"Tha bowah is jest obsessed with hawses."

Single-minded.  Loyal.  Devoted.  Yes, some may even say obsessed.  These words describe Samuel's relationship with horses.  He wakes up asking for horses, and goes into his crib crying because he has to leave them.  We tried letting him have a horse or two in the crib with him, but he stayed up for hours playing with them.  Yesterday, he brought me a book saying "horses, horses" as he toddled over.  He showed me the spine of the thin children's book, and sure enough, there was a small horse logo printed on its side.  If there's a horse, he will find it.

As my dad put so well in his old South drawl, the boy is just obsessed with horses.

Samuel and Dad went to see the
Lipizzaner Stallions this spring.

Samuel's love relationship with horses has persisted for the past six months with unswerving and possibly increasing fervor.  He's added some side interests - frogs, cats, sheep, cows, even his baby sister.  But the passion for horses is unaffected.  I'm not sure I've ever had something in my life I've been so devoted to like Samuel and his horses.  But I think he and his sister are changing that for me.

Baby Caroline at 3 months with Grandma