Happy Holidays

Let's catch up a bit from the last few weeks....

Samson had his 3 year check-up and he's now in the 80% percentile for height (39 inches) and 75% for weight (34 lbs). Dr. Dudley was very impressed with his verbal and math skills, which of course made us giddy with nerdly pride. Guess we can safely say that the preemie status has been put to rest.

We had our family photo shoot with Alison Eden in mid-November, and it's just incredible how much Samson has changed and yet still looks the same in the 2 years since our last professional portraits. I've uploaded the whole set of recent ones to our Picasa Web album, but I'll share a few favorites here.

With just 5 days left till Christmas, we're busy at home getting ready for our whirlwind tour to visit family over the holiday break. This year, we're heading down to San Antonio for Aunt Kelly's annual Xmas Eve party where we'll get to see lots of Mama's family and Samson will be spoiled rotten as the only child in the whole group of 15+ loved ones. Then it's back to Austin for waking up in our house for the Thomas & Friends extravaganza that Santa will bestow. After that, we're back in the car for the trip to Houston for more spoiling at Pawpaw & Grandma's house. Whew! That's a long while in the car, but since Mama finally gave in and bought a portable DVD player for the backseat, Samson has become a champion road tripper - 2 Thomas movies watched (with headphones on so grown-ups can chat freely) and we're there.

It has been a lot of fun this season sharing all of the holiday traditions and stories with Samson now that he is old enough to understand and participate in what's going on. He loves retrieving the daily treat from the Advent calendar and turning on the lights on the tree and decorations outside. He even got to meet Santa at a toy drive in Pawpaw's neighborhood. And it seems that we have at least 2-3 conversations each day about the actions and attitude required to remain on the nice list and stay off the naughty list. The only wish that he has for Xmas morning is to receive Emily and Molly and their respective coal tender cars... I must confess that Santa & his elves may have reserved just a few more engines and other Thomas paraphernalia for Samson than just those two items....

If you haven't kept up with our Twitter posting, you may be unaware that Samson has gone full on obsessed with Thomas the Tank Engine (aka Thomas & Friends) since about the end of the summer. It began with reading the same two books over & over, which led to Mama recording the single weekly episode off PBS so that Samson could enjoy the characters on-screen, too. After that, the stockpiling of toys began, with Duplo sets for his birthday, and then going bonkers for the Take Along engines and playsets (which are more small, portable, and durable). Since then, Samson's daily routine involves waking up to play with his engines, coming home from school to play with his engines, and before bedtime - you guessed it - putting all the engines in a bucket to move from the living room to his bedroom where he has more tracks for playing with his engines. We've been amused and surprised at the level of adoration Samson has for these toys, and it definitely comes in handy when we need a carrot or stick for behavior modification.

Speaking of behavior modification.... we missed out on the Terrible Twos but we're making up for it by getting slammed with the Tyrannical Threes. Samson somehow recently learned (can I blame one of those bad seeds at preschool?) that there's really nothing stopping him from refusing any parental directive or request. We've had to adapt with an expert level of mind-games (aka cognitive behavioral tactics) to stave off wild-eyed tantrums that occur when Samson feels as though his will is being ignored. Samson insists on independence and wants to do things for himself, in his own way, and on his own time table. When transitions don't occur according to these preferences, the "I'm very displeased" jig is performed (imagine an angry leprechaun), complete with coordinated head, arm, and alternating foot hops accompanied by a piercing howl. Mama and Daddy must be very careful to hide our amusement at this passionate display. The top 5 situations (if not skillfully orchestrated) likely to lead to the angry leprechaun dance lately are:

• Requiring that a coat be worn before going out into cold weather
• Requiring that hands be washed prior to eating
• Requiring that PJs be removed and school clothes be put on in order to go to school
• Requiring that the evening TV watching session be ended and that bath-time begins
• Requiring that Samson get into his carseat without dilly-dallying

Could you say no to this face?

