A month of FIRSTS!

We know it's already mid-November, but we haven't made a blog post since early October! Since that time, Sam has had more than a month full of FIRSTS!

We started out October not with a first, but with a third...Sam's 3-month birthday! Nana and Papa came down from Greenville to celebrate with him :)

Then it was time for Sam's first day of daycare! Mom sure misses him during weekdays, but he LOVES daycare!

Then, Sam's first family vacation! We went to Palm Beach for a very relaxing weekend. Sam enjoyed dressing up and seeing the beach!

On the drive home from Palm Beach, Mom had a first, too -- the first time she's actually completed the WHOLE Sunday New York Times crossword!

About two weeks into daycare, Sam experienced another first...his first cold. BUMMER! Eating and sleeping became pretty tough for a couple weeks, but Sam rolled with the punches pretty well for such a little guy. Since then, he's had a string of coughs and colds...the pediatrician calls it "daycare-itis." Fun, fun :)

Finally, Sam's first HALLOWEEN! He really seemed to have a great time with all of it. He LOVED the pumpkin patch, with all the bright orange pumpkins and lots of people everywhere...

...and he wore fun bibs, socks, and outfits all week long!...

...he seemed to be especially fascinated by those candy corn socks!...

...and he got all dressed up for his first Halloween party - as a Sweet Pea!

Mom and Dad dressed up like babies, in honor of the fact that last year's Ferrelle Halloween Party baby count = 0, and this year's count = 6. Holy moly!

And then it was on to Sam's first Florida/Georgia weekend. Mom and Dad enjoyed the tailgate while Sam hung out with Aunt Meredith and Uncle Mike!

We stayed at the beach with Chip and Phy for FL/GA weekend.

Three generations of Touseys!

Then, Sam took his first plane ride to Boston to see Aunt Kati and Uncle David. Sam was a real trooper - he did a great job on the plane AND being wheeled around in the stroller in that cold Boston wind all weekend. We had a really fun time seeing the sights (including Kati's favorites, the Public Library and the Seals at the Aquarium, and David's favorite sites on the Freedom Trail...note the pic of Sam posing by the tomb of a fellow Samuel - Sam Adams!).

We also made a stop in Cambridge, where Sam and Dad posed with the statue of John Harvard in Harvard Square! It was a really fun weekend, and we miss Kati, David, Nana, and Papa already!

Then on November 9th, we celebrated a 4th!

4 months old already? Makes Sam sleepy just thinking about it :)

Just hanging out with Mom & Dad!

And finally, here are a few adorable pictures from Sam's teacher of him & his friends at daycare!

Supporting Aunt Kati

As many of you know, our sister-in-law (and Sam's aunt), Kati Bray Strickland, is battling cancer. She and David are chronicling their journey (as well as keeping us posted about all the wonderful things they are doing in Boston in between treatments!) on their blog, supportingkati.blogspot.com. Fellow members of Kati's residency program at Pitt Memorial Hospital are selling wristbands to help support Kati symbolically and tangibly, so we wanted to help get the word out to anyone who might be interested in buying a wristband.

Here's the message Kati and David posted on their blog:

The fabulous people at Pitt Memorial Hospital’s Family Medicine Residency Program are selling wristbands (with “Always Believe” and “Never Back Down” written on either side) in effort to support their fellow comrade in arms during medical treatment. Each wristband is $5 and all proceeds go to aforementioned good cause. “We are thankful to any and all who buy these wristbands and wear them in support.” All interested individuals should contact Dr. Daniel Becerra (family medicine intern) at becerrag@ecu.edu. This is not a request and no one need feel obligated to do anything. Support is given in many different heartfelt ways and is received, loved, and appreciated all the same.

We love you, Kati and David. :)

Where Did (July and August and) September Go?

October is here! Sam is already sporting his sweet pumpkin shirt, while he continues to debate what he wants to be for Halloween!

Mom starts working again this week, and while it will be SO HARD for her not to be around Sam all day, Sam is looking forward to meeting new friends at daycare. He is growing faster than ever and doing lots of big-boy things like sitting up in his Bumbo seat all by himself, moving things around with his hands, and doing "mini-push-ups" on his tummy. He loves, loves, loves to be read to - he especially seems to like rhyming books and books with bright colors.

Here's an update from the little man:

I am getting so big! Now that I can hold my head up, I love to play in this jumper. It has lots of colors & fun shapes, and I get a big kick out of the fact that I can make myself bounce!

My VERY favorite thing is my crib mobile! I watch the chickens and the lambs and the bunnies go around and around and around, talking and laughing and kicking my legs the whole time.

Enjoying College Gameday with Mom and Dad. I'm comin' to your city!

Dad loves to give me the paper. Sometimes I read it...and sometimes I eat it!

Just digesting the news... :)

I love to sleep...

But when I'm awake, I am SO handsome!