer and spent lots of time in Nana Jo and Papa's pool so we know he likes the water. But Sampson LOVED the ocean! He thought the waves coming in were very exciting and the cold water on his feet make him smile and dance. Jimmy held on really tight to his little hands so as not to lose him to the undertow. He kept asking, "Does he like it? Is he smiling?" And he was...

Jimmy had a great time playing hooky with us! He and Sampson played in the sand for quite some time. They told jokes,

built structures,

and tore them down.

Then we dug the obligatory large hole in the sand. Being the climber he is, Sampson kept climbing down into it! At least he know enough to go feet first. We decided it would be bad parenting to bury him in the sand just yet.

So we buried Jimmy instead! Sampson thought this was fascinating and hilarious.

We spent some time just playing in the shade. He had a molar coming in so he often gnaws on his finger. We think it makes me him look contemplative. I decided to join him.

My dashing husband is half Scottish so obviously sported his kilt (towel) at the beach.

At one year Sampson is standing on his own like it's no big deal. He's taking steps by himself and finds it thrilling to traipse across the room from one person to another. He says "Dad" and shakes his head no when he doesn't want something (like to go to bed). He waves hello and goodbye, claps his hands, and likes peek around corners. His most favorite trick is showing us his tongue, ears, and hair. We're working on learning where our belly is. He loves yogurt, spaghetti, and egg, and he does the sign for milk. He loves pushing buttons, putting clothes in the dryer, and closing the door to the dishwasher. Recently, he becoming more communicative and is pointing to things he wants to see or touch... like the camera.

Finally, our tired little boy fell asleep in no time on the way home. Doesn't he just look like a boy who had an adventurous summer day?
We are overjoyed to have Sampson in our life. He is exactly the little boy we'd hoped for! The last year has been the hardest and most rewarding year of my life. I wouldn't change a thing. Happy birthday little one. We love you.

Dance!

2008-08-23T20:04:00.000-07:00

Sampson and I went to Utah! Utah?! Yes, Utah! I attended a conference for Dance and the Child International (daCi) when I performed with a group of dancers from three states, and helped run some of the classes. I cannot speak highly enough of this program and if you are at all interested in dance, please check it out! I met some fantastic dancers from Utah and Texas and we all came together for a piece called "Human Kind" about outer and inner landscapes. I know, it sounds like we all sat around a campfire and sang Kum Ba Ya... alright so we did that once! We worked for months before in our respective states and then had only three intense rehearsals before our performance. We had custom make costumes which looked so beautiful on stage. Of course, we had doubts about squeezing ourselves into unitards (who invented those anyway?!), but when we all stood together and the colors spanned the entire spectrum, we had to admit they looked great. Here are some of the photos I took to make biographies for a display:

Aaron

Shantal

Jeneca

Trevor

Kelli and Trevor

Nana Jo and Aunt Laura came out too so Sampson would have buddies while Oma was at the conference. They did a fantastic job navigating around Provo, UT and kept Sampson occupied at parks, museums, and the swimming pool. BYU campus is so beautiful and everyone out there was so genuinely kind. And I got a really adorable tote bag for just $4.

James, James, James, and Sampson James

2008-08-17T19:07:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's true, Sampson could have been James Vennard V! We kept James as his middle name to keep the family name. Isn't it funny how we take to our own name? I can't imagine him as anything other than a Sampson (aka Spam, Sam-a-lot, Sampsonian, Sampsonite, Sam-a-lama-ding-dong).
Our summer is winding down and we are done with our summer adventures. We have the next two weeks to relax and attempt to get on some sort of schedule. Unfortunately, somewhere in our galivanting, we lost our camera battery charger so I can't load our photos onto the computer! Remember when we used to use FILM?! Anyway, these photos are from a few months ago when we were visiting Smyrna. Sampson loves animals and thinks dogs are hilarious. He's a bit nervous when we first arrive and Kimba and Kelsey (their two Chesapeake Bay Retrievers) bark wildly, but he warms up to them as they pad around and let him rub their fur. Mom V captured this beautiful photo of Sampson studying Kelsey in the window and a couple of family shots.

Sampson is almost a year old! Stay tuned for his stats and milestones!

Gallivanting

2008-08-03T19:16:00.000-07:00

We Vees have had quite a summer gallivanting all over the country! I do apologize, dear readers, for not sharing it sooner. I will do my best not to miss anything as I recount our tale.
To kick off our summer, we attended two beautiful wedding. Congrats to Dann and Danielle (the newest Vee!) and Brett and Rick. They have earned their own posts since we have many pictures from each.
We then had two lovely guests who arrived on bad-ass bikes. Scott and Brendan were knee-deep into their Great Road Trip across the country with no plans to return. They had a great time crawling around with Sampson and showing him their fancy equipment. Scott put together a legendary playlist which we are still listening to. They showed him their bikes and took him out for spin around the parking lot... just joking! Sampson did not go for a ride, but he did like all the buttons. AND while they were here, we had a hail storm! It came down for several minutes, about the size of lima beans. Don't worry, the bikes were OK!

We spent our week-long vacation in upstate New York at the Powers Resort. It was hot and sunny during the day and cool at night... the perfect sleeping weather I remember. Sampson loves Nana Jo and Papa's house now that he is mobile because there is so much to explore! He likes to crawl up all 14 stairs (with supervision, of course), clear the magazines and coasters from the coffee table, and press buttons and turn the dials on the stereo. He spent most of his days crawling around in a diaper in true summer-baby fashion. Look at these biceps...

Nana Jo has quite a collection of pool accessories for little Sampson. Having taken almost two months of swimming lessons, Sampson is obviously a seasoned pro. You should see his butterfly stroke. When not practicing his free style, he likes to float around in this little floaty.

The big pool was rather chilly as a result of the cool nights so Sampson spent most of his time (with Jimmy) in his small pool. He and Nana Jo went out every morning to blow up this little pool and fill it with water. They left it out in the sun all morning so it was nice and warm for their afternoon plunge.

I have a few other posts in the works. One for each wedding, Sampson went to Camp MuJiGae this summer, SLDS Summer Dance Intensive, Good Shepherd Creative Movement Camp, and of course tons of pictures of our almost-one-year-old baby boy. Next week, Sampson and I are going to Utah for a dance education conference. So if Jimmy sends out an evite for a huge party, you'll know why!

Coming Soon....

2008-07-29T20:34:00.000-07:00

Adventures of Ariel

2008-06-18T19:37:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was "The Adventures of Ariel" show for my studio! Both students and teachers worked very hard during tech week and the show was a wild success! Sampson was a real trooper as he was strapped to my back for the first two hours of rehearsal and then went home with Dad or stayed with Auntie Colleen (thanks Auntie Colleen!). He was ready to swing in if any of the cast members were injured. I ran around back stage, fixing hair and getting my students ready to perform. Here I am with my clipboard of organization and my favorite pen.

They made me a delightful teeshirt, with a beautiful collaged Ariel icon (Melissa does art) and a personalized title on the back. I heard that the girls were up until all hours of the night working on these and their work certainly paid off. Not only am I impressed that they spelled "Captain" correctly, I found it very touching that they gave me something to remember the show by. Thanks girls! Love it!

I am so very proud of my students! It was so rewarding to see my little ones doing their routine in their pretty costumes. They really enjoyed themselves up there! Thanks to my assistants, Miss Jessica and Miss Lindsey who went up there and danced with them. Here is my Kinder A class who danced to "The Octopus's Garden" (original Beatles version of course).

Jessica and Sherrie played Flotsam and Jetsam and I made their costumes to complete their looks as Fosse eels. Way to go with the awkward walks and hip circles girls!

We had a fantastic cast of parent dancers during "Under the Sea." They were sharks, complete with sharp teeth and maracas. At the end, they busted out the Old Bay and Tabasco sauce and attacked Sebastian! (He escaped, completely unscathed.)

Mr. Jon was a marvelous Prince Eric (all the ladies agreed!) and the this is Friday night's cast of characters with Sarah as Ariel, Ellen as Ursula, Melissa as Mother Ocean (King Triton's wife... which makes her Ariel's mother...), and Nicole as Flounder. This photo is fondly referred to as the "Albert Einstein and Amelia Erhart" picture because of the costumes. The burlap sack is for when Ariel first turns into a human, before she goes shopping.
All of the students have grown so much since I first met them. I can't wait to get started on next year!

Molly's Birthday

2008-06-03T21:06:00.000-07:00

Our good friends the Kellers came over for dinner so Don and I could celebrate our birthdays which are a day apart... in December. So we're a little late, but we've been saying we'd get together for, oh, about six months now. We finally got it together and had a wonderful meal. This week also happened to be Molly's first birthday so we visited their house this morning for a little party. Happy birthday Molly!

Molly had a couple of her closest friends over to help her celebrate. Sampson enjoyed meeting some new friends and playing with another baby close to his age. These are our new friends Riley and Mady.

There was lots to do at Sampson's first birthday party. We played with play-dough with cookie cutters and textured rollers. He really liked the squishiness of the dough in his fingers and toes.

It was also delicious! (Don't worry, it was home-made and eatable!)

The older kids enjoyed a kiddie pool, complete with a slide. The little ones stood at a little water table and played together. Besides the bathtub, this was Sampson's first experience with a body of water. He seemed to like it, even though it was chilly! Molly taught him a skill she apparently picked up from her big brother, Joshua... how to make big splashes by slapping the water. He also really liked playing with the little sailboats (probably because he knows how much Papa likes them), but he did not figure out that they would float in the water. Buoyancy will be another lesson...

He play so long in that little pool that his fingers got pruny for the first time. This is, in fact, one of his Oma's biggest pet peeves, but Sampson did not seem to mind.

Instead of a cake, we had beautiful butterfly cupcakes with sparkly sprinkles. Joshua was there to help her blow out her first birthday candles. Sampson looked very interested in the bright little cakes, but settled for a piece of his first cookie. She opened her presents and played with her new musical instruments and push-cart. I think the little birthday princess had a great day.

It won't be long before our Sampson turns a year old! In Korean culture, the first birthday is a huge celebration with lots of food and a beautiful outfit. His birthday is on a Monday this year, so we're planning to have a big picnic the Sunday before at Lums Pond. Keep your calendars open!

I will not slack on my blog... I will not slack on my blog... I will not...

2008-05-27T19:25:00.000-07:00

Phew! I'm very sorry, dear readers, I have been neglecting the blog! We have been very busy and wild Vees in the last few weeks... and things are not about to slow down! The weekend after Mother's Day, Nana Jo and Aunt Laura visited us and we had a wonderful time. Last weekend was Dann and Danielle's wedding so we spent the last two weeks preparing for that. We found that events are more difficult to capture now that we have Sampson because one of us has to be with him, and the other is getting the food or running an errand. We must rely on others to take pictures of us. I am still gathering photos from various events to blog about. For now, here are some fun photos of Sam's antics... Samtics if you will.

Aunt Janice always picks out the best toys for Sampson. She loves animals, and apparently, he does too. This little set was a Christmas gift and Sampson is really into it right now. It has a polar bear that roars when you hit its head, an icicle, and a small puffin that squeaks as he bounces (PS icicle is a strange word to spell). He especially loves the little puffin and hardly lets it go these days. Tonight, he fell asleep with it in his hand. I am really impressed by how coordinated Sampson is becoming. He fiddled with this little ice cave until he opened both doors and emptied its contents. We call it reverse engineering.

I can't believe how tall he's getting! Here he is taking a nap on a hot Delaware afternoon.

Pound of dirt before you die? Sampson has a head start on his. This weekend, Jimmy was cleaning the porch and Sampson was exploring. He likes the pull himself up on the planter and play with the lettuce. I heard Jimmy exclaim, "Oh Sampson, no!" and ran out to find a dirty-mouthed little baby. He was actually chewing on something.

The scene of the crime.

And here is Sampson with a diaper on his head.

