Samuel is 10 months old today....

It seems as if it was just yesterday when we walked into our apartment in Cincinnati with Samuel for the first time, looked at Samuel, looked at each other and said "What the hell do we do now? or "Where is the instruction manual?"  We are absolutely amazed that Samuel is as perfect as he is considering who is parents are.   We would tend to believe that he was switched at birth if he did not look so much like me and have Julia's skin tone.

One negative aspect of Samuel growing up is that he now cries real tears.  It was always difficult to deal with him crying but seeing tears rolling down his chubby cheeks and knowing that all we can do is hold him and tell him that everything will be okay is heart wrenching..

Some of the positive aspects are that Samuel has started saying Dada, which is sweet but we are trying to get him to say Papa instead. Julia insists that he is also saying Mummy but I have yet to hear it.

When we hold Samuel so he can see himself in a mirror and ask him "Where's Samuel?" he will point to himself in the mirror.  If we ask him "Where's Mummy or Papa?" he will point at us.

We are trying to teach him to respond by throwing his arms out when we ask him "How big is Samuel?"  It will take time but he is responding.

On Sunday Samuel portended to end of Preacher's peaceful life in Paris.  Preacher was laying on the couch when Samuel made his way over and tried to pull himself up onto the couch. Preacher woke up, sat up, and stared at Samuel with a look that could kill.  It is only a matter of time until the cats have no place left to hide.

I am preparing myself to spend my first days without Samuel.  I will be in Denver for 5 days starting this Saturday and Julia will have Samuel all to herself.  Moya has graciously agreed to change her schedule and will be here during the days next week so that Julia can work.  Julia, Samuel and I will skype often.