Swine Flu?

Sam has some sort of bug this week.  The thing is, he has given no indication that he feels bad, no fever, just the one throwing up the other night and an explosive experience last night.  Other than that, until today, he’s been almost himself.  Granted, he hasn’t wanted dinner all week, but he’s eaten like a horse at his babysitter’s house during the day.  No fever.  Not a lot of playing but no complaining or acting under the weather.  But today, I’ve been dealing with poop since I picked him up from Mimi’s house at 4:30.  Lots of it.  And yet, it’s the first day he’s come home and played all week.  And the first day he’s eaten anything here all week.  He’s actually been in a very good mood this afternoon and evening.  This is certainly one very strange bug.  I, for one, have no worries about swine flu.  But I couldn’t help but chuckle inside when I got to Mimi’s house and her husband asked if it was possible if any of Scott’s students had the swine flu.  You know…Sam was around them.  Four days ago.

Anyway.

Here’s a cute picture of Sam between trips to the bathroom this afternoon, not looking very sick:

And on a completely unrelated note, my sister will be glad to know that I finally replaced Sam’s red mocks.  I photographed the new ones today because Sam and I sat down and transferred his old Jibbitz over and I gave him a few new ones this afternoon.  Here is what Sam has worn just about everyday for two years along with the new mocks.

AND, thanks to Dawn for following me!  I wish I was one of those blogs that gave prizes!  I’d send her one! 

A Tutorial and a Plea

Monday evening, most of Scott’s graduate and undergraduate percussion students gathered at our house for an end-of-the-semester party. Some new department somewhere deep within the university actually provides funding for faculty to hosts their students in such a way. I think it is a wonderful initiative, especially since we get to join the celebration! It was lots of fun and the food was great. Scott got Hudson’s to cater the affair (of course). Yum-o!

The best part of the evening for me? Watching Sam make bubbles with Sarah, a colleague of Scott’s and a new friend of ours. She is also the girlfriend (fiance?) of Greg, a good friend from graduate school and now also a colleague of Scott’s. (They are such a neat couple!) She was wonderful with Sam. It was so much fun to watch her with him. She truly didn’t seem to mind entertaining him while I snapped away with the camera. Of course, all this could be a lie…or my imagination. It doesn’t matter. She doesn’t read this. Or, if she does, she doesn’t follow me. Actually, while I’m thinking about it, I have a lot of friends who say they read my brags but don’t follow me. That’s called stalking, my friends. Feel free to join over there on the right so I don’t feel like such a dork in the blog world. Thanks. Anyway, where was I? Oh, yeah, here are my favorite bubble pictures (SOOC):

Finally, if you’ve ever wondered how to get a bubble back into a bottle, Sarah and Sam offer this tutorial:

Now, go…blow bubbles…and don’t forget to follow me! And please let me know of your blog if I don’t already follow you. If you’re not among the 500 blogs I read, it is only because I don’t know about your blog yet. Tsk! Tsk!

*UPDATE: Well, what do you know! Sarah not only visited the blog...she commented!

My Stomach Hurts

Sam has complained about his stomach hurting a lot over the past few days. Actually, he has learned HOW to complain about it. The first day, he just rolled around until he had an accident but now he understands about tummy aches and getting a reaction from Mama. So yesterday, when he started complaining AGAIN, I decided (in my infinite Mama wisdom) that he had finally figured out by now how to use it solely for a reaction/attention. All evening I used his complaining against him. "Oh, then you must not want any ice cream." And I ignored the signs.

I didn't blink at his not eating dinner. His babysitter told Scott he ate so much at lunch that he probably wouldn't eat dinner. Plus, he hasn't eaten a lot of dinner in three nights.

He didn't play with his trains. At all.

He didn't want to take a bath. I had to hold him over the tub while Scott washed his feet because that was all we could get him to do. He was just too tired.

He fell asleep on the couch just before bedtime.

So why then, with all those glaringly obvious signs, was I so surprised when I gently placed him in his bed and he turned over, settled in, and then very quickly, and with no warning, erupted throwing up all over his bed?

So I guess I was wrong when I told Scott "He's finally figured out out to fake complain for attention."

Yeah. Boy, was I wrong! Ah, good times!

Worth Every Penny

The day after Sam’s birthday, we surprised him with his new Rocket Bouncer.  Thanks to all his grandparents for helping us buy this grand gift because I would have been desperately sad for a very long time had we not been able to get this for him.  Oh, who am I kidding.  We would have still gotten it.  We would have been broke, but we would have gotten it.  And watching his face as he discovered Rocket in the backyard and bounced around proved that it would have been worth whatever amount of time we spent begging for food.  He LOVED it!  Well, to the best of my memory anyway.  I was almost in a coma as I was taking these pictures.  In fact, I’m told my sister called and that we actually had a conversation.  Mmmkay.  I’ll have to take her word for it!  Anyway, watch Sam’s face as he realizes that Rocket is in his very own backyard:

Sam turned 3…I Think

Sam turned 3 this past week. And I…managed to remain under the influence of prescription pain management drugs. I certainly would not have chosen for all of this to have come down during this time and I really didn’t fully know how it would affect my experiences around the celebration. However, I just went through the pictures from the party (5 days ago) and just as I suspected, I hardly captured the event, much less any enchanting 3-year old birthday boy keepers! So, no grand posts about the party that was celebrated at Monkey Joe’s, no endless collection of photos celebrating the sweetest 3-year old boy ever. Just this, the best of…all that we have.

We did have a great time. We were surrounded by great friends, good pizza, cute cupcakes and lots of cool gifts! Sam was a gracious birthday boy and made me proud! Thank you notes will be written very soon, I promise! And tomorrow, check back for pictures of Sam and the new Rocket Bouncer!

Here are a few of the party shots.

And back home, winding down after the party.

Happy Birthday, Sam!

Next year, I’ll be there…I promise!