My 9 Month Old...

With all this moving jazz, I haven't posted about Arlo's 9 month well-baby visit...boy was it an eye-opener!

He now weighs 25 pounds! A whopping 5 pounds heavier than at his 6 month visit! He is 28" long and his head was 18+" around. He's a porker! We've always known that though....

He is now signing "all done", "more" and sometimes "milk". He'll wave "bye-bye" randomly and he says "mama" when crawling to me. Sometimes the "mama" is interspersed with cries or whines and doesn't sound as cute as it does sad!
He is cruising everywhere and trying to climb from a standing position! He can successfully climb up stairs and is beginning to figure out that going feet first off the couch or bed is best.

He plays so well with Sam and tonight they entertained each other for about 20 minutes while I finished cooking dinner. It was so nice.

Eight teeth strong and another making a push, though I can't tell which one it will be. He's been fussy the last few days and I am pretty sure it is due to the tooth.

He loves to swing and be helped to slide down the slide....he's just so cute!

Michigans

After almost 3 full days here, I guess we're Michigans! Yikes. Actually it feels really good to be here...and a little like I am on vacation and playing house. Surreal.

We're all adjusting well, but definitely adjusting. I thought the first few nights went too well...we were all so exhausted there was no time to show any emotion. Now after a few nights, the boys are surely feeling it and so am I. The time zone difference and new environment is making for rough bedtimes. Sam is scared to go to sleep on his own and I know we need to honor it. So we've been doing all that we can to help him feel safe as he falls asleep. Once he's down, he's out for the night, but the going down has been rough. I know it will get better with time. I am thankful Matt is here is to help and doesn't have to get up to go to work in the mornings.

We went on a sweet walk in the woods today and it was a great introduction to Michigan. Fall is showing it's face and the air is cool and crisp and the leaves are just beginning to change. The house is slowly beginning to look like a home, though temporary with most of our belongings still in boxes in the basement...and they will remain there until the final move.

We've been doing some exploring by car and looking for any houses on the market that might interest us. It has been fun.

So, there you have it. A Michigan. I think we'll really enjoy living here once we settle in....however long that will take.

Moving

I am finally getting a chance to sit down at the computer. It has been very hectic here...

The house is packed up and our stuff will arrive in Lansing tomorrow morning. Matt, Sam, Cyrus, and Betsy; after a night in Missoula, nowhere, N.D., and then Madison, will arrive in Lansing this early evening. Matt reports that Sam is doing well, but is getting VERY bored of the drive!

Meanwhile, I have been cleaning the house (a bigger job than I had expected), running last minute errands and trying to see all of my closest friends somewhere in the middle of all that. I am having fun, but am getting very tired of all the running round.

I am staying with my dear friend Karin and it has been lovely. A couple great nights and mornings together with some quality time to talk and knit. Great memories.

So, I'll be in Lansing with Arlo tomorrow night and will update next week with pictures of everything!

I am so glad we're almost done with this move!

My 30th Birthday Weekend

I had the most wonderful 30th birthday weekend.
Friday:
The morning brought me to a hair appointment and then lunch with my dear friend Karin. Arlo was with a sitter and Sam at school...I was alone for 4 hours!! In the evening, a dinner party in my favor...fresh vegetables roasted with homemade tomato sauce and pasta...mmmm...... It was a very enjoyable evening. Sherri, her sister Janet, and family, friends from in town. We ate, drank , laughed....superb.
Saturday:
Matt cooked me breakfast and we had an offer on our house! After signing paperwork and making a counter-offer, we're officially "Pending Contract", which feels really good.
Saturday evening I went to the Dave Matthews Concert. It was an awesome experience. The music was fantastic. The band is so tight. I heard a lot of new-to-me songs and danced. Sherri and her sister packed a gourmet picnic and we dined like queens. A really great evening. I was reminded of my age a number of times, though. I haven't been to a big (23,000 people) concert like that in 12 years, not since the Grateful Dead in 1995 in Highgate, Vermont at the Franklin County Field. The security was tight and the whole thing was a bit commercialized. I wasn't expecting that. I guess I am naive. I am glad that I went...my crush on Dave Matthews is 15 years in the making and it was very satisfying to see him live.
Sunday:
As we hadn't officially had our counter-offer accepted our realtor wanted to have one final open house on Sunday afternoon. So, Matt and I decided since we had to be away from the house for a few hours, we'd hike to Saddle Rock, the mountain behind our house. Matt loves Saddle Rock and it has been an amazing mountain to live with. At 2200 ft., the walk was about 2.5 miles to the peak and then another 1.5 down. We took the long trail and also hit Black Rock along the way. Sam hiked the entire trail to the peak. We were all incredibly impressed. He kept saying, "My strong, my a good hiker!" It really was a wonderful hike. Our good friend, Andy came along and we all had lunch after.
Thus ended my birthday weekend.
Today we packed the remainder of our house and we're ready for the movers. They'll be here at 8 am and I really should go to bed. So, here's how I look after weeks of house selling stress and a long day of packing and sweating...I'm tired.

Ummm, yep, I'm going...

I'm spending my 30th birthday with Dave Matthews...at the Gorge! He's on "my list"....enough said.

Scary

Matt just informed me that there is a serial killer on the loose in LANSING! He has killed three women, two of which were over 50 and the latest was 30 years of age. UGH. The last murder was only 2 miles from where we'll be living. Scary.

Who's who?