Less Than 2 Weeks to Xmas

Wow! Where has the time gone?! Has every post started out that way? I don't know where the time goes anymore. Sometimes I wonder if all this "digital" stuff has really caused us to lose more time rather than save us time...I'm taking pictures all the time, but don't have the time to do much with them these days. I think about writing on this blog and then get distracted by other things such as playing with my iPod Touch (which I love) or chasing Keira around the house. I had great intentions of starting a photo book and updating it each month so that when year-end came I could add a few more photos and print the book. Well, I haven't even started that. Okay, enough rambling...

Last weekend I saw Wicked with my friend, Heather. She must be the luckiest person ever. She's always getting her name drawn for things, including the Wicked lottery. So, on a blustery Fri night we ventured to the Orpheum theater, entered our names and Heather won us $25 tickets to sit in the SECOND row to enjoy one of the best musicals EVER. I enjoyed myself thoroughly and will certainly be getting the Wicked soundtrack (once I figure out if I'm still old school and need to buy the CD or if I can venture and just purchase and download the album from iTunes or Amazon or something).

The same weekend some friends came over and we baked cookies for a charity called Open Arms. Some of the cookies turned out better than others, but in the end, we had a great time and donated 6 dozen cookies with leftovers to spare for ourselves. Keira even helped me scoop Raspberry jam into the thumbprint cookies we made. That's the first time we baked together! We'll definitely be doing that more in the future. She was a perfect little helper.

This past week (several weeks, truth be told) has been horrid at work. Sometimes I understand why people go postal in their jobs...but, don't worry, I'm not there...yet. I won't talk about work though because it just angers me these days. So, let's fast forward to this weekend - a whirlwind, but lots of fun too. Saturday we went to Alexa's birthday party and Keira had a great time going down the giant slide with Mark and also jumped in the bouncing thing for awhile. I was surprised she was as adventurous as she was. After that we hung out with my family at my Dad's house. That's always a fun and loud time! Then I joined Kelly and Heather for some delicious food at Red Robin - think chocolate shake, giant burger and fries! We then headed to Brunswick Bowl in Lakeville and had a great time shooting hoops, playing trivia, throwing footballs, playing air hockey, shooting people, etc...yes, it was a fantastic time. That brings us to Sunday - brunch with our friends Pam, Ed and their son, Jalen. That was a good time and Jay and Keira warmed up to each other quite well. :-)

Now it's freezing cold outside and looks like a crazy blizzard outside which doesn't bode well for the morning commute. Yuck.

Sorry for the horrible post, but just a quick update to really let you know we are all doing well despite the chaos of the holidays and life in general. I'm hoping to get myself back on track in the New Year, but am smart enough not to make it a New Year's resolution or I'll just be disappointed when I break it - ha! Hope you are all well and enjoying the holidays wherever you are...More later!

Thanksgiving Eve

Here I am writing from TX where we'll spend Thanksgiving with Mark's family tomorrow. It's a little weird b/c this is the first time in my entire life that I haven't celebrated in MN! My family and I will also get together on Sunday back in MN, but nonetheless, it's different. For one thing, it's nearly 70 degrees - how weird is that?!

We took Keira on her first plane ride ever...I was really stressed. I didn't know how she'd do with the ascent, descent and then I was worried she'd get hungry and then what if she started screaming, etc. But, she was such a good girl!! I couldn't have asked for better. She traveled like a seasoned pro. Here are a few fun photos of the trip.

Keira is Miss Independent these days so we took our sweet time in the airports and let Keira explore and walk on her own. As you can see in the carousel photo she enjoyed playing with Mark's mobile phone while we waited for luggage.

The photos below are of Keira and I strolling through the MSP airport. She helped me roll my carry on to the gate. The bottom right one is of Keira in her own seat - that was short-lived when the passenger showed up later during boarding. Bummer. She did well and slept in my arms. The top right photo is Keira and her cousin, Miranda. Manda doesn't like to keep her clothes on. They got along pretty well. :-)

It's Almost Thanksgiving?!