Mother's Day

2008-05-14T10:29:00.000-07:00

Sampson's chompers are coming in in full force! His two bottom teeth are in almost all the way, and two top teeth are coming in now too. He has bit his lip once and didn't really like the taste of blood! He also sometimes grinds them together which really creeps me out. So far, I've been lucky and he understands not to bite me when he's nursing. Despite the pain of teething, Sampson has been very jovial lately. He's happy now that he can follow us around the house and peek around corners. We've been going to for walks and playing in the grass now that the weather is warm. He uses everything he can find to pull himself up. He even goes from a crawling position to a push-up position with his butt way up in the air. I'm certain that one of these times, he's just going to stand right up. But my favorite thing he does is scrunch up his nose, just like I do. Here are some close-ups of the cheeks with teeth.

It was my very first Mother's Day! Thank you to all who sent me warm wishes. Jimmy and Sampson surprised me with some beautiful white roses.

Some of my students gave me Mother's Day cards. I thought I would share their charm and good grammar. In the middle of the photo shoot, Sampson decided he wanted to be the center of attention. And then he saw his spatula and took off.

SEEKING: LONGER BATH ROBE
Sampson was in the shower and I asked him to bring me one of Sampson's towels. He could not find one, so he grabbed a bathrobe that was hanging in the closet. Unfortunately, one size does not fit all! I put it on him and could not stop laughing! Look at those cheeks! (Sorry Sammy... I know you will see this many years from now and be embarrassed that all of cyberland saw your deriere!)

Ballet

2008-05-12T06:51:00.000-07:00

This is a good example of why I love ballet. This is the lovely Polina Semionova and she is an artist. I could watch this over and over again. I found this on my cousin Meg's studio in Framingham, MA called The Ballet Space.

Pulling Up

2008-05-07T06:59:00.000-07:00

Here he is in all his standing up glory.

The Couch
Testing its stability
Reach first...
Are you getting this?
I can see the top...
the hardest part...
Roar! Almost there!

Yes.. victory!
See? It was nothing.
Just this morning he took a few steps to the side. He's cruising along very nicely. It won't be long before he's running cross country with his Dad (while his Oma reads in the shade!).

May Days

2008-05-04T19:14:00.000-07:00

It's soccer season here in Delaware and Jimmy is joining his work league. Sampson and I picked out some sweet socks for him. Sampson tried them on, grabbed the skin guards, and kicked the ball around a bit. All those other soccer-playing babies better watch out for his slide tackle.

Sampson is fully mobile! If he sees something desirable from across the room, he makes a bee line for it. He also knows enough to follow me around the house as I dart into the kitchen to check on dinner. He is very proud of himself when he crawls around the corner to find me. Here he is crawling around in his favorite Guns N' Roses onesie.

While he is very good at getting around, he is not quite coordinated enough to get himself out of the little predicaments he gets himself into. He's getting quite good at pulling himself up on things... the couch, Jimmy's leg, the wipes box, pretty much anything higher than the floor. He thinks he can let go and shake his rump, and it's a good thing there's so much padding back there. He also likes to play with doors by opening and closing them over and over again. The problem is when he crawls into the bathroom and closes himself in, and then sits right in front of the door. He likes to crawl under things and look up at them. This is Sampson under the bench.

This is Sampson stuck under the bench.

In other exciting news, I got a new job! It starts this summer and goes at least through the next school year. It is with the ArtsBridge America program and I'll be teaching dance in the public school system. I'll research and theme this summer and compose a piece to perform at the nation conference in August. Then, I will work with middle school students and teach them about basic modern dance, researching a topic, creating a movement vocabulary, and composing a piece. It's the job of my dreams! And don't worry, I'll continue teaching at Stage Lights in the evenings. I interviewed last week and Grandma and Gramps came up to watch Sampson while I was gone. Turns out, though no surprise, that Grandma knew the woman I was about to interview with! It was a great way to break the ice! It was really fun to get dressed up in "work" clothes and carry important papers again. And when I returned, I found Sampson sound asleep in Gramps' arms.

Hiking and Crawling

2008-04-25T19:04:00.000-07:00

What a week! We spent last weekend in Washington, DC with Nouno. We went to our favorite Thai restaurant on Friday night (mmm... drunken noodles) and watched the entire third season of The Office (Schrute bucks!). On Saturday, we planned to attend the Green Apple Festival on the mall, but realized it actually took place on Sunday. Instead, we went to Eastern Market to get fresh ingredients for our Crockpot Dinner Spectacular, had a picnic lunch in a random park, and went hiking at Great Falls National Park.
Eastern Market was an SK dream come true because it was in a charming area with rows of fresh produce and flowers, a flea market, and a bunch of butchers. We gathered everything we needed for a pot roast, some really beautiful red potatoes, and asparagus. We also found a nice loaf of crusty bread. There was a lady selling lilacs by the bunch, but we were convinced she swiped them off the bush we passed on the way out!
We had a nice little lunch of sandwiches and salads while Sampson played in the grass. And after, we lathered up with sunscreen, packed our sun hats, and loaded Sampson up in the backpack. It was the first time we used it and he seemed to like it back there. The park was beautiful, but I was admittedly dressed inappropriately (though very stylishly). I thought we would be at a festival, not hiking up and down rocks! I was wearing a khaki skirt and flipflops and my ankles just could not stand up to walking the several miles to the actual Falls. So we settled for looking at the muddy river instead, and went home to eat.

Gilligan and the Skipper

Men in Hats

New Ride

And in other news, Sampson is crawling!!!!! He's been up on all fours for a while now, and scooting backwards for two weeks now. Last Thursday, he took three little crawls a couple times throughout the day, and Friday he started moving consistently. Now, he's on the the move and very proud of himself! We have quickly become acquainted with the idea of what is a "choking hazard" and "falling hazard." Now, he looks around to see what interests him, and goes for the gold. Gone are the days of leaving him in the middle of the living room so I could run to the bathroom. He doesn't even like the Jumperoo anymore because he can't move forward in it. My favorite is when I am in the kitchen and he is crawling around at one end and hides himself behind the wall so he can peek at me around the corner. I just can't get enough!

Sampson's Girls

2008-04-20T19:18:00.000-07:00

Sampson has so many pretty ladies in his life and thus he has quickly learned the art of flirting. He often comes to the dance studio with me where his best buddy Thalia watches him until Dad picks him up. He watches the Artsmart girls do art projects and work on their homework. Then the dance students come in and make funny faces to get him to smile. They love passing him around but are always very polite and ask me first. When Mama Thalia isn't available (she calls him her baby Buddha) he comes into the studio with me while I teach or observe. He likes watching them dance around and he can't get enough of the huge mirror. He bops up and down to the music and sometimes sings a little. Here are some pictures of the Sampson James Fan Club for Emeralds...

Nicole B

Joy

Skylar

Kendra

Nicole D

Yes, yes, he also has some friends his own age. Every Thursday, we go to a Moms' Group at The Birth Center where we thought Sampson would enter the world! Having all chose TBC, we all have similar views on parenting and love sharing new info and products. It's really fantastic to chat with Moms who have similar challenges and milestones. It's really fantastic to chat with Moms who have similar challenges and milestones. I can't speak highly enough of having this support network as a new mother. The group consists of around 8 babies and Mamas... and only two of them are boys! Sam and Sam to be exact (Samuel and Sampson)! The rest of the group is a gaggle of lovely ladies...

G is for Green

2008-04-17T20:19:00.000-07:00

With the 38th Earth Day less than a weeks away (April 22), it seems everyone is focusing in on our Mother Earth. The month of April is the perfect time to remember the beauty of our planet since the weather allows us to stretch our legs and enjoy the outdoors. Being green has always been important to me and I attribute this to my father. He would pile the three of us into the Radio Flyer and take us around Hill Crest Circle to pick up trash on our street. It didn't matter how small the piece was, we picked it up and put it in its place (and just for the record, I was always hoping to catch a glimpse of our very handsome- and twice my age- neighbor).
Likewise, I think the idea of sustainable living was romanticized for me by the Laura Ingalls Wilder series. I read all her books over and over again when I was little... I especially liked On the Banks of Plum Creek. I will never forget Laura's description of playing in the cool creek and eating the juicy plums or her Pa working hard in the field so they could ground meal for bread. Pa's spirit of pushing west to find their perfect piece of land so they could lay down their roots was so fantastic. It made me want to pioneer out to find my own perfect place to cultivate and care for.
So here I am in Newark, Delaware and attempting to settle on a borrowed plot of earth. Though not an "Outdoors Girl" per se, I do love nature and (if the weather is at least not freezing) very much enjoy being outside. Now that it is warmer, Sampson and I go exploring everyday. He likes to touch the shrubs and the grass, and he thinks the ducks are funny. I worry that in 25 years, when Sampson has a child, will it even be safe for them to go outdoors? Will people be so full of chemicals from processed food that the average life span becomes 15 years shorter? Will the environment still be able to support ecosystems so that animals can remain in the wild? What can I do, and encourage others to do, to preserve and protect Mother Earth? (and Mother Ocean!:)
Earth Day is the perfect time to set yourself up for improvement. Being greener can be as easy as turning on the light with energy efficient bulbs... or buying cold water laundry detergent... or using non-toxic cleaning supplies to do things you already do. With so much attention on the green and organic phenomenon, even the big box stores are giving shout-outs to Mother Earth. Wal-Mart is expanding their organic food options and addressing sustainability as a campaign for Earth month. Grocery stores are stocking organic generic products. New washing machines use almost 70% less water than old ones and much less soap as well. Cleaning out dryer vents maintains efficiency and dries clothes quicker (using less energy). Check out my favorite blog Green As A Thistle for 365 more ideas! This friendly Canadian spent an entire year making her lifestyle greener.
As for us? We're subscribing to Door to Door Organics which delivers locally grown produce (when in season) right to our door step. Deliveries can be make weekly, biweekly, or monthly. Our location will become a co-op in that other people are having their produce delivered to our house as well. It's very reasonably priced! If you're interested in joining, let me know!
We're also making a concerted effort to turn off (and unplug) as many appliances as possible when not in use (including this laptop!). AND, we have a new plant for our house (thanks Nouno) which will improve our air quality in the house. When we get our new house, we are looking forward to recycling (paper, plastic, and glass) and composting which should drastically reduce our disposable waste. I can't wait to plant fruit trees and a garden... and eventually, adopt a few chickens! (for eggs, not... chicken.)
Yes, we can all stand to be a bit greener and we can probably all do something today that will increase our verdigris. After all, we want to leave a beautiful place for Sampson's children (my grandchildren!) to grow up in.

Riiiiiice!

2008-04-15T20:49:00.000-07:00

Here is a super fun vocabulary game that benefits many. Who wouldn't want 1,000 grains of rice?!
Play everyday!

Free Rice

Blue Jeans

2008-04-10T20:20:00.000-07:00

The weather here in Delaware has taken a turn for the better! The last few days were down-right balmy. Sampson is enjoying the outdoors and his eczema is clearing up well now. Here are some pictures of him playing on the patio.

Like most babies, Sampson loves to be naked. No pants mean less restriction in grabbing his toes. He was quite happy to be out there with no shirt but I was afraid his knees would get scraped sans jeans. Sampson is thinking about a career in modeling for Calvin Klein...

...or maybe he'll just play with the grass.

A Few of Sam's Favorite Things

2008-04-04T20:21:00.000-07:00

Jimmy and I always joke that Sampson is going to grow up thinking that every song is written about him. One of our favorite hobbies is singing songs to Sampson and changing the words... especially Beatles songs. Some of our faves are "Sampson in the sky with diamonds," "strawberry fields for Sampson," and "Hey Sam" (instead of Jude). So yes, Sam does like brown paper packages tied up with strings. It's one of his favorite things. Here are some others...

In the last few weeks, Sampson has become much more aware of his physical abilities. He is fully mobile... in a backward direction! He is very dexterous and is skilled at both pushing buttons and bringing food to his mouth. When he take naps together, he often wakes me by poking at my face until I open my eyes. Nothing is better than opening my eyes to a smiley Sampson. Last week, I looked up from the computer and had figured out how to grab the sleeve of his shirt and yank his arm out. He thought this was endlessly amusing. Apparently, undressing himself has become a form of entertainment. I'll be impressed when he can unsnap his own onesies!