Splashing in PawPaw's Pool

Before heading out to our vacation at the coast, we stopped for an overnight visit at Grandma & PawPaw's big new house. Uncle Kevin and cousin Bridget joined us for a dip in the backyard pool.


As usual, Samson was fearless in the water, this time even jumping in from the side of the pool into Daddy's arms and begging to be tossed up into the air again and again. Looks like he's got Daddy's swimmer gene.

New Pics

Samson is getting more and more capable with his eating utensils. Of course, not everything makes it into the pie hole just yet.

PawPaw and Grandma came to town this weekend to visit. As usual, Samson was delighted to revel in hours of undivided attention from his two biggest fans.

And you may have noticed that Samson's hair is becoming especially fluffy. Soon we'll be heading for our first trip to the barber, but for now, we're enjoying these luscious curls.

Fun Weekend Report

Samson was a very busy boy this weekend, what with Friday dinner with the Turners, PawPaw's visit, Lily's 3rd birthday party, and playing with his new water-play castle.

Unfortunately, we have no video and few pics of all the cuteness displayed over this time, as Mama's spilled coffee has killed our family historian, the Canon SD630 (Lesson learned: if you get your digi-camera wet, never, NEVER turn it on until it is completely dry inside. Dry it out by opening all the compartments, removing the battery & memory card, and placing in a container of super absorbent material like silica packets or rice. No guarantee, but it might bring the camera a few more months of service. More on this here). We captured a few shots with our old standby, the Canon S410, but the video function on that one went caput long ago. And, it costs almost as much to attempt to repair these digital wonders as it does to just buy a better new one with several improvements for the amateur photog. Guess we're gonna have a drawer designated as the dead digital camera crypt.... But Mama digresses. You're here for the pics, so here you go:

Not sitting on my bottom like I'm supposed to do in the wagon

Clap-clap-clapping with PawPaw

At 3 years of age, Lily slays the giant piggy

Soon to be soaking wet from head to toe

We Heart Uncle M

Mama's eldest brother came to visit this afternoon as part of his annual trek through the states from the secret foreign country where he lives (Uncle M is a bit paranoid about revealing any info about himself online; ironic for a published author, don'cha think?).
Samson quickly determined that Uncle M would make a fine playmate and they shared lots of giggles, tickles, and a few turns doing "The Samson" (that's his trademarked new dance move).

We all enjoyed the visit. Come back when you can, Uncle M.

I Heart PawPaw

Samson woke up from his nap on Saturday to find that his favorite visitor had arrived for a playdate. First things first, though -- hugs and grins.

Cake

So much fun at the party! Thanks to everyone for showing up and sharing Samson's special milestone. More pics to come....

Happenings of late

Last weekend, PawPaw came to town to help Daddy clear limbs and brush from the yard and later babysit with Samson so Mama and Daddy could go out on a DATE. This was only the 2nd time Mama and Daddy had been out without Samson since he came home from the hospital. Now that Samson has become such a great sleeper, it was an easy gig for PawPaw, who snoozed on the recliner watching The Godfather for the n-th time while Samson was dreaming in his crib.

Samson and Mama got to spend some time with the rest of the Central Texas Waltons on Sunday. Uncle Loyd, "Aunt Jane, and cousins Janice (pictured) and Amanda were great hosts and Samson put each of them to work as his personal bounce machines. He especially liked rolling around on the Pergo floor, which allowed much more safe freedom of movement than he gets at home on our concrete and stone floors.

Monday evening, Samson started showing signs of a cold, including a terrible runny nose which he refused to let be cleaned. Mama had to accept that all her shirts will now have a snot trail in addition to the regurgitated milk and food puree already in effect.

As his did with his first cold back in December, Samson recovered rather quickly, getting just about back to normal within 3 days. Unfortunately, the virus hit Daddy like a Mack truck, and he (who never gets sick) was out of commission for 24 hours, even missing work (which he never does, at least not for illness). Somehow, Mama has managed to dodge this bullet so far....