I feel like 2008 has gone by in the blink of an eye...I can't believe Nov is coming to a close and Thanksgiving is just around the corner. We'll be heading to Texas to spend Thanksgiving with Mark's side of the family. It'll be interesting since it'll be our first plane ride with Keira. She doesn't like to sit still, so we'll see how things go...It should be fun though.

Keira turned 1 1/2 years old on the 18th (can't believe it). I took her to her well check and she's sitting in the 10th percentile for height and is just not making it onto the chart for weight despite our best efforts to feed her "high calorie" food. We're supposed to keep doing what we're doing and bring her back for a weight check when she's 21 months old. If her weight continues to lag the growth trend, we'll have to see a nutritionist. I hope that's not the case...talk about feeling like a bad mom. Nonetheless, she's sitting at 18 lbs, 10 oz and 30" inches long...definitely a little peanut. But, developmentally she's right on track or exceeding where she should be. :-)

I should be done with work travel until at least Feb (hopefully). Taking a break from packing, unpacking, airports, etc will be a welcome change of pace. It does feel a little weird, however, to not be preparing to jet set somewhere. Then again, we'll be jet setting to Texas in just a couple of days.

Here's a photo to make you laugh. Keira was awake and eating one minute and the next, she was out like a light - so cute!

Sick and On the Road Again

As I've mentioned a few times, life at work has become really crazy lately. I'm on the road again. I'm currently in Irvine for focus groups (research) and it's been a really long day. I was up at 6:30 and on the plane at 9:00. It's now 11:00pm back home and we still have at least half an hour to go before I can even go to the hotel to check in. Then we're back at it tomorrow. I'll fly out of here at 4:00pm and get home around 9:30pm. Thu morning I fly out to Denver and won't be back until Sat afternoon. On top of it all, I'm definitely fighting a head cold. I felt the tickle in the throat on Mon, but refused to acknowledge that I could be getting sick. Well, I am and it's not helping that I can't hide in my bed and rest. Sorry this is a whiny post, but ugh - what a rough week. I am really, really hoping that December will be better. Even after the travel, the rest of Nov is going to suck - lots going on at work. But, I am thankful to have a job and a well-paying job given the state of the economy. So, enough complaining...Hopefully there will be some fun updates later this month!

Halloween and Other Stuff

I thought things at work would slow down, but they haven't and life keeps moving on. So, yes, I'm still behind on my posts. Keira's growing up quickly and is learning so much. Here are some things she's doing now:

• Eating with utensils (though we have to occasionally remind her)
• Identify and saying various body parts - nose, eyes, ears, fingers, hands, feet, toes, etc.
• Clearly saying milk, book, Nuk (uh-oh), mama, da, etc.
• She's mimicking the things we say and do (we really have to watch ourselves now)
• She's going down the big girl slide at the playground like a little daredevil
  

The highlight of my month was going to the NKOTB concert on Oct 20th. It was a blast and I felt like I was a teenager again. The screaming was so intense that my ears were ringing the next day, but it was well worth it. Click on the following photo for more!

I can admit that they are not the best singers, but boy do they know how to put on a show. Check out some of this footage - the crowd was amazing!

Project Altitude

I finally have a moment to give a brief update on a big project I've been working on over the past 8 months. In a nutshell, the objective was to build a store and create an experience that was more appealing and engaging to female consumers without alienating BBY's core customer, males. Data (and my gut) tell us that there are many females out there who seek and enjoy the benefits that consumer electronics can bring, but we know that BBY is not necessarily this consumer's favorite go-to store. With this store, we made changes to the physical environment, how we operate within the store and our labor model to better serve these customers. The store is located just outside of Denver, CO. Our approach was the first of its kind in retail in that we engaged female customers from the Denver community in a partnership to design and create this store. We did not do surveys or focus groups, these customers truly became a part of the Best Buy team and were with us all along the way. In fact, they helped pick out furniture for our room vignettes, they helped train our employees on how better to serve customers...they were our inspiration for what a great retailer is and what it means to be a part of the community in which we operate. I could go on and on about the process, the people I met, the experience I had, but it would take hours. The following article by the Associated Press says it all. And, the appeal? Let's just say this...my team and I were interviewed by Catherine Tsai at the AP the afternoon of Oct 2 and 24 hours later we had 68 media hits, i.e. media outlets that picked up the story - locally and nationally via TV, radio, print, on-line, etc. It was a phenomenal response. I am so proud of this work!

