Sunday, August 07, 2011

Samuel: 29 Months

Hey Little Buddy,

So here we find ourselves in the midst of another monthly update. You are a little older, a little wiser, a little sneakier, and a whole lot cuter.


One afternoon we went crawdad hunting and you were perfectly content to sit on a log and look at the lego catalog. If the seven year-old you are to be is anything like the seven year-olds I already know, this obsession with all things lego is not ending anytime soon. Add to that obsession: blocks, sticks, robots, trucks, tractors, motorcycles and sound effects.


Trips to the zoo are just that much more fun with a bucket of "cheese" and your endless supply of joy. You especially loved the petting zoo, though your gregarious approach to life *may* have slightly frightened a few pygmy goats. It was with great pride and happiness that you stood against the ruler by the rides, well past the 36 required inches. The little cars with their bells brought nothing but great delight and the cacophony of siren sounds made possible by ten two to five year-olds.


You are passionate and intense at times, prone to throwing epic fits when it's time to get off the amusement rides, head up for naptime, or abandon the stack of blocks. But you are just as quickly calmed and distracted, snuggling in soft places on your Mama's body, giving up the struggle, and finding your joy once again.


You test the limits more and more each day, seeing just how far you can go before being disciplined. This might look like a rock to the head, throwing things down the stairs, touching all things verboten, all while smiling that knowing, wry smile. One day as we headed upstairs for naptime (cue tantrum) I calmly stated that you had a choice: to listen and obey, and receive naptime privileges, or to continue fighting and go straight to bed. To this clever parenting tactic you cried "NOBEY!," a thoughtful mix of no and obey, sure to enter the common toddler vernacular from this point on.


You love all things art and throw your entire body into each project. Even with many, many reminders that chalk is for the pavement, markers are for paper, crayons are not for eating, yada yada yada, you end up wearing and/or eating many of the art supplies. You absolutely love painting and will spend many minutes engrossed in a singular stroke on the page. It is so fun to watch.


You also love to make people laugh (wonder where you got that from?) Just the other day we were at a coffee shop when another mom asked you, "How old are you?" You replied, matter of factly, "Eight." I took a turn, looking you in the eyes and asking another question, "Sam, are you two?" Your response: "No. Eight!" followed by maniacal laughter, complete with the throwing back of your head. Then you proceeded to sit next to Ty Ty and copy his every move. It kept us all in stitches.


Your brain loves to take things apart and put them back together. You are a natural with puzzles and make all sorts of fun and complicated things with blocks and legos. You are trying out more and more words but seem pretty content to make do with the few you use with regularity. Just in the past month have you grown increasingly impatient with me when I cannot understand, so we're hoping this will spur some new language developments. But we'll see. :)


You are such a lovey, snuggly (and sometimes) Mama's boy. Whenever I go to leave, it's sort of a guessing game as to whether you see me off with little more than a nod of acknowledgement or run screaming to my side, clinging to my leg, shouting "No go! No go Mama!" Last night we headed off on a date, leaving you with some beloved friends, and when I came to give you loves you barely leaned your head a few inches in my direction, so subtle a movement I knew you'd be just fine. Then you proceeded to go pee in the potty not once, but TWO times, for our babysitting guests. What the what?! Since when do you have any interest in that?

You are always keeping us on our toes, warming our hearts to the core, and making us laugh until our bellies hurt. You are such a sweet, sweet gift from God and the loviest of boys.

Hugs, Kisses, and Luh (loves, in Sam-speak),

Mama

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