Sean at Preschool

Sean has really enjoyed going to preschool at Willow Meadow's Baptist Church. He loves the two teachers and signals "more!" excitedly when he first sees them in the morning. We re-upped him for the summer yesterday. There was, however, no signing bonus...

Sean makes his first Valentine's card for Mommy and Daddy

President's Day in Kerrville

Not only have we been bad on updating the blog, but also on actually taking pictures. Sean is so active now that when he is awake there is little downtime. Friday Barbara had work in Austin, so she and Sean drove to Kerrville on Thursday. I flew into Austin Friday afternoon and drove back to Kerrville with Barbara.

Saturday the weather was very dreary. We spent the afternoon in Fredricksburg where the sun came out a little. Sunday we went to the San Antonio Zoo after church. Sean liked things that moved: bats, beaded lizard, birds, and the rhino.

Back home again, Mom and Sean read a book

Sean rides a zoo animal

Sean practices his echo

Sean Walks!

Superbowl night at Dziadziu and Grandma's Sean began taking multiple steps. By Tuesday he was going 8-10 at a time. Now, he walks at will and is starting to prefer it to crawling. This evening he walked from the office to the kitchen, played with his refrigerator magnets, and then walked back into the office, all without sitting or crawling. I will be frantically installing the rest of the child locks on Saturday morning! Pictures later...

Groundhog Day

Sean saw his shadow! We finally had a nice enough day last Saturday to spend some quality time outside. Sean played around the granite sitting area and seemed to know instinctively that it was not a place for crawling.

It looks like Sean's results match Punxsutawney Phil's in predicting 6 more weeks of winter. Their predictions were in the minority as 10 of the 14 official marmot predictors (71%) predicted an early Spring.

We also took Sean's wagon to Willow Park to let him check it out. He really dug the slide and was going down on his own. He just laughed away on the swing.

Saturday night we had Mardi Gras at Nick and Heather's house with Uncle Greg and a host of others.

Swinging Video

The World's Newest Catholic

Father Troy Gately Baptizes Sean David

Sean was baptized on Saturday evening. His proud parents were joined by his Godparents, Todd and Tiffany, and many family and friends. It seemed like we took over the whole northwest section of Sacred Heart - and all adults helped with taking care of all the kids. All the kids in attendance, including Sean, did great. Sean cried when the water was poured over his head, but that was it.

Sean with Parents and Godparents

The Boyce kids, grandkids and spouses at Baba Yegas on Sunday morning.

That 70s Post

Lordy, Lordy, Todd turned 40! His lovely wife hosted a 70's theme birthday party in his honor (on her actual birthday, no less.) No pics of Dave, he just had a KLOL t-shirt (oops, with a website address on it.)

Tiffany and Todd

Keri and Jewels

Entropy Boy

Sean fell asleep to a football game for the first time! Greenbay's offense in the 2nd half of the NFC Championship game put him to sleep faster than a lullaby and a pacifier. Unfortunately, that was the team Daddy was rooting for.

Sean "Entropy Boy" Pastalaniec likes to put things inside of things but LOVES to knock down Daddy's creations. Here he roars "Uh Oh" between devastating attacks, raising a block from his first conquest before knocking down his 2nd (yes, I missed the shot on both...)

Growth Spurt?

Sean has been an eating, sleeping, hard playing machine the last several days. When he plays, he plays hard. He is eating a ton and sleeping about 25% more than usual. Hopefully he won't out grow his baptism outfit before this Saturday!

Sean's soon-to-be Godparents both had birthdays this week. Todd turned 40, Tiffany turned less than 40. Tiffany threw Todd a surprise 1970's themed 40th birthday party on Saturday - hopefully I will scam some pictures to post soon! Grandma and Dziadziu were kind enough to babysit during the party.

Saturday morning Sean only stayed awake for a couple of hours, and then fell asleep in his crib sitting up...

Sean was joined by Barley for his Saturday bath.

"Why are you here?" Barley to Sean, and Sean to Barley

Sean in Pre-School!

Sean started pre-school and WillowMeadows Baptist on the day after his birthday. He has done well with minimal crying only when Mommy first leaves the room. He has a good time with different toys and kids his age. Barbara is taking her new found time and is beginning to do more work online for Region-13 and Teachscape.