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2008/10/03/ap5507386.html

A Day with Habitat for Humanity

I'm so blessed to work for a company that not only allows us to get paid while volunteering, but is also contributing $8k to Habitat on our behalf BECAUSE we are volunteering our time. That's what I did today. I spent the whole day iat a Habitat build. It felt wonderful to be outside and working with my hands rather than sitting behind a desk and in meetings all day long. By the time 4pm rolled around, however, I was ready to call quits. My feet, back and hands were all aching. In fact, I think I'll need to get a massage soon. Guess what? I used a circular saw to actually cut wood - holy crap! If any of you know how accident prone I am, giving me a power tool was probably not the best idea of the day. But, I did a great job if I do say so myself. I also wielded a hammer pretty well and didn't hit my thumb (or any other finger) at all. I had a fantastic time getting to know people I haven't had the opportunity to chat with before, learned some new skills and walked away knowing I helped many families with their soon-to-be, new homes. All in all, it was a very fulfilling day! And, I'll get to let loose and have some fun tomorrow because it's the NKOTB concert...whoo hoo!!!

Keira in September

I'm really behind in what's been going on and will eventually catch up, but I wanted to make sure to share some photos of Keira during the month of September. Here are just a few of her milestones:

• She turned 16 months old.
• She finally said, "Mama," and has been saying it over and over since.
• She dances and twirls around to music, even to my off-key singing!
• A whole bunch of teeth have popped up, so she's got a mouthful of them.
• Mimicking has become a favorite game...I'm really worried about the day she can ask me to play "shadow" - I shudder thinking about it.
• She's eating much better now - maybe she'll have gained some weight by her 18-month appt! We can hope!

Our Little Girl Is Growing Up So Fast

I can't even believe Keira is 16 months old now. Today the director of the daycare, Aimee, mentioned that Keira would be getting ready to transition into the Toddler room starting next week. I just about burst into tears. She's really not a baby anymore and is a full-fledged toddler! Where did the time go? My Mom used to say she felt like she blinked a few times and we all grew up so suddenly. I'm really beginning to understand and feel that sentiment. It's both awesome and bittersweet. I love watching her grow up, learn and become her own person, but it makes me sad to think about the day when I won't be the most important person in her world and she won't want to crawl in my lap to cuddle. I better stop before I start misting up again.

While I was on one of my work trips Mark took Keira to her 15-month appt. While she's very well developed for her age (think speaking, walking, etc) she's still quite small and is actually under weight. So, we've got her on a high-calorie diet. In short, she can pretty much eat anything she wants as long as it helps put some meat on her bones. What I could do if I was on such a diet! We're not too concerned and will be back in for an 18-month appt soon enough to check on progress. But, her size certainly does NOT hold her back at all. She is still a little spitfire and is oozing with personality. Keira's always waving at people when she's on a buggy ride and blowing kisses too. She loves to run around and has the most active imagination. She can "talk" on the phone forever, but we're not sure what she's babbling.

Just putting on a little chapstick

Keira's loves to read books by herself and she loves being read to as well. Her Sesame Street board books are among her favorites.

She's a bit of a messy eater, but she has a good time at meals.

We went to visit Grandma's grave. Though she's too young to understand I hope that she will feel her Grandma's presence here as she gets older and will continue to visit.

Making those important phone calls

More messy eating...makes me laugh every time!

Where Did September Go?

I can't believe we're in the last week of September already. This has been one of the craziest months I've had in a long time. Between travel for work, a department re-org, and regular life...it's been a whirlwind. That's why I haven't posted anything in a long time. So, here goes...

First, I took off with Heather on a weekend jaunt to Vegas. She won a trip and took me along as her guest - thank you Heather! We stayed at the Planet Hollywood Hotel and had a fantastic time walking the strip, eating, talking, seeing shows, etc. But, as you know, what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas! :-)

Here's the hotel we stayed at. It used to be the old Aladdin hotel. We had a fantastic room with a bathroom large enough to accommodate two ladies getting ready at the same time.

