Monday, October 1, 2012

ALL ABOUT SAM!


I am going to try my best to get this post up and tell my stories before my mom gets here (as I know she is going to want to hear EVERYTHING) but it isn't going to be easy, haha.  WOW....what an action packed, BUSY, wonderful last few days it has been is all I can say.....

We left here last Thursday morning at 3:00 am.  Yes, 3 AM!  HAHA....But I just have to tell this quick little story before I get to that.  My Wed was packed to the brim too as I was running around here doing all those last minute little things that must be done before a trip (you all know what they are!) and on top of that I had scheduled a doc visit for myself.  Not sure what I was thinking.  If I hadn't already canceled this particular appointment twice, I wound have canceled it again, lol.  Anyway, I had done all the running around, dropped my mom off at my sisters (no small job in and of itself ~ but that is another story) and was back home and decided I had just one small load of laundry I wanted to do.  I knew I would come home to lots of laundry, so why leave anything at all... right?  Well, I scooped a small pile of clothes out of our hamper and dropped it on my bed to sort through.  I noticed what "appeared" to be a very small plastic toy that I thought somehow one of my grandkids must have dropped in my hamper.  So I picked it up and IT MOVED!  Yes, it was alive!  It was a very small little lizard!  When it's head moved it registered in my head, "Oh my goodness, it is alive", so I QUICKLY dropped it and it began to run across my bed!  Quick as a wink (I surprise even myself sometimes!) I grabbed one of my hubby's tee shirts and grabbed the little thing   The last thing I wanted was for it to be lost in my room or ON my bed somewhere.  Anyway, I actually caught it on my very first try and then is was in my hand in his shirt!  Sooo without thinking, I ran into the bathroom and dropped it into the toilet and flushed it down!  I killed the little thing!!  Why in the world I didn't run to the door and let it out I honestly don't know.  It bothered me for hours.....sigh.  OK, back to we left.  The drive is sooooooooo long I can just honestly never quite believe it.  But knowing what waits for me when we arrive keeps me going.  We didn't get there until 9:15 PM (New Mexico time, we gained an hour) and Sam of course had gone to bed.  We visited for a little while and fell exhausted into bed.  On Friday, we got up to cool temperatures and pouring rain!  It was sooo nice after all of the heat we have been having here in California.  Mike's mom and sister and her boyfriend were all there too, so it wasn't like most of our other visits there where we get everyone all to ourselves.  It is usually the bonus of going THERE to see them, whereas when they come to California it seems as if there is a line to see them all and we have to share of course, haha.   Mike's dad lives right there on the dairy too, so he was around as well.  But knowing all of this in advance of course made me ready to deal with that.  We all did really well I thought.  Sam kept us all sooo amused.  I could tell you all the little things he says and does now but I will spare you...(grin).  But he is just soo sweet, and such a good baby.  I am really proud of Melody as she has done such a good job of being a mommy.  Friday quickly sped by and that night we all went out to dinner together to celebrate my birthday.  That was really nice, and I had a YUMMY rib eye steak that was to die for.  It was at this sports bar type restaurant and the motif was really fun.  In one of the rooms there was a giant stuffed Cougar on the wall.  Sam was just fascinated with it.   We got just the cutest picture of him petting it.  We were there way over two hours, and not so much as a slight melt down from this sweet little guy...

The look on his face was priceless!
The next day was party day so it too sped by.  Sam was just soo much fun on the day.  He is always in such a good mood it seems.  I am not sure he ever even cried the whole time we were there.  Even when he woke up from his naps, you'd hear him in there talking and laughing etc.  We gave him part of our gift when he woke up on Friday morning so that gifts were spread out some.  He LOVED it.  He is into Mickey Mouse, so it went over well.

Kept him sooo busy!

We picked up balloons on party day and he spent a good hour just enjoying them.  We ALL enjoyed him enjoying them, haha.

