Fall Break - visit to Wheaton

Last week Jim was given two days off work (in exchange for going to a conference up at Michigan State earlier in the week) so we took the opportunity to drive up to Wheaton and see some family and friends - and catch last-of-the-fall-season Wheaton sports.

It was Gemma's first road trip and she did pretty well, partly sleeping during the ride and partly looking at & talking to the toys hanging from her car seat (and crying for about 30 minutes, yuck). Once we got there though she was very happy, of course!

Nonna enjoyed changing some diapers and having play-time on the change table with Gemma, who always shows off lots of smiles and gurgles and kicks while on there.

Gemma met her cousin-once-removed Carol, and sat contentedly in her lap one evening.

And more cousins-once removed, Betsy and Nathan.

Of course we had to see the Williams and catch up on how much their kids have grown since we saw them in June - and get encouragement on handling the sleep patterns of an infant. (here they are, minus 5-year old Owen)


At the Wheaton football game with Dad - a long-time tradition!!


Meeting more cousins, Olivia, Susie and Britta:

Lars in the background...and Gemma with a crazy bow on her head...

At the Wheaton women's soccer game, the conference championship! With Jill (her husband is the trainer) and Fo & Hayden. Pretty soon he'll be cheering for his dad's team. He was very smiley and talkative already! Meanwhile Gemma slept through almost all of it, happily snuggled up (it was Cold!) in the carrier.




Yay! Happy times at 516 E Forest. It is SO good to be with family. (Actually Gemma is smiling over at Nonna.)

Like her Dad?

Okay folks we are ready for your comments on the following: does Gemma look like her Dad did as a baby, and in what ways?

Some photo samples...

Jim at 2 days old and Gemma at 1 day old (of course, Jim had a 3.5 lb advantage at this point - that's more than 50% of Gemma's birth weight!)



Jim (10 days old) with his Nana:

Jim at 2 weeks old with Katie and Dad:

Gemma at 2 weeks old:

Jim in his swing at 2.5 months:

Gemma in her bouncy seat at 2 months:

No contest though on who had/has more hair...

Two Months Old

Today - November 1st - Gemma is two months old! As you can see, she is a happy baby and really smiles and gurgles a lot (well, you can't tell that by the photos, but trust me, she is talkative and will make cooing noises in response to conversation). In the last week she has started sleeping 7-8 hour stretches at night - WOW - and still takes long naps during the day. Obviously she is growing and learning a lot these days.

Today she had her 2 month check-up and first round of immunizations. She screamed a bit but overall was very, very good; the nurse said, "Oh my, she is a happy baby." Gemma is currently upstairs napping after the traumatic experience (sore thighs). Baby Tylenol helps. Mom and Dad did okay too, except that the gem had a massive poopy diaper at the Dr. office and messed all up the backside of her onesie. Naturally we didn't have a change of clothes but at least we had a fleece jacket and a blanket to put over her.

Here are the stats:

• 11 lbs, 5 oz (she's gone from 10th percentile at 2 weeks, now at 50th-75th percentile)
• 23 1/4 inches (75th-90th percentile)
  

Our neighbor Kelly gave Gemma this cute pink turtleneck and jean dress.




We are looking forward to Gemma's first road trip coming up this weekend, driving up to Wheaton for a Fall Break of sorts. Gemma can't wait to show some smiles to Granddaddy and catch her first Wheaton soccer game. We'll see how she does in the car as we haven't gone more than 5 miles from home yet!

Fall days and Meeting Granddaddy

We have been having some lovely warm fall days! Jim and I agree that the most beautiful trees in the fall are the "gumdrop trees" (i.e. sweetgum maple) because as the leaves change, the tree displays multiple colors at the same time - green, orange, yellow and red coinciding. That's a sweetgum behind Gemma and I in the photo above.

In other news, here are some of the new things Gemma is learning: on Monday she started sucking her hands (on purpose) and looking at them! She now stares up at her mobile in the crib and at the toys hanging on the bouncy seat, and she is getting closer and closer to a giggle. Also bathtime seems to be enjoyable for her. She gives us little smiles as we scrub and pour water on her, and afterwards she snuggles with Dad.

Over the weekend Granddaddy and Nonna came to check out their newest granddaughter, and Granddaddy got to hold a happy, contented girl right away.

Nonna brought along baby photos of Jim and spent some time sorting through to see if Gemma takes after her dad. (that's another post coming soon...)

And then we took a walk on the Clear Creek Trail (a must for all our visitors, as you may have gathered). What a nice day!!

Sunday was Gemma's first time in church and her first time to wear a dress. It's pink. And corduroy.* She snuggled in the carrier on Dad and slept through most of the service (yay!). Mom meanwhile was in such a rush to get out the door that I accidentally forgot to change out of my slippers and arrived at church aghast...oh well...


*she inherited this dress from cousin Lillian!

A short visit from Erica

Last weekend Erica was in Louisville for a conference (Association for Play Therapy) and graciously decided to drive up 2 hours to be with us for a night before flying back to the twin cities (to rejoin her husband and two kids, missing her mightily). The morning before she left was beautiful and we enjoyed a walk on the Clear Creek Trail. Always refreshing to see fall colors, feel the cool air, and talk life and faith and family...



Erica gave Gemma two Sandra Boynton books (yay!!), so of course I had to read them to her right away. She doesn't seem too interested yet but she'll get the hang of it. (What is that look on her face?!) Moo Baa La la la. It's just the beginning.