Accessorizing

What do you think of this bag with these jammies? I don't think they really go together.

I think it's time for a little shopping. Ta-ta, Mommy and Daddy.

I am off to Bloomingdale's.

Walking

Look, Ma -- no hands!

We've been making a few little steps here and there before, but on October 11, 2008, we made whole 9 steps all by ourselves on the playground.

We are now officially on the move.

We also LOVE to talk on the phone. We see Mommy and Daddy doing it all the time, and now that we tried it, we see how easy it is. You just pick up whatever is near you (a computer mouse or even a fridge magnet will do fine) and talk into it. See! Start the conversation with "ha-ya." Never fails to make Mommy and Daddy stop whatever they are doing and to talk to you.

First steps with Babulya i Dedulya

Babulya i Dedulya came to visit in the end of September. We went to the playground and made our first few steps.

Picnic and the beach

New pictures are finally up.

We went on a picnic to Decordova Museum with Zia Gaia and Zio Jerome around Labor Day.

We also went to the Cape (Wellfleet) and saw the ocean for the first time. It was way more water than in the bath tub!

Happy First Birthday!

Our dear Samantha,

One year ago, you pushed your way into the world, and we got to meet you and hold you for the very first time. It was the happiest and most miraculous moment of our life. The last year was filled with so much joy and unforgettable "firsts." Your first smile, first roll-over, first tooth, first crawl, first word, and of course, your first birthday party.

Grandma Louise came to visit for your birthday weekend and brought you all kinds of goodies. Daddy decorated the dining room with streamers, Pooh, Tigger, and Piglet, and Mommy cooked all sort of yummies. At 11:45am, the doorbell rang and we went to get the door for Zia Gaia and Zio Jerome. But guess what? Surprise!!! It was Babulya and Dedulya! They drove over all the way from Baltimore without telling us. How could they miss your first birthday?! Zia Gaia and Zio Jerome came a few minutes later.

We had a lovely lunch and you got to try your first Earl Gray Chiffon cake.

It just occurred to me that on your first birthday, you were surrounded by 7 people who love so much (it's that number 7 again ;) We wish you many more birthdays filled with people you love and who love you.

• We wish you health.
  
• We wish you true happiness -- the kind that can only come from loving someone and being loved back.
  
• We wish you to have friends -- not many, but a few good ones.
  
• We wish you laughter, even in difficult situations.
  
• We wish you to have faith in yourself and others.
  
• We wish you to grow up all that you can be.
  

All our love, hugs, and kisses,

-Mama and Dada

p.s. more birthday pictures

We are on the move...

Hey, don't look at me -- it's not my fault this blog has not been updated. I keep trying to crawl out of my room and start blogging, but Mommy puts up this annoying gate to keep me in my room.

We are 11 months old and life has been getting busier and busier. We are crawling, standing, pulling ourselves up, growing a ton of teeth (we have 6 now), and reading. Our favorite book is about a little hungry caterpillar.

We also like to help around the house. While Mommy was doing dishes in the kitchen, I thought I'll make her a surprise and clean up my room. Good thing I found the paper towels.

I was giving Grandma and Grandpa a tour of Boston while Mommy and Daddy went to Montreal on their anniversary. It was so much fun! I took them everywhere -- restaurants, playgrounds, parks...

I love it when Dima and Sasha come to play. Dima shows me how to get around the child-proofing things Mommy and Daddy installed to keep us from the real fun stuff. Pst -- quick, come here. I highly recommend my Mommy's slippers. The straps make excellent teethers. But we have to be quick, or Mom will take them away.

Sasha reminds us that legal toys can be fun too. See -- we are playing so nicely with our bunnies and bears. And we don't forget to drink. Not always from our own cups, though.

March pictures and Easter

Hey, come check out my new pictures.

Zia Gaia and Zio Jerome came over for an Easter brunch. Look at me -- I am eating like a big girl :) I even tried some of Zia Gaia's chicken liver pate. Yum! How come they don't sell it in jars like baby food?

We also started going to Belmont Library for sing alongs and reading books. We meet our friends Sasha and Dima there and then go to their place to play with all kinds of cool toys.

I also helped Daddy do the taxes. See -- I am eating away the national debt.