Here's Heather getting cozy with one of the Cirque dudes...We caught Ka the first night and got tickets through 1/2 price tickets - it's quite the deal!

We ate at the Jimmy Buffet restaurant - my nachos were so yummy! And, yes, I ate nachos as my meal. I was on vacation!!

The Wed after Vegas I was back on a plane to Denver to attend a marketing summit. I had to present in front of a big audience and was shaking in my shoes, but I think it all went well. So, I'm thankful for that and thankful that it's over and done with!

Another week after that I was back on a plane to Denver. Yes, I'm getting tired of planes. I worked hard in the store and must've strained my back or something. My back, neck and shoulders have been really tense lately - more than usual. I'll definitely be treating myself to a nice and long massage once this month is over. But, it wasn't all work. I met up with Alice, who's been an amazing partner and friend on our Denver project and we attended my friends' performance at the Bluebird Theater. It was a fantastic show. I was also able to catch up with some family friends and enjoyed a nice dinner with them. It's been many, many years since I sat with their family at the dinner table. It was so nice and still so familiar to me. Thanks for such a great time guys! After working the last day I met up with Brian, one of Mark's old friends from school. We had a great time watching "ku" football (don't ask), eating dinner and catching the Dark Knight at the IMax - what a great movie and thanks for being a great tour guide!

Here's Alice and me hanging out at the Bluebird Theater. Thanks for a great night and Happy Birthday again lady!!! Hope you had a blast celebrating and I'll see you again soon!

Here's a snapshot of the front of the store I've been working on with a fantastic team of people. I can't show you what's inside just yet, but the grand opening is coming up on OCTOBER 4!!

Here's Brian and me in our "ku" gear...Thanks for a fabulous time!

And, yes, Mark's been the one who's been home holding down the fort and taking care of Keira while I've been gone. He's done a fantastic job! I'm so lucky to have him as my husband. Without his support and patience, with both Keira and me, I wouldn't be able to focus on the things I need to focus on and I certainly wouldn't have the energy to keep up with everything.

Well, one more trip to go and then life will slow down - hopefully! I'll be back with more on Keira later. She deserves her in post. I just wanted to catch up and let you know where I've been the past few weeks. Hope you're all well!

Into September We Go

Today was definitely a warm September day, but I know the fall and winter will be here before we know it. I'm thankful that Gustav did not cause as much damage for those in the Gulf as predicted and I'm thankful to be surrounded by wonderful family and friends. I miss my mom every day, but sometimes feel like she's still here. I hope to be blessed with that feeling for the rest of my life.

Anyway, here's a photo from our Labor Day weekend. 

Keira's had a great August - she turned 15 months old, is starting to babble words, plays all kinds of games...she's a blast to be around and keeps us guessing and laughing all the time. Click on the following photo to see more of what she's been up to.

Enjoying the Long Weekend

Talk about another whirlwind weekend! Sometimes I feel like the Tazmanian Devil with all that's packed into our schedules, but I have no one to blame but me. Certainly there's nothing to complain about b/c we get to spend time with our family and friends and have a great time!

I skipped out of work Friday afternoon and headed to the Great MN Get Together, the State Fair, with my cousins, Van and Nam. For those of you unfamiliar with this great tradition, the Great MN Get Together amounts to thousands and thousands of people getting together in a two-week time frame to indulge in all things on a stick, deep fried, etc. What a great time we had shoving food in our faces. I think we started with a Papa Pup (a footlong pronto pup) and followed it up with cheese curds, leprechaun legs (think green beens fried in onion ring batter - quite scrumptious), a fudge puppy (waffle smothered in chocolate, whipped cream and sprinkles - mmmm), corn, fries, mini donuts...Yes, it was definitely a great day for me - oh how I love to eat! We did take a break from the gluttony of it all and had some fun on the Midway. I haven't really ever played midway games aside from skee ball. My favorite was wack-a-mole and...I won!! I was a fierce competitor and took home the gold 3 out of the 4 games played. Keira now has additional toys (she never needed in the first place) to play with.