Sampson loves loves loves playing with boxes. On our monthly trip to BJ's, we give Sampson the boxes to play with while we put the groceries away. He likes when I stack them all up and he can knock them down and push them all over the floor. I try to give him different shapes and sizes and stack them all together so he can grab the big ones and flip them over to reveal smaller ones. And best of all, he likes to turn them over and bang on them like drums.

Sampson also really loves to play in the freshly clean cloth diapers. He likes to take them in his little fists and shake them. It makes him happy to kick at them and grab his toes. And he's all giggles when Oma takes one and makes it "dance" over him. When sitting up, I drape one over his head and he pulls it down for his own game of peek-a-boo. He's simply crazy for it.

His latest, and strangest, joy is head scratching. He backs himself up until he's against the bedroom wall. Then he tips his head over to the side and nods "yes." It's like he's a bear cub scratching his head on a tree stump! At first I thought it was just a coincidence that he was nodding while his head was tilted toward the door. But now it's a pattern that he finds his way over there, looks around for the door, puts his head up against it, and scratch scratch scratch! What a strange and charming habit...

And finally, what infant doesn't enjoy a good cigar every now and again? This photo was actually taken on New Year's Eve at the behest of Nouno. And those certainly are not "good" cigars! Sampson indicated that he wouldn't even consider smoking a Philly Blunt! He would, however, love to play with the box.

Easter Snow!

2008-03-29T19:48:00.000-07:00

Sampson's first Easter Sunday! We had the cute outfit all picked out with navy dockers and short-sleeved polo with a beautiful owl sweater. We dressed him and made it to church on time. Jimmy and I were playing in the band so Auntie Colleen held him. Ten minutes into the service, he peed all over his outfit (and Auntie Colleen)! Another mother changed him but the pants were so wet he could not stay in them. Thus, Sampson spent his first Easter completely pantsless. It did not seem to bother him as you can see from the pictures. After church, Sampson had a little snack and then we spent the day at Grandma and Grandpa's where we ate lots of carbs in the form of lasagna and bread. The Easter Bunny brought Sampson a bunch of socks, a new pair of Robeez, and a book about farm animals.

Mmmm... yams!

The week following Easter was spring break for my students so Sampson and I voyaged to upstate New York to visit Nana Jo and Papa. When I think of spring break, I obviously think of snow... and that's just what we got! We travel best early in the morning while Sampson sleeps and Oma drinks a large half-caff with half and half, one splenda, and one sugar in the raw. We planned to leave at 5am on Friday morning, but we awoke to a white mass 5 inches thick. We decided to stay another day since we were in no hurry. Papa was excited to show Sampson the sled he got for him. We were (much to Oma's dismay) unprepared for the unseasonably cold weather so we bundled him up in two shirts, a sweat shirt, and a windbreaker, and two pairs of sweat pants. He was not used to being in the cold weather for very long, so his little cheeks turned pink quickly! He seemed to be quite comfortable sitting in his red sled. Papa pulled around the yard and Sampson watched trees go by and liked the feel of the bumpy snow.

Any one who knows me knows that I have never been much of a winter sportswoman, but I did brave the icy elements to watch Sampson's first winter adventure. Hopefully, he will learn to love the snow as much as his dad does!

Eat, Drink, and Be Sampson

2008-03-17T19:31:00.000-07:00

Yum! Sampson has well established that he is not interested in eating baby food. He will eat some wholegrain rice cereal, but only if it's mixed with sweet potatoes. He will sometimes eat some pears, but is not as excited about food as I expected. He is, however, very interested in what he cannot yet have. He loves nothing more than to grab at our tacos or spaghetti. As far as finger foods, he's way into oranges and rice crackers. He also enjoys gnawing on a carrot or celery stick. His doctor said it's ok to give him juice, but still prefers breast milk to anything else. Now that he has a tooth coming in, he drinks some water because he needs fluoride. He drinks water from his little sippy cup all by himself.

I can't believe that over 6 months have passed since he was born. The entire pregnancy, I said I could never do it again. Everyone told me that I would change my mind as soon as I had the little on in my arms. Well, it wasn't THAT soon after, but now that he is getting bigger, and the time is passing so quickly, I do indeed think that I could do it again (but not too soon!). Sampson is just such a jovial little fellow and when he laughs, it's as if he can't contain it in his little body. He is curious and determined, and just loves books. We have learned to read his signs to know when he needs to eat, when he needs a nap, and when he needs to poop. He is starting to babble and sometimes we swear he spits out words. So far, none of those words are "Oma" or "Dad." I try to take time to cherish his cuddles everyday because I know it won't be long before he's running off to explore on his own. Here are some pics from the beginning...

The last day BS (Before Sampson). Was I really THAT big?! How did I move?!

Five days old.

HBJ

2008-03-08T19:18:00.000-08:00

Today is my darling husband's 26th birthday! Has officially completed 26 years of life! A big thanks for Mom V for all her work and laboring (10lbs 13oz!). Now more than half way through his twenties, I'd say that Jimmy is aging rather gracefully. Tomorrow, he is running a half marathon to prove that he's still got it. And in blogging tradition, here are 26 reasons why I love love love James Vennard IV...

1. He appreciates the work I do at home and respects my opinion.
2. He always makes me feel like I cooked the best meal ever created.
3. His nostrils are asymmetrical.
4. He guides our family emotionally and spiritually.
5. He loves Sampson and lets him know it everyday.
6. When I was sick in my first (and second and third) trimester, he bought me saltines and ginger ale in bulk.
7. He works hard at his job everyday so that he can provide well for our family.
8. He always understands my jokes (even if they're not funny!).
9. His smile is so big, it can light up an entire room.
10. He cares about things that I care about... like saving the earth and eating healthy foods.
11. He has such a pure heart and always boils situations down to what is right.
12. He holds high expectations of me (and Sampson) because he knows and reminds us that we are capable of great things.
13. He is the most, ahem, frugal man I know.
14. He allergic to cats, like me, and supports our eternal absence of felines.
15. He uses proper grammar.
16. He is a patient and thorough teacher (like when he taught me all of the NFL mascots).
17. He encourages me to try new things that I never thought I'd do (like read The Godfather).
18. He has a jovial and magnetic personality.
19. He is an Eagle scout.
20. He understands the importance of staying well hydrated.
21. He will try new foods (even unidentifiable Korean food).
22. He gently reminds me when I am worrying too much.
23. He surprises me with trinkets he knows I will love.
24. He plays the guitar like a rock star and makes up songs for me.
25. He supports me in my undying desire to craft.
26. He is my best friend and everyday, I am thankful that he is my partner in life.

Almost Mobile

2008-03-05T14:20:00.001-08:00

Sampson is on to the fact that he, too, could move about the house like us! He is very attentive and watches us like a cute little hawk as we walk around. He is sitting up well now, and starting to reach for objects just out of his reach. Here is his progress.

Mmm... shiny paper is my fave...

I can get this...

Almost... got it...

Victory!

Oma, look!

Oh man... she moved it farther away. How am I going to...

Lunge! Almost caught myself!

So I Thought I Could Dance

2008-02-25T10:42:00.001-08:00

Well my good friend Christina and I decided to take our place in the realm of reality television. We are embarrassingly HUGE fans of the show So You Think You Can Dance and well, we did think we could dance. Evidently, we were mistaken!

Our adventure began last Wednesday night at 9pm when we drove down to Washington DC to stay with Nouno. So we've got SK in the drivers' seat, drinking a small half caff (note: since when did "small" become so tiny?! ), Christina was riding shotgun and in charge of the music, and Sampson was sleeping in the back. We listened to A Chorus Line to inspire us to live the life of a dancer! We arrived to our destination around 11:30, thanks to Nouno's guidance, and we went to sleep as soon as we would be at our very best for the judges the next day.

On the Big Day, we woke at 5am, showered, tried on the 30 different outfits we brought, filled out our forms, and labeled our music. Nouno was kind enough to take the entire day off from work to help us reach our dreams, and it's a good thing because we never would have made it at all if not for him! We pulled up the the Atlas Theatre around 7:30 and the line was wrapped around the entire block. We were totally pumped and chipper when we got in line. We were perhaps even giddy. We quickly made friends with the people around us since we figured we might be with them for the next hour or so. Registration began at 8 so we figured the line would be moving soon. While we waited, we took some photos:

Very chipper at 7:30am!

This is the little tree we stood next to in line!

We got red wrist bands! Christina got to keep hers, but a security guard took mine! Boo!

We (sort of) met Cat Deeley, the host of the show! She is truly a vision of loveliness and I was practically stunned by her beauty. Nice work Leo.

So the short of the long is that we waited outside in the freezing cold for 5 hours! We were not quite as chipper when we could not feel our toes and had not eaten in three hours. We made fast friends with other dancers since we were all sharing our misery and freezing "for our art." Ayjay was in front of us and Stephanie was behind us. New friends! So there we are, after waiting 5 hours, right at the door... the very next to go in! Obviously, Nigel and Mary would be waiting at the door with Mia Michaels to see us dance, right? Heck no! After we signed our life away, we waited for an hour in the foyer of the theatre. Then, we moved to a hallway where we waited for another hour, and then FINALLY, we moved to a room... where we waited for another hour. Must note, however, that while we were waiting in the hallway, Nouno brought Sampson over so I could feed him. So I feed Sampson in the rest room, and then decide that I better pump the other boob (so as not to be lopsided on national television). So leave the boys waiting in a hallway, and go back into the rest room to pump. When I return, Nouno informs me that "a guy with a Mohawk just walked by." Gasp! TRAVIS WALL and SABRA JOHNSON walked right by while I was PUMPING! This hallway was narrow enough that they probably looked at my child (and basked in his cuteness), perhaps brushed his little feet with their beautiful arms, or at the very least, Sampson probably felt their breeze. And I missed it. Sigh.

So we start lining up in the room to go into another room, but we think this room is The Room. So we walk into a big room and it's completely dark except for the camera lights on the square of wooden floor in the middle. A producer, Travis and Sabra, and one of the choreographers were all sitting at the head of the room. They gave us an inspirational speech about what they were looking for in a cast member. He stressed that he is not looking for the "best" dancer, but America's "favorite" dancer... but please remember to point your toes. So then they counted us off in groups of 10 ( I was 1! And Christina was 5) and we had to lug all our stuff with us and wait for our turn. This was it! The music started and I danced across the floor and tried to be charming. After 20 seconds, the producer yelled, "NEXT" and I smiled and made my way back to my start spot. The next dancer danced for her 20 seconds and then, "NEXT!" Christina looked so beautiful dancing around in her little orange dress! So we all got our 20 seconds, and then we lined up for the judgment. They picked one girl from our group (who moved beautifully) and then they pick Ayjay! Our new friend! His 20 seconds was... more... interesting than most of ours and that is probably why he made it through. Later, we found out that Stephanie made it through too and continued progressing, but didn't quite made it to Vegas. So, they picked their faves, and said, "The rest of you, thank you very much." As if they had so much gratitude toward us for trying. Ha! So we grabbed all our stuff, and scurried toward the doors. One was marked "Yes," which lead into the hall where they took your picture and interviewed you and you danced on camera. The other was marked "No!" and it lead into the ally. I doubled over in laughter as I recalled the line from Val in A Chorus Line "...at every audition, I'd dance rings around the other girls and end up in the ally with the other rejects!..." Perhaps a boob job and butt lift would do it like it did for Val.

And to conclude the experience, we called Nouno to come pick us up, and went to the nearest restaurant to eat. Reality TV and Popeye's Chicken... what a pair! Yes, we were disappointed that we did not made it farther in the audition process. Yes, we wanted to be America's favorites dancers. Yes, we still think we can dance. Just for the record, here are Christina and I dance with our buddy Johanna.

