14 months

On 12/13, SRB hit the 14 month mark.  Here's the monthly update:

A few of Sawyer's latest tricks include...

• Playing "parrot" (S isn't a big talker, but will say just about anything if you ask... "da-da", "ma-ma", "ed-dy", etc.)
• Making animal noises (she knows a ton of them, but when in "silly mode" she'll answer all "what sound does a ____ make" questions with a "raawwrrrrr!" and a proud giggle)
• Surgeon-esque hand-eye control (for example, S will stack blocks into a tower higher than even big sis' E can!)

A few of Sawyer's latest favorite things include...

• Holding Mom or Dad's hand and going on exploratory walks
• Books (she'll dig though the book basket and hop in your lap with a book multiple times a day)
• Playing Mom's/Dad's/E's little helper (S beams with pride when following "S, can you get Mommy a ____" orders)

Happy Holidays!

E-wishing all of our blog followers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

35

Linds and the girls treated dear ol' Dad to the traditional breakfast in bed on 12/20, my 35th.

MOvemeber

This November, I joined an up-and-coming men's health awareness and fundraising campaign called Movember.  Mo' men pledge to grow and sport mustaches for the entire month of November.  As you can imagine, the "awareness" building element came easy... as nothing is a better conversation starter than a ridiculous, spotty, partially grown mustache.


The hard part was raising funds... but thanks to Dad, Joe, La, Dan, Kim, Bob, Dawn, the McNerneys, the Furbers, Geraldine, Anna, Rachel and Fang I was able to raise nearly $500 for the cause (8th out of 50+ of my General Mills Mo' Men team, which collectively raised over $15,000!).  Thanks guys... I really appreciate it.


Also, a half sincere / half sarcastic thanks to Liesl for giving Evie a way to participate, teaching her how to tattoo a marker mustache on her finger and ask "do you like my mustache?".  It was quite the hit at school, I understand.  :-{)

Cousins

Griff and Maya got in some QT with "cousin" Carter over the holiday break.  Shown above, the three beasts compete in a game of fetch.

Two Uncle Joes?

Well, the Thanksgiving of 2011 will certainly be one to remember.  Shortly before sitting down for the feast Fairmont, Laura found a surprise visitor on bended knee in the driveway of Mom's house.*


Yep, Joe "put a ring on it"!  Congrats, you two... we're couldn't be happier for you!  In E's words, "Now I got TWO Uncle Joes!".


*For the extended version, contact Laura directly.

Fall fun

One of the many "joys of parenting" is bringing childhood traditions out of retirement... like jumping into huge piles of freshly raked fall leaves.

Two thoughts on this particular fall tradition... [1] I don't think I realized, 30 years ago, that my diving into those leaves completely undid hours of work of raking (sorry, Dad!), and [2] I really wish Minneapolis would remove the leaf burning ban... though only partially for nostalgia sake, as stuffing nearly 30 bags with leaves (in my treeless lot, mind you) is a pain in the butt/back/knees/legs/neck.

13 months

On 11/13/11 Sawyer Rose turned 13 months.  Here's the (much delayed) monthly update:


A few of Sawyer's latest tricks include...

• Point & Grunt communication (which is amazingly effective)
• Mastery of, when in the mood, the "where's your ___" game (she's got most of her head parts down)
• Giving kisses (open-mouthed, of course)

A few of Sawyer's latest favorite things include...

• Her coat (randomly throughout the day she'll retrieve it from the coat rack and return it to you grunting and signing "please")
• Sharing a bowl of cereal with Dad in the morning
• Music Class (her teachers say that whenever the music teacher enters the classroom, S squeals, sprints over to the "group time" mat, sits and starts clapping)