Summer day

We went outside to enjoy a beautiful summer day (sunny and 88F/31C). Here Vic and Sam are hanging out at a park nearby.


And, of course, Sam misses his grandma Vera, who had to go back to Russia last week to help out with her second grandchild - Elena's brother's baby who is due to be born any day now. Here, Sam is hanging out with grandma before she left, asking her for any tips on how to create mischielf for his parents.

Tooth!

Yesterday Sam finally got a tooth. It's one of the front teeth on the bottom, on the left side. We are so excited! Right now you can barely see it but I am sure he'll be biting everything in sight in no time.

Sammy also learned a new fun game - opening chest drawers and sticking his fingers in between them. Too bad his parents were such party poopers and installed child-proof locks so he can't open the drawers anymore.


Sam went to hang out on the grass in our local park. Although he crawls at home all the time, he couldn't quite figure out how to crawl on the grass, but decided to try eating it instead (too bad the evil parents ruined that fun game as well and didn't let him indulge his grazing tendecies)

Sam is learning other new skills as well. He now experiments with putting things on top of each other, such as putting a toy on the table. He likes to gather his toys in his little basket as well. We also weighed him today and he is 25.6 lb (11.6 kg) - growing very fast.

VIDEO: Daddy + Pacifier = Sam LOL

This is what happened when Daddy tried to be funny :)

Historic Fosterfields Farm, Morristown, New Jersey

This is an operating farm that was preserved since the mid-19th century. Here, we got to see a demonstration of how the cows get milked.


Sam was really excited to meet some pigs.


The farm also had a collection of historic cars and carriages from the beginning of the 20th century, which used to belong to the family that owned the farm then. Sam: "Beep-beep"!

Watch out!

Photo op

We took Sam to the mall to take some photos of him. Here's how they came out:

He was a bit afraid at first but then really enjoyed the photo shoot.

Sam couldn't stay in one place even for a second!

Sam really liked this bear, he even started giggling when he saw it.

Patriotic Trip to Virginia

Since Elena just became a U.S. citizen in February, and Sam is also a newly born American citizen, we decided to take a patriotic trip to historic Virginia to learn more about the U.S. history.


Sam is defending the fort behind the barricades. Enemies have no chance! (War Museum at Newport News, Virginia).


Here we are at Fort McHenry, near Baltimore, Maryland. An important battle was fought here in 1814, and after the battle, the American flag was still standing, inspiring one of the participants of the battle, Francis Scott, to write the "Star-Spangled Banner" to honor the flag. It later became the anthem.


At fort McHenry, Sam is playing on the grass next to the flag, on the site where the original Star-Spangled Banner stood in 1814.


Sam is checking out WWII tanks.


It's much more fun to crawl on top of a tank than on the floor.


Naval Aviation memorial at Virginia Beach, Virginia. Sam also really liked the Norfolk Naval Base.


Sam is checking out the replica of the White House Oval Office. Sam: "I like this office. Can I be President when I grow up?"


With the statue of George Washington at the Presidents' Park in Williamsburg, VA.


And, of course, enjoying a family meal (at Ruby Tuesday).

Russian Women's Day, March 8th

Here we are celebrating the Russian "8th of March" holiday at home. This holiday is similar to the U.S. Mother's Day, but it honors not only mothers, but all women.

Dinner at Harold's Restaurant, in New Jersey

Sam says: "Yum!" Those fries are really that huge. And the pastrami sandwich was about 4 inches thick. Harold's is a famous deli that specializes in super-size portions.

Princeton University: shopping for colleges

With resume in hand, Sam decided to visit some colleges he might want to attend later on. Here he is checking out Princeton University, and was considering getting himself an orange and black t-shirt. Go Tigers!


Sam is checking out the French impressionist paintings at the Princeton Art Museum. This one by Manet.


Sam found this particular Roman sculpture amuzing (it's missing hands and nose!)

You Are Fired!

This is Sam's best immitation of Donald Trump. Do you like The Donald hairdo?

