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I’ve been wanting to learn how to French Braid. My subject is somewhat cooperative, but not enough for the amount of practice that I need. I’ve been watching YouTube videos, and there’s a lot of really cute hairstyles out there. I found this blog, which I think I might add to my RSS. Anyway, if someone (ah hem, MOM) knows how, maybe I can learn better. My fingers just don’t cooperate!

Naturally, we headed down to the Grand Ole Pumpkin Patch this year for some pumpkin patch fun. It took longer to get down there than expected, so our actual time at the patch was a little short. But, we still had a great time scouting out our pumpkins. Samantha and I walked the whole place looking for the perfect pumpkin, while Ellie was content with a graham cracker in her hand.

Hm. Which one?

(This was originally posted a while ago, but got partially lost in the hard drive crash.  I’m just getting around to fixing and reposting.)

My granddad’s 80th birthday party was at the Lake this year.  It was lots of food, family, and great weather.  Even though the day started out with a major mishap involving a blueberry pie, I think all the evidence has been cleaned up by now.

And check out this great picture from Lizzie’s blog.  Boy, Sam sure does love pumpkins.  I guess it’s good that she’s an October baby.

Well, I think it’s official. We haven’t seen Baby (Brown Baby, Bae) since last Thursday night or Friday afternoon. This is as long as he/she has been missing. I’m fearing the worst, although I think Brian and I are more upset by his/her disappearance than Sam is. I’m betting that while playing in her room on Friday, during the time previously known as nap time, he/she got stuffed somewhere. But, I really can’t be sure. I just know that she had him/her when she went to bed on Thursday night, but not on Friday night.

Can you believe it?  Samantha turned 4 on Monday.  We had an easy party at the park with friends, family, and shade.  What a great day!

We started out by playing hard, so after a while, we had to take a break.

Then, Batman showed up.  Seriously, Samantha asked me later “Why did Batman come to my party?”

We enjoyed pizza and fruit.  (Easy, right?)

Ellie even played hard!

After a while, we sang “Happy Birthday.”  Later, Samantha told me that she didn’t sing for her birthday song.  But she could sing for my granddad’s birthday song the next day.  (How did she know not to sing for her own song?)  She was so sweet while we were singing.  I wish everybody could have seen her face.  Nana put it best when she said, “It was like Samantha really knew that everyone was singing for her and that this was a very special occasion!”

Enjoying some great gifts!

(Sorry about the picnic table, Hallie!  I should have been holding it so it wouldn’t have crashed down on you!)

And of course, the hopper.  After she opened her gifts, she carried around the hopper box for the rest of the time.  She literally walked over to some rocks near by, but away from everyone else, so she could sit with her hopper box.  It reminded me of the ukelele incident from last year!  Here’s the hopper once we got home and got it blown up.

For her actual birthday, I went to school to have lunch with her.  It was nice to see her in that environment.  And now I can understand more about what she tells me when she comes home!

I had promised her that she wouldn’t have to take a nap when she turned 4, because she hasn’t taken one in a while.  These days, she’s usually not a basket case by bedtime, so I reluctantly caved.  However, I still make her go upstairs so I can have some “mommy time.”  She has to play in her room, quietly, so she doesn’t wake up Ellie.

We had dinner on the porch, one of Samantha’s favorite things to do.  And she got to eat on her new picnic table.  Then she opened up her present from us.  Rollerskates!  I have no idea where the idea came from, but she was adamant that she wanted rollerskates for her birthday.

Samantha is doing well in school.  I’m amazed at how quickly she’s learning.  She can write her whole name, say the “Hail Mary,” knows about weekdays (5 days) and weekends (2 days) and much more.  She’s creative, thoughtful, funny, outgoing, and becoming such a big girl!