Samantha's first blog

pamelamyers | June 29, 2014

Finally, we got to the pool! Today we stopped for a few hours after Maddox’s birthday party. It is the first time Mark hit the pool and only my second this year. My mom and I did manage to take her the other day, but I didn’t take any photos. I was so proud of Sam that day for floating around in her turtle, swimming by kicking her feet. I couldn’t wait for Mark to see her. Just like I knew she would, she was off and swimming toward Mark in no time!

Sam had such a good time with her dad. She kept going with him from one end of the pool to the next, and it’s quite a long way! She told him, “I’m a mermaid!” You sure were, Sammy. They raced and raced and Mark let her win a bunch of times, which made her happy.

Mark wondered if she could stand up in the pool. It is only 3 feet at the end she was in and I wasn’t sure. I don’t think she would have been brave enough to try with just me, but with her dad there, she will do just about anything. He took her ring off and held her, and sure enough, she can stand! Barely, the water is up to her chin, but she can do it. She was so proud of herself for being such a big girl that she can actually stand. She must have said a million times, “I can’t  believe I can stand in the big pool!” We held her hands the whole time, of course, but she walked around happy as could be. A few times she got a mouthful of water, but she didn’t seem to mind.  Mark kept reminding her to walk by bouncing a bit on her toes, and that worked.

I am so glad Mark got to come with us. She is such a brave girl for her Daddy.

After we got home, Mark called her his mermaid and she looked at him, and in typical Sam fashion, scolded him with an exasperated, “I’m not a mermaid anymore dad….” Well, maybe next time she’s in the pool she’ll be a mermaid again.

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pamelamyers | June 25, 2014

I’m not sure exactly why, it’s probably just a kid thing, but 100 seems to be the magic number in our house as far as Sam is concerned. Any time she needs a number, 100 is it. It will take 100 hours, 100 minutes, 100 days or something costs 100 dollars. She fixated on that number.  I think it’s funny how kids her age have no concept of time or money. She has also reached the typical, “Look at me mom!” age. She is always asking me to watch her do whatever she is doing. Sometimes it’s a big thing, sometimes, it’s just a funny face, but I have to look. Watching her grow and go through all these stages kids go through is so fun. She is growing up so fast, I have to remember to stop, pay attention, and enjoy it while it lasts.

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pamelamyers | June 22, 2014

One of Sam’s classmates, a nice boy named Ian, invited her to his birthday party. It was the first party that Sam was invited to that wasn’t a family party. I didn’t know how she would feel about it since, well, Ian is a boy, but when I asked her she said she definitely wanted to go. I explained to her that if I tell Ian’s mom that we are going, she has to go, no backing out, and she told me, “Mom. Anytime I am invited to a party, I AM GOING!” Ian’s mom is one of the mom’s I talked to at almost every drop off and pick up, so it was fine with me.

I remembered right before we left today that we didn’t have a card so I told Sam we had to stop at the store. She said she wanted to make one, and I thought that was a very nice idea. Here is the card she made for Ian.  Except for the To and From, she made and wrote the whole card. I had to tell her what letters to write since she can’t spell, but she wrote the whole thing and picked out the stickers.

The party was in Ridley Creek State Park at Hidden Valley Farm. All the times Mark and I have been to Ridley Creek and I never knew this was there. It was really beautiful. Horses everywhere and pony rides for the kids. Sam wouldn’t ride the pony (once again I was told she would if Daddy was there) but she loved watching them all walking around.

The best part of the party, by far, was when we were walking around looking for the restroom. We walked past some of the workers feeding and grooming the horses and stopped to look. They asked Sam if she wanted to feed the horse. Of course she did! You can imagine the thrill that was for her, to actually feed a horse a carrot.

When we finally went inside, Sam was all ready to party!

There was a cute set up for the kids to pose and Sam had to try out all the props. What a cute little outlaw she is!

