More art

This dragon took Syl a couple of weeks, primarily the scale work...

Then the other evening I found her patiently tracing over her own previous comic book work, with black pen.

Not exactly as planned

This little sweetheart was supposed to be 45 minutes into her birthday sleepover. Instead, she is asleep on the couch with a fever, feeling low and disappointed. 

We are super proud of how she is taking the disappointment, though. We’ll make it up to her. Bad timing, virus!!!

Mommy must be in the bathroom

This guy is obsessed. 

Happy Birthday, Sylvie!

Portrait of the 11 year old girl!

Spaghetti pie, per request.

A new thing Syl and I have in common: some years, our birthdays fall on Election Day!

11 years ago today...

I love reposting this photo of how Melissa began what turned out to be Sylvie's birthday...

Just shy of 12 hours later, we were a family.

Happy 11th birthday, Sylvie!!!

Yet another beautiful autumn day

It started off rainy, which was particularly troubling since Syl had a "paintball party" to attend.

Dropping her off in the pouring rain, surrounded by grown men in full camo toting their personal paintball guns in elaborate cases, I felt like the world's worst parent.

Of course she absolutely LOVED it.

The afternoon cleared, and was truly beautiful, if also insanely windy.

See the dogs waiting patiently in the distance?

I think today's rain and winds will put most of the leaves on the ground, bringing an end to a very yellow (in a good way) fall in this part of New England.

46!

Good thing I'm not ACTUALLY 46, otherwise I'd be too old for the t-shirt Syl picked out for my birthday...

She also illustrated some of her favorite family photos. Cracks me up that the Elf on the Shelf has price of place...

I really did...

Melissa is in NYC visiting Amy and Lynne, so Syl and I were on our own for my birthday. Couldn't have asked for a better companion. After school, we did a stroll. Insanely balmy weather for November had us both in short sleeves!

Then we hit Oishii for dinner! This kid is a tofu fiend.

She also likes the miso soup.

...and the yaki udon.

Great date.

Then we went by the O'Learys', where Trystan gave me a cupcake with a candle. Great friends.

Came home to find this on the stoop. Thanks Mom and Dad!

Syl and her buds at recess

Pumpkin Carving

We waited until the last minute this year... but hey. Fresh jack-o-lanterns for Halloween!

As usual, the key elements are tools, pumpkins...

Careful design work...

dedication...

...and many hands to make light the work!

We were pretty pleased with the end products.