Austin update #2 (no pictures--sorry!)

I am hesitant to post anything tonight because I don't have pictures, but I figure an update is still in order.

Our things arrived pretty much as planned (per my last post) and (I've said this before and I'll say it again and again)--movers were worth every single penny and more. My saint of a sister-in-law watched Owen for 3 very full days while my mom and I got things unpacked, put away, and basically made the house functional. My mother-in-law came into town after we got settled and spent a few days with us as well, which was great--the "grandmas" tag-teamed w/ Owen and I was able to continue to get things settled. I know I've gotten a lot done, but it's somewhat overshadowed by all I still think I have to do (and want to do) before "the move" to-d0 list is complete and the baby comes.

I would say Owen is doing really well. He's definitely been enjoying all the new friends and all of the family attention. I'm amazed that he's able to keep everyone straight and know who goes with who. He knows 1) Bee and "JoJo" (Sido), 2) Nana 3) GrandStan (still don't have a name Owen can say) and Pam and "dogs--black and white," 4) Wook, Mel, BayBay, dog--Blue. He knows Wook has a truck and I think he thinks Sido has one too because every time we see them the first (and only) thing he says to Sid is "truck! truck!"...

He has had fun helping Uncle Wook (or "Poor Luke" as Kyle calls him b/c he's been my "honey-do" man with Kyle gone) with a couple of assembly projections around the house...picture of Owen's new train table (HUGE hit!) to come...And going to the Pool! We have definitely jumped right in to the requisite M.O. in Austin which is--it's hot outside, let's go to the pool! Sunday Owen and I went by ourselves to a little pool by my mom's place (she's out of town for a week, in cool northern California). He was extremely timid at first and kept saying "out out, home home" but I kept distracting him and he finally got used to it and had a good time playing with an abandoned diving ring in the kiddy pool. Then yesterday we made our first trip to the famed Deep Eddy (aquifer fed pool w/ a very hip following including my dad who swims there almost daily). We went to meet him there and actually ended up there w/ Luke, Mel, Bailey, Joel, Katie and Emmy as well--it was quite a party! Owen was timid at first, but GrandStan (I think I've finally come to accept the name--I'm just worn out from trying to come up w/ alternatives) got him distracted and interested in watching the lap swimmers. We had a great time. Then today Owen and I went back w/ Katie and Emmy and a sweet girl named Kara that I actually knew in high school and her little boy Caleb. (I wish I had a picture of our three bathing-suite clad, toddler-toting, very pregnant bodies...but then again, I'm glad I don't!) Owen acclimated more quickly this time and by the time we were done he (along w/ Emmy) was jumping off the side of the pool and into my arms and squealing like a little girl! He had soooo much fun and he did NOT want to leave. Yea! I told Kyle that in this heat we may be at the pool (take your pick) every day this summer!

Speaking of Kyle, he gets here Friday night which means we can stop missing him and I can stop telling Owen that Dadda is still at work, and it means that residency is finally over! Woohoo! We'll have about a week and a half just to catch up as a family and have some quality time AND to take care of some major to-do's like buying a 2nd car! Kyle has only done a quick walk-through of our house before our things were here so I'm excited to introduce him to his new home!

Okay, so for an Owen update. Let's see...no big changes really--no new teeth or anything like that (still 7 and counting). Got him a much-needed haircut on Saturday. He was looking very south-Austin hippie (not that there's anything wrong with that) but it was a little unruly. :) The biggest development is that I feel like his little vocabulary just keeps exploding--Kyle is going to be amazed to get to him in person. He's putting lots of words together like "Ont (I want) big truck" and he has finally Incorporated "Yes" into his repertoire of answers which previously only consisted of "No" and "Noooo!". :) He's definitely got trucks on the brain--he points out every one we pass on the highway, and their wheels and their color if he knows it (his favorite right now is yeyo--but there aren't many yeyo trucks). I guess we're on the interstate here more than we were in Winston-Salem, so he has a lot more opportunities to spot trucks, buses, and even the train (yea MoPac!). All are big hits. He's also taken to pointing out every time we go up or down a hill ("Up Hiw" or "Big Hiw"). I've sort of stopped keeping up with new words because it seems like he's at the point where he can almost say anything (at least try) when you tell him what it is. It really does sort of blow my mind. It catches me off guard a lot because I realize he's actually telling me stuff like today when we left pool he said "bye bye poo. back home". Crazy.

Anyways, I'll try to get some pictures up soon. I honestly haven't taken many and we're getting a new computer this week so be patient with me. :)

Oh--random: tonight while we were eating dinner we had the pleasure of watching a momma and two baby "deers" in our backyard. What a treat!