A Whole Octopus

It's a clever phrase and useful in so many ways: forewarned is forearmed and forearmed is half an octopus. When I was searching for the original coiner of the phrase before I started this post, I couldn't easily find the person to whom attribution is owed but I did learn that 1.) about 1/2 the people who use this phrase say four-armed is half an octopus (note the tricky spelling difference) and 2.) four (or fore) armed is 2/5s of a squid. Which isn't nearly as funny as half an octopus, I don't think.

Here's my little octopus today wearing an outfit courtesy of Aunt Andrea by way of Wills maybe and more recently Henry. Vake is wearing these cute little suits with animals appliqued on them all the time- they're reasonably easy to get on and off and we avoid all the ideological problems that Eric has with dressing little boys in smocked outfits all the time.

Speaking of smocked outfits, Eric has been in Seattle for most (and he will fight this characterization, but it really was most) of June. When he was on a break from one of the depositions he was taking, he and the partner he's working with went to get lunch. At the restaurant, one of the workers recognized E. from his McDonald's days. Eric showed the dude the picture of Vake, who asked how old the little girl was. Harrummph I say.


Seriously, how cute is this expression. V's got a little rash on his face and I am treating it with some topical ointment, but that's why his skin is so red. (By the way, am I the only one who only sees six (6) arms on this octopus???)


As he was sitting for his photo shoot, he lost his balance, poor little guy! Not his favorite experience.

He REALLY likes the mobile.

You've seen it all before on the blog, but Vake LOVES the mobile above his crib. I mean he really loves the mobile. When's he's fighting going to sleep, he will pick his little baby head up and try to see the animals spinning above him.

We are running out to see Aunt Andrea and Uncle Rob right now, but I just continue to be overwhelmed by the amazing gift but also responsibility of parenthood. Gosh I hope I am doing it right.

Because forewarned is forearmed (and forearmed is half an octupus), I want everyone out there to know that the video below is not all that exciting. And the last fifteen seconds are punctuated by Vake realizing that his feet are also pretty interesting to look at!

Seattle Friends' Style: Part III: Big Game Hunter

Taren's been putting off dressing Vake up in his camo from Uncle Brad. Uncle Brad and his wife Cindy and their daughters Emily and Mary are some of my favorite people. Brad is Eric's good friend from law school, and Cindy is one of the nicest people you are likely to meet. Plus, she's a nurse and an amazing Mom...she's the person who remembers to bring the cheese sticks on a hike, whereas I am the person who is hunting for the Diet Coke machine. But I digress.

Anyway, Brad gave V some camo gear when we were in Seattle. Taren had been dressing Vake in and taking pics of all the clothes/toys we got in Seattle so I could post them, but had been putting off the camo shot. And Taren teases me as much as anyone about the fact I am dressing little V in "girls'" clothes...

So this morning, it was super quiet in Vake's room. Eric woke up and asked me if the baby should still be asleep and I went down to check on him. Lo and behold, my little baby had gotten out of his crib, dressed himself and gone big game hunting. By the time I found him, he already had the hide/pelt of a blue animal and he was so pleased that he was sitting on it!!!!

Sitting in My Big Boy Chair

Look at me in my big boy highchair that Aunt Martha, Aunt Julie and Martha's Mother gave me.

Now if Mom would just let me have some real chow, I could go to town.

How is it possible that he's getting so big so fast?

Vake and Domingo Visit the JCP Portrait Studio

One of my guilty little pleasures is the JC Penney Portrait Studio. Andrea turned me on to it- in Vake's first month, I went to Kiddie Kandids at Babies 'r' Us and paid the unseemly price of $19.95 a sheet for pictures. After that, I learned better- Jacques Penne will give you a sheet of pics for the bargain rate of $3.99 a sheet and Lindsey the manager at the Regency Square Store is A-W-E-S-O-M-E. She does a GREAT job.

So, Vake, Domingo, Dennis, MS and I trekked out to Regency tonight for a cousin pic. I think Dennis truly believes he has died and gone to h-e-double toothpicks- what a night. Please go to the mall with your mother and sister in law, your infant nephew and your puppy for glamour shots of the nephew and the dog.

We started out with Vake with clothes on, trying to take pics of him in a basket with Domingo but that wasn't going so well- the basket just wasn't big enough and everyone was miserable. So we decided on an "action shot" and the only thing big enough for the two of them was a bathtub.

Here's the first picture: in it, Vake's saying, "Who's this dude in the bathtub with me? Where's the water? What about the music we always play? Seriously people, what are you doing to me?"


Domingo looks similarly nonplussed- all you can see is the little white in his eye.

