April 29: Happy 1/2 Year Birthday Sydney!

What an eventful couple of weeks for our little girl since the last update. Mommy and daddy are still having a great time hanging out during the week. We've spent the last two dinners with Sabrina & Tarick at all you can eat sushi and Maria's taverna for some good greek eats. Good thing we went on a long stroll down Third Beach to work off the Cupcakes that we had on top of that.

Hey Sydney, HAPPY 1/2 year BIRTHDAY! Goodness, we can't believe that you turned six months old today. Even though I always tell mom that I can't remember what life was like without you, I just can't believe that it's been six months already (even Neil and Mike next door couldn't believe it's been six months.

Recent highlights:
- We took you swimming for the first time at the West Vancouver Community Centre. After mom tried floating you around a little too much (and you freaking out) you and her just walked in the water and under fountains for an hour. You loved it.
- We went for a fancy dancy dinner at Cin Cin (many thanks to the Fleming Design Group as it was a farewell gift when I left Nintendo). The seven course taster menu was excellent, especially the Wood roasted fish and shellfish cioppino and the Cervo, a venison loin. You are such a well behaved kid at restaurants, we are so lucky to have you as our daughter... such a great kid.
- You got to hang out with Kayla and Evan at lunch with mom and the UBC gang got together.
- We even brought some vietnamese soul food (ok, it was pho and bun bi ga) to Sara's to check out her new pad.

Enjoy the photos.

Happy 1/2 Birthday

April 12: Sydney picture update; Kirby & Ava visit

Well, it's been a fun week with Uncle Kirby and Auntie Ava in town. We ate a LOT, despite the fact that Kirby & Ava usually don't eat breakfast or lunch. Their first night in town they brought some good weather with them. I think it was sunny and +12 oC the whole time they were here. We attacked a couple of all you can eat sushi places ("Fish on rice" for quantity, and "Gen Sushi" where Kirby and I did all-you-can-eat and supplemented Geneva and Ava's bento boxes accordingly), and splurged on fish & chips and the Crab "Shop." Daddy and mommy had to sneak in some yoga and workout sessions when Uncle Kirby and Aunt Ava went down for their afternoon (actually, and morning) ciestas (man, they slept a lot... and fell asleep quickly), though to be fair we had a couple of days with long walks at Ambleside and Davie & Denman. Many thanks to them both for TMX Elmo (good grief, we have a "so you think you can dance" faceoff every morning between Ian & Kath's Tumble Tigger and TMX Elmo), for being super-shifty and covering meals and Costco bills (mmmm, yummy ice cream and buying "Green Eggs & Ham"). It was great having you both here and really getting to know both of you. Love you both.

Lots of pictures of Sydney. A very informal methodology used by daddy estimates that Sydney is now 25" tall and over 15 lbs. Definitely hitting a growth spurt. You'll also note, as per this picture, that she is starting to teeth (i.e. drool profusely) and is sticking just about anything and everything in her mouth. Still no rolling over, but she's close to sitting up on her own. And she laugh and babbles a lot. And she's a good (not great) napper (even falling asleep at sushi as you'll see). She even had her first dinner at Salmon House on the Hill with Kirby and Ava.

Enjoy the pictures!