Sam Hanna, A User's Guide

When Elise and I went to the hospital to have Peter, she wrote the following 'manual' for the grandparents. I want to keep it for posterity and I think this is a better place than my computer...


Sam Hanna, A User’s Guide:

Wake up: Between 6:00am and 7:00 (preferably 7:00 for a more ‘spirited’ morning!)

Change Diaper: All Sam’s clothes/diapers are in the right hand side of dresser

Breakfast: (He eats at the counter on a stool or at the table at a bar stool)
Cup of milk (‘milk dis’ can be heard for miles when he wants some) some typical breakfasts: 1 egg scrambled & banana, cheerios with or without milk & banana, pancakes & syrup, waffle

Get dressed (good luck!)

Play/go outside/go to park down by mailbox/read books/go on errands

Lunch: Sam is not a big fan of lunch but will tend to eat better if he eats before his nap. Cup of milk & raisins, pretzels, applesauce, turkey or ham, ½ a peanut butter sandwich (flattened like a pancake and grilled like grilled cheese, or not!….paul’s trick!) a little schmorgazbord of a little bit of a few different things for him to pick at usually does the trick.

11:30- 12:30 Naptime Starts: (if he got up early he’ll start getting cranky and dazed about 11am if he got up later he’ll be ok until 12:30 or so.

Change diaper, Yellow Blanky, pacifier and read two books then into the crib awake, door just pulled closed not latched and he should be out like a light. He may want to take one small truck or train into the crib to play while he drifts off. He may cry or whine for a minute or play for a few minutes then ‘zonk’ out.

1:30-2:30 Naptime ends: Try not to let him sleep more than 2 or 2.5 hours, you’ll most likely have to wake him up. Just open shades and bang around and he’ll wake up…usually slowly :)

Change Diaper, & have a snack. Crackers, cookie, piece of a banana….

Play/go outside/go to park down by mailbox/read books/go on errands

5:30 or 6:00 Dinner: Cup of milk and a few ideas…… Noodles, plain or with butter, green peas (in freezer), shelled edamame (in freezer), corn, cheese quesadilla, rice, pizza, cous cous

Dessert: if he eats a decent dinner, a little tiny bit of ice cream or a couple of animal cookies (in pantry)

Play

7:00 Bathtime (if you dare!) :) his room, toys in tub, towel hanging on hook above toilet, washcloths in left-hand bathroom drawer

PJ’s in bottom right-hand drawer of dresser, comb in diaper drawer Pacifier and Yellow blanky……Play for a few minutes and read stories in his room. Give him a five minute warning before bed time or tell him ‘just two more books’

8:00 Bedtime: he should go right down, no lights, no nightlight, door just pulled closed, light on in our bathroom until we go to sleep usually is his only light. He may cry for a few minutes, if longer than that you can get him up and let him read a few more stories and try again at 8:30.

All is negotiable, all is at your discretion. This is our typical schedule but don’t worry if it doesn’t go this way, this is just a helpful hints guide to the day. If you can’t manage or don’t want to manage a bath or can’t get him to bed by 8:30 or even 9pm we don’t care and it won’t kill him for a few days!

He will drink a gallon of milk a day if you let him. Try to give food first before milk or just a half a cup to start then food then more milk after he’s eaten a bit.

Car seat in J. Arms through straps, latch chest harness (clicks together) then snap each latch into crotch latch :) to release press red/orange button between legs and unlatch chest harness with center circle/button and remove arms.

Orange stroller is in the trunk of the J if needed


Helpful Translations for Sam-speak:
“ma dis” = milk please
“ass” = yes
“mlecks” = water
“bom” = ball