After Keira went to bed that night I joined Mai at Elsie's to celebrate her 27th birthday (Happy Birthday again Mai Tai!). I put my bowling skills to the test in an effort to preserve the pride of my peeps, i.e. we bowled white against Asians (or yellow - how not PC is that?) and we came up victorious. Whoo hoo - once again, the fierce competitor in me was relentless. Ha ha. I bowled a 131 - not bad with an 8 lbs ball if you ask me. Afterwards the gang enjoyed a little Karaoke. It was fun listening to everyone. One of these days I'll work up the nerve and subject a roomful of strangers to me singing, a.k.a. the dying cat performance.

Here's the birthday girl (striking a pose, as always) with her friends, Stacy and Jess. And, that's my brother-in-law, Steve, poking his head in the background.

Once I got home (way past my bedtime) I had to pack up my stuff and finish packing up stuff for Keira. Sat morning we loaded up the car, dropped Keira off at Linh's and took off to hang out with John and Stacey at their cabin on Prairie Lake in WI. It was terrifice! Once again, in the 24 hours we were there, we packed in a lot of activity including a round of golf (9 holes - I drove the cart and had a terrific time...can I say SWASS?! Ha ha. I'll leave it at that. Later we took the boat out and went out on the lake, docked at a local restaurant and had dinner. We finished the evening around a roaring fire (great work boys!) and some fireworks. John almost lit himself on fire, but in the end, he escaped it. Whew! We woke up in the morning, played a fierce round of badminton where we talked and laughed about things that would make most people blush, had some delicious breakfast (how I love breakfast) and were on our way. Thanks so much for a great time Stacey and John!! We can't wait to visit again and remember to send me the pictures you took so I can post some more later. :-)

Here's the awesome view from the cabin - so calming...

Getting ready to take off and tear up the course - Stacey, John and it looks like Mark jumped into the picture too

Check out this gorgeous sunset we caught on our way back to the cabin

We closed out the long weekend today by picking up my dad and heading up to hang out with Linh, Steve and Mai. Linh's taking off for a month-long recruiting tour this month so I wanted to spend some time with her and let Keira hang with her auntie some more. Have a great time Linh and we can't wait to hear about your travels!!

Speaking of Keira she was such a good girl. She was in good spirits Saturday at Linh and Steve's and then continued to do well when Mai took her down to my Dad's where she and my Dad took care of her while Mark and I were in WI. Apparently she took lengthy naps and slept until 6:00am!! Wow! I think we need to drop her off more often - hee hee.

Goofing off at dinner

Another great weekend and another long post. Thanks for stopping by and I hope all of you had a terrific holiday weekend as well. Much love to Steve and Lynnea in their journeys to recover to good health!

Always Check the Hamper

New lesson when dealing with kids...If your kid takes off their shoes and you can't find them, remember to check the hamper. This is where we ended up finding Keira's shoes yesterday evening after we realized they weren't on her feet before heading off to daycare. She gets more and more creative every day!

Funny Girl

A few things Keira did this evening had me cracking up...First, she was climbing up on top of some of the furniture so I said, "No, no, no Keira!" She turned around and mimicked, "No, no no," and started laughing. Clearly we know who's in charge!

Secondly, she bent her arms and started flapping them like a chicken. When I made the bawk, bawk noise, she mimicked that - it was hilarious to see her bawking and flapping like a chicken!!!

Finally, I took it all one step further and started singing and doing the dance gestures for the chicken song...ya know, the one that goes, "I don't wanna be a chicken, I don't wanna be a duck..." She totally tried copying me - so much fun!

Yes, this has been quite a funny day!

A Busy End of August

This past week has been a whirlwind in our household. I spent Wed-Fri in Boston for a women's leadership conference. It was a jam-packed few days. I learned that I don't like to facilitate, but did enjoy the opportunity to explore Boston, even if it was just for a few hours. My favorite was listening to Jennifer Hudson peform at the conference and going to the North End for delicious Italian food including gelato and a chocolate mousse cannoli - yummy!! Mark and Keira did fabulously well at home even though Keira did wake up at 4:30am one morning and didn't go back to bed - ouch! As the folks in Boston say - it was wicked awesome!

