Sunday, November 27, 2011

Thankful

Thanksgiving marked the first day off I've had since the last week of October.  Yikes.

Once the state championships start, I'm typically at events Fridays and Saturdays and then back into the office on Sunday to help with the program for whatever the next week's tournament is.  It's an exhausting but enjoyable cycle.

On top of that, I decided to coach the 5th grade basketball team at University Child Development School (UCDS).  This is my ninth year coaching at the school.  I started when Darin was a resident teacher there back in 2003-04.  It really is something I look forward to every year.  Typically, we are a little stronger academically than we are athletically.  My dad has dubbed our team "The Fighting Nerds".  Last year, we were 0-8, so you can imagine that they were beating down my door to have me back to coach another season.

And, on top of THAT, I'm growing a moustache right now in recognition of "Movember".  Intense.

I realize that no one is really interested in MY activities, and that the main plot line of this story is Dylan.  I'm just trying to provide an explanation for the shortage of updates.

All of my free time between events has been spent watching our little man grow.  Every day is a new adventure and I'm constantly amazed by the noticeable changes in his appearance and personality.  I'm sure most parents think this, but I really believe that Darin and I have been blessed with the perfect baby.

A lot has happened the last month, so I'm going to do my best to provide a rundown of the highlights...

The Soroptomist Auction
An annual event to benefit the Marysville Soroptomists, of which Darin's mom is a proud, card-carrying member.  It typically falls around Halloween, so we take the opportunity to dress up.  This year, Darin was a bumblebee, Brie was an Eskimo, I was Steve Prefontaine, and Dylan was a penguin.  Can you figure out the theme?  Dylan lasted about 10 minutes in his penguin costume.  The fleece was a little much.  He already has a decent amount of insulation...if you know what I mean.  He's chubby.


The highlight of the event was Darin's dad winning a wheelbarrow full of beer.  And, he got to keep the wheelbarrow too!  Naturally, I seized the opportunity with a picture of Dylan...


Walla Walla
After the State Cross Country meet in Pasco, we went over to Walla Walla for our first visit with the Great Grandparents Gunter and my Aunt Cheryl and Uncle Roc.  It was a quick trip, but we still managed to squeeze in a few of our favorite Walla Walla activities:  adult beverage at the Green, morning walk to Rooks Park, lunch at Graze with THE John Blair, and Dylan got a personal tour of Whitman College, his future alma mater.  Just kidding...there's no way we'll be able to afford tuition there in 2030.


Return to the Hardwood
While the world has been deprived of the first month of NBA basketball, the Knapp family has been getting its fix.  Darin returned to the court in early November to play in the Puget Sound Basketball League with a few of my co-workers.  Dylan and I have created a two-man cheerleading squad on the sidelines.  I've been doing the bulk of the cheering though, considering Dylan's slept through every game so far.  It's great to see Darin back on the court.


Dylan Being Dylan
We've had a lot of milestones with Dylan the last month.  Not surprisingly, subtle accomplishments have been lauded as heroic feats...rolling over, clasping his hands, smiling, chatting, tracking, sleeping more than four hours straight.  Did I mention this kid likes to eat?  Goodness.  Here's a great picture of Dylan next to a baby picture of Darin so you can see what he's aspiring to.  "Michelin Baby" seems to be the most appropriate description.


Thanksgiving
The culminating event of this busy stretch was the Thanksgiving holiday.  Brie flew in from S.F. and my folks brought my Grandma Lin up from Camas to join us.  My grandma told me that she didn't think she'd ever see Seattle again, so I was happy for her to make the trip.  As you can tell by all of these pictures, there's a lot to be thankful for right now.