You People!

While the voting was very close, it seems as though many of you think i should hold off on cutting those precious golden locks on Sammy's head til a later date. I'm okay with this. So through the power of internet voting (!), I've postponed quoif-cutting for now. I think Ron voted more than once though.... :-)

A Few Changes to the Blog

I thought it was time for a slight "makeover" to the blog. I tried to change it to a holiday theme, but in changing the HTML code, something didn't translate and kind of messed it up. While freaking out, thinking I had lost the entire blog in 11 seconds, i decided to leave it alone, for the most part. I hope you like the new color scheme. I've also added a couple new fun elements, that may or may not be present all the time. There is a POLL on the right, concerning Sam's pending haircut. Please vote! Ha. I've also included a highlighted "Photo Du Jour" at the bottom of the page; Tanner and Sam are breaking it in.

Spoon-Lickin' Good

Sam helps me with the beginning bakings of the Christmas Cookie Stash!

You Guys are Just WRONG!

The Big Number Two!

Samson Vonnegut turns TWO today!
Since the Daycare Center was closed on Monday for Staff Development, we were able to swap days and get Sam in on his birthday, which i was really psyched about 'cuz this was going to be my first "Mommy Bakes for the Class" moment! I will never outdo my cousin with her

birthday cake creations (think Spiderman, a snake and a MEGAPHONE! - all handsculpted), but I can be a mean Cookie Baker. So i decided on my all-time fave, and a loved classic, The Chocolate Chip. Ron made them however (i was swamped at work!), and in true Ron fashion, he tweaked the recipe. He added half a jar of Wegmans Mint Chocolate Fudge dessert topping. Wow-WEE! Yum-MEE!

At 2:30, Shirley and i arrived to the kids just wrapping up naptime (there was even a wee one still napping in the corner). Pretty soon thereafter, i
passed out a cookie for each child, which i had decorated the night before with kid-friendly and recognizable shapes: a balloon, a bicycle, a sun, a moon, a butterfly - that sorta thing. I squatted next to Sam, pulled two candles from my pocket and a lighter and the class began to sing. He slowly looked up, in almost a dazed way, and then began to cry. I don't think he knew what to make of the attention. I patted his back and soon it was time for him to blow out his candles (I helped a little). Ron had made the cookies GIGUNDO (at least from a 2 yr old's perspective), and most of them did not finish even a half. I look over, and there is Sam with nothing but crumbs in front of him! Ha! Daddy's lil boy.

Then the kids wanted to play outside. Good GOD, was it cold out, but you would never know by the kids excitement and energy. Sam had a good time running with his little plastic grocery cart, and playing follow the leader on the playground's wood border. After about 20 min, the kids came in and played around the room, listened to story time, and Ron enjoyed a 'taco' for a snack.

At 4, the Center was hosting a saxophone quartet from Ithaca College. Each class had a designated time to go and listen. They even wheeled the baby's in cribs to listen, which i thought was way cool! Sam's class really enjoyed it. Sam was a little antsy, and i wondered if it was because Mommy and Daddy were there (showing off). He clapped and danced - it was a really nice time.

If you would like to reminisce with us a little, travel back one or two years...

"Pop pop"

Another introduction to blatant sugar source: The Lollipop. I have to be very calculative as to WHEN i give him a "pop pop." Right before dinner is not really a good time, i learned.

Here's a good place to update everyone (mostly me, for record-keeping purposes!) on the latest words and phrases from Sam:

Words: puppy, apple, juice ('joo'), happy, WHOA!, ball, choo-choo, beep beep (anything related to a car), meow ('Nyow'), book, hoo-hoo (when seeing an owl), moon ('moo'), work (work, minus the "k" sound, in response to "Where's Daddy?"), night-night ("Do you know what time it is, Sam?"), shhh, blue ('boo'), pee-pee, poo-poo (pointing to toilet and/or butt), Please ('peas'), Thank you ('den doo')...

Phrases:
"All RIGHT, Mommy/Daddy/Puppy!" - used most often when I finally shoot a used tissue into the wastebasket after missing 100x, or when Beegsley catches a dog biscuit tossed to him. Also popular when Ron comes out of the shower (haha!)

"How I wah" - sung, the first portion of "How i wonder what you are." when anything about a STAR is said. This one really surprised me the other day!

........ ah, within no time, we'll be having a conversation. I REALLY look forward to jotting down the crazy stuff he's sure to say!

Sammy sees a second Halloween- and likes it!