Turning over

Sam is now flipping over to his stomach all the time.


Saturday-morning walk with mom.


Taking a rest after all that activity!

Sam is concerned with the crisis in the financial markets

Sam is really concerned about the turmoil in the financial markets this week, especially the fall of Lehman and AIG. He keeps on top of his Wall Street Journal readings and doesn't approve of the goernment's bailout of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. He is working on forming some trade ideas (perhaps buying some mortgage-backed securities on the cheap?)


When he's not busy following the Dow, he unwinds from all the stresses of the current events in the markets by sucking on his fist. He gets really frustrated when it doesn't fit into his mouth.


He loves to go for "walks" in the stroller but, hehe, at 4 months, he doesn't really fit into it anymore (see above :) ).


Instead, he loves being held by all the relatives and looking around.




This is us on the deck by the pool at our apartment building.







Sam learned how to flip from back to front (but is still working on the front to back).

Sam's first visit to the beach

Sam enjoyed a day on Jersey Shore. Aunt Julia and cousin Nikki also came especially to see him. He also got to try his new Baby Bjorn carrier.


Sam: "Nice view from up here!"


Sam also tried out a new "Jumperoo" toy. It lets him jump up and down and swing.


Here, he's sitting in his favorite bouncy chair and "singing". He is making lots of singing and cooing noises these days. He also LOVES sucking on his fingers and is constantly trying to put his whole fist in his mouth. So far unsuccessfully, thankfully!

3-Months Birthday on August 18th

Sam received this letter from Julia, Nikki and Jake:

Hello there, members of Sam's family...We wanted to say Happy 3d month Birthday, but couldn't reach him on the phone he doesnt pick up. Also you can create an email address for Sam so in a year or two he can see who never forgot his little birthdays and always wrote to him, hehehe. Now he is 3 month OLD MAN. Happy Birthday malen'ki Sam and keep on smiling :) ( did you buy him a bright ballon? he enjoyed it a lot last birthday!) Love, Julia, Nikki and Jake.P.S. We got couple of little presents for him,hope he's gonna like it.

Sam's reply:

Dear aunt Julia, and cousins Nikki and Jake -

Thank you for wishing me a happy birthday. Sorry I could not pick up the phone when you called - I was busy shopping for watches with my daddy (see picture on the blog). I am becoming very proficient with the internet (I even chat every day on Skype with my grandfather in Russia) so there is no need for my parents to open an e-mail address for me, as you proposed. E-mail is too 20th century, which is, like, ancient history! That's before I was even born. Instead, I am going with the new age thing - my blog, so if you want to write me a message or congratulate me on my birthday, you can leave a comment on my blog. :)

My birthday was fun. I woke up, smiled, sang, ate, burped, ate, burped, played, cooed, slept, woke up, smiled, sang, ate, burped, ate, burped, played, cooed, slept, woke up, smiled, sang, ate, burped, ate, burped, played, cooed, slept, woke up, smiled, sang, ate, burped, ate, burped, played, cooed, slept, woke up, smiled, sang, ate, burped, ate, burped, played, cooed, slept. Talk about a busy body that I am!

I will definitely keep on smiling - in fact I learned how to laugh a couple of weeks ago. I don't really understand the jokes yet (especially the financial derivatives jokes my mother makes) but I understand when my parents laugh and start giggling too.

Looking forward to seeing all of you, hopefully at the beach this coming weekend!
- Sam

Out and about

Sam tries on a hat his mom had knit for him when she was expecting.


These hip clothes (including the Ralph Lauren shoes!) were given to Sam by aunt Julia and cousin Nikki, who came to visit.

Grandpa Yuri spoils Sam by playing with him and lifting him in the air. Sam likes it a lot - he smiles and giggles.

Our friends Sarah, Nathan and Noa gave us this teething toy. Although Sam isn't teething yet (and won't be for a few months), he loves grabbing it and sucking on it.

We took Sam on another day trip. This one was to the New Jersey Botanical Gardens. Here Sam is sleeping in grandpa's arms in the gardens.

Grandpa visits from Russia

Grandpa Yuri (Elena's dad) is visiting from Russia. This means that Elena and her mom get extra help, and Sam gets an extra person to play with him. Sam is getting spoiled!

Sam is so excited to see grandpa!

We are traveling more on weekends so grandpa Yuri has a chance to see more of the US. Sam had so many new impressions and got so excited that he fell asleep on grandpa's shoulder :)

Web shopping

Sam: "Wow, internet shopping is fun! Look at all those cool diapers and onesies I can get for myself! And the baby wipes are 50% off!"


Sam: "I don't need that much for happiness. Just feed me and play with me!"
Sam also went to the doctor this week with dad, grandma Vera and grandpa Yura, who is visiting from Russia for 3 weeks. He got his first round of vaccinations at the doctor's, and was measured and weighed in. He is now 13 lb 4 oz (about 6 kg) and 24 inches tall (about 60.5 cm).

First baseball hat

Today grandma Galina arrived with a baseball hat for Sam. It matches all his other blue outfits perfectly.


He is ready to go watch a ball game!

Sam has also started sleeping though the night a few weeks ago, at about 7 weeks of age. Lately he's been sleeping from about 10pm to 6 am. He also takes shorter naps during the day and eats more at a time, and less frequently (about 5-6 times in 24 hours). During the day, Sam smiles a lot and "talks" with lots of cooing noises. He also enjoys being outside, especially staring at moving objects, like tree leaves, clouds, and balloons.

Smiley face

We were finally able to get Sam's smile on camera :)


Sam visits Staten Island, NY, and hangs out in the botanical garden. Here he is with his grandma (Elena's mom).

2-month birthday

Happy 2nd month birthday! Grandma Galina (Vic's mom) came to celebrate Sam's birthday with us.


We are reading Sam's first books together. This one is Sesame Street.


"Yum!" Sam can hold his own bottle now while is eating.


Sam: "Now that I have Daddy's watch, I can make sure my parents feed me precisely every 3 hours!"

Play day

Sam tried out his new activity chair yesterday - he loved all the bright colors and animals attached to it.

For the past few weeks, he's been highly preferring being upright. He love sitting in chairs, in people's laps, on the couch, on the shoulders - anywhere. He turns his head from side to side a lot. It's all about getting the best view!

He can't voluntarily reach for things yet (that will come in a months or two), but he enjoys touching things that his hands happen to find. Sam also likes sucking his thumb and fists.

Sam goes travelling to Hoboken

July 4th weekend

Bath time with favorite duck


Sam loves sitting on his "throne".


Daddy and Sam's hands (for comparison purposes:) )

Little feet

Above are Sam's and Dad's feet side by side. And below, Sam is trying to smile but it's coming out a bit crooked. Nice try, though!

Tummy time

Sam is starting to lift his head while on his tummy. He also tries to move his hands and legs as if he is trying to crawl (but of course it's too early for that). He likes being on the tummy as it gives him a new and different view of the world :)

First hint of a smile

Sam has started smiling at 5 weeks. He now shows us these social smiles many times a day, especially when we play with him and when he hears loud syllables like " bah!", "Dah" or "Mah!". He likes when we speak his language. The smiles so far are very fleeting (they last just a couple of seconds) so they are hard to capture on camera, but we are trying. Stay tuned for a super-wide grin we are going to capture one of these days!