We've broken the TWENTY POUND barrier

Vaccine and weight check today: 20 lbs, 0.4 ounces...and not even six months yet! Holy Cow! Just a quick baby fix...

Russia: a week in Anadyr (airport ;) )

Well, for those of you who have not heard it from me already, I am back from Russia, mission unacomplished. We spent a week in Anadyr waiting to get out to Lauvrentia. No go. The plane could not fly on any of the days we were there. The weather was horrible- both in Chukotka and western Alaska. But Gay and I got to see and know Anadyr (and the airport) quite well during our stay. Denis took wonderful care of us, as did Aliona (the Radio Queen), a friend of Denis that was nice enough to allow us to crash in her apartment (she was waiting for the same flight as we were...trying to get to Lorino to see her husband and children). The trip to the airport was long, involved and expensive. Each day, we had to wake up around 6:30 to take a taxi to be at the ferry at 7:45. Then we had a 40 minute ferry ride across the estuary, into another taxi to the aiport...only to find out that our flight was, again, cancelled. We were taking the trip with the same folks every day...and finally our time to be there became so short, that it made more sense for us to return to Alaska rather than just spend a day ot two in the field...if we even got there. There is no guarantee that we would be able to get OUT of the field either, so it really made us aware of the logistics of working in Chukotka! It is NOT easy and makes us appreciate the troubles Denis, Eduard, Gena etc. go through every time the come to a conference or to Barrow to meet with us! Overall, though, even though we did not attain our goal, we met some great people which made a frustrating situation a lot more bearable. I am hoping we will be able to give things a try again next year... we will see...

After the Bath

These are some pictures taken after Gages bath the other day...the first three are Ken giving Gage stomach raspberries... which makes him laughhhh...

Gages first food

Here are some pictures of Gage's first bites of rice cereal (the video is too large)...well, at least we THINK he actually got some. Mom is back with baby and daddy after 6 days in Pt. Lay waiting on belugas (that never showed). Fourth of July in Barrow was foggy but relatively warm (for here). We went to the festivities in the afternoon, just in time for the baby contest: 5 Inupiat toddlers decked out in the best parkas, mukluks and jewelry that aaka could make...and matching Moms! Ken and I joked that we could get Gage and I matching Patagonia outfits for next year's contest... and have a Tuniq contestant "get-up".
That is about all from here though- been a long week and now there is lots to do on the weekend. The caribou are near town and it looks like folks are getting them. I am off to Spenards to get some propane.