Sammy Smiles :)

I'm happy to report that this week, though a bit rocky in the beginning, has turned out to be a really good one. As mentioned in the previous post, Allen found the snake in our garage and I have been able to return to our house (though I have yet to enter the garage).

Samantha seems to be over her cold and is sleeping much better at night. She was such a little trooper throughout the ordeal and I am hoping that she will be healthy for a long time! We (Allen & I) are definitely getting our flu shots this year!

Last weekend, we celebrated Nana's 90th birthday with a big party at Ron & JoAnn's house. It was a lot of fun and I know that Nana had a wonderful time. Samantha was a big hit with the guests and we rolled her around the yard in her stroller so she wouldn't pass her cold on to everyone. I will post some pictures from the party as soon as I upload to the computer. I had great intentions of taking lots of photos, but it didn't really happen. Fortunately, AJ and some others played papparazzi and we have some great shots to share.

Samantha and I made it out to Boot Camp this week and had a great time. The class is a lot of work and left me sore for a couple of days, but I am hoping that will be the kick in the butt which gets me back into my (pre-baby) pants before I return to work. Speaking of work... We have set my return date. I will be heading back to LLS on Monday, October 5th. I was really hoping that we would somehow find a way fo me to magically earn an income while staying at home with Samantha, but it looks like that isn't going to happen. Fortunately, my boss is being very understanding about my return and though I know that this will be a rough change, I'm sure that everything will work out.

Samantha will be 12 weeks old on Thursday! It is amazing to see her growing and changing everyday. She is starting to develop quite a fun little personality and it is so great to see her engage and smile when we play with her. We're going to have her three month pictures taken on September 24th and can't wait to see how the photos turn out!

The heat was unreal in Morgan Hill yesterday, so we laid low this weekend. We took Samantha on an early walk and errand run yesterday morning and stayed inside the air conditioned house during the day. Hope everyone was able to stay cool!

What A Week!!!!

and it's only Tuesday!!!!

For those of you who are wondering, no, Samantha is still NOT over her cold. She seemed to be getting better, but yesterday morning her congestion was in rare form. I called the doctor to see if there was anything else I could do and the nurse told me that I must "bring her in IMMEDIATELY". If there is anything more traumatizing for a new parent, it has to be a medical professional acting as though there is cause for alarm. I started the process of getting Samantha ready for a car trip (no small feat, though I am proud to say that I have honed my skills and it is less of a production than it used to be) and we were ready to head to the doctor...again...yes, we are the #1 customers!

Step One: Load the stroller into the back of the car

Step Two: Refill the diaper bag and place in the back of the car

Step Three: Load Samantha into the carseat and lock her into the back seat

Step Four: Grab anything that I might need for the day and load it in the car

Step Five: Mental inventory of the multitude of things that I probably forgot and attempt to gather and load them quickly. In this case, it was a big glass of hot water to heat Samantha's bottle on our way to Los Gatos

Somewhere between Steps Four and Five, while trekking through the garage, something caught the corner of my left eye. On the ground in our garage was what looked like a SNAKE. At first, I thought that Allen was playing some kind of sick trick on me and had placed a rubber snake on the garage floor. I ventured back for a millisecond to survey the predator and had complete visual confirmation that there was a snake IN OUR GARAGE.

Let me preface by saying that I HATE snakes. Hate doesn't even approximate the way that I feel about snakes. I am DEATHLY afraid of them. It doesn't matter if "it is just an innocent bull/garden snake" or if "it is more scared of me than I am of it" or if "it is keeping rodents away". Don't get me wrong, I HATE rodents as well, (we'll discuss this in another post) but snakes...ughhhh, my skin is already crawling just thinking about them.

Fortunately, my phone was in my pocket. In my state of complete panic, I ran into the house and tried to assess the situation. The first thought that occurred to me--the baby is in the car, I am in the house and there is a snake between us. I already feel like a bad mom seeing as that my 2 month old child has a cold, but now, I have left her in the car, alone to fend for herself and there is a snake in the garage. I called Allen in a panic--in fact, I think I said something like

holyBLEEP

there'sasnakeinthegarageandi'mtotallyfreakedoutandthe

babyisinthecarandidon'tknow

whattodoandmyskiniscrawlingandi'mhavingheartpalpitations"

Though he was probably laughing on the inside, he talked me down from the ledge and explained that if I entered the car on the passenger side, I could crawl to the driver's side and leave the scene. I don't think I've ever moved that fast in my life! Once in the safety of the car, I glanced over to see the snake slithering TOWARD the house and I vowed that I would never return to our house ever again.

