I don' know WHAT I want!

There could be a first molar trying to make its' appearance, we don't know for sure. What we do know, however, is that Sammy and the world are just not in sync.

Wheeee!!!

Mommy and Sammy spent a little time in the back yard before Mommy had to head back to work. They don't get along, do they?

Give me a little kiss, will ya, huh?

Sammy's idea of a kiss is open mouth. And slobbery. Gotta love 'em.

When Mommy shows up

Sammy is so happy to see Mommy and Daddy arrive for lunch! Kisses all around!

Just chillin'

just hangin' out with the 'rents and grand 'rents........

Howling at the moon

Grumpa started this by showing Sammy a hunting magazine that had pictures of bears in it and teaching her what a bear sounds like, "Grrrrrr!" He got Sammy to growl. Next up, our trip to Yellowstone inspired teaching her how to howl like the wolves we had just seen. So, let's have a big hand for Sammy and her Howlers!

Doing a double take

As best we could, Mommy and I tried to recreate a photo from last year's Teton vacation of Sammy just for comparisons. What do you think? Quite a change, hmm?

Play group day one

Here she is on her first day of her new play group. Mommy said that when she picked Sammy up to go home, Sammy did really well walking holding onto only one hand instead of the two she prefers. I wonder if those cages in the corner are for time out?

This song will stay with you FOREVER

Yes, I know you've seen her dance before but she's learning new moves!

Wisps

Here you can see just how long her hair is on top of her head!

It runs in the family...

What can I say? No one is shy around the camera.

Sammy's Second Cousin or cousin once removed or how does this work again?

Here is Sammy with Daddy's cousin Courtney. So does that make Courtney Sammy's second cousin? If so, then how is Courtney's kids related cousin-wise to Sammy? (We could all just pretend we live in Hawaii and everyone is "Cousin" there!)

This is also to prove that there is another blonde in the family...not just Daddy.

RV mechanic

Grumpa and Uncle Mike decided that they needed some male bonding over fixing things. I don't know. Anyway, they emptied a couple of the bays in our motorhome and it seemed like a perfect place to watch the goings on. Sammy got bored with it as soon as I did. (and it's an unloaded air rifle behind her)

A leave-in conditioner

Sammy is usually a pretty good eater but there can be times when playing with her food commands her attention. That and Uncle Mike was standing behind me making faces at her, encouraging her to put food where it shouldn't go.

Today is also a big day for Sammy and all of us. She will be going to a friend of Mommy and Daddy's house to join a little playgroup with two other children her age twice a week. These other two can walk and talk. Sammy needs to socialize with other toddlers so that she can learn to walk. She can walk if you hold her hands but not on her own. Her pediatrian has recommended it to Mommy. Apparently, Sammy is not impressed with our ability to walk on two legs, she needs others her size for her competition gene to kick in. And? Mommy, Daddy, Grumpa and I can't be around her otherwise she'll fall back on her habit to crawl or wait to hold hands and walk. We're already wrapped around her little grubby fingers....

Corn on the Cob

Her teeth are small but mighty! And she prefers eating it off the cob...don't you dare cut it off and put those kernals on her tray to eat!

Caterpiller

My brother, Uncle Mike, was here and Sammy joined him outside. He was reading a magazine when he heard Sammy grunting to get his attention. He looked down and she was holding in the palm of her hand this caterpiller that she had picked up. Without squishing it! He promptly put it on her head.

Let's go shopping!

One more inducement to get her walking on her own. And what better way than to brain wash her into thinking that grocery shopping IS SO MUCH FUN!

I said NO!

No matter how many times Mommy or I say "NO" to Sammy for getting into the dog bed, she does it anyway. And woe is me to drag her out of it, with her kicking and screaming. Maybe I should take of picture of that? I'm pretty sure that fort making is in our furture.

Cinderella and the Glass Slipper, Kinda

Ok, before you all start your shoe interventions out there, she outgrew her Stride Rites! It was time! On this occasion however, Sammy wanted to have a say in the shoe selection. It didn't matter if it was rain boots, slippers, boys shoes, or fishy sandals, she was going to decide what, if anything, was going on her foot. (Editor's note: remind me never to take her into Toys R Us.) She is now into a 4.5 WIDE. Again, taking after Daddy in the length.

Practice practice practice

Sammy walked and walked and walked this trip. And then she also walked. Here she is walking between Daddy and Uncle Dave. We kept trying to get her to step forward without anyone holding on, but it didn't really happen. YET.

Nightie Night

This was taken on the way home from Yellowstone, about a 90 minute drive with road construction. Daddy is prone to car sickness as am I, so sleeping is his best option. Apparently taking a page from Daddy's book, Sammy decided it was a good idea!

Cheekies

I have seen this look in my children's faces many years ago. They are like squirrels with all the food they would stuff into their cheeks. Sammy doesn't have any food in her cheeks...it just looks that way!

Assume the position

These two were like this ALL THE TIME. Sammy is very good on the boat and usually takes a nap. On Auntie Kenna.

A three hour tour

Doesn't this look like Gilligan and the Skipper?

Calm before the Storm

This is my absolute favorite picture so far this trip. A little brief moment of time where Mommy and Sammy are quiet and touching. Shortly after this was taken, Sammy was off and running all over creation.

Time for a walk

Daddy took this picture of Sammy while she was playing with the dog leashes. Doesn't it look like she's ready for a walk?

A Carriage for a Princess

This is a new jogging (?) stroller that Grumpa bought to bring with us from now on. Looks spacey and comfy right? Sammy seems to enjoy it..she has taken two naps in it so far. It really works well on the forest paths we take to the lake.

Ice Cream

Many many many years ago, I had a picture taken of Daddy's first taste of ice cream that his grandpa gave him. Here is Sammy's Grumpa giving her a taste of COLD ice cream...(Cold! See how her shoulders go up with that sensation?) She loves it. She had more ice cream later when we all went to West Yellowstone to cure Mommy's craving for a milk shake. And Daddy's. And Grumpa's. Me? not so much.

Have you missed me?

Wifi here at the RV park is hard to come by but this year we've found an area where I can go update this blog. I don't have to drive 6 miles south to another lodge. We can sometimes get access out on the boat but I'm not bringing the computer out there!

Here is our first night at camp celebrating Uncle Dave's birthday. Of course, Sammy had to be in the thick of it helping in her own way.