Sam's Composition

Sam is playing on the piano more often, imitating his music teacher at school.  He has been making up songs also, this one has about a minute long introduction and in the end the song is about emergency vehicles.  This video is long, but captures the gist of his creations.

Scooter

He really did laugh after this, I just shut the camera off too soon!  He's deciding whether to laugh or cry in the last frame.  And the little squeaking noises are Vivian in the sling that I was wearing, and the voice is Chris saying something along the lines of "He's going too fast, he's holding on for dear life," about two seconds before he crashes.

Siblings

Looking Around

First Walk

It took a very long time, and a lot of guidance, but Nana, Sam, Vivian, and I made it around the block for Vivian's first walk yesterday.  Sam wanted to push her.

Vivian Myrra

Vivian was born on March 4 at 4:10, after holding out on us for a while.  I was reluctantly, but luckily induced, as she was another big baby!  Aunty Tess and Chris were there for the birth and all went well, though she entered the world very quickly and not very peacefully.

Sam adores her, taking out his aggressions in behaviors not directed at her (just the cat or his parents).  We're home now and adjusting, trying to sleep and develop some kind of routine.  My mom has a week between jobs so she's been helping a lot.  Should be interesting when she's back at work and there are two children at home!






                         Sam and Vivian meet at the hospital.


Family on the second day home.

Riding with Baby

Sam has become very attached to his baby doll, who we encouraged him to name "Rachel," to get it out of his system.  He has been caring for her in his own way, and wants to take her to bed at night,  and when we go out in the car.
Recently we retrieved some baby items from the attic to get ready for his sibling.  In the process he remembered that his really annoying, ride-on-toy was up there.  It came back down (the poor downstairs tenants), and is intermittently a fire-truck or car.  When it's a car, the baby doll needs to be riding with him, which involves strapping it on with rubber bands.  The poor doll is usually haphazardly hanging to one side.  One unfortunate time the baby fell off and Sam arrived in the kitchen and opened his seat to reveal the baby stuffed inside.
Chris peered at it and said, "that's the Italian in him, the body in the trunk," as I was saying, "that's why he is not being left alone with his sibling, ever."

Baby Beluga and Mummy

Sam and I were drawing pictures last night.  He has an oval shape that he draws a lot, which resembles the shape of a whale.
"Oh, I drew Baby Beluga."  (A favorite song and book that we read).
"Here's another Baby Beluga."
He holds up the paper for Chris and I to see and points to it.  "This one is bigger.  It gets bigger and bigger, just like mummy!"

I have gotten bigger and bigger, this is true.  With this baby hanging out a few days overdue, it was lovely to be compared to a whale ; )

Alligators and Kitty-cats

I was getting ready for work the other morning and Sam was in the bedroom with me.   He had been playing with Annie, who was attempting to rest on the bed.
He told me, "ow!  Annie scratch me"
I assured him that she had just swiped at him because she didn't want to play, she was trying to rest and didn't know how to tell him.  He left the room and returned a few minutes later with his Etch-a-Sketch.
He drew quietly for a few minutes and then asked, "will you draw me at alligator?"
I drew a quick alligator and continued to get ready.  When I glanced over Sam had the Etch-a-Sketch positioned over Annie and she looked pissed off.
"SNAP!" he was saying, moving it closer, "SNAP!"

Nothing like a little Etch-a-Sketch retaliation.