Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and yours!

Happy Thanksgiving!

From my family to yours, 

I hope your Turkey Day was as awesome as it could be!

Sam's 2nd Year Photos

Thanks to yet another Groupon deal, we were able to get Sam's 2nd-year photos done on the cheaper side of awesome.  Granted, I feel like every year is a gamble when it comes to snatching up these deals.  Kiddie Kandids' was the first deal to pop up this time around, and uncertain about the availability of coupons for the other studios in the area (such as Portrait People and Portrait Simple) I grabbed this one as soon as I could.

The deal had two options - we paid $35 for the Deluxe Portrait Package (and $184.91 value) which included:

• A studio photo shoot, with session fee included
• A single-image portrait CD
• Six natural-color portrait sheets of up to six different poses, each of which is available as one 8"x10", two 5"x7"s, four 3.5"x5"s or eight wallet-size prints
• One enhanced 10"x13" print
• 50% off all regular-priced items, including additional prints, enhancements, collages, portrait CDs, and framed art created at time of session

We arrived at our appointment on time, and they took us right away.  You would think this would be commonplace, arriving on time, however not so much.  While we were there, there was a family who arrived over an hour late for their appointment and still expected to be squeezed in once they arrived.  The studio was down a camera and already running an hour behind as it was, so they had to turn them away - not that I blame them - but it just floors me the entitlement of some individuals.

The session was pretty straight-forward.  Sam was having a day and just coming off having a cold and napping horribly, but she did well enough for what it was.  Unfortunately, she had scratched her face so bad the day before that it created a scab which is clearly evident in her pictures.  There was a slight debate as to whether or not we should reschedule for a later time after it healed, but we decided against it 1) because the Groupon was expiring and I wanted to get the pictures done on or around her actual birthday, and 2) she's a toddler - these bumps and bruises and scratches happen, and if it wasn't this one in particular, it could very well be something else later on.  So we went with it.

The pictures came out well.  I had chosen two outfit for the occasion - one dress and then a more casual outfit afterwards.  I like variety, and we were able to get both in within our session's time constraint.  The dress I bought at Kohls (I tried finding it on the website, but their stock overturns so often of course it's not there now that I need it).  The casual outfit consisted of a tshirt and shorts I bought at Old Navy:

(Just like this without the long sleeves)

I gave the 10x13" to my mother because intially I thought she would want it more than we would.  Of course, once I got home my husband asked me about the "big" picture... sigh.  Luckily with each sessions, we were given an "online studio" and on our paid receipt there was a coupon code for... what?  A free 10x13"  Problem solved!

With the 6 sheets available to me thanks to the Groupon, I picked a variety of poses that I thought people would like the most for gifts, etc.  I ended up paying an additional $60 for a full version of the CD since it was half off, and I'd rather a disc containing ALL of the session's portraits rather than just the one that was included in the package.

But without further ado, I give you now a sampling of Samma's 2nd year photos! 

 

These were some of the more "touched-up" versions of the session.  The whole lot of them can be found here on my Facebook page.  Thanks for checking them out! :)

Why I love the fall:

"done" taking a walk with her dad at Pond Meadow Park in Braintree, MA

That time Samma had a birthday party!

 
Last Saturday was Samantha's 2nd birthday party, and though smaller than the prior year, I think she had a fantastic time.  The day started out cool and cloudy while we were running errands and prepping, but right before party time the sky cleared up and the sun started shining.

I really didn't do much by way of decorations.  Balloons and that was pretty much it.  I had even purchased purple and blue streamers but ended up returning them because I didn't know how the weather was going to turn out.  Plus, I was getting lazy.

We spent the night before making chocolate cupcakes for everyone!

 

... I wonder where they are!

And they were enjoyed by all, especially the birthday girl!

 Friends were there, from both daycare and other walks of life, and everyone played well together!

And it wasn't 5 minutes into the party until the sandbox was discovered!  But hey, at least they were content.

Samma even got a birthday kiss from her best forced-friend Coley!

And there was much rejoicing!

And then it was present time.

We loved present time.

 Especially the big ones!

She got so much - a play kitchen, a table and chair set, an art easel and art supplies, clothes, puzzles, the Little People dollhouse, and a teeball set!  But Chris and I had to save the "best" for last, so we asked Samma to close her eyes...

... and when we told her to open them...

... she discovered the had a brand new bike!

Unfortunately, she's still just a little bit small for it, but that didn't stop us from pushing her around.  And it wasn't long before she asked for her helmet so she could really ride!

I think she enjoyed herself, and I hope we did right by her for it this year.  Next year I think we're going to try something different and have it at a more open location so more people can come if they want to.  But then again, we have another whole year to figure those plans out!

That all being said, there's only one thing left to do!

A HUGE Thank You to everyone who helped make Samantha's birthday such a special day!  We couldn't have done it without you... and yes, thank you notes are soon-to-be in the mail!

