Happy First Anniversary!

What a wonderful and crazy year it has been for us--married, honeymoon, pregnant, and baby all in 365 days! But we figure we started on this journey together later in our lives, so we had to get crackin'. :o)

Mike and I took an overnight trip this weekend to celebrate. We dropped Leo off at Nona and Grandpa Rocky's house on Saturday afternoon for his first sleepover. Then we went up the Ogden Canyon to have a good dinner at the Jackson Fork Inn and then went to our hotel, the Red Moose Lodge in Eden (photo at left). The autumn leaves are at their peak right now, and the stars shine brighter away from the city lights, so the setting was just beautiful. We had a lovely time relaxing and just enjoying being together alone for the first time in a couple of months.

Leo's two-month checkup

Leo had his two-month checkup this morning. Here are his "stats":

• Height: 24" (still in the 90th percentile)
• Weight: 11 lbs 9 oz (in the 50th percentile but still healthy)
• Head: 15.5 inches (also the 50th percentile)

Leo has a touch of eczema, which we will be able to treat by eliminating all dyes and fragrances from his soap, detergent, lotions, etc. and using steroid cream. Otherwise, he is in perfect health--the pediatrician said his head shape looks great, all organs operating normally, and he is a bit ahead of the curve in developmental things like grasping and sleep. To keep him healthy, Leo got his first set of vaccinations today. It was just two shots but he was quite upset for a few minutes. He's fine now; we're watching him for reactions (fever, crankiness) but he should pull through just fine.

Leo Week 7

I was finally able to capture some photos of Leo's wonderful smile. Other developments this week include holding his head up for a full minute and almost sleeping through the night (which is nearly as thrilling as his smile!). Leo also experienced his first campfire and hootenany at our friends the Holts--we gather around their firepit and eat good food, play instruments, and sing songs.

For not yet being two months old, Leo sure gets a lot of mail! :o) Thanks to Mia and Jonathan for the cuddly snow suit, to the Wogomans for the care package of clothes for Leo (and delicious lotions/soap for me!) and to Aunt Christina for the very cute sleeper and pants. Thanks also to Leo's "California Aunties" Jill and Carrie for the adorable tie-dye onesie.

Photos of Leo at six weeks

Leo and Leo, week 6

Here are comparison photos of Leo with Leo the Lion. Leo is 6 weeks old in these new pictures (he is wearing the green and blue onesie). Compared to his three-week photo, you can really see some changes: his coloring is pink and healthy, he's much longer, he's filled out quite a bit, and his head is much bigger. He also has less hair. :o)

Our Italian Honeymoon

Its hard to believe that our first anniversary is at the end of this month! We shared these photos when we got home from Rome, but wanted to put them here for those who haven't seen them yet. (Hover your mouse over a pic to see the caption.)

First smiles!

This was a great week with Leo--he is starting to give us his first smiles! They are still somewhat erratic and we haven't caught one on camera yet, but we'll keep trying. Its so gratifying to see that smile and know that Leo is aware and happy.

Other fun stuff this week: Leo and I have started taking daily walks and/or errands to get out of the house and enjoy the very fine September weather we've been having. We went to a small neighborhood park on Friday where Leo encountered several firsts including a puppy, laying in the grass on a blanket, and staring up at a giant oak tree. These all brought smiles and lots of arm and leg waving.

Leo also received a very nice gift this week from our friends the Owens in California. They sent a very loveable first doll and the book Goodnight Gorilla, which is one of cousin Rachel's favorites. We are very happy to have our own copy for Leo to enjoy.

New photos soon!

More photos from week 4