The infamous sisters...

Flower garden at the GG Bridge.

Santa Cruz! Summer has officially arrived now that we have been to the beach and have been nicely burned to a crisp! My three sisters are down to visit for a week and we went to the Boardwalk in Santa Cruz for the day, and then down to Monterey for the night and next day. Dan had to work, but Russell did GREAT in his stroller- he just loves to watch everyone and everything. He only had one 5 minute screaming match, and then he was done. We are so proud of him!

My three sisters on one of the rides at Santa Cruz's Boardwalk.

Look at what washed up on the shore in Monterey!

A closer up look...

I think we'll keep him:-)

"Mom and Dad and I are going to the pool today. I wear a special swim diaper to keep the pool clean;-) I sure love my stroller, though, and anywhere we go in it, I am so happy! It has been too hot lately to go to the park and the pool is fun as long as Mom or Dad holds on to me tightly."

Hangin' with Dad at the pool...

and hangin' with Mom.

"Only one shot, Dad? I'm sure Mom wants me to have two!"

Russell's favorite pasttime is figuring out how many fingers/thumbs can fit in his little mouth all at once. Yesterday, I stuck my finger in to feel his gums, and he is cutting his bottom two teeth! Wow. He isn't crabby (yet?) but we are armed with Orajel just in case:-)

"Aunt Laura in Vancouver would be proud that I match the flowers! They are called gerber daisys. I guess that would make me a Gerber baby!"

"Mom and Dad bought this Jumperoo off their favorite site, Craigslist- I think they are trying to hide the fact that there are real toy stores with aisles of new toys for kids like me. Anyway, my swing was too slow for me. I need to continually wave my hands and kick my feet."

Dan's sister, Bev, and her husband, Kurt, came to visit us for the weekend. It was wonderful to see them once again and we enjoy a lot of good conversation and some tasty meals- especially at Kurt's Aunt Linda's in Oakland. "Thanks Aunt Bev for the bright blue blanket!"

Taking an early morning nap in the Big Bed. We think Russell wishes for pillows in his crib but not quite yet.

Four months old!

Four months old! Last year at this time we just found out we were pregnant. A lot has changed:-) At Russell's pedi appt, he was 15 lb, 11oz and 25 3/4 inches (total gain of 8 lbs, 11 oz, and 6 inches).
Russ loves to suck on his fingers and/or thumb and he likes to kick the water in his little bathtub at night. During the day, he is spending more time on his belly but still doesn't like to be there very long because it inhibits his leg and arm movement.
He is doing much better on our 'outings' to the stores, church, and the mall but I still don't grocery shop with him as it is too much to handle until he can sit in the seat of the cart.
Lately, he has been more talkative and it is so amazing to watch him 'talk' to us with his sounds. He looks so sincere and animated when he speaks that I wish we could understand him.
We've been able to leave Russ with some friends on occasion in the evenings. After arriving, I'll feed him once more and lay him on the hosts' bed and he falls asleep. This has given Dan and I some time to ourselves just to go out on dates.
Anyway, just a litte update:-)

When we went to wake Russell from his afternoon nap, this was the position he was in. Hmm. He must have pushed himself around.

This baby is constant movement from 6:30am-7:30pm! No wonder he loves to eat and rest. He is so precious.

He is so excited about life:-)

Not so little any more!

"Hmmm... Mom did a great job clipping my nails."

At our friend Cara's baby shower on Saturday, these were the cupcakes! We had a lot of fun and Cara was blessed with a lot of items for her coming arrival.

"I love Nana!"

Me and Aunt Andrea

Spending time with Grandpa... he knows I like his whistling.

Visting Point Roberts cabin for the first time in my little life.

"Me and my once-removed cousin (Dawn-Marie is my Mom's cousin even though I am 6 weeks older)."

Four generations... Marion van Dop (Great Grandma), Aleta Waitt (Grandma), Mom, and me!

"Where are you going to sleep, Mom and Dad? I claim this bed!" (We stayed one night at a hotel in Bellingham, Wa.)

"I live for Saturday mornings... this is so much better than my crib."

We visited our friends, Scott and Kristina and Olivia Kiazer, in Tacoma on the way back to Ca. We had a wonderful lunch and we miss them a lot at PCC.

Meeting Olivia for the first time

New family photo

Little flirt

"Til next time!"