Notice the lower right hand side one....every once in a while he would lose the string the balloon was on and of course it floated to the ceiling.  He'd work and work until he grabbed it again.  Soo cute!
Sam got a last nap and just as he was waking up, guest began arriving.  Seemed like A LOT of people.  Not a lot of kids, but A LOT of people.  I really enjoyed meeting their new friends (a couple of old ones made the trip too) and the crowd enjoyed celebrating Sam.  Mel kept it simple.  It is how she ALWAYS rolls, and she is a smart girl to do so I think.  She put out snack foods, and then they ordered pizza.  Here is a picture of my girl by the table.

The cupcakes were soo darling.  Sam got the big one of course.  She also made a delicious pumpkin pie dip served with apples and graham crackers which isn't in the pic.  There was also a cute little newborn pic of Sam too on the other side, but somehow these things didn't get in the photo.   Mel looked good, but then this mom was soo glad to see her!

Everyone seemed to really enjoy themselves and Sam got some really nice gifts.  Mainly clothes which was wonderful.  He has gotten soo big.  He is soo into books.  I loved how he would sit on your lap and let you read to him.  He points to things as you ask him which lets you know he has heard them MANY times, haha.

His Aunt Brooke got him a stuffed Micky Mouse.  He LOVED it!
It was finally cupcake time!  Sam loved the singing, but wasn't quite sure at first what to do with the cupcake.  Soo funny.  He finally got the idea though of course and he LOVED it.  Soo many cameras going off it was hard to focus, but it never bothered Sam at all.


Soo sweet!
He makes his "tough guy" face a lot, haha!
Someone was telling him to do his tough guy face, and someone else asked him where mommy was and he was pointing...haha, now he REALLY looks like a tough guy....


After his cupcake Sam got a bath and it was bedtime.  He got one last book reading from Grandma, LOTS AND LOTS of kisses, and he was off to dreamland.

Soo intent!
Lots of their company moved outside to the patio after that and continued their visiting.  We headed off to bed though around 10:30, because we were going to get up again around 3 am...I will admit I was really tired when Jeff woke me and said, "Deb, it's time..."  We headed out for our LONG LONG LONG drive back home, but I was sooo happy we went.  Memories were made, kisses were given, and lots of love was shared.  I will admit when I saw our little house though I was one happy gal.  It is always a good feeling to get home.  God so blessed us on this trip and we will remember it always.  When we opened our door, I smelt this wonderful, wonderful smell and I had a moment where I thought, "Wow, I didn't leave a candle or something burning did I?"  But as I walked into our kitchen, there on the counter was a big bouquet of flowers that my oldest son and his family had left there for me for my birthday with a nice card.  It was just the icing on the cake.  My wonderful dil Leah comes over when we are gone to take care of Elvis, and check on things.  We soo appreciate this and her.

I just have to share one more quick picture...

Sam by their corn, holding an ear....Sooo cute!

And I wanted to share a quick little video.  It is really cute.  I had Melody send me a little video of the book I made her with shutterfly of Sam's first year.  It was SUPPOSE to be there last Friday so she could have had it for the party and I could have seen it, but of course it didn't get there until today....sigh.  She said it was a stun, but it is hard to see it of course from a video.  I couldn't download it though so I guess you will be spared that one, haha.  ENJOY!!  I hope to get around visiting this afternoon while mom naps.  As you can see I did NOT get this up before mom got here.  I knew I was dreaming.  : )  The phone rang a million times it seems.  Hope you all enjoy your week!  Many blessings to you all.....Debbie


18 comments:

  1. Debbie, Happy Belated Birthday-it was Friday, wasn't it? One of my granddaughters has hers on Friday and the other is yesterday. Girl, I got to tell you though, you wear me out-my oh my, what a lot you squeezed into your visit. Sam is just so precious!!!!! I can't wait for Logan to grow; he has had trouble with jaundice,that has been so high and scary. Glad you are back and had so much fun. Wish I could have stopped by and taken you to lunch.
    Hugs, Noreen

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  2. A great weekend! Three in the morning...wow...both going and returning? That's dedication! Sam is adorable.

