Samuel: 22 Months

Dear Sam,

Welcome to 22 months, little buddy! Hard to believe you've rounded the bend to TWO! My sweet angelic boy is becoming more and more of an independent spirit, both in mind and in body. This month has been a whirlwind of activity, most of it coming directly from you. Your Dada thinks someone should make a documentary on your life, following you for a day and recording all the adventure, trouble, and joy that awaits.

You are definitely all boy. You love to run, jump, climb, throw, wrestle, tumble and will engage in any activity that requires throwing your body around a bit. The picture below is a perfect snapshot of what it is to be you these days:

I find you in the darnedest of places, doing the darnedest of things. Many times I've found you scaling the tool bench looking for sharp items with which to play. You maneuver chairs and stools all over the house in order to reach up high for certain verboten items. You climb shelves in the refrigerator and in the closets. You scale the highest structures at the park. It is a workout just keeping up with you.

You continue to be sweet, loving, affectionate and snuggly. There are many, many times in a day that you hug, kiss, or offer gentle touches, completely unsolicited. You are exceptionally sweet and affectionate with your sister, as is she with you. Just this week I found you snuggling together while you watched your morning shows. There you both were, snug in fuzzy jammies, hair disheveled, you sitting on your sister's lap.

You can be found running fast, often in the opposite direction of your family. Your little legs have finally caught up with your will and you are a fury! (Just this week for the first time, you actually froze when I yelled, "Stop!" Very hopeful there is more of this to come). The open road is your friend, and you will follow it. At least until a stick, rock, or puddle catches your attention and slows you down.

One of your big loves this month has definitely been tractors. At Grammy & Papa's house, you couldn't wait each day to climb up and "drive" the tractors, your little lips trilling out the sound of a motor as you grasped the steering wheels and fiddled with knobs and levers. The first day we went snowing you would cry every time we started climbing back up the hill, asking to continue on down to the barn and the brmm-brmms. The afternoon that Joe and I spent forty-plus minutes with you it was in the upper twenties, and though your nose was running and your cheeks bright red, you flat out refused to go in.

Wanna go get dinner? Head shake. Wanna go see Dada? Head shake. Wanna see Papa? Head shake. Wanna go drink some hot cocoa? Head shake. Wanna sleep on the tractors tonight? Vigorous head nod.

Every time we see a tractor now, you yell out "PAPA!" with exceptional glee. Hilarious.

You're just cute. It's pretty hard to resist your requests. It's even harder to resist your sweet soft cheeks. Don't even get me started on that spankable booty. You are pure deliciousness, and such a joy to this family, even with all your shenanigans.

Love,

MaMA!!!!