April Fool's?

Mother Nature is no fool. Minneapolis woke up to about 5" of snow this first day of April. Kai came over to play and hit the sledding trails, hopefully for the last time this winter/spring season.

Floranova

Macy's-Bachmans floral fiesta - Floranova, is turning into an annual event with the Grandma's. Last year Soren took in the show with Grandma Lewandowski. This year Granny Annie joined us and we all enjoyed the glorious arrangement of latino art, color and culture. Our favorite display contained the lime green orchids to the right of Soren - a popular color theme in Soren's life. After a Skyroom lunch on the 12th floor, Soren came home exhausted from trying to keep up with the Grandma Duo. Funny how they think that Soren is the exhausting one.

Better then the Powerball

I may not have won the $275 million Powerball over the weekend, but I did win the bet I placed with Randy about Soren walking by Saint Patrick's Day. Soren was certainly well rested for his walking debut this afternoon after a 4.5 hour napping frenzy. Moments like this, with a bet at stake or not, Priceless.

The Minnesota Children's Museum

We have been hitting the free family events at various museums the last two Sundays. Yesterday we crossed the river to Saint Paul and the Minnesota Children's Museum. It is a wonderful space full of activities geared to all ages. Now that Soren is officially a TODDLER, he can really take part in adventures to be had. The Habitot gallery allowed Soren to frolic with spiders and lounge in the reading room. In the Our World gallery, Soren tested possible future careers as either a grocery cashier or a bus driver.

Eggstravaganza

Matthews Park, one of our neighborhood parks, held it's annual Eggstravaganza Easter event on Saturday. The costumed Easter Bunny character brought Soren to tears. I think that the cookie decorating and tasting made up for the giant bunny terror. 

Cherries Blossom, Cranes (and kisses) Fly

Family Day at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts last Sunday had a Japanese theme. We met up with our Mankato/Muncie friends the Lybecks. While Nora was busy with the hands-on activities Soren was happy to hang out with his sweetie Klara, listening to Koto music and taking any opportunity he could to plant big wet kisses on his leading lady.

In The Director's Chair

"In the Director's Chair" was the theme for last Saturday's Walker Art Center Free Family Event. Most of the activities revolved around girl-led, art-based filmmaking. In my opinion, one can never start too early to teach little ones the importance of supporting visionary women. Watch out Diablo Cody, Soren may just be a filmmaking superstar like you.

Place Your Bets

Randy and I have had a little wager going as to when Soren will first walk. Randy's bet was for March 1st, so technically that leaves Soren less then 9 hours to crank it up. I said by St. Patricks Day. The thought had crossed my mind to tip the scales in my favor, such as to carry Soren everywhere this last week, then really start daily training next week when Randy is back at work. But, I am playing fair. Genetically it makes sense that Soren would take his time to become bipedal. It took me 18 months to walk, and I was the early one out of my siblings. Randy was the late one with his siblings at 13 months. So really, I should have placed my bet more around May. In the meantime, we are going to savor the little clomping noises that accompany Soren's crawl, making him a zoning device easy to locate in the home.

The Scream

Bike Racer

Soren is in training for his Tour de California debut.  He has the bell ringing down, now we just need to work on the speed... Lookout Fabian Cancellara.  The move at the very end of the video (riding the top tube) is the same move that Lance did at Stage 15 of the 2003 Tour de France.

  

America's Test Kitchen

We have been faithful subscribers to Cook's Magazine for many years, not that we have the time now to indulge in the wonderful, yet time consuming recipes.  A recent Soren challenge lately is keeping him occupied during the time we do get in the kitchen. The hand binding in the oven mitts lasted a good 10 seconds. The cook set though has been a winner - lasting up to 5 minutes, just enough time to nuke that microwave entree...........

Fridge Art II

The Murrill/Lewandowski Kitchen Gallery has added some new pieces. We have a new linear conceptual piece - Soren's first painting. This is NFS (Not For Sale), as we intend to let it mature with the hope that Sotheby's will add it to its auction in another 30 years to help finance our retirement.  The red heart was Soren's first Hand-Made Valentine. We think that the Feet and Hands make a good pairing - any buyers?

Booty-Licious Ting Head

We really ought to buy stock into Robert's American Gourmet Company, makers of Veggie-Booty, Pirate's-Booty and Tings. They claim to make the best tasting natural snacks since 1986, and they are pretty darn good. Soren is an offical Booty and Ting Head, the fan cullt names. I still don't see how corn meal, rice and nutritional yeast shaped like a Cheeto can taste exactly like a Cheeto. Even Granny Annie has joined the fan club. I have a guaranteed babysitter if I request her over snack time.

Rock The Cradle

The Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Children's Theater Company and local alternative public radio station put on their annual Rock The Cradle event last Sunday. It was a jammed packed event filled with hipster parents and their fashionista children - definitely THE hottest family event to be and be seen at in the Twin Cities. Activities included a musical petting zoo, storytime by radio hosts, art activities and sing-alongs and the big hit - a dance party!!!!!


