Happy Halloween!

Samantha got her first taste of Halloween this year. She went trick or treating with Daddy and the Beasley's (mommy had to teach). We did not dress her 'up' for daycare but she did wear a T-shirt Aunt Heather handed down. She really looks like Daddy in that picture!

Samantha is really alot of fun right now. She has her 'moments' don't get me wrong, but its great to her personality develop. Last week she wanted to 'kiss the baby' and she was blowing on my tummy and then laughing so hard. This week she was being Miss Polite at the dinner table. She was saying "Yes, please." and "Thank you, mommy" at the most perfect times (I hope this lasts and that we continue to be this polite to each other all the time!) Oh, another great little tidbit. Yesterday morning I was dropping Samantha at Daycare and I grumbled about my pants falling down (I know they should be staying up over my big belly, but they just keep sliding down) and I was complaining that I was walking on them. Samantha stopped looked up at me and then reached over and tried to pull up my pant leg to help me out...how sweet. She obviously hears everything and is learning so much right now. Its fantastic.

I have decided to start a count down to the due date rather than counting up....<12 weeks to go. Baby AJ will be here before we know it....but we are still awaiting our new neice or nephew (Samantha's new cousin). Daddy's sister's baby was due yesterday...

2 Year Check up

Amazing its been two years.

My 8lb. 6oz baby is now a 22.5lb, 33.5inch little girl!! Samantha saw Dr. Davis yesterday and loved all but 20 seconds of her visit. She talked him through a book and showed him her eyes and ears and nose. She even let him listen to Dora. She wasn't so crazy about him checking out her mouth and she cried for about 10 seconds after she got her flu vaccine and her Hep A vaccine...no more vaccines until 5!!!

Samantha is about 50% percentile in height-- yeah! I hope she is taller than mommy one day. And I think she is about 15% in weight, but I am not sure. I did not get a good look at the chart. She is doing fantastic. Her verbal development is taking off. She is counting and singing and trying to learn her colors. She is becoming a parrot so we have to watch what we say. I hear alot of "oh, goodness" (which she gets from mommy). Samantha doesn't sound like an adult though and some phrases don't sound like they should. Funky House...is horrible. Problem is -its hard not to laugh and then she thinks its funny and repeats the phrase over and over again. A.J. is getting into my ribs so laughing isn't so fun right now--what a contradiction!

We'll post a picture for Halloween soon. Have a great day.

Wow! What fun we have been having!

I am so sorry to all of you who have been waiting for Samantha's birthday pictures. Its taken us some time to get everything together. We have been very busy, but enjoying every moment. We just got back from Ohio where we celebrated my parent's 60th birthdays, Clare's baptism and Sophie and Samantha's birthdays. I am not going to say much, but just post some pictures. Enjoy.

Clare's baptism. Daddy and Aunt Heather with Clare.

Samantha with Clare...she keeps touching me?


Cousins with "Uncle Matt", nothing like 6 girls taking turns blasting off a rocket.

Concentration...nesting dolls and puzzles. This is what I like.

And a swing or two in a good - old, Akron Goodyear tire.

Celebrating birthday with Sophie (who turned 4 today). Look at the cute tea kettle Aunt Heather made me and my cousin...and our individual 'tea' cups.

At Pumpkin Farm in Franklin, TN with friends. This is 'Alex'.

"Happy to you"

Samantha's newest favorite things to do include: singing "Happy to you" (she leaves out the birthday), singing "Banana Phone", watching any video on Noggin.com, and standing on her chair at the kitchen table.

She still hasn't let go of some other habits including pointing out everything YELLOW, eating raisins (every chance she can get), and requesting mommy "hold you" at my weakest moments.

She is increasingly talking about airplanes and was excited to hear that we are planning our next trip to "OHIO" (which she equates with where Poppop, Grandma and Duppie live).

We had a great weekend with Amy. She came down from Pittsburgh. We visited the Factory, went to an art show (without Samantha), went on some walks and got to catch up. Amy brought Samantha a PITT shirt with the characters of Seseme Street on it and Samantha wouldn't take it off for about 24 hours.