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  3. What a blessed birthday!! Sam is a little chunky doll! And your daughter, she is so beautiful. I am so glad you had such a great visit, made the 3 am thing worth it all! :)

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  4. Deb
    I'm so glad you got to go.
    Oh, but 3 AM-I couldn't have done it. You are Super G'Ma, for sure!
    Sam is about the happiest baby I've ever seen. So cute too Love all your pics..
    BTW,Belated Happy Birthday too.

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  5. Oh, I don't know how you got up at 3:00AM and drove that ways. We left Dodge City yesterday morning at 10 and pulled into home at 11:30 last night and that was tough enough. But, we do what we have to do don't we.

    Sam is a little doll. I'll be blogging about our trip later. No time today. Happy week!

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  6. We were so blessed to be there, thank you Lord!
    Can't wait for Thanksgiving! From Jeff

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  7. I am so glad you got to go back to visit!!! Sam is adorable. Hard to believe he is one already!!
    Loved the lizard story. We have had several sneak in here!!!
    : ) Kris

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  8. Wow - what a visit you had! What memories to cherish ... worth the 3 AM wake-ups, I'd say!

    I think I would have freaked out, had I seen that lizard ... and probably flushed him down the toilet, too. And then would have felt guilty about it after the panic wore off.

    Have a fantastic day!

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  9. I was just thinking to myself to come to your blog early today to see if you had any photos of your trip and the birthday party! I'm so enjoyed all the photos and reading all about your trip. I cannot believe you actually picked up a mouse! You are very brave. Glad you had a nice visit with your family and that you had a nice birthday as well!

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  10. Happy belated birthday...what a sweet son you have. i can only imagine how tired you must have been then to walk in the house and see flowers...so sweet. love the tough guy look that Sam has...he is just adorable. i know you had a great visit...the pictures say it all. Now rest up and have a great week

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  11. A wonderful, busy weekend. I know you're exhausted, but what a way to get tired!

    Precious.
    ~elaine

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  12. When I saw the title I thought...surely that baby isn't already 1...and He is.

    Happy Birthday to you and what a wonderful way to also celebrate by going to see Sam

    The lizard made me laugh...now Benjamin would have been in the room in seconds to find it..as I screamed

    What precious, precious pictures...so glad you made the trip and had this blessing...God is faithful

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  13. The lizard story has me still smiling. I think I would have done the same thing only because it would have freaked me out a bit.
    You have a grateful outlook on life and it shows in every post. I think Sam is a fortunate little guy to be born in your family. Love the pictures of him.

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  14. I finally got time to sit and read and look at all of the sweet pictures. Gosh, I feel like I am related to you. :)
    I was so excited that you got to go to Sam's first birthday. The pictures are so nice and so is the little video. It makes me get choked up as it passes so fast doesn't it.
    Well glad you are home and how icky to find a lizard.

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  15. It is taking me so long to get around to blog visits. I have missed it so!! I certainly arrived back here at the most perfect time, though. I love all these pictures (the tough guy face ones are my favorites) and the whole thing just sounds wonderful. I always wonder what will happen if I am a long distance grandma some day. When I read blogs like yours, I KNOW it can be done well! I know you enjoy every moment that you do have with him and his mommy (who, as I've said before, is very beautiful.)


    Now about the lizard...
    You do realize that I would now be paranoid to sit on that toilet for fear of resurrection, don't you? Well, I would.

    It's tough being me.

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  16. Happy late birthday to you and your grandson! I'm glad you got to attend his party, it looks like he is a happy boy and enjoyed his party.

    I do not like lizards and would have squealed for sure if I saw one like you did!!

    Bethany

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  17. oh my goodness, i always need a nap
    after reading about your many and
    wonderful activities! sam is just too
    cute and his mommy gorgeous!

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  18. Deb, I have to admit I was laughing out loud as you described the lizard. And I love all your photos of precious Sam. It's so cute to see how kids eat with food all over. The Itsy Bitsy Spider is a favorite of the kids in our class. I also add a verse of The Big Black Hairy Spider with a deep voice. The little ones love to imitate me.

    Blessings and love,
    Debbie

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I am so glad that you would take the time to comment on my thoughts and feelings, it is such a blessing to me!