Living in Munchkinland

Sam celebrated his half birthday with learning how to scoot. Our big boy learned to roll over at 2 months, got teeth at 4 months and figured out how to crawl at 6 months. I'm so proud. I'm also a little stressed about how I'm going to keep track of him now that he's on the move. I'm also concerned on how I'm going to keep all the choking hazards out of his way when Davis is around. But it really is wonderful to watch these milestones happen. Sam seems so proud of himself when he crawls. And he gets so frustrated when he can't reach the object of his desire. This being able to motivate will help a lot. He tries a variety of methods to get around. I made a video. Of course, in the video he doesn't actually go anywhere, but I assure he does when the cameras aren't rolling. I will put it up under videos, but here is the link now. Sam crawling. I hope you enjoy it. We also took him in to his six month well visit. He weighs in at 18 pounds ...

I got in on Monday afternoon. Michael rolled in on Tuesday afternoon. We unloaded the Uhaul and returned it. We unpacked all the boxes. I've been to a playdate and hung out with Katie and Soren and my parents. I've been to the grocery store and cooked a couple of meals. We've watched Heroes on our huge TV. Davis has quickly transitioned to his big boy bed. Sam has not so quickly transitioned to his crib. Davis got his stitches out this morning. We have our internet hooked up and I am beginning to wade through a gazillion messages. We are very tired. More later, but I just wanted to let you know that we are so, so, so, so happy to be home.

It's May 11th and it's a 103 degrees outside. I was talking to someone the other day and complaining about being stuck inside a tiny apartment with two small children and no friends or family around at that evil four o'clock hour. All you moms know what I'm talking about. Four o'clock in the afternoon is when the whiny, cranky feelings come out in both mom and children. This friend suggested that I get outside with the boys until Michael came home. I thought that was a good idea. I realized today though as I headed outside to check the mail that the idea just won't work in Phoenix. There's hot and then there's hot and this is just way too hot, way too early in the summer. Isn't is still officially spring? Only three more days till we're home.

We knew it would happen. We have two boys. They are Walters. We just didn't know it would happen so soon. This morning in the wee hours, while I sipped my coffee and Michael got ready for work, Davis decided to try a difficult maneuver involving his Tonka truck and the coffee table. The maneuver failed, but Davis did succeed in whacking his head against the edge of the coffee table and opening up his eyebrow. We called the doctor and made an appointment. Michael stayed home with Sam and I loaded up Davis to take him in. We were hoping that they could just glue it shut, but no such luck. Davis needed three stitches. He was pretty brave at first but then decided screaming seemed a better way to cope. The only things that made him happy were the promises of getting to see MiMi and PaPa soon and that we could have pizza for lunch. It was actually pretty sickening to see the wire hook going through his eyebrow and pretty sad to have my little boy pleading with me for it to b...

Yesterday Shana and Kalli were over for a playdate and Shana asked me if I had given Sam solids yet. I hadn't, but we decided to do it then. I pulled out the rice cereal and added a little water. I threw it in the microwave and grabbed a spoon. Shana held him in her lap and I started shoveling the food in. He loved it. He tried to feed himself with the spoon. He swallowed huge bites and leaned forward for more. He ate it all! Then he tried to get the bowl. This is pretty funny since we did Davis' first meal attempt in a much less casual manner. With Davis we waited until Michael was home. Then I pumped and we mixed the rice cereal with breastmilk and bananas. Then we placed him in his highchair, turned on the video camera and then I offered some of the mixture on my index finger. Davis hated it! He spit it out and refused it for three more months. Very different babies. Or maybe also very different parents. The second time around is soooooo different. Sam is gr...

I have discovered another delicious wine and thought I would share it with you. Usually I hate Chardonnays. I have always thought that they were bad across the board. Then I discovered that I liked French Chardonnays. Someone told me this was because they weren't oaky. The problem is that French Chardonnays cannot be found in the under ten dollar range. Yesterday I was at Whole Foods perusing the wine section looking for more Argentinian Malbecs and realized I ought to pick up a white wine to go with the Cocunut-Chile Snapper that I was going to make. I asked the wine lady if she had any suggestions and warned her that I didn't like oaky Chardonnays. She proposed an "unoaked" Chardonnay I had tried before and didn't like. Then she proposed the Chapel Hill. It was on sale for 10 dollars and so I said I would try it. I chilled it and tonight we opened it to go with our fish. It's wonderful! I have to give this one a very high rating. Check out if yo...

My parents came to visit us this past weekend. We had a great time. They and the boys had a wonderful time together. When we went to pick them up at the airport we had to circle around several times before they came out of baggage claim. When they got to the car they hugged and kissed Davis and asked him how he was and what he had been doing. He said, "I played find the Mimi and PaPa!" It was the beginning of the theme for the weekend. Each day when we woke up he was ready to find the Mimi and Papa. And Sam has a deep love for his Mimi. She would sit in the way back of the minivan while Dad and I were in the front and Sam was beside himself with joy that someone would sit facing him and make faces and talk to him while we drove. Whenever he would see my mom from then on out he would smile really big and shake his arms and arch his back to be picked up. We did several fun things while mom and dad were here. We went to the park and I got to introduce mom to Trader Jo...