Chistmas with Family 2007...

Sammy's 2nd Christmas was a very festive event. Paul's sisters and Grant came down for a few days and spent them with us. For our Christmas dinner on Sunday (12/23/2007), his nephews Brian and Chris...as well as their girlfriends Molly and Vanessa (respectively) came down. Vanessa's daughter Ashlynn also came along as well. Rounding off the guest list was Sammy's good friend Linda. The weather was pretty cold and windy, but we all were able to get together.

Diane gives some warm clothing to Grant...
...who was putting new wipers on her car...

Saying grace at the table...
(these are two pictures sticthed together, so the doorway looks off)

Sammy the crooner puts us in the Christmas spirit...

Sammy Claus delivered all the gifts from under the tree...

Sammy gives Vanessa her gift as Ashlynn looks on...

Chris, Molly, Ashlynn, Vanessa, Brian, and their gifts...

Perhaps a gift from the Ghost of Christmas Future?

Grant perusing a book he received...

Chris relaxes with the blustery winter weather as a backdrop...

Sammy relaxing with Aunt Diane...

Sammy informed us Aunt Annie had dozed off...

Cookie Monster TMX guards the tree...

You sleigh me...

Veto, being a bit disappointed he was not asked to pull Santa's sleigh, just sat out the holiday on a chair.

This photo is not doctored up...Veto really is this big...

Veto's favorite "gift" was an empty box top...
...which he slept all day in...

Christmas from long ago...

Here are some photos from a Christmas a long time ago that Paul scanned a few weeks ago in November when we were visiting his parents. At Christmas it was a family tradition for all the kids to come down the stairs as Dad photographed us. Often times our grandparents from Pennsylvania would be there to surprise us (once we got to the bottom of the stairs). We're not sure what year these photos are from, but some of the presents under the tree were:

• Matching Gene Autry guitars for David & Paul
• Ernie puppet for David
• Tool set for David (*real* tools)
• Tool set for Paul (*fake* tools)
  
• Bert puppet for Paul
• Bell telephone truck (electric!) for Paul
• Toss-A-Cross game
• Popcorn popper (not really a toy)
  

After some deliberation with Paul's sisters we think this is 1971...
...the man with the Oscar puppet is Grandpa D...
click on photo to enlarge...

Sammy and Santa 2007

On Christmas Eve we went to the mall and just happened to see Santa Claus. Sammy wasn't too thrilled with seeing him, as he had to do all of Santa's work this year. But Sammy indulged Santa's request to have a photo taken with him.

For a quick flashback, here's Sammy's photo with Santa last year. How much Sammy has grown!

Santa and Sammy...

Sammy Claus is Coming to Town...

In the spirit of the yuletide, Sammy decided to give Santa the year off and deliver toys for him.

(Note: We've received some inquiries regarding the outfit Sammy is wearing. The photographer did not supply it--we did. It was on sale at Babies-R-Us last year.)

Sammy Claus waiting for the reindeer to show up...

All these toys...

How he ever get all these toys down the chimney?

Just a little magic is all it takes...

Merry Christmas from Sammy!

And to all a good night!

Our Little Man...

Last week, Paul played Sammy a few clips of Elmo (from Sesame Street) posted on YouTube and suddenly Sammy was an "Elmo Junkie." Sammy could not get enough of Elmo (that red furry muppet with the falsetto voice targeted at toddlers)...so we went to Wal-Mart and bought a few Sesame Street DVDs. One of them is a multi-DVD collection of Sesame Street episodes from the 1970's. Watching them with Sammy brought back memories from decades ago.

Sammy really responds to the Sesame Street shows. Oh, he likes to watch the Wiggles, but they just seem to sing songs about "Fruit Salad". With Sesame Steet, Sammy is answering questions from the TV...talking back. When they introduce a letter, Sammy dutifully repeats it out loud.

Sammy also has been working on the Alphabet Song. He doesn't quite know all the letters by heart, but he's able to finish off many of the sequences.

In some ways having a child is an excuse to relive your own childhood...

Shovelin' Sam...

Lately we've gotten a good amount of snow in Rochester. One day we had ice, then snow, and then ice on top of the snow...which made for some work. Sammy has been a real help around the house lately, and insisted on giving his father a break from shoveling...

