Baby's First Halloween :)

Today, I am so grateful for David's squadron...because they decided to have a Halloween party! For a couple of weeks I've been pretty bummed out that Samuel wasn't going to get to have a "first Halloween," since we're going to be on the road this Friday night (on our way back to Florida). Now, I know that there are those of you out there who would argue that a two-month old doesn't know what he's missing, and so it isn't that big a deal for him to miss this holiday/milestone. But here's the problem with that logic -- I know that's he's missing the holiday/milestone! I kept thinking about how he'll never be this tiny again, and how adorable he would be all dressed up, and how much David and I were going to wish we had those memories.

But thank goodness, the squadron came along and saved the day, and we got tons of photos of him as the cutest bumblebee you'll ever see! Not only that, but he actually won the costume contest for his age group (babies up to one year old), which made me a very proud mama. Just the first of many awards to come, I'm sure! Enjoy the photos, and Happy Halloween to all of you from us! :)

Say "bees!" :)


My sly little man!


Mommy and Bee :)


With Daddy...so proud!


The only bumblebee you'll ever want to hug :)

See, no stinger!
Mommy and Bee :)Startled by the flash :)
Bzzzz!


So cute it hurts me to look at him!

First Pair of Overalls -- TOO CUTE!!

First Big Georgia Game Day!

Today, Samuel and his daddy are getting ready to watch the big Georgia - LSU game. For all of my UF fans out there, no worries -- photos of him supporting the Gators will be posted soon! ;)


Go TEAM!!!


So excited!!


Happy to be with Dad :)

Like father like son...

Here Comes the Sun...

Chubby Cheeks!

Here's Lookin' at You, Kid ;)

The Baby Whisperer

So I am writing this as Samuel is down for a nap -- a scheduled nap in his crib. After six weeks of winging it and just trying to get from sun-up to sun-down with no major meltdowns or incidents requiring hospitalization (for me, that is), David and I have started trying to get Samuel on some semblance of a schedule. My mom sent me a book -- "Secrets of the Baby Whisperer" by Tracy Hogg, a nurse and nanny who is to babies what Cesar Milan is to dogs. She advocates getting babies in a "routine" -- not exactly a schedule (since it is more flexible), but something predictable. According to her, babies thrive on predictability (especially "touchy" babies like my little man), and she outlines a four-step routine known as EASY -- with alloted time for eating, activity, sleeping and "you" (meaning ME!).

We started this yesterday, and I must admit that we didn't exactly follow her advice to the letter. After numerous attempts at getting Samuel to go back to sleep in his crib in the middle of the night, I finally broke down out of sheer exhaustion and tucked him into bed with us, which is a HUGE no-no from her standpoint (okay, okay, leave me alone...I'm not proud of it!). Other than that, though, the attempt at getting him in a routine has gone pretty well so far -- I am keeping a log to learn his natural rhythm, and I'm starting to learn how to read some of his "cues" (like how I better get him in a dimly lit, quiet room by his third yawn, or all hell will break loose because he is overtired and overstimulated). Please say a prayer and keep your fingers crossed that we get this schedule thing down before I go back to work -- it would be so wonderful if he were able to get into a routine that allowed him to sleep better through the night by then!

So since I am supposed to be spending my "you" time while he is asleep, I'm going to go and watch some TV or take a power nap or something, but I wanted to fill you all in on what's going on with us! Some new photos are below...enjoy!

What the heck is this pig doing on my wrist?!?! (PS -- it's a rattle)

My little man -- not so little, all stretched out :)

Making a statement!

This is what happens when we try to have "tummy time"!

Happier Baby??

Here are some new photos of Samuel -- six weeks old today! He now weighs in at a little more than twelve pounds (what can I say, the boy is hungry!), and the big development over the past week is that he has started smiling!! It's really hard to get the camera to work at the exact moment that a smile is gracing his face, but we're trying. Our best efforts are below. On another note, Samuel wants to make sure to give a birthday shout-out to his grandpa and namesake (my dad, Patrick)! More info and photos to come -- stay tuned!

Vala's Pumpkin Patch

These pictures are from our recent trip to Vala's Pumpkin Patch, a totally awesome local place that is a fall tradition in the Omaha area (go to the website at www.valaspumpkinpatch.com to see all the cool stuff they have!).

David and I had a great time taking Samuel around and showing him all the attractions -- from the petting zoo to the pumpkin canon to the pig races (yes, PIG races). Like the trip to the park, we probably had way more fun than he did, but hey -- you gotta start somewhere!!

New Photos...and Update!

Above are just a few photos from our outing today -- Samuel's first picnic and trip to a playground! We went with our good friends Holly and Jake, and their four girls (Lydia, Samantha, Nora and Sophie...you can see them at her blog -- http://hollypanter.blogspot.com). It was a great day -- I think David and I probably had more fun than the baby...but he seemed to enjoy being outside in the fresh air and sunshine. Believe me, in Omaha in October, you have to make sure to take advantage of all the nice days you have left...before we know it, there will be a foot of snow on the ground!

As you can all probably see from the photos, Samuel just keeps growing and growing...we call him our little bean (but we should probably call him our little weed!). The last time we weighed him (a couple of days ago), he was already weighing in at 11 pounds...meaning that he has gained more than two pounds in three weeks!! This puts him somewhere between the 80 - 85% for weight, which I think is fantastic :). I love his huge cheeks and little rolls on his arms and legs...I wouldn't have it any other way!

As some of you know, we started dealing with some colic issues when Samuel was about two weeks old, and the ordeal has been very difficult and trying. Every evening, he would cry inconsolably, making me feel like the world's worst mother and a massive idiot for not being able to figure out what he needed. The stress, coupled with the complete exhaustion that comes from sleeping in thirty minute increments, was leading me toward a total breakdown! So thank you to everyone who has offered me advice, help, or even just a word or two of support or encouragement to get me through it all -- you have no idea how much it helps. Most of all, I could not have gotten through it without David -- he has been amazing, supportive, understanding and forgiving when I am totally losing my mind. His mellow nature is the perfect antidote to my Type A, control-freak tendencies, and he has talked me off a ledge on more than one occasion. He is the glue that has been keeping us all together. I just can't say enough about him -- I love him so much! I hate to jinx us, but it seems like Samuel is starting to get a little better (either that, or I'm just getting more used to it!). Please keep your fingers crossed for us that it is all downhill from here...we could certainly use some smooth sailing.

Other than that, it is wonderful to watch him grow and change with every passing day. I can't believe he is a month old already (we celebrated that milestone on Sept. 30)...it is just flying by! He has started giving us these little "pre-smiles"...almost like he's thinking about it and deciding whether or not what we're doing is funny enough to warrant the full-blown smile (if any of you could see us, you would definitely be laughing...we make idiots of ourselves daily for his amusement)! We can't wait to see him just break out in an ear-to-ear grin...which should be coming any day now (they usually say between 6 and 7 weeks)! He is also getting really strong...able to hold his head up when seated or on his stomach, and grip things (especially my hair). Also, this kid has the most intense stare -- he will look you right in the eyes and you feel like he is reading your mind. I can't wait until the day when he will open his mouth and talk to me...I'm so excited to get to know him and find out who he truly is.


Stay tuned...I'll be posting more soon. We have a really cute video of Samuel (he has the hiccups!) that I'm trying to figure out how to post, so hopefully that will be up here very soon. Love you all!

The Brown Family