Hey, Baby. Come 'ere and let me show you my four teeth!"
Tomorrow is Friday, and if it's like most Fridays, that means Tex-Mex with the Turners! Daddy and Mama get to enjoy ritas with Samantha's parents while the babies enjoy neon lights and hustling action at the chip station.

Action Samson

Last weekend, PawPaw helped us hang Samson's first swing. Thanks, PawPaw!















And this week, Samson had his first trip on Daddy's shoulders. He's growing so fast.

Family Self-Portrait

Samson has become so accustomed to the camera, he knows to smile as soon as the red light shines. What a ham!

Can you see all four teeth?

Sorry about the lack of recent posts, dear readers. We've been super busy at the Hobbit Hole this summer and Mama hasn't had much time to write. We promise to get back on track this month....

Pawpaw and his Mini-me

Thanks, Grandma

Taking the RaZbaby teether from Grandma after napping on Pawpaw's shoulder. Samson LOVES this thing.

Dining Out with PawPaw and Grandma

First Camping Trip

Samson made the first of many outings to commune with nature this weekend, which also happened to include Earth Day. We drove for 3 1/2 hours to Garner State Park near Concan, Texas. The drive was not tear-free, but Samson did remain in the carseat for the entire trip and even took a couple of short naps between bouts of cheerful play and mournful cries. The weather was expected to be hot and cloudy; we did get the clouds, but the temperature dropped to chilly, so there was no swimming in the Frio River this time. Instead, we stayed near the cabin and spent quality time with the Walton-side aunts and uncles. Samson got to spend lots of time being passed among loving admirers.


With Aunt Kelly


With Uncle Ernie, who can't wait to take me hunting and fishing


With Uncle Marcus, who will teach me to sail and speak Japanese


With Daddy and Cousin Seth

Rest now, Mam-maw

Mama's mama, Doris, passed away suddenly last night. This is the woman who raised Mama from the age of 7 after her birth mother died of cancer when Mama was young. Most of what Mama knows about being a good wife and mother came from Doris. Her health had been deteriorating for years, but it is still a shock to realize that she is really gone.

Doris was too sick to come visit Samson when he was living in the hospital, but she stayed up-to-date by phone and through reading printed copies of the blog mailed to her by Aunt Cynthia. Samson did finally get to meet her a couple of weeks ago when he made his first overnight trip to East Texas.


Though they didn't have much time together, both truly enjoyed the visit. Samson just giggled up a storm at Mam-maw's teasing.



Samson is going to miss out on her fantastic homemade baked goods (yeast rolls and biscuits and cornbread), her soft lap, and her tearful laughter at the comical antics of dogs and kids.

We love you, Mam-maw.

A Week Without Daddy

Daddy is in China this week for work, so Mama and Samson are anxiously awaiting his return. Grandma Alice has come to help us out for a few days and she and Samson are having a great time playing together. Since Daddy's departure, Samson has been busy trying new things:

First Trip to the Park


First Storytime with Grandma


First Try in an Exersaucer

First Trip Out of Town

Yesterday, the family drove to College Station so that Samson could meet his only surviving great grandparent and his Uncle David (Daddy's brother) for the first time.

The drivetime usually takes Mama and Daddy about 90 minutes each way, but that was before we had a newborn along for the ride. Now we add about 40 minutes for every hour of driving, because Samson absolutely hates his car seat, works himself up into a big tizzy, and we must pull over to nurse until he is milk-drunk enough to doze for another block of time. Luckily, the Sonic parking lot in Rockdale made a perfect pitstop on each leg of the trip.

Here's a shot with Samson and his Great Grandpa Cosse, formerly of New Orleans, a 95 year-old survivor of Hurricane Katrina:














And because a special someone (and you know who you are) has requested that we share even more pictures of Samson's bodily excretions, here's a shot of our in-the-Prius poopy diaper change on the way home (and yes, the car was stationary during this photo):














Sometime later, we'll have to tell you about our comical ride back to Austin and the contortions Mama committed in order to help keep Samson calm while he was strapped into his carseat. Needless to say, we have a newfound empathy for Britney Spears. It is a tall order to make your baby stay tied to that contraption when he is screaming bloody murder for hours on end and you know he will stop as soon as you take him out.

