18 months

While in FL, Sawyer Rose hit the 18 month mark.  Here's the monthly update...


A few of Sawyer's latest tricks include:

• Mini sentences (e.g. "books with Daddy", "no, Maya, stop it!", or "crackers and (peanut) butter, pleeeeease")
• Counting (she can get to 5-6... the best is when she chimes in to do the pre-timeout warning counting when she or E are about to get in trouble)
• Walking upright down stairs (this activity is banned when Mom is present, however)

A few of Sawyer's latest favorite things include:

• Coloring (S loves the girls' IKEA easel and scribbles a pageful of creations daily)
• The Sesame Street crew (especially "Mel-mo")
• Park time (especially the slides)

BFFs

It didn’t take long for E & S to buddy up with Landen and Blake, and by the end of the week the fearsome foursome were definitely BFFs.  Case in point, Sarah told us that on their flight home Landen asked if "those girls" could move to Boston.  

The feeling is mutual, little buddy.

The locals

Our spring break felt a little Groundhog Dog-esque, as we essentially repeated the same routine daily... and in doing so, we made friends with several of the "locals".  

Bird-wise, the great blue herons showed off their fishing skills daily and the funky-looking snowy egrets  would pop in from time to time to survey the scene.  Seaside, a number of dolphins playfully passed by a few times... oh, and then there was the too-close-for-comfort manatee sighting (had I not grown up on 'Jaws' or had E in my arms as the 7-8 foot monster nearly collided with us, perhaps I'd have felt differently about this!).

1st solo swim!

Evie’s confidence in the water grew daily, and by mid-week (with a little help from her wings) was swimming “all my myshelf, like a big girl!”.

S, the inlander

Sawyer, on the other hand, loved her spring break but was no fan of the water… cursing the ocean, “no, wa-wa, no!” if it dare splash her or creep too close.  The sand eventually grew on her, but our little Rose spent a lot of time taking it all in from her beach chair. By far, her favorite beach activity was chasing the laughing gulls away every evening.

E, the beach bum

Evie absolutely loved every aspect of beach life… the waves, the sand, the sunsets, the breeze, the wardrobe (hats, flips, sunglasses) - everything.  The poor girl sobbed nearly the entire commute from our rental to the airport in Tampa devastated the fun was over.

I’m not showing her pictures of the trip and don’t plan to take her near an ocean ever again for fear she’ll leave us for bluer pastures when she grows up!

Spring break, Florida style

Linds, I and the girls crashed a Johnson family tradition this year, joining Dan & Sarah (and their boys, Landen & Blake) on their annual spring break getaway to Anna Maria Island.  We spent an amazing seven days and seven nights relaxing in the Florida sun.  

So great to get back together again, Dan & Sarah.  We miss you guys!

Happy Easter

Before 2012's egg hunt, Ev took a moment to share part of the Easter story with her little sis'.

Flower girls

I know it's taboo to give a sneak peak of a bride's wedding gown, but haven't seen any rules posted on flower girl dresses... so I just had to share these gems from E & S' shopping trip.  

Auntie La, there's going to be quite the princess competition on 10/26! 

Happy Birthday, LMB

Sure, motherly sacrifices are part of the gig... but poor Linds has had to, and probably will continue to, go above and beyond when it comes to her birthday celebration.   

• In '09 she was 9 months pregnant with E
• In '10 she was a couple months pregnant with S
• And, in '11 she shared a birthday weekend with E (and by "share" I mean, Evie stole the weekend and Linds got a rain check)

Well, '12 wasn't set up to look much different... but we did our best to make it up to her with breakfast in bed (featuring her fave, the Isle Bun), dinner and 'Hay Fever' at the Guthrie... and then a night on the town pub crawling Lyndale Avenue with a bar-ful of friends.