Graduation

A very proud day. I am so proud of Brad and all his dedication to schooling the last many years. It hadn't really sunk in that we were done until the Ceremony, but then it sunk in deep and we were so happy. Brad's parents and sister Karin flew out to celebrate with us. We had fun with them all week doing "last-time-in-Rochester" things and packing boxes. The next day we packed up the truck and started the journey. But for this one day we celebrated Brad and his accomplishments. We had cake for dinner and lots of it.

Brad's dad was able to hood him on stage. That's why he's all jazzed up.

We girls watched from the balcony in the beautiful Eastman Theater.

A very happy family!

Home Owners We Are!

and we couldn't be happier about it.

Of course everything is still a mess, but we are feeling more settled ever day. It really is a beautiful home and we are excited to make it ours in a myriad of ways.

Eliza jumping while we unloaded the truck, and my very own washer and dryer!

I thousand thanks to the Hyatt's for all their help; these fine ladies put my whole kitchen together for me.

We love the open kitchen space.

Living room has lots of space too, room for little girls toys and books I suppose.

Thank you Scratch and Dent for a great fridge at half the price.

Eliza inspired this bathroom. It's cotton candy pink.

Moving!

Goodbye apartment 213! You've been so good to us, but we are moving up in the world.

We passed the flooded Mississippi.

Eliza played with everything, chocolate milk bottles were her favorite. After 5 and a half days of driving we made it to Texas!

This was my only unloading picture. We ended up not getting any help unloading, but it was really not too bad to do it ourselves.

This is our new home! More pictures later, I've got better things to do right now.

On the Road

We had a great trip to Texas. It was so much easier than I had envisioned (probably because I didn't DRIVE any of it.) Everyone else drove and I sat next to Eliza the whole time. We stayed in nice hotels thanks to Danielle and Priceline. We had pools and ovens and microwaves and rooms that seemed bigger than our apartment.

Eliza is learning to crawl and she loves to scoot on the hotel beds, she was scooting right off head first until we took this video.

We had nice weather and good company. But most importantly, we are in our home and we love it!!

The Traveler

We have traveled a bit lately and I have mixed feelings about it. I am looking for people opinions here so let me know what you think.

We flew with 3-4 different airlines over the past few months and it seems like everyone had different protocols for what to do with "the infant." Luckily we had a spare seat on almost all our flights so she could sit in her car seat, which I brought just for that occasion. One flight attendant wanted me to hold her in my lap for take off and landing rather than have her buckled in her car seat. One attendant wanted her buckled and secure for landing. One made sure to tell me that she needs to be in my lap facing me and up close to my chest for take off. One time she was in the Ergo strapped to me (and probably asleep) up against my chest and the attendant wanted me to take her out and hold her loosely on my lap. One time she was in the Ergo and the attendant said I must have flown a lot because she was in the perfect position for take off. What gives?! Oh, and one time we were told we needed to have her forward facing in her car seat because it was interfering with the seat in front of it even though it couldn't be bucked into the seat that way. Seriously? So it's safe to not buckle her seat in just so the person in front can recline all the way?

I was pretty mad about some of these 'suggestions' and put my foot down on occasion, but I didn't want to disobey a flight attendants' orders.

So who knows what the real safest thing to do with a baby is? Anyone? In my mind everything in the plane has to be stowed and buckled in for take off and landing, so why not the baby? Even when there is turbulence, they want you to have your seatbelt on, but the baby on your lap can be out and about. I have never been in a plane that crashed and so maybe it doesn't matter in that event, but then why have us buckle up at all? Is it just to keep us in our seats?

Why was there such disparity between airlines and even flight attendants, do they know anything?

Anyway, for those of you flying with infants, good luck. I am sure mothers have a lot more common sense than most of those flight attendants.

P.S. If it doesn't say "infant in arms" on your ticket just turn back now. You won't make it far... or you will make it pretty far just to be stopped half way through security and sent back, shoes off and all.

Eliza is 8 months old

Yesterday came and went and we didn't even notice that Eliza turned 8 months old. She is getting to be such a big girl.

She is:

Self-feeding Cheerios all the day long.

Eating solids twice a day (or whenever Mom has energy for it)

Sleeping 12 hours at night

Sitting up, rolling over and trying to climb on things

Not crawling yet to her dismay, though she does scoot backwards pretty well

Talking up a storm to anyone who will listen (including herself in the mirror)

Clapping

Blowing raspberries

and generally enjoying life.

She is such a happy girl!