HAPPY 5th BIRTHDAY SAM!!!!

WHAT??? My baby is FIVE????  Just like any parent, I just can't believe that my baby is already five!  He's like a little man already!!!!  It makes me sad, but it makes me a proud and happy Mama!  He has grown into such a sweet little guy, and we love him more that words could ever express!!!

Sam at 1 day old... (I know every parent thinks their baby is a beautiful baby, but Sam actually WAS a beautiful baby!!!! ;-)

Sam at 1-yr-old...

Sam at 2-yrs-old... yep, reading his Flying magazine...

Sam at 3-yrs-old.... driving his own off-road vehicle...

Sam at 4-yrs-old... into his sports already...

And at 5-yrs-old.... what will this year bring????

Here are some little facts (known and maybe some unknown) about my little 5-yr-old....

• He is in the 96th percentile for height and weight... he's a BIG BOY!
• He is also a teddy bear!
• He likes to play rough
• He is SUPER quiet in a crowd
• But get him around his friends or family... and he's rowdy and loud!!!!
• Unless Jake is running his motor-mouth (which ISN'T shy), then Sam usually just lets Jake speak!
• Sam loves his doggies... even when they bite... he is still so compassionate!
• He takes care of his brother... usually... buckles him/unbuckles him in the car; gets him things; gives him toys; etc
• He even tells Jake what he must do to get a prize or candy... it doesn't usually work, but he is very authoritative about it!
• Sam calculates... everything! He is my thinker... and if there's a 'way out,' Sam will think it up - my punishments have become elaborate due to this little fact!
• Sam loves to draw.... specifically robots and pirates... and he is REALLY good at it!
• He also likes to create 'homework' for his Daddy to do at work! This usually involves some type of building he draws and cuts out that BJ must glue somewhere on his desk and color.
• Sam also loves to cut things out and tape... lots of tape!
• Sam is too smart for his own good! I can't deny him McDonald's for him reminding me that Mimi and Pop Pop have given us McDonald's money to use... I can't tell him to stop using so much tape for him telling me that it's ok - Mimi and Pop Pop will said they would buy him more.... you get the picture!
• Sam gives the BEST hugs... he wraps his arms and legs around you and squeezes soooo hard.... the best hugs happen when he wants you to carry him upstairs (have I mentioned that he's almost 60 lbs!?)
• Being my quiet one, Sam doesn't demand his love and attention, but he sure eats it up when it's dealt out!!!
• He is one loved 5-yr-old!  Have you seen the swing set he got? And he has two more BIG birthday surprises coming his way today and this weekend!!!!!!  Stay Tuned.....

WE LOVE YOU SOOOOOO MUCH, SAM!!!!

HAPPY 5th BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!

Sam's Spring Program

This year, each boy has their programs on different days..... So Sam went today and Jake goes tomorrow! This offers its own set of hurdles as opposed to the last time where we were jumping back and forth from one party to another!  Because we throw Sam's BIRTHDAY in on Jake's program day... SOOOO I am taking cupcakes for his snack to celebrate his birthday as Jake's program is supposed to be underway... Sam's teachers are GREAT for letting me come a little early so I can get to Jake's program and see him sing!!!!!

Without further ado.... here is Sam ready for school (don't let the smile fool you - he HATES button-up shirts!!!)

And Jake ready to go watch...

Sam's in the center of the pic... my flash's batteries died, and I didn't put my super-zoom on the camera... we have A LOT of these types of pics... I'm just sad I missed his yawns!!!! ;-)

Jake is totally enthralled... haha!!!!

And Sam's done...

Sam and his awesome teachers...

My two cuties!!!!!

Sam's 'prizes' for mommy and daddy.... a framed 'L'.... "Made out of fish rocks!" (pardon my laziness to not turn or lighten the picture! ;)

And his answer for Mommy Questions...

Answers for Daddy Questions...

Tomorrow should be an eventful day... Birthday party at school and Jake's Spring Program... :-)

THE Run!!!

