Sawyer is 11 Months

Ok so we are a bit behind. Can you believe he is almost a year old??

He is babbling and singing away, and getting very close to standing on his own.

He's a jolly little beauty.

Now I'm just bragging.

The past couple weekends have delivered some very serviceable Spring weather.

Two weekends ago, while V was shooting her current top secret role, I finished up some business and then went to Prospect Park with Jasper to relieve the babysitter of her two charges.  Antics ensued.

Sawyer delighted in the wide open space while Jasper stood guard.

He's a contemplative dumpling.

OH! I forgot to mention that before I went to the park, I bumped into friend Mary and she joined me for the stroll and then was rewarded by Sadie with some serious roughhousing.

Afterwards, I took the kids (Sadie mostly) for some ice cream.  She was kind enough to share some bites with her brother.

On the walk home, we passed a stoop sale with some irresistible wares.

Then Sadie and Natalia met up out on the block to play sidewalk games.  Straight-up Brooklyn!

These two like one another a lot.

And Sawyer practiced his standing.

 Then this past weekend, I just took photos whenever my family looked beautiful for no particular reason - which is pretty much all the time, I think.

Sadie made chocolate ice cream in a little hand-crank half pint ice cream maker.  It was fairly yummy.

And this verdant wonderland is our back deck.  We're so lucky to live here.

That's our nice guy.

I'm the luckiest papa!

Sawyer lately

Sawyer is doing great! He is practicing standing, usually while holding on to something but occasionally he balances on his own. He is babbling and drumming, AND he has started sleeping through the night! Hallelujah.
Those pictures are him with Edouard from the block, Natalia's brother who shares a birthday (and a wardrobe) with Sawyer.

Monday in the Park

The weather was glorious today. We went to the park and met Gabriel and one of his classmates, Myra, a four-year-old who played nicely with Sadie.
They picked flowers and ran around. My goal for the summer is always to be ready to head outside at a moment's notice.

Ahhhhh, Ixtapa (How we miss you)

We've been back two weeks now and I can honestly say that our vacation to Mexico did what vacations are supposed to do: it got us away from our daily routines, we spent a lot of great family time, it made us all happy and relaxed, and left us with wonderful memories.
I'm just now getting through the hundreds of photos I took on my real camera.  I'm just posting the very best though.  Enjoy!
(Click any photo to see the full size version)