Birthday Boy

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Sam is our little man. The boy who melted my heart from the first moment I held him and we just stared into each other's eyes. He is a self proclaimed "mama's boy" and insists that I do most things for him. He loves to play and run. He gives the best hugs and kisses. He can be quick to be fiesty but equally as quick to say "torry".

I think that perhaps this slideshow was mostly for me. A moment to remember my baby and crawler and toddler and now TWO year old. Time to think about how quickly my babies are growing and how grateful I am for them.

Cheers for Sam on his birthday and may the coming year bring as many laughs, tears, and energy as the past ones.

HAPPY DAY MY LITTLE ONE!

Search and Find

The other day as I was showering, Sam was running around in my closet "entertaining" himself. Usually, this means making messes in my clothes and shoes....
After a few minutes he started calling, "Mama, Mama" and I (while washing my hair) would reply, "What?" This went on for a couple of minutes until the calls turned into whimpers from little man. I jumped out of the shower to go and "rescue" him, assuming that he had dumped a pile of clothes on himself or couldn't get a pair of shoes on.
Instead, I walk in and CAN'T see him anywhere....

CAN YOU FIND THE SAM IN THIS PICTURE??????

He had climbed onto this organizer and gotten stuck--I had to follow the whimpers to find him.

At the Beach

We made the trek to the Oregon Coast last week. It really only seems like a trek when traveling with kids (maybe just mine). This year we traveled with the GPS plugged in, which really made the trip nice and smooth, no harrowing moments on the freeways of Portland.

We were lucky enough to spend the week with the entire Andros family. Everyone made it this year! There was lots of great food, sand, cousins, games and late nights (not lots of sun). Last Christmas we all got wetsuits (because we do get completely wet and it IS COLD) and boogie boards. Those brave enough --and not pregnant--gave it a try and got beat around by the waves.

KC and kids playing in the waves.
Sammy loved his beach ball!

Stella loved the water and didn't seemed to mind the cold one bit!

KC and Megan at the bottom of the sand dunes.

Stella and Chloe at the tide pools, enjoying a happy cousin moment.

The Williams family on the first night at the beach at sunset.
All of the cousins gathered for pictures (not seen: all the parents trying to get their kids to smile and look at the camera at the same time)

summer

These two weren't interested in being pulled on the tube behind the jet ski, but they LOVED being pulled around on the grass!

Remember Sam's brown hair? Gone--bleach blonde now.