Just Call Him Serta

Sam LOVES cuddling with his Dad and spent most of the day sleeping on his Dad's chest. What can I say, Jake has the touch. And honestly, are those cheeks just the best? When he went in for his 2 month well-baby checkup, he was in the 75th percentile for height and weight and came in at just under 14 pounds! (I think about 9 of those are in those cheeks :)

Samuel Livingston Seagull

A few weeks ago, Cami H was over hanging out with Sam. He started to do his "kind of cry" and she thought he sounded just like a little seagull. I have been wanting to capture it ever since and I think I finally did.

La Familia

So we have had an extravaganza of family photos these past two weekends. The photo taking itself is definitely not a favorite, but the photos afterward and forever-more definitely are. Here is the first batch of photos taken by Emelie. She did a fantastic job and was great to work with. If you remember she also took THESE

Congrats

Without much hype...I just want to say Congrats to my fabulous husband. He has worked his little tail off and crossed the finish line with school. Done and Done. I'm proud of you babe!

Mission Complete

6 Years of Education
2 Years and 800 Hours of Unpaid Internships
One "Buckets of Sweat" Producing Licensure Exam
Work at the U of U ER, Neuropsychiatric Institute, Wasatch Family Therapy, Trauma Center and LDS Family Services
3000 Practice Hours and 1000 Hours of Individual Therapy Sessions
100 Hours of Supervision
Too Many Books to Count
10+ Continuing Education Conferences

As of yesterday, I am officially a LCSW, an independent psychotherapist.
MISSION COMPLETE

Fwew...that was a long one :)

Croquet Anyone?

Sam has had a weekend full of family pictures and has more to come. He was a trooper at both occasions just chillin' and doing his little Sam thing.



This one he was one of 7 new great-grand babies for 2008. He is in the far left part of the couch...the one looking like the cutest little sausage you've ever seen. It was actually pretty funny trying to get all of these babies to smile, look at the camera, not fall over...the moms definitely got their Kiddie Kandid on!

Zoo Lights

Last we headed with friends to go see the Zoo Lights while it was a light and perfect snowfall. This was a first time for the Hodson family to see the Zoo Lights and I was definitely impressed. Tons of animal creations all done in lights and a lot were animated to make them look like they were moving. Like I was telling my friend Jamie, "I just appreciate cleverness." Doesn't get any better than a Christmas-y night with my friends and family.


As you can see, Sam really took it all in...his Dad's chest that is :)

Disco Sam

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Blessing Day

Sam was blessed yesterday and it couldn't have been a more perfect day. It was absolutely sunny and warm considering it was December 7. Jake did a beautiful job blessing him including a blessing that he would "have a love for every living creature." Sam was sleepy most of the day but when he was awake, he was so smiley. I just can't get enough of our little man.

Fun and Family Friendly Races

Something that really tickles my fancy at the end of the year, is planning the races I want to participate in the coming year. Many of the best races cap participants and fill up fast so premeditation is the only way to seal the deal. I talked with Jake this morning about doing some as a family and here is what we have come up with so far:

Salt Lake City Marathon, 5k and Bike Tour
A fun tour around the town, this is definitely a family friendly race. We'll pack up the little Samman and spin our wheels through the streets.
April 18, 2009

Little Red Riding Hood - An all women's 30, 60 or 100 mile cycling tour where crazy costumes and men dressed in wolf apparel provide the support. Little Sam and I will pedal hard and fast through Cache Valley with Jake, our Poppa wolf, cheering us on.
June 7, 2009

Spudman Triathalon - A Triathalon favorite up in Burly, Idaho, Jake and I will make our way over the river and through the woods with Sam standing by with a smile. Registration can sell out in one hour or one day so if you want in be on the site January 5th at 11:59 pm...registration starts at 12:00pm
July 26, 2009

Zen and the Art of Child Rearing

there are sometimes, i admit, when i get a little bored in class. this is usually my time to catch up on soccer news and highlights.

however, i have recently been finding myself missing my man-cub. so i have been navigating back to this website just to get a glimpse of the little guy.

I don't know if it is because kris is always asking other people which one of us he looks like (See 1+1=Sam), or what, but on this last go around i realized that he looks remarkably like someone i have seen many times.
so ladies and gentlemen. i present to you, perhaps the real father of sam. you be the judge.

Sickness

Sam has been a total trooper today while he has endured his Mom being sooo sick. I was telling my mom that I'm sure he was wondering what happened to life as he knew it...still in his jammies at 3 in the afternoon, diapers being changed less than promptly and lots and lots of sleeping. My mom simply replied, "He's just experiencing a real life day." well said. well said. Hopefully this will just move on by as quickly as it came. I thought I left all this business behind when I was pregnant.

Very Velour

I just can't get enough of Sam and his little outfits. Gramma Gramma gave little Samman this cuddly little velour action...he's just growing, growing, growing.

