Potty Training and Barbershop Banquet

I'm not sure if these two subjects go together or not, but they are occurring at approximately the same time, so...

Mommy & Nevi started potty training about 2 weeks ago, and things started off very smoothly. We're now using "Pull-ups" diapers about half the time, and each of the three levels of our home have a potty chair. We'll keep you posted as the results continue to come in.

Also, Our annual Boulder Timberliners Barbershop Banquet was last weekend, and we had a great turnout! Nevi enjoyed running all around A Spice of Life Catering Center in Boulder with Mommy & Daddy, playing ring-around-the-rosie, and dancing up a storm. We, the audience, were treated to the Ponderosa Vigilantes quartet, and the accompaniment of our dancing daughter. In all my years of Barbershop, I don't really recall watching anybody dance to a performance, but the crowd seemed to appreciate the youthful vitality her choreography contributed.

Birthday Party - Surprise!

The subject of this blog is (officially) Neviah K. Seal, and the narration is usually provided by Nevi's mother, Kate. However, in a few occasional instances, her father, Robb (that's me!) takes on the role of storyteller.

I thought it quite appropriate to narrate the blog about my 40th birthday (which was now over a month ago...so timely I am!), and the enjoyable adventures we had that day. Our first activity was to head up to the Coors Event Center on University of Colorado campus, to see the Buffs play Oklahoma State in a basketball showdown. Now, growing up in the basketball mecca of Indiana, I have seen my share of epic crowds, but in all the games I've attended in Boulder, the turnout has been lackluster at best. But take a young, charismatic Colorado Buffaloes team with a lively first-year head coach, coming off two upsets of top 25 teams in a row, and you get the recipe for a sell-out crowd. It was the most exciting game I've seen in over a decade, and we were lucky to even get tickets (a security guard handed us a free pair as we filed in, compliments of a season-ticket holder who had two extra)...happy birthday to ME! Nevi and Kate had hoped to make it til halftime, but the energy of the crowd and the energy of the kiddo were just too much. They hopped in their car after buying me a couple hot dogs, and I scooted home by bus after a thrilling, come-from-behind 75-71 victory!

Next step was the Steelers game, which we had planned to watch at Old Louisville Inn. Nevi had a great nap, and we headed off for a 4:00 Happy Hour. As we walked in to the main part of the restaurant, Kate mentioned "not a whole lot of people in here..." which made me a little suspicious. As we descended the stairway to the private room in back, I was greeted with the shouts and "Happy Birthday's" of 30+ of my closest friends. Kate had thrown me a surprise party! I had many awesome conversations, Nevi had lots of friends to play with and the Steelers had a dramatic, come-from-behind playoff victory over Baltimore.

Keeping the night alive after Kate & Nevi went home, I went out for Karaoke at Dillinger's (my neighborhood pub), with Ron & Chad, where the Packer's were putting the final touches on their blowout victory over Atlanta. Ron & I then ended up at Chrispy's band's rehearsal till the wee hours of the morning, and I found out later that the Hoosiers won, too. Sports: 4 for 4, and the best birthday of my entire life! (so far)

Thanks to Kate & Nevi for pulling off the amazing surprise, and letting me have a day filled with peace & freedom!

Winter Wonderland

Well, these pictures about say it all...it's been a great month of off & on sledding, off & on summer-like days and off & on below zero temperatures. Makes it hard to try to teach a concept like the changing of the seasons. Daddy broke the sled just a few minutes after these pictures were taken, and we had to use a remnant of plastic (see video) to make a few more runs down this hill just outside our home here in Lafayette, CO (The "Centaur West Hill"). Nevi loves sledding. Not sure if she's a full-on thrill-seeker yet, but if her screams of excitement are any indication of our future, we could be nail-biting parents for a long time to come!