The Boxing Day snow

You want me to leave the comfort of my bar seat and go outside in THAT?


What fresh hell is this?


Still not so sure about this new weather phenomenon.

Same sweater, different day

As I sort through our various shots from the holidays, I realize that, with only several exceptions, Sam is wearing the same sweater throughout. Coincidence, lack of hygiene, lack of sweaters, or an abundance of holiday cheer? I will let you draw your own conclusions. On Christmas Eve eve (yes, it's a thing) we went to see the Leonard Bearstein (sic) orchestra. As it turns out, Sam shows a real interest in classical (bear) music.


Posing in front of the big tree. Hey, nice sweater!


Trying to get a good angle for the performance.


Little help?


Great view, thanks to mom.


Sam and Dad pose in front of the orchestra. Yes, Sam's head does look larger than Bruce's, but we are attributing it to my awkward camera angle.

Christmas No. 1

We had an early Christmas celebration with my sister and her family at my mom's and dad's. I took zero photos at my dad's house because, as it turns out, he 1) has a large shot glass collection, which is 2) at toddler height. We felt it might be better not to document that visit.

But we all recovered in time to get some shots of Sam and the cousins opening presents at Mama Jane's house.


The cousins. They are big. And there are many of them. Can you imagine the sheer quantity of goldfish crackers it would take to keep them full?


Sam with Aunt Robin


Cousin Josh helps Sam with his music


Dancin' to the music


An exclusive performance for his great grandmother. Good night, Kernersville! I love you!

IKEA

Saturday was cold, damp and miserable, and Sam was tired of being cooped up inside. I'm not sure where you take your toddler on rainy days (seriously, where DO you take your toddler on rainy days?), but we took ours to IKEA. It was fun for all, and even involved some international intrigue when we noticed a sweet Asian girl we thought was abandoned at one of the playstations, but who was rescued by her mother just before we could hustle her out of the store to be Sam's new big sister. Just kidding about the Asian sister. Sort of!


IKEA makes its Poang chair for tots! Sam is reflecting my excitement.


Never pass up an opportunity to put Sam in a funny hat. That's my motto.

It's beginning to look a lot like [insert appropriate word here]

What a day of Christmas decorating looks like in the Warreid household. A photo essay.


Helping Dad with the tree.


God, the holidays are exhausting.


The (somewhat) finished product! Note the bottom half of the tree has no ornaments. Safety first, people.


Sam assesses the situation. Is it climbable? Breakable? Chewable?


This is mine now.


Sam works to add his special touch to the tree.


Blinky colored lights, I must have you.


Wait for it....


No babies were actually electrocuted in the making of this picture.


But I look STUPID in my Christmas PJs. What's a penguin got to do with Christmas, anyway?


Chilling in my baby Snuggie. Sipping on some eggnog.

Yardwork is more fun with a toddler.

Not so productive, but fun.

Practice, practice

Sam is practicing his dog walking skills by pulling his cart of blocks in circles around the house. This is step one in his campaign to prove to his father that he can handle the responsibility of owning his own dog. (See the damp ring around his neck? That's not sweat from exertion but drool from cutting four molars at once.)

A blur

Sam literally had the time of his life over Thanksgiving (hey, he's had a short life), but I did a terrible job of documenting it.


This is pretty much what he looked like the entire time, but instead of photographing him, I was chasing him down. Clearly, I've got a lot to learn about action photography.

Sam had two dogs, two cats, and a number of cousins to keep him busy, plus all the turkey he could eat! He loved all the action and attention, so coming back to our quiet lives in Charlotte was quite an adjustment for him. The only people I felt more sorry for than myself upon returning to work this past Monday were his daycare teachers.

Here are a couple of (still) shots I did manage to capture of him:

Sam swings

Fridge run

Can I get anyone anything while I'm in here?

Holiday greetings

You might think two people with full-time jobs and a budding genius/pro athlete/international humanitarian might be too busy to think of such matters as holiday cards, but you'd be wrong. We're spreading the cheer, so step off!

Here's the pic we used in last year's card. Awwww.


I have no idea what photo we're going to use in this year's card, but that hasn't stopped me from looking at possible card designs. I'm sort of loving this card, but I can never tell if it's because the design is cute or because the kid in the photo is so precious. But I'm pretty sure Sam can give that little guy a run for his money, especially if I can learn how to Photoshop out the drool.

I'm also digging some of the cards here. Particularly the one they call "hip and happy." Cause that's us...hip...and happy. Or, how about "outrageous and ornery?" Does Shutterfly make that card yet?

And, I don't want to ruin the surprise for anyone, but for those who have been more nice than naughty this year, Santa may deliver this surprise to you. Assuming Santa finds the time to pull his photos of Sam together to make it. But that's what elves are for!

Do you have any holiday card faves? Leave a comment and let us know if there's one that's particularly fitting for Sam's mug. Of course, Bruce is convinced this pose is the best holiday card fodder.

When Babies Attack

AAAAH! This is the scene when you get two babies together on a Sunday playdate. Sheer chaos. It involved babies dressing up like bats, babies dressing up like monkeys, babies eating egg off the floor, at least one baby getting temporarily misplaced (I won't name names but my baby doesn't walk and is a bit of a mama's boy), and general baby merriment.


Here's a shot of bat baby Harrison (left) and monkey baby Sam. Look! This is what life would be like if I had two babies! Wheeee!


Best friends. It won't be long before they're sneaking out at night together and stealing my car. Little punks.


Harrison showing off his keen walking skills. I didn't want to say anything in front of his mom, but he's a bit of a show off, what with his standing steadily on two feet and walking everywhere. The nerve!


Not to be topped, Sam takes off in bipedal mode, with me close behind. He had forgotten he actually doesn't know how to walk. I'm not clingy.

Photos courtesy of Harrison's mom, Paula.

Halloween, Then & Now

Halloween 2009





Halloween 2010





Can't wait for 2011! We're taking costume suggestions now.

Fall Saturday with the Boy

Sam at the Farmer's Market. Baby + produce + free samples = awesome

View from the Top

Crowder's Mountain, Sunday, Oct. 24


Sure, I get to pose for the photo, but I wasn't the one who had to lug him up there on my back. Somehow, it was uphill, BOTH ways. Sam found the trip so exhausting that he fell asleep on the way back and fussed every time Bruce jostled him. Have you ever walked three miles down a mountain while trying to hold your torso perfectly still? Bruce has.

Monkeys on Parade

Sam, carb-loading before the annual Sherwood Forest Halloween "Parade."


Getting excited as everyone lines up to parade around the neighborhood in their costumes.


Showing off his mad walking skillz.


Checking out the ladies.


Woah! Is that Batman?



Sam's view of the parade from his stroller.