So how has recent life been in my house? Let's recap the events in Sammy's world of the past week:

• We got Sam a jumper - you know, the kind you hang from a door frame.
  
  It wasn't very expensive, and since Sam just adores being held in a standing position and jumping on our laps, we thought he might enjoy this new toy. It has been a huge hit; I put him in it in the morning and sit in front of him while I put on my makeup. Most of the time, though, he totally ignores my presence as he jumps around in circles and hops on one foot, then the other.
  
  The only drawback is that he's now frustrated that he can't use the jumper to propel himself about the house. He keeps trying to jump out into the hallway, but the spring pulls him back. Maddening, he thinks.


• He's working on learning to sit up. In his carseat, on my lap, anywhere he's in a semi-reclining position is a perfect spot to practice; he lunges his head forward and swims his arms, bicycling his legs in the air. He's willing to accept help, but if he doesn't get the assistance he needs, he isn't bothered.


• Rolling over is Sam's other big goal for the moment. Honestly, I think Eric and I are more determined than he is for this one, though, if only because Sam keeps leaving us in suspense. He consistently rolls almost completely from back to front, then gets distracted by something else and rolls back onto his back with a smile. Every time I think he's got it, he tricks me; I'll just bet that he's rolling over and over when my back is turned.


• He's morphed into a little Jabber Jaws, babbling away nonstop. On the changing table, he uses a squeaky, falsetto voice to sing to me; when he plays on the floor, he prefers a more nasal voice, a la Shaggy. When he starts to get tired, it's a "Mmm-mmm-mmm!" sound, repeated ad nauseum. Every once in a while, he'll mimic the sounds of a common phrase we use to him, and it sounds frighteningly as if he's talking to us: "Aiyoo!" ("Hey, you!") or "Oboy" ("Oh, boy!").


• Have I mentioned just how unbelievable happy he is? I mean, this is a giggly baby the likes of which I have never before seen! He especially likes Eric and me to play a particular game with him which involves a hand circling over his body as we recite:
  

  Here comes the bumblebee, here comes the bumblebee,
  Here comes the bumblebee, he's going to get Sam!

   - and "Sam" is said with a screech as we tickle him under the ribs. Daddy elicits much bigger giggles with this game than Mommy does, though laughs are always forthcoming. Now he begins laughing whenever he sees the hand start to circle.
  
  He also cracks up laughing whenever I dance for him. Now, I'm not a wonderful dancer by any stretch of anybody's imagination, but I think that might be part of the charm of it for him. I start jumping and bouncing, and Sam's grin stretches from ear to ear as he rocks with laughter.

Well, that's Sam; what about me? What have I been doing? I've been:

• Worrying about my little brother in Florida, and my parents' plane on their trip to visit him
• Rummage sale hopping for winter clothing for Sam
• Enjoying our new DSL
• Trying to arrange my birthday

I had Sam lying safely on a blanket in the middle of the living room floor while I cleaned the kitchen; the television was on, and I was half-listening to The Rosie O'Donnell Show in the background. When I stopped to look in on Sam, he had his head cranked back as far as it would go to try to watch the television. I sent a few pictures of it to her magazine; maybe they'll publish them and the grandmas will have something nice for their scrapbooks.

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