Jedi in Training

Random moments caught from a Saturday walk. Sam didn't want to come with us at first -- he never does -- but as soon as we get him out the door he transports us to another planet or dimension.

Father's Day 2014

Every day, Bruce makes Sam's breakfast. It always includes fresh fruit, usually a fruit salad. In fact, I put some grapes on Sam's dinner plate last night, and he objected, "Only grapes?" He is used to white glove service. Breakfast also includes yogurt, cereal, and, depending on availability, a baked good or breakfast meat. Bruce scrambles Sam an egg a few times a week, and then proceeds to harangue Sam thoroughly until he eats it. Because I insist, Bruce gives Sam a multi-vitamin every day, even though he doesn't believe in them and even though Sam complains about it unless it's the grape flavor. Then Bruce reads to Sam while he eats.

Every day Bruce ushers Sam through the morning routine: shoes on, teeth brushed, sunscreen on. It's sometimes more difficult and frustrating than it may sound. And Bruce does it every day, and then he takes Sam to school, usually by bike, which is Sam's preferred mode of transportation.

Bruce does a ton of other things for and with Sam, including but not limited to: lego construction; swim lessons; wrestling; indoor (!) and outdoor soccer; running; hiking; reprimanding; threatening; cajoling; carrying; cuddling. But it's the morning routine -- in all of its banality and consistency -- that to me reflects Bruce's commitment to this kid. Neither of them are usually at their best, and it is certainly not glamorous or always that fun. But Bruce does it because that's what he does. He's Sam's Dad. Every. Damn. Day.
This is new to me, seeing this side of fatherhood. Don't get me wrong, I grew up with a few amazing men in my life, who did wonderful things for me and for whom I'm very thankful. But seeing Bruce be a Dad to Sam is something that touches my heart every day and makes me so proud to be a part of this family. He is Sam's rock. That's important.

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In honor of Father's Day 2014, here is Sam's annual interview, answering a few questions about his Dad. Sam was totally not into it this year.

Sam's New Bike

Actually, Sam has two new bikes. The first is a new "big boy" bike with training wheels. He hasn't been very excited about riding it, and we have figured out that we likely got it a size too big. So I will need to get him a slightly smaller "big boy bike." In the meantime, Bruce bought a trailer bike that Sam is super excited about. All the cycling cache with a fraction of the work. But it gets Sam excited about riding, so that works for us.

Snow Days

The winter of 2014 has been a good one. These things most be recorded for posterity. In a couple of years, on an unseasonably warm January day, I will complain about how it NEVER snows in North Carolina anymore, and Sam will complain about how he has NEVER gotten to go sledding, and then someone can say WAIT. It did snow. Twice. And there was much sledding. Don't forget the winter of 2014, we will remind ourselves! We got to sled twice that year, remember? On the foam penguin sled that got all cut up because the snow was very icy? That was a great winter, we'll say.

A little long perhaps, we'll recall, as I'm writing this on March 21, and I see next week's forecast calls for a potential spring snowstorm in N.C. Maybe that penguin sled will hold up during another round.

Posing on one of the many hills in the neighborhood.



Mush! Mush!


No hands!


Sam marches back up the best hill in the neighborhood for sledding. This is a hill that he usually whines about having to climb, but put him in sub-freezing weather, too-tight rainboots, on an ice-coated surface, and he'll climb it repeatedly. For hours.


Apres sled.


I even made snow cream. It was actually pretty darn tasty.


 Snow Storm No. 2

Colter is not amused.


The boys check out the snow before breakfast.

Pretty house in the snow.

Heading back to our sledding spot.


One more round.


Just sittin' on a giant snow ball.


Super Snowman!

Christmas 2013

Christmas 2013, a set on Flickr.

It took me forever to weed through all the Christmas photos from this year, but I really have no excuses. It's February 7, and I'm just now getting them up. But I had to get this done for posterity. So I can move on to our fun sledding photos and video.

These shots really do speak for themselves (as poor quality as many of them are). What can I say? We had a blast. Sam was truly obsessed with Santa and presents and cookies and all the trappings. Good times.

Milestone Alert: Sam's First Football Game

On November 30 Sam attended his first college football team -- a classic rivalry between Duke and UNC. The game was sold out, probably due to Duke's stellar performance on the field this year. We brought along my dad and stepmother, because my dad is a life-long Duke fan. The weather cooperated -- it was crisp and clear, just as you always imagine it would feel like when you see yourself sitting at a football game. I think Sam enjoyed it. It was a bit of a mixed bag, but overall he did great, and I know he won't forget it. The whole outing almost failed from the start, when UNC launched a cannon and/or fireworks at the beginning of the game. Sam, whom you know has never been good with loud noises, panicked, started crying and immediately begged to leave. I tried to calm him down by telling him that they only did that at the beginning of the game (I was wrong -- they shoot them after every touchdown), but he couldn't settle down. The scene was dramatic enough to elicit the sympathy of a man sitting one row back who gave us earplugs. I still think about him and wish I could thank him again. He saved the game! Sam loved the earplugs and was really able to enjoy himself after that. Add earplugs to the list of things (wet wipes, bandaids, etc.) that I will always remember to pack.





