We're back!

bigsmile, originally uploaded by laughograms.

OK, so, it has been a long time since updates, or for most of you, friends and family alike, phone calls, contact of any human kind. Be gentle with us, we only got down to the last couple of boxes last night. We are all moved in now, just some pictures to hang and knick-knacks to put away! Jack has been just so wonderful. He smiles all the time now (except when he is hungry or just waking up). But he loves staring into Mommy or Daddy's face and after a few seconds, this radiant, jolly smile. He started smiling a few weeks ago when I'd stroke his hair but now it is all the time and I just can't look away. He also is making an effort to laugh! Right now it's kind of a "hhewww" when he is particularly smiley. He is a smiley, happy, very pudgy little baby (who has just discovered the tasty virtues of his hands, but is still learning not to cram them all the way into his mouth). He had his two-month checkup just after we moved, like the 30th or so. He passed with flying colors and is in like the 98th percentile for weight and 90th percentile for length. In the words of our wonderful pediatrician, "he's huge." Jack got his first round of shots that visit, which put him in a foul temper that afternoon, but he cheered up late night. The scoop on our move can be found over at my blog. Jack and I have been spending our days sleeping and unpacking, but with most of the settling in done, we have been taking exercise walks down the extensive beach paths in the afternoon.

But you want to see pictures, right? I will start with these -- we have a plethora of smiley Jack pictures so here you are -- maybe it will brighten your day to have these around. I know they make me smile.

chairsmile2, originally uploaded by laughograms.

chairsmile3, originally uploaded by laughograms.

I couldn't decide which of these to post, so I said, to hell with it, they're both going up.

newcrib, originally uploaded by laughograms.

A momentous occasion in the new place -- Jack finally gets a crib and a room to call his own. (Well, kinda. Mommy's desk is in there too.) Jack's in his crib for only the second time tonight and frankly Mommy and Daddy are having the harder time adapting. It was high time given Jack's enormous size (25 inches, 14 lbs at 2 months). He'd be wiggling around in his bassinet and his arms and legs were thudding against the thing, like a bird in some enormous egg or a baby dinosaur getting ready to hatch.

veryrelaxed, originally uploaded by laughograms.

As you can see, Jack really knows how to relax.

lilsport, originally uploaded by laughograms.

On July 3d, Jack took in his first baseball game! It was off to Blair Field here in Long Beach to see the Long Beach Armada take on the Surprise Fightin' Falcons. Both are part of the independent Golden Baseball League. One of the greatest things to see in the last 10 years is this proliferation of independent baseball leagues. Some day we might get back to the days when every town, big or small, had their own team of journeyman players barnstorming around the region. Rickey Henderson plays on one of these GBL teams! Anyway, as you can see Jack was all suited up for a ball game and ready for action as usual! It was great fun, real cheap and a real close game with some very good pitching. The team announcer pronounces the team's name "Arrrrrrrr-mada," like a pirate, and there is a kind of cheesy but delightful pirate ship in the outfield that fires off cannons when there is a home run, to the accompaniment of the theme from "Pirates of the Caribbean" -- the ride AND the film! Jack was very alert the whole time and we all had loads of fun. Jack even got a little certificate for attending his first professional baseball game.

july3d, originally uploaded by laughograms.

After the game there was a modest but nice fireworks display. We had a lovely family evening at the park. I gather the fireworks which in the past have been set off over the Queen Mary were cancelled for lack of funds, or something.

terrorbird, originally uploaded by laughograms.

Earlier during the game, Arby I, the fun-lovin' parrot mascot of the Armada, was walking past while G was standing with Jack in the walkway (we were in the front row). "Hey Arby, how about a picture with my wife and baby?" Arby cheerfully spun around and to G's surprise -- and Jack's, if you can discern the look of stark terror on his face -- Arby, extremely gently and in a well intentioned way, scooped Jack into his arms for a photo. G and I weren't upset by this -- he did it very skillfully, as I am sure he does every night -- but we were surprised! As was Jack . . .

terrobird2, originally uploaded by laughograms.