Last night, Allen promised to find the snake. I am pleased to announce that the snake has been removed from the premises and that is all I will say about Mr. Snake.

Sam and I did make it to the doctor, only to be told the same thing that they told us last week. We just need to let the virus run it's course and we can expect another few days of congestion and nastiness. Even though she sounds awful, she is still all smiles and super cute. We've been letting her hang out in the swing, as it keep her head elevated and I caught her napping earlier this morning.
And today, I get to go to the dentist...Oh joy! Can't wait to see what tomorrow will bring...

First Cold

and it's all my fault! Sam had her 2 month appointment on August 12th, a Wednesday and by the following Friday evening, I had a scratchy throat and stuffy nose. I'm convinced that I picked up this nasty little virus from the pediatrician's office even though I disinfected myself, Samantha, the carseat, diaper bag, my wallet, etc... The weekend was a bit rough for me, but by early last week I was feeling much better and it seemed that Samantha didn't catch my nasty virus.



Fast forward to Thursday morning--circa 2:00am...



We woke up to Samantha screaming, snorting and crying. She had the stuffiest nose and seemed just plain miserable. My inital thought--"we need to take her to the ER!!!". Allen convinced me that she could probably wait until the doctor's office opened later that morning, though the next 6 hours were some of the longest I've experienced thus far. We managed to squeeze in for a quick appointment and her doctor confirmed that she does have her very first cold. Unfortunately, other than using a humidifier and keeping her head elevated, there isn't a whole lot we can do. She's been quite a trooper despite feeling a little under the weather though! Samantha did make it out to Nana's 90th birthday party yesterday afternoon and she was a hit. The party was a lot of fun and went late into the evening. I'll post some pictures very soon, but in the meantime, fingers crossed that our stuffy-nosed monkey is better very soon!

As Promised...

Here's the video where Samantha is holding her bottle!

We've had another fun week start to the week, complete with new adventures! On Monday, Sam and I ventured to the Gilroy outlets and a few other errands. She was quite a trooper, though she decided that a diaper change was in order in the Target parking lot. We were on our way and doing great until she decided that another diaper change was necessary in the Michael's parking lot. Fortunately, Samantha doesn't seem to mind diaper changes on the portable mat in the back of the car!

On Tuesday, we ventured out to Baby Boot Camp in Campbell with my friends Shelley, Sara and Amy. The class DEFINITELY kicked my butt and Sam seemed to get a kick out of it, as she was smiling for quite a bit. Once we rounded into the final part of the class, she started to get fussy but managed to hang in there while I finished my hardest workout in a long time. We walked to downtown Campbell for coffee afterward and had a lot of fun with the other girls and their babies. I think we're even planning on going back tomorrow!

Today was pretty low key, starting with a nice stretch of sleep last night. Sam slept from 10:00pm to 5:00am! We had fun hanging around the house and keeping busy in the play gym and we also had a visit from our friend Deane. Allen and Sam are working on some tummy time right now (which she HATES) and we are going to try for an earlier bedtime tonight.

Hope everyone is having a great week!

Some Recent Favorites!

Samantha's "official" two month picture--not too different from the 1 month one, though Scout wanted to be a part of this photo session. In coming posts, I'll put the pictures together for monthly comparisons as Sam gets bigger Hanging out on the monkey mat

One night, we even caught Sam holding her own bottle! I have a video--complete with Allen's commentary that I will be sure to include in a future post!

Looks like Samantha is throwing a punch!

More bathtime fun! Sam loves her baths and sometimes makes fish faces while she splashes around in the water

2 Months--Ouch!!!!

It was another fun and busy week for us--with the exception of Wednesday! On Wednesday, Sam had her 2 month appointment with the pediatrician and it is crazy to think that she is growing so quickly. The appointment was good and her doctor seems to think that she's on track with everything thus far. Sam was having a great time at the appointment until the very end--shot time :-( She had three shots and an oral vaccination and needless to say, she was NOT happy. I've never actually heard her scream like that before, and her little legs were sore for the remainder of the day. On the plus side, Samantha did get to leave the office with two bright silver disco ball bandaids. Though she has survived and recovered the ordeal, she does have another round of shots at her 4 month appointment in October, so hopefully she does a bit better next time!

