Saturday, February 13, 2010

Sam Snippets

One day last week as we were driving home, the boys and I were talking about baked goods and all their sweet/chocolatey/frostingy goodness. Jack mentioned he thought "a Twinkie per day" was a fabulous idea. I, on the other hand (being the self-admitted SugarNazi I am) responded with, "Blechhh." He couldn't understand why, so I explained that since I've cut a majority of sugar from my regular diet, if I over-indulge on occasion, I will feel sick mighty quick. Sam piped up at this point with, "NOT ME! I FEEL GREAT!" This comment was said with the enthusiasm of a junkie in the middle of getting a fix. I laughed so hard I almost ditched the car.

Another day, upon arriving home from school, I placed a veggie and dip tray out on the table for grazing purposes. Bobby was sitting in his high chair at the table. Sam sauntered up, grabbed a piece of broccoli and proclaimed to his baby brother, "Look, Bobby! Broccoli! Good for the colon!"

Just one of the many things I love about that kid... how his sense of humor comes out of nowhere and slays me. Every. Single. Time.

Thursday, February 11, 2010

And so now he's 8...

Today, the child previously known as "the baby" turns 8 -- Sam.

Last March, Sam was bumped from the baby spot by Bobby. (And that baby is just so stinkin' cute, how can anyone be mad at him?) Bobby's arrival was unexpected. Well, I guess the arrival wasn't so much unexpected as was actually expecting him. However, welcoming Bobby to our family allowed Sam to move up a notch on the totem pole, and providing him the golden opportunity to become something he'd never been before. Something he'd NEVER be without Bobby around -- a big brother.

(I wish I was able to put a photo of Sam and Bobby here. But we're in the middle of transferring photos from one computer to another, and I have no photo files to access here. But if I did, it would be an awfully cute picture. One that would make you go "Awwww!" and smile.)

So, anyway, today has been all about Sam. This? Has caused the older brothers, Jack and Charlie, to have some ruffled feathers. I mean, seriously... these two 10-yr. olds are certain the world revolves around them every minute of every day. How dare it even think of revolving around someone else? The nerve. Regardless, we all got birthday doughnuts this morning for breakfast. He had his name read on the morning announcements at school, and I brought in chocolate chunk cookies for a birthday treat at the end of the day. And his whole class sang to him. When we got home from school, he got to open his gifts. Then, Jeff took the boys and a friend sledding for an hour or so, while I made Sam's favorite dinner (mac & cheese with ham) and a cake. Their dad picked them up before Sam's basketball practice, and they spent the evening with him. Sam got another nice gift. I picked them up, got them home and promptly shooed them into bedtime routine -- after all, birthday or not, it's still a school night.

As I tucked my boy into bed, with his tousled hair and huge hazel eyes, I asked if he'd had a good birthday. The broad, gap-toothed smile on his face told me "yes" even before he could nod his head enthusiastically.

This boy... who I carried while chasing after two toddlers, who had mastered an impish, mischievous grin by age 2, who has idolized his two older brothers since he was aware of their presence, who is now an older brother himself... had a great birthday. And that? Makes me happy. Happy to have endured the aches and pains of pregnancy as he lounged on certain, pain-inducing nerves... happy to put up with his chatterbox tendencies... happy to know he is happy.

Happy 8th Birthday, Sam! I love you!