Don Sampson

2008-02-23T07:31:00.000-08:00

So what's going on with the big guy? Well Sampson and Oma are having some wild adventures. Most notably, we started listening to books on tape together. Instead of having the television on all day, we listen to complete novels on tape or CD. It keeps me entertained and my brain stimulated, and Sampson seems to like the voice in the background. Believe it or not, we just finished The Godfather in its entirety. I have never seen the movies, but surprisingly enjoyed the novel, and hence, the title of today's blog post.

In other news, I have really committed to my sewing endeavors. I am working on a collection of tiny animals which are made of bold patterns and are the perfect size for Sampson to grasp and, well, gnaw. I've made a chicken, a cow, and a horse that looks like a donkey. These are just the prototypes to help me perfect the patterns. A pig, a fish, and a sheep are in the works.

I also just finished my first baby carrier. It's a mei-tai style carrier which is reversible and perfect for both me and Jimmy to use. It can be worn on the front or the back and Sampson really seems to enjoy riding around in it. Now that he's so big, this type of carrier is better because the weight is mostly in the hips and not pulling on the back.

And finally, Sampson is growing like an adorable half-Korean weed! It is his half birthday as he is six months old today. He sits up now like a champ and is starting to lunge forward like he wants to crawl. Sometimes he catches himself on his hands and knees and takes one little scoot before face planting. Most of the time, he just face plants. He just went through a growth spurt which we guessed last week because he was eating more and taking 2 hour naps. This means that this week, he suddenly has few clothes which actually fit him. Unfortunately, since we are selling our home, all his clothes are packed away in storage! So due to poor foresight on the part of his parents, he's been wearing pants that just a bit too short and pj's with his feet sticking out! Don't worry, we're going down to dig out some appropriate outfits this week!

The Boys

2008-02-20T08:40:00.000-08:00

If these three little boys don't spell T-R-O-U-B-L-E, then I don't know what does! Jack, Grady, and Sampson were all born within three months of each other. They are buddies, that's for sure. Hopefully they will become as close as their parents are. Let's go in for a closer look...

Rolling Over

2008-02-10T20:41:00.000-08:00

*Anyone watching?

*Oh hi...

*Nothing to see here... just adorable smiles, see?

Our little Sampson has become an expert roller-overer! It is nearly impossible to keep him on his back now. He's discovered that he can better explore his surroundings from his belly. The days of leaving Sammy on the bed "just-for-a-second-while-I-run-to-the-bathroom" are over now that he can somehow manage to wiggle around. Even on the floor, I leave him on his back to put a load of laundry in the machine, and I return to find him half way across the room with a toy in his hand. I swear he gets up and dances around when no one is watching... (***please see mischievous baby, above)

Here is the action sequence:

First, pull the legs up and throw them over to the side... and smile at Oma.

Then hoist the shoulders around and use the head.

Almost there! Just use that arm for the final push.

See? Nothing to it.

Hiccups

2008-02-06T20:30:00.000-08:00

Here is a great clip of some very funny babies. Sampson used to get the hiccups regularly... and quite violently! But they've been less frequent. In any case, hope you enjoy these little ones. Nothing makes me smile like a laughing baby.

Sitting Up

2008-02-04T19:23:00.000-08:00

Here is a darling picture of Sampson with his surrogate grandmother, Grandma Gail. Gail (and Papa Reid) watched Sampson for a few hours everyday for the month of January. She just has a way with babies! It's so nice to see that Sammy is happy to her and Reid everyday. It makes giving him up for a few hours much easier. No one can get Sammy to nap like Grandma Gail. Gail has several grandchildren of her own scattered up and down the east coast, and we are so fortunate to have her as part of Sampson's life.

Sampson is growing so quickly! He is 5 months old now and accomplishing new tasks everyday. Little Jack is six months old now and make lots of progress too! He is so fair with his bright blue eyes and red hair, he is the exact opposite of Sampson.

Jack is now eating solids and sitting up! He sits in his new highchair and eats cereal like a pro. This is Jack sitting up for the first time.

Sampson don't quite have the hang of it yet... but he's getting there! We called him the "Leaning Tower of Sampson." This photo was actually take last week and he has improved so quickly in the last few days. He can now sit up for several minutes by himself and topples over gently when he loses his balance. It doesn't seem to bother him though, he just sticks his little head up a smiles.

Happy Birthday Tommy Landers!

2008-01-30T07:45:00.001-08:00

We are celebrating Mr. Landers' 6th birthday this week! Happy birthday Tommy! Here are six reasons why Tommy is my favorite six-year-old boy.

1. He has a great sense of humor and tells funny jokes.
2. He is a tough guy.
3. He is a loving and positive role model for his little brother, Jack.
4. He is helpful to his mother and father while they are taking care of the house and the baby.
5. He is willing to try almost anything... all different sports and activities.
6. You should see this kid swim! He's a fish who can dive off the deep end of the pool!

And here is a gallery of the man himself. Have a great year Tommy!

Nana Jo, Muscles, and 100.8

2008-01-28T06:30:00.000-08:00

The Wild Vees are having another wild week! Nana Jo visited last weekend and spent some quality time with her little grandson. She said she came to see her poor old daughter (me!) dance, but we all know she really came to see the kid! Unfortunately, my little Sampson had his first cold! He was coughing the night before and woke up in the middle of night crying (which he usually does not do) on Thursday night. On Friday, he just wanted to snuggle with Nana Jo all morning and then that afternoon his temperature was 100.8 degrees Fahrenheit! He was rather melancholy and sad that evening. He woke up Saturday much perkier, ready for his morning calisthenics in the Jumperoo. Here are some pictures of my sick little boy.

So,
you might not believe me when I tell you this, but my husband makes friends everywhere he goes with the most random people on earth. For instance, in the bookstore once, some guy complimented Jimmy's shoes (he's such a fashion guru!) and then proceeded to solicit Jimmy into some internet business of his. They stood there in the business section of Borders for a good half an hour. The latest story, though, it the real good stuff.

So he's running, training for a half marathon. He has his little buds in the his ears, listening to music to get him pumped up. He's about a mile from home and takes a second to stretch and some guy comes up to him. Dialog is as follows:
Guy: Hey man. How do you get strong?
Jimmy: Hi, uh, what do you mean?
Guy: How do you, like, bulk up?
Jimmy: Bulk up? OK, well why? What do you want to do?
Guy: I want to, like, fight people. Will running make me strong?
Jimmy: Right, well you should do push-ups or lift weights if you want to build muscle.
Guy: Oh, ok, but is running good for me?
Jimmy: Yes, yes it is.

And here, friends, is a visual aid to help you understand the beast that is my husband. I love you Jimmy!

I know what you're thinking... "Gee, I hope he doesn't want to fight ME!" Well let's just say that you better be afraid... because this guy gives a mean wedgie. Just ask his little brother.

And on a completely unrelated note, one morning this week we had to rush out of the house early in the morning to drop Jimmy off at work. It was earlier that we usually wake up so Sampson stayed in his pj's. I thought we would come right home, we but ended up running so late that we had to go right to my hair cut and then lunch with Grandma! So this is the little boy who ran around Delaware: (what a hottie)

Chilly Chilly!

2008-01-20T19:27:00.001-08:00

As his shirt indicates, the weather in Delaware had become dramatically colder in the last two days. How strange that we were wearing lightweight sweaters without jackets just last week! Sampson doesn't seem to mind the cold since he is usually bundled right up in his carseat. He does, however, have cold feet like his Oma and a cold nose like his Dad! We always joke that some one needs to invent nose scarves to keep his schonz warm.

We've had quite a busy week! Stage Lights Dance Studio is preparing for their Winter Concert come up next weekend! All of my students have been working hard to show their friends and families what they have learned this year. I'm dancing with the other new ballet teacher, Jon, in a vibrant modern piece.

My soon-to-be-sister-in-law, Danielle, will be hosting a booth at the Winter Concert offering to draw portraits of the students. She is an amazingly talented artist and she just gave us a stunning charcoal portrait of Sampson for Christmas. You can visit her DZ Artworks site for other samples of her work. Here are some subjects you might recognize...

Salads

2008-01-13T14:54:00.000-08:00

When we told Nouno that Sampson was beginning to eat "solids," he thought we said "salads." This has, of course, turned into a hilarious joke usually involving baby greens and bib lettuce. Auntie Colleen came over to make an enormous salad for a party and we could not miss this opportunity to introduce Sampson to... ahem... salads.

In other news, our little house goes on the market this week! We've spent the last few weeks packing most of our stuff up and sending it down to the Vennard Storage Unit (thanks Mom and Dad!). They charge only one batch of cookies per month. And they also run the Vennard Rental Company which has every tool imaginable for equally reasonable rates. Our real estate agent is coming over tomorrow take the pictures and get out the word. I will be sure to post them here as well in case anyone in looking for a one bedroom condo in Newark, Delaware!

And completely unrelated, here is a beautiful photo Jimmy took of Sampson and I taking a nap together.

Where Have the Vees Gone?!

2008-01-08T21:13:00.000-08:00

I'm so sorry I have not kept up with the blogging over the holidays, but you know how it is...
In addition to the usual whirlwind of Christmas and New Year's traveling and such, I am also taking a class everyday now and we are putting our house the market this week! Yikes! Needless to say, the Wild Vees are... well... wild. Very wild.
I am slowly accumulating the photos from all of our holiday adventures to post here for all to enjoy. Adventures including (but not limited to) massive quantities of baked goods (both produced and consumed), traveling 500 miles, 12" of snow, jumping into the Atlantic Ocean, and a mean game of Charades (The Awkward Moments Edition). I will post these blogs under the date which they occurred, so check back soon! Until then, here is a darling photo of my boys reading together.

Christmas Morning

2007-12-25T20:43:00.000-08:00

We slept in until 6:00am this year! We decided not to wake Sampson while we scurried out to the tree to open presents. I called my family to say good morning and merry Christmas only to find they were still sleeping! My how times have changed... we used to be knocking on their door at 5am!

Jimmy got a new pair of slippers! (Note the flexibility due to yoga practice!) He also received a cashmere sweater, a Henley, and some new polo shirts. And some chocolate. SK got a new pair of ass-kickin' boots and a beautiful new jacket (compete with suede elbow pads!). It was a great Christmas! Sampson woke up around 7 and we all packed up and headed down to Smyrna where the festivities continued. Jimmy probably consumed an entire pound of monkey bread this year. If you do not know what monkey bread is, just imagine butter and brown sugar melted all over little biscuit bits. It's downright delish. And no one makes it like Mom Vee!

When we got down to Smyrna, the family came over to see Sampson experience his first Christmas. He was very excited to rip the paper and so grateful for all his gifts! He got lots of wonderful books and some fun new toys.

What do we have here?

This is so exciting!

Wait, which book is this?

Ah yes, History of the World Part I. I perused this one in the book store. I can't wait to read it later.

Sampson also received this really awesome hat which proved to be the perfect reading accessory. Unfortunately, he did not receive cheek warmers! Look at those things! They're perfect for kissing!
Thank you so much to all who gave Sampson gifts. This Christmas was a very special one for our family and Sampson is so blessed to have such generous friends and family.

Riiiice!

2007-12-22T20:01:00.000-08:00

My goal was to exclusively breastfeed Sampson for his first six months of life. Research shows that this is hugely beneficial to his immune system. But Sampson is the size of an average 6 month old baby even though he is only 4 months old. Thus, I am having a hard time keeping the boy fed! He actually started waking up again in the middle of the night to eat. He's been showing other signs as well... like grabbing food off our plates and watching us eat very intently. So we made the decision to begin feeding him some solids (Not salads as Nouno thought we said). We gave him some rice cereal mixed with breast milk for a few days and then we tried bananas. So far, he has snubbed the cereal but will enjoy a nibble of banana here and there. Here are the pictures of his very first taste of cereal. Can you imagine eating only one food your entire life, and then suddenly having some foreign texture and taste shoved into your mouth?! Sampson couldn't...

Snow!

