Auntie Andrea

Aunt Andrea came to visit last week. We hadn't seen her since last summer, just after Sam turned one, so we couldn't wait for her to visit!




It didn't take us long to catch up. We always have so much fun just sitting on the couch together. I don't think I ever laugh more than when we're all together.



We actually got a babysitter one night so we could go out to eat. We took the DART Rail downtown. It was part of our big adventure. I forgot to take my point-and-shoot camera, so I took this picture with Melanie's. It pretty much ran out of batteries after this picture though.



We went to Trader Vic's for dinner. It's a Tiki bar/restaurant which recently reopened after being closed for almost 20 years. Andrea wanted to get one of these big bowl drinks that we could all share. The drinks were really yummy (and strong). I took this picture with my iPhone, which also ran out of batteries after a few more pics. You'd think we would have been better prepared on the camera front!



We got the Beef Cho Cho appetizer which came with its own mini hibachi. All of the food was wonderful. Chris even had a Kobe Sirloin which just melted in your mouth.



We went to the Nasher Sculpture Garden on Saturday. It was kids' day so there were lots of kids running around. It's hard to explain to a toddler that these big things are art and you aren't supposed to touch them. He really liked all the water features because they made "bubbles."



Target sponsors kids' day. Andrea helped Sam finish the scavenger hunt so he could get a little Target dog stuffed animal. They even had a little craft project that we took home and finished later. We usually leave Doggy-Bear at home, but Sam dragged him around all day.



Here's Sam snuggling with Auntie Andrea later that evening.



Sam is starting to get braver at the park. He even slides down the spiral slide without hesitation. He loves it when we play Follow the Leader.



Sam has been practicing jumping for months now. He's almost got it. He's actually getting a little air now. He does better just jumping straight up. He's pretty much still just stepping off of ledges though.



What a cutie-pie!



Sam got a bunch of treats for Valentine's. Here he is playing with his heart-shaped sunglasses. He's always trying to trade them for our glasses.



This is what Sam's hair usually looks like when he wakes up from a nap. He gets a little sweaty and his hair gets all these cute, messy curls.



Sam curled up with Chris on the couch one weekend morning. We weren't feeling very well so we just hung around watch "choo-choo" videos.



We got a new step stool for Sam at Ikea. It's taller so he can actually see over the kitchen counters and can wash his hands at the kitchen sink. He helped Chris put it together. Sam actually tried to take over the whole project. We were amazed at how well he could handle the tools.



Can you believe we got two days of snow last week!!! Not two consecutive days of snow, mind you ... a day in the 70s followed by snow followed by a day in the 70s followed by another day of snow. I'm completely done with winter now. Bring on spring!

Sam is becoming so independent and headstrong. Here's a few of the things he's been up to ...

• I usually go to Kroger to go Grocery shopping. I used to try to go before I picked Sam up at day care, but that hasn't been an option lately with our schedule. In trying to keep him engaged and not running around the store, I got him to push one of those little kid's shopping carts around. He's really proud to push it and even helps me put stuff in the cart. It limits the amount of stuff we can get, but it keeps me from having to chase him around the store. (Putting him in the seat of the cart really isn't an option now unless I want to block out the screaming fit.)
• We had our first argument over clothes choice last week. I asked him to pick a pair of shoes to wear (he only has four pairs), but he came back with his Thomas the Train swimming shoes. I actually considered letting him wear them, but they are from last summer and they were too small. I couldn't explain that logic to him though.
• Sam has been putting his cup in the sink when he's done with it for a while now, but last week he actually put his dish in the dishwasher after he was done with his breakfast.
• Sam has learned a new word ... "Bother!" It's what the trains on Thomas the Train say when they are upset. We think it's hilarious so we get him to say it all the time.