Secrets....

make this little guy smile!

And I just can't get enough of him!  He has finally started mumbling "mama".....off and on... of course... and I couldn't be happier.  I love his expressions...love how he raises that one eyebrow....loves how he smiles that "toothy" smile.   We used to think that Joseph kept us on our toes...till Sammy came along!

I kid you not when I tell you that this 11 month old is IN TO EVERYTHING....including
-Willie's water bowls
-the dishwasher
-the refrigerator
-the (gasp) POTTY!
-the newspaper basket
-the bottle of Itsy Bitsy Spiral Moisturizer for his hair (it actually ended up poured all over J's carpet last week)

And I guess the "NO Samuel!" just hasn't sunk in yet... Last week he picked up a new vase and just threw it as hard as he could to the wood floor.....thankfully I am a bargain shopper and the vase was only 9.99 and even more fortunate...no one was injured!!!

We rang in the New Year with our traditional Greek dime cake.  It's always pretty stressful trying to cut the pieces and trying to pick the "best" piece.  Brett always does such a precise job cutting... and I of course do the baking.

Sophia was nervous about which piece to choose...

And J said..."hmmm....let me put my thinking cap on first...."  (This little guy...by the way is celebrating a big birthday this weekend.... I can't believe it has been FOUR years..... I will never forget how he just cuddled with me and smiled at me during those FRIGID Iowa days.    He was soooo tiny....but so full of love....even then!!!

But in the end.... I was the lucky duck!!!!!
(not too thrilled with this pic of me....but hey...it's all about that lucky dime!!!)

Showing curious J....

Someone was not too thrilled with the results...

Others accused me of "cheating" since I baked the cake.....But I assure you...I  closed my eyes tight as I kneaded the dough and pressed it into the pan.  Cross my heart:)

So here is to a happy and healthy 2012!