Moving...this time for real!

Yes, Matt was offered the Assistant Professor of Organic Pest Management at Michigan State Univ. this afternoon! We are very excited. Here's the scoop...

He was offered the position officially, though there was not an official package offer yet. That will come later along with negotiations and a trip to Lansing to scope out our new town. The salary is nice, almost twice what he makes here! We'll likely move sometime in September, as Matt will likely start the job in October. This will give us plenty of time to prepare the house to sell and to move. There will be a stipend for moving so we're hoping to be able to hire movers this time! YEAH!!!

It is a bittersweet event for us. This is Matt's dream job, but we really love Wenatchee and the community we've created here. We'll be moving much closer to my family (about an 18 hour drive), but farther from Matt's folks. I am nervous and scared and sad and happy....a HUGE year for us.

I keep thinking about my mom and how she wanted us to get closer for so long and now we will be and she's gone. I know life takes it's twists and turns as it should, but I can't help thinking that.

Anyway, there will be many more posts to come about this big move...in the mean time, we fly to California tomorrow to visit with Matt's folks and friends for 2 weeks... a much needed vacation!

Arlo's Latest

Arlo will be 4 months old in 2 days! Of course the time had passed so quick and I look at him and can't believe he's so big, so strong, and so interactive. Here are a few of Arlo's latest...

• He recently found his feet and plays with them quite frequently. It is really cute to watch. His brow furrows and he looks at them so intently, then gurgles and has a great time.
• At night he has begun waking almost every 45-90 minutes to nurse. I think he is genuinely hungry, though he will sleep longer if I am snuggled in close to him. Go figure!
• He has rolled from his stomach to back, but not yet from back to stomach. He will roll onto his side to reach for a toy or get a better view of Sam!
• Sam is VERY interesting for Arlo to watch. He will sit and follow Sam around the room with his eyes. If Sam gets real close to Arlo, he'll smile and gurgle. It is very cute. Sam has also started soothing Arlo if he cries...without my prompt! It is really sweet to watch Sam be a big brother.
• Arlo also enjoys watching the cats. He'll smile at them and watch them very closely.
• Gurgling, cooing and laughing are almost always heard from his mouth. He is rarely quiet. Even his nursing is quite loud! Lots of "mmmm's" and wet slurps!
• He is beg enough now for me to wear him on my back in the Ergo carrier. It is so comfortable for he and I. I usually wear him through 1-2 naps a day, as he'll sleep longer if I'm wearing him. I do get lots of house work done this way...even vacuuming!
• Two little bumps are growing in his lower gums and I know any day we'll see a little tooth pop through! Sam was 3 months and 3 weeks old when his first tooth came. So I expect we'll see one soon. The drooling and fussiness seems to come and go. I am a little sad that his sweet gummy grin will be gone in no time!
• Arlo is weighing about 16 lbs and wears 6-9 mos. size clothes. Many 9 mos. things are beginning to fit quite well.
• He is a very mellow baby with a definite natural routine. I am quite in tune with his needs and it feels so great. I don't remember it happening with Sam this fast. I also find myself feeling much less worried about things....sleep, wearing him all the time, co-sleeping, etc.