Williams' Wall

Okay...anyone who attempts this blog post is a brave soul! I apologize for having such a long absence! It has been a whirlwind these past few months! We packed up and moved from Evanston to Prior Lake, had a few weeks of unpacking and fun family time, went to northern MN, DC and Troy started work.

Sammy has changed so much since Easter! I have to document a few things from each month - more for myself than anyone else. I like to look back and see how my kids change!

Sam - 3 Months:

He was big enough for his jumper...and he loved it the minute he sat in it
Snuggler! This kid loves to snuggle in bed with mommy and daddy...such a stinker...we are suckers every morning...
Bumbo! He was big enough and strong enough for the bumbo...although he wasn't a big fan
Boppy! Loved his boppy pillow to do tummy time and as a pillow for a quick nap!

Sam - 4 Months:

Rolled over - both ways!
First tooth! Yes, super early...but technically only a few days before he turned 5 months - bottom right tooth on 5/26/11
Big stroller! He was finally big enough to get out of his car seat and into the actual stroller seat!
Swimming! He went swimming in our condo pool for the first time...not sure how much he liked it. He was chilly most of the time :-)
Lovee! He developed an affection for a frog lovee and we took it everywhere!
At 4 months Sam weighed 14.8 lbs and was 26 1/4 inches in length

Sam - 5 Months:

Second tooth! Right behind the first...the other bottom tooth came in the first week of June
Daddy's face! He loves to touch, eat, suck on daddy's face! Troy is such a good sport!
Tummy time! Finally! After months of hard work, he actually prefers to be on his tummy now!!! And even sleeps on his tummy!
Eating! He was drinking 40 oz of formula a day and still not sleeping through the night so we gave in on 6/9/11 and started feeding him rice cereal at night. Worked like a charm!
Baths with Jack! He loves being entertained by Jack and even imitates him by kicking after Jack does...super cute!

Sam - 6 Months:

Tummy time! He almost refuses his back now!
Rocking! He gets up on all fours multiple times per day now and rocks...I'm a little afraid of how fast crawling is coming!
Orange Food! He completely prefers carrots and sweet potatoes over any vegetable that is green and even over oatmeal! And YES...he has a gag reflex just like his brother if he doesn't like something!
Laughing! Sam has the best laugh! Everyone who hears him laughs along with him. Tickle him or just let him and Jack goof around and you will have a smile on your face listening to him!
Jumper! Still loves the jumper...specifically the frog on the jumper!
Carseat! He is officially out of the bucket seat carrier - mostly because he's too heavy! He was upgraded to Jack's carseat and Jack got a new one that will eventually be a booster!
At 6 months Sam 17 lbs, 5 oz (60th%tile) and 27.5 inches (90th%tile)...a big boy!

Jack is as feisty as ever as you'll see in the pictures below! He has gone from watching trains to watching garbage trucks, semi's, planes and landscapers mowing lawns. He is loving summer. We are outside in our yard or on our deck every day multiple times per day. His favorite outside activities are bubbles, chalk, his golf set, playing in sand, and swimming in our little blow up pool. He would live outside if we'd let him! It's so fun to see!

He is also talking quite a bit more now! "Yes, No, bubbles, Mommy, Daddy, Jack, Sam, baby, door, outside, done, more, please and brush" are just a few off the top of my head. His favorite indoor activity is cooking! He has his own play kitchen and he also has a step stool that he climbs up onto to help me cook! He loves to mash avocados and chop onion!

Enjoy the pictures! Sorry there are so many!

Some family pictures taken by my good friend Michelle at the end of April

Natalie's boys Wyatt and Crosby with Jack and Sam

Me and Natalie

Natalie, Me and Miquelin...girl's night out in Evanston

Eating at Troy's favorite breakfast spot Julius Meinl in Chicago one last time

Jack and Mommy

Jack and the Polar Bear and the Lincoln Park Zoo

Jack and Mommy at our favorite park in Evanston

Sam and the bumbo!

Sam's first ride in the stroller without the carseat!

Sam's first swim!

Jack, Sam and Mommy...and yes, that is Jack treading water...crazy kid!!

The bigger thrill the better!

Troy and Jeremy...one of his good buddies from Kellogg

Oh Jack...

Eating at my favorite breakfast spot in Chicago "Toast" one last time...

My favorite picture of Sam!! We are in Chicago at Oz Park...such a fun day

Watching trains one last time...

Daddy "eating" Sam

First solids meal!

Jack's new kitchen!

Goofing around

A day at Lake Harriet in Minneapolis...Jack is watching sailboats and ducks

Picnic after a run around the lake

Happy Sammy

Up at the cabin on Leech Lake in MN

Hanging by himself on the monkey bars!

Both kids love the swing!

Grandpa and Jack

Mommy and Sam sitting by the campfire

Jack's first marshmellow roast!

Jack is obsessed with mowing lawns

Wrestling with Daddy

Jack's other love in life is brushing his teeth...like 5 times a day!

Drinking milk out on the deck - chilling by himself

He's so proud...he just figured out how to cross his arms like daddy!

Nana and Sam on Nana's birthday

Nana and the boys

Jack...just being Jack...

Sammy...

Brothers goofing around...

Sammy at 6 months

Yum! Carrots!

This past weekend was great! We celebrated with Amy...so overall it was quiet and relaxed...which was perfect!! We took Jack to the pool so he could show off his new swimming skills, gave the boys Easter baskets Saturday morning, went to an awesome service at our church Resurrection Sunday and Troy and I even snuck out for a date night while Amy watched the kids! The only casualty was Jack's nice collared shirt on the way to church. He started choking on a veggie stick and threw up all over his shirt. The poor kid had to wear a dorky backup onsie that I keep in the diaper bag for emergencies with his nice khaki pants for church! Oh well...it was memorable. We changed him for pictures when we got home so all was well... Sam also decided to throw up during the church service but I caught all of it in the bib and my hand...no outfit ruined!! :-)

We are so incredibly thankful for the time we've gotten to spend with Amy these past two years and are so sad it's about to end! We hadn't lived that close to each other in over 8 years when we moved here and who knows if we will again. So, we have been blessed and haven't taken it for granted!

Here are some pictures from the weekend...enjoy!

Me and my boys...I love their love!!