I stayed at the Marriott Copley (in the heart of some great shopping) and this is the view from my window - spectacular!

These are my colleagues and friends - me, Kirstin, Britt and Blake.

Dinner at a small restaurant in the North End. I think it was called Cibo. We followed our delicious meals with gelato and a cannoli from Mike's Pastries. So yummy!

Tim Gunn from Project Runway was on hand to present a design award to one of our employees for the best accessory design.

Here's some video of Jennifer Hudson's performance. She got right down into the audience and had everyone up on their feet dancing! She sounds even better in person - her vocals are absolutely incredible!

I got back late Fri night and the rest of the weekend was a blur. We had dinner with our friends, Mark, Lisa, Matthew and Ryan Sat evening. They were great hosts as usual and we really enjoyed our burgers and fresh fruit - peaches from North Carolina - yummy! Keira had a great time trying to keep up with the boys.

Mark, Matthew and Ryan horse around. Ryan kept trying to hook his daddy's pants and finally succeeded. It was pretty funny!

Here's Ryan in part of his Batman costume. Yes, the boys are ready for Halloween! I can't believe we're thinking about Halloween! Keira didn't quite know what to make of the costume.

Sunday we enjoyed a GORGEOUS day at the MN Zoo. Here are some photos from that. It's only been a month or so since we were last there, but the difference in how much Keira takes in is amazing. She's really aware of everything now and seemed to enjoy the freedom of running around when we let her get out of her stroller to run around the paths.

She enjoyed watching the dolphin swim back and forth.

Of course we found a nice playground with rocks for her to play with. I can't believe how long she can stay occupied playing with rocks!

Sunday evening we hosted the family to celebrate all the August birthdays...Happy Birthday Dad, Mai and Fan!!

Mai got a kick out of the tea set from Steve and Linh...Hmmm...Tea for...one!

Keira got a hold of someone's birthday card. I think she claimed it as her own.

Time to Catch Up

The time has gotten away from me again. Here's a quick catch up of what's been going on during the month of August. Forgive me for the vomit of information, but that's what happens when I try to use memory recall - not so sharp thes days.

During the 1st weekend we joined our friends, Chi, Polo and Katie for a BBQ at Chi and Polo's home. The food was delicious and we couldn't have asked for a better day to kick back, relax and catch up on each other's lives. Keira had a great time too!

For those of you who have known me for a long time and even for those who haven't, you may already know this. I was a HUGE New Kids on the Block (NKOTB) fan when I was 12 or 13. I lived and breathed NKOTB day and night. I think I drove my family and friends crazy with how fanatical I was. I even entered a LIP SYNC contest w/some friends to try and win tickets in front of thousands of people. We didn't win, but that's how desperate I was. Anyway, many of you also know that I've vowed for years and years that if they ever reunited, I'd be one of the first to be in line to get tickets. Well, my dream has come true. I'll be going to the concert in October - whoo hoo! To wet my appetite, I attended the appearance at the MOA a little over a week ago w/fellow blockhead, Heather. I was surprised with how many people were there and was slightly annoyed by their taking the stage so late. But, as soon as they did, I was transported to a time when I was young, happy and totally carefree. It was so much fun! Can't wait for the show!! Here's are a couple of photos and a video...

Just a few of the boys - Jon, Jordan and Joe - whoo hoo!

I couldn't believe the number of people that turned out to see them!



They performed one of their old songs, "Tonight". Yes, I know they aren't the best singers/musicans, but they were great and it's going to be great to see and hear them again. I am crushin' all over again. Hee hee, giggle, giggle...

More exciting and important that all the fanfare, my friend Kelly and Paul, welcomed a little girl into the world - little Rachel. I had the privilege of meeting her a few days ago. She's absolutely beautiful and is just a doll. Congrats Kel, Paul and Max! Here's one of her first photos.

