Here we go Loop-de-Loo!

age: 2 months

weight: 13 pounds 2 ounces

length: 22 3/4 inches

head circ: 15 3/4 inches

Yes, I do know that it has been awhile since we posted any pictures. However, both grandmas this weekend politely pointed out that they had been checking, but there were no new pictures up. Maybe after this post they will begin magically appearing and I won't have to do it. Wouldn't that be nice? Ha, right.

How about an update first, then some pictures? Or, as I suppose the grandmas will do, flip through all of the pictures first, then perhaps read through everything. Well - here we go: the movers are coming on Monday to pack and then on Tuesday to load the truck and take our things away. Said things will meet us on an undisclosed date at an undisclosed location. Are we ready? Of course not. Are we leaving anyway? Of course we are. Are we excited? Absolutely!

I mention an undisclosed date and location because we don't have anywhere to live yet. Ryan went out last weekend to look for housing and though not completely useless the objective was not met. Not for lack of trying however. When he got back it looked like our best option might be to rent the second story of someone's remodeled barn. And when we do make our decision this still might be the best option. On Monday after he got back a new posting had been put in the local paper, regarding renting part of a duplex. Ryan called on it and it seems very promising - we need to talk someone in the company to go over with their spouse and check it out. It would be nice if it worked out, but hey - there's always the barn. We will keep our eyes our for other options and hope to have a place to live by the time that we arrive. If not, Ryan will work and Dale and I will hunt for somewhere to live. Whoopee!

So, the plan is to leave Phoenix on Tuesday and head to Utah to spend some time with the families - someone has to deliver Dale, right? The following Saturday we will plan on heading to Maine. Information for those wondering what Ryan will be doing in Maine: He will be working for Kleinschmidt, a company based in Pittsfield ME that does a lot of work with dams utilizing hydroelectric power. He is excited. We both are.

Now onto Dale, the real reason that anyone actually checks this anymore. (And why I post like once a month instead of semi-annually) He is perfect and wonderful! He is a very happy baby and has started to smile on a more consistent basis. It is the most wonderful sight in the world right now. I even captured a few on camera - he is very suspicious of the camera and usually just eyes it in wonderment. He has started to raise just one eyebrow at a time, but I haven't quite figured out a trigger for it and it is so fleeting that there are no pictures of it. He is very observant and thinks that being outside rocks (that may change when it is brrr..cold outside). Today we took him out in the carrier with his face forward for the first time - he loved it. He moved his head back and forth and his eyes were so big as he looked at all of the contrast and colors. And he licked his lips - something he does when he is happy, or to entertain himself. He's also decided that sucking on the knuckle of his thumb rocks - but only when he's hungry, playing in his bassinet or doing tummy time. Our scale says that he is about thirteen and a half pounds already - we can't wait to see what all of his measurements are at his two month appointment, albeit I assume that he will not be pleased with the vaccinations. I can't believe that he is already two months old. It amazes me how much more quickly these two months have gone than the two months before he arrived.

And now for a whole bunch of pictures - they are from oldest to newest, as you scroll through them just watch him grow!

Dale loves to eat his blankies, burpcloths and clothing. ~num num~

He also likes to hold his burpcloths and the necklines of our shirts.

Here is one of the few pictures that I think may ever exist with Dale and a binkie - he does not like them for anything beyond about 3 seconds


Ryan with Dale in the carrier the first time that we used it. Dale does NOT care for having his face smashed into our chests - but he loved it today when he could see what was going on.

The other night was kinda rough with Dale, he simply did not want to sleep. Ryan had been up with him for quite awhile and Dale needed to eat so we switched spots - I took Dale and Ryan went to the bedroom to sleep. However, he fell asleep on his knees at the side of the bed while praying. Apparently he slept like that for four hours. Praying really does rest the weary.

Hip hip hooray! Dale turned one month old today. He is a wonderful little boy. Using our very calibrated home measurement systems we think that he is just under nine and a half pounds and is about twenty inches long. He is generally a very calm, content and attentive baby - he likes to be held upright so that he can see what is going on. He is getting much stronger - he is able to lift his head up and hold it steady but still doesn't have enough control to put it down slowly so when he gets tired his head just flops down. While playing on the floor he kicks so much that he moves all around - he doesn't know which way he is headed, nor does he care - but he is a very active baby. When he is on his tummy this means that he mostly scoots around in a circle, pivoting around his head. Dale is willing to tolerate tummy time - to humor his parents - for about ten minutes before beginning to cry. He is amazing and we love him.

On the flip side, there are things that Dale does that seem to be planned (I'm sure they aren't) and done to humor him. He seems to know that the best time to pee is just as the diapers are being switched, the best time to play happily is between 11 pm and 2 am and the best time to spit up is when mommy is burping him without a burpcloth. And still - we love him.

Here are a few (okay, lots of) pictures of our little man, I've tried to include some of the funny faces that we see. Enjoy-
This is a common face that we see when he wakes up - he makes slight kissy faces and shifts his eyes back and forth - at least he doesn't shift his eyes at Ryan and I any more.

Opa - a big stretch: