Visiting family and friends for Thanksgiving

This last week Andrew, Baby David and I flew back to California for Thanksgiving. It was so nice to visit with everyone and catch up with what is going on in your lives. I really enjoyed watching David interact with everyone. The best times were spent just relaxing and laughing at the guys playing Daniel's new Wii, everyone got into the action, it was hilarious to watch.


I also really enjoyed breaks from my little guy. My mom did a wonderful job with David, allowing me to relax physically and mentally.
I think I gained back all the weight I had lost, trying to get my fill of Mexican food, at home, at restaurants, and even at Blanca's (Mario's mom). Thank you to everyone for making our time at home so special. Baby David misses you all.

Thanksgiving church feast

 
Today we attended our church's thanksgiving feast. After church we all went to the community center and feasted. David was great, helping us meet new people and then he even took a nice nap while we all ate. We meet some very nice people and hope to continue to make more connections. I forgot the camera, but took a few shots of David in his Thanksgiving church outfit. Looking forward to seeing you all this week. 

Dartmouth wins, finally!

Last Saturday we went to the last Dartmouth home game. They finally won at home in overtime against Brown. We had a great time with nice weather, cold but no rain. The previous game against Harvard was very wet, so this was a welcome relief. David was awake during the whole game and enjoyed watching all the people as well as the game.

#1 Lakers Fan - David at 5 months

Our Baby David is already 5 months old! Wow, time is going fast with him. We really are enjoying our little chunky boy. Andrew's new nickname for him is "Fatty Lumpkin" from the Tolkien series. He sure lives up to the name, look at those chubby legs.

Now that the Dodger season is officially over (still in mourning :)we are excited about the Lakers again. We have the sling media catching all the games and occasionally we get a TNT or ESPN game on our TV. We dressed David up in all his Lakers gear and watched another "nailbiter" or for David "handbiter" game as Kobe returned to the team. We really had to crank the heat up for his little shorts outfit, since it was snowing that day.
David is working on rolling over from his back to his tummy, he gets halfway, then gives up. He really loves his exersaucer and now has a new toy to add to his rotation. Although his favorite is being left in the middle of the carpet to try out new tricks.

A little bit of snow!

Yesterday I looked out our side window and saw something falling from the sky. At first I thought our tree was losing more dead leaves, then I remembered that it had already lost all of them. I quickly went to our front window and realized it was snow. It wasn't cold enough for it to collect on the ground, but it was exciting.

Last night I noticed that it was colder than usual, I'm having to grow some thicker skin. I was right because when we woke up we had our first snow on the ground. I heard the novelty of this phenomenon wears off quickly, but as for now it is really cool!

Costume fun

While we were in Maryland, Jennifer and I dressed the kids up in their Halloween costumes. David is borrowing Danny's first costume. Annelise and David loved just looking at each other in their costumes as if they were alive stuffed animals. Danny is wearing Jen's costume from when she was little, a Suzanne Sellars original. Hooray, Halloween is fun again!

Hanging out in Maryland

This last week, David and I spent some time visiting the Ontiveros family in Maryland. We had a pleasant visit, spending most of the time just resting at home and watching the kids interact. Jen and I spent one afternoon with just the babies at a local mall while Danny was at preschool. It sure is nice to be around a big city with fast food and all the familiar stores. Baby David played with Annelise (7 months) and really watched all her moves. By the end of the week he was doing a little "scootch" of his own and clapping his little hand with mine. He absolutely adored Danny (3 years old). Danny is such an animated kid, full of energy, David just loved all the excitement. Ever since we have been back, he looks around for all the movement. It's really nice to catch up with old friends, we already miss you!

Ups and Downs

The past couple of weeks we have had several ups and downs with David. It all started a few days after his 4 month appointment, the first tooth reared it's painful head. David gets really fussy and upset, which is not like him, and only wants to be held. After 30 minutes or so, the tylenol fairy pays him a visit and this helps calm him down. It's very hard to see him so upset, but more often he is doing well. He enjoys smiling and laughing with us. Baby David keeps our lives interesting. 

David at 4 months

Last week we took Baby David to his 4 month appointment. Everything is going great with him, the Dr. was pleased to see. He was even a trooper through his exam, flashing his famous gummy grin as the Dr. checked him out. He now weighs 15 pounds and is 25 1/2 inches long. He didn't have any problems with the shots, with the exception of the initial prick, he took everything in stride.
This is such a fun age for David. He is sleeping less during the day, but more at night :) He wakes up in such a good mood, talking, laughing and smiling. David is quite the charmer, it is hard not to just pick him up when he's in that mood.
David enjoys attending the playgroups, looking at all the other babies that are mobile encourages him to start moving too. It was at a playgroup that he first rolled over from his tummy onto his back. He's now working on sitting up on his own, although his big head makes his balancing a little difficult. We are also enjoying our daily walks. The weather is quite chilly, but the scenery is incredible, everyday the colors are changing. We're trying to get out everyday, as the snow is coming soon!

New England in the Fall

This is the most beautiful fall I have ever seen! The weather is crisp, cold, and windy. Baby David and I bundle up for our walks and enjoy crunching all the leaves. I have never seen so many shades of orange in my whole life. We are taking advantage of this cool weather, as a neighbor has informed me today that snow is right around the corner. I am also including a picture of the campus at this time of year. If you could ever see it for yourself, it's a must see, come visit us!

 

Daddy's Robotic Dog

Last week when Andrew's parents were in town we visited his office. Baby David was busy showing off his latest trick, turning over from his tummy onto his back, when the robotic dog caught his attention. Andrew is working with this dog to learn different things, including following a person's face. The doggy also became interested in David. It was great to see them interacting. I am always amazed at how quickly David learns, much faster than a robot!

 

Grandma Mary and Grandpa Keith Visit

This last week David had his Grandma Mary and Grandpa Keith pay him a visit. Baby David, Keith, Mary and I had a great time sightseeing. We showed them our new home, shopped in Hanover and best of all ate every chance we had. Among the highlights was a Toy and Train Museum in Quechee, Vermont as well as wine and cheese tasting. Andrew joined us on Friday night (he was at the Univ of Michigan for a couple of days of meetings) and we all enjoyed catching up.

On Saturday we all went to the Dartmouth vs. Yale football game. They lost again, but it was a clear, beautiful day. Andrew enjoyed showing his parents the campus and his latest project. We said goodbye on a very crisp Sunday morning as Keith and Mary made the trek back to the airport.
 

Dartmouth vs.Univ of New Hampshire

Since our move to New Hampshire, we have been missing sports. We do the best keeping track of our favorite teams from L.A. (still mourning the Dodgers) but we are very excited about the start of the football season here at Dartmouth. We were so excited, we bought season tickets. The first game was on Saturday, Sept. 30th against the Univ of New Hampshire. Dartmouth lost, it was rainy and cold, but we all had a wonderful time. The stadium is nice and old looking, just like everything else here. We are looking forward to the rest of the season. I also included a picture of the Dartmouth Green, the center of campus, with another beautiful old building with a clock tower.