Blended Green Beans

Shep is evolving; the kid loves to smile all the time and enjoys people talking to him. Shepard is also a thumb sucker, which is the complete opposite from Samara! He's been sleeping well at night until recently...he's gotten into the habit of falling asleep at about 8 pm, which translates into uneasiness during parts of the night.

Shep doesn't cry very much; only when he's hungry or tired. Speaking of hungry, he's started eating food. He's not particularly fond of blended green beans but has been really munching everything else. I suppose munching isn't appropriate at this point...maybe drinking or slurping is the proper term...

One day last week, Shepard's teachers said that he bounced himself to sleep in one of the bouncy seats. Shep's teachers actually argue and fight about who gets to hold him etc. One day we picked him up and one of the teachers complained that the other wouldn't let her hold Shep all afternoon! I'm still convinced that all teachers are trained to say those things...

We finally got a bed for Samara! Before Shep was born, the crib had been converted to a daybed and that was Samara's bed. After Shep was born, the bed transformed back into a crib and Samara slept with us. Well, it took us awhile, to say the least, to acquire a bed (my old bed as a child/teen). Samara loves it and is so proud of sleeping by herself. Although on one of the 1st few nights, Samara claimed that something was under her bed. One of my favorite movie scenes is in Major Payne, when the Major pulls his sidearm out and fills the closet full of bullets and tells the kid "if he's in there, he ain't happy"...I really wanted to do that...

Samara started asking about 6 months or so ago at dusk, "Is it getting dark?" "Yes" would be our response. And of course came the "Why?' question. Perfect time to teach your child about celestial mechanics! After showing videos of the Earth rotating on youtube, she now knows that the Earth spins.

Samara had "Show and Share Day" at school. The night before, she gathered some things and put them in two backpacks...small little children's bags. Anyway, Shana and I didn't bother to check what she put in them. When we got to school after work, we noticed that she had on a different pair of shoes. So, I opened both bags up and found....5 pairs of shoes stuffed into the bags in addition to a doll and a book. I better nip this one in the bud!! No fetishes here...


We've had some check-ups with the Doctor:

Shepard (4-month on 6/29/09)
Height: 23.5 inches
Weight: 14 lbs. 8 oz.

Shepard (6-month on 8/21/09)
Height: 25 inches
Weight: 16 lbs.

Samara (3-year)
Height: 36.5 inches
Weight: 32 lbs.

Samara loves blueberries! Actually, she loves most fruits and vegetables. I picked some banana peppers one day, she asked if they were spicy...I replied "no, not really"...and ever since she eats banana peppers. Once, she ate 3 before dinner...talk about an afternoon snack!

Samara, cousin Tori, Aunt Shannon, and our neighbor Peyton during Samara's birthday party.

Samara's birthday cake. You might ask, "why is there a square missing?" Well, that would be Samara grabbing a fist full while it was in the fridge the night before her party...

The party...

Big sister and Little brother...

Samara at A Taste of Edmond in June...

Shana and Shep at a Taste of Edmond...

Thought you might like this shot of Natural Falls State Park that I took on the 4th of July weekend.

The battle...

Samara and Tori's cuz Josephine snoozing after the 4th celebration...

Shepard at the zoo on the train....

Samara enjoyed playing at the zoo...

Samara enjoyed the train...

Samara and Uncle Mike on the Illinois River...

Shana shot this one while Samara was running around in an open field near our house...great lighting...the shadow draws your eyes away from the subject...or is the shadow the subject?

These photos were shot on different days. The top one illustrates Samara's cheesey smile...the one she had when she was 9-months old...check posts from 2007. The bottom one is a bit more mysterious...kind of hard to imagine what she is thinking...probably "what the h#@$ does daddy want now..."

Rough day...

One of Shep's 1st meals...probably oatmeal or rice cereal...

The bridge over Grand Lake...

Samara "Wind in her hair" during a boat trip on Grand Lake for Oma and Crazy Grandpa's 40-year anniversary.

Shana and Shep with Uncle Mike in the background...

Tragedy

I had planned to add these picture to a longer post but decided to separate them based on the content and the circumstances. These photos are from early August, when Shana's sister was murdered by her live-in boyfriend. Luckily, the kids had been living with Grandma and were not around during the incident.

Shana is doing well and we all have questions that will never be answered, but at least we have each other and can move forward. I will not send this out in mass e-mail, but if you do happen to catch it on the blog, send your regards to Shana (shanalichelle@hotmail.com).

Shana and Shep at the luncheon before the funeral. Aunt Kathy is in the background.

Stacey's casket covered by a Pendleton Blanket.

Shana's half-sister Christy and Aunt Joy with Shep.

Christy and Shep....

Shana with her Aunt Blanche and biological father, Stuart...of course, with Shep.

Shana, Christy, Samara, Shep, Sheldon, and Samantha.