A Musical Interlude

Long time no blog, because we've been working on getting a band together. I play the kazoo.

FA LA LA LA LA

The boy didn't so much enjoy our trip to buy the Christmas tree as endure it.


Shortly after entering the tree lot, Sam lost his Christmas spirit due to the not infrequent use of a chainsaw. You can see Bruce is trying to comfort Sam: IT'S OK SAM! SANTA'S GOT A CHAINSAW! DON'T BE SCARED!


Actually, they had quit sawing already by this shot, but Sam was editorializing on the Christmas music at this point.


And here is Sam enjoying all of the festive accessories in the Christmas shop.

Meanwhile, just next to us, three adorable tow-headed children, all dressed in matching snowflake sweaters, were having their Christmas photo made in front of a tree by their mother, using her digital SLR camera. To contrast, I took this photo of Sam, hastily stuffed into his firetruck hoodie, with my cell phone.


And, in case you didn't think Sam had the endurance to cover his ears for the ENTIRE trip to the tree lot, here's a shot of him after the tree was loaded onto the car. (Yes, that is a Target in the background. If you can't get it at Target, then I don't want it.)

Gobble, gobble!

Sam learned to say "Gobble, gobble" for Thanksgiving, and I was quite excited to show him off to Bruce's family. I had him gobbling during rehearsal for days, and he happily gobbled all the way to Virginia. Then, of course, the child did not once utter another gobble until he was safely ensconced in our car and on the way home. So much for party tricks. I have now taught him to say "Ta Da!" when I turn on the Christmas lights. But you'll just have to trust me. It's pretty cute.

I forgot to take our camera with us on the trip, so I got some shots off of Sam celebrating turkey day with my phone. Amazingly, he is blurry in nearly every shot. Because he just couldn't be bothered to slow down.


Sam, recharging on the way to Thanksgiving lunch. He was tired from all the audience-free gobbling he'd been doing in the back seat.


The cousins (Alexis and Elizabeth) pose casually as Sam blurs past. That's Uncle Paul in the background. You can see we interrupted a serious football game.


Cousin Daniel is about to get tackled. Sam is no joke, even if I dressed him up fancy.


Just try and outrun Sam.


Why is Sam so blurry? I'm starting to think he's a vampire. I'm Team Sam!


Sam and Daniel, waiting for the Ref to make the call.


And here is Sam eating something. I don't actually know who took this photo, and I can't tell what he is eating. Hopefully, it was edible.

On the Farm

OK, full disclosure, it wasn't really a farm. But it was close enough for Sam's purposes. We visited Uncle Rob (whom Sam lovingly referred to as "Bob," from Bob the Builder) and Aunt Christy for a few days before Thanksgiving at their lovely house on a huge plot of land in the beautiful Virginia countryside. They have dogs and cats and all kinds of "trucks," so Sam was pretty much ready to move in for good. He slept in a bedroom that had a deer head mounted on the wall, which he seemed to think was totally appropriate bedroom decor. Every night before bed he would say, "Night, night, deer."

Milestone Alert! First Train Ride

We didn't go to one of the many wonderful farms around these parts to pick our own pumpkin, wander in a corn maze or take a hay ride. I think Sam will get much more out of that sort of thing next year. Instead, we rode on The Pumpkin Patch Express at the Museum of Life and Science. It was a beautiful day for a train ride.


Headed to the station.


Choo choo train.


Checking it out.


Still checking it out.


Lucky No. 7.


All aboard!


Mom is super excited. Mom doesn't get out much anymore.


Sam's getting a little nervous (as evidenced by his hands covering his ears). Best family portrait ever. This may well end up on our Christmas Card.


Loud!


Looking for a pumpkin in the patch.


Success!


You can't tell by this photo, but he was seconds away from hurling that pumpkin.


After the pumpkin haul, reviewing some train literature. Something about the Santa Express?


Enjoying something called a "popcorn ball."


Tried to get him to pose on a giant pumpkin, but he refused to give up his popcorn ball.

Bouncy Castle

Sam's first time in a bouncy castle went as expected. He was intrigued but stand-offish. But the second time? Oh, the second time. He. Was. All. In.










Took a break from bouncing to play with the bubbles. Choices!

(These photos were courtesy of Jim Stratford, the professional photographer we hired to shoot the law school's tailgate party during reunion weekend several weeks ago. I didn't have the heart to tell him to stop taking photos of Sam. I'm thinking of using him in all our promotional materials.)

Halloween II: The Main Event

Sam prepares to go trick or treating with his new neighborhood friend, Eli. Eli only speaks Mandarin, but somehow he and Sam are still able to communicate. Sam did teach him what sound a firetruck siren makes. It's the universal language.


Sam's first call was on our neighbor "Nick!" Sam loves Nick. He didn't say "Trick or Treat," but he did say "Bye, Nick!"


Terrorizing the neighborhood.


The dynamic duo discusses strategy before approaching their next victims.


Sam making the tough call between a Kit Kat and a Reese's cup.