2007-12-15T11:24:00.000-08:00

Hello from up north! Sampson and I ventured up to Averill Park on our own this weekend for a Christmas surprise. This surprise has been in the works for two weeks and I'm very pleased that the beans were not spilled! We surprised Nana Jo at work on Friday afternoon when she thought she would not see us until after Christmas. Santa called her in her office (as Papa told him to) and told her she had an early Christmas present in the main office. She headed down thinking that he would be there with flowers. But it was us! Boy was she surprised! Nice work to everyone who kept the secret! We were going to come up on Thursday but they were in the middle of a blizzard so we waited. This is the beautiful northeastern winter wonderland I grew up playing in... (and by "playing" I mean looking at from indoors with a book and some hot cocoa)...

This cold weather is something new for Sampson since it's actually been quite balmy down in Delaware so far this season. We bundled him all up and took extra care to warm up the car. "They" say not to use winter jackets on the little ones in car seats because the puffy jackets leave too much space between the straps and his little body. In an accident, the jacket compresses and his head can be jostled around too much or he could slip right out! So! Instead we have a Bundle Me so he stays nice and snuggly and safe. Here he is all ready to go out.

And today we went to visit a special certain jolly old elf. I think you know who I mean. Sampson was not screaming or upset (like I was for my first Santa photo), but he was not terribly impressed either. I think it will take a few years until he understands the magic that Santa brings this time of year! (PS: The only place we could find a Santa today was at a hardware store! Ha! It was rather strange walking into the store just to see Santa. And this Santa didn't even have a chair to sit in... he was just standing around next to the dogfood and lawn ornaments.)

Tree!

2007-12-09T18:02:00.001-08:00

Last weekend we put up Sampson's first Christmas tree. We had the entire Vennard family over to help us decorate. Sammy loved his Pooh Bear Baby's First Christmas ornament from Nana Jo and Papa. We upsized this year! The tree was almost to our ceiling! We are so lucky that my mother was so diligent about saving our ornaments. I have a collection large enough to cover the entire tree.

The stocking on the mantle is the one Grammy made for Sampson. It's a big large for his foot, but it will be just perfect for presents!

Sampson was in high spirits for the decorating. He especially likes the lights! He is currently an EIT- Elf in Trainning.

Musical Interlude

2007-12-07T19:56:00.000-08:00

Enjoy the holiday cheer!

Snow!

2007-12-04T09:21:00.000-08:00

It's snowing! First real snow of the season! Sampson and I went outside to check it out. He was unsure at first. White stuff floating around him must have looked very strange. He took his time and looked around and eventually decided that he liked it!

So much news to share! Jimmy and I have both found new jobs! Jimmy started his new job at W.L. Gore & Associates working in their biotech department. He is working on hernia patches. He said that when he tells people this, everyone tells him a hernia story. Feel free to share yours here! So far he's moved into his office and started meeting his co-workers. We were sad to say good-bye to ACE but we will old friends often enough... like Thursday night at volleyball... and Friday night at the Holiday Party... and Saturday night at the Leftovers Party.

And I am teaching dance at Stage Lights Dance Studio in Newark! I am teaching two Kinderdance classes and six ballet classes to students ages 4-17. I am thrilled to be teaching again and I adore my new students. The studio is a very close-knit dance family and reminds me of my days at the Isabelle School of Dance. Thanks to my sister-in-law-to-be Danielle for taking my new headshot!

So our days are busier now that we are both working. Some days Jimmy gets home just in time for me to leave. Other nights, I bring Sampson to the studio and my co-workers watch him until Jimmy picks him up. It works out well because I'm right in the next room in case something goes wrong. So on these evenings, Sammy and his Dad spend the time reading George R. R. Martin books. Sampson is especially enjoying A Game of Thrones.

Chilly Weather

2007-11-27T19:36:00.001-08:00

It's getting cold out here on the east coast! And apparently, it's the time of year when Sampson stores things in his cheeks! Observe:

I've been told that I had the squirrely cheeks too as a baby. Sorry kid!

Squirrely or not, who wouldn't want to be snuggly in fleece from hoodie to toe? Sammy certainly enjoyed the outfit when we ventured out into the cold this week. He is three months old now and really growing quickly! Over 15 lbs with some serious head control, he loves his jumperoo and the Beatles. He likes long walks and milkshakes. He is making lots of sounds and we have lengthy conversations. He sleeps from 9pm to 8am with one pit stop around 3. He loves books and is in the middle of an epic Eric Carle series. And can't wait to see what happens on Grey's Anatomy this week. He's really just an all-around great guy with dimples. What else can I say? I'm a proud Oma.

Twelve Weeks Old

2007-11-19T11:34:00.000-08:00

Sampson is twelve weeks old! He is starting to grip objects and drool a lot. He is very close to getting his entire fist into his mouth. He loves to smiles and talk to the little man in the mirror. His favorite spot (when not eating) is in the pack n'play with his little bee mobile. He winds up his arm and smacks the bees so they all dance around. It's good times. And his face... well it's pretty much dimplicious...

New toy! Now that Sampson can hold his head up, we got out the Rainforest Jumperoo. Auntie Colleen mastered the assembly and Sampson was impressed! Even though his little feet barely touch the floor, he is quite amused by toys right at his fingertips. I bet he'll be a jumping bean by Christmas.

And we had a special request to see more father-son pictures. Do you see a resemblance?

Holiday Happiness

2007-11-12T09:28:00.000-08:00

Like his Oma, Sampson is evidently thrilled that the holiday season is upon us! These photos were admittedly taken on November 1st! Jimmy-the-Grinch won't let us even say the word "Christmas" until after Halloween so we are always prepared for the strike of midnight on October 31st! I usually stay up especially late and hang up the snowflakes and wreath and other "winter" decorations. This year, we just slept in our holiday pajamas so we were ready when we woke up the next morning. We played Christmas music and watched "Elf" and drank hot chocolate. He loved it. I hope he learned to enjoy the season as much as I do! And for the record, Jimmy-the-Grinch turns quite jovial after Thanksgiving. The little antler hat has been provided by Great Mom-mom... I'm sure Sampson will thank her for this when he gets older.

These little pajamas were a gift from Aunt Laura. They are size 3-6months and being only 11 weeks, they should fit around the holidays. But they are very snug! So we were sure to get some photos while they still fit.

Photos

2007-11-01T09:28:00.000-07:00

Bath Time
Sampson is just starting to show interest in mirrors. I don't think he knows that the image is himself, but he does smile when he sees the "other guy." He really enjoys bath time and loves to kick his legs and use his arms to splash Oma. The only part he doesn't like is getting out of the water and into the cold air! He requires lots of snuggles right after to warm up.

Special Onesie
This onesie was hand decorated by one Mr. Tommy Landers and as you can see,
Sampson loves it!

Suspenders
We have an adorable dress outfit consisting of dress pants and suspenders which Sampson was planning on wearing around the holidays (you know, office parties and family get-togethers) but I was worried he would out-grow them by then! So we took an afternoon to dress up and have a little photo shoot. He looks rather dapper if I do say so myself!

Sweet Pea
For Halloween, Sampson dressed up as the sweetest pea ever. I actually purchased the costume before he was even born... because I knew he'd have the cutest little face. I love vegetables!

Oma
I realized that since I am usually the one behind the camera, there are no photos of us together. Auntie Colleen was kind enough to take some pictures of the two of us before he got in the bathtub. Can you see a resemblance?

Green Days

2007-10-29T13:08:00.000-07:00

Organic Sweet Pea

It's been sometime since I've had a good healthy blog post! Today, Auntie Colleen is rocking Sampson for the afternoon so I can run around the house like a mad woman and clean. Now that the shower is de-scummed, the carpets are vacuumed, and the sheets are changed, I can sit and enjoy some blogging. I've been wanting to post about our efforts to protect and save the Earth. We try to be a green family as much as possible. We believe that the Earth is a gift and we must take care of it and give back what we can. We're certainly not living in complete harmony with Mother Nature, but here are some little things we're doing:

energy efficient light bulbs cost less too
Nalgene bottles instead of disposable water bottles
bringing a coffee mug to Starbucks instead of those green and white paper cups (sometimes they take off $.15!)
on-line bills and bill-pay mean less paper
bringing a canvas sack to the grocery store
bamboo sheets (a quickly renewable resource and antimicrobial to boot!)
organic garden costs less than the grocery store and eliminates the need to ship it across the country... or around the world

and this brings me to the Great Diaper Challenge
I had great guilt about using disposable diapers. " For every baby diapered with single-use diapers for a 2 1/2 year period, over 2 tons of waste is generated. Disposable diapers make up the 3^rd largest single consumer item in our waste system – following newspapers and beverage containers. They account for nearly 4% of the total amount of solid waste, and 30% of the non-biodegradable waste. It takes 500 years for one disposable diaper to decompose. Yes, while a cloth diaper, if it is ever thrown away, will become one with the earth within 6 months, a disposable diaper will just sit there and do what it was made to do: absorb." Which means not only will it sit there for 500 years, but it will take up even more space as time goes on! Yikes!

So as an alternative, we have implemented three tactics:

1. cloth diapers
We have been using two different kinds of cloth diapers. The first is regular prefolded cloth diapers with a diaper cover. Diaper covers are no longer the plastic pants that our parents used on our little tushies. We have cute little puppies on our waterproof cloth diaper cover. The other type is a lovely collection of flannel diapers that my mother and I made right before Sampson was born. Instead of pins, we use Snappi Diaper Fasteners which pose no risk of hurting le bebe. Here are some photos of Sampson modeling said diapers.

2. gDiapers
I've written about them before, and we use them when go out. They have a cloth outside with flushable inserts. The insert is made of paper and a substance that dissolves in water. You tear the soiled insert and flush it down the toilet. This way, there is nothing to throw away. Check them out here. This is the pumpkin colored gDiaper:

3. EC: Elimination Communication
Well you might not believe this one, but we've potty trained Sampson. When they're this little, you can teach them associations for their um, business. It's called Elimination Communication and it has taught us to be very in-tune with not only his digestive system, but also his expressions and body movements. For one weekend, he wore only cloth diapers with no lining and when he peed we made a certain sound, and when he pooped we made a different sound. We were worried that we kept missing his pees because it took a second for it to soak through the diaper so we could see it. But the third day, we decided to go for the gold. I fed him, we waited 25 minutes and then sat him on his little potty. I made the psssssssst sound, and HE PEED! OK, so the first time, perhaps it was just coincidence, but then we put him on an hour after he ate and it happened again! Later that day, he was alternately squirmy and calm and he was making a poop face. So we put on him on his potty and make the poop noise. And he had such a big poop! I was glad it was in the potty and not in a cloth diaper! So EC has really worked for us and we are amazed at how smart the little one really is. We're down to using 4 or 5 cloth diapers a day and one disposable at night. Yes, we understand that it's basically conditioning our baby's bodily functions but we are conditioned to do many things in our life. Even we, as adults, are conditioned to go pee and poo in the potty. If we weren't, we would just go whenever and where ever. We'd be happy to answer any questions about EC if you leave comments and in the meantime, here is a photo of Sampson on his potty which I'm sure will embarrass him later in life...

AND SO, friends, if I have not lit even a tiny green spark, check out these websites to see if they inspire you to hop on the solar-powered band wagon: The Lazy Environmentalist, Green as a Thistle, GreenFaith

Grady Matthew

2007-10-24T08:39:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Grady Matthew Shea! Born October 23, 2007 at 3:52am, 9 lbs 1 oz, 20.5 inches. Congrats to the family.. especially the big sisters!

This means three little boys born within three months of each other in our family. With Tommy leading them around, I'm sure they'll be causing loads of mischief once they're mobile! Here is Judy with her fourth grandchild. She's so proud!

Special Request

2007-10-23T14:05:00.001-07:00

Hello friends and family! A special request for this photo was made by guess who... the Grammy of course! I have so much to post here on the blog, but Sampson has been awake more during the day which means I have less time to do anything else. I must report, however, that there has been a new addition to the family. Congrats to proud parents Matt and Jenn, and big sisters Samantha and Madison! I'll be sure to post details and photos as soon as I can.

