11th Week of Sam - My Jabber (and Slobber) Box

Thursday was our Teacher Work Day and I really didn't get much done.  I was a little burnt out and avoided my room.  Oooops.   I am going to be there quite a lot this summer and I keep my keys all summer unlike most of the other teachers.  They have to turn theirs in. 
Friday was the day when the students come in and pick up their report cards and leave.  I took Sam with me and of course she was a hit.  She got passed around a little bit and loved on a lot.  Unfortunately she didn't have very many smiles to give out.  She was tired and slept most of the time. 
Friday I packed the truck up and headed South.  I tried to time the drive during Sam's nap and of course she fell asleep before we were ready to leave.  She did great on the ride down though.  She fell asleep about 10 min into the drive, woke up a little bit when I stopped for fuel and then fell asleep again.  When we arrived, she was happy to be out of the carseat and ready to coo for my mom.
Dad was in the field for most of the weekend and JM worked most of the weekend too.  JM got home just in time on Friday for supper and to help Dad grease the planter. 
Saturday JM worked until pretty late in the evening but Sam and I had a fun day.  In the morning we girls went to town to get mulch and get a few items in Wal-Mart.  I bought Sam a small blow-up pool to play in.  We got home and helped spread mulch.  We also made some trips over to our farm ground in the bottoms to help Dad.
On Sunday JM only had to work until the early afternoon.  Sam, that morning, was dressed for farming and took her first tractor ride with Dad and me.  She cannot keep her eyes open when she's being bounced or jiggled so you can just imagine what she did in the cab of the tractor.   Mom met us after we went 1 round in the field and took a few pictures.  When we were leaving the farm, Papo and Dad were standing in the field so we stopped for another photo opportunity.
That evening we invited Grandma & Grandpa Keach down for supper.  I had brought home some pork ribs and Mom had bought some in town.  I marinated them and smoked them in Dad's smoker/grill and Mom through them on the Weber grill for a little charcoal touch at the end.  They weren't too bad for my first attempt. While the ribs were smoking JM and I went on a short 4-wheeler ride over in the bottoms.  We checked out our deer stands from last year and looked around little bit.  All our stands were in place and we found some promising tracks for this coming deer season.  I discovered that my insides might nto be 100% recovered or at least they didn't appreciate some of the bouncing around.  When we got back Grandma and Grandpa were there and Sam was busy smiling and cooing at them.
Monday:  Jm didn't have to go to work at all which was so nice!  We got up and went fishing with Grandma and Grandpa Keach on CIPS lake.  We didn't have too bad of a morning.  My mom babysat Sam while we were gone.  Sam decided to keep Grandma busy.  She just kept catnapping and everytime Mom laid her down she would pop those little blue eyes back open. =)

Over the past week, Sam has been more vocal and smiles a lot more.  I read about "full body smiles" and Sam is working her way up to them.  When she gets super smiley, her arms kind of shake a little like she's excited.  Her sleeping at night is getting better.  She falls asleep anywhere between 8-10, wakes up between 2-4 and the sleeps until 6-8.  When you talk to Samee she sometimes moves her mouth when she talks and sometimes furrows her eyebrows.  Kind of like "hhmm...how did you do that?".  She has really started to track things with her eyes.  She became aware of stuff a few weeks ago but now can follow items with consistancy.   JM left for work on Monday and I packed up the camper to head home.  I had Sam in the house and I asked her if she was ready to go.  She replied back..mmmhhhhmmm.. in a little baby coo.  Dad and I both looked at each other and just laughed. I think she impressed her Grandpa!  Dad said that he didn't think it was repeatable but she sure sounded like she knew what she was doing.  It was pretty neat!
The mornings are better than the evenings for Sam.  For most of the morning, if you talk to her she talks back.
At one point during the weekend,  Chief came and sat down infront of her little swing and Sam was smiling at him.  Of course Chief was more concerned with getting Mom to pet him but Sam didn't care she was just smiling away.
She has also become quite the slobbery baby.  Drool, drool, and more drool.  I tend to keep a bib on her a lot so that the front of her outfit isn't soaked.
This weekend she has also been eating a TON.  I think we are getting ready for another growth spurt because she also is sleeping a little more.

I discovered that when she eats she some how sends the milk up her right nasal/sinus cavity.  I believe that this is the reason behind her "spitting up" through her nose.  When she nurses off my left side the milk will sometimes just run out of her right nostril.  It's especially bad when she is very tired.  Hopefully at our doctor's appointment we will find out more.

On Tuesday I was able to mow a small part of the yard while Sam slept.  She just didn't sleep very much though so I didn't get anymore done that day.

Wednesday: I took my FFA Officer kids up to Monticello to the 4-H camp for our officer training.  We went through the challenge course with the officers from Oakwood.  The kids had a blast and Darcy and I had a great time catching up.  Sam spent the day with Joy.  Joy thinks there is a little sarcastic being in there just waiting to escape.  Sam has the "sigh" down pretty good and sometimes she rolls her eyes when you talk to her. haha.  Quite the personality already! or maybe just practicing for the future. =) We love our Aunt Joy.  She is fantastic and is GREAT with Sam.  I really love knowing she's in great hands when I'm not able to be there.