Sammy asks Paul to let him finish the job...

Sammy poses with his finished work...

Thanksgiving2007: Sammersize

While we were down in Austin for Thanksgiving, Sammy had a good amount of exercise playing with his cousins. Move over Jack LaLanne, Charles Atlas (Agelino Siciliano), and Richard Simmons--Sammy proves he's a master of exercise!

Sammy likes to lead Celine around...
...pretty much anyone he can for that matter...

Sammy encourages Andrew to exercise with him & Celine...

And then calls in Dominic to exercise too...

Sammy demonstrates proper technique...

Sammy rides Celine as Tricia watches his back....

Thanksgiving2007: Brown Bear, Brown Bear...

What do you see?

Sammy's cousins Andrew, Celine, and Dominic read Sammy a number of books, all of which he completely enjoyed. Below is a photo of them reading "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?" (written by Billy Martin and illustrated by Eric Carle). Some things are timeless...such as a classic book (which is 40 years old) or relatives reading to each other. Sammy really lights up when he's around his cousins. It's a shame he can't be around them more often.

Sammy, Sammy, What do you See?
I see three cousins caring for me.

Thanksgiving2007: Father & Son Breakfast

You won't find too many photos of Paul on the blog, but here's an exception. While in Austin for Thanksgiving, Sammy and his father ate breakfast together while Michele had the camera.

Guess who had a good night's sleep...and who did not...

Sammy practices "the look"...

What's Sammy smiling about?

Sammy remarking on his father's morning appearance...

Sammy digesting his breakfast...

Thanksgiving2007: Diane the Whirlwind...

While we were in Austin for Thanksgiving, Diane led us as we did some odd jobs around Paul's parents' house. Here are some photos of Diane replacing the ceiling vents which she had cleaned, sanded, and nicely repainted.

Diane installs the newly painted ceiling vent...

One down, several more to go...

Thanksgiving2007: Sammy the Hug Man...

We flew down to Austin, Tx for Thanksgiving this year to spend it with Paul's family. Sammy was excited to see his cousins. So much so he literally turned into a hugging machine...he was going around hugging them all on his own.

Sammy hugs Dominic...

Sammy hugs Celine...

Sammy hugs Andrew...

Conversations with Sammy...

Another real conversation with Sammy....

SAMMY: Eat?
MICHELE: Sure. What would you like to eat?
SAMMY: Food!

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...

Fading Memory...

As Paul continues to move several suitcases of photos, he came across this photo of him in in either first or second grade. The church his school belonged to was celebrating its 75th anniversary, so each class was photographed as a whole (instead of the usual individual photos).

Note that Paul's hair is disheveled...
...his collar is off...
...his tie is crooked...
...how did he ever convince Michele to marry him?

From left to right (using best guesses from memory)...

Front Row: Alan Paz, David Bartlotti, Esther Walters, No Idea, Colleen Lubeck, No Idea, Lisa Bloom, Jimmy Parisee, No Idea

Second Row: No Idea, Paul (our hero), Jill Karpinski, Bill Richards, Pamela Stanwix, Jimmy Edwards, Dana D'Amore, Not Idea, Patrice DeFina

Third Row: Christine Something, No Idea, Joey Britten, Paul Muldoon(?), Susan Kobito, No Idea, Mark Swire

Fourth Row: Jesus

A long time ago...

This week Paul continues to scan old photos. Here are some we like of his parents...when they were young (and in some pregnant with his sister Anne.--some 50+ years ago!)...

We zoomed in on the calendar and were able to determine...
...that this was from November 1955, before they were married....
...just before they became engaged at Christmas time...
...further investigation found that this was the Saturday after Thanksgiving...
...for cousin Sarah's wedding in which Paul's dad was a driver...
...hence the corsage...

This picture is after they were married...
...as Paul's mother is pregnant with Anne...
...so this has to be from 1956...
...taken in Havre de Grace, Maryland...
...when Paul's dad was in the Army....

Again, Paul's mother is pregnant...
...so this also is from 1956....
...taken at Aberdeen...

Flashback: April 1984

Paul's maternal grandparents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in April 1984. Paul scanned this picture yesterday (taken on or about that anniversary). They were good, decent, nurturing, and loving people. We miss them both dearly. The world could use more people like them.