Life is just so good.

Do you ever stop and think that it would be nice if everything could just stay the way it is right now? Where have the last 4.5 years gone?? How is my sweet baby about to turn 2 already? Sam starts kindergarten in 7 months; how did that happen? Well it happened, and luckily I have some precious pictures that captured some of the things I've loved, hated, and miss.
I often take pictures that I think are just downright adorable, but they simply don't constitute a blogpost of their own. Now they shall have their heyday. Take for instance, this one.
It would be a travesty if the world did not get to experience this darling photograph. Although if blogspot still exists when Sam is 12, he'll probably strangle me.


I love that those boys look nothing alike. Sometimes folks tell me that Nathanael looks so much like Sam. Really? I don't see it. Sam- brown fluffy hair, chocolate brown eyes, perpetually tanned skin, gap in front teeth. Nathanael- blond wispy locks, blue eyes, perfectly aligned teeth, and well....let's just say they didn't call him the translucent baby for nothing. I love that they have their individual looks, but are both, well, perfect. But, I miss those wispy blond locks that Paul cut from my darling baby's head. That's exactly why I wait so long for the first haircut; it's like stripping them of their babyhood and there's no going back.


There's no question where Sam got his hair, eyes, or skin tone. Notice any resemblance? There's also no question where he got his quick-to-anger demeanor either; clearly that came from his father. Alright, alright...perhaps he's just a mini-me through and through. Sometimes we ask him if he has a little dragon inside. He claims he doesn't....it's a little monster...named TeKol (I'm not quite sure of the spelling on that...). I don't care if he has a little monster inside. Does this look scary to you?:

I love that Nathanael and Sam are bff; I hate that they pick on each other ALL DAY LONG. Sometimes I swear I wouldn't mind being deaf. Listening to whining for extended periods of time is not one of my strengths. For the past 23 months, I've just been waiting for the day when Nathanael would kick Sam's butt. The day is quickly approaching. Nathanael has learned a few things; he's got a few tricks up his sleeve already. I think it's absolutely adorable (but also kinda sad) that when Sam hurts Natey, Natey, through his tears, whimpers "sorry". And then they hug and kiss and make-up....sometimes. Sam really does adore his little brother...he just has an odd way of showing it sometimes.

After the boys take a bath, they both like to be wrapped up in their towels and left in them for a little while to warm up. Not so long ago, when Sam would finish his bath, we would wrap him up in a towel and carry him into the playroom to watch a few cartoons while he warmed, a routine he liked. And every time, when Natey would see Sam wrapped up in the towel, carried in our arms, he would say "wanna hold the baby." It was the cutest thing, EVER. So, we would get Nathanael to sit down and let him hold the big baby. It never lasted more than a few seconds, long enough to provoke a few giggles. I miss that. I never managed to get a picture of it actually happening, so I tried to recreate the moment, and it didn't really work:-).
They do both still enjoy being wrapped up in their towels, which Nathanael will also refer to as his blanket. The other morning I just had to capture a few pictures of it, for memory's sake. Nathanael's newest favorite phrase is "da baby's so cold".


I do not enjoy that eating is a full-contact sport for Nathanael. I make him eat many meals in the nude, so as not to ruin every outfit he owns. Regardless, a bath is required after most meals.
What I do love, however, is when Nathanael falls asleep whilst eating lunch after church. It's so much easier that way. And with 3 hours of church each Sunday, who can blame him?

I love that Sam is so ambitious. Ever since he's been about two years old, he has known what he wants to be when he grows up. Couldn't you just see him as a male underwear model in some sort of blue-collar catalog?(I wonder if I could be arrested for pictures like that?) And here's what he's going to do to me if this post still exists when he goes out on his first date. Really he wants to be a builder...or race car driver....or, as of late, a football player.

And here's one thing that I don't miss, but I'm sure it'll return next year. I think this is God's idea of a joke.