This is right before the crying started.

Then and Now, Williamsburg Edition

Then....


(December 2009)

Now....
(November 2013)

Thanksgiving 2013

Thanksgiving fell so late in the month this year, I felt like I was a week behind the whole month of December. I was behind at work and behind on Christmas preparation. I probably have the same feeling every year (and if you look back at my archives, my blogging is always light at the end of every year), but it had to be worse this year. Which is what brings us to my Thanksgiving recap here on December 28.

Sure, I may not remember the finer points a month out, but I recall clearly that we had a great time. While it may not have been quite as awesome for Sam as Thanksgiving at the beach last year (he was under the same roof with his cousins for 48 straight hours), he still had a blast.

The first thing Sam dove into was Grandma's collection of toys.


Next came the football sweater. Tis the season!

And then we played football (oh yeah, and there was a huge, delicious meal)!

Here, Uncle Tomato gives Sam the next play.


The best part for Sam was hanging out with all his cousins (especially his main man Daniel).

The day after Thanksgiving, we all went to Williamsburg.



Here's the whole group of cousins, with the exception of the youngest, James.

This is a poor shot due to the position and angle of the sun, but I couldn't miss the chance to show how much Sam (quite literally) looked up to Daniel.

A Walk in the Woods

Remember the little story I told you about how Sam and Bruce walked across a creek on a log, but I had no proof? And you didn't believe me, did you? Well, joke's on you. While I in no way was prepared to encourage them to do it again for purposes of posterity, when they did attempt it a second time, I was there with my trusty iPhone. This is how America's Funniest Videos get made, after all.

The bad news is we have nothing to contribute to AFV, but the good news is that nobody broke a leg or got too wet. Another great day on the trail!

Happy Halloween!

Maybe you don't know what a minion is. Maybe you've never seen Despicable Me. For you, then, I present Sam's favorite minion video. There is singing, there is silliness, and there is a little bit of violence. Sam loves the minions.



This Halloween, Sam went as the minion they call Dave. So he told people while trick-or-treating that his name was Dave. I think they thought Sam was just a really polite kid introducing himself, not that he was actually "Dave the Minion." Anyway. His costume was a hit amid a sea of ninjas and bumblebees. We thought about sending him around with a banana, but his hands were full with a flashlight and a candy bucket.






But Mom, minions don't wear crocs, Sam said. So we weren't 100% authentic. Next year.

Some action shots:


Walking around with the neighbors.


Hi. I'm Dave.


Swarming the bowl.


This is the "haunted" house around the block that we've been looking forward to visiting.


Thumb's up for candy.


Sorting through the goods.

He ate two pieces last night (and then asked for some apple because he was still hungry), picked out 10 pieces to save for later, and left the rest for The Great Pumpkin, who visited overnight and traded Sam's candy for a monster truck. Would've been a fool-proof plan except that Sam woke up well before 6 a.m. this morning in anticipation of The Great Pumpkin's visit and couldn't fall back asleep. On a related note, Bruce announced that we are canceling The Great Pumpkin for next year.

Frame-worthy

We had one of those weekends that wasn't anything special, and yet it was incredibly special in its routine. It didn't hurt that the backdrop was beautiful, crisp fall weather. We went out for a hike on Sunday, and Sam surprised us -- as he does every day. Things that, heretofore, we had not been able to convince him to do, he wanted to do. He wanted to walk barefoot in the freezing stream. He wanted to climb a tree. He wanted to hold Colter's leash the whole way. He wanted to cross the creek on a rather thin log. And he did it, with Bruce's help! Bruce and I were marveling at the fact that they made it across, and then we marveled at the fact that I didn't take a picture of it. I guess it's hard to do much else when you are holding your breath and covering your eyes.

Of Fall Festivals and Pumpkin Farms

I love fall! Sam, Bruce and I have been checking off our autumnal milestones. Still up for debate for this year: will Sam attend an actual football game? Will Sam go to the State Fair?

First up, Festifall, where we met Sam's friend Luke.


There was jumping...


And more jumping.


There were blue firetrucks...


And paparazzi.


And Sam even picked up a fiddle.


Next up: the Pumpkin Patch! The vibe was decidedly less L.L.Bean than I had envisioned. But they did an awesome job of providing family entertainment (over two hours worth of family entertainment, phew!), so I had definitely warmed up to the place by the time we left. Pros: the exotic pumpkin patch and the goat tree house. Cons: the hayride actually rode past a tract house neighborhood, so not super-idyllic. And Sam left the scene howling because we did not win their Facebook check-in contest. Maybe next year!


That's a *great* pumpkin, Sam!


Goats in a tree. The goats were the best part of the whole experience, in my estimation. I took a ton of goat photos, but I will spare you. But Bruce knows how I feel. Bruce does not yet share my dream of running a B&B/Goat Farm, but he will someday.


Sam feeds the most precious goat in the world.


Sam in the hay bale maze. Maybe we'll upgrade to the corn maze next year.


He was pretty excited to find his way out!


Welcome to Sam's hayride to Suburbia.


Sam is loving the hayride! So stop complaining about the hayride!


This is Sam's wry face. He is saying something very witty, to be sure.


The money shot.


And the pumpkin shot.