Well, you may remember me talking about BJ deciding to train and run in a marathon... so today was the day!  AND.... HE DID IT!!!!!  And when I say he did it - I mean he DID it... with grace; and energy to spare!!!!   He was amazing... he ran 26.2 miles in 4 hours!  First of all, it amazes me that he RAN... for FOUR HOURS!  Second of all, it amazes me that he RAN... for 26.2 miles!!!!!!  Again - I think it's foolish and crazy, but he is super man no matter how you look at it!!! ;-)

The boys and I met Opa and Ernie at their condo in midtown to cheer BJ on at mile 23...

So we waited...

And waited...

And got sidetracked waiting...

And looked cute waiting... (we were a little early! ;-)

AND DADDY CAME BY!!!!!

And he looked SO GOOD and comfortable!!!!!

Sam and Jake were jumping up and down for him - they were so cute! BJ couldn't resist stopping for a quick kiss!

And off to finish...

And we made it to the finish line.... OH... and BJ did too!!!!!

He looked a little tired...

But soooo GOOD!!!!!

And sidetracked again...

BJ's medal...

That Sam and Jake can't stop wearing!!!! ;-)

We are so proud of BJ, and are happy that this little item on the 'ole bucket list is checked off!!! Now... on with LIFE!!!!!  GREAT JOB, BABE - I AM SO PROUD OF YOU!!!!!!

Sam's Birthday: Gift #1

In our house, we are all well-aware that Sam's birthday is coming up at the end of this month... Sam is super excited about turning FIVE! YIKES!!!! I can't believe I'm going to have a 5-yr-old!?  That just blows me away....

Turning five has turned into a milestone worthy of AWESOME gifts for this little guy!  His first gift is this ENORMOUS 2-story playhouse/swing set!!!  It even came complete with an Opa willing to come over (2 days in a row --- and the following weekend!!!) to help build it!!! Of course, it's for Jake too, and Jake is equally excited about being able to play on it!!!

These pictures are actually from day-2 of construction... day 1 didn't offer much to take pictures of! ;-)

Sam and Jake played outside the entire time both days... they have really missed being able to play outside! And boy have they gotten DIRTY!!!!!

And there hasn't been a shortage of injuries... Sam scraped his hand...

And Jake scraped his elbow... So far...

And the following weekend... putting the finishing touches on it (i.e. the slide and the swings!!! ;-)

Sam and Jake had no problems giving it a test-run...

OR using it the 'wrong' way!!!!

It's such an awesome playhouse... complete with a bay window and a copula!!!

OH!!! THERE are the finishing touches!!!!

The boys LOVE it!

Opa and his boys...

Onto the important stuff!!!

THANK YOU OPA AND ERNIE!!!!!!!!!

Just Had to Share...

For some, this may be TMI... but it made me laugh, so I'm writing it down!

The other night, the boys got undressed to get in the bathtub.  Jake was running back to the bathroom from putting his clothes in the dirty clothes basket and stopped and asked me, "Mommy, can you scratch my hiney?" So, like any good mother would, I gave his little cheeks a little scratch.  He looked around and said, "No, mommy - inside my hiney!"

Ummmm.... that's where I draw the line!!!! Only with protection!!! ;-)

NEW YORK!!!

Finally... as promised... pictures from our trip to New York!  We went to visit BJ's Brother and his wife, Mandy.  They have lived there for a little over a year.  We had a blast visiting them, and can't wait to go back!!!!  Thank goodness they were up for some 'touristy' stuff, because we saw it all!!! Well, almost!!!! ;-)

At the Plaza Hotel

In the fountain outside!

Some of the beautiful sites around the city...

Central Park...

Saint Patrick's Cathedral...

Grand Central Station...

Times Square...

Washington Park...

Hanging out with Brandon and Mandy...

And dinner at db's.... AWESOME!!!!!

 Mandy and Brandon's apartment in Queens...

Their view from a park near their house!

11 Madison Park - the resaurant that they both work at!  We only had drinks there (it's SUPER expensive), but we had some hor de vours while we drank, and wow!  I ate things I didn't even know existed!!!!  It was incredible!

It snowed the day that we left... nevermind that it delayed us getting home by 5 hours... but it was pretty!!!!!