Sean had his 1-year check-up yesterday. He got 4 vaccinations and was sore afterwards. The stats?
-Weight: 21 lbs. 8ozs. 30 percentile (from 18 lbs. 12 ozs., 25% 3 months ago)
-Height: 30.5 inches, 75% (from 29.4 inches, 90%)
-Head circumference: 18 inches, 25% (from 17.5 inches, 25%)

Sean is gradually gaining and interest in walking. He will take 1 or 2 steps between objects but besides that seems to play games with everyone who wants him to walk!

Barbara ran her first post-baby half-marathon on Sunday morning and Joanne and Dave walked their first half-marathon. Of course Barbara and Joanne trained for it AND got massages and pedicures the next day. Dave just hobbles around.

Sean's First Birthday!

Sean celebrated his first birthday in style. Nearly 40 friends and family came to wish him well. The only casualty was the breaker for the outside plug, which fried when the Cook's blow up jump toy was combined with Dave's Christmas lights on the same circuit. See all the pictures HERE

Sean enjoys his new super ball from the Carter's with Cami, while Grandma and Grand Aunt Kathy look on.

Madeline helps Sean with his birthday hat

Sean took forever to eat his birthday cupcake, but he loved it.

Rhonda settles the kids down with a story.

Busy New Year's Eve

New Year's Eve was busy, busy, busy. Sean got his birthday present from Dad early, a new Radio Flyer wagon! We put it together at Dziadziu and Grandma's house. Afterwards Dziadziu and Dad put together a treadmill, much more complicated. Sean spit out his New Year's black eyed pea (too much jalapeno!)

Sean and Grandma help hold the wagon up

Sean tries out his new toy (just before seatbelts are installed!)

We stopped by the Hofmans' for their New Year's Eve party, but they were at Texas Woman's Hospital, having handsome Alton - a little bit early, all 5 lbs. 6 ozs. of him.

Christmas (Part 3 of 3)

On the 26th we celebrated Christmas at the Pasta's.

Sean and Dad got a big box of Goldfish!

Grandma helps Sean read a book

Sean steals Grandma's nose while Uncle Joe looks on.

Joanne forces other family members to play a game.

Christmas (Part 2 of 3)

Monday night we went to the 5pm candlelight service at 1st Presbyterian - it was beautiful and moving. After dinner we followed both Boyce and Pastalaniec tradition and each opened one gift. We all went to bed with visions of sugarplums dancing in our heads.

Christmas morning, after coffee was arranged, we opened presents. Sean made out like a bandit, thanks everyone! After we finished with presents Barbara ran her 13 mile training run for the half-marathon in a few weeks. I am sure Aunt Joanne did her 13 mile walk, but have yet to confirm! Sean and I are proud of both of them.

In the afternoon we went to a nearby park.

Complete pictures are HERE

Sean making sure the gift bag is empty

Sean on Christmas morning

Father Christmas wearing his new robe-type thingy

Sean gets in some Christmas swinging

...And Sliding

And See-Sawing

Christmas (Part 1 of 3)

Saturday we drove to Kerrville for Christmas. Nick, Heather, Elissa and Tadd were already there. The junior Boyces were headed back to Heather's family for Christmas day, so we had our 1st Christmas on Saturday night. Monday most of the group went to Boerne for the day, including an almost 2-hour visit to the Dodging Duck Brew Pub - they way underestimated the Christmas Eve crowd. So, we resorted to crayons and Wikipedia to entertain ourselves and learned all about Lilliput, Transubstantiation and Heinz, among other things. Monday night we attended the candlelight Christmas service at 1st Presbyterian.

Sean and Elissa watch as the Pasta car is unloaded

Elf Sean and Elissa

Elissa and Barbara help Sean unwrap a gift from Nick and Heather

Grandpa keeps watch over Elissa and Sean and their new toys

Its Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

Grandma, Dziadziu and Aunt Joanne came over for dinner to see us off to Christmas vacation in Kerrville.

Sean helps Dziadziu put together his Christmas present from the frozen tundra of Colorado

Pre-Christmas Dinner (with centerpiece from the Boyce's!)

1st thing the next morning, Sean heads straight for his new toy (only half-awake)