Packing up

We are in the process of moving. Leland is lending help when she can.

Leland and Stephen

Scholar

Leland doesn't even have to not try in high school: she's already been accepted as a student to Central Michigan University. She got a letter in the mail today saying she's been accepted for the freshman class of 2028. It included a sticker.

She is way ahead of me.

Stephen and Leland

Go Big or Go Home

That's the way we like to do things here in our household, because having a new baby just isn't enough change for us. Stephen got a brand new job and we are going to move, and all by the end of the month. Some of the details of all this change are still a little fuzzy. Like where we are going to live for instance. We are trying to decide where exactly we want to move. I think we have it narrowed down to my old stomping grounds. Cities around Wyandotte. And I think we have decided we are going to rent for no more than a year so we can take our time looking for a house. But I'm so excited that buying a house is on the near horizon for us.

Stephen got a fantastic new job as a communications planner for Detroit energy company, DTE. He will be working at the Fermi 2 nuclear power plant in Newport, MI. This is such a great opportunity for him! We are both very excited. One of my most favorite things about his new job is that he'll no longer have to work on holidays! For the last four years one or both of us has had to work on Christmas. I know lots of people work on Christmas, but with our Boston family, Shanghai family, and Virginia family coming home it makes things so much easier.

In baby news, Leland is doing great! I love being a mom. It's so amazing to see how she changes everyday. She started smiling! That's fun for me. She's also had lots of quality grandparent time recently. We've been spending a lot of time at my parents while we try to decide where to live. And Hank and Mary and Christina came to visit twice last week. On Saturday Hank, Mary, Stephen, Leland and I went to the local winery to bottle some delicious wine. We had a blast.

Anyway, that is the latest and why the blog posts have been lacking. Also, does anyone know how the heck to get a movie from a Flip video camera onto blogger? It's been driving me crazy.

Here are some recent pictures of Leland with her Grandma Mary.

Leland is One Month Old!

Time sure does fly! Leland turned one month old on Sunday. The occasion was marked by mine and Stephens first time away from her. My parents babysat while I stood up in the wedding of one of my best friends and Stephen had to work. It's amazing to see how she has changed over the first 31 one days. It looks to me like somebody's eyes are getting blue and hair is getting red!

Leland and Linsey and Marian and Mary

We went for a walk Sunday morning. It was nice out. Linsey ripped her jeans when she fell on a curb. But she saved Leland from injury by twisting and falling onto her side. We had to take a couple minute break on this bench for Linsey to calm her nerves.

(Editors note: Stephen has a very strange sense of humor. I did not actually fall. Those jeans have a giant hole in them because they are really old and one of only two pairs of pants that I own that fit me. So no need to worry! I'm actually quite steady on my feet.)

When I came home from work, this is how I found the ladies. Leland woke up with a stuffy nose. I used a nasal aspirator to suck snot and slime from her ample nostrils. With the weather changing, I fear the stuff nose may only be the start of something worse.

It was the first medical procedure I've performed for her since cutting her cord.

This is Grandma Tait holding her 10th grandchild during a recent trip to Farwell. They both really seemed to like each other.

This is Great Grandma Wuepper holding her 5th great grandchild. They also got along swimmingly.