But they actually got used to each other: see below where Vake is staring at Domingo, petting Domingo, getting kissed by Domingo and finally about to fall out of the tub!

Seriously, too cute. What's next for me, though? A minivan with a stick figure family decal on the back cannot be all that far away.

My New Overalls

Today Vake is definitely wearing a "little boy" outfit- his first set of overalls. I understand that big Vake was a huge overalls fan- and speaking of which, if any of the Sampson relations can send me a picture of what the West Lane (?) Plumbing Overalls looked like, I think little Vake may be getting a pair that look like the ones that great-Granddaddy had...


Here's Vake with his Uncle Dennis!

And here he is practicing a figure skating move...

Once he and Dennis were finished with their doubles skating routine, Vake and I went outside and looked at the cars driving by and played on the new bench that Aunt Andrea and Uncle Rob gave us.

My little drool monster may be getting pretty close to getting his first tooth- the drool production has increased dramatically, something I didn't think was possible.

And who was staring at us through the window? That's right. Domingo and Stilly, his BFF.

Domingo: Professional Wrestler?

I think that there's no longer any question that I am officially an old person. In one short year, I've gone from being the person who never takes pictures of anything to the person who wishes she had both a videocamera and a fancier still camera to capture every possible event on film.

I would take a picture of every bath that Vake ever took and post them all on the blog if I didn't think it would totally bore all of you.

So it should come as no surprise (although it probably should, given the recent nature of this change) that I am finding myself taking pictures and video of Domingo for Anne during the week that he is here with Dennis and she is packing up in Florida.

And what does tonight's video hold? Well, little D loves horsing around with the two big yellow dogs. Judge's patience for it is pretty limited. After about five minutes, he rapidly turns into the Red Swingline Stapler guy from Office Space and sort of runs away.

Stilly on the other hand, will let little D play with her the cows come in...see below.

Vake's Cousin Domingo

Anne and Dennis have a new addition to the family, Domingo. Vake and little D, as the blog world knows, share the same birthday (mostly because Domingo's birthday was initially unknown so we could make it whenever we want.)

Today, little Domingo gave Vake some kisses...
...and stole Vake's pacifier...

...and was basically too cute for words.

Happy Father's Day 2009

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY, Eric!!! It is almost impossible to believe that we were just getting used to the idea of a little Martin at this time last year!
You are doing a fantastic job as a father- thank you so much for working so hard for the family: I know all the travel cannot be very easy- and Vake is your Number One Biggest Fan. We miss you when you are gone during the week and we are happy when you are home.

We had a big breakfast this morning and Eric got his presents, including the apron that Taren and Vake made- too cute!
Here are two pics of father and son- they are both wearing blue polo shirts today- how cute that they match!

This picture is turned sideways and I cannot make it turn correctly, but the important takeaway is that little V is now DONE with the Bumbo seat- his little legs got stuck in it this morning and he couldn't get out. Poor Vake.

And last but not least, here's what Domingo does when his daddy Dennis leaves. Awwww. Too sweet.

More Seattle Pics and We Get a Visit from Our Friend Aunt Jen

Not many things in life are clear, but one of the few is that Eric and I get a big F- when it comes to taking pictures with our friends when we go places. We do have a few more Seattle shots: I feel especially lucky to have one with my good buddy Emily and the famous Seattle Market Pig. I think Vake was sleeping or else I would have tried to get the same shot with him, too.

Once we finished walking (or at least trying to walk- it was VERY crowded) the market, we stopped for a little break and Vake perked up. Here's the first shot of Vake and Emily together. We then went on to the Sculpture Park, which is one of my favorite things in Seattle.

True story: Emily and I are playing underneath the big Alexander Calder and Eric and her Mom and Dad walk up to us. As they are walking up, she says, "Quick, hide, our parents are coming."

Ha.

These are some snaps from the Zoo. In one, little Evan is trying to blend in with the flora and fauna. In the other, two of our friends' children are trying to get a better look at the penguins.

This is a good picture from the picnic. How sweet were all the Gibson boys- they took turns holding and feeding Vake.

And last but not least, this weekend we got a visit from one of Eric's best friends. Jen got a chance to hang out with Vake and get to see him while he was smiling and happy.

Fashion, Eric's Seattle Friends' Style: Part II

In this picture, you can see Vake in his brand-new set of University of Washington football warmup clothes. (Neil is sitting here right now and says they are sweats but Mary Sabra and I like warmup clothes better...) These were a gift from the awesome Gibsons! You can tell that Vake is a little confused, probably because he knows that he is going to be a figure skater. He's probably thinking, "This outfit is fine and all, but where are my white sequined pants?"
In all seriousness, though, Taren had the strangest thing happen to her today. She came down the stairs and heard little Vake singing. Here were the words that she heard.

