My Favorites

The subject of this post comes from Keenan. Often, when he comes home or enters a room or gives us a hug, he says with a smile, "Hello, Favorites."

Yesterday the 9th was Keenan's birthday. It was mildly low-key, but we had some great food and Birthday Boy got to spend as much time as he wanted browsing Amazon for piano CDs and piano sheet music and books about piano, watching Youtube videos of distinguished pianists, listening to recordings of distinguished pianists, playing his own piano, and admiring his son's beautiful potential pianist fingers. Life was good. Wonderfully, all his engagements at school were canceled except his Piano Literature exam on Russian piano composers, which he enjoyed taking and probably aced. Here he is with his giant cookie, baked the night previous for his pre-birthday enjoyment. I should have shaped it into a piano.

Tuesday the 7th marked seven years since Keenan and I started dating. My associations with Keenan have greatly enriched my life, before our marriage and after. Our lives' paths shifted in just the right ways to see that we were led to meet just when we did, back in 2001. Through the incredible ups and the minor downs since, we have been blessed to learn very much about ourselves, individually and as a partnership. I must be the luckiest girl around because I doubt I could fashion a finer husband than the one I found. He always puts my needs before his own. He pushes me to do my best and believes in my ability to succeed in what I pursue. He never focuses on what is lacking but emphasizes the good he finds. He's a hard worker and a humble believer. He has a brilliant mind and a grateful heart. He is my truest friend. I'm glad I have a good long time ahead with him. :)

Keenan told me he wanted to marry me just a few months after we started dating (he was 18, I was 19). In pondering that possibility over the ensuing years, I was happy to think of marrying him so my sons would have someone like him to guide them and raise them up to good. Samuel is a lucky one indeed. For that matter, so are the young ladies he may frequent one day.

Tuesday was also Samuel's two-month birthday! He is doing great and it is such a treat to be his mother. I've been thinking much on mothering as of late. There's really nothing to it. Now don't be alarmed -- by that I mean that it really does come naturally. No one has to teach a mother to adore her child or discern his needs. Though the wealth of information written on the subject is informative and interesting, just becoming a mother endows a woman with all that is necessary to care for her little one. No matter the time of day or the need, it is always a pleasure for me to serve my little guy, and I've never been like that so constantly with anyone. Mothering is giving me the chance to become a better person much faster than I would otherwise be able. As I look at Samuel, I see him as an equal to myself and have a great deal of reverence and respect for him. Not that I come close, but I'm starting to understand how my own mother can be so cheerful and giving all the time. Women were meant to mother. I never really understood that until now. And I'm lovin' it.

Samuel has his whole thumb in his mouth in this photo.
He can get all the other fingers there in too.

In other news, last weekend we had a very enjoyable visit from Keenan's Dad -- our first house guest. Samuel seemed happy for the opportunity to get to know Grandpa Craig a little better. We're all glad he sacrificed the time at work to come out and see us where the sun shines best. Who's next?

(Note the HOLLYWOOD on the mountain behind...)

Irresistable...

Easy as Pie

Lately I've been wanting to attempt a pie, so on Sunday I made the plunge. It wasn't as easy as we so often say. Actually, at times it was downright traumatic, so the finished product is worth posting about. The top turned out a little too crisp, but overall it was satisfying. (Next time maybe it will look prettier -- like the ones in the books... and maybe my crust won't keep falling apart.)

Speaking of cooking, I had a serious bout with some bread dough the other night. I became very upset, threatened to throw the dumb dough away and skulked off to my bedroom. I heard Keenan getting tenacious in the kitchen and made him come tell me what he was doing. He finally relented, "When life gives you lemons... make lemonade!" (His way of telling me he was making something out of my blah dough). It turned out to be a pizza, topped with Prego, cheese, and tomatoes. As we ate it, he kept telling me how delicious the crust was (it was a bit dense because he didn't want to let it rise, but the pizza itself was quite tasty). I'm grateful for an optimistic husband who goes to lengths to make me feel loved and successful. :)

Samuel's favorite place is his changing station. When we put him there, he's all smiles, even if he's just been terribly upset. This is a onesie that Keenan's stepmom, Mary, couldn't resist giving us. :)

Lastly, if you have time, this is a video of me trying to wake Samuel. We don't get the opportunity very often and found it amusing...

