The Hillian Collection

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a dangerous snack for Sammy. Really, right after this was taken, I had to remove from his mouth a piece of this paper he had separated from the rest with his slobber. The world is a dangerous place when even Christmas wrapping can get ya.

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Sean and I have been keeping in touch during the day by playing Scrabble against each other on our smartphones. Both times we've played I've won by less than a five point margin. So I'd like to think we're pretty evenly matched. Each game takes about a week to complete.

All of our texts are now us pestering each other to complete our turns. It's so fun.

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Last Sunday, the 13th, we introduced solid foods to our little guy. In doing so, we felt like we were doing something naughty--like we were taking away part of his innocence. Nevertheless, we did it.

We started out with a carrot/milk puree that I made myself. He wasn't a fan. There was no fussing, but he did produce some mighty what-in-the-world-are-you-doing-to-me looks. So we said to each other, "Maybe he doesn't like carrots just like his daddy. Let's try something else." Well, he did the same thing with the sweet potatoes that I made for him at the end of the week.

Even though he's been showing signs of being ready for solid foods, we'll take a break for a couple of weeks. Maybe seeing us gorging ourselves on our Thanksgiving feast will make him think better of solid foods.

Below is his first ever introduction to solids. We only let it go on for about five minutes since he clearly wasn't enjoying himself. The unedited version, for those of you who just can't get enough of our baby, is here.

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I know most of you moms reading this may think, "What's the big deal? Babies fall asleep in the car all the time." Well, not this baby. He hasn't fallen asleep in his carseat since probably month two. I feel like we're constantly in a battle against time to get home before he explodes.

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Me: What is your favorite thing and your least favorite thing about me?

Sean: My favorite thing about you is your already.  My least favorite thing is your not yet.

How romantic.

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So Burrito Bros. is one of my favorite restaurants ever. The double-wrapped chicken burrito with red sauce on the side got me through the morning sickness stages of my pregnancy while still being somewhat nourished. I hated everything except those chicken burritos.

Sean took Samuel and me on Wednesday, and I indulged my craving. I took this picture while eating my burrito and while staring at my sweet husband and still perfect child on a beautiful day. How could anything be better?!

And by the way, the shirt Samuel is wearing is the first piece of clothing we ever got or received for him. I was picking up food for Sean and me right after we found out I was pregnant. When I saw the sign advertising children's shirts, I just had to get a 6 month one for Samuel. It's probably my favorite piece of clothing between me, Sean and Samuel.

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On October 31st, Sean and I randomly decided to buy candy to give to neighborhood children, entice those neighborhood children to our doorstep by alighting their path with carved pumpkins and dress our child up as Tigger. Again, this was all very sudden and unrelated to anything on the calendar.

For some reason, however, every single pumpkin in Gainesville large enough to carve had already been sold come 4pm on October 31st, so we decided to alight our driveway with jack-o-luminaries instead.

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While at my grandparents' retirement home last week, Sammy discovered a new talent of his.  This occurred amidst a 6 o'clock meltdown, so it was all the funnier because he went from crying to squealing with glee on the piano to crying again.  You know, it's really hard to take him seriously when he does that.

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Mine!!! (as it falls out in droves)

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These Daddy things will come to make me nervous at times, but I know that I don't need to fear any frightful thing - I'm thankful to have a husband who loves being a Daddy.

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Last week, I fixed dinner for just our family for the first time since Sammy's birth.  Since then, I've made us a shepherd's pie, a sausage gravy (with Sean's help) over egg noodles and another chicken pot pie.  It's been fun to be back in the kitchen.  What did I eat before getting back in the kitchen?  Chicken and rice. Every meal.  Every day.  No joke.  I was getting worried about my lack of nutritional variation.

Edited to add: I never once complained about the chicken and rice. I was always grateful to Sean for making it for me.

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At least we don't have to worry about Samuel having low self esteem. I think this boy is ready to have some real friends.

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Great Grandma Shack

This past Friday, Samuel had an extremely productive day as he met all his maternal great grandparents in one day.

My Grandma Shack was visiting from Texas, so we drove up very late on Thursday night and spent Friday in Tallahassee until driving home that night.

We've found that it is much easier to travel with him when he's in his heavy nighttime sleep.  Hopefully he'll be a better traveler once he's able to entertain himself with toys.

Great Grandma Monroe

Since we got in so late on Thursday, Samuel didn't get to meet his Great Grandma Shack until early the next morning even though we slept in adjacent rooms (thank goodness he's such a good sleeper).

Then we headed over to the retirement community where my Monroe grandparents live.  We travel so little with Samuel that we hadn't been over there since a few months before Samuel's birth, so it was good for me to see them as well.

And although my Grandpa Monroe turned 91 this past August, I can't recall him ever being so animated as when he held Samuel.  It truly is a blessing from the Lord to see so many generations in one room, especially when we all call upon the name of the Lord.

Great Grandpa Monroe

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"I don't know what this is or how it works," says Sean as he unsuccessfully tries to fold one of my nursing shirts.

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Phew...
I just uploaded four weeks of Samuel photos on my Picasa web album, for those of you who like that kind of thing.  The new uploads start at photo #195.  I love taking pictures of my baby.

