Workout Time

Sam decided he needs to strengthen his core muscles so he's taken up pilates. Ben's his coach. Here they are doing the move on the front of the video.

Day Trip

Saturday we traveled up to a winery, Raven's Glen, about 3 hours away to celebrate Ben's uncle's and aunt's 50th wedding anniversary. Jane and Susan were even able to make it in for the trip (Marj - we missed you!). We had a nice time and then a bunch of us stopped in Columbus at Easton for dinner before we made the rest of the trip back.

Jane and Ben

Susan and Sam

Luke, Sue, Paul, and Carrie

Sam trying to figure out a way to get to the train display that was inside the fence

Jane and Susan swinging Sam while we walked around

Shots

Sam had his 18 month well check today. He's a little over 27 pounds and in the 75th percentile for height and weight. That's great. What's not great is Sam's reaction to shots, which is probably similar to most little kids' reactions to shots - lots of red-faced crying, snotty nose, and hugs (which aren't bad at all). Ben took him to get a malt today afterward and by the time he got home he was happily slurping on it and perfectly happy.

Then he had an especially messy dinner...he had dumped all his food that I had slaved away making onto the front of his shirt and tray after he got mad at me when I got mad at him for feeding that dinner to the dogs. We completely ignored him after he dumped his food (all the while he was saying "all gone all gone all gone all gone") and tried not to laugh and eventually he just starting picking the food off his shirt and eating it.

ANYWAY....after dinner his clothes were so messy I just took his shorts off right in the dining room before we went up for a bath. And this revealed the BAND-AIDS, which were very perplexing to Sam. He would try to touch them, which would hurt and cause him to make a funny face and then he'd touch them again and the cycle kept going.

Here's a good shot of him after we made it upstairs. Note the food on his face and all down his shirt. He now tries to smile when I take a picture of him and this is what it looked like. Poor boy got my legs....

He's pointing out his band-aids for me. They were very annoying to him and he was very relieved to have them removed during his bath. No more shots for 6 months! Unless we are one of the chosen ones to get the swine flu shot!

Norris Lake

A couple weekends ago we took a trip to Norris Lake for a last hurrah goodbye weekend to my friend, Emmy, who is starting dental school at OSU this month. Friends of Emmy hosted and we were invited to go along. It was a fun group of people, many of whom didn't know each other before the weekend but who all love Emmy! We swam in the lake, Sam had his first boat ride (he loved it), I went tubing for the first time (and barely lived to tell about it) and Ben and I both jumped off a bridge. I got some good pictures, but then realized once I was home that I didn't get any good shots of me with the girl of honor.

floating in the lake near the dock for the house

the cove where we stayed

the back of the lake house - it was beautiful and HUGE

Sam and his little friend Anna. He was enthralled by her and called her by her name.

Me, Jenny, and Emmy contemplating our jump - Emmy dove because she's braver than us.

Okay....I'm gonna do it! Longest fall ever.

Not me...Ben couldn't get a good shot. But I got a good one of him and Frankie jumping.

This was Sam's boat face when the boat would go really fast. I thought it was hilarious.

ROAR!

Did you know that dinosaurs roar? Sam sure did because he didn't stop throughout the whole dinosaur exhibit at the museum. He was pretty entertained by the robosaurs. Afterward we went to the Children's Museum, which is MUCH more enjoyable when it's not Free Friday. It's worth it to pay a little extra to not have to deal with museum riff raff on Free Friday!

Checking out a dinosaur - I've already forgotten the name.

Sam is - guess what - ROARing in this picture. This is after he stopped running away from the robo T-Rex.

Yes, that's Ben climbing around in the hanging rope tunnel built for small children. Superdad. That thing is a killer on your knees as I later found out when chasing after Sam.

Learning about water currents is SO MUCH FUN!

Taking a break from splashing

Where 'n the hell is Rabbit Hash?

Saturday we took a little drive to Rabbit Hash, Kentucky. Ben had never been and I hadn't been there in about 20 years. Sam seemed to be entertained by it. It's a big biker hangout; there were about 30 or so bikers with their Harleys there. Sam was able to charm them. One couple on their bike waved to Sam before they drove off; Sam did his "wheels on the bus" move back to them. We got some ice cream at the General Store (Sam got to pet some cats lounging around inside) and Sam chewed on a popsicle stick and sat on the front porch of the store while he observed the bikers hanging out. We walked down to the river shore and Sam chased after a dog. Unfortunately, we didn't get to see Mayor Junior, Rabbit Hash's canine mayor. Fun fact: did you know Rabbit Hash is the only town who has euthenized a mayor?

We can imagine it's the beach

And that's Rabbit Hash.

Two Left Feet

Sam's always trying to put his shoes on by himself and today he finally got one on, except it was a left shoe on his right foot. He reminded us of Gerry Fleck from "Best in Show" who couldn't dance because he actually had two left feet. That part of the movie always cracks me up. Here's Sam's version:

He was so proud of himself with that shoe.