Christmas Portraits 2010...

Sam Hood...

Here's a link to a slide-show of Sammy's 2010 Halloween photos...

There's a New Sheriff in Town...

After spending a week in Texas at Paul's parents for the Thanksgiving holiday, we headed back yesterday. At the Austin airport we bought Sammy a cowboy hat which he loves to wear. We switched planes in Minneapolis, so for a short while Sammy played in a children's area there.

Sammy the sheriff...

Sammy in control...who's watching the RADAR scope?

Sammy the astronaut...
...he's figured out what NASA and all its rocket scientists could not...
...how to send a man to the moon for only 75 cents...

Sammy explains the Bernoulli effect...
...pulling in some esoteric humor based on the St. Petersburg paradox...

Rochester Junior Firefighter Sammy....

This past Monday at Rochester's Miracle Mile shopping Mall, ABC Toy Zone arranged for the Rochester Fire Department to send a couple of their trucks for the toddlers to look over. Since Sammy has previous fire fighting experience we had to go. The Rochester firemen were pleasant and friendly to the kids. Sammy (as usual) had a great time.

Rochester Fire Truck #12 pulled up...

Sammy explains to his mother only authorized fire personnel are allowed to ride...

Sammy giving his serious look...

The ladder at full extension...
...click on the picture to see the fireman waaaayyy up at the top...

Conversations with Sammy...

It's something to see our son Sammy grow and start making connections between concepts. Today we went to the Olive Garden for a late lunch. On the way home the following conversation occurred between Sammy and Michele. It took us a moment or two to pickup on what he was doing (conversation below is verbatim):

[We drive past the 2nd Street McDonalds]
Sammy: Eat?
Michele: Yes Sammy, I see McDonalds. But we already ate.
Sammy: EIEIO.

Sammy then went on about trans fat oils, but we can't recall exactly what he said.

Maintenance...

How does Sammy maintain his million dollar smile and glamorous looks? One way is a Saturday night bubble bath followed by a thorough brushing of his teeth. If your wondering, yes that is salmon colored bathroom tile behind him (not pink!).

Sammy brushing his teeth...
...just before brushing his hair...
...and applying his Axe for the ladies...er...girls...

Sammy the fixit man...

A company called Melissa & Doug make electronic puzzles for children -- for example you put the cow puzzle piece in, it makes a "mooing" sound. This past weekend we picked up another such electronic puzzle for Sammy and noticed that he's learning things very quickly...

Michele puts the batteries in...
...as Sammy carefully watches...

Sammy solves the puzzle, enjoying the sounds...

Then shows what quick study he is...
...quickly rewiring the electronic puzzle into a hand-held parallel processor...
...move over Roy Hinkley!

Sammy and the Spoon

Sammy was displaying his utensil prowess tonight. Later he read an after dinner book

Sam and the spoon...

He likes his rice...

To those who'd foon...

Use the proper utensil is his advice...

Sammy is starting to make sure books are the right side up...
...as you can see, he's starting to...

Aqua Boy

Sammy loves the water. We bought him a small pool from Toys'R'Us and he spends as much time in it as he can.

Always prepared...
...Sammy makes sure he is properly outfitted...
...for the vast waters of his pool...

Sloop Sam D.

While Paul took the Amtrak Downeaster to Boston to see his cousin Pete...Michele and Sammy went on a sailing voyage with everyone else. What follows are some pics...

Technically this was no sloop...

Sammy is all smiles on the open sea...

As Sammy scampers up the mizzen-mast...
...everyone watches in wild amazement...

As the seas get rough, Kateynn hangs on...

The first mate was a sailing man...

...the Skipper brave and sure...

He's Sammy the sailin' man!

The Sam and the Sea

Call me Samuel...

A couple of weeks ago we were in Maine for Michele's sister's graduation. While we were there, Sammy had the opportunity to see the ocean for the first time. Here are some photos of the momentous meeting of the Sam and the Atlantic.

Sam searches the dunes for water...

Sam loved the water even though it was extremely frigid...

Sam and the shore...

Sam and his cousin Katelynn...

Sam inspecting his cousin Mitchell's hole in the ground...

Sam's uncle Doug, cousin Mitchell, Aunt Stefanie, and cousin Kaitlyn...

Sammy showing his mother the sand on his feet...

Sam and his mother before he takes an after-the-beach-bath...

Sam the indomitable...

Sammy's first year pics...

A few months ago we had portraits taken of Sammy for his first birthday. The photography shop is part of a chain, and for a small extra fee you can buy the digital images...you just have to wait a few months to get them. We picked up the CD today and here are a few of the pics of our little boy...

PS-Paul's parents have not received their prints that we ordered yet because they are sitting on his desk still un-mailed.

Sammy joines the...

French Foreign Legion. A member of the 1st Regiment Etranger Parachutiste, he is exiled from France to the dunes of the Mideast. Here are some pics of him as he searches for water...or more likely this is Sammy a week ago on the shores of Maine.

Did someone say Perrier?

Hearing the voice of Sgt Markoff...Sammy jogs away...