Weekend Fun!

2007-10-14T18:24:00.001-07:00

Hello from up north! It's cold up here in New York this weekend! Despite the chill, we've managed to have lots of fun with family. Saturday turned out to be a sunny day... perfect for apple picking adventures.

We went to Lindsey's Orchard in Clifton Park with the entire Landers clan. It has a huge orchard of full-size apple trees of many varieties. There are ladders throughout the orchard so that pickers can get reach the apples at the very top. We "picked at our own risk" as the sign said! Tommy and Emma were the only ones old enough to experience the glee of apple picking.

OK, I guess Jimmy experienced the glee as well. Though skeptical at first, Jimmy found himself running through the orchard like a kid in a candy store. He'd eaten about 4 apples before any even made it into the bag! Thanks to Tom, Jimmy is now well-versed in the many species of apples. He especially liked the Northern Spies and Empires. He had to climb several trees to ensure my supply of Golden Delicious. Now he's looking forward to the baked goods the apples might morph into...

Even Nana Jo wanted to see the treetops!

Sampson enjoyed the outdoors by taking an afternoon doze. He loves the Maya wrap for naps while I walk around. I know he looks so squished in there, but he loves to feel snuggled.

We ended up with 7lbs of apples. Not bad for a first family picking. We didn't want to go overboard! The Powers family went home with about 20 lbs, and the Landers should be supplied all winter with their 30lbs.

After the orchard, we got the little ones together for some pictures. It's so wonderful to be able to share baby experiences. And I'm so glad the boys have Tommy to teach them how to be good little boys...

Mamas

Second Cousins

Nanas

At the end of the day, Sampson needed a bath to relax. Nana Jo gave him a nice bath in the sink like she used to bathe his Oma.

Bath Time and Play Time

2007-10-12T09:11:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry I've been a slacker blogger, but this past week has been very busy (I posted two this week to make up for my tardiness)! We've traveled up to New York for a while since Jimmy has to travel for work for a few weeks. We left Mom Vee to look after the house... I bet she's having a party right now...

The trip up went smoothly thanks to Aunt Laura. She stayed down in Delaware with us for a few days so I would not be alone with Sampson. Then she rode in the back with him all the way up. She played with him when he was awake and made sure he had something to suck on when he was upset. I am certain the trip would have been more stressful in her absence.

Here are some photos of the fun we've been having for the past week:
Sampson loves bath time! He hated it when he was first born, but now it calms him and he's just learning that if he moves his arms it makes a delightful splash. The part he does not enjoy is the getting dressed after the bath. So we usually hang out in our robe for a while and warm up before attempting to put an outfit on. I think he looks like a little old man in this robe!

Mornings are Sampson's happiest time. He wakes up just once during the night and takes his fill of breast milk before nodding right back off to sleep. Believe me, I know how lucky we are! I really only lose half an hour of sleep in the middle of the night. He wakes up every morning around 6 and we have breakfast and a diaper change. Sometimes I even manage to put the (decaf) coffee on and eat a Luna Bar. Then, we put on Baby Einstein Playtime music and dance and sing and do some exercises. He loves loves loves moving around to the music! He also loves watching someone else be silly. Aunt Laura dancing around to the William Tell Overture was apparently very amusing for this little boy.

Sampson is a well-rested little one. He takes lots of naps during the day and is much happier when he does so. Too much action during the day makes a cranky baby in the evening. He can pretty much sleep anywhere once he is in his deep sleep. He falls asleep in funny positions, usually with his arms flailing somewhere. In this case, he clearly had a rough afternoon and needed to rest his head.

Sunday is usually a family day for us, a chance for us to catch up on our rest! On this particular Sunday, the men were resting while the Oma was folding laundry! Like father like son.

Sampson also enjoys a bit of television. He likes to put on his pirate pants (see below), have a tall glass of milk, and watch a little Sunday football. Thursdays, he watches Grey's ( of course), and he just started watching new episodes of Jon and Kate Plus 8 on Tuesday nights.

Baptism Weekend

2007-10-11T07:52:00.000-07:00

Sampson was welcomed into the Episcopal Church on Sunday with family and friends there to support him. The entire Powers clan ventured down to our little state for the first time since the wedding! Captain Powers finally got to see where we live and what we do down in Delaware. They arrived around lunchtime on Saturday and they immediately scooped Sampson into their arms and began passing him around. Luckily, he was well rested and had a great time with them.

After a gourmet lunch at Jake's (Delaware's finest burger joint), we went over to Milburn Orchards to pick out a pumpkin and drink cider. It was a very hot day and very crowded, but we managed to find the perfect pumpkin and take some fun pictures in the shade.

Sunday was the Baptism at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church. Sunday morning, we dressed Sampson in the outfit Oma (that's me) made him for this special occasion. It turned out quite nicely (thanks to Nana who fixed the final details the night before!).

The ceremony was so lovely since Jimmy and I were confirmed in the same service as his baptism. We entered the church as a family and it was a beautiful thing! It was such an honor to have Bishop Wayne there to welcome us. His sermon about respecting the dignity of all human beings was poignant and relevant to all present (and he's like 6'5"!). Plus, Jimmy and I play in the church band so our family and friends got to hear us play. Jimmy S is Sampson's Nouno (the Greek word for Godfather) and it was great to have him up there with us. Thanks to Rev. Jay for helping us through the process and leading a church we are delighted to be a part of.

After the ceremony, we had a reception back at our place. We took the opportunity to take some family portraits in the perfect weather.

Mom and Dad Vee

The Powers Family

Great-Grandma and Gramps

Nouno

Fall in Delaware

2007-10-01T15:46:00.000-07:00

The weather has become a comfortable cool, even in the bright sun that Sampson loves. We've been taking lots of walks and running around town. Sammy is very well-behaved in public! We spent Saturday morning running errands on Main Street, and concluded the outing with a tea and bagel at our favorite coffee shop. We also spent an evening at the bookstore this week. Great Mom-mom gave us a gift card for the Borders so that we could start Sampson a library. Jimmy and I love to read so it is very important to us that Sampson learns to love books as well. We've covered the classics like Where the Wild Things Are, Goodnight Moon, and The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Sampson is fortunate enough to have others in his life who gave him the gift of literature... like Auntie Teeners brought him On the Day You Were Born, and Nouno Jimmy S brought Zen Shorts, and some Eric Carle books. Sammy likes books though he is more interested in the printed words than the picture right now because of the contrast. We read a book everyday, though we usually don't quite make it through the entire book!

Great Grandma and Great Gramps have returned from Scotland! They were so sad when they realized they'd be away when Sampson was born and assured me they would stop here as soon as they got off the ship! They took the Queen Mary 2 over and back from their two month stay. Sounds like they had a great time but they are happy to be back. They fell in love with Sampson as soon as they laid eyes on him. Here is Great Grandma in her first moments with him.

October is here! That means pumpkins! Great Mom-mom gave Sampson a silly pumpkin hat which I obviously had to get pictures of. It matches his orange gDiaper perfectly. This weekend, we are going to Milburn Orchards to take pictures of real pumpkins. But they won't be as cute as this one...

Sampson will be baptized this coming weekend and we are very excited about him entering the Christian community. He's been to church twice and rather enjoyed the music and Rev. Jay's booming voice. I'm working on an outfit for him to wear, though it's much more difficult to sew with a baby in a sling hanging from my shoulder. Nouno Jimmy S will be his Godfather. I realize that I have thus far failed to post any pictures of the wise Mr. Sarakatsannis. So here are some pictures to pay the proper homage. We are thrilled that Sampson will have his Nouno to give him love and guidance as he makes his way through life.

Today was a beautiful day so we got dressed up and took some pictures outside. I love a man in khakis and a white shirt...

Sammy is smiling more these days. He will smile if I tickle his neck or kiss his cheek, but he is undecided about raspberries on the belly. It's hard to catch because he only smiles at faces, not at the camera. But he has two dimples on his left cheek! We can't wait until he smiles more because he is happy... and not just because he passed gas.

Sampson found his thumb this week! He's been searching for about two weeks now and usually ended up sucking the knuckle. Yesterday, he managed to hook his thumb with his cheek and he sucked away. Unfortunately, because of his poor motor control, he startled and moved his arms.

I mean come on... this kid is a looker.

Four Weeks Old

2007-09-23T16:39:00.000-07:00

Sampson James turned 4 weeks old yesterday. Almost a month old... the time has raced by! All three of us are doing well. We like to think we're falling into a routine, but really Sampson is the boss and we do whatever he tells us to do. He's running the show right now. Hopefully, this will not continue into his teenage years! This week was not too busy, mostly just he and I running errands and snuggling at home. He behaves very well when we are out. We have been to the fabric store, to the copy shop, and two different Mommy's Groups this week. Yesterday we went to a pig roast and he loved being outside for a few hours. We also made our first visit to church this morning and he was awake and happy for most of the morning. We have a social kid! Here are some photos from this week.

Sampson yawns like a lion.

He loves to watch out the back window when we are driving. However, because his is so young, his attention span is only about 10 minutes. If he doesn't fall asleep inside of those 10 minutes, he cries for the remainder of the car ride! Luckily, we have a diesel so the engine is rather loud. It seems to lull him to sleep well. He also likes listening to Les Miserables, particularly disk 1.

Sampson makes this face when he poops! My mother tells me I had a similar BM expression. We don't want to give him a complex so we try not to laugh every time he poops, but look at this face! This is one for the yearbook.

He just loves being outside. The weather is lovely in Delaware right now so we spend as much time outside as we can. We usually go out for a while in the morning after Dad goes to work, and then in the afternoon before we nap during Oprah. On several occasions, he's been so upset at 5am that we go for a short walk outside. The combination of walking and the outdoor air usually calms him right down. I'm not sure what we're going to do when it turns to winter!

First Road Trip

2007-09-17T16:58:00.001-07:00

We made it! To Averill Park and back! Sampson was a great road-tripper. He slept all the way up to Albany and was content with the one stop we made on the way home. We are all a bit worn out from the trip, and Sampson picked up some back habits from being held ALL WEEKEND LONG, but he loved meeting the rest of his family. Here are some pictures from our weekend at Nana and Papa's house.

Papa was dying to meet his grandson but had to work until Saturday evening! When they finally met, there was an instant bond. This photo was taken early Sunday morning when they had some awake time together. I think Sampson was fascinated by his facial hair.

This is the type of baby carrier they use in Korea. My mother made it for us and tried it out on Sammy. He liked it very much even though Nana was out of practice!

Aunt Laura is a notorious Sampson hog! She's been known to pick him up even when he's sleeping just so she can cuddle with him. Sampson doesn't mind, he loves to cuddle.

Uncle Chris was excited to meet the little guy too. He explained that Sampson is too young this visit, but next time he will teach him armpit farts and how to shoot a BB-gun.

Grammy brought Sampson so many adorable outfits! She was overjoyed to hold her third great-grandson. Number 4 is on the way too! Grammy grabbed little Sammy every chance she got... mostly for burps!

Aunt Lynn and Uncle John

Father and Son napping

Tommy leads the pack in this generation. Baby Jack was born just a month before Sampson.

They both agreed there were too many cameras.

The Proud Grandparents

The Morning After

Growing and Changing

2007-09-09T05:03:00.000-07:00

Two weeks old! These first weeks sped by and we are flying by the seat of our pants! The second week, we really started to get to know Sampson's habits and preferences. He loves time on his tummy (when we are watching of course) and he loves to take naps on our bed in the warmth of the sun. He's been getting up only twice during the night... once around 1 or 2 and then again around 6 or 7. By this time, Dad is up and getting ready for work so Sammy and I nap together on the bed for another few hours. This is my favorite time of day. He loves to snuggle and he sleeps so soundly for this time.

He also loves looking at his Wee Gallery animal cards which were given to him as a gift from the Angerer family. These are drawings of animals formed by repeating shapes in black and white. He finds them mesmerizing and will stare at them for almost 10 minutes at a time. That's longer than Jimmy will look at them! I am looking forward to decorating a nursery with wall decals and posters by this company when we find a new house. They are so simple yet so beautiful. I really want to teach Sampson the value of art.

