You may not be able to tell where this picture was taken, but look carefully at the background. You will catch a glimpse of an airplane window. It was taken on our way to California while Alan was 30,000 feet up in the air. I am posting this picture now because in just 3 and 1/2 short days, Alan will be taking his second trip. This time we are going to Finland! Although Al's an old pro when it comes to flying, what with all the experience he's already had, we are still wondering how he'll handle and 8.5 hour flight to Amsterdam, a 5 hour layover, and then a 2.5 hour flight to Helsinki, Finland!! Plus an 8 hour time difference to top it all off. It should be quite the adventure. We are so blessed that Dan's employers, Randi and Barb at FDR Design, chose to send Alan and I along on Dan's business trip to Finland. I will have a VERY amazing adventure to write about when we get back.

This past week Alan has finally gotten his little socks dirty. That is an exciting step for a baby, because it means he was doing something active where he had to use his own feet instead of being carried or set in a chair. Alan has discovered the Jolly Jump Up! You know, those thingys that hang in a doorway and the kid sits in a seat jumping and jumping and jumping and jumping and JUMPING! As soon as his little butt is placed down in the seat of the Jolly Jump Up, a HU-UGE smile spreads across his face. It is the most joyful moment for me as a parent, because I have the ability to give him something that makes him so purely and innocently happy. Then, he starts jumping. At times he concentrates quite seriously so that he can manage repeated jumps for long periods of time. Others times he just throws caution to the wind and does wild, flailing jumps where he puts his whole body into it and lets go of all of his inhibitions. It's lovely.

Alan has joined me and my friend, Amanda as we try to get "beach bodies" by doing our Beach Body DVD. Sometimes I almost think he is laughing at us. Do we look that silly? Well, Alan, just wait till you see us at the beach.

Alan's latest challenge is that he has developed fear. Up till recently, nothing really fazed him. But suddenly, everything is so scary. The frozen vegetables landing in a hot pan with a loud noise - wailing baby. Crinkling plastic - wailing baby. Leaving him alone in a room while he is awake - wailing baby. Even people he knows and loves have suddenly become scary to him, and this is the most embarrassing part for me as the mom. I feel terrible when my baby thinks someone is scary and cries when they try to hold him!! This has happened with a few different people, and it's different people from day to day. But what are you gonna do? I have to admit, however, that I feel sort of honored when the only thing that will calm him down is being in my arms.

Our latest adventure was visiting North Branch for the weekend. We went to a garage sale that my cousin Julie was having, and Alan got to play with his boy cousins Bradley, Benjamin, and Anthony. Okay, so all of them can WALK . . . and therefore have a slight advantage over Alan in all the games . . . but Al will catch up soon enough.

Later that night we had dinner with Grandpa Doug. On Sunday, Alan came to yet another baby shower, to celebrate his future playmate, Baby Gervais. He got passed around, of course, and loved on especially by "Auntie" Linnea and "Grandma" Mary.

Well, we will see you back here at Alan's Amazing Adventures after we return from Finland! God Bless!!