As you can tell from the look of bewilderment on Jack's face being held aloft by a 5-foot-tall parrot, no matter how well-intentioned, was not on his list of things to expect. This expression has nothing on the wide-eyed look of alarm when Arby the Parrot first took hold of him. Fun pictures but not at all what we had planned!

bosoxbaby, originally uploaded by laughograms.

I mean, what a puss on this kid. For the momentous occasion of the Home Run Derby on Monday Jack was all suited up in his snazzy Red Sox uniform courtesy of Uncle Teige and Aunt Becca . . . Just like Daddy (and Mommy for that matter), as you can tell he takes a dim view of those who wish to separate him from the remote.

cubsbaby, originally uploaded by laughograms.

Naturally we had to save the Cubs outfit for the All-Star Game tonight. Jack however scotched plans to wear it during the game by pooping himself right up his chest -- don't ask me how -- while we were on our afternoon walk down the beach. He had a merry old time watching daddy try to swab off the gallons of poo and do a complete wardrobe change in the beach parking lot.

chairsmile1, originally uploaded by laughograms.

Finally, one last super-cute pic of Jack.

Number one photo

Glow, Baby, Glow, originally uploaded by laughograms.

Just for fun I went through Flickr to see which photos had been clicked on the most in this blog. Far and away, the glowing tai chi baby picture shown here was the winner with 24 viewings. What a long way Jack has come from wearing this contraption! And what heady and confusing and wonderful days those first few days at home were. I hope I never forget that feeling of total happiness and exhiliration mixed with terror and gnawing self-doubt as long as I live. (If you're wondering, the next-closest photos are full-face closeups of Jack, including the gummy-smiley-baby one of a few days ago, checking in at 15 viewings.)

Feeling Goofy

goofyjack, originally uploaded by laughograms.

Had a big family night out tonight. Walked over to the Disney Studio Shop and Soda Fountain, a new store opened right next to the El Capitan Theatre in the place of the old Disney Store. More on this on my blog. Goofy was there entertaining the guests and we got a picture of him horsing around with Jack.

First Father's Day

dadjack, originally uploaded by laughograms.

This past Sunday, of course, was Father's Day. My first! And it was a beautiful, sunny day without a cloud in the sky; temperatures in the mid-60's the whole time. Genevieve had the great idea that we should head to Disneyland as our Annual Passports expire July 4gth and we can swing a renewal until the fall at the earliest. So off we went. First on the list was catching the train to Toontown, where we caight a great photo op with Mickey. Jack's adventures included rides on Peter Pan's Flight, still one of the all-time-great attractions, the Huanted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean and the Jungle Cruise. Dad even slipped off to ride Inidana Jones (the best ride ever) and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Just an awesome, awesome way to spend Father's Day and Jack was in good spirits pretty much throughout, though he wa sgetting a little overstimulated late in the day. Funny to think that Jack is only two months old and has already been to Disneyland three times, more than many people will be in their lives!

mrhollywood, originally uploaded by laughograms.

Like any superstar, Jack treasures his privacy in highly visible social settings like Disneyland. So it was on with the shades as well as an expression that says, "don't screw with me, Buster."

dadjackjungle, originally uploaded by laughograms.

Jack and I were both impressed with the newly refurbished Jungle Cruise. Jack in particular liked the newest addition -- the attack on your boat by hungry piranhas!

maleficient, originally uploaded by laughograms.

This marvelous mosaic of Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty graces the bateway from Fantasyland to Tomorrowland.

matterhornfar, originally uploaded by laughograms.

It's nice to see they have "climbers" out on the Matterhorn as in the old days (look up near the top). The sharp-eyed might spy in this shot a liederhosen-clad Mickey Mouse on the left of the mountain. He pops up there once in a while thoughout the day. There is an old, disused half-basketball court near the summit. Back in the day the climbers used to rest in there, and take a break by shooting hoops.

mickeymatterhorn, originally uploaded by laughograms.