Check out the groovy bandaids!

Early in the week, we met up with Shelley and Dominic and Carla and Kaylee for an afternoon lunch. All the babies had a great time and we even managed to get a picture of the group--I'm still trying to figure out how to place the camera and use the timer, so my apologies that it is a bit off-center!

We also had a fun night at Uncle Steve and AJ's house to celebrate Nana's 90th birthday. Dinner was delicious and we got a few great pictures of Samantha and Nana. We're really looking forward to the "official" celebration of Nana's birthday next weekend!



Sam and I also made it out to another mom's group/playdate on Friday afternoon. We had a lot of fun hanging out with some new friends and some of the ladies from my prenatal yoga class. The weather was great and we shared appetizers and wine in Shelley and Dominic's backyard. Though Sam was a bit fussy, I know she had a great time! :)

Samantha and I topped off our Friday afternoon by enjoying a shopping trip with Auntie Kim. In an attempt to start building Sam's library, we hit Hicklebee in Willow Glen to see if there was anything that we needed. I picked up a copy of "Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears" and am looking forward to adding more classics to Samantha's collection. On that note, if any of our faithful readers have suggestions for "must have" children's books, please leave them as comments--it would be greatly appreciated!

Samantha's Two Month Stats:

Height: 23"

Weight: 11lbs

Head Circumference: 39.5

Have a great weekend!

8 Weeks

Sam is 8 weeks old today and we have been keeping busy and having a lot of fun! On Monday evening, we celebrated Uncle Steve's birthday and Sam was in rare form. She was not a happy camper and had no problem letting everyone know! We're pretty sure that she was just gassy, but on the flip side, her bad day led to a night with almost 10 hours of sleep. This is a first for Samantha, and as much as we would like to think that it will happen again soon, we are pretty sure that it is an anomaly (at least for now!). Samantha is doing much better with her sleep overall--she goes for about 5 to 6 hour stretches and usually goes back down after a late night/early early morning feeding.

On Tuesday, Sam and I walked up the hill and afterward we met with our friends Jen and Bradley for coffee. It was a lot of fun to catch up with the two of them, though Samantha slept through pretty much the entire visit. We spent Tuesday evening at Allen's softball game and Samantha managed to hang for the entire time. She was a bit fussy, but pulled it together toward the end--looks like she is turning into a sports fan!

We joined Shelley and Dom for lunch at Aqui in Campbell on Wednesday and once again, Sam slept through the visit. On our way back home, we stopped at AJ's house and spent a few minutes with the girls. AJ watched Sam for a bit so I could run an errand and from what I hear, Samantha was on her best behavior!

Today was Samantha's first official "playdate" at her friend Brody's house. Brody's mom, Tiffany worked with me at LLS and it was really great to catch up with them and meet some new moms and babies. Sam wasn't quite ready to take advantage of the splash table, swing, or any of the other fun toys that Brody was sharing, but I'm sure that by next summer she will love the summer playdates.

Samantha as a Team In Training mascot!

Hanging out on the floor--Sam loves to be on her back!

This picture doesn't show it, but Sam is all bundled up and hanging out at the softball game!

Having a lunch date with Dom!

Cursed!!!

Last week, Allen and I were super excited about getting another stroller for Sam. I should preface by saying that this isn't just any stroller, but it is (supposedly) a super-durable, extra rugged, all terrain-does the dishes/laundry/cleans the house/feeds the pets/pays the bills and helps it's owner get in shape stroller. Ok, well...maybe it doesn't do the household chores, but it is pretty cool. It is a jogging stroller that can be taken outside on the trails and Allen and I can even run with it while Sam is along for the ride. We have a fabulous everyday stroller that is lightweight, easy to maneuver and will grow with Samantha, but this one will also be good as the two of us try to get back into shape.

Rewind to last weekend...

