Joy in Motion

John Daniel is now getting to be a big boy…4 months old already.  He’ll have his 4-month well baby check at the Pediatrician on base next week.  He’s grabbing his feet now, making it difficult to change his diaper and he’s trying to stand while I’m holding him.  His legs are definitely getting stronger!

The biggest news is that he’s now rolling over.  He had his first roll-over while Nana and Papa were minding him the other day…and here’s the photo dad took:

Another bumper sticker I saw the other day: Bark More, Bite Less…thought it was a good commentary on expressing your views without malice (in a doggy sort of way)

And a hilarious front-page article in the Register Guard the other day

Finally, the new Dilbert cartoon is worth posting here (dilbert has a funny one once and awhile)

Now we’ve entered into a new phase with John Daniel…rubbing his eyes when he gets tired.  It’s just so amazing how these developmental milestones work.  If I think about it, he doesn’t know how to do anything when he’s born.  He even has had to find his fingers and hands and realize that they are his!  It’s true that he’ll do most of his growing and changing in the first year because so many things are happening.

And now his dad is going to Japan for 3 weeks and I’m going to try and post more often.  We are going to try and webcam often while he’s away in Japan and we can “talk live” while he’s gone.  Technology is so cool. 

Here are some recent photos for everyone who is asking for them…sorry about the red-eye, I don’t have my software program here at mom and dad’s house to correct it.

I had to add a photo of Zoe sitting on top of mom and dad’s outdoor table to try and get our attention.  She wanted to come inside and she’d do anything, or sit anywhere, to accomplish that goal!

Happy New Year!  Today is a day for watching football.  And for settling in with our New Year’s resolutions.  Maybe this year I’ll keep mine?

The other day Rob and I took the two dogs for a bath at Suds em Yourself downtown.  The business has been there for about 30 years, and in this economy that’s saying something.  On our way to the dog-cleaners, we saw a bumper sticker: “Maybe the Hokey-Pokey IS what it’s all about”…I thought this was a great motto.  Especially for the new year.  Keep life simple.  Enjoy the small things.  Do the hokey-pokey whenever possible. 

Bumper stickers are huge here in Eugene.  It is a town of voices, and each person here is entitled to their say.  I’ve seen stickers: “Save the trees, cut down the Bushes”, “DUX”(similar to the foreign banners but with a UofO slant), and many “Obama 08″ monikers.  If you’re not convinced that Eugene is a place all unto itself, here is a column from our local Oregonian on the Register Guard staff – his name is Bob Welch.  He’s got a few books out lauding Eugene and everything Duck.   Here’s the link.

On another note, Rob and I had a joyous New Year’s celebration.  We went out to dinner, got kicked out of a couple places, and to two movies.  It was fun.  Mom and Dad watched the little man and reported no problems.  There was a little geyser during bathtime and mom ended up with a wet sweatshirt, but all else was fine.  The movies we watched were “Casablanca” and “Quantum of Solace”.  They were dissimilar enough to keep us awake and interested.  Casablanca was the full black-and-white original version.  The theatre here in Eugene has a grassroots club/organization that shows classic movies on the bigscreen every Wed. night.  It’s cool.  And the new James Bond just happened to be showing afterward so we stayed.

When we arrived home, we didn’t even turn on the TV to see about Dick Clark.  At 12midnight we just brushed our teeth and went to bed. 

Enjoy the day!