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Last week, in anticipation of the start of the college football season, Sean wore a different Gator shirt each day, culminating in him donning his sophomore-year football season t-shirt (2006) while Sammy sported his first ever Gator outfit.  I think it's safe to say that Samuel is going to like football (a lot!) and be a Gator fan. 

Watching the Game

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Magnus (left) and Sammy

Yesterday, our little family traveled to Tallahassee to celebrate my dad's birthday.  We arrived around 1:30pm, so we had enough time to allow Sammy his first-ever play date with the 5-month-old my mom nannies until 3pm each weekday.  Neither one of them really acknowledged each other, so we'll have to hope for their budding friendship to blossom in the future.

I made the mistake of not giving my spoiled boy all the niceties he's acquainted with at home (such as constant mommy holding, long naps and a dog-free environment), so he was pretty unhappy by the end of the night.  Still, we had a wonderful time.  It was his first visit to Grandma and Grandpa Shack's.

Happy birthday, Grandpa Shack!

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He laughs!! Sean was playing Superbaby with him tonight when we heard a happy new sound.  I ran to get my camera and captured this video of his very first laughs.  We couldn't stop giggling ourselves.

I'm going to be trying to get him to do this again in a million different ways this next week.

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For once, he's not looking at himself in a mirror.

This boy learns faster than I could have imagined.

The other night, Sammy and I were playing with his brand new tummy-time mirror.  It has a lady bug in the corner with a turning ball in the center.  I was turning it for Sammy as he watched.  Sean said that he'd never seen Sammy concentrate so hard on something for so long.  When I left to get ready for bed, Sean held the mirror up for Sammy, and he started batting at the lady bug, too! It wasn't just once, he did this for a few minutes straight.

This was the first sudden change I've seen in him.  Everything else has been so gradual--steady head control, practicing standing, even smiling--but I was floored by him doing that, especially since I'd only done it once.

He's made a habit of copying us.  Obviously, he talks back to us when we talk to him, but he's also started sticking his tongue out as us like we do to him to make him smile.  He'll even start sticking his tongue out when he hears the "lollipop" noise we make as we do it.

The video is one of him hitting the noise-maker hanging above him.  If it doesn't look intentional, just trust me that it is.  He's started staring at it and laughing. Silly boy.

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While Sean was in England, he picked up a classic Winne-the-Pooh storybook for Samuel.  I really like that he chose something that Sammy can enjoy for a while once he's older.  I'm sure he'll love me reading the stories to him while he's still very young, but the reading level is advanced enough that he may love reading it himself as he advances to chapter books.  I'm so thankful for my wise husband--I probably would have gotten Sammy a British onsie.

My souvenir gift was gourmet chocolates.  I like immediate satisfaction.  He done good.

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When I hear the smacking, I know he's happy...

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Saying Goodbye

Last Saturday, the 6th, Sammy and I had to say goodbye to  Daddy as he was leaving for a week (!!!) to a conference at Oxford. We certainly missed him, but we got plenty of help from Meme, Sean's mom, and Grandma Shack, my mom.

Our days were filled with walking, cooing, standing, tummy-time, smiles, a good bit of fussing, and lots and lots of love! Of course, we would much rather have Daddy than no Daddy, but we couldn't help enjoying ourselves.

Talking about Church

On Saturday night, Meme came by to keep me company and help out.  She stayed for church; during church, Sammy slept from the first hymn to the very end of the fellowship meal. Unbelievable! He was on his best behavior for Meme, of course.  Good boy.

Sunday night was our first night alone.  We survived.  That's all that need be said.

On Monday, Grandma Shack came. When Grandma Shack comes, Sammy can never properly finish his nap because she can't help but nibble on his sweet toes, kiss his tender flesh, and squeeze his tiny body.  Oh well.  I suppose I have to have something to do; I might as well  put him back to sleep.

Grandma Shack: The Babysitter

This biggest excitement this week for me was the arrival of my BumGenius cloth diapers on Monday.  I love them!  Grandma Shack helped me to set up my new system: clothes lines in the shower, and new diaper laundry pail, and changing table organization.  I'm going to enjoy these new diapers immensely. And the biggest plus: no more poop blow-outs!

On Wednesday, Sammy received two vaccinations and recovered wonderfully.  He was only a little fussier than usual that night and his temperature never broke 100 degrees.  Praise the Lord!

On Friday, we even ventured on a daytrip to Tampa to see Grey, Sammy's uncle, don his "white coat" at a ceremony initiating him into USF's med school.  We were so happy to see him and Charity celebrate his achievement at this new stage of their lives, and Grandma Shack was happy to watch Sammy during the ceremony for me.  I love free babysitting.

Tomorrow morning we get to see Daddy again. I can't wait.  I know Sean can't wait.  There's so much new to show him.  I'm sure he'll be proud of us.

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Both of these videos were taken on the Monday after Charity and Grey's wedding weekend in Orlando.  He was 7 weeks old.  We call him our "stand-y boy."  Any pressure under his feet makes him stretch out his legs.  It makes putting him into the Moby wrap just that much more difficult.

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