WALKING WONDERS

STOP PRESS! On Monday Samara took her first steps! Here's a video that Marina captured later that day. She has since become even more daring and agile. It was an incredible moment, and each step seems to be even more exciting than the last. She is so pleased with herself! As you tell from all the screaming and cheering, we are too :)

9-1-1

Our family room is full of toys. There're a handful that compel you to sing along (Come Onboard the Animal Train...) just a couple that are classic and will one day be our grandchildren's, and quite a few that are downright annoying (Fisher-Price bongos - ding ding ding!) One of Samara's cellphones (yes, she has a few...) teaches her to dial 9-1-1 in an emergency. Pretty smart, for the three year old recommended on the box, but our Sammy, she's quite smart, even as a 13 month old, and last Wednesday, at my parents' house, she must have been watching Andrew loading up on his 7 scoop instant coffee and considered it an emergency, because she called the cops. Around 1pm, the cars and flashing lights raced down their quite and quaint private road to find the 'young child' at the end of the line who had called them just a minute earlier. Bless them for their speed and concern. I can't be sure if it's the toy or just her previously underlined affinity for all men in uniforms, but she's one smart cookie and as long as we're not all locked up in the slammer, we love that girl.

Just a day, just an ordinary day

My dinner gets finished

 

Dada comes home and sees my tricks

 

I go for a ride on Mama's shoulders

 

And go to bed smiling

 

Now with time on my hands

Could my new thing be gardening?

 

Do I even need a new thing?

Here are some lilies from our garden that I've tried to grow and maintain.

 

We have SO much yard work to do, but Samara is quite helpful and the process of making it all ours, all so pretty, makes me happy. I have a lot to learn, but for now my inspiration is my father and his gorgeous garden, whose inspiration was his father and his bounteous blossoms. Somewhere in there I must have a quarter of a green thumbnail.

bopping to the wiggles

31

31 years ago, this love began. Today it is stronger than ever and yet one more lucky baby gets to be in the middle of it all. Happy Anni, Mummy and Daddy!

 

 

We're back!

 

We are back from Little Havana and had a truly spectacular time with the sixteen teens and little Samara. You can't know how well they all meshed, how much we laughed, how hard we worked, how challenged we were by our service and opportunities there. I will post a slideshow of our travels soon, but for now, here is a snapshot of Sammy D after her mega 4 hour nap this morning to sleep off all the partying she did with the big kids and Cubans in Miami. You'll have to excuse the fluff... she comes from a long line of frizzy hares!

The wind in my...

 

And would you believe some people still say I have no hair...?

Marital Bliss

This is me and my dashing, I mean, daaashing, date to Cherylanne and Pete's wedding on Saturday night. There is nothing like a wedding to take you back to all of those reasons why you chose your One. The vows, the flowers, the dancing, the twirls... We had an incredible night. Oh, but wait until you see the photos of the stunning couple and the beauty that surrounded us...

With my buddy, Henri

At the playground

And now for a REAL toy!

My long wished for birthday present came early! Steve had chosen this particular Canon dslr for me and today it was on mega-sale, so it is ours! I haven't even read the book or unpacked all the pieces but I am in love with it already. Here are literally the first four photos I took. Many more to come...

Sunday fun

We had a lot of fun at Noah's 6th birthday party, with the creature teachers. Even Samara was about to have a hold of the alligator before he threw a gator-fit. She's very at home with them. Refer back to March 2008 for more details.

And here is Samara enjoying her first ever juice box!
I had no idea she knew how to sip out of a straw. Amazing!

G.I.Samara

Still the fastest way to get around at 143, the army crawl. All elbows.

Our kind of development!

Samara's still not walking, but she is a crazy good soccer player and mad fast chasing a ball and kicking it holding Dada's hands!

And piggy backs are a new favorite!

Beware

And no Samara update would be complete without a shout-out to her newly found and now overly utilised eyebrows! I should add that she also is mesmorized with mine and of course, Steve's! Along with that killer smile and contagious 'ha' this look has THIS WEEK (unfortunately/amusingly/TEMPORARILY!) become trademarked too!

It was either this...

Or this...

Or this...

And so Marina obliged...

Yum! Butter Pecan! On a fork!