Samantha's first blog

pamelamyers | October 18, 2009

The last time Mark’s sister, Krista, brought Maddox over for a visit, we were all a little disappointed that they showed no interest in each other at all.  We really thought they’d find the other baby really interesting.  Well, I guess maybe they both just needed to get a little older, because when Krista came over today, what a difference!  Mark’s parents were here too, so we decided to try to take some pre-Halloween photos of the both of the babies, and we were so pleased at how much they interacted!  Here are some new photos of Sam and her cousin, Maddox.

Ok, so maybe they don’t exactly seem interested in each other here, but at least they are together!

We like to think of it not so much as slumping over, but hugging : )

Eventually, though, they got the gist that this should be considered a playdate of sorts and they need to get to know each other.  First they started out by just looking at each other, then they were actually trying to hold hands.

Maddox was polite, and offered Sam his thumb.  He told her it is a rather good thumb, that he uses it often.

You can imagine how hard we all laughed when Sam said, hey thanks!  and decided to suck on his thumb instead of her own!  OMG, it was so cute we could have died!  Maddox didn’t seem to mind at all.  He is a good cousin.

We still talk with Krista all the time about how lucky we all are to have such adorable little babies.  For a long time we never thought we’d see the day when our kids were in the same room, because we all had doubts about when and if they’d ever exist, but look at us now!  Not only do we both have kids, but we are so, so lucky that they are close in age and they can grow up together.  I guess miracles really do happen…..

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pamelamyers | October 11, 2009

Yesterday Mark’s sister Maria brought over her kids, Analiece and Joey to finally meet Sam. Analiece has been just going crazy waiting to meet her. I remember when I was only about 17 or 18 weeks and we had just found out that Sam was a girl, Analiece was so excited to have another little girl cousin in the family. I think she started asking me when the baby was coming right away and kept asking me almost every time I saw her.  Analiece couldn’t wait to have another little girl she could play with and teach how to do things.

When she finally got to meet Sam yesterday she was very sweet and very gentle with her.  She touched her very softly on her arms and legs and held her super tightly when she was allowed to hold her in her lap. Maria kept telling her to keep her arm very still so as not to jar Sam’s head or neck and Analiece was as still as a statue.  I took off Sam’s socks so Analiece could see her tiny feet and she played the “This little piggy…” game with her.  It was so adorable : )  I hope Sam is close with all her cousins as she grows up. I know Mark and I wish our cousins lived closer so we could see each other more.

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pamelamyers | October 3, 2009

Sam has recently had the pleasure of meeting some additional members of her family.  Her Aunt Maria came to visit her on Tuesday, September 29.  Maria made quite a fuss over our little girl (but of course!  she is adorable!) and told us how excited her daughter, Sam’s cousin Analiece, will be to meet her.  We all decided that waiting a few weeks for that would be appropriate since Analiece just started school and the germs are likely flying!

Sam’s Aunt Krista was planning on coming over on Thursday, October 1 so that Sam could meet her cousin, Maddox.  Mark wanted to take a bunch of pictures of them together so he set up a little photo area with a makeshift backdrop.  Well….Muffin knew that Mark needed a model to make sure the lighting was just right, so he jumped right in to help out : )

When Krista and Maddox arrived, I have to say, the two cousins were not all that interested in each other!  They were pretty much oblivious to the other baby in the room besides themselves.  They looked soooo cute together though.  It is hard to believe that Maddox was once smaller than Sam — at 3 months old now, he has grown so much!

 

Here is a photo of the two proud new moms.  I still am just in awe that not that long ago, neither Krista nor I thought we would ever get what we wanted, and now look how lucky we are!  Sam wasn’t too happy about the chill in the air, hence the face.  She is usually a very good natured baby.

And finally, a just beautiful shot of Maddox.  He is such a gorgeous baby — good looks run in the family!

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pamelamyers | August 30, 2009

The wonderful people at my job threw me a shower on Friday, August 28.  They had me fooled….sort of.  I kind of had a feeling they were going to have it that day. We had a meeting scheduled and I thought it was a cover, and my boss Tracy was coming down allegedly for the meeting (she usually works from home and calls in for the meetings).  So, I was all prepared that my shower could very well be that day.  We all trudged down to the conference room and the sneaks actually started the meeting!  They blathered on about work stuff for 15 minutes before the doors opened and the rest of the firm came marching in, along with Mark, which was a HUGE surprise, since he has been telling me non-stop how much work he has to do that he barely made it to my ultrasound appointment without difficulty.  Someone opened the door to the adjoining conference room, and there was all the food and the cake.  I have to admit, I was thrown my them starting the meeting…and by my friend Amber last week giving me a really hard time about possibly stopping work that day and not working next week.  She was so adament that I had to work, that I started thinking my shower was the next week.  So all of you work pals who are reading this…you did have me fooled.  I went back and forth so many times in my mind about when I thought the shower was going to be that it technically was a surprise.

