April 2010: Calder's Baptism & Trip to Wisconsin

April was a month with two main events. First, Calder was baptised at St.Mary's Episcopal Church in Anchorage (along with Chris). We had many family members and friends join us for the event, including John Peters (Calder's godfather from Washington) with his girlfriend Mandi, Kelly Wilda (Calder's godmother and Jen's cousin from Wisconsin), and Uncle Trav too. Second, we took Calder on his first trip to Wisconsin to spend time with Grandpa and Grandma; the weather was great and we had a fantastic visit.

This picture is in Anchorage up at Flat Top Mountain on a sunny April day:


A ski trip around Eklutna Lake with Chris (and Calder in the chariot below), Jen, and Kelly. Kelly did a GREAT job and hadn't skied in a very long time prior to this:

Chris, Calder, and Kelly:

We all took a trip to Matanuska Glacier. This was a BLAST! We had a guided tour by Bill, who owns the property leading up to the glacier. He took us by snowmobile and sled out to the ice directly in front of the glacier, where we slid around and played. Trav learned that he needed to hang on a little tighter to stay on the sled. We could hear the bubbles in the ice below our feet and the creaking of the moving glacier around us. What an experience! Here is Jen & Kelly in front of the glacier:

Jen and Chris in a glacier crevasse, not a normal tourist destination, a bit eerie:

The whole gang on the ice of Matanuska Glacier (Chris, Jen, Kelly, Travis, Mandi, John):

Chris and Jen in an ice cave, a bit spooky:

Calder's first restaurant experience in Anchorage. Kelly treated us to a meal at the Muse Restaurant in downtown Anchorage:

Baptism day: Calder is wearing his great grandfather's baptism gown (it's a gown - not a dress!):

John (godfather), Chris, Calder, Jen, and Kelly (godmother) outside the church:

Before the baptism, in his dad's polyester suit, being held by Kelly:

John and Mandi corrupting Calder:

Calder in his dad's polyester leisure suit the morning of the baptism:

Jen feeding Calder, the spread of Easter lunch/dinner on the table:

Calder in his car seat:

On his flight from Anchorage to Wisconsin:

Playtime in Manitowoc with Wisconsin Grandpa and Grandma:

Time for a walk down to Lake Michigan - Grandma, Calder, Chris, and Grandpa:

Playtime with Grandpa. Note the little wooden yellow car on the floor - Grandpa is busy making Calder all sorts of neat toys!

Calder in a beautiful sweater that Wisconsin Grandma knit him:

Sitting out in the sunny Manitowoc backyard:

Playtime with Dad:

Feeding time with Grandma:

Playtime with Uncle Dave & Aunt Barb Wilda:

Chris, Jen with Calder, Ty, and Laura:

Wisconsin Grandpa teaching Calder how to cook Johnsonville brats:

April was a busy month! It was wonderful to spend quality time with so many friends and family!

January and February in Alaska

January and February have been marked by many new foods (avocado is still Calder's favorite), sitting up by himself, and ski trips to the cabin in Willow, Alaska. We've also gotten out in the local ski trails by our house. I finished my 2 month inpatient chief service (the toughest two months of residency) and am now on ER medicine, which I'm greatly enjoying. Chris is winding down his work days at REI. We're busy trying to get our home sold, buy a home in Petersburg, and getting ready for the move to Southeast Alaska in August (the start day of my new job is September 1). Here are some pics from the last two months: He loves his sweet potatoes:

Skiing in Willow, Alaska:

He loves sucking on the beer bottles (after the beer is cleaned off of course!). Here he is enjoying an IPA:

Reading a hunting magazine with Grandpa Hyer at the Willow cabin:

Another beer bottle! Oh boy!

Enjoying a winter's night fire at home:

Avocado!!!!

In a cute Calder shirt made my one of my patients for him:

This is Calder's baby basket. Before tucking it away for the next one, we thought we'd see if he still fit...not quite!

He loves his stuffed bedtime bunny:

Enjoying a date with his friend Zia over a bowl of avocado (Zia's first food):

Jen pulling Calder in our "Chariot." Grandpa Hyer in the background. This is in Willow, Alaska.

That's all for now...March and April pics to follow soon!

December in Anchorage: Calder's First Christmas

Happy Holidays! We arrived back from Petersburg just in time for Christmas, meaning that we were dreadfully behind in our shopping/sending of gifts. In fact, we just finally mailed out the last of our Christmas gifts this weekend?!?! I had a few days off around the holidays and we enjoyed having family time. Calder did well on Christmas, though finally had to take a good long nap after all that stimulation - gifts, crinkly paper, lots of camera flashes, oh my! Calder in a cute sweater knit by Grandma Hyer:

The first gift he "opened":

Travis, Great Grandma Hyer, Chris with Calder, Jen, Grandma & Grandpa Hyer:

I think that mom and dad are more excited about the gifts than Calder:

Snuggle time with Great Grandma Hyer:

Calder's first Norwegian sweater...a special gift from the Bergren family in Petersburg:

A special moose quilt made by Grandma Hyer:

Calder is starting to be interested in books (but his attention span is only about 3 minutes!):

Zia Hulebak and Calder playing together (Calder just wanted to eat her hand):

In the car seat:

Uncle Trav with his buddy:

Jen and her little man. The cute seal skin/beaver mukluks are from Bethel:

Calder's first skiing trip (with Chris, Jen, Grandpa Hyer, and Uncle Trav) from our driveway into Bicentennial Park and home again:

November: Petersburg and Baby's First Thanksgiving

November was a month of huge decisions for the Hyer family...we went to Petersburg in Southeast Alaska for one of my rural rotations...and accepted a job! In August 2010, we will be packing up our home in Anchorage and moving to an island. Petersburg is a Norwegian fishing village of about 3,000 people (4,000 in the summer with the cannery) on Mitkof Island in the middle of the Tongass rainforest. They get twice as much rain as Seattle! But they also get snow and the setting is amazing...lots of islands and waterways to explore by sailboat and kayak, hikes in the rainforest, and hunting and fishing opportunities year-round.

My new job is exactly what I was looking for. As a small town family doctor, I will be doing a combination of clinic work, ER coverage, hospital work, and the long-term care facility. I will joining on as their 4th family doctor. The other physicians there are great mentors for coming out of residency and the staff is supportive and friendly. We felt VERY welcomed into this community and look forward to starting life in our new home.

Here are some pictures from our month in Petersburg, including Calder's first Thanksgiving. Chris and Calder out for a walk on our first snowy weekend in Petersburg:

One of three harbors in Petersburg off Wrangell Narrows:

Hammer Slough:

Keeping dry in the rainforest:

Calder is not too sure about that bird:

Grandpa Hyer and Calder doing airplane time:

Jen going for a walk in the woods:

The Sons of Norway Hall:

Sunset over the Narrows, South of town:

That's our grumpy guy! He's also wearing a cute sweater from Wisconsin Grandma:

Hammer Slough:

Happy Calder with Dad:

Calder's first Thanksgiving card (from Great-Grandma Hyer):

The Stikine River Delta:

The Tree Lighting Parade and ceremony on Main Street in Petersburg. This was a KEY moment for us in deciding to move there. We went "downtown" to watch the parade and found ourselves IN the parade with many other young families and their children. Calder soaked it all in. I looked down at Calder, the candlelight reflected in his eyes, and said to myself, "Yes, this is where I want to raise my little boy."

Fun times with Grandma Hyer:

To follow very soon...December pictures....we'll get caught up yet!