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!

Addendum - Ahma Ahpa visit

Ahma wanted us to post some pictures of Nevi going on the train. I didn't see any good ones in ours, but they sent some, so here they are:

Holiday Highlights, cont'd

Holiday Highlights!

Whew! Just uploaded a fresh crop of pictures from the new camera and finished up a lot of little 2010-ending details. Now we're really ready to go with the new year.

Christmas was phenomenal- we felt truly blessed to receive abundant gifts and sharing during the holiday season. Nevi was a Christmas Critter to the Core, often chiming in with "ho ho ho's" and a chorus of "Jingle Bells" when we least expected it. We got to spend the holiday with Ahma & Ahpa (Robb's parents, Jan & Jim), and there was plenty of good cheer to go around. Highlights included The Waterloo, Chuck E Cheese, Monkey Business, lots of swinging and various other outdoor activities, driving around to see the holiday lights on Christmas night, and skiing at Loveland (just Robb & Jim).

After they left, it was a quick lunch with Robb's college fraternity brother Paul, and his wife Hope and daughter Aspen, at the Jeffco (Rocky Mountain Metro) Airport Runway Grill. We got to eat and watch the planes take off with a good view of the mountains!

Then, we got our first good snow of the season a few days ago, and got the kiddo out sledding for the first time. It was a little chillier than what she's used to, but she stuck it out and we laughed a lot going down the hill.

Also, we got a new addition to our family. While Robb & Nevi were running an errand at Office Max last week, they stopped in to PetSmart to look at the fishies and kitties and got blindsided by an adorable feline named "Jack." And even though we've never thought of Kate as a "cat person," it turns out that Jack's little web of magic and love was too much for her to resist. He's spent most of the time since we brought him home yesterday hiding under a bed or behind the couch or the furnace, but he's eaten, and used the litter box, and come out for an occasional nuzzle and purr.

Happy New Year to everybody! We're looking forward to a productive and rewarding 2011!

Holiday Festivities

Tis the season for parties and Santa! We had fun at my work holiday party where Nevi got to play with a little girl very close to her age. They made funny faces, chased each other down the hallway and went up and down the stairs too many times to count. Nevi also got to meet Santa Claus in person but truthly wanted no part of him. She was happy to meet him when he was walking out to greet everyone but when it came time to sit in his lap, she panicked. Just like me when I was her age. Maybe next year....