I love my Grandma

I love my Paw-paw

One month later, we're still in Punxatawney

Monday marks Samson's first month at home since leaving the hospital. It is 2 months and 10 days since his birth, but his adjusted age is only 13 days. This means that Samson is still very much a newborn baby in his development and behavior, so our 24 hour routine still looks like that of a family with a brand new baby.

Ever see that movie (one of the best movies ever) "Groundhog Day" with Bill Murray? That's kind of how Mama and Daddy are living these days. Every day is the same, except in our case, the cycle repeats itself about every 2 hours: feed the boy, burp the boy, try to catch all of the projectile spit-up, hold the boy upright for 30 minutes (to minimize his reflux); if he falls peacefully asleep, place him in his bassinet and use the next hour to clean & ready bottles, pump breastmilk, take a nap, eat a meal, or do another chore; listen and watch for the boy's hunger cues, get another bottle ready, change his diaper, and start again. We keeping thinking, "Maybe today is the day where he sleeps for 4 hours straight," or "Maybe today is the day when he'll nurse well enough to get his whole meal from the breast," or "Maybe tonight is the night when he'll fuss for less than one hour," or "Maybe it's April, our lives have returned to something sort of normal, and we can go out to eat at a restaurant."

Samson does not sleep for more than 2 hours at a time, and usually it's more like 60 minutes. As a result, Mama and Daddy are basically insane from a month's worth of sleep deprivation. We try to trade off in shifts so that each of us can get at least 3 hours straight sleep, but it is almost impossible with the pumping, since Samson inevitably is shrieking through a colic episode when Mama needs to pump, so Daddy has to wake up & comfort him for 30 minutes until Mama is done.

The good news is that Samson seems to be doing better with his tummy trouble, and he's spending much less time screaming & contorting in pain at night. Even though we're not sleeping, it's a little bit calmer, a little less stressful time. He's also enjoying more, about two stretches of 60 minutes or so, of what we like to call "Sammy Time," when he is content to lie on his back and look around, making funny/cute sounds, and pumping his fists and feet in the air. Sammy Time is SO much better than Hammer Time.

Health Update
After 10 days on Nutramigen hypoallergenic formula, Samson still had blood in his stool (not visible to the eye, but positive on lab tests), so we decided to go ahead and return to an all breastmilk diet on Friday. By this time, most of the cow milk protein should be out of Mama's system, and the advantages of breastmilk far outweigh those of the formula. Plus, Samson is still gaining weight like a champ (8 lbs, 10 oz now), and his pediatrician says he looks healthy in every other way. We have an upcoming appointment with a pediatric GI specialist to look further to find the cause(s) and cures for Samson's bleeding.

So now we're back on the breastfeeding project. Samson's suckle power has improved dramatically over the past two weeks, but he still has trouble with his latch. This is probably because his mouth and facial muscles & nerve systems are still maturing, and also because he has been bottle feeding since he first began eating, and he has a learned to thrust his tongue forward in a way that makes his latch too shallow for nursing. Doulas Veronica and Ryka will be coaching us this week to correct this problem. Our goal is to be off the pump & bottle by the new year.

Christmas Elves
On Tuesday, some family came over to deliver a home-cooked meal and some holiday cheer. Aunt Jane, and Cousins Janice and Amanda put up our Christmas tree and got the chance to meet Samson in person for the first time. Thanks, Waltons!














And last weekend, we had visits from Uncle Kevin, Aunt Kelly, and Cousin Lauren.














Aunt Kelly first offered to stay over and take a 3 hour night shift so Mama and Daddy could get some sleep, but after experiencing a few hours of Hammer Time, she bailed and drove back to San Antonio in the middle of the night. Wuss!