Christmas 2011

Connell Christmas - December 16th, 2011



Sam playing hockey with Uncle Pete before Connell Christmas dinner!
Sam is not super happy about having to come in from playing to have dinner. Typs :)
Me and my little manWill, Gracie, Jenna, Tim and Sam performing their Christmas program (the program was in lieu of doing the dishes)! They did a lovely rendition of Jingle Bells and Away in the Manger. Sam played a fabulous baby Jesus as well. This was our favorite part of Christmas! Loved every second!!!!
Sam was a phenomenal singer - we were so proud of our star!
Sam with his two favorite gifts of the weekend - his "hockey guys" from Nana and Papa and his Wild jersey from Uncle Pete, Tara, Gracie and Jenna.
Pat reading the Grinch to the kiddos. Papa Tim agreed to "pass the puck" on the traditional reading. Pat did an awesome job at his first year.
Sam and cousin Will having breakfast before the other Connell Christmas at Grandma Barbs
Weird - Sam is playing hockey at Grandma Barbs :)


Christmas Weekend - December 24th and 25th, 2011



We loved the Macy's 8th floor display on Christmas Eve. The lovely Blandine joined us for the day.
Merry Christmas!Dad and Sam (with his "hockey tough face" on!)


Christmas Day, 2011
Daddy taking a break to read the Grinch to Sammer on Christmas Day. Loved this moment!
Sam opening his stocking from Santa!

OMG - ICE SKATES! Sam must have been a very good boy!

Sam and Uncle Ry Ry

Though Sam was not a huge fan of the gift of big boy bedding from Gigi, he did really love the box it came in!



Blandine, Louis and Sam eating some treats after Christmas Day dinner at Gigis.

Christmas Trees and Holidazzle Parade...

We had a lovely time picking out our beautiful tree! Sam LOVED the snow and thought that was so cool. He is learning about snow and cold in school so it was a fabulous way to extend the education :)

We ordered dinner in, decorated the tree as a family and had a perfect time. I love Christmas!
We want to the Holidazzle parade tonight and it was beautiful. Sam loved all the lights, characters, floats and music. Every time a float was coming, Sam would say "it's coming....". It was so cute! this year is really getting into the holiday. He knows elves, snowmen, and most importantly Santa!
This year will rock!

xoxo

December 6th - 3:4pm. It's a...........

We have been waiting for this date - December 6th - forever! It was our ultrasound to see most importantly if this little peanut is healthy and secondly to find out if this baby is a girl or boy. The appt was fabulous. Baby looked healthy and perfect! We saw the spine, feet, hands, profile, head, heart and all the other fabulous things that have developed in the past 19 weeks.

We also found out that it is a girl! Pat was right (he guessed girl the moment he found out I was pregnant) and Sam was excited to know that he was having a little sister. We are over the moon and are so excited to meet this little angel!

Yipee!!!!
Her perfect little profile!

It's a little girl!

xoxo

Baby is kicken dada!

Tonight for the first time Pat could feel this little peanut moving. We were eating dinner and I could feel the little babes kick. I asked Pat if he would like to feel. He was hesitant since he couldn't before be he said jokingly that it was always a "disappoint" since he could never feel it. I told him to nick up and feel. Just as I said "baby kick, please". Boom! The baby kick him, he looked at me and knew that it was a big baby kick. It was amazing! I love this stuff!!!

Xoxo

Doc appt with baby #2

156 heartbeat - boo ya! Everything else looks good!

So exited!

xoxo

Baby moven' and the "W"

So..... Exciting news! Baby C # 2 has been kicking in the last week or so. It is always difficult to make sure in the beginning and you second guess yourself, but I remember the feeling like it was yesterday... And it is incredible! This little peanut is a mover with tons of energy! We better be ready.

And for Sammer, he is so wonderful. He is a feisty one for sure and his little personality is shining. He still cares what he wears which is basically only hockey jerseys or football ("sut-ball") jerseys finished with blue shoes.
The major development is that I am so shocked and proud of is that he can recognize letters and numbers. When we were at EFCE we were playing with the large magnetic letters and he takes the first one, turns to me and says "W". I was like "um, yes, that is a W baby" He knew S, 2 and others. Why a stud! I love this kid!

He is still rocking at school and making friends. His new pal at Fraser School is Sean. He also likes his teacher Susan teacher Hasna and teacher Theresa.

Once I find my camera battery, photos will be up!

Xoxo

Sam's second FIRST DAY of school!

Here is Sam at his first day at Fraiser School! He did awesome! He had on his new Wild jersey-jacket (we had to slip in the work jersey so he would wear it, he hates jackets) and his new "blue shoes" from Nana and Papa (Sam picked them out himself and they were my favorite of all the styles - love his taste already in footwear!).

I did cry (which is totally wussy because he was only there for 2.5 hours), but he went right to the trucks and started playing.

The teacher said that he had a hard time adjusting to the gym time and got kind of sad, but then he found a basketball and he was happy :)

xoxo

Halloween 2011

We love Halloween!


Happy Daddy and Sammy
Daddy and Sam
Sam at his first house of 2011!

Gigi and Sam

Halloween Party at GVGCC

Our family!


Here is Sam, Ben and Kate at the GVCC Halloween Party. Total blast! Lots of cupcakes and music.....all a 2 year old needs for an epic time!
Sam and Gigi getting their groove on!!!
This will be the last Halloween as a family of 4 - this little peanut is coming May 1st - ish.....!!!!

Sam - The Fashionisto

So in the last month or so, Sam has become increasingly obsessed with his wardrobe and it is way too much to handle! :) He has opinions on everything he puts on - some favorites are.... "hockey jersey", "football jersey " (pronounced 'soot-ball jersey'), "superman shirt" (not even sure how to write how he pronounces it), and if we want him to wear something he otherwise wouldn't, we just tell him that it is "hockey". So if we want him to wear jeans and he won't - they suddenly become "hockey jeans" and they go on within seconds! Works every time!


