Sammy's Two! (Aug. 9, 2014)

Our Sammy Boy is two! We had a party at Peninsula Park and the kids got to take over the gym and all of the equipment therein. Sammy loves anything that bounces, so we had a balls, balls bonanza party. It was super fun. 

Things Sam loves at two: he loves his Rawrs, building and knocking down tracks for the choo choos, the yellow tempra paint, balls, running anywhere, climbing anything, milk in his puppy cup, playing kitty and baby with Olivia, bananas, picking blackberries, puppies, going up the wrong way on the slide and just generally being an active, loving boy. 

He also loves the ladies. When we were at the pool at Black Butte, he could not stop staring at the tan and blonde teen girls sunbathing nearby. A little girl his own age inspired him to run in circles around her. It doesn't hurt that he is so freaking cute, but then again, I am his mother. 

Two is tremendous.

Summer Loves

It is bittersweet when I look ahead just a few weeks. Olivia will be off to kindergarten, Sam will be doing his own thing in preschool. I want them to stay like this forever and I am thrilled at the possibilities ahead. Bitter and sweet, huh?

Collaboration

This is the project Olivia and I did today. We both drew a picture of a body and then handed to the other person to draw the dress and hair, etc. We used different colored ink so it you could tell who did which. I love her drawings; the expressions on the faces, the extravagant hair and clothing. 

So much imagination. (Olivia drew the body in the picture on bottom middle.)

Olivia words

sadisfying adj. that which makes a person sad or disappointed. That video game is sadisfying because it makes you look weird and that is sadisfying.

Sammy+potty

Sammy used the potty for the first time this weekend! Like real pee, in the potty. It was very exciting. And, he did it again today. When he poops in the potty, I will shoot off fireworks. (I am super done with diapers...does it show?)

The Roars

These are Sammy's "Roars," a ragtag team of handheld African animals he carries everywhere. Olivia tried to name them: Bubba the lion, Blackie the puma, etc. But Sammy prefers a universal name: Roar. And that is what they do, they roar at each other, get scared, hide, then kiss and make up. Today, the Roars were left behind at IKEA. Sammy was not  pleased but thankfully Chris found them on a lawn chair near the check out. Crisis averted.

Sisters and Brothers, Brothers and Sisters, Ain't We Everyone

This picture cracks me up because it totally captures the relationship between these two. Olivia was trying to explain to me the rules of a game only she understands while Sammy does whatever it takes to get her attention. Theirs is a complex love and hate relationship. On the one hand, Olivia nurtures Sammy and can use the sweetest voice to ask him if he needs help or if he wants to play. On the other hand, there's this scenario, pretty much every day:

Olivia: Sam, that's my toy!
Sam: Mine!
(Sound of Olivia grabbing the toy from him.)
Sam: No, Mine!
(Sound of Sammy growling like a baby lion.)
(Sound of Olivia pushing or slapping Sam.)
(Sound of Sam crying.)
(Sound of Olivia crying.)

Ugh. I don't know what to do. They both obviously lack the verbal powers to get the other to understand without resorting to violence. But violence works! Toy is returned! But then everyone feels bad and is crying. Perhaps violence doesn't work!

We'll keep trying.

My goal is that these two will grow up to be adults who love and respect each other. Chris and I work on facilitating their relationship but I know how hard sibling relationships are. Then there are glimmers of just how much they do love each other: when Sam's having a hard time getting to sleep, he'll get into bed with Olivia and cuddle. At the park, another kid went down the slide and ran into Sammy. Olivia told her, "You should be careful, that's my baby brother!"

We've got a few exciting trips coming up, so there will be lots of opportunities for growth for these two.