Now that my mother and sister have left, Jimmy's mom, aka Grandma, has stepped in to help us out and spend time with her new grandson. She's graciously taken the week off from work. She comes to see us everyday to feed, burp, diaper, rock, repeat. And she also helps me keep the house from falling to shambles and keeps us all fed. Here she is with Sammy in the rocking stage.

This week, Sammy and I ventured out of the house (with Mom Vee's help)! We went to the new Mommy's Group at the Birth Center on Wednesday. It was fun to meet some other new moms and see their babies. The little ones range from 10 weeks to 1.5 (Sampson was the newest!) and it was amazing to see how different each baby was. Because all these Moms birthed at the Birth Center, they all seek a holistic approach to bringing up a baby like Jimmy and I do. We talked about breastfeeding and sleeping habits. We discussed and shared which kind of diapers we use. And with this, I cannot help but plug gDiapers... they are cloth diapers with flushable inserts... no really, completely flushable! Most importantly, because we are all new mothers, we all have similar worries and fears about our new babies. Their breathing is so irregular we stare at their little chest to make sure it is still gently rising and falling. We worry that their little hands and feet are warm enough. We watch what we eat so that they don't get sick from our breast milk and spit up in a projectile fashion. It was most comforting to hear that other mothers are worrying like, some even more than, I am.

And speaking of worrying, Jimmy and I went on our second outing alone in two weeks. Our good friends Kyle and Jess got married Saturday night and we left Sammy in the hands of his Grandma. We left the house around 4 and I said I would not call until 8:00. But of course, I changed my mind at 7 and called. The wedding was at the Deerfield Country Club and the weather was perfect. Jess looked so beautiful and the two of them just looked so happy. All Jimmy's college housemates, the Elf Hive, were there and we always enjoy such reunions. I managed to pull myself together for the event, even managing to shower, comb my hair, and wear real shoes with heels. Though the dancing was limited due to the soreness of my incision, it was a lovely evening.

And today, of course, was Sampson's first Football Sunday with Dad. Sammy sported his favorite Eagles onesie and sweats and then proceeded to phase in and out of consciousness for three games. The Eagles, however, played so poorly that it made Sammy sick so he spit up all over that onesie. He is also disappointed that his Nouno (Uncle Jimmy S) might beat his Dad this week in Fantasy Football.

This will be our first week on our own! I am actually looking forward to time for just us. Not that we don't love sharing our joy with visitors, but it is definitely time for us to settle down and set up some routines. In conclusion, here are some stats for the first two weeks:

baths: 4
loads of baby laundry: 12
feedings: 136
wet diapers: 89
poopy diapers: 63

The First Week

2007-09-02T10:37:00.001-07:00

Sampson turned one week old yesterday! It amazes us how quickly he is changing. At our first pediatrician appointment on Friday, she said he is very healthy and gaining weight properly. This is good news since this first week has definitely been a whirlwind for his parents! Here are some highlights of our first week as a party of three.

This was taken just as were about to pack him up in he carseat to take him home. We were so excited to finally go home and settle down without nurses constantly poking and prodding us!

Here he is all pack up and ready to go! He is wearing a very cute little outfit, but he (of course) peed all over it during the last diaper as we were dressing him. This was the first time he took a shot at us, and I must say he had good aim and distance.

We decided not to wait to introduce the bottle. Some believe introducing a bottle too early creates nipple confusion and makes him unable to latch on, but he has been doing well with both so far. This is Jimmy feeding him for the first time. Since we want to continue breast feeding, I have become well acquainted with the breast pump. It allows me some freedom I would otherwise not have. This includes freedom to sleep while Dad feeds him... ahhh. In the beginning of the week, he was eating about 2oz. at a time. Now he's up to 4oz. and sometimes wants more soon after! He is a growing boy.

Here we are sitting on the porch. He loves the outdoors! He loves to bask in the warmth of the morning sun and he likes to listen to the crickets for his midnight feedings. He is getting a few minutes of direct sunlight everyday to help him lose the last little bit of jaundice. He did not need to go under the lights at the hospital, but the Dr. said a few minutes on each side would do him some good. Also, vitamin D is the only essential vitamin not found in breast milk. His body makes it on its own when exposed to sunlight. When not basking in the sun, he enjoys the warmth of the Delaware summer in the shade.

Most babies like to be swaddled up tightly when they sleep. Sammy likes to have his lower half swaddled, but always sleeps with his arms up by his head. If we wrap him up like a burrito, he somehow always manages to pull out his little arms to plunk them near his ears.

This is us sitting on the porch again. This is his early version of a smile. More of a demure grin I suppose. He has so much hair and the Dr. says he will probably keep it at this point. He got my nose and Jimmy's ears. His eyes are the perfect combination of both of ours. He has long toes like Jimmy but cute toe nails like me. It is amazing that Jimmy + SK = Sampson!

Our first bath at home was apparently unpleasant for some. He cried through the entire bath but calmed down when we wrapped him up in the little hooded ducky towel. After, Aunt Laura spent considerable time combing and styling his luxurious mane. In the end, she decided on the punk emo front tuft.

Nana and Aunt Laura stayed with us for the first week. They left today around lunchtime. We could not have made it through the first week without them here to help! 3am feedings and changes and even doing laundry and fixing dinner... they did it all. Thanks to them, everyone is clean and fed (including the new mom and dad) and the house is still in working order and clutter free! Parting was a little sad, but we will see them in two weeks we go to New York. Sampson can't wait to meet Papa and Uncle Chris!

Thank you to all who have sent such warm wishes and thoughtful comments. We are so blessed to have such supportive friends and family. Jimmy and I are so pleased to be able to share our (not so) little bundle of joy with you all!

Five Days Old

2007-08-29T14:26:00.001-07:00

In my few spare moments, I am posting a few photos of my beautiful first born taken on this, his fifth day of life! I don't have the time or energy to write about all his charming features, but I promise I will soon. For now, I know everyone just wants to see pictures anyway!

Brand New Person

2007-08-25T16:49:00.001-07:00

Sampson James Vennard
9 lbs 8 oz
21 inches
11:08 am
8/25/2007

UPDATE!!!!!

2007-08-23T21:51:00.000-07:00

Exciting news! The midwife pulled some strings and our baby will be born tomorrow! The doctor was able to fit us in and we will arrive at the hospital at 3:00PM for a C-section! Jimmy and I will be parents in less than 24 hours...

Due Date?

2007-08-23T19:29:00.000-07:00

Thursday, August 23, 2007... supposed arrival of newest Vennard! To our surprise, not only is the baby not arriving today, but it has flipped over into the breech position in the last few days! At the appointment just last week, it was in the "optimal birthing position" with its head down and back to my left side. Today, its head is between my ribs and its back is to the right! This changes everything. Instead of the holistic birthing approach we hoped for, we have decided to schedule a cesarean section. Our alternative would have been to attempt to reposition the baby by having two doctors push on my stomach from opposite sides. We decided that a definite plan for surgery is a better alternative to a risky and non-guaranteed procedure. We have not yet scheduled the exact time, but it will be sometime next week if I don't go into labor sooner. While we are caught quite off-guard by this switch, we thank God for the midwife who recognized the positioning and the technology to confirm this. The good news is that the baby behaved perfectly during it's Non-Stress Test this afternoon. Its heart rate was good, it moved a lot, and it responded well to some contractions I had. The kid looks great, even upside-down. So don't worry family and friends! Don't panic Grandma! While it was shocking at first, I trust that this baby knows what its doing in there. It must have a reason for completely flipping over at 40 weeks! And only about 3% of babies are situated in the breech position, so our kid is already a unique little individual. In anycase, please keep the little one in your thoughts and prayers until we actually have him/her in our arms. In the meantime... I'll be the large pregnant lady sewing like a madwoman...

Belly Update

2007-08-20T07:08:00.000-07:00

Adoring blog fans,

I'm sorry for my lack of entries as of late, but I really thought the baby would be here by now and I was hoping not to write anymore pregnancy blogs! But alas, it seems the littlest Vee is not ready to come out yet, so we took the opportunity to take some more belly photos. This is one heck of a belly if you ask me! It's very hard because the baby sticks its butt out above my belly button. Apparently my uterus is especially long right now (41.5cm) which could mean this baby is "tall." If so, it must have inherited this trait from its father. Hopefully it does not inherit its father's girth as well since Jimmy was almost 11lbs at birth! These pictures were taken at Lum's Pond, 39 1/2 weeks pregnant.

As for me, I am hanging in there! It is uncomfortable to sit because it shoves up into my ribs, and uncomfortable to stand because it pulls on my back. I've gained about 35-40lbs all in one region so a little discomfort might be expected. I've been spending my time sewing little baby outfits and making little felt shoes. I made one for baby Jack, one for baby Molly, and one for our very own. Jimmy is impressed that he married such a crafty lady.

Keeping Busy

2007-08-07T11:38:00.001-07:00

Each morning Jimmy goes to work and leaves me sleeping. I enjoy this! I sleep in as long as I can, but lately, I've been having trouble sleeping for long periods of time. I think I'm just getting generally uncomfortable. While he's working all day, I've been keeping myself busy nesting and such. Yesterday, I spent the day making jam with Mom Vee. We used these beautiful organic berries and made two large batches! Most of it will be given away as gifts, but I did have a nice big pb and j for lunch today. Jimmy knew it was jam day, but I think he was surprised to come home to find 18 jars of jam! Smuckers has nothing on me.

One night a week, I teach ESL (English as a Second Language) to four adults from South Korea. They are very kind to me and I really enjoy teaching them. It gives me a chance to ask them questions about Korea and it makes them practice their English. Last night, however, as I was leaving, I had a slight mishap in their garage. In Korean homes, everyone leave their shoes outside the door. You must always take them off before entering a home. I knew this, but it was dark in the garage when I stepped out the door, and down the two steps, and then I tripped on all the shoes! I thought I caught myself but I think the weight of my belly just pulled me forward and down... into the concrete! I landed on my right knee and my left hand. It really hurt! I went down hard! I am very lucky that I did not hurt myself worse than I did and I have learned that I must be more careful with this extra weight being thrown around. And I have a nice bright red bruise to remind me of this. It still stings!

Today, I decided I would get out my sewing machine and take care of all the little projects that have been accumulating over the past year. The machine and its case was a wedding gift from my Aunt Judy (a talented seamstress) and I regret that I have not really used it properly until now! It's a fantastic machine! It has settings for button holes and jeans, and it's very easy to change tension and stitches. Today, I altered the duvet cover for our comforter and made a little reversible tote bag for myself! What fun!

New Friend

2007-08-02T08:27:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I was sitting on the couch and I thought I saw something moving in our little yard. I looked out onto the porch and it was a little canine friend looking in at me! He was so cute and friendly looking so I went out to play with him. He had no collar or tags and I had never seen him before. I brought him some water and we played on the porch for a little while. Then I got up to go inside and he was eager to follow me. So we went inside and he checked the place out. He sniffed around and settled on the tile by the front door. I could tell he was an inside dog because he was very clean and well groomed. And look at that little face!

And then Jimmy came home and he was, needless to day, rather surprised to see me standing in our yard with a little dog. He said I needed to find the owner. We went inside and the little guy followed, even though Jimmy was very worried about my inviting a random dog into our house. But it was fine and we enjoyed having the little guest if only for a little while. I decided to take him for a walk (the dog, not Jimmy) to find his owners. We walked toward the building next door to ours and he recognized the hallway. He looked back and me a ran up the steps. He stopped on a doorstep and looked up at me. I guessed this was his house so I knocked. A woman opened the door and my little friend ran inside. She said she was vacuuming and Zuzu ran out the open door. She was glad to have him back, and I was sad to see him go!

Jimmy could see that I really need a little friend. Spending my days at home by myself all day is starting to get to me. I know I will have a little friend here soon, with two legs that is, but a canine is definitely in the plans someday.

Welcome John Wilson Landers!

