The Adventures of Elsie & Sam: 2013

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Sam: Almost 16 Months Old

(Whelp. I meant to do this each month, taking turns between the kiddos but...failed.)
My sweet Sam. What a charmer he is. With his big blue eyes and his toothy smile, he can pretty much get away with anything, except for maybe using his sister's head for a stepstool to get onto the couch (which he does). At almost 16 months Sam loves to help feed the backyard birds. He puts fists full of seed into the feeder and can hardly wait to get the feeder back into the tree for the hungry birds. Throughout the day he will run to the window to watch the birds and then look at me so that I can say "Thank you for the food Sam!" (from the birds). He also likes to feed Max by putting 2 or 3 pieces of kibble in the dish at a time. Unfortunately, for every few pieces he puts in the dish, he puts one in his mouth. The boy loves dog food. What can I say? Sam also loves music. He is very thoughtful about keeping the beat on his drum and about plucking the strings on the ukelele. And I'm not sure I've seen a toddler as intentional as he when it comes to the piano. I actually enjoy the music! His favorite song right now is A Very Simple Dance and does almost all of the actions-especially the part where he pulls his ears. It makes him squeal with glee! You can see the wheels turning behind his thoughtful little eyes, especially when he's curled up with a book. I think he's going to be the library's favorite patron one day soon. Sam is sensitive, careful and, um, passionate about things like wanting the remote control and my cell phone. He has these awesome moments, usually just after he wakes up, where he can just sit and snuggle for a half an hour or more. He is happiest when the whole family is together relaxing in the living room. He is generous with kisses and hugs. And he loves his sister. He calls to her when she's not in the same room. In fact, his most pronounced 'sayings' right now are 'Whasthat?' and 'Essie.' Sam makes my heart bubble over. He's my little buddy. I love how he checks in with me on a regular basis and then after a hug and snuggle is good to go play on his own for a while. I love his cheeks. I love the serious look on his face when he wants to know what something is. And I secretly love that at the end of days that are a little rough for him (cutting teeth, fighting off a cold) he needs you to hold him close to your heart until he falls asleep at night.