All in all, it was a great party. I had fun talking to some of the moms from school and even though there were only a few kids from her class there, Sam played nicely and wasn’t shy at all. I was shocked, actually, when the first kid to show up from her class was Franny, a boy, and they had a grand time running around and playing and looking at the horses. Sam was happy though when Marianna showed up. She played with Marianna at school a lot and it was more fun for her to have a girl to play with. I would bet this is the first of many parties I will be chauffeuring her to and from, but that’s ok. She had fun, she played with friends, and basically did what kids are supposed to do. Let’s just hope her social calendar doesn’t wind up filling every weekend!

 

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pamelamyers | June 17, 2014

We tried to take Sam to the pool yesterday. We were all ready to take a dip. It finally started to get hot and my mom and I wanted to cool off. Sam was more than ready, and she got her bathing suit on super fast. Well. It was quite a let down. We got to the pool, but it was closed! We didn’t realize that is was still closed on weekdays until the coming weekend. Sam was SO disappointed. Note to self – check these things before informing your 4 year old of your plans. Lesson learned.

Anyway, we had to do something to cheer her up, so I blew up her inflatable pool in our back yard. She was pretty darn happy with just that. So no harm done. Sam is so funny – she just had to have her turtle swim ring in the pool.

Zephyr had been meowing to go out, so I brought her out to hang out with us. She made a beeline for Sam’s pool. Silly cat. I swear, she is so picky about the water in her bowl in the house, but will drink out of any mass of water outside, no matter how dirty. Watering cans, puddles, you name it. I guess wading pools are not out of the question either!

Sam saw that Zephyr was having a hard time leaning over the pool for a drink so she kindly filled up a bucket.

We’ll have to try again over the weekend  – sorry Sam, but thanks for being a good sport!

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pamelamyers | June 16, 2014

This Father’s Day we spent the first half of the weekend at Krista and Adam’s house having a barbeque. It gave us all a chance to see baby Ryder again. He is so darn cute!

While the chicken cooked on the grill, the men had a chance to hang out outside.

Soon Ryder woke up, and Sam and I were happy to take our turn hogging him. Sam still can’t get over how little he is. I love how fascinated she is.

It was such a beautiful day, we all took the opportunity to relax for a while and sit outside.

Before we knew it, it was present time! Maddox had made Pop Pop his own gift and wrapped it himself. Maddox is really good at picking out little things for everyone. He did the same thing for Mark on his birthday.

Mark had spent a really long time going through our years of digital photos and scanning photos that originated in film that were ours and from when he and his sisters were kids. He put a bunch on a digital frame he set up for his dad. Mark went through literally 10’s of thousands of photos, cleaning them up, correcting the color that had been completely destroyed by time. It was the most amazing gift. I know he dad was touched to see so many old photos of Sandi. It made us all a little sad, but happy too, to see her in her prime.

After we ate, we took the kids outside to take some pictures. Sam and Maddox are usually pretty cooperative and this time was no different. Before we know it, Ryder will be toddling around and getting in all the photos too!

I don’t remember what was going on right then, but I love the look on Sam’s face.

This was the first time we had the chance to see Rich with Ryder, so of course, some pictures of the proud Pop Pop were in order!

On Sunday, we had a quiet day at home, which is exactly what Mark would have chosen. My parents came over for dinner and Sam helped open presents again. Does anyone get to open their own gifts anymore? Nope.

Sam gave her Poppy a new suet feeder for the birds. She likes to help him feed all the critters outside.

I bought him a new seat cushion for his car. Sam couldn’t figure out what could possibly be in the big box.

One of Mark’s gifts was this pair of orangey sneakers. Sam had to try them on before Mark could even get a good look!

She helped him open his new saw, and all the other gifts.

My silly girl, attacking her Poppy. 🙂

Happy Father’s Day to the most wonderful man in the world. I know I have said it before, but Sam is lucky to have you. You are so present in her life, so engaged, and so happy to be so. It makes you a different kind of man than many, and we are lucky you are ours.

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