Here is his "hockey jersey" Day 1 of 3!!!!


"Hockey jersey"with his new Cars "sippers"
"Superman" shirt and "Choo choo pants" over his jammies. Seriously. And this is how he went to bed!

He slept with his hockey glove and work up with it on. This is the moment I walked in on him in the am!
"Superman" shirt and "hockey jeans"
"Soot-ball jersey" complete with the accessories (notice, watching sports as well!)

October 2011 Update - talking, opinions, wardrobe and school

In the last 2 months (we are not sure when it exactly happened), Sam became a major talker/ repeater. Man, it's crazy! We love hearing the little man use his words, manners and tell us what's going on in his mind. And his mind is his own!

He now has opinions on what he wants to wear (this totally has his mom cringing). We wear "hockey" shirts for days in a row (3 days for a stinking Wild jersey is our current record). I get the whole "pick your battles" mentality, but it really take a beating on his wardrobe!

Another darling thing is says now is "Mama, hold chou". Before he could talk as well he would hold his arms up and I would say "Do you want mama to hold you?". And his response would be "ya". Now he thinks that "Mama hold you"is another word for up. So dang cute! I love it.

I'm not sure that he gets that he is going to have a baby bro or sis either, but we are working on that as well. He will give my belly kisses when we ask him to kiss the baby. That is darling, but don't think he really gets it.

On thy note, I am feeling good. A little tried, but good. Not much sickness, just immense hunger when it is time to eat! We went to the doctor last month and heard the heartbeat - a strong 180 bpm.

Photos soon once I can figure put this IPad and we find our missing camera!

Xoxo

First Day of School

Today Sam had his FIRST day of school! He did amazingly! Teacher Shelley said he was a rock star and played well, didn't cry and listened.

He was a little crazy when I was trying to take a photo (I guess 2-year-olds don't stand there with a big grin and a backpack like the older kids do), so the photos are a little blurry!
His first day on the steps. It took 156 takes to get one with him looking and not jumping, running away or turning around! But I got it!!!

Sam walking down the halls of school on his second day! Like a pro!!!!
Here is Sam in his fav part of school - the truck and train playland! His buddy Ben is in the background and it is so dang cute because they are really buds. They play every school day with each other and Sam talks about Ben when we are not at school! His first real friend!!!

Sammer Updates - July 2011

Sam is becoming this smart, little , talking machine. I love every second we have with him and I can just tell that the time will fly by! I want to savor every giggle, tantrum and adorable conversation that happens every day.

Some fun things I want to remember forever....

When Sam says "I love you, Mama" it comes out like "Ah U, Mama."

When Sam sees any poop, it is "poot".

Oh, and "No" is now "No Waaay". It is the best. It is so hard to not laugh if you are trying to get him to do something or tell him not to do something. Us: "Sam, please use your manners and pick up that toy you just threw." Sam: "Nooo Waaayy."

Sam is just starting on the "going-on-the-potty" journey. Mostly he just downs "teets" (treats) while he sits there and then when he licks his last "sucher", he is outta there! Then he will pee on the floor or the sofa. We are not so good at this training stuff.

Sam can get a gut laugh started if he watches you laugh, even if he has no idea what is so funny. It is so genuine and real, I love it!

He still loves "momos" (motorcycles or lawn mowers) and "trucks" and "ootball" (football) and "saus-er" (soccer)."

I love this boy. I love him to pieces.

xoxo
BC

Potty Time!

So, today was the day. Sam had been making comments here and there about the potty which lead us to believe that he may be interested in the potty training. We jumped on that horse with all we had. And here we go.....
The supplies - got a rad Cars toilet that Sam picked out. Got some fun Choo Choo big boy undies, some potty books and some fancy, pants frog wipes (only for the use of big boys)!




Here is the first try on the potty. Not bad, eh?!
The "throne" sits in the living room awaiting it's king. The next day it did sit there, empty as Mr Sam went "poot" on the carpet. But it was at least near the potty!

Ah, we are exhausted. Some fun Daddy and son time after a long day of picking out potties, reading about potties and dreaming about potties. This is going to be a long ride!

xoxo

Our little man....

Sam is becoming a smart little dude.

He now can point out on a map where "Mama and Dada live"(MN) , where "Uncle Ry Ry lives" (AZ), where "Auntie Coco and Uncle Ira live" and even where "Auntie Gina" lives. It is so so so damn cute! I love my smart little man!

Now instead of "No" we get a big, fat "NO WAAAAAAY." Which is way too funny. I cannot help but laugh every time he assertively says it! I mean, I cannot even take that seriously, it's too cute!

Yesterday at the store we got one of those numbered plastic plates that has the numbers for the drive up. He was holding it going "Two, three...". And I looked and ask him what the last number was "eight" he says. And the number he was holding was "238". Wait, what? Where did my little boy go!?!?!

We all know that Sam loves purple. Everything has been the color purple for months. "Sam, what colors is mom's shirt?" "Purple." Then if you ask him again he will usually answer correctly. Well, the other day we asked Sam what color Paigie's car was expecting a "purple" answer. "White", he says. Just like that. Straight faced. He looked at us like, "duh, can't you see it is white?". Pat and I burst out laughing - what a stud!

xoxo

Wild Prospect Game

Pat and I took Sammer to the Wild prospect game at the Excel Center. He LOVED it!
Dad and Sam checking out the list of future hockey all stars
Right around this time, Sam was able to go from "I-Ya" (his way of saying hockey) to "hockey"

We moved to get some baller seats.....loving it!