Sam's resume

Sam needed to apply for daycare schools. To be a more impressive candidate, he put together a resume:

Samuel Izmaylov
XX Hudson St Apt XX, Jersey City, NJ xxxxx
cutesammy@cutesammy.comxx

EDUCATION:
The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania (In Utero)
Listened to second-year business school classes, including Marketing, Finance and Management courses

Prenatal Yoga Classses (In Utero)
Learned to kick mom in any position, even suspended upside down or horizontally

Deutsche Bank Securities, AG
Helped mom study for the Global Markets Boot Camp training by "organizing" her finance notes, throwing them around and chewing on them

COMPUTER SKILLS:
Can bang on the keyboard with fists very loudly
Has his own blog, boyizmaylov.blogspot.com

LANGUAGE AND VERBAL SKILLS:
Says "dah-dah", "mmm-dah", "bah-bah", and "ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma"

OTHER USEFUL SKILLS:
Can suck on his toes
Can throw toys at moving objects, such as his parents
Has a strong, resonant, commanding voice
Is able to fall asleep within 5 minutes of getting into the car

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Travelled to Mexico and Barbados in utero, and Florida at age 7 months
Became Dual Citizen at Age of 2 months (Russia and U.S.)

REFERENCES: Available upon request - please ask Noa Snook.

New Jersey Flower Show

Sam's mischievous smile gives away that he is plotting strategies about how to knock down the flowers and plants at the exhibit.


This is a Japanese garden display. The trees behind us are blooming, and it's February!

Fort Lee, New Jersey

Sam visited Fort Lee in New Jersey, which was an important fort during the American Revolutionary War in 1776. Here we are in front of a cannon.


Some historical artifacts.


The view of George Washington Bridge from Fort Lee, from New Jersey to Manhattan.


Sam also visited Edison, New Jersey, the museum dedicated to the inventor of the light bulb. The tower behind him is the Edison Tower with a huge light bulb on top of it.

Lesson in art appreciation (Jersey City Art Museum)

Sam got a lesson in art appreciation on a field trip to an art museum. Although Sam liked the impressionist paintings and Japanese prints, he definitely prefers modern art at this stage. Probably because it has lots of geometric shapes and bright colors! :) This one was a painting/sculpture in the shape of World Map, made of pieces of trash.


This artwork is made of old recycled car tires. Sam thought this piece was very moving, because to him it represented something old and traditional, juxtaposed on environmental concerns for the Planet Earth and reborn to be a beautiful piece of art.


At home, grandma Galina is reading books to Sam. This one is about the adventures of a Russian cartoon character "Kolobok". Kolobok is kind of a small friendly neighborhood bagel (without a hole) who rolls around and gets in trouble because everyone is trying to eat him.

Crawling

Sam is crawling everywhere now, and he espesially likes his new padded carpet. He also figured out how to take it apart and is snacking on it.


Sam's favorite positions as of late - one foot on the "table".


This is Sam's first favorite actual non-liquidy food - a rice puff. He had one today for the first time and liked it a lot.

Yum yum

This is Sam's first visit to IHOP (International House of Pancakes restaurant), which is very popular in New Jersey. He's checking out the menu, and is contemplating the option of "All You Can Eat Pancakes Are Back!" Too bad he has no teeth yet and can't eat any!


Sam: "Turns out rubber duckies aren't as yummy as the IHOP pancakes!"

Road Trip!

Sam went traveling with grandparents to Deep Cut Gardens, in New Jersey. Here, he is in the car at a rest stop.


Back home, Sam started "walking" around his crib while holding to the walls. A couple of days ago he also started crawling (mostly when he's incentivized with bottles and toys).

Sam's first vacation (to Miami, Florida)

Sam is working on his tan in Miami Beach.


Sam has been watching the Olympics this summer and wants to start his swimming training early to be like Michael Phelps. He is starting with learning backstroke, and already has a pair of (diaper) speedos.


Here we are visiting the Coral Castle (a castle entirely made of ancient coral rock).


Here we are sitting on a "throne" in the Coral Castle. The throne was carved out of stone by an eccentric architect.


Sam loves riding atop grandpa - he giggles a lot when he gets to ride him.


Celebrating the New Year's in Florida.

Sam appears to have put on some vacation weight :) . We just measured him today and he weighs about 22 lbs. He has also learned how to get on all-fours, but hasn't figured out how to crawl yet. Also, he can now stand up by himself with the support of the crib wall.

Sam's First Christmas