Samuel, Sam, Samwell, Sammy, Sammy Boy, Samwise

Posing for the Picture - Sammy loves cameras!

Sam prefers to always be holding a hand and I LOVE to oblige!

I love this smile.

Happy probably %90 of the time!
(and that's a lot for a 2 year old)

Sammy is such a joy to mother! He is so different than Ben. Yet, their lives coincide so much that it is often hard to distinguish what is distinctly Sam. I think that perhaps it is often that way with a second child, especially when they are such buds. Here are a few characteristics of our sweet boy.

• Sammy is the entertainer of the family. He loves to make us smile and we often have to say at dinner, "Sammy, no more talking until you've had a few bites of food." Unlike Ben, who tends to be his funniest around just the fam, Sammy loves to make everyone laugh! A couple of months ago he had a routine down where he would make the face of the girl from the Pixar short "One Man Band." He would make a fierce expression and point with such seriousness. I think we've got a showman on our hands. (See Bible verse video below).
  

• He is also our snuggler. In the morning or after naps he requires at least a 5 minute, stop-everything, hold him while wrapped in his blanket, snuggle. He always wants to hold our hand (unlike his big brother, who hated that). And during movies, much to his Mommy's heart's content, he wants to sit on my lap or plastered to his daddy's side. He can't get enough. He is one of those amazing kids, that I used to only gape at in church, who can sit quietly and listen (most of the time!). Now, he is definitely still 2...but, he loves to just be, and that is such a wonderful trait.

• Another way Sam is different from his big bro is his even-temperedness. No late night crying fits, bedtime or naptime struggles, temper tantrums, nor crying when we leave Grandma and Grandpas. Sam just goes with the flow. I am sure this is partly due to his birth order, and partly to the fact that he is so much like his daddy. It is so nice and predictable!

• Finally, Sam has a very sincere faith, even at such a young age. When he prays, he practically prostrates himself on his chair. He loves to pray for his Grandma GG and Papa Roy (who both have Alzheimer's): "Help Papawoy, he's sick. Help him to go to heaven soon. Amen." He also can't get enough of "turch". I'm sure most of this is due to all of his friends there, but he just seems to be drawn to anything to do with God, and that, of course, makes us so joyful.
  

Best Friends: Ben, Gyddon, Isaac, Emily, Hope

Favorite food: ice cream, pasta

Favorite toy: stuffed blue puppy, Nacho Libres (translate: any type of wrestler), anything Ben is into

Favorite movie: Nacho Libre or Tom and Jerry

Quotes from the Last 6 months:

Uncle Aaron: What's your favorite animal, Sam? "Transformers" Aaron: Oh, do you like Optimus Prime? (very serious) "Megatron"

Aunt Brooke: Sam, what do you like on your pizza? "Soup"

"Do you like my cool shirt, Mom" (over and over, Sammy loves clothes)

At age 2: "Mom, I havada cereal. And also, da milk."

"turch"= Church

"puppilops" = lollipops

On Christmas Eve: "Daddy, will we have a Christmas Zoe?"

After saying goodbye to daddy, with the saddest little voice: "I didn't give daddy a kiss."

Anytime he wants to be held: "Can I hold you mommy?"

When he wants me to blow on his too-hot meal: "Will you blow it up, Mom?"

Sammy's verses, and showmanship: