I'm running out of title ideas...

Our little guy is so awesome. He's sitting independently, playing peek-a-boo (when he's in the mood), starting to respond to his name (though maybe that's just my wishful thinking and he's really just turning at the sound of our voice---I keep trying to test it...), starting to demonstrate object permanence, imitating some vocalizations, eating dissolvable solids, drinking from a sippy cup, trying to self-feed...my friend Aimee put it this way about her baby girl: "We know most children are doing what [Noah] is doing at [his] age, but it just amazes us to watch [him]!" He loves eating--peas and green beans aren't his favorite, but he's loving fruits and carrots and sweet potatoes and spinach and broccoli. We've started Puffs and Mum-mums, which he loves. He can self-feed the Mum-mums just fine, but he can't quite figure out how to get the Puffs out of his fist and into his mouth--but he'll try for as long as we'll let him! His new thing is drinking from our glass which is hilarious to watch--we'll have to try to get a video posted soon. He opens his mouth wide before the glass even gets near him. Both sets of grandparents have watched said trick via Google video chat and agree it's completely adorable. We're still waiting for him to roll from his back to his belly and to push up on his hands and knees, but it'll come!

His sleep was incredible last week (huge thank you to those who joined us in praying for improvement there)! We tried a new form of sleep training (Ferbering just wasn't cutting it anymore...) and it was apparently magic (after three really rough nights)! We had 4 nights in a row where he slept 10 hours STRAIGHT! And then ate and slept 2 more hours. I was a new person. We'd also been working on putting him in his crib awake for naps and making him put himself to sleep, which I think was helping through the night, too. But then he spent the day with the babysitter, and didn't take his bottle for her, and then the next day we were out a little later, and his schedule got all out of whack and now we are back to waking up 2-3 times a night. Sad. So we're starting over. But it was nice while it lasted!

On the not-so-good note--we're being sent to an orthopedic specialist. When he extends his legs, his hips pop/click. We went to the pediatrician today and had x-rays done, which were completely normal, but the pediatrician said he had never seen a kid do that, so he wants us to get it checked out just to make sure he's okay. (Sherri-thoughts?)

Other than that, we are doing great! Everyone stops us wherever we are--church, the grocery store, the doctor's office--to tell us how cute he is. We think so, too!

Don't worry, Mom, I got this eating thing down!

Taking his first shower. He kept opening his mouth wide and leaning into the water. This kid loves H2O! 

I am a baby food making machine! So thankful for our deep freezer or we would never have the space to store this! 

Cleaning off my phone...

Not such a great quality, but some cute shots

Enjoying some time on the deck on a random 65 degree day in January! He looks even chunkier than in real life! :)

I love my bath! And chewing on washcloths! And my crazy hair!

This was probably around 4 months old...

Around 4 months old. Look how much hair he doesn't have! :) 

Good morning! I love when Mommy comes to get me after I wake up! 

We went for a drive through a park COMPLETELY decked out in Christmas lights. What a fun date night.

Not posed. Just cute.

Around 3 months old. 

A video

We don't know why, but the boy will laugh and laugh when I do this. We love hearing his giggle! 

A Week of Visitors

We've been busy this week! (Do I always say that??) Our sweet friends Heidi and Becky came to visit for a couple of days (and even took a shift babysitting while I went to work for a couple of hours!), then my friend Kelsy came for a day, then we had a couple of fun visits from my college roommate Emilie. Unfortunately, I apparently no longer remember to take pictures at opportune times and missed snapshots with all of those wonderful ladies! Stink.
Noah's sleep had been getting better right before his 6 month check-up--he was sleeping 7 hours, eating, and then sleeping 4 more. Not too bad. Then all of a sudden he was up 2 and 3 times a night again several nights in a row. (These seemed to follow the pediatrician's recommendation to start weaning his reflux medication again.) Ay yai yai. So we upped his dose again and are starting over. Last night he woke up once, but I was able to get him to go back to sleep without eating (albeit, it took almost two hours...) and then he didn't wake up again until morning making it the first time he's gone all night without eating! Progress! (Kinda...) We're also trying a new "sleep training" method to try to make nap times a little easier/better. We were 1 for 2 in getting it to work today...we'll see! Keep the prayers coming--this mama is exhausted! :)

Early morning play time on Daddy's lap.