Anyway, I got a lot of adorable clothes for Sam (who will be the BEST dresssed little girl around) and a ridiculously generous amount of money in gift cards.  We won’t have to spend a dime for a while by the time I get through them all.

Here is a picture of my cake:

And of me and Mark, although it’s a little blurry…

Thank you everyone!

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pamelamyers | July 28, 2009

Sunday, July 26, 2009 was my baby shower.  It was so much fun!  I cannot believe how lucky we are to have such wonderful family and friends. We got so many gifts!   Sam is going to be the best dressed girl ever : )  Thank you so much to everyone for being so kind, so thoughtful, and so incredibly generous.  Mark and I were overwhelmed by everyone’s good wishes.  It was truly unexpected how generous everyone was to us and baby Sam.  And a big thank you to our family for putting on such a beautiful day for our benefit.  We knew that we were anxiously awaiting our little girl, but it seems everyone else is too!

My shower had a rubber ducky theme (I have a million of them in my bathroom and think they are too cute).  My Aunt Barbara and cousin Terry from Texas flew in to join us, which was really special. 

A few of my gifts that you won’t see in these photos are definitely worth mentioning.  Grandmom and Grandpop Myers bought our little girl her crib and Grandmom and Grandpop Ricciotti bought us our glider so that we can spend many, many hours rocking Sam while feeding her and then trying desperately to get her to fall asleep!  Thank you so much for being so wonderful to Mark and I every single day, not just while we are expecting our little one.  We couldn’t do it without you.

Here are some photos of my day, with some commentary.

Obviously, here is my cake.  It was made by (it my opinion, master cake baker) Judy Maloney who at work we affectionately call, “The Cake Lady” . Our office administrator found her and we are all addicted to her cake. It was so delicious, half chocolate and half vanilla.  If you are interested, please visit her website at http://mysite.verizon.net/vze4mhtm/judymaloney/id4.html as her cakes are so yummy!

My billions of presents!  I seriously cannot believe how many we got. It took me over 2 hours to open them all, I was told.

Just starting to open them all….

These are some wooden puzzles that were handmade by Mark’s dad, Rich.  He is quite the woodworker, and a few years ago when he started making puzzles for his other grandchildren, Analiece and Joseph, we told him he had to make some cat puzzles for us when we had a child.  They are so adorable, and so well made. I know Sam will enjoy playing with them (Mark and I will too!)

These are some custom made onesies that Mark’s mom, Sandi, had made for Sam.  Every year in November the whole family gets together to carry on a tradition of Mark’s grandmom, Mary — making hundreds of homemade raviolis for Christmas dinner.  It is so much work, but we all have such a blast making them every year.  It takes us all day, and we are covered in flour and exhausted, but it is so worth it.  We spend as much time talking and laughing as we do cooking.  I can’t wait until this year when Sam and her new cousin Maddox can be there too.  The other onesie, about Ella Fitzgerald, means the world to me and Mark too, since she is our favorite singer of standards.  I know she will be Sam’s. We plan on playing a lot of Ella for her (and we’ve already started!)

Me and a bunch of my guests.  My dear friend, Debbi, who was maid of honor at our wedding, is right next to me, keeping track of my gifts.

Aunt Barbara’s husband, Richard, picked out this outfit for Sam.  He is a native Texan, not a transplant like the rest of my family, so he wanted to make sure she was dressed appropriately!  Don’t mess with Texas, and no one better mess with our Sammy!

In keeping with the ducky theme, I received a lot of ducky clothes. This robe is one of my faves, and it is from my mom. I just love baby robes!

Me, my mom, and my Aunt Barbara enjoying the fresh air and sunshine before the shower.  It was so nice that she was able to come and share the day with me.

Me, Mark and Grandmom Sandi

Me and the proud Grandmas.  From this picture, does anyone think I am going to be able to wrestle my little girl away from them?  Yeah, me neither.

Me and my cousin Terry who also was sweet enough to fly in just for my shower.

Me and some of my work friends, Nerine (who is holding honorary Anapolette, Sekai) and Amber.

Me and my friend, Debbi with the outfit her kitties, Elaine and Jerry, picked out for Sam!  It’s a doggie coat, not a kitty coat, but they couldn’t find a kitty.  Regardless, they are so thoughtful!

Thank you, thank you, thank you again to everyone!

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