Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

It is officially Break-Up in Fairbanks. The snow is finally melting and the icy puddles are changing to mud. We couldn't be happier.

All About Sam

Sam. Sam, Sam, Sam. There's just something special about Sam. I'm not sure if it's the age or just Sam being Sam, but he is so damn cute. All I want to do is gobble him up in my arms and squeeze him. He makes me laugh. Oh he makes me laugh . . .sometimes just by looking at him, sometimes by the off the wall things that spurt out of his mouth, and sometimes for no apparent reason. Don't get me wrong, he's still two and destructive and physically rough and mean to Maxy but all that is overshadowed by his pure and genuine Sammyness.

From him prancing around the house in my high heals, to him always wanting to be nakey, he definitely marches to his own drum. It is this individualism that I so admire and hope he never loses.

And here is my attempt to write it all down to capture his cuteness forever.

SAMMY SAYS . . .

driving in to town after many dark days in January Sam: The sun is awake.

my favorite: Sam: [burp] I just tooted in my mouth!

While in line with me at a local sandwich shop a group of ladies walked in. Sam turned his head, put up his claws, lunged toward them and growled like a very loud dinosaur. And that was it.(but in true Sam form, it made them all giggle)

Sam:[burp] You excuse me!

While I am wearing a pinkish coat and yellow pony tail holder in the car Sam:Why you have yellow in your hair? You need pink or purple.

And today, while changing his diaper after eating a ton of peanuts (also remember, the boys call their penises, "peanuts") Me:Wow, you pooped out peanuts. Sam:No, I pooped out my butt!

SAMMY DOES . . . Here are some more things about Sam that I also want to remember:

- Absolutely loves "Tom & Jerry"

- Is Mr. Social. Not afraid of people at all. Might even follow a complete stranger around the store just because.

- Is salty not sweet. Prefers popcorn or chips over ice cream. Sausage over pancakes.

- Loves to do the Nakey Dance.

- Loves to smack his peanuts while doing the above mentioned Nakey Dance.

- Is a total Daddy's Boy. Always wants to be where Daddy is and to help with every man project possible (split wood, mow the yard, shovel snow)

- Is a goer. Never wants to be left at home.

- Can drive a snowmachine by himself and not crash (usually). All the throttle all the time.

- Is a music lover and has great moves.

- Sleeps with "bunny" and "other bunny." - Can eat half a cheese pizza (dipped in ranch)

- Loves crackers and cream cheese but hates cheese

- His favorite sandwich is bread with mustard and mayonnaise and that's it

- Prefers apple juice over orange juice - Has eaten more chicken nuggets at age 2.5 than anybody should in their entire lifetime

- Likes to wear my shoes

- Can not catch a ball or throw one very well for that matter either.

- Can dish it out but not take it. Loves to hit and kick Bo, wrestle Max and sit on his head, but cries every time they do it to him.

- Does not have a temper.

- Couldn't care less about potty training.

- Runs up and tackles Wes every time he comes home from work screaming "Daddy!!"

- Absolutely hates to get his hair cut.

- Riding in Daddy's truck makes him happier than anything else and more devastated than anything else when he can't.

- Can count to 10 (kind of) and can sing most of the ABC's.

- Is fascinated with guns and weapons but also loves playdoh and Lego's.

- Not a fort guy.

- Will not eat an egg of any kind. Or rice or yogurt.

- Can play in the shower for an hour and still not want to get out.

- Likes gum.

- Loves to tell stories. Known as "Motor Man" by some.

- Says "Oh My Cow!" instead of "oh my goodness" or "holy cow"

Little Squirts!

A Roll of Laughter!

Happy Birthday Bo!!

I still can't believe it. Bo is 5! Where did my baby go? He's growing up so fast.

Unfortunately Wes had to be in Anchorage all day for work but Grandma & Grandpa came over for dinner and cake. His real party will be on Saturday.

He may be 5 now but somethings never change. He still hates to have the birthday song sung to him. Sam, on the other hand, begged us to sing it to him and got so excited when we did.

Happy birthday sweetheart! I love you.

Ice Park

March is such a fun time in Fairbanks. The days are getting longer, the sun is shining and the Ice Park is open.

Grandma and I took the boys on Sunday and had a great time. We met Becky, Devon and Aaron there so needless to say, the boys had a blast.

I don't think Grandma was prepared for how fast the slides are. She was so cute. It was hilarious. But funny enough, she only went down once. Hmmmm . . .

Sam on one of the kiddie slides

Bo & Sam. Ready. Set. Gooooo!

Snack time

From bottm to top: Bo, Sam, Aaron, Laura

Aaron & Sam

Bo, Aaron, Devon & Sam

Time to go home. Devon, Bo & Sam

X-Box Taketh Over

I hate video games. Always have. Always will. But Bo is A-D-D-I-C-T-E-D and it is driving me CRAZY!!! Some mornings I swear he asks to play even before his feet hit the floor. Can I play Xbox? Can I play? Can I play now?

I know, I know, I'm the mom, take it away or limit the time, make him earn it, yadda yadda yadda, but I feel for the kid. We are on month 6 of winter and there just hasn't been a whole hell of a lot to do. I don't want to go outside when it's freakin freezing either. Sure, there is bowling, the library, ice skating, Fred Meyer & GlowPutt but none are easy with a 17 month old piece of Stuggle. Yes, stuggle. Half stubborn, half wiggle. Max is definitely a Stuggle.

Hmmmm, maybe one too many Dr Seuss books, you think?

Then came the Stuggle out of the blue

Dragging two boots from behind the louboo

Face with a smile, looking so sweet

But wiggling, thrashing, screaming, "me too me too!"

But I digress . . .

So, the way I see it, Xbox is better than watching TV all day (at least it requires problem solving and thinking) but worse than reading books and imaginative play. Plus, it is a great time occupier (Ok, maybe "time waster" or "babysitter" is more accurate) when I need to help Sam or Max, or clean the kitchen, or do 3 trillion loads of laundry or just don't want to build another fort.

It is also the one thing he thoroughly enjoys and thus the first thing that gets taken away when he is in trouble. He was grounded from it for 4 days a few weeks ago when he threw a ginormous fit when I asked him to turn it off. He screamed at me and slammed the door (3 days) and then kicked a shoe at me (1 more day). I probably should have taken it away longer but 4 days to a 4 year old is for-ever!

And those 4 days were a struggle. It made me realize how lazy video games have made me. Yes, ME. It was tough to be "on" all the time. I didn't realize how reliant I had become on them. They kept Bo busy and me less busy but for those 4 days I had to dig deep into my creative soul and conjure up fun things to do. It was exhausting. BUT we did it and I enjoyed "having" to put chores aside and play.

So for now, despite my love-hate relationship with it, I have come to terms with the fact that my son is a gamer and I'm a gamer enabler. (Wow, that's a mouth full) but have already forewarned him that once the white turns to green and the mittens aren't needed, the Xbox is NO MORE!!

Come on Summer!!!