This River Is Wild
March 3rd, 2011
On Sunday, Sam turns two. Two! It seems both impossible to have been so long, and yet it seems like forever. She’s TWO. My baby isn’t a baby anymore — she’s a little person, with definite opinions and thoughts and … well, she was this:
I can’t even believe it, honestly. In retrospect, she wasn’t very exciting. Well, until she started screaming, and then things got VERY exciting, but not in a good way, because it was more like, WHEN WILL SHE STOP? PLEASE HELP US! ANYONE! ANYONE! MAYDAY!
And then there was this, and I didn’t think it could get any better, I really didn’t. She was so much fun.
She didn’t sleep through the night until she was more than 14 months old. Fourteen months! That’s crazytown. And yet, here we are.
She loves the mail — pretend mail, real mail, any kind of mail; Yo Gabba Gabba, cats (stuffed or real), playing in her kitchen and pretending to do whatever I do, which includes taping maxi pads to her nethers and peeing on ovulation sticks. She talks about her friends every minute that she’s not with them, and I feel so lucky that she has them, and that I have their moms.
At the moment, she’s also entering a really unfortunate Dora and Diego phase. Animals are her best friends — there is no kind of animal that doesn’t tickle her fancy. She can muster a remarkable amount of enthusiasm over an earthworm, for God’s sake. Sunny, as one would expect, is the best thing that ever happened to her, and she’s the first thing she asks for when she wakes up. “Sunny? Sunny! SUNNY!” in a voice so desperate that Sunny has no choice but to appear and endure a sloppy array of kisses and hugs. I have never loved Sunny more than seeing her be so patient with Sam, and actually get excited about hanging out with her human, um, sister. (SHUT UP.)
She sleeps like a champion now, usually until at least 8 a.m., and when she gets up any earlier, I am so shocked, it’s as if someone shot a gun over my head. She goes to bed with no fewer than 25 stuffed “buddies,” which means we have to travel with an ungodly amount of them, lest she feel that her temporary digs are anything but conducive to a full night’s sleep. This is what happens when you breed a kid who doesn’t sleep — you end up scarred for life. I’ll be packing those buddies when she goes to college, asking her if she has her Mr. Mouse and kitty, and what about Brobee? DO YOU HAVE BROBEE?
I can honestly say that I have never been so happy as I have the last two years. I loved my life before her — I did — but I love it more now that she’s here. She’s beautiful and funny and smart and I feel ridiculously, stupidly honored to be her mama, and to get to spend every day with her.
Oh, my girl. I love you so. Happy, happy (early) birthday.
(The third photo is courtesy of one of my besties — and the mom of one of Sam’s besties — Megan, owner of MeganJane Photography, and a general photography genius. Hire her, if you’re in the Boston area. If she can take a good picture of my kid poking her in the face, imagine what she can do under different circumstances?)
*The Killers
Entry Filed under: Beeber McSteebs
30 Comments Add your own
1. Kate | March 3rd, 2011 at 10:17 pm
I can’t believe she’s TWO. She is just gorgeous.
2. agirlandaboy | March 3rd, 2011 at 10:43 pm
Yay Sam! Big girl! I can’t believe it. You guys are awesome.
3. Carla Hinkle | March 3rd, 2011 at 10:50 pm
Hooray for Sam! And 2 is one of my favorite ages. Next year is gonna be AWESOME.
4. Tara | March 3rd, 2011 at 11:11 pm
Happy birthday to Sam!
She was born about the time I found out I was pregnant, and following your first few months had me alternating between excitement (oh, look! cute baby!) and abject terror (screaming? all hours of the night? what have I gotten myself into?). Thanks to both of you for the fantastic/more appropriate than I realized lead-in to motherhood
5. meg | March 3rd, 2011 at 11:29 pm
Oh, how I love that girl!! (Well, all of you guys, but you know that.)
I don’t think I can ever tell you how happy I am that you moved back here. I can’t imagine our lives without you guys now. I LOVE how our girls love each other.
Happy early birthday, Sam!! I can’t wait till your mom sees what Lila got you. She’s going to laugh. A LOT.
6. Ginger | March 3rd, 2011 at 11:44 pm
Happy Birthday Sam! (And OMG is she adorable!)
7. Elsha | March 3rd, 2011 at 11:49 pm
Happy birthday to Sam! She is a cutie!
8. velocibadgergirl | March 4th, 2011 at 12:28 am
Happy birthday, Sam! (I still can’t get over her cheeks in that newborn photo. And I’m enamored of her hair, as always.)
9. JCF | March 4th, 2011 at 1:26 am
Happy birthday to your beautiful girl! My daughter just turned two in January, and she also LOVES Dora and Diego. She saw a girl at the store the other day wearing a Dora shirt and freaked out–screaming and all. “Mommy, can I have a Dora shirt?” Um…no.
