Football pictures '09

Happy half Birthday!!!

Dear Sammy,
It has been a year and half since you were born. And baby boy, it has FLOWN!
You are growing up on me, such a big boy now. So independent, so smart, so silly, and so sweet.
Muck like your big sister, if there is a mess to be made- you WILL find it. And just like Lucy, you are the happiest little child- happy to be in the world and doing things.





Much like your big brother, you LOVE anything that rolls. Anything with wheels, and Any kind of ball. You carry around a car or 2 for most of the day, everywhere we go... into the store, into the school, at football practice...
and like Jacob, you LOVE hats!
and you watch your brother play football, and mean REALLY watch, because you can emulate any position. You get down and say "Ready, purple, GO!" before throwing the ball. You hand the ball to one of us and run a route to catch it. You find Lucy's bracelets and make kicking tees so that you can kick off just like Bubba does!


You are full of crazy energy. Eat constantly. Keep me on my toes and exhausted. Keep me laughing. You love me and Dada and Bubba and Sista and Mimmitt and Papa and Papa and Papa SO very much. You say new words almost every day. Steal hearts everywhere we go. You tuck your head under my chin and I rub my face in your hair and I know... because I have been there, done that so I KNOW... that this time is so precious.

And you are precious, baby mine.
I love being your mommy.

September first!

Which means camouflage, and that old Dodge truck, and lots of handsome men. :-)



Awww....

My days just got a lot quieter...

At home before we left

and in front of the school (how cute is this pair? seriously!)



putting her backpack into her cubby...
Finding her seat



I call out to her, and get a tiny wave. "Bye Mom." just like that. The end of an era- my BABYGIRL is in SCHOOL!
Sorry about the blurry picture... but if anything it's accurate... I saw this morning through a blur of my own :(
And so home I went, me and my baby. Pretty well composed on the outside, and my insides really freaking out. I have a kindergarter and a second grader. And for all the talking I do about them, 3 o'clock is my favorite time of day!

Lil swimmers and a scrimmage

Christian and Jayden came over to play with their cousins...

there was jumping...

climbing...




sliding...

bickering... "That's MY car!"

and swimming...






Jacob and the Coyotes took on the Aggies this rainy morning.

Sambo had a great seat
and when it started pouring, another seat
my boy, waiting to get in the action
huddle in the downpur

and some fans...

17 months

and monkey, monkey, monkey face. How quickly you are growing up now.

There is no baby here. Just the little monkey who carried his step stool from the kitchen, scaled the couch and stood up on the back to grab a bunch of "nanas" off of the bar.

You brought me my phone today, and very clearly stated (3 times) "Call. Papa." He was tickled pink to be the subject of your first sentence.

But still so sweet... sweet as the "cookas" that you ask for all day. Sweet as the kisses you smother me with each morning. And you still smell like a little baby when I bury my nose in that mess of golden curls. You still let me snuggle you, and you tuck your head under my chin and pat pat pat pat with that chubby little hand.

You are starting to love us as we all love you, and that is wonderful to watch...

Lucy's artwork

Call me biased, but I am really blown away by some of the drawings my baby has brought me lately. Her use of color is just so... interesting! She is so very creative with it. I am truly impressed! Who knew art would be her thing?

This is a family portrait she did today. Cotton is the green one, with Sam "in his arms" as she put it. I am rainbow striped. Jacob is tall and blue, and she is the smaller one with the crazy hair.
I really, really love this!



Here is another she did, of me, her, and Grandma.
The big face is my smile, and then it's the 3 of us (and then another Lucy that she messed up on) under a red sky, with lots of polka dots and rainbows.