Bow Down to Washington,
Bow Down to Washington,
Mighty Are The Men
Who Wear the Purple and the Gold,
Joyfully We Welcome Them Within the Victors Fold.
We Will Carve Their Names
In the Hall of Fame
To Preserve the Memory of Our Devotion.
Heaven Help the Foes of Washington;
They're Trembling at the Feet
Of Mighty Washington,
The Boys Are There With Bells,
Their Fighting Blood Excels,
It's Harder to Push Them Over the Line
Than Pass the Dardanelles.
Victory the Cry of Washington...
Leather Lungs Together
With a Rah! Rah! Rah!
And O'er the Land
Our Loyal Band
Will Sing the GloryOf Washington Forever.

He was just finishing up as she walked in...

Here's what it sounded like. All I can say is that he's very advanced.

Raffi the Great

Vake's become a lot more interested in his friend Raffi the Giraffe. He hugs him, licks him and pets him. This morning, right before he went down for his morning nap, he was sitting in his chair and he and Raffi were enjoying some quality time. (Look at the wildman hair- he got so exhausted last night that he went to bed RIGHT after his bath, basically soaking wet.)

As a lot of you know, Eric's working on a case in Seattle which has meant a lot of time in Seattle for him lately. Great for him, great for his career, not always so great for the amount of time he gets with V- so part of what the blog is now doing is showing Eric what Vake's up to every day. So I've attached a video and forewarned is forearmed (and forearmed's half an octopus), it is not all that interesting but it does show the little man and his giraffe.

Fashion, Eric's Seattle Friends' Style: Part I

Despite my best attempts ,my attempts to have Vake be a champion figure skater seem to be being foiled at every turn. Specifically, on the trip to Seattle, my little fashion plate was given a number of outfits that are definitely NOT figure skating costumes.

Vake will model them all for pictures in the next few days, but I wanted to start out with this sweet little baseball uniform from Uncle Brook, mostly because it looks as though it is going to fit little V for about another 15 minutes.

Today Vake snoozed until about 10 am when he finally stirred and he was asleep tonight by about 6:45 pm. It will be interesting to see whether he makes it through the night tonight.

Vake and Al's Excellent Adventure

I preface this post by telling you that, try as I might, I'm not all that good at taking pictures at events- I get wrapped up in the moment and wind up missing something.

As you all know, Vake and I went to visit E and his family in Seattle this weekend- I left after work on Thursday. I will tell you that traveling with a baby alone is about roughly 3.8 times more difficult than traveling alone.

To kick things off, my stroller and I set off some super TSA alarms, so both the stroller and I had to go into a special room to be specially searched- and Vake was S-T-A-R-V-I-N-G. So the TSA guy wound up feeding him. V didn't seem to care but the TSA guy was definitely ready to see the hind end of us.

We loaded up in Richmond, no problem. Vake was a total rockstar for the Richmond to Charlotte leg of the trip. So much so that I cockily called Anne on the phone and said, "We're rocking it out. No worries. I don't know why people say traveling with a baby is so hard. He's doing so well." Here is a backwards pic of naive, naive me and Vake.

Somehow, I totally managed to miss the "sleep window" for little V and he SCREAMED for four of the five hours that it took us to get to Seattle. It was like a scene from a movie. He also took in almost 72 ounces worth of fluid. It was unbelievable. As you can imagine, I wasn't happy and he wasn't happy. I was pretty happy to do the baby handoff to Eric when we landed. This picture shows how he looked and how I am sure I looked and I know I felt.

But once we got our Seattle legs, we had a great time. We walked around the city and went to the zoo. Vake and Eric got some good quality time together.

This is Vake's favorite new way to nap. Upside down in his stroller.

One of my favorite parts of the weekend was getting to see friends and family. This is where it becomes obvious that I am not a multitasker: that is, I cannot take pictures of friends and family while hanging out with them. Oh well. At least I got this cute one of Brad and Emily.

Here's little V on his way to some of our fun-filled activities. This was the carseat that came with the rental car.

And if the first plane ride wasn't enough excitement, little Vake rode in a supermarket cart for the first time. Pretty cute. What's even cuter is the reason this happened. Daddy "couldn' t carry beer and the baby at the same time."

Grandma Sue's retirement party was at a beautiful park overlooking a river- so fun. It was a cool day. I was comfortable in a sweater and FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A YEAR non-maternity jeans. I cannot tell you how happy it made me to be wearing a pair of jeans without a panel for a belly.

On the trip back from Seattle, Vake was like a new baby. No crying. He took two good naps. All the people on the plane LOVED him.

And then, when he got tired, I just put him down on the seat next to me and he was out like a light.