Long and Lean

In case you haven't had enough first birthday fun, here's another recap. This time via a rivetting video. :)

Sam sailed through his one-year check up tonight. He got a clean bill of health and clocked in at 22.1 pounds and 33 inches tall (that's the height of an average 19-month-old toddler). The doc described him as "tall and thin." I guess so!

One - Part Two

This picture collage gives you a pretty good idea of how the evening played out (with the exception of the last photo which was supposed to feature Sam's new shoes).

Uncle Shriner joined in the festivities and Sam was all too happy to use him as a human jungle gym. We unveiled the cake, belted out Happy Birthday and let Sam dig in. Given his outgoing and curious personality, we were a littl surprised he didn't attack the cake with a little more vigor. He just picked at the frosting a bit, and smeared it around his high chair.

We attempted to open gifts and discovered that what they say about kids is true -- after they open the first one, their interest quickly disipates.

Sam stayed up a whole hour longer than normal, which gave him lots of time to try to keep up with Meghan and enjoy all of the people who had turned out in his honor. It was a memorable celebration and we're so thankful we were surrounded by our family and friends for the day. Now we're left to wonder what the next year will bring!

One - Part One

Sam turned one on Saturday to great fan fare. Just like last year, Grandma and Grandpa Boylan, Aunt Kristine and Cousin Meghan were here to toast the little man, but that was really the only similiarity. We skipped Northwestern Memorial in lieu of a trip to Macy's to hear a reading of When Horton Hears a Who. Meghan and Sam were entranced for about five minutes before deciding climbing and crawling all over the children's department was a better idea. After Grandpa chipped in for three giant, talking Horton's (one for Cousin Claire back at home) we took in a nice lunch Boylan-style with a round of midday beers.
The Suess-themed adventure knocked out Sam for a good two hour nap, which gave us just enough time to regroup before breaking out the cake.

Class is in Session

One of our favorite parts of the weekend is going to Bubbles Academy for music class. We've been attending classes since Sam was about 5 months old and he's loved it since day one. Take a look (courtesy of Flip Video, the greatest invention ever).

Yes We Can

Is it just me or did it feel really good to wake up this morning? I scooped Sam out of his crib and told him he was waking up in a better, brighter world. While the task at hand seems almost insurmountable, the promise of moving in a different direction and the prospect of progress is enough to buoy my spirits.

When I was driving into work this morning, the Chicago skyline was basked in sunlight and I couldn’t help but feel exceptionally proud to be an American and a Chicagoan. It truly feels like a new day has dawned!

I didn’t have the foresight to snap a picture of Sam this morning, but I think this one sums up how we’re feeling at 2234 W Charleston today.

Change is coming!!

Steve was stuck at work a little late tonight so Sam and I settled in to watch the election returns. Sam wasn’t really into it, but I couldn't help but look at his happy little face and reflect on how lucky we are to live in the United States. It’s easy to take our democracy for granted, but it’s truly amazing that each and every one of us have a voice in the process. In fact, Sam’s nanny voted for the first time today and it was awesome to watch her fly out the door to get to her polling place. She was genuinely excited about having the right to vote and it was a good reminder that we’re all pretty lucky. I hope everyone who is reading this participated by voting!