Soren playing with the Boom Whackers at the musical petting zoo.


Getting his groove on with his B/F Kai - their first official dance together!

Take That, Jack

Jack Frost has been doing some heavy nose nipping here in MN lately with windchill temps in the negative numbers. Add to that a heaping teaspoon of jealousy toward the Grand Folks being in Hawaii and Florida, we decided to take in our own tropical paradise adventure. Como Park Conservatory was a wonderful green haven and we caught the end of the winter pointsetta show. Soren strutted his stuff, sharing his infectious grin as a welcoming retreat from the winter blues.

Future "Up With People" Star?

Soren's vocabulary now includes animated performances. Daily he says "Up, Down" raising his hands overhead for Up, or his favorite, throwing things down on the floor to illustrate Down.

First Birthday's

Here are a couple pics of Randy and I each celebrating our first birthdays.

These are a few of my favorite things.......

The Birthday Cake

Leave it to the photographer to order the chocolate cake for the sole purpose of getting more effective smeared icing photos due to the darker coloration! Fun photos or a healthy child, hmmmmmm - tough one.

Mr. One Year Old

Soren came to us on January 5th, one year ago, and his presence in our lives has been a true blessing. It is hard not to get all sentimental about the emotional and physical growth that has occured in this first year of Soren's life. This past year has been one of the most challenging, yet more beautiful and awe inspiring then we could have ever imagined. Through the laughter and the tears (both his and ours), Soren has taught us the true meaning of unconditional love, and the pure innocence and depth that love represents. Thank you Soren, for the blessing you are. Happy Birthday our little one.

Ringing in the New Year

Happy New Year to all with a special "Hi" from Soren.

I Get By With a Little Help From My Friend

Sledding Adventures

Christmas Past and Present

Merry Christmas to YOU

Disco Baby

We danced, we laughed, and we shook our little booties (big and small) this past Saturday at the Minneapolis Baby Loves Disco event. The event itself is a great idea, offering a club like venue to dance and play in. It brought back memories of my former bar-hopping nightlife with the hip-hop music, bubbles and disco lighting. The funny thing is, now that I am older and a parent - once those nightclub lights come up full blast - those bars really are a nasty, dirty place. The dimmed, sexy mood lights mixed up with a couple of drinks makes everything look dreamy. Turn up the lights, add the clean parent syndrome, and those vodka stained love seats and gummed up floors turn rather dismal quickly. The last photo really is the image that speaks the most truth about the exhausted disco loving parent, just switch out the mixed drink for a juice box and you still get a passed out dude in the corner.

Shhhh - Did Someone say Ferber?

Attachment Parenting, Family Bed, The Baby Whisperer, Cry/No-Cry, Ferber - with so many parenting options popular these days, it can be overwhelming. Dr. Sears and the no-cry method seem to be the hot style these days. To say that you practice the Ferber Method makes one feel almost like a cruel, old-fashioned parent. Despite the look of shock on Soren's face when we decided to let him read up on the Ferber method (which is really only about creating positive sleep associations), he has adjusted very well to learning to self-sooth himself - cry or no cry.

Fridge Art

I have to admit that I have a love/hate relationship with our stainless fridge. I hate the fact that the front isn't magnetized - so everything has to be taped to it. It also shows dirty little baby handprints within a second of being touched. Therefore, the best solution to getting over my compulsive need to keep the front shiny clean is to open up the Murrill/Lewandowski Kitchen Gallery. The premiere show opened last week with Soren's first painting - a foot stamp. This started the beginning of the SOREN FRIDGE ART COLLECTION - on display for the next 18 years.

Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk, I'm a momma's boy: with time to talk.

Red Nosed Reindeer

Soren in the season's first snow, checking out the reindeer (in the gate with it's nordic guard) during the Grand Avenue Meander.

Playing with The Boyz

Randy had his hands full the other night when Kai came over for a playdate with Soren. All 3 boys chased each other around the house and we laughed the entire night. After Kai's departure came a sigh of relief from Randy, counting his blessings that we did not have twins.

Thanksgiving

As grandchild #10 on the Lewandowski side, Soren was still a hit with all his cousins. Perhaps it was because he was the token male and a willing participant when it came to the extreme makeover segment of Thanksgiving dinner.

Visiting Friends

We have hit the road these last few weeks to visit connections from Savannah and Muncie.


Soren with 4 month old Lucienne, the delightful new daughter of grad school friends Danielle and Sebastian, now living in Madison, WI.


Hanging with the Lybeck Ladies, Nora and Klara in Mankato, MN.

Monkey

Soren's version of 1 little monkey jumping on the bed...

Mr. 10 Months

Happy Halloween!

Even with Soren's 8 teeth, halloween candy was off limits this year. That didn't stop him from dressing up (thanks MJ for the awesome costume) and partaking in any of the local spooktacular events.



Taking in the festivities at the Minnehaha Falls Halloween Party.


"Buzzing" around with Soren's best buddie Kai.