Saving this one for later...

Bonnie Jean Owl Tutu Dress & Leggings Set

The only reason I have a want to buy this is because I know Samma would flip her stuff -- she's currently in a "ballerina" phase -- not to mention she needs an outfit for Thanksgiving and this would just work perfectly. PLUS the only size Kohls seems to have left is a 2T, at least online... it's like an omen!  Meant to be, even!

We'll see what happens when I get paid on Friday...


Edit 10/03/12:  I just rechecked Kohls.com and of course the price dropped to $18.99 and it's no longer available.  And on top of that, it's an online exclusive, so of course it's not going to be in stores.  So I may or may now have just placed a big for one of these on eBay.  Maybe.

That time Samma had a birthday!

Samma's 2nd birthday was last Thursday, so I really wanted to make sure the day was dedicated to her and us as a small little family.   

I had DVR'd every part of the SunnySide Up Show in search of her card, but alas all we had was her name running across the bottom of the day's very first segment.  Better than nothing, I say!

Our intent was for Sam to open up the presents from us on Thursday night, but I swear the Terrible Twos kicked right in on that day, and the night was spent calming down meltdown after meltdown... we were only able to open one of the 3 presents we had for:  The Duplo My First Zoo!

Friday was a better night, and we were finally able to get through the rest of the presents we had for her.  I just preferred giving her our gifts ahead of time because I feel it's more special for us that way, and honestly, after the way gift-opening went at the party, I'm glad we did it this way, but more on that in another post.

Sometimes I go overboard buying clothes, and I really love getting Samma a nice complete outfit every special holiday, so I usually take a trip to Gymboree and buy a set, top to bottom.  Here's this birthday's ensemble!

Sunflower Curly Hair Clips

 
Sunflower Mouse Hoodie

 
Tutu Mouse Tee

 
Sunflower Mouse Jean

 
Sunflower Ruffle Sock

Sunflower Sneaker

Overboard and adorable, and I love it!

I also did a lot of theme-like gift searching this year.  Since we were sticking with Blue's Clues I checked high and low for Blue's Clues themed items.  As I mentioned in a previous post, I was able to find the invitations, cupcake baking cups, and treat bags, plus the t-shirt that had her name on it!  Well, in my super-sleuthing, I came across this lovely item:

Yes, that is a Blue's Clues backpack!  And what better to put in a Blue's Clues backpack?

Samma's own Handy Dandy Notebook, that's what!  I found it on Etsy, made by KreativeKaleb.  I'm just gonna say, Samma's eyes lit up the minute she realized the had her own Handy Dandy Notebook... Chris also had the camcorder rolling, so I'm glad we have it memorialized!

And since Sam was in a better mood Friday night, we had cake!

Leftover Chocolate Hazelnut cake from our anniversary dinner at The Capital Grille, but cake nonetheless!

So that was pretty much her actual birthday rundown.  As for her actual party?

To be continued...

Gymnastics!

Ever since Samma started climbing on the arms of the couches and attempting to jump off for fun, we knew that gymnastics was going to be the ideal past time for her as soon as she was old enough, and luckily our local gym starts taking toddlers at 2 years old, and with her birthday upon us, the time had arrived.

Practicing

Last Saturday was Samma's first day of gymnastics, and I think I was more excited about it than she was.  Of course, she was having a day when we went, and I think she was overtired from the night before, so I'm not going to blame her too much, and just chock it up to next week will be better.

I'm glad I called when I did too, for the Saturday class was filling up - and fast!  Joan's Olympic Gym has been in Braintree since 1983, and me and everyone else I knew attended at some point in their childhood.  The crazy thing about this was that Joan, the owner and still teacher, actually remembered ME when I went in to register Sam... what goes around, my friends.

As Samma was going to be 5 days shy of 2 when the Gym Tots classes started, I had to confirm it was OK for her to sign up for this session.  For those who may be curious, the class is $70 for 4-week "terms" plus the $25 yearly registration fee.  I'm glad it's broken up into terms because at least we won't be locked into months of torment should Sam really not want to attend.  But all was well, and she was still right up there with the rest of them, ready to go!

Of course, taking pictures to document the day was a little harder...here we are trying to take a "before" picture prior to our first gymnastics class.

I had to hold her down to even begin taking a picture...

Reading a book was much more fun than looking at the camera...

... so's climbing on the crib.

Class started at 10am - we arrived around 9:55am and they were already getting ready to go.  We started with the parachute, then the kids were split into 3 separate groups, one for floor, one for vault, and then beam/bars.  The first lesson they wanted to teach all the kids is that you start with "TA-DA" with your arms in the air before and after all you do.  In talking to Joan, she mentioned that the "TA-DA" was the first step in practice and once they got that down, everything would start fallowing after.

