Snow in Durham?

Yes, last Friday we had a little bit of sleety snowfall! Naturally all the schools closed early and the grocery stores were packed with folks buying up the eggs and milk and bread. Good thing too since there were VERY cold temps and very icy roads. Of course Gemma enjoyed trying to run around outside a bit; "it's slippery!" Fortunately her snow pants were in the suitcase we packed while we are living here at 1406. (She is wearing Jaja's hat on her head and Timo's socks on her hands since the rest of our winter stuff got packed in a box and put in the Freys' garage. We weren't expecting it to get so cold!)

Well, hello!

 

Yes, this is a bib-wearing baby - watch out for spit up!

3 months old (and some cousin time)

Timo is 3 months old today! He delights us with his cute grins and noises, and how much he seems to love watching people and observing everything around him. He enjoys sitting upright or being held upright, and he gets very, very excited when he stands up. We still need to capture that on camera. He loves bath-time and lying on the changing table, kicking his legs and looking at the quilt that Jaja has hanging on the wall.

After a photo session for Timo, big sister Gemma gets in on the action.
 

Timo also enjoys being carried in the sling - this week for the first time I put him forward facing, with good success as you can see below...
 

this is what most suppertimes look like - Timo's late afternoon cat nap

Meanwhile we've had fun getting to see Asher and Adah Joy on a regular basis (oh yeah, and Rachel and Craig too). Here's a shot of the two 2 year-olds watching a Richard Scarry video on the Kindle. After listening to them run and jump and sing together in the living room, it's always nice to take a break for a few minutes.

Here's Adah Joy being her inquisitive self, wandering around the room - usually she has a baby doll or stuffed animal in tow.
 

I wasn't sure if these next photos should be on the blog or not...but they are pretty hilarious. And they highlight how Gemma and Asher really and truly like to do everything together.

One week in Durham

We have now been here in Durham for one week! Rachel & Craig graciously offered their garage as a storage place for all our stuff (unloaded from the moving truck), and in the meantime we are based with Mom & Dad while we...look for our own apartment; continue the job search and networking process for Jim; finalize the remaining edits on Jim's dissertation; take daily walks and trips to Oval Park (if it's not raining); re-acquaint ourselves with Durham now that we going to be living here, not just visiting; and of course simply spend time together with family and keeping up with the daily tasks of raising two kids. 

In great news: Jim is very, very close to finishing his dissertation. This week his advisor gave him the green light to schedule his defense! Awesome!

And, we have a lead on what looks to be a good apartment (temporary, month-to-month rental): a spacious basement apartment in the home of some folks from church, within walking distance to the Freys' new house and to Duke Park and to downtown Durham. However it isn't quite ready for occupancy yet, so we won't be moving in for a couple of weeks.

Timo meets Auntie Rachel, and shows off his expressiveness

...and meeting Uncle Craig

Timo had a nice cuddle one morning with Uncle Pete (stopping over during a break in his workday, since he had a job in the neighborhood).

Timo interacting with Adah Joy (the cutest toddler on the planet)

 
Gemma has taken to drinking tea on a daily basis (and requesting it several times a day).
 

Asher is very attentive and gentle with Timo. "He's so cute," he'll say as he leans in. One afternoon he decided to climb up in the recliner with Timo and read him a book.
 

Hurrah, we finally got a family photo of all 4 of us together!!! (note to Nonna: Gemma woke up this morning - knowing it was Sunday - requesting her "bow dress and tights" to wear to church.)

and here we are at 1406!

One week ago: packing up the moving truck!

In preparation for our condo closing on the 11th, we moved in with some friends, Vadim & Hilarie and their four kids, for a few days so that we could pack and clean without our two kids in the way. (Or, more accurately, so Jim could pack & clean.) Vadim & Hilarie were amazingly generous and hospitable and fun!! Gemma absolutely loves being the 5th child in their house, and getting lots of attention - and exposure to all things pink & Barbie, thanks to the girls. (She stayed with them when Timo was born, too.) We're hoping that somehow Gemma will end up with curly hair now that she has spent so much time with them. AND we decided that she will begin Summer Camp this year - we'll send her back to her birth-town so she can stay with them for a week. Being at their house for our last days was the perfect ending to our three years in B-town!

Here's a picture of their family from an earlier time in December: Vadim & Hilarie, and Daelon (the oldest, and the only boy), Alina, Daria and Samara. It was sad to say good-bye...the night before we left, Daelon said (about 5 times), "I think we should drive to your new house for Spring Break to come and visit."

