Lots going on around here, so I’m a bit behind in photo sharing.  A sneak preview of upcoming blog posts in the photo below… Sammy is pulling himself up now!  I’ll write more later about what the day was like… for now here’s my usual photos and cute story post.

We’ve spent most of the weekend moving beds around for the kid.  Clare is in a “big girl” bed now – a twin size bed!  Pictures coming soon of course.  Sammy will get Clare’s old crib, since it’s a really solid piece of furniture for our little Sam-Sam.  Clare climbs into the crib with him sometimes and they have “wrestlemania” sessions of epic proportions.

A few weeks ago when we were at the beach Clare saw a woman in a bikini and proclaimed “that lady is naked!”  Fortunately the lady didn’t notice that Clare was talking about her, but J and I were still really embarrassed.

The picture above was one that J took when he woke up one morning and walked into the living room. He found some stuffed animals set up on the living room floor having a picnic (complete with food), and the early-morning-chef herself had fallen back asleep in the chair.  J carried her back to bed after taking the pic.

Genetics are a funny things.  Now we have two examples of what happens when you start with one-part J, one-part me, mix and bake for about nine months.  I spent a good part of each day noticing how different the kids are.  Clare is all focused intensity (much like J).  She walks on her toes and loves books (much like me).  She’s very ticklish, like me.  Sam is all mellow contentment (much like… well, neither J or I, but rather our fathers).  He has a “huh huh huh” laugh like J but is really goofy, more like me.  He’s not very ticklish at all, similar to J.  The two of them approach the world so differently already.  Besides that, Clare is tall and thin with long limbs and fingers.  She’s all coordination, balance and finesse.  Sam is a solid, fireplug of a guy who seems to tend more to brute strength and force.

But then there are the similarities.  Every now and then I’m surprised how alike they look.  They also have the same voice and have the same coos and cries.  They are both very, very affectionate.  They both get the same crinkle in their forehead when they are trying to figure something out.  They both wrinkle their noses when they are feeling silly.  They both think their Daddy is the funniest person alive.

But besides how they relate to each other, they are their own individual people.  Clare stands on her own feet as an individual in addition to being Sam’s sister.  Sam is his own little man, though not standing yet, aside from being Clare’s brother.  They are parts of J and I, and the people who came before us, but their unique take on those parts makes them whole.  They are the same as every other person on earth and, yet, the most precious and special people ever to be on the earth.

So last weekend we went to the beach.  I’ve written before about how there are no easy trips with the two kiddos.  Even a day trip involves bags of extra clothes (including extra-extra underwear for C), diapers, wipes, snacks, sippy cups, toys and books for the car, toys for the beach, extra shoes, sunscreen, towels, double-check that we have wipes, “J, did you grab the snacks?” and “No, Clare, we can’t bring your tricycle.”  By the time we finally make it to the car I feel like we’ve accomplished something.

 And then, magically, we do.  While I remember the frustration and tears, it fades away into something vaguely unpleasant.  What is left crystal clear and precious is memories of Sammy working sand through his fingers, Clare throwing rocks in the ocean, shrieks of laughter as cold water runs over our toes, and assigned time to play together as a family.  No laundry, no cooking, no nap schedules – just a family playing together.

 Even when it turns out to be colder and windier than anticipated…

Not the beach – just a few more pictures from our Bend trip with Papa.

 Memories are made at home, of course, while we snuggle in bed, explore the backyard, wrestle, read books, etc.  Memories are made at the grocery store, in the car, on neighborhood walks.  But there’s something special about exploring somewhere new, doing things we can’t do at home, introducing our children to the ocean, climbing mountains, finding snow in July, and freezing cold in August.

Riding the ski lift up Mt. Bachelor

However, in the last day or two Sammy’s figured out the going forward thing with a little more efficiency.  He’s mastered a bit of an army crawl/inchworm maneuver that gets him forward.  Which is good since we had plenty of situations like the one below where he backed himself into a corner and couldn’t get out.

