Oh Dylan

Dylan in Niagara Falls, August 7th 2011:

Dylan in Phoenix, August 19th, 2011:


She has so much more hair! We are four days away from moving into our new apartment. We have found out that our stuff is already in Phoenix, the truck has been here for a couple of weeks, so it was easy to schedule our move in for Friday. We will have to find a place to keep the trailer over the long weekend however, because the truck company won't come to pick it up again until Tuesday September 5th. We should be able to leave it across three parking spaces for the weekend.

We are so indebted to the Basuks for letting us stay here in Scottsdale for the past few weeks. We also got to know the Nadbornys who are also from Gloversville and have come over and visited with Dylan a few times.

Honestly, with all of the earthquake and hurricane excitement in New York, we are constantly reminded that we have left our friends and family and are really starting over. As much as it must have sucked to be in NYC this past week, we longed to be there with everyone, sharing in the experience. It is going to be a long transition getting comfortable here, and despite all of the great things happening at school I am sure that this year will be a trying one for us. However, it is so exciting seeing Dylan grow up every day. She is getting so tall! We have a pediatrician appointment tomorrow, so we will see how much she has grown. She is making new sounds all of the time, and interacting more than ever. Also, she might be getting the start of some teeth. Man, this kid is growing fast!

Well, I hadn't written in a while, so thought I would share a bit. I have to go plan for my class tomorrow, and finish a paper. More to come!

We Got The Apartment!!!

Yay, we were approved! We will be moving to 700 Mesquite Circle sometime in the next couple of weeks. We went to IHOP to celebrate (my how things have changed). Dylan was glad her bees came along.

Waiting Game...

Yesterday Nicole and I found an apartment we love. It is a 2 bedroom, in a complex of condos called "Papago Park". It is close enough to the school that I could ride my bike, and the complex is beautiful, safe, and quiet. It is near Papago Park, which is a large park in Tempe/Scottsdale which has a zoo, , a playground, and a botanical garden. So, we put in the application yesterday, and we are very confident that they will accept us and rent to us, but we have been waiting all day for a response and still haven't heard anything. I think this waiting is harder than all the searching we have done. Hopefully we will hear early tomorrow so that we can know one way or another. Fingers are crossed!

In the meantime, here is Dylan hanging out with me this morning:

Our New Car (and mountains)

Finally putting up a picture of our new Kia Soul. It is basically black, but actually has some tiny cherry colored specks which you can see in bright sunlight.

This picture was taken on Shae blvd in Scottsdale, on my way to see the Mystery Mansion Dinner Theater for which I will be playing keyboard this fall.

All Dolled Up

Great Conversation

Today Dylan greeted me when I got home with a big smile and a conversation. Made my day!

Rockstar

Evening

Watching the lightning off the mountains. This has been an amazing and stressful week. We all are still in an adjustment period. The peace and quiet here is calming. It is actually raining here right now, lightly. The sky is overcast so we cannot see any stars. I bet less than ten percent of the condos in this complex are occupied right now. Actually it might be even less than that. The thunder rumbles go on for five seconds. Dylan and I saw a bunny this morning, and some funny looking birds with tiny crests on their heads. I have to look up what they were.

I won't say that we miss the city too much, but I think that we are experiencing some culture shock. We went to get dinner tonight and the only places to eat are either chain restaurants like Applebees or other places that seem like they are trying to be chain restaurants. Not really finding any quaint little privately owned places like we are used to. The prices are definitely right though. We got a caesar salad for $12 which easily fed both of us and was good -with blackened chicken :)

The driving is relatively easy. Big, well paved roads. Everyone seems to tailgate though, it is kind of the norm to hang out a couple feet from the car in front of you. Doesn't seem too safe. There was an accident on one of the highways the day we arrived and they literally closed down the highway. We got stuck in terrible traffic as everyone merged to get off a one lane exit.

I am sweating out here on the patio and it is midnight. Time to get some sleep. Here is a picture of Dylan, happy as a clam :)

Scottsdale

Dylan and I took a walk this morning and we found a lookout spot where I was able to get a couple pictures of the view of the mountains.

We Got A Car!

I feel like this is our first triumph here in Phoenix. We actually went through with it and leased a 2011 Kia Soul, which we now have in our possession. Yes, they actually let us drive away with it. And didn't stop us. With the baby in the car and everything! We are very excited, it is a very affordable car, we got a great monthly lease rate, and the car is top rated for safety, so I feel good having Dylan and the rest of us in there. Success. Now, if we can figure out how to make sure that we can pay for it every month we will be in really good shape :)

We got black!

Tomorrow I have my first day of ASU-related stuff: an orientation for TAs. Looking forward to it.

Happy Birthday Great-Grandma!!

Whirlwind

Well, as I did expect, the past few weeks have been a whirlwind. We are finally here in Scottsdale, and I don't think Nicole or I can believe it. Between Dylan and packing up the apartment and selling the car and Gary's wedding, this has been an incredibly eventful month. I don't know what to do with myself now.

We will be staying at Barbara Ship's place in Scottsdale for the next month or so. We looked at the apartment complex we are planning on moving into, and it looks nice. Safe, quiet, clean, and so different from New York City that we are in shock. There is a strip mall down the street with a bunch of shops and restaurants, but otherwise the complex is in the middle of a residential neighborhood near an elementary school and across the street from a huge church parking lot. We are going to keep looking around Tempe, but it still seems like a really good place to live, so we might end up there yet.

Dylan is happy, she is getting a lot of attention everywhere we go with her, so even though she misses her grandparents she still is being told how cute she is all of the time.

I will try and post some pictures of the mountains surrounding Phoenix today. The sunset last night was amazing. I am looking online for opportunities to get involved with some music groups in town, and excited to begin school. I do not expect this unsettled feeling to go away immediately. As difficult as the past few weeks were moving out of New York, I think the next couple of weeks are going to be as difficult if not more. Everything is new, and it is so apparent that we do not know ANYONE here! We will have to make that change soon, which will help when I begin school. I am listening to Symphony Fantastique a lot lately, and it does seem to lend a narrative to my life right now. Off on adventure!

Lots 'O Bags

Nana is impressed.

The Night Before

We leave tomorrow for Arizona. Dylan is sleeping. She has new pajamas. We're very excited to get on the road and in air. We have more bags than I thought possible for two, I mean three people. We will be arriving around eleven am  Phoenix time. Dylan is going to miss all of the family around here. We are too. Looking forward to my first update from the south west in less than twenty four hours.

New Pajamas!

TummyTime

More Bath Time

The following video is too priceless to not share. Unfortunately I was holding the camera (my phone) the wrong way, so the video is sideways. If I had some video editing software here I could rotate it, but I think it is worth putting up anyway. 

In Love With the Elephant

Dylan Talking at Nana's

Dylan and Darlene were having some good conversations yesterday. She is definitely going to miss everyone when we are in Arizona. Time will go by fast though, and I will keep posting videos and pictures. Here is a video from my new phone:

Big Smile!

We are having a nice time spending the week in Niagara Falls. Dylan is meeting a lot of the family, and is happy as ever. In have a new phone, so my pictures should improve a bit. Last night we spent time with Nicole's dad Grandpa Joe and her Aunt Jeannie (see the picture below from Hibberts). We didn't expect to see Jeannie but she is on her way to Michigan and decided to stop in Lewiston for the night. She has a cute dog, Cody, who had the honor of being Dylan's first canine friend!

Grandpa Joe

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Baby Naming

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Hibbard's Frozen Custard

Jill's House

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Lunch in Canandaigua

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