While Keenan Practices

It started pretty innocent. I couldn't see Samuel's face,
and I just wanted to know if he was still awake,
and I had my computer right there,
so I opened Photo Booth...

Soon enough we started posing.

And then it got fun...

Uncle Thomas would be so proud.

Sam's a real cuddler...

And a body builder... (like my bouffant?)

Hope he doesn't feel ill used.
But he's so darn photogenic.

This is what goes on while Keenan practices.

So much for that nap.

There very well may be more to come...

HAPPY ONE-MONTH BIRTHDAY (yesterday)!!!

(Cake successfully made by Keenan and Ben.)

Great Gratitude

As we speak, Keenan is wending his way to California, driving our truck of things (he flew back yesterday for them). We're finally moving into our new place, and are very excited to get settled again! Meanwhile, we've been very grateful to those who've housed us and moved us around: Nancy and Sara helped us get our stuff out of the Logan apartment (Nancy and Craig let Keenan stay at their place when he needed to commute back up for shows); Dad Reesor helped us move our stuff to SL from Logan on a trailer from work; G-ma Marshall let us keep all our stuff in piles in her garage; my family helped us unload the trailer into G-ma's garage, then back into the truck yesterday; my parents let us stay at their house for several weeks; Meredith graciously gave up her room for us; my Sorensen Grandparents let Keenan stay at their place in St. George last night en route back to CA; many others have given us gifts that have made this transition so much easier for us; and here in CA, our dear friends Ben and Carrie have fed and bedded us while we've found a place of our own (and helped us find it)! Thank you all so much!! We'll try to remember all the blessings we've received along the way, and the generous help we've been given so we can give it back as often as possible.

Honorary Uncle Ben's got this baby wrapped around his finger...

Honorary Aunt Carrie has the magic touch for a happy baby...

With these two, we went this week to hear Samuel's first Brahms Symphony (Symphony No. 1), masterfully rendered by the L.A. Phil at the Hollywood Bowl. Thanks to Brother Schiavo from the Huntington Ward for the free tickets. :) Samuel loved it -- he might want to play the French Horn now...

I've been told that I'm not posting enough pictures of me on this blog. I looked through my pictures in iPhoto and realized that it's because there are really no pictures of me with Samuel! Probably because I always have the camera. Most of the ones with me in them are taken by me, and are not worth posting. But I have managed to find a few here and there worth sharing:

A candid shot taken by Keenan of Aunt Nell, Sam, and me...

Samuel's one-week birthday at Tracy Aviary...

My two-week appointment with Susanna, the skilled midwife who delivered Samuel...

Me, Mom, and Aunt Ariel, and the two best cousins,
Sammy and Hammie...

Honorary Aunt Sara, me, and Samuel (I think he's smiling)...

Wonderful Uncle Thomas, who's sure to teach my little boy all sorts of fascinating things (i.e. how to read, write, button his shirt, shoot a basketball, play with cans, throw rocks in the river, count to 10 in Swahili, tell funny jokes, put the silverware away, and everything about animals)...

Our California Boy

Samuel is loving being back with Keenan. Like his Daddy, he seems to have developed quite an affinity for the piano. Maybe he loves violin as well, but I haven't played since he was born (but with recovery and a move to CA I hope that's understandable). He certainly got a healthy daily dose of it while I was pregnant. I suppose he'll either love it or he'll hate it. We'll make that discovery soon.

I'm sure Samuel will have a musical pursuit of his own in a few years, though we don't know yet. There does seem to be some evidence that he'll make a fine pianist, as he has his Daddy's fingers.

My brother Richard, also a fine pianist, tested Samuel at the piano last week and proclaimed he can reach a good fourth already! His long fingers reminded me of this picture of Rachmaninoff:

Little Sam is healthy and growing well. He gained a pound in his first week and a half of life, and is proving a hearty eater. I think he may be going through a growth spurt right now because he seems to want to eat all the time! I don't mind though... I like nursing well enough. :)

Here's a sunset afterglow of Samuel's first ocean view at Manhattan Beach. (Though he was eating the whole time we were there -- I don't think he noticed.)

He's getting more handsome every day. It's fun to watch his features become more defined. He's become a consistent smiler already (I don't know if that's unusual). The evening of his fifth day of life, he let out an unmistakable chuckle in his sleep, with a grin from ear to ear. We wonder who was teasing him! We love this little guy, and are so glad he's with us here.

(Note the spread of his fingers here:)