Vadim and Jim were able to pack up the 16' moving truck in only a couple of hours. Quick work on a rainy day.

On the day before the closing, we brought Gemma back to the house to see it empty and to say our good-byes. 

Gemma did a little enthusiastic farewell dance in her old bedroom.

Time to head out! We had our closing on Friday afternoon - what a truly exciting, freeing experience that was!!! - and then woke up early on Saturday morning to drive to Durham. We left at 4:30 AM and arrived in Durham 13 hours later; Jim drove the truck, while Jul & Mom H drove the car. The kids did pretty well in the car. It helped to have nice long breaks at breakfast and lunchtime, and arrive in Durham in time for dinner, just as the sun was setting.

Two months old - and a comparison

Our little boy turned two months old on Christmas Day! Here is a "very hungry caterpillar" comparison with our two kids at the same age. What say you, faithful readers? Sister and brother, I'd say, for sure!

At Timo's 2 month check-up, he weighed 12 lb 4 oz and was 75th percentile for height. He is still a happy, content baby and is becoming more expressive and interested in what people are doing around him. He seems to like to make little noises to catch our attention, and then will give us a big grin when we look at him and start talking to him.

And here's Gemma at two months!

Final days in Bloomington!

 

We arrived back in Bloomington from Christmas vacation to 10 inches of snow and 10 days until our condo closing. It was a whirlwind week-and-a-half of packing and good-byes and "one last time to..." And for Gemma, it was her first real experience of snow! She had SO much fun playing in the piles of snow around the parking lot and property.

An evening ritual post-bathtime: Mommy combs/brushes Gemma's hair while Gemma chooses one of my necklaces to wear.

Our 1940s girl!

One night we four went out to pizza at Mother Bear's, our favorite B-town pizza establishment. (We had a gift card from Timo's birth and needed to use it before we moved!)

On our last Sunday we had time for one more hang-out with good friends Kevin and Laura Katerberg, and Emma and Kate. We met them the semester after we arrived in Bloomington, when both Jul and Laura were pregnant (with Gemma & Emma; try playing with these girls and not confusing their names!). On this Sunday afternoon, the dads had fun taking the daughters out to romp around in the snow, while us moms stayed inside and chatted about babies (of course) and what the uncertain future may bring to our families. I'm so thankful for these encouraging and supportive friends over the last three years!

 

A favorite cousin moment with David & Timo

And the winning picture is!!!

Still more from Christmastime in Wheaton

Beautiful boy cousins! Timo: 2 months (born Oct 25) and David: 4 months (born Aug 17). This was their first visit together, and they seemed to get along pretty well. No wrestling matches yet. Instead they competed to see who could drool (David) and spit up (Timo) the most. It's sure going to be fun watching the two of them grow up together!

Granddad and Nonna gave the granddaughters this huge, amazing doll house for Christmas. It was a big hit. (so were the matching outfits) Can you spy Gemma? Yes, she is the one wearing pink dress-up shoes. She didn't know about dress-up shoes before...and now life will never be the same.

A trick picture...Elsie, Timo, David, and Gemma...with the siblings alternating.

what Gieser Christmas would be complete without Barone's pizza?!

We attempted a family picture on our last day together - no easy task with 6 kiddos. But wow, all the adults are dressed and showered and not looking too tired. And wow, Granddad looks particularly happy. What a moment!

Handsome father-son photo:

Our little guy is really smiling more and starting to interact and make the cutest noises. He turned 2 months old on Christmas Day, and celebrated by increasingly, consistently sleeping through the night (e.g. 9:30 PM - 6 AM, then wake up to nurse, and back to sleep until 8 AM). What a cutie.

The other event on our last day together was a trip over to Cosley Zoo. They have mostly local animals and farm animals; it's the perfect, small zoo for toddlers and pre-school kids. We spent a happy 30 minutes there and had the zoo to ourselves...then all skedaddled back home to warm up and get lunch. Phew it was cold that day.

Elsie and Noah

Gemma with Aunt Katie

checking out the great horned owl - an amazing bird!!

Twice during the week the men took the kids over to the gym on Wheaton's campus to run around and kick balls and stare in longingly at the swimming pool.

a sweet cousin moment

"Nonna, I wanna do I Spy Quilt!" What a very fun game, followed by cuddles and reading a book together.

We had the chance to see good friend Steve a bit on our last day in town. Congrats to Dr Ivester on successfully defending and finishing his PhD!!! It was good to hear more of his story of studies and be encouraged to keep on going.