Sam Update

We got to visit Bass Lake in Blowing Rock with Elijah and his parents a couple days ago. I forgot to take my camera, but Trish got this adorable shot. There weren't any without an apple to Elijah's face, but I guess he was really hungry.

Sam is doing amazingly well. We're down to one wake up during the night, but that one usually lasts about a half hour or more. I can't figure out how to fix the problem - whatever it is. I think, in the end, he's just been traumatized from his hospital stay and wakes up in fear for his life. It's very difficult to soothe him.

Nighttime experiences aside, he is physically doing amazingly well. He gets tired very easily, but is able to regulate himself. Today he sat at the dinner table by himself for almost one hour. I had gone out grocery shopping with Carolina and when I came back, Sam was still there. Bill said every time he asked Sam if he wanted to get down he said no. He only had a sippy cup in front of him, as he had finished his snack in about ten minutes. I know he was tired, despite no activity today. So, I put a coloring book and some markers in front of him and he set off to coloring (and gluing). After another 15 minutes or so, he was ready to get up. The entire time, he was just talking to himself and having a grand ol' time.

Carolina is doing well too. She's communicating like crazy, but mostly with her hand signs. I need to teach her more, because she often just goes through all of them if she doesn't get what she wants the first time. She's very attached to us too. If I leave the room, she either cries or watches me from a distance. When she sees Bill, she often says, "Daddy!" and runs to him for a big hug. She loves jumping and rolling and any other kind of tumbling activity. She's very obedient, but really pushes to find out what she's not allowed to do. I think that comes from lack of experience in a lot of ways. But, if I say to put the remote control down, she puts it down without complaint.

She and Sam are playing well together these days. She's catching up in a lot of her development too. I think she's quite bright (if I do say so myself) and as she experiences new things she will absorb them like a sponge.

Sam is working on memorizing Psalm 23 for his birthday. He's got the first couple of verses down pat, but we have a few more to do. Last year he did John 3:16 on his birthday. I'm hoping each year I can get him (and Carolina, eventually) to memorize longer and longer verses. They're not for him to recite in front of everyone (unless he wants to), but for him to recite to our family on his birthday. I think it is a great tradition for us to have. I'm looking forward to the day he can pick out his own Scripture to memorize.

Hope you have a happy Labor Day!!