Recap

Good grief, it's been a long time since my last post. Lots of planning and errand-running for this past Saturday, when we celebrated Samson's first birthday by making 30 people try to stand comfortably in our 1200-square-foot house.

Samson has inherited his mother's looks and temperament (a good thing on both counts) but unfortunately has inherited my propensity to be sick on his birthday. I've been sick for at least half of mine --- including a weeklong bout of chicken pox for my 20th --- and so far Samson is one for one.

Actually, he was fine on his birthday, but he woke up the day of the party with snot that can only be described as tenacious clinging to his nose. Is there any sound more pathetic than a one-year-old who is too stuffy to handle his sippy cup? Just shallow sipping sounds and then a whimper. It breaks your heart, really.

Samson was a trooper, though, and fared pretty well on the day. We had lots of kids around, and set up the basement as a kind of free-trade zone for toddlers, so I think that worked out well for everyone. And he seemed content while down there with people his size. Among the adults, however, it was a different story. He was adamant about staying in either Vicki's arms or mine. Every once in a while he'd relent and go to one of his grandparents, but he wasn't his usual gregarious self.

Of course, the last time he was around this many people was the party after his christening, and he got passed around like the brown acid at Woodstock. Maybe his long-term memory is better than we know...