Woodlands Weekend

Barley finally accepted her new shared life with Sean. Sean, at this point, oblivious. What cat?

Sean has had a busy developmental week. He made peace with the fact that he has "hands" attached to "arms" that are under his control! In fact, he can use the hands and arms to push his pacifier back into his mouth! Sean also started doing sit-ups in his child seat, trying to reach objects in his lap. He also tries to grab things, with limited success. Glasses and hair watch out!

Aunt Heather snuggles with Sean

Elissa finally winds down Saturday night

Sunday the Pasta family went to the Woodlands Waterway Art Festival. Over 200 booths on the relatively new waterway. Beautiful! Except for visible construction the photos look to me like artist's renderings. We spent several hours at the festival and then walked through Market Street. The area as a whole is an impressive venue.

The Woodlands was started by a Federal program to create urban centers outside of large cities. It was the only successful project in the program and only took off after George Mitchell bought it in 1974. Mitchell is a very successful oil and gas explorer who went on to conduct major revitalization projects in his native Galveston.

Easter in Kerrville

We spent Easter in Kerrville. Friday was great. The weather was awesome. David biked ahead of the group to Fredericksburg to get 20 miles in - the first of the year.

We picnicked outside of Fredericksburg and then drove to Llano to see the wildflowers.

Saturday was completely different. High of 36F and rain and sleet. In Kerrville that means (for Dave) read the Kerrville, Austin and San Antonio papers and THEN go to the sMall - what locals call the very small mall. Sean took his picture with the Easter Bunny at the sMall.

Sunday we went to Easter service at 1st Pres. - great as always.

Sean, over the weekend, really started to grab at objects and bat them around. See video and other pics HERE.

First off, some wildflowers - above a prickly poppy

A field of Bluebonnets outside Llano

Sean getting gussied up

Is this really my style???

Sean on TV!

Sean's bluebonnet picture (see below) was featured on the weather broadcast on Fox's local newscast this evening, thanks to Uncle Greg's meddling! Click HERE

In other breaking Sean news: he now realizes he has a right arm and can use it to bang on the baby swing tray.

Bluebonnet Outing

First, some Sean updates. His weight steadily progresses - he is up to 12.1 lbs. He smiles all the time. He is now somewhat aware that his hands actually belong to him. He is making jittery attempts, sometimes successful, to target and grab things. He is probably going through a growth spurt right now - he has been awake for a total of 45 minutes today, not including eating!

Saturday night the Carters came over to visit. Their oldest tried to encourage Sean to dance while we all watched Florida advance to play Ohio State for the NCAA Basketball title.

The junior Pastas and Boyces, along with uncle Greg, picnicked at Washington on the Brazos on Sunday. This was once the site of the national capitol of the Republic of Texas.

We were out-and-about taking part in an annual Texas tradition - taking pictures of children buried in wildflowers. The initial picnic went fine, however the kids were tired by picture time.

Greg and Elissa play "Elissa tosses the football in any direction and watches Greg try to catch it."

Sean has little interest in his first bluebonnet picture - see all the pictures HERE.

The last straw - cute sibling picture is derailed by cranky, hot, children

Late Report on a Very Social Weekend

Here is Sean looking cute and apologetic for a whole 8 days with no updates!

All social weekends should start with baths. Sean likes them fine, except for the end. Here the parents experiment with warming methods.

Friday night the Johnson's came over and we trapped them until late. Todd and David got to talking about internet based productivity tools and suddenly it was10:30pm! We got all young partyers asleep before any sleep related incidents happened.

On Sunday we went to the Bayou City Art Festival with Darlene. We managed not to break the bank, but bought lots of cool wooden toys. Saturday night the Pasta parents, Joanne and Kerry came over for dinner. The Pasta Parents treated with Fu's Garden. Mmmm. Sean was looking at the General Tso's chicken suspiciously. All pictures are on cameras not in this household.

Above is Carol using Sean to practice holding Isaac, who will be coming along soon! The Heiders, Joanne, Darlene, Greg, and the Boyces came over Sunday night for hamburgers and gourmet sausage.

Aunt Joanne brought Barley and Sean Peeps Dolls!

Just a cute picture.

