Johnson's and Misc.

Sean with his books

Godchild Morgan takes a nap in Sean's crib

Abagail, Sean and Mackenzie dance

Sean with his hat from Uncle Phil and Aunt Bonnie in Wyoming - he will only wear it backwards!

Sean Update (don't let him see us talking about him!)

Sean has done a very cool thing the last two nights - asked to go to bed! First with Barbara last night: she read three books and was rocking with him. He pointed at his crib so Barbara put him in it. He laid down and went to sleep. It was a near repeat with me tonight - after two books he pointed at his crib and said " 'ed?" I put him in and he was out. He seems to be wanting to sleep more at night now and less during the day.

I forgot to post that during vacation he learned how to drink out of a straw. His dad did not figure that out until he was 5 years old. If he outpaces dad at this pace he will learn differential equations before the age of 39!

He definitely understands much more than he can say. If you say "where is the fish" he will look around until he finds a fish. He attempts to follow other instructions/questions - if he is in the mood.

Today he learned, much to the chagrin of mom, the fun of playing with sticks! I was working on the flower beds and he picked up a stick and started pretending he was using a shovel. I then started to do different things with the shovel and he would copy me.

See the two new picture posts, below... CIAO!

Baby Ducks at the Park

Sean tackles a new play structure at Tom Bass Park in Pearland

Grandma had scouted ahead and found the baby ducks

Swinging with Grandma

Sean's First Haircut

Sean and Laura at Tease Me! Hair Salon. Laura has been cutting Daddy's, Grandma's and Dziadziu's hair for well over a decade.

Sean was sleepy and stoic

Sean tries out a new hair style

I know you can't tell from my "Before" haircut - but things up there were getting out of control

Sean gets his first ever lollipop from Laura for his patience

Bluebonnet Sunday

Yep, its spring in Texas - time for bluebonnet pictures

Elissa, Ike Heider and Sean

Bluebonnet Caravan - 7 cars, 15 adults, 7 kids

Picnic at Washington on the Brazos (first capitol of the Republic of Texas

Joanne pulls Sean and Elissa

Kevin and Clinton get the kite going while their honeys look on in admiration

Denise pulls all three future Pt. Aransas kids in the wagon

Sean Update

Just a quick Sean update:

During his Ohio vacation he discovered climbing on things. At first he needed help getting on Grandma Ross' couch, then he figured it out. Now there is no stopping him. Barbara caught him standing on top of a big box of diapers the day we got home.

He picked up a couple of new words on vacation and now has: Duck, Uh oh, Ca (cat), this, Banana, More, Bo bo (bounce), Bird, Fish, Ball, Mama, Dada, Nana, Cheese, Milk and Bubbles.

A cool thing yesterday happened when Mama said, take your shoes off. He tried really hard to do so.

Sean was a champ on vacation, esp. on planes. He survived a very erratic sleep schedule pretty well.

Ohio Visit

Over the Easter weekend we took a 6 day trip to Ohio. We first visited with Barbara's Grandma and Uncles in Cleveland, then went to Dave's mom's family reunion in Kent, and then back to Barb's Grandma's again. For all pictures, click HERE

Sean and Grandma Ross. Grandma Ross is holding Sean up so he can see Paco the bird. Sean was all about Paco, and would leave whatever he was doing every 5 minutes or so to make sure "buhrd" was still there.

In Kent, Dave's cousin Allison and her husband Adam hold sleepy Sean. Sean wanted to get one more NCAA Tourney game in.

Friday night it snowed 6-7" - a big novelty for us Texas folks. Dave took the opportunity to prove his love for Barbara outside the hotel window.

Dave's Uncle Phil and Allison contemplate Boudreaux's Butt Paste - a miracle baby ointment from Louisiana that is apparently unknown in the northeast and west parts of the country (even though it is made in Indiana.)

While in Kent we made a trip to Amish country and visited Lehman's - a seller of mainly American made non-electric items. Sean tries out a tractor (again.)

On the way back from Amish country we stopped at the Inventor Hall of Fame in Akron. Here, Sean tries out a piano that is his size - and has a blast.

Sean plays with (in) cool water toy

At Kent State University we visited the memorial to the May 4, 1970 shootings (4 dead in Ohio.) The Hofbauer's discuss bullet trajectories

Tired and cold Sean

The Hofbauer reunion attendees: Barbara, Nancy, Joanne, Dave, Marge, Adam, Denis, Allison, Phil, Dan, Bonnie

Sean wants to know what the heck is this stuff....

Frozen Lake Erie

Back to Grandma Ross' - Joanne tours the Greenhouse.

Best Cousins

Sean and Elissa at El Pueblito on Sunday while we planned our May Port Aransas vacation with the Boyces, Heiders and Von Dolens. (Photo by Heather)

Spring has Sprung (almost)

This weekend the weather was awesome - 80+ F and sunny. (We like it, Al Gore) The Cooks' gave Sean two outside play toys - a boat and a Kangaroo Climber. Sean loves them both.

My new toy! Thanks Mason!

Stare into the crystal ball (from Grandma)

Greg and his dog came to visit Sunday

We tried to play at the YMCA kids pool, but it was still to cold (probably global cooling)

Go Texan Sean

In Houston the Friday before the Rodeo starts is Go Texan Day. At Sean's Preschool they had a horse for the kids to ride AND the obligatory cowboy hat. Before long, Dad may have to buy his first pair of boots to prove to Sean he is a native Texan!

Livestock Show Visit

Sean and Miss Moo (and Sean with Miss Moo in 2007)

Last Wednesday Nana and Grandpa came down for a medical seminar. Wednesday Nick, Heather and Elissa came to visit. Thursday Grandma, Dziadziu and Joanne came to visit. On Saturday we all went to the Livestock Show with the Boyces'.

Nana and Elissa in the barn

Dave, Sean and Elissa on a tractor

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is rated by some as the biggest livestock show and the biggest rodeo in the world. 19,000 volunteers, including Aunt Heather, have kept it going every year since 1931.

Aunt Heather, Elissa and Sean - Elissa wanted to hold Sean

Sean wants to touch the goat (hi Grandma!)

Where is Elissa?

Nice February Outing

Last weekend Beth came to visit! Darlene also stayed with us on Friday night. Saturday the girls went for a pedicure with Rhonda while Grandma and Dziadziu watched Sean and Dave did a bicycle ride. The girls came back from the pedicure with beautiful toes and bling - Barbara had a shamrock painted on each big toe. No more unsupervised visits to the pedicurist!

Sunday we had a late brunch at Buffalo Grill on Voss. We then visited the water wall and Hermann Park.

Barb getting dizzy...

Water Wall in background

The Pasta Family at Hermann Park

Nap No. 1 for Dave and Sean

Nap No. 2 - on the way home.