10. Suebob | March 4th, 2011 at 1:43 am
Happy Birthday dear Sam.
My nephew went through the 25 little bedtime buddies phase, too. One night he went to bed, only to start yelling about 30 minutes later “LITTLE MAN!! LITTLE MAN!!” One tiny toy – whom he called Little Man – was missing, and sleep could not be had until little man was located.
11. Carmen | March 4th, 2011 at 2:03 am
Happy birthday to Sam! It feels like just yesterday to me that she was born, so I can only imagine how fast it has gone by for you. Kieran is almost 5 and Lexi is almost 2.5; I am here to tell you that 2 is an awesome age. So so so much fun.
12. drhoctor2 | March 4th, 2011 at 7:45 am
Aww. Happy Birthday , Sam.
I bet you will love the twos…the flowering of personality is amazing to watch.
13. Meghan | March 4th, 2011 at 8:17 am
Mine is going to be two in a month and I may be in denial about it.
Happy birthday to Sam and congrats on making it to two, Mama!
14. Shelly | March 4th, 2011 at 8:28 am
Happy Birthday Sam!!
15. jonniker | March 4th, 2011 at 8:33 am
HAHAHA, Suebob, we’ve been there with Kitty. “KITTY? KITTY? KITTY?” She has five kitties, so figuring out which one was missing was a pain in the ass.
Megs, we love you so much. All of you.
Thanks to all of you guys. You’ve all been here since she was wee!
16. Becky | March 4th, 2011 at 8:43 am
Happy birthday, Sam! I started reading your blog right around the time of the second picture – and I only know that because I saw a picture of her wearing those pajamas and we had the same ones, and she looked SO much like my kid in them that I did a double-take.
17. A. | March 4th, 2011 at 9:09 am
I’ve felt honored to follow along for the last two years (and more) and watch your family grow. Happy Birthday to Samantha Brooke (we share that middle name!).
And, you’re telling me kids will eventually sleep through the night?! We’re going on 11 months now and I’m SO TIRED. Maybe he needs more stuffed animals in there with him????
18. Li | March 4th, 2011 at 9:34 am
Happy birthday, Sam! So happy for you guys! And I hope you save this amazing piece for Sam in a scrapbook and share it with her when she’s older so she can be reminded what an amazing, warm, and wonderful mom she has!
19. Jen | March 4th, 2011 at 9:40 am
Oh Sam, you sweet girl! I can’t believe she is going to be TWO! Hope you guys have a great weekend celebrating.
I just love that last picture of her with the necklaces. Avery just looked at it and said, “Oooo, so FANCY!” (She loves the Fancy Nancy books with a passion.)
20. Kristabella | March 4th, 2011 at 10:56 am
Holy crap! How is she two already??
Happy birthday to Sam, my favorite two year old!
21. jive turkey | March 4th, 2011 at 1:56 pm
Aw, Happy Birthday, little Big Girl.
22. Olivia | March 4th, 2011 at 4:41 pm
Aww…my baby girl will be two at the end of the month. She has been blowing my mind daily with new words and skills.
23. Christine | March 4th, 2011 at 7:38 pm
TWO? Oh my! Jonna she’s just lovely and such an adorable mix of you and Adam. Stunner! And she looks like she has a great sense of humor.
Love.
24. Lara | March 4th, 2011 at 9:32 pm
She is so very, very cute. Happy Birthday!
25. Heather | March 5th, 2011 at 8:35 am
Happy Birthday Sam!
My youngest turns two in April. I’ve followed Sam’s last two years on your blog and always chuckle when I read that she’s going through the same things that Matthew is experiencing. Teeth, molars, sleep, attitude, tantrums, hugs, her height (my guy is tall, too!) toddler affection, kisses, awesome-ness, just…. EVERYTHING! I feel so much better when I read your perspective, I’m always nodding along… YES, YES, and YES!!!!
Thank you so much for sharing Sam with us!
26. TwoBusy | March 5th, 2011 at 10:46 am
Happy, happy, happy birthday Sam. I have a couple of big girls here who want to have you over soon for a playdate to celebrate.
27. Katy | March 5th, 2011 at 11:54 pm
I love it. I love the way you explain it because YES! that is what it’s like. Just when you think it can’t get better, somehow it does.
28. Kris Taylor | March 6th, 2011 at 11:06 am
happy Birthday Sam!
29. Gaby | March 8th, 2011 at 9:46 pm
Happy birthday to your little Sam! Thank you for sharing your experiences with raising her with us all.
30. Diane | March 12th, 2011 at 9:11 am
I’m late, but I have to say Happy Birthday Sam!
Such a joy following along with you all.
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