Thank You Mother

Dear Mother Nature, thank you for all the wonderful gifts you give us. Millcreek Canyon was beautiful today.

Oh For PUNS Sake...

I was raised in a home where puns ruled the roost. You couldn't just say something casual like, "We were all so in tense!" without a follow-up from my Dad of, "Oh really? So you were all in tents somewhere?" Or saying the time is Ten to Nine with my dad complaining his knees hurt. Inevitably I would ask why and he'd say, "Tendonitis." Fortunately, or unfortunately pending on where you stand on the Pun scale, this punderful gene has passed on to me. I just can't stop thinking about all the different puns that can spawn with one little 3 letter name...Sam. Here we go:

If Sam loved smoothing the ice at a hockey rink he'd be called: SAMboni
When Sam has ill communication with another person: A MisunderSAMding
If Sam started to work with Mr. Miyagi: Samuel-son
Ordering from the menu in Lousiana, getting a hodge podge soup: SAMbolaya
He offers a variety of different items at his: SAMple sale
When he decides to purchase a fine leather luggage compan: SAMsonite
When he is a strong Asian warrior: The last SAMurai
Lastly, he is just a perfect little boy making him SAMtastic!


You can tell by this picture that Sam thinks these are just absolutely hilarious and hopes to be the third generation of Pun brilliance.

Brrr (stomp, stomp) it's cold in here...

Must be some Samster in the Atmosphere!

It's Bizness Time

Today was Bizness day, and you know when it's bizness day I wear my bizness pants and my bizness shirt cuz it's bizness time.

Cinema With Sam

Here are a few videos of the life of Sam...

He found his thumb today and LOVED it.


Just CHILLaxin'


Grunty McGrunt. You may think he's getting ready to cry but he's not, this is his sleepy-time talk for about 20 minutes. as well as his changing diaper, hanging out, etc talk. Let's just say, the boy is a talker and apples don't fall too far from trees :)

Thoughts on the Day By: Sam

Sam was sooo cute yesterday I decided to catch as much as possible on film. If you can endure my grossly over-the-top baby talk and get to the end of the video you will have 2 surprises that I think are well worth the 35 seconds it took to get there :)

We Voted

Come hell or highwater...(or a slushy snow down pour) Sam and I made our way to the polls. Excitedly we renewed the Zoo and Tracy Aviary and the rest of our voting is between me and my little man...he's a great secret keeper.

Poopy Tales

Sam and I have really been on a roll lately. I think somewhere he has a hidden sense of humor and is loving the experience of his new body. Despite his many blowouts this past week, today he blew out all over me. You may have heard of projectile vomitting, but this was projectile pooping! On my jeans, shirt, blanket...you'd think I would have done something or covered him up but I was in such a state of shock I just watched the whole thing happen all over me. Furthermore I realized I now was donning the Momdrobe AKA: Mom Wardrobe. Be it breastmilk, poop or pee wiper off and off you'll be. Yes, I just wiped it off and treated myself to a hot chocolate at Barnes and Noble. Love it :)

Stylin' and So Sleepy Sam

Just Tootin' Around

(Sorry for the repeat if you saw this on Hodderthanever.blogspot.com Some people only check one or the other)
This weather is crazy beautiful! I finally had enough mother know-how AND energy to get myself and the wee one out there to enjoy. Yesterday was a trip to the mountains to relax at my mom's cabin and today we toured the LDS temple grounds and visited Jesus. What great ways to spend our time together :) OH AND CONGRATS LITTLE NIECE ON LOSING YOUR FIRST TOOTH!!!

Little Bear

This is hands down my favorite outfit on Sam...I think the little ears on the hat just draw me in.

Weighing In

Here's a little sneak peak at the pictures Sam had taken today at Little Angels Photography Studio...he did a great job as a little model for the class the photographer was teaching!

First Outting

With the weather being spectacular these last few weeks, but me being on recovery mode, the least we could do would be to pull out some chairs and relax in our yard. Along with that, Jake thought it was time to break in the Baby Bjorn and get Sam acclimated to long walks on the beach...er...road, wherever. I think Jake had so much fun because he was able to "play" with his little buddy :)

The Nut Doesn't Fall Far From the Tree

For Halloween Sam was a little acorn, Jake an oak tree and well I, I was mother nature. Yep our first "family" Halloween. I am going to have to say I looked a little more like mother nature meets a drag queen, but what's a costume without some quirkiness? Jake's mom has the best Halloween party every year that I start looking forward to about 3 months in advance. The family is awesome about participating and helping to create an all out SPOOKtacular event. From fabulous decor and a spook alley, to a doughnut relay and bobbing for apples it was definitely the most halloween fun we've had for the year. Don't worry, we already have next year's costume's picked out and will KILL this years...standards will be set, bars will be raised :)