On our second day with the stroller, we decided to walk up Thomas Grade, a pretty significant hill in our area. In an attempt to lose those lingering 15lbs of baby weight, I have decided that maybe it is time to ramp up my (nonexistent) workout routine. We strapped Sam in and started our uphill trek. Fortunately, Bre and her dogs joined us, so I didn't have to walk alone. Allen ran the hill while I huffed and puffed my way to the top. I felt a huge sense of accomplishment and was actually excited about the idea of tackling the hill the following day. On our way to coffee (I have to incentivize myself to do these things), we crossed the street and briefly crossed into a dirt path and the dogs all started limping because they caught thorns in their paws. I managed to catch thorns in all three tires of the stroller. Day 2 - the first official excursion with the new toy and I pop ALL three tires. It must be said that I didn't just pop the tires, but punctured all three tubes--HORRIBLY. Allen spent at least 2 hours on Sunday night patching all the tires.

Fast forward to Tuesday night. Since our stroller was all patched and ready to go, we decided to take Samantha and the dogs on a walk. Keeping in mind our recent tire debacle, we took special care to stay out of the dirt and on the sidewalk. By the time we got home, Sam was asleep in the stroller, so we decided to leave her in there until she woke up. All of a sudden, we heard a familiar hissing noise. Yup--two of the tubes popped--AGAIN!!! $%#@!!!!!

We are cursed!!!

So as I update the blog, Allen is outside in the garage--patching the tires...AGAIN. We've sinced learned that the cursed thorns are called "Goat's Horns" and I hate them.

Last week, I mentioned that we had a visit with some of my prenatal yoga friends and here are some pictures from that afternoon!

Samantha with her friend Dominic

Sam and I, Shelley and Dominic & Carla and Kaylee

Shopping with Sam

We've started a bit of a Saturday morning tradition by spending time at the Morgan Hill Farmer's Market followed by bagels and a short walk in the downtown area. This morning, we were especially excited, as Sam spent her first night in the crib last night and did really well with her sleep stretches. That being said, Allen and I woke up feeling pretty well rested (funny how our definition of "a good night's sleep" has changed!) and decided to chance a busy morning full of errands.

After hitting the farmer's market, we headed over to Costco for a few Samantha essentials. We even went to Trader Joe's and Safeway before Sam started to get fussy. We were shocked that she pretty much slept through the entire busy morning. It is fun to be out and about with her and she is a pretty big hit with the crowds!

This week was another fun one for us. Sam had her first afternoon trip to Santana Row and we also ventured out to Valley Fair (Sam wanted to check out the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale--just kidding!). On Friday evening, Aunt Julie and the girls watched Sam for a few hours and Allen and I had our first "date night". Just like everyone said, we pretty much talked about Sam the entire time!

We took Sam for a walk this evening and she stayed awake the entire time. It is really neat to see her growing and changing so much. At seven weeks old, she is smiling a lot more and is much more alert. She has been starting to grab at toys and particularly likes to grab my hair and necklace. Overall, she is sleeping better, though I hate to even talk about the sleep because I am afraid of jinxing everything!

Gearing up for the farmer's market

Exhausted at the end of a long day

Happy Birthday Scouty

Things have been a bit crazy for us over the past few weeks, and I feel very bad to report that we managed to overlook Scout's first birthday. Scout was about 10 weeks old when we got her, so we missed a fair portion of the puppy stage about which I am both happy and sad. :) We survived a year with the crazy beast and she is doing pretty well with Samantha in the house. She still doesn't seem to understand why Sam doesn't want to play with her, but in a couple of years I am sure that they will be very close.

A very rambunctious one year old, Scout loves her outings to the park and is happy to fetch tennis balls, bumpers, duck wings (she's a hunting dog--what can you expect?) etc... Scout can definitely be classified as a "power chewer" and I know that we will have to teach Sam to keep all her toys away from the dog. Scout also loves going to the pond and when at home can be found chewing on the carcasses of her stuffed animals or hunting for socks in the laundry hamper.

I was thinking that we should get a banana cake to celebrate Scout's special day (like I have mentioned--I'll use any excuse I can to get this amazing dessert), but that would definitely be a setback in my plan to lose the baby weight. We're having barbequed tri tip tonight and I think that Scout would appreciate a piece of meat much more than a slice of cake anyday!

Here are some pictures from Miss Scout's first year with us!