2007-07-31T11:20:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the world Mr. Landers! My cousin Jenni was due two weeks before me and her baby boy arrived on July 28 at 2:37am weighing 7lbs 8oz. The proud family posed for their first portrait below.

Little Tommy was hoping for a little sister, but is an excited big brother to little Jack. He called me the next morning to tell me the news, and I could hardly understand him through his rushed, excited explanation. He was up for more than 24 hours with little-to-no sleep! His arm is still broken, but that did not stop him from holding Jack and telling him what he needs to know about being a boy.

The Landers Men

The Proud Nana

Three cousins in my family are (were) expecting new additions. Jen was due first, then me, and my other cousin Jenn. Now that Jack has arrived, we are on deck! It has really made it a reality that our little one will be here soon! But as Tommy was sure to tell me when Jack arrived, his little brother will always be older than my kid.

Nesting

2007-07-30T13:30:00.000-07:00

It's officially begun. Believe me when I tell you that no one appreciates a clean kitchen and organized closet more than I, but this supposed "nesting" instinct has really brought me to a new level. Nearing the end of my third trimester, I have read that this is useful not only to provide a clean comforting environment for baby, but also because I will not have the chance to clean this thoroughly again until he/she goes off to school! Thus, I am not holding back... I am going full throttle. This means scrubbing carpets at midnight and refolding every teeshirt we own. Jimmy has been a great help in supporting my habits, mostly by smiling sweetly and telling me I'm doing a great job building a nest for the little one. Last night, however, a barely audible sigh preceded his "sure dear" when I asked him to move the furniture at 11:00pm. I've spent the last few days organizing the little outfits according to size. Jimmy says we would clothe an entire army of babies in onesies. He might be correct.

The nesting instinct also brings a curious sense of joy as I complete these tasks. I've never been so glad to have clean shelves in the refrigerator, and when I wake in the morning, I can't wait to do laundry! This is a picture of the very first load of baby clothes in the washing machine. I must admit though, the subsequent 8 loads I've done since yesterday were nowhere near as thrilling.

This morning Jimmy accidentally woke me as he was leaving for work at 6:00. Since I could not get back to sleep, I got up and started another day of nesting adventures. I've taken to listening to books on CD while I work around the house. It's a great way to keep my mind sharp while still getting things done around the house. So this morning, I started a new book and began assembling baby gadgets at 6:30am. What a sight I must have been! I assembled the Pack N' Play in our bedroom (as show below). I then moved on to the Rainforest Swing and the two play mats. I have mastered the Diaper Champ and cleaned and put away all the bottles and accessories. And I even had time to eat breakfast.

The place is really looking great, if I do say so myself! The final piece is the dresser we picked out to use as a changing table. It should arrive this week. When it arrives, I will promptly put away all the clean clothes and blankets, and all the diapering supplies. THEN, the nest will be complete... until I need to vacuum again.

El Diablo

2007-07-27T09:45:00.000-07:00

The Elf Hive is a group of Jimmy's roommates from college. Their apartment number was L5, this the title of their band of buddies. Friday night, we had a 3/5 Elf Hive gathering at our house for pizza, wings, and good times before our floor is covered in baby paraphernalia. Brett brought some of her super-hot little peppers called El Diablos. Don't be fooled by their small peppery stature, these things are a way up there on the Scoville scale. Obviously, they could not remain on the table unchallenged. Jimmy and Kyle stepped up to the plate, committing to half a pepper each.

Kyle consumed his specimen with professionalism and confidence.

Jimmy was somewhat more timid at first, but then threw caution to the wind and threw it down with gusto!

Kyle remained calm and after a modest flush to the cheeks and a swig of beer, he was back to tackling the chicken wings.

Jimmy stayed strong. Though sweat beaded upon his forehead, he did not show any signs of weakness. He found, however, that the remaining half of his beer was not enough to rid his mouth of the evil capsaicinoids. He chased the beer with two pints of milk to vanquish them.

Looks like Kyle took this round! If I know my husband, he will not go down without a fight. The saga will continue and I daresay heighten at the next 5/5 Elf Hive gathering. Stay tuned.

Good Shepherd Dance Camp

2007-07-19T09:42:00.000-07:00

This week, I was fortunate enough to be able to share my love of dance with some bright young kids. It was the inaugural session of Good Shepherd Dance Camp offered through our Episcopal Church plant. I had six students ages four and five for 45 minutes each day. We learned tap and ballet, and little bit of jazz to mix it up. The final day, we put on a little show for the parents. The kids looked great doing their shuffle-hop-steps! Thank you to the Angerer family for opening your home to us.

Vees in DE

2007-07-13T09:37:00.000-07:00

For the entire summer, Jimmy works "summer hours" so that he can have Friday afternoons off. We like to take this opportunity to do fun things together. Today, we decided to romp around our little state. First we went to Delaware City which is a historic little town on the Delaware River. The have little shops and an ice cream parlor at 32 Clinton Street. I had a delicious frozen treat involving vanilla ice cream, caramel swirls, and little candy bits all smushed into cone. Yum! I must tell, however, of one visit we made here when fries, hamburger, and "hot dog" was on the menu. Why the words "hot dog" were in quotation marks on the menu, we were not willing to find out.

Then, we drove under the Summit Bridge and walked out to a rocky jetty on the C & D Canal. We usually like to go fishing here in the brackish water, but I was worried about the lack of toilets. We stayed long enough to enjoy the view of the barges and the nuclear power plant across the canal. On our way out , we saw this plant that was growing straight out of a rock! What strength that little guy must have to reach from down in the water up to the sunlight!

After a drive through the stix of Delaware, our last stop was Augustine Beach. For some reason, I thought we were going to Bethany Beach and, as you can imagine, had quite a different picture of this beach in my mind. I thought we were going to a little beach town with long beautiful beach, when in fact, it turned out to be more of a sandy boat launch. Nonetheless, I enjoyed having my feet in the sand and hearing the slap of the waves. We left our mark in the sand. The Wild Vees strike again!

Disney World

2007-07-04T10:02:00.000-07:00

We visited the happiest place on Earth for Fourth of July this year! Photos and stories to come soon!

So Many Places to Sit

2007-06-20T09:33:00.000-07:00

For most of our marriage, we have sat on the floor of our home. In the spirit of my South Korean roots, we have a platform bed which lies only inches above the floor, and our table was low to the ground so that we could sit on floor cushions to eat. Ok, actually, it was a regular table which we sawed the legs from so we wouldn't have to find matching chairs... but that's another blog entry. Now, in this grand month of June, we find we have more chairs than, um, butts to sit in them!

First is this beautiful glider that Jimmy's parents gave us as a baby gift. It will be perfect for rocking the little one and relaxing at the same time. Right now, I frequently glide and gaze out at my little garden.

We also purchased a new dining room set! It's a beautiful farmhouse style table with a bench and four chairs. That's room for four guests (five if they're small) since we all know Jimmy loves to host dinner parties. As you can see, the dining room is currently bursting at the seams with baby things. Don't worry, everything is organized back there, we just have not unpacked the items yet. We have everything for diapering, feeding, clothing, and transporting the infant. Now we just need the infant.

Greeny

2007-06-15T09:56:00.000-07:00

My pride and joy in the summer is growing plants in the garden. Since it's only Jimmy and I (for now!) I try to grow only what we will need so as not to waste food.

The pictures on the left are taken just a few weeks after I planted the seedlings. One the right, the plants have grown for over a month and are starting to blossom. Soon, we will have deliciously fresh veggies which I grew myself!

The best part about the veggies is that I know they were well cared for and grown organically. This year, I had a problem with aphids attacking my cucumber and pepper plants. I made an organic pesticide using garlic, onions, hot peppers, and a little soap. This is not at all harmful to humans, but kills the bugs currently munching on the leaves and repels others. It's worked very well and my sweet and hot peppers are now thriving. We've also got carrots, heirloom and cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, summer squash, and garlic.

Weekend in DC

2007-06-02T09:33:00.000-07:00

We spent the weekend visiting our good friend Jimmy S in the DC area. We went to Gravelly Point which Jimmy's father recommended we see. It was a place where we could see planes fly right over our heads as they landed at Reagan Airport.

The strange thing about Gravelly Point is that people went there to relax and bike despite the roar of the planes so close. Even stranger, was that the cars parked on the grassy ends of each row instead of in the paved parking spaces. We could not figure out why this was the trend, and felt too timid to ask the locals. We may never know.

First Anniversary

2007-05-20T08:44:00.000-07:00

In the spirit of our outdoor wedding, we decided to celebrate our first anniversary with a picnic. We went to Brandywine Creek State Park armed with sandwiches, chips, apples, and a blanket. Anniversary fun ensued.

The day was perfect, not too hot, but bright and sunny. The park was lush and green and there were lots of little flowers all through the fields. The only problem was that we walked down a long hill to get to our picnic destination... which meant I had to hoof back up it later. Carrying an extra 25 lbs up a hill really does a number on the quads!

Cow in a Pasture

Frolicking

It was a great way to enjoy nature and each other's company. Here's to many more anniversary picnics! (Though next year I suspect we will have diaper bag and a mobile infant to chase after!)

Melissa and Peter's Wedding

2007-04-20T08:51:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Melissa and Peter who tied the knot the weekend! We went up to New York on Thursday night, just in time for the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. I had the extreme honor of doing a reading during their ceremony. The rehearsal dinner was a fun and casual event at a bowling ally where my husband set those lanes aflame. I think it was the pink bowling ball he used.

The wedding day was perfect! The weather was clear and the air was warm. Melissa had the yellow tulips and the spring wedding she'd always wanted. She looked so beautiful! And of course, the story cannot be told without props to myself and my cousin Eric for setting them up together! They hit it off right away, and we are so thrilled that they have started their life together.

Melissa's sister, Rachel, was the maid of honor, and Pete asked his father to be his best man. What a handsome wedding party!

And of course, while serious photographic events were taking place, Jimmy and I were being silly in front of our own lens. Here, Jimmy ponders in front of the fountain. We attempted to take other funny photos involving a strategically placed fountain spout and a standing Jimmy, but the results were not appropriate as this is a family blog. Below, I make the face, when I can think of no other face to make.

Hair Cuts

2007-04-01T08:27:00.000-07:00

Flying!

2007-03-25T08:36:00.000-07:00

A good friend of ours from church obtained his pilot's license and now loves to spend Sunday evenings in the air. He was generous enough to offer to take us up with him! Only Jimmy accepted his offer since I don't know that I would fit comfortably in the small plane... and I'm scared of heights! Jimmy found the trips thrilling though he said that landing is the scariest part since you can see everything as it's happening. I can't imagine it's not a little scary to see the ground coming at you at very high speed! Here are some photos he took from the air.

Water's Edge

Pickle Juice

2007-03-11T08:18:00.000-07:00

Four months pregnant! So here I am, out of my first trimester, and things are still looking rather bleak. I am still rather nauseous most of the time and it's sleep I mostly crave. You can definitely see the bump of my belly now, I'm not imagining it because my regular jeans no longer fit! Now that they've given me this medicine that helps me keep food down, I am enjoying the strange pregnancy cravings. Yes, I do drink pickle juice from the jar. Yes, it does make Jimmy gag.

Here is were I spent most days of the last few months. This sleeping bag was a Christmas gift from Mom and Dad Vee, and it has so far gotten much use! During entire month of January, and most of February, my days were spent practically plastered on the couch, trying not to move. I was weak because I couldn't keep food down, not even water and crackers! My best friends were Ellen and Oprah. I'm not sure how Jimmy survived those months because I don't remember cooking or cleaning anything. I just remember seeing the inside of the sleeping bag!

The Bump!

Announcement!

2006-12-28T08:02:00.000-08:00

Today, we announced the wonderful news of our little one to our family. We had both sides of my family gathered so it was the perfect time to share the news of our blessing. This will be the first grandchild for my parents, as well as Jimmy's parents, and the second great-grandchild of my grandparents. Everyone was thrilled and excited about our news, and I think even a few tears were shed.