"Going to the park with Mom and Dad... they don't want my flawless baby skin to get burnt:-)"

Dan's mom's birthday is today so this is the picture we sent with her card.

Russell's new toy was given to us by the tenants upstairs:-) It was so nice of them to think of us when their son outgrew it! Russ kicks the blue part and the toy plays a song and the parts move.

"I love you, Mom."

"I love my swing!"

Taking a little break during tummy time to enjoy a suck on the fist (he hasn't found his fingers yet but loves the fist).

April (from SD) and Cassandra (from Seattle- moving to Hawai'i) came to visit on Friday and they stayed until Sunday. It was great to see them again and visit in person rather than over the phone. Dan had to work over the weekend but he was able to visit with them when he got home:-)

Downtown SF- very busy and a lot to see!

"Eating a little candy while watching 'Dreamer' (Kurt Russell, Dakota Fanning)... a 'feel good' movie but not bad for the first movie I've seen!"

"Every morning I get to lay in the big bed which is so nice because it has a lot of room and is really soft. Mom puts me here because I like it and I can see her get ready for the new day."

Story from my e-mail... for all women

A woman, renewing her driver's license at the Motor Vehicle's office, was asked by the clerk to state her occupation. She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself. "What I mean is," explained the clerk, "do you have a job or are you just a...?"

"Of course I have a job," snapped the woman. "I'm a Mom."

"We don't list 'Mom' as an occupation, 'housewife' covers it," said the clerk emphatically.

I forgot all about her story until one day I found myself in the same situation, this time at our own Town Hall. The Clerk was obviously a career woman, poised, efficient and possessed of a high sounding title like, "Official Interrogator" or "Town Registrar."

"What is your occupation?" she probed. What made me say it? I do not know. The words simply popped out. "I'm a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations."

The clerk paused, ball-point pen frozen in midair and looked up as though she had not heard right. I repeated the title slowly emphasizing the most significant words. Then I stared with wonder as my pronouncement was written in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.

"Might I ask," said the clerk with new interest,"just what you do in your field?"

Coolly, without any trace of fluster in my voice, I heard myself reply, "I have a continuing program of research, (what mother doesn't) in the laboratory and in the field,(normally I would have said indoors and out). I'm working for my Masters, (the whole darned family) and already have four credits (all daughters). Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities, (any mother care to disagree?) and I often work 14 hours a day (24 is more like it). But the job is more challenging than most run-of-the-mill careers and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money."

There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk's voice as she completed the form, stood up and personally ushered me to the door. As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants -- ages 13, 7, and 3. Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model, (a 6 month old baby) in the child development program, testing out a new vocal pattern. I felt I had scored a beat on bureaucracy! And I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable to mankind than "just another Mom."

Does this make grandmothers "Senior Research associates in the field of Child Development and Human Relations" and great grandmothers "Executive Senior Research Associates"? I think so!!!! I also think it makes Aunts "Associate Research Assistants."

Two Months Old

Today we went to the peditrician for Russell's two-month-old check-up. He is 12 lbs/9 ozs, and is 22 3/4 inches long (he's grown 3 inches and over 5 lbs). Russell is very alert and holds his head up quite nicely and does well on his three hour sleep/feed/awake schedule- except for early evening when he gets a little fussy, but who isn't tired by this time of the day?

Russell also likes listening to his music- a jamming lullaby CD and Psalty's Praise Music for Lil' Praisers, and my singing (well, he doesn't complain!). We were given a nice swing for Russell as well, and he swings in it while I make cookies or any other Mom-kinda-things.

There has been a boy-baby boom at our church... eight boys born so far this year. I think Russell was number three. It is neat to see the other boys and talk with the other moms and dads. Incidentally, the four pregnant gals at church are all having girls (summer babies) so we will have to put Russell's name in early for an arranged marriage;-)

Thank-you to everyone who has been so kind to send or drop-off gifts... all clothing is/will be used and once Russell's a little older, so will the plush toys.

"Me and my friend Will on our playdate- actually, our moms just ate lunch and talked... we mostly napped:-)" (The boys are three weeks different in age)

Visiting with Dan's cousin Jon and his wife, Maria and their little 17 month old, Joanie, in Lodi, Ca, on Saturday.

Russell's regular evening spa treatment. Very modest, he likes the cloth on him so he doesn't feel naked (i.e. he'll cry until the cloth is put over him).