Sammy’s milestones haven’t just been limited to gross motor skills.  He’s been babbling and chattering constantly – Mamama, Dadadada, Blablabla, and now some more complex babbles with mixed consonants.  He’s been responding to his name for a few months now, but I’m pretty sure he understands other things we’re saying (about diaper changes, baths, and, the all important, food) and knows when we’re talking about “Sissy” or Clare, Mama, Daddy, and the dog.

He’s awfully fun these days.  He’s so curious about the world and approaches it with such a joy.  Do all kids have this much joy in the world or just mine?  When I became a parent I didn’t expect to rediscover the world again through my kids eyes, but it’s so rewarding.  Sammy has just really noticed animals and he gets the biggest, goofiest grin on his face when he sees Sadie or birds outside.

For the photo drop this week I’m mixing a combination cute and silly photos and cute/silly quotes and stories to go with them.

We’re all enjoying the new yard toy – as you can see above.  When Clare climbed on it (below) she was proclaiming “I’m the top of the world of champions!”

While the whole family was here, we asked our favorite photographers (and friends) David and Jenny come and try to wrangle some good pictures from our motley crew.  It wasn’t an easy undertaking but they, of course, got some gorgeous pictures.

And then came the part Clare was waiting for – the dessert!  When I asked her a few days ago what her favorite part of the party was – “The chocolate cake and pie.”

Well, maybe her other favorite was the Helicopter from Grandma and Grampa!  Of course, with all the best gifts it involved several hours of assembly.  It took two engineers and a nurse to put it together, with some supervision from Great-Grandma and Sammy.

Arriving first was my grandmother – Clare’s great-grandma.  We went to the coast with her for an overnight trip, which was a lovely way to get some one-on-one time with her before the rest of the family arrived.  She got plenty of Clare-playing and some Sam-snuggling, and the kids got some precious great-Grandma time.

This is just the first of many posts about Clare’s birthday, a family photography session (with our favorite photographers), JP, Debbie and Maddy’s visit (!!) and a bunch of other stuff going on around here.

Dear Clare,

You turned three years old yesterday.  When I told you it was your birthday you said “Really?  Is it really, really my birthday?”  Yes my dear, after those months spent waiting, yesterday was your birthday.  I hope it was everything that you wanted it to be.

You were quite particular about what you wanted for your birthday.  You wanted a party, with balloons, friends and “pie, cake and ice cream.”  You wanted your pie and cake to be chocolate, which we provided, and you wanted everyone to sing to you.  You were surrounded by love all day, which was a wonderful way to celebrate you.  You bring a tremendous amount of joy to all of us both with your mere presence, but also with your wit, charm and thoughtful but joyful way of viewing the world.

At three years old, your favorite things in the world are (still) music, books and animals.  You are developing more of an imagination and really enjoy playing imaginary games with your stuffed animals and little figures.  You cook meals in your kitchen and serve them to your animals at the table, read stories to them, and change their diapers and put them to bed.  You’re a very loving caretaker to your babies and animals.

This year you became a big sister and have embraced it.  You love your little brother very much, though you occasionally get a little bit possessive about your toys.  It’s so heartwarming to see the two of you play together.  He absolutely adores and idolizes you already.  I hope that you will continue to be good friends as you get older.

You are very aware of emotions and relationships between people, especially when people are sad, angry or have conflict.  You’re a sensitive soul and we talk a lot about big emotions like anger, sadness, frustration but also joy and happiness.  I know that you won’t always want to confide these big emotions to me but I will always try to listen to you when you do.

You are our little climbing monkey and love to be outside having adventures.  This year you’ve developed an appreciation for digging in the dirt, running barefoot in the grass, climbing rocks and jungle gyms, playing in sandboxes, wading in puddles and fountains and lots of active “big kid” stuff.  It’s been a bit hard for you to leave behind your “babyhood” and accept the wild world of being a “big kid” but, as is your way, after you gave it careful consideration you’ve embraced it with gusto.

I can’t wait to see what the next year brings for you as you continue to discover the world.  We’ll be right here by you, holding your hand if you need it, eager to hear your interpretation of what you see, and supporting you whenever we can.

Lots of love,
Your Mama

This boy!  He is rolling everywhere!  I found him trying to get under the guest bed…

Clare’s taking her adventures vertical.  Yep, she climbed to the top of this thing but I put the phone down so I could spot her.