TEETHING He's got his first tooth, and it seems as though we're entering dangerous territory. We've had a few epsiodes of crankiness - we think it's tooth related. We prefer it when he's smiling, but...

...this is becoming a familiar image:

MIKE BIRBIGLIA LINES One of my favorite comedians:

I realized recently that what I need to find is a woman who love me for my money but doesn’t understand math.
I shouldn’t say bad stuff about illiterate people. I should write it.
I read recently that women in the workplace still make 30% less than men. Which I think is a good thing, because if you didn't, you ladies would all date each other. That 30% is all we have. Don't take that away from us.
I went out with this girl and she wasn't too bright. She wasn't like book smart, she was like magazine smart. Or, butter label smart.
I went to the national zoo, and I saw the panda bears. And it's sad because one of the reasons panda bears are going extinct is that the male bears like eating more than they like mating. Which at first I thought was strange, but then I thought, 'If I were a panda bear and I had to mate with another panda bear, I wouldn't be too excited either. I'd be like, oh great, she looks EXACTLY like me. Can I get a bamboo sandwhich or something?'

JUMP AROUND We now have more evidence that Evan is a true Badger fan - we put him in his jumper and sing 'Jump Around'...and he does. Eric is thrilled, to say the least.

5 1/2 MONTHS Evan is starting to do things that make us proud...his latest is standing while holding onto something. He is able to roll over and then back again, his first tooth broke the skin, and he can sit on his own. He also loves sitting on laps and reading a book. I still can't believe how fun it is to have him around!

NO PICTURE, JUST STORY It was a little unnerving and definitely weird...this lady, about 55 years old, came up to Evan and I at the grocery store. "Oh my goodness, he is cute enough to eat! I seriously want to eat him"!

How am I to repsond to that? I kind of laughed and said something like, "Well, please don't eat him. We think he's cute enough to keep around. OK, have a nice day."

I moved on. Three aisles later we run into her again. "There is the little boy I could just eat! Yum Yum!" Now I am seriously not finding it funny, so I just smile and say, "Yes, here he is." I turned around and went to check out.

I figured we'd have to protect Evan from crossing the road or maybe rabies, but never an old lady that wanted to eat him. That's just crazy.

When we were halfway to our car I remembered I forgot to get broccoli, but there was no way I was going back in there. Maybe if I had forgotten ice cream, but not broccoli.

A PRETTY GOOD WEEKEND I won a free night stay at the Isle Capri Hotel & Casino in the Quad Cities from work, so this Saturday morning we packed things up and braved the cold to head to southern IA. Included in the package was an $80 food voucher for a really nice restaurant located in the hotel, so we ordered $35 steaks and salmon...it was goooood. For the most part we hung out at the hotel, went swimming, and I even won $20 playing blackjack. We also won tickets to the Putnam Museum where they had a really cool exhibit on Da Vinci. Here is what Evan thought of it though:

The Museum:

Evan preparing to go swimming with Dad.

When we got back into town Sunday afternoon, we went straight to my parent's house for a mammoth Packer party. Only green and yellow foods were allowed. After such an exhausting weekend, none of us were looking forward to going back to work.

EVAN'S ROOM [update] A few have asked to see pictures, mostly to see my dad's fine craftsman ability. When he offered to make ALL the furniture for his room, we were thrilled. It allowed me to do the custom designing, not to mention saving us a ton of money. Pretty much everything in the room Grandpa Gordon made (except the chair). The two tables with lamps on he made years ago, but the crib, changing table, armoire (and bassinet that is not pictured but is beautiful!) he made just before Evan was born. Two things to mention: the crib turns into a toddler bed and then a double bed, and on the changing table, the top "rail" can come off so it becomes just a regular dresser. We're very grateful and lucky to have such a great and talented Grandpa!

SWIMMING LESSONS Here is a better picture from last night. Evan did well again, but it was even more fun watching little McKenzie play in the water. That's her mom, Janelle, one of my good friends. Janelle's son, Matthew, takes lessons at the same time. It's fun to be doing kid stuff with other families!

FOOD! It was mostly breast milk, but Evan had his first "solid food". You can tell that he didn't really know what to think about it. He didn't eat much, but at least he didn't seem to hate it. I think it was more fun for Eric and I!

WALLPAPER Even though his eyes are closed, I just love this picture. And now I can look at it all day long at work.

WEEKEND OF BASKETBALL Sunday we went to our cousin Austin's 8th grade basketball game and Evan really seemed to like it. He watched the entire game without getting anxious or restless. Here he is with Aunt Mary.

BADGERS v IOWA My mom called this morning with extra tickets, so Evan and I packed up our things and headed to pick up our cousins to take them as well. When we got there, my aunt offered to babysit Evan, so I took her up on it. I wasn't sure how Evan would have done at the game, since it was right in the middle of his nap time. Anyway, the Badgers took care of Iowa and it was a nice way to spend a gray Saturday morning.

MORE CHRISTMAS PHOTOS We had a great first Christmas with Evan. Here he is just chillin', playing with one of his new toys. And more photos of him yet again in adorable holiday outfits.

Now 4 1/2 months old, he also is starting to sit on his own. Well, kind of.