World Cup 2028

Samantha's walking has progressed SO much in the last few weeks. She is now able to dribble a soccer ball across the backyard. Maybe USA Soccer will have a new star for the future?

Happy Halloween!

We've had lots of Halloween fun going on here in the Smith house.

Jason and I went to an adult Halloween party last night with all of our friends - it was a blast.

We were Tiger Woods and Elin, circa Thanksgiving 2009.

Carson is Superwhy today and Sam is a ballerina - It's a lot of cuteness to handle!

Samantha and Baba get ready to cheer for the Hawkeyes against MSU.

Go Hawks!

Carson and Samantha at their Teeny Weeny Halloweeny party at the Bicklers on Friday.

Samantha and Daddy at the pumpkin patch

Carson and Mommy take on the Super Slide at the patch...

Brother and sister enjoying some treats!

Happy Halloween everybody!

Lucky us!

Well, we are getting ready to celebrate Sam's first birthday in just a week and a half.

We are so lucky to have her in our family - I really can't express my deep love for her or how I feel like I have known her so much longer than one year.

It's like we've been together forever somehow.

Samantha has taught us many things in her short time on this Earth.

For example....

She's taught us that you can eat many, many things with only two teeth.

She's taught us that you can make mince meat out of someone much bigger than you

if you are keen and sneaky.

She's taught us that the second child can be as bright and brilliant as the first in so many other ways that we never imagined.

She is cool. Calm. Collected. And silly.

She claps to music that Papa Dennis used to love.

She loves to play ball.

And Daddy makes her laugh the hardest.

She lives and loves with passion and wears her heart on her sleeve.

She studies the world carefully and seems to know things you are sure you never taught her.

What a special year it has been to know our perfect, beautiful, and one and only

Samantha.

I can't wait to see what this next year will bring.

Another lifetime of love is in store for us every day that she is with us.

How lucky we are, and we'll never forget it!

Take down

Carson and Samantha had their first knock down, drag out last night. It was all out of love.

It was a great match-up....I do think Samantha won (sorry Carson)....She's scrappy!

First steps

Here's a video of Samantha's walking....she is getting the hang of it!

Her record is about 8 steps in a row....I am sure it won't be long before we're up to 500.

Card trick

Carson can make Samantha laugh harder than anyone else in the world.

Check it out for yourself!