Gymnast Lizzie

Like all infants, Lizzie has the flexibility of a boneless Ukrainian Olympian, and really enjoys grabbing her feet and pulling her legs into positions which would make my muscles and connective tissues rip, tear, and snap. Here are some examples:

Lizzie and rice cereal

We've hit that exciting stage where Lizzie is starting to get solid foods. The starting level for this is rice cereal, which is nowhere near solid, but still more solid than milk. Emily's done most of the feeding, but I've taken a stab at it as well. I think the experience is comparable to trying to shovel water up a slide, because so much of the food ends up on Lizzie's bib, face, and hands. But, she hasn't started smearing it into her hair yet, which I suppose is inevitable. Here are some photos from her first experience:

At first Lizzie seems wary of this new food product:


But after we get some to stay in her mouth she gives it thoughtful consideration:


And decides she likes it enough to want to be in control of the delivery process:

Fancy that

Last month as I was traveling back from New Orleans I wandered about an airport bookstore. To my pleasant surprise I happened upon a stack of X-Men and Philosophy, a book which I have an essay published in, being displayed in the store. Not a big deal, really, but it was not something I expected to come upon in an airport.

Semester Winds Down

The semester is winding down for us. Finals week starts Monday. Finals week just isn't the same as a graduate student, especially when you are done taking classes. There isn't that intense build-up and the counting down of days until your last final. Instead, we've been grading papers and dealing with student complaints.

My sister Melanie and her husband John stopped by for a short visit this past week. They came to Chicago on business and drove out to Lansing for a day or so. We ate at an Asian buffet and then they both were kind enough to help me sort about 500 papers/assignments alphabetically. It was quite the production. It was great to talk to them and catch up on each others lives. Being the youngest, I have always been waiting for the time when I would finally 'catch up' with my older brothers and sisters. I don't know if that will ever be completely possible, but it was good to talk to my sister and her husband as adults pursuing education/careers, as parents, and as friends. Thanks for taking the time to visit us Melanie and John!


This summer, Joe will be working at the Writing Center on campus. I will be teaching an online course during the first 6 weeks of summer. Throughout it all, we both need to start writing our dissertation proposals. If we can, we'd also like to make it back to Utah/Idaho to see family. We haven't been back there since Christmas 2007 and most members of our family have not seen Lizzie. We'll most likely take Lizzie to the beach on Lake Michigan for her first time and go to the swimming pool a couple times and take walks with her in the sunshine.

Lizzie is getting bigger and gaining new skills. She now rolls over, mostly from back to stomach, but we've since a few successful stomach to back rolls. She also blows raspberries, as the previous post demonstrates. She has found her toes as well and is starting to pull them up towards her mouth. One more thing to suck on. Below are pictures from the recent past.

Joe won this shirt at the Popular Culture Association Conference he went to in New Orleans.

It just keeps getting longer and longer and won't lay down.

Sleeping Crazy.

Sleeping Beauty.

Reaching High.

Reaching Low.

Trip to the Temple.

All Smiles with a Bit of Sly on the Side.

A father couldn't be prouder

Lizzie learned a new skill!