Jenn's St. Patrick's Day Wedding

For the first time in his short life Sean was upstaged, by Jennifer at her wedding. Dad has to admit that this is the first time since Sean was born that a picture folder on the computer is named after someone other than Sean! Sean was very good at the wedding and was awake and entertaining the guests from 5pm to 9pm! Sean's Dziadziu was the fill in photographer when the original photographer called in trapped in Tennessee.

Sean dressed up for Jenn's wedding

Sean on location at the Villa Capri on Clear Lake

Dave H. looks for his bride's approach. Dziadziu Pasta fills in as wedding photographer after the hired photographer is stuck in Tennessee.

The Bride's party: Sister Kimmie, Sean's aunt Joanne, Sesil and Dave H's sister Leslie

Dave H, Jenn's Dad, Jenn, and the bridesmaids with Clear Lake in the background

March Madness

Sean helps Dziadziu Pasta root for his alma mater Niagra University against Kansas

Unfortunately Kansas prevailed over Niagra. Sean is now focused on helping Daniel and Rachel root for their Grandpa's alma mater, Xavier, over Ohio State - even though that will somewhat damage Daddy's bracket. So far so good!

A&M and UT are both in the second round. A&M plays Louisville today at 2:40 - go Ags!

Daddy went 26 and 6 in his picks for the first round of the tournament.

Let's Rodeo!

March in Houston means its time for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo! Mom and Aunt Joanne took Sean to his first Livestock show. First he had to try on some overalls...

The final choice, appropriately, was an Aggie's outfit. Here Sean considers goats (Grandma Pasta's favorites!)

Here Sean witnesses the clash of two cultures as he poses next to Bevo, mascot of the University of Texas

Miss Moo with Sean 2007

Miss Moo with cousin Elissa in 2006 - she looks so young!

Dave at 2 Months

Daddy is taking a break from doing taxes...

I am a little biased, but I am thinking Sean is cuter. Look at all that hair!

The SIDS picture! Yes, that is a trunk.

2-Month Dr. Visit (with shots!)

Sean's 2-month Dr. visit went well. He is 25" long (95th %), 11lbs 7ozs (50th %) and his head circumference is 25th % - a tall skinny baby.

He received 5 shots - not a happy occasion. He did calm fairly quickly.

He has been very active and "talks" a lot. To allay aunt Keri's fears from the last post - he was in the exersaucer for just 5 minutes under close supervision with his head against the head rest - just a trial run. His neck strength is very good, so don't be surprised to see him in the 'saucer more soon!

Two short, yawny, clips: HERE

The obligatory sleeping picture - Barley caught me, though!

Where is Sean

Click HERE for more pictures

Sean had a growth weekend. He slept almost all day on Saturday - including a visit to the Ima Hogg house at Brazos Bend to see azaleas. Grandma and Grandpa Boyce accompanied us and we met with Nick, Heather and Elissa. Afterwards we had a late lunch at The Spaghetti Western. Good food!

Saturday night the Boyce's were over for Angelo's gourmet pizza - good stuff! Barbara won at 80's trivia, too!

Sunday morning Grandma and Grandpa Boyce left early for Florida for a wedding. Sean slept for 11 hours! We tried to wake him up after 8 hours to eat, and no going. He and Dad slept through the mid-morning.

Sunday for Barbara was focused on catching up with contract work. David pruned crape myrtle and weeded and fed the front lawn.

Sean's 2nd 5 minutes in the bouncy toy

A late picture of Sean at the beach

Sean on the beach!

Sean, David and Elissa

An azalea - see Picassa for all the flower pictures

Sean pre-weekend update

On Tuesday and Wednesday nights the family stayed at the San Luis Resort in Galveston to ease David's commute to an ISP conference being held there. Sean's first hotel stay went well. He very pleasantly met most of his Dad's co-workers from across the globe on Wednesday night.

Sean weighed in Thursday after his first ever non-crying bath. (Dad's technique must be improving.) Afterwards he proceeded to have a gas attack that was likely the harbinger of World War III - not a happy baby. Things did calm down by midnight.

Here is a link to a couple of Sean videos. David is working to improve video quality - maybe this weekend.

Length = 23.5" - between 50% and 75% percent of 2 month olds are his length or shorter
Weight = 11.3 lbs. - between 10% and 25% of 2 month olds are his weight or lighter

February snapdragons in Houston - at 70 F.