And, finally, we just got back from Osh Kosh, WI. We attended Kevin and Rachel's wedding. It was a gorgeous day and the wedding was one of the most entertaining and unique - definitely not a cookie cutter wedding. We are so happy for the two newlyweds - congrats again! We had a great time and enjoyed the opportunity to catch up with old friends and meet new ones too. 

Keira had a good time w/her Aunts, Linh and Mai, and her Uncle Steve while we were away. Apparently she had a difficult time for part of the weekend, but we think she's teething big time. She's cutting molars and other parents tell me their kids got really cranky w/these teeth. I suspect that's what's going on with her too. A special thanks to my family for taking great care of our little girl so we could have a fun, no-worry weekend away.

Keira's Fun Times in July

Keira has had a great July. In addition to having fun on outings, hanging out with family and friends, etc she's also achieved some big milestones including:

• No more bottles. She gave them up about a week or so ago and hasn't turned back. She's doing really well with sippy cups and still drinks her milk pretty well.
• She's finally eating table foods. Don't get me wrong. She's still super picky and will only eat when and what she wants, but she's definitely doing better than a couple of months ago.
• She's learning more signs and babbles all kinds of words. It's slightly frustrating that she still doesn't say, "Mom," specifically, but instead screams, "Dad," all the time. Well, it's more like, "Da," but still...
• When we have the right music on and she's in the mood she enjoys pumping her fists and shaking her butt - we got a little dancer on our hands.
• She'll often sit at the piano and pound the keys. Sometimes she lets us play and will hum along. Perhaps we have a musician?
• Her hair is starting to come out. But, as you can tell from the photos - she's still got a ways to go before she's no longer classified as bald.

It's definitely been a big month for our little girl. We're so proud of you Keira!

Another Milestone

As of about a week or so ago, Keira has been weaned off her bottles. She's taken to the sippy cup fairly well. I have to say there is something kind of sad about moving into the bottleless stage. It's confirmation that she's really no longer a baby and is becoming a big girl. But, with that comes new adventures and milestones. She's signing like crazy so that has helped us understand what she needs though she sometimes mixes up her signs and we have no idea what it is she needs. That is usually followed by a complete meltdown and tantrum. At this point her tantrums are kind of funny, but I hear they get worse. (Yikes!) She's definitely starting to babble and has most certainly starting saying "Dad", but it sounds like "Da" and no signs of saying "Mom" - what's up with that? Thought not discernable except by those closest to her, she also says book, ball, duck (more of a quack than the actual word), etc. It's so fun waiting to see what's going to come out of her mouth next...

Where Did the Weekend Go?

We've had a busy and fun weekend, but can't believe how quickly it went by. We started Saturday with swim lessons before heading out to Afton for William's 1st birthday party. It was a bit of a drive, but it was very scenic and well timed. Keira took her first nap all the way there. What a beautiful day and location for a birthday party!

Keira enjoyed exploring the yard with Mark before grabbing a bite to eat - yummy cheese!

There's the birthday boy, William, enjoying the pool - he's so relaxed in the water! Happy 1st Birthday!!

After Will's birthday, we went straight to Renee and Scott's baby shower in Minneapolis. It was so great and laid back - a barbecue, beer and fun company. We enjoyed a nice late lunch, met some new people and chased Keira all over the yard and into the alley in the back. She had a terrific time. Congrats Renee and Scott - we can't wait until Taco makes his/her appearance in September!!

Here's the mama-to-be, Renee. She's had a great pregnancy and looks great too despite the warm weather.

Here's Mark after he chased Keira down in the alley and dragged her back. She's such a funny kid.

Later that evening we hosted some of our family for dinner and a mean game of croquet before the boys headed off to Leprechaun Days in downtown Rosemount - whoo hoo! The fireworks were terrific and everyone had a great time. Needless to say, Saturday was a very busy day.

After the busy Saturday, we were thankful for a low-key Sunday. We spent it playing with Keira, doing laundry and running a couple of errands, but nothing too taxing. I just wish we had one more day before starting the work week. Ho hum.

We hope you all had a terrific weekend and remember to enjoy the rest of the summer! Before we know it, the leaves will be changing colors again.

