9 months!

yup, Zoe is 9 months old, believe it or not

9 month stats

Height: 27.25" - 50%
Weight: 18 lbs 13 oz - 50%
Head circ: 44.75cm - 75%

(we're just glad her height caught up with her weight ;)

Ikea's new German ad campaign

for their assembly services

Ya, don't ya know, we went up north...

Great Grandma & Zoe

A bit ago we all ventured up north to cooler weather, on a visit to some folks on my side of the family - A. Patty & U. Leo, Dan & Neryza (cousin & spouse), A. Sue & U. Rob, and Grandma & Grandpa. It was so wonderful to see everyone (I think the last time we saw these people was several years ago) and to be able to introduce them to Zoe. Matt & Martha and Mom & Dad also made it up, so it was a mini-family reunion of sorts. We managed to somehow not get good photos in Chicago, so I'm afraid these are lacking those relatives, but trust us in that we had fun and ate well!

Grandma & Zoe taking a nap

Grandpa and Zoe playing peek-a-boo with what proved to be Zoe's favorite toy

Great A. Sue & Zoe - doesn't it look like Zoe's playing chase?

Great U. Rob & Zoe

Great Grandma & Grandpa watching over Zoe

an alternate view of the earlier-posted four generations shot

U. Matt, Martha, and Zoe - I think Zoe and Matt are both thinking the same thing:
'Nice haircut'


And, watching Zoe can sure be hard work.
So much so that even a hard plastic giraffe can make a great pillow.

Four Generations

(More on our trip later, but we just got the CD of images from my folks,
so I thought I'd pass this one along.)

'little Mark' has graduated

from high school!

While the graduation ceremony went as expected, with appropriate speeches by the valedictorian and salutatorian, Kyle and I found the closing speech (we still haven't figured out what the significance of the graduate giving it was) quite appropriate as well. Though, by the looks of those around us, not everyone appreciated this young man's words. It sounded like he basically googled the current economy, and was spouting off all of these horrible numbers & statistics - largest debt, huge trade deficit, number of foreclosures, first time graduates are expected to have a lower standard of living than those before them, etc, etc. One would think he would end by saying something along the lines of 'only can get better from here' but he pretty much left that off. All I can say is: those kids are lucky to be going on to college. Hopefully by the time they're out this bump will be over.

In any case, congrats to Mark, and good luck to him next year at college!