Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Sawyer enjoying his first real Thanksgiving dinner!

(not just the mushy stuff this year!)

His favorite place to eat leftovers...in Dad's lap, of course.

Sawyer and Grandma Heide opening presents

Ryan, Sawyer and Daddy playing cars. Silly boys!

Sawyer and Mommy checkin' out one of the (very large) Christmas trees at the Capital building in Pierre, SD

Look at all the snowflakes!

Sawyer examines a little fire engine on the firemen's tree. "Oooooh, look lights!" exclaimed Sawyer at every single Christmas light he saw.

Sawyer watching Cole sled from the sun room.

(It was VERY cold outside that day and Sawyer preferred watching to participating.)

Cousin Cole and Sawyer sharing Grandpa John's recliner.

Daddy helps Sawyer enjoy the Goldfish Santa put in his stocking.

Mmmmm, new toy smell!

Sawyer and the Christmas tree

(He made sure those lights were on 24/7...so much for Grandpa's timers. Sawyer figured those out real fast!)

Grandpa John, Grandma Jill and Sawyer

The family

John and Jill on their 40th Wedding Anniversary!

Re-living the cake cutting...

Jill is obviously thrilled to be re-living the cake cutting!

Oh well. This was our best attempt at an updated Four Generation photo....

Sawyer enjoys his last Christmas present after returning to Raleigh, home sweet home.

Well, it's been a whirl wind holiday season to say the least. We had everyone in Raleigh over for Thanksgiving and it seemed like it was the next day we flew to Pierre, SD for Christmas. Sawyer did great on the plane and adapted quickly to the new house FULL of family. (John, Sawyer and I; Jonette, Craig and Cole; and Grandma and Grandpa Wellhouse - 10 people and two bathrooms!) He had a good time playing with Cole and thoroughly enjoyed the time he spent with Grandma and Grandpa as well! Sawyer learned about snow and what it truly feels like to be cold. This was the first time I can remember being outside and when I asked if he wanted to go inside he actually said, "Yeah!" (After a couple trips outside he quickly understood the necessity of things like hats, boots and mittens - and luckily quit fighting us about putting them on!)

Sawyer's vocabulary grows every day. At Christmas he was fascinated by "lights" and now he's moved on to "bubbles" and "Elmo". He says ~40 different words. (I only count the word if someone other than me or Grandma can understand him when he says it.)

Sawyer's favorite things to do right now are playing in his sandbox with his trucks (and making truck noises while doing it), playing in the house with his trucks, coloring, watching ELMO on Sesame Street, squishing playdo with his Dad and pushing "molding foam" around with his Bob the Builder trucks. (Thanks Aunt Jean for the playdo, Aunt Jenn for the molding foam and Ms. Neha for the set of Bob trucks!)

Sawyer is very interested in all sports right now. If there is a ball being kicked or thrown around, he's interested. We recently took him to watch 7 year olds play basketball and he really enjoyed himself! (One of the boys is the son of a friend on mine and he made 6 baskets!)

I'm not sure what else to say. John and I are doing great and are really enjoying this stage in Sawyer's life. He is so much fun! Everyday we wonder what he'll do or say next.