Back at Retail

I worked in one of our Best Buy stores while in Denver. I was on my feet a lot and boy did they hurt by the end of it all! So did my back, legs, etc. I am out of shape! I definitely couldn't work retail again. It was different when I was 16, but now that I'm twice that age (eeek!) my body can't handle it. I had a great time, however, talking with the employees and customers. I do miss that part of it, but again, don't know if I could handle that day in and day out, especially if I had to deal with whiny and demanding customers. I'm going to have to work out or something to get ready for the Grand Opening of OUR team's store. This was like a practice! That grand opening is Oct 4 - mark your calendars my Colorado friends. I expect you to be there! Here's a picture of our team that day for the store in Centennial.

From left to right...Sam, Blake, Kirstin, Bob, Diane, me and Britt

Away from Home

This is the longest I've been away from home since Keira was born. It's the 3rd day and I'm getting a bit homesick. I called Mark and Keira this morning. Hearing them was both comforting and heartbreaking. I never thought I'd be a parent who's so attached to her baby, but admittedly, I am. The ironic thing is I've looked forward to traveling thinking I'd catch up on some sleep, but that hasn't happened on any of my trips. I either don't sleep well or I get the same amount of sleep I do at home. I'm also used to being constantly busy so I go a bit nutty when I actually have some down time in my room. I can only focus and be distracted by work for so long. Fortunately I have some great colleagues with me who have helped me stay focused on work and unwind at the end of the day. I'm lucky to work with such great people.

Yesterday I worked in a store helping them get ready for their grand opening which is tomorrow evening. I learned quite a few things and got to witness the retail team in action. It has been an eye-opening experience. I'm amazed at the energy and team dynamics in the field. There's nothing they can't do and they are nimble and flexible, rolling with the punches and having fun along the way. Their energy is contagious. Today I'll be helping at a store event they're hosting specifically for women. It should be a great event and I'm eager to interact with the retail folks and customers. I'll be helping by sharing the story of our new store formats. I'm curious to find out our customers' reactions first-hand. Hopefully Best Buy is going in the right direction.

More later...

Writing from Denver

I'm on another trip to Denver for work and managed to get hooked up to the Internet this time. Unfortunately I still can't access my work e-mail (except through the web which is a pain) and files through VPN. Oh, well. I'm hoping to connect at the store tomorrow. ANYWAY, at least I have Internet access and can entertain myself, even if for a brief time. And, I can read and respond to messages on a basic level. That helps. It's no fun to return from traveling to a mountain of e-mail messages.

We had a fun weekend. Keira especially liked the park/playground near our house. It's a nice walk for us and she has a fun time. She generally bypasses the toys and equipment and likes to go straight to the rocks - interesting girl, our daughter. I also got her on camera dancing (finally). It's so funny and sometimes she gets really into it. She's quite the entertainer. Check it out. (There is volume on the video so just a warning to turn your volume down if you're at work.)

Some have asked what Keira's doing these days, so hope this gives you an idea. She's so much fun and cracks us up all the time.

• Words (not always discernable): Uh-oh, bye, hi, ball, dad (da)...but, no mom - so sad
• She understands a lot. If you ask her, she'll get her blankie, baby, duck, ball or book for you.
• She's finally eating table foods though she still only eats when she wants to, but we're making progress. She ate almost an entire slice of pizza the other day. I jumped for joy.
• She's got 6 visible teeth so far and we think she's been teething the past week, but aren't sure - I don't see anything else popping through just yet
• She runs all over the place and enjoys playing games - chasing her, singing, tickling - some of her faves
• She's actually fitting into 12 month clothing, mind you she's almost 14 months old

The 4th and Our Future Fire Fighter

Keira spent the 4th of July weekend with her grandparents. That worked out really well for everyone. I desperately needed to rest and am still recovering from the most vicious cold I've had in a long time. Keira was able to spend time with her grandparents before they head off to Georgia for the upcoming year. She had a great time! Here she is at breakfast at the local Panera. She's a regular whenever she's in Rochester.

The kids played dress up at daycare today. Check out our little fire fighter. It's never too early to start planning for the future!