Procrastinating...

Putting off doing the dishes so I thought I'd share some more pics, and now that I have the google video thing working, I'll post some better Sam walking videos.

It's amazing to watch him walking on his own. I just watch in awe.

Random Observations:

He will sometimes go to sleep without us in his crib like a big boy. Wow.

He's a cuddler these days. Loves to snuggle and give hugs. So sweet.

Sometimes he talks or laughs in his sleep.

HE WALKS!!!

So it seems we've hit a breakthrough! Sam has figured out that he can hold this little soccerball to help give him psychological comfort and a better balancing stance and he can walk!! Without holding on to Mom and Dad! Without holding on to furniture!
HE WALKS!!

See evidence here:




PLUS yesterday after battling and wasting time trying to get Sam to sleep, Aaron and I decided to give the crib another go. Some serious tears, and we had to wait by the crib for him to fall asleep, but he actually slept there! TODAY he has gone down for BOTH NAPS without a fuss. Who is this guy???

Our little man is growing up so fast.

Oh, and he sometimes even eats with a spoon! I mean, he holds the spoon and feeds himself!

See evidence here:




UPDATE:
Before I could get to posting this, Sam woke/cried/did not really fall asleep on his own. Now it's bedtime and he's trying to get to sleep on his own again. He's quiet. We'll see what happens in the next 10 or 20 minutes :)

Also, after initial writing, he walked on his own with out the crutch of the ball. It happens so fast!! It's so amazing. It's funny how this one milestone really seems to make you feel like your baby is now a toddler.

Now I'll try posting a video but for some reason the blogger video things never work for me...

Quick Job Updates

I've wanted and tried to post but things have actually been too busy for me to find the time!! 

I got a job offer out of the blue to work part time for the library (the one I'd turned down before but offered to work part time) so that's super cool. The pay ain't great, but heck, it's the public library. It's as Teen Services Coordinator. They are ordering me a laptop and cell phone and I get to develop this new outreach area of the library, working with local teens to create cultural events. So cool!

Consequently I have cut back to just one section at the community college so now I am doing: one class at the community college, two at the university, and then 10 hrs/wk at the library. Plus I am doing some volunteer design work for the local hands-on kids museum that is trying to reopen. I have a little too much on my plate right now. But it's temporary. Aaron and I have a complicated calendar now with blocks of time all over the place.

All I can say is thank God for Meg! So nice she's next door and is available to help us with Sam. So wonderful that we can leave him in good family hands when we both have to be away. This is still only like 10 hrs/wk when he is not in direct care of Mom or Dad and I still feel weird wondering whether I'm choosing work over time with him, but I may always feel conflicted because, well, that's how I am.

Also, the gallery director position is open again at the university. Several profs and people at school recommended me so we'll see if that goes anywhere. I can't do it right now, so that's a big issue, but it is a 20 hr/wk job with benefits and great experience. But recommendations do not an offer (or even interview) make so we'll take it one step at a time.

I'm very tired and should do dishes and go to bed. The semester starts Monday and I have 7:30 am classes. Eeek. I'm pretty well prepped but need to print my syllabi and still need to go over some lesson plan info. 

13 months old

Sam is 13 months old! I still marvel at how quickly the time moves. I don't know how much longer I will do monthly updates. Once we made it to the year marker I feel like a skills update post is silly to do every month. Yet I suppose each month still brings new skills and abilities, interests, sounds, and everything else.

At 13 months Sam still isn't walking unassisted, but he sure could if he wanted to. He just isn't ready to let go of our fingers. He will pull us around wherever he wants to go. I try to lead, but it's pointless because this kid is on a mission and he knows what he wants! I suppose that might be what parenting is -- thinking you'll get a chance to lead, but really you're just trying to keep up.

We're enjoying our summer days, playing in the water when we can, and exploring the outdoors.




Sam is speaking in sentences now, only all the words are "Ga". Gone are the days of "Gop" and "Gum", but now he uses inflection to make a "ga" series... "ga ga ga ga ga?" He really is learning about questions, raising the tone in the last ga as he points at something -- "dad will you take me to the window?" "mom, what is that over there?" He still says "bye" and other mamama sounds and dada sounds and such, but I don't know that we have anything that counts as a first word yet.

He makes other neat sounds. He puts his fingers to his lips and goes "shffhhpfhsh" because we play a game where dad and sam sneak up on mom or mom and sam sneak up on dad. He always giggles and gives it away, but he's got the "shh" idea down. He also does the "pfff" for the "woof" that a dog makes and a low toned "oooh" for the "moo" that a cow makes. he makes vrooom noises for his wheeled toys and airplanes.

He is rapidly getting a mouth full of teeth, the better for biting. Food and Mom and everything else. I had little tracks of bruises down my arm from his little baby bites. They hurt but are cute all at the same time. He bites more when nursing now too, I guess since the two big front teeth are coming in. Ouch.

We are starting to have to learn how to discipline, a stern No and such. He will sometimes pull my hair too hard, or stick his finger up my nose, or slap our faces as he tries to get our attention. Most of the time he is a calm, quiet, sweet, and precious fellow but the wild child is revealed every once in a while.

He is now more than ever aware of others and his audience. Will repeatedly do something cute that when we shower him with cute "awwws" and will repeat funny faces and movements. One super cute thing he does is lay down and put his head on a pillow, tummy to the ground, head to the side, arms up by his head, cute smile. It's adorable. He is also afraid of people he doesn't know now too. He doesn't like to be held by just anyone and won't necessarily take your hand or touch you if he doesn't remember who you are. I suppose that's a good thing but it is sort of sad since he's been afraid of some good friends of ours, even those that we saw every week or two.

In the other areas of our lives, we are still sad to see the summer go. The semester begins August 24th and it looks like I will be teaching four classes total -- that's a lot! So I'll be working full time but don't have to be away from home for much more than about 25 hours, so that's good. It will be busy and we are so glad to have Aunt Meg next door to help take care of Sam.

End of Summer.

meow!

We are feeling the end of summer. The semester begins in just about three weeks. Eeeek. So we're trying to enjoy our free time while also trying to be as productive as possible before we get very busy.

This fall Aaron is in school full time and teaching two classes and I will be teaching a total of three classes. So we'll be busy. Meg will be helping watch Sam during our busiest days. I've been trying to get together my syllabi and assignments. Sometimes I'm really into this teaching stuff.

Also, I have a craft fair in Indianapolis coming up in October, and a solo show in November. So I need to be making stuff. I've started making baby and toddler hats. See one of my trial runs on Sam above. I like them! And they are super fast to make. A little derivative and not that unique, but cute and I think I can sell them at low price points because they don't take much labor. Most of all, though, they are fun and everything is fun if you have a cute little baby to put them on.

So, things are busy. But pretty good I guess. Here is Sam having fun on the playground.

OH: and walking update: He is not really ready to be walking on his own. He makes sure to grip our fingers tight so we can't slip them out of his little kung fu grip. It will come.

Talking update: He still hasn't said his first word, unless "Bye" counts. He does now try to make a "woof" sound that comes out "ppfooofff" and he also does a "shhh" with his finger to his mouth and that similar "pffff" noise when we are trying to be sneaky.