So fun!

All dressed up for church! (This shirt came with matching pants--but it was too cold for the light cotton fabric--and was a present from G.G. We still miss you!!!)

I can sit by myself! 

This cute onesie came from our friends Kari and Scott in Philly. They were sweet enough to give it to us when we first announced we were pregnant. 

Tummy time! (This only lasts 2-3 minutes before he rolls over...) Look at those chunky arm rolls! 

Love this little guy!

Happy 1/2 Birthday!

What an adorable face. I used to prop him in the corner of the rocker for his monthly picture, and this time he pushed himself to sitting in the middle! And then proceeded to make the rocker rock! Maybe I shouldn't take these pictures by myself anymore. :) We also used to do pictures on the Boppy, but he kept arching and trying to roll off of it, so we just did the floor. He's getting so big!

We had his 6 month well baby check-up on Tuesday. The doctor says he's perfect. (We knew that!) His gross motor skills aren't developing quite as quickly as the rest of his developmental skills (likely as a result of his reflux and his huge tummy!) so we're just supposed to focus on those a little more. He measured in at 19 pounds 12 ounces and 26 inches long. We may have a linebacker on our hands!

To celebrate his birthday, God gave us Noah's first accumulation of snow! 

A Year Ago Today...

Does anybody know why today is significant in the Sampson household? It is a date we will probably remember for the rest of our earthly lives. To be honest, it is the day our world came crashing down around us.


January 10th, 2011 was the day of the fire. We have made it a full year. We have learned so many valuable lessons as a result of that day. We've learned to communicate better with each other and support each other more--that was a quick one to figure out when we were the only ones who could relate to exactly how the other was feeling or what he/she was thinking. We've learned that material goods aren't everything (and we've learned which ones are the most important). We've learned how dependable and loving and caring our friends and family are. We've learned how to move on and get past tragedy. We've learned to find and make good from bad. And most of all, we've learned how loving and all-knowing and purposeful our God is. What was easily the worst day of our lives has helped us get to where we are now. Our marriage is stronger, our faith and trust in God is stronger, and our focus on life is clearer. I hope these are things we carry with us forever. It just wasn't so fun to learn all of it the hard way!


My friend Emily sent me daily emails in the weeks that followed the fire. It was her way of being there for me from 700 miles away, for brightening my day, and for encouraging me in the way she knew how. It was awesome. At the end of every email she included a Bible verse. Each one was so fitting to the situation and how I happened to be feeling that day. Most of the verses I had read before, and even memorized, but you read them and understand them in a new way in different phases of your life. Like this one:

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11


How many times have I read that verse?? Or heard a sermon preached about it? Or had someone say it to me when things aren't going my way? But how much differently it reads in the middle of a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day! And how thankful we are, a year later, to know that this Word is truth. And to know that He indeed planned to prosper us, and to give us hope and a future. To go from this: 

 To this:

is proof of God's perfect and loving plan. 


Thank you for loving us and caring for us and supporting us through this past year. We're thankful for each and every one of you, and have no way to show us how much you've meant to us through the past year, so you're just going to have to take my word for it! 

Happy Birthday!!!!!

to my wonderfully awesome hubby! 

I missed one!

A bunch of videos

We are often trying to capture moments that are "cute". Inevitably, Noah will do something we love (talk, laugh, do some trick) and as soon as we pull out the camera, he stops doing it. Probably, these are only cute to us. But we're sharing them anyway. Here are a few "cute" moments we've compiled over the past couple of months.

Blowing raspberries.

November 20, 2011

Silly Daddy making Noah laugh.

November 20, 2011

Fake coughing with Grammy.

December 29, 2011

Aunt Mandie makes Noah laugh by making funny faces.

December 30, 2011

Playing peekaboo with Emily and Shondra. Noah did this about ten times before tiring of the game! 

January 2, 2012