We started with the floor, and everyone had to bring their own little mat with them to each station to sit on.  With floor they were shown how to tumble, obviously with the help of the teachers.

Mats were then carried over to the vault, where they first were able to jump off just the springboard, then were able to run to the spring board, jump, climb over a rectangular pad, and then jump down to the floor.  Samma had absolutely no problem running and jumping.

From the vault, we marched over to the balance beam, which Sam is pretty much a pro at already (see picture above).  The teacher just held her hand, and she walked to the end.  They also had this little beam that sat on the floor, called a "french fry" that they allowed the kids to play on with the parents' supervision.  Samma loved that, too!

From the beams, it was a quick turn-around to the bars, another of Sam's favorites.  They had the kids grab onto the bars, tuck their knees in, and swing - 1, 2, 3! - and jump off... all with the teacher assistance, of course.

As the end of the 40 minutes, each kid was given a Star Card, and they were able to pick a sticker for their card.  The parents were informed that these were theirs to bring to each class, and that we should put them on the fridge for all to see!

Showing off her Star Card

I was with her the whole time, and the whole time was spent wrangling her to stay with the group (as opposed to running off and playing with the other equipment) as well as sitting on her mat and waiting her turn... the turn-waiting is going to be the thing to work on.  Every time someone went, she goes "my turn!" and started to get up to go next, in which I then had to pull her back to her mat and remind her no, she had to wait her turn.

Samma is not impressed.

One of the things I applauded Joan for was coming to the groups and reminding us parents that this was all about participation, not where or not they do something right.  I could see a few parents around us who were getting frustrated because their child was running around, or not doing as the teacher asked them - when they're this young, can you really expect them to follow every direction?   But she reminded us it will be better with time, and just remember to praise them for all they're doing.

Honestly, I'm excited that Sam has something to do now and an outlet for her energy, even if it is one day a week.  I think it's really worth the time and money, and I'm looking forward to bringing her on Saturdays for as long as she wants to go.

Happy Birthday, Samantha!

Two years ago today our lives changed changed forever, and now I don't know what we would ever do without her.  Happy Birthday, Samantha!  You make every day a new adventure - we are so proud of you and all you have already accomplished!  You are so smart, beautiful, fun, energetic.... so special to every life you touch.  Continue to be the amazing little you you've become, today and every day. ♥

Things We Should Say...

My friend Ames sent me this blog post from The Maternal Lens, which then directed me to the original article here.  Though not as talented or ambitious as The Maternal Lense, I thought the "19 Things We Should Say to Children" was fantastic (even for a Christian website!), and I wanted to post it here to share as well as keep for later.

19 Things we should say to Children

1. I love you! There is nothing that will make me stop loving you. Nothing you could do or say or think will ever change that.

2. You are amazing! I look at you with wonder! Not just at what you can do, but who you are. There is no one like you. No one!

3. It’s all right to cry. People cry for all kinds of reasons: when they are hurt, sad, glad, or worried; when they are angry, afraid, or lonely. Big people cry too. I do.

4. You’ve made a mistake. That was wrong. People make mistakes. I do. Is it something we can fix? What can we do? It’s all over. You can start fresh. I know you are sorry. I forgive you.

5. You did the right thing. That was scary or hard. Even though it wasn’t easy, you did it. I am proud of you; you should be too.

6. I’m sorry. Forgive me. I made a mistake.

7. You can change your mind. It’s good to decide, but it is also fine to change.

8. What a great idea! You were really thinking! How did you come up with that? Tell me more. Your mind is clever!

9. That was kind. You did something helpful and thoughtful for that person. That must make you feel good inside. Thank you!

10. I have a surprise for you. It’s not your birthday. It’s for no reason at all. Just a surprise, a little one, but a surprise.

11. I can wait. We have time. You don’t have to hurry this time.

12. What would you like to do? It’s your turn to pick. You have great ideas. It’s important to follow your special interests.

13. Tell me about it. I’d like to hear more. And then what happened? I’ll listen.

14. I’m right here. I won’t leave without saying good-bye. I am watching you. I am listening to you.

15. Please and Thank You. These are important words. If I forget to use them, will you remind me?

16. I missed you. I think about you when we are not together!

17. Just try. A little bit. One taste, one step. You might like it. Let’s see. I’ll help you if you need it. I think you can do it.

18. I’ll help you. I heard you call me, here I am. How can I help you? If we both work together, we can get this done. I know you can do it by yourself, but I’m glad to help since you asked.

19. What do you wish for? Even if it’s not yet time for birthday candles and we don’t have a wishbone, it’s still fun to hear about what you wish for, hope for, and dream about.

"Can I have a pop-si-cle?"

... Samma asked the nurse while we visited the pediatrician on a Sunday thanks to a flare up of the hives we've been finding on her body off and on for the last week.

The one thing I can say about my daughter -- even when she's feeling off, she still has the best disposition.

The story goes we had been monitoring a breakout / rash that's been spontaneously showing up on her arms, legs, belly, back, face... yeah, you get the point.  It would come out as hives, mostly at night, and she would scratch them.  She even got her face so bad one day that it started bleeding. =(

We hadn't given her anything new to eat, and we weren't using anything new that would be in contact with her skin, so the origins were unknown to us.  Chris had a minor skin reaction to something in our yard the previous weekend but he had been very cautious about coming in contact with her while it was irritating him, and the hives weren't anything like the rash he had.

Chris finally brought her to the pediatrician's office on Wednesday because her face was looking bad and puffy... but unfortunately without seeing the actual hives the doctor didn't have much to go on.  They took a strep test - it came back negative, so at least we knew it wasn't anything too serious.  She told us to just keep the face dry and moisturized, much like her regimen for eczema, and keep an eye on it should the hives surface again.

Sure enough, Sunday afternoon as soon as she woke up from her nap, Chris noticed them on her face and arm.  Of course, at this point it was about 2:15pm in the afternoon, and the office closed at 3pm on Sundays (have I ever mentioned how much I love our pediatrician's office for this????) but I called, they asked how close we were, and said if we came RIGHT NOW we could be seen.  Poor Samma was in the middle of eating her lunch, but I scooped her up and hopped in the car.

The hives at this point had started spreading to her stomach, and the poor thing couldn't help but itch.  The good news it that the doctor was finally able to see what we were seeing and deducted it was viral... luckily the strep test came back negative again, and she advised Benadryl every 6 hours for the next 3-4 days (we're on day 3 of it now).  She also prescribed an antibiotic ointment for where she scratched her face to bleeding, and that's 3 times a day until it goes away.

In addition, we were told not to give her anything new -- sorry Samma, no peanut butter & banana sammich for your birthday -- and to monitor if/when the hives came back.  If they do come back over 3-4 weeks, we're supposed to let them know and then we'll have to see an allergist for further testing.  I'm crossing my fingers it doesn't have to get to that.

And when all was said and done, she still got her popsicle.

Samma's First Haircut

Last weekend we decided it was time to get Samma's hair trimmed for the first time.  It was a debate for a while - I didn't want to do it, then when I finally decided it needed to get done, Chris was uncertain it needed to be done.  This went back and for for a little bit, and there was even the off-chance that I would cut her hair myself.  Eventually, I made the call, and decided to bring her to Snip-Its in Hingham.

The shop is obviously catered to toddlers and children, so I felt comfortable in knowing that the stylist would know how to work with a nosy toddler like Sam.  The downside was that they don't accept appointments, and when we walked-in on a Sunday afternoon there was a 90-minute wait.  At the time, this was OK because there were plenty of other places to walk to and things to see while we waited, but if it was any other time I'm not sure it would have been as convenient.

I will say, when it was close to our appointment, they took us right away.  We strapped Samma into the chair, turned on a video for her to watch, and the stylist (I believe her name was Sarah) started spritzing away.

The only issue we came across had nothing to do with Sam - it was all of the other children who where there, and I'm assuming they were getting their first hair cuts as well, for the screams and cries we were hearing could only mean just that.  And Samantha, being the concerned little girl she is, was very busy paying attention to them rather than keeping her head straight for the stylist to cut her hair.  For a while, I was even starting to think she was going to cry because everyone else around her was, but we quickly nipped it in the bud with a lollipop.  Once she had something to nom on, it was smooth sailing from there.... not the most ideal distraction, but it worked, and when there are scissors near my daughter, I'll be happy to do whatever it takes to keep her still.

So, without further ado, I give you.... Samma's first haircut! (Chris was much better at taking photos of her than I was... I think I was too preoccupied making sure the stylist didn't cut too much off!)

 

Getting ready!

Lollipop distractions

All done!

She pinned her hair back with a bobby pin that has "Snip-Its" written on it.  Adorable, but unnecessary product placement.

We also received a little certificate that had her name, the date, and a little sealed baggie of some of her hair clippings.  You may call it gross, but the mommy in me was happy to have the memento.  I'll probably put it in a shadowbox with the aforesaid Snip-Its ribbon and call it a day.

Once Sam was able to get out of the seat, they brought her over to a prize machine where she got to put in this large credit card-type object and then reach in and grab her prize for being so good.  She came out with a little squeeze seahorse, and she was OK with this.

When all was said and done, we paid $18.99 plus tip - I had Samma give it to Sarah and say thank you because I thought it was cute.  A little pricey, but like I said it wasn't something I was ready to do myself, so I was fine with it. 

Long story short, we were extremely happy with the experience, Sam's hair came out fine like we wanted it, and I definitely plan on going back for future trims.