Well, we're nearly 3.5 months in since Ryder's arrival on this planet, and maybe it's time to start blogging again - who knows, I might even keep it up, this time!
3.5 months... Three and a half months... 16 weeks... 108 days...
I've been the work-from-home Dad ever since my gorgeous wife went back to work just before R was 6 weeks old, and it's had its trials and tribulations, but overall, I'm loving it. Those first smiles, giggles, outright lop-sided grins, and the noises, oh the noises - they're to die for!
He arrived on our planet weighing in at 7lb 12oz, and had reached 13lb on his three month anniversary. I think he's been continuing since then quite nicely, as he's dropped the 0-3 month clothes, and is even wearing 6-12 month socks! Big Foot - meet the Hendersons!
Of course, nap time = productive time for Daddy. Washing the dishes, doing laundry including the cloth diapers that he seems to go through like nobody's business...
One thing that I'm definitely looking forward to? When R can properly poop without what appears to be pain :-(
Monday, 7 October 2013
Friday, 2 September 2011
The first week..
Boy, it's been warm in Utah! Dumb comment, I suppose - a desert state in August is warm, who knew? lol But a few days before Gininda came over for my emigration flight, the temps in the UK were down to low 50s fahrenheit, and I arrived to mid 90s!
Gin had the following day off, so I got my first Utah driving experience heading off to grocery stores etc.
Every day since, Gin has taken the car to work as I want my lie-ins in the mornings lol But I've been the driver most nights when we've gone to do stuff, whether it be shopping for personal stuff or wedding stuff.
Weather might've now broken - we're down to 79 during the day time today, which is much more comfortable :-)
Focus now turns to vehicles for myself - motorcycle and VW camper, probably. Just have to check the local classifieds to see what I fancy and what's available.
Gin had the following day off, so I got my first Utah driving experience heading off to grocery stores etc.
Every day since, Gin has taken the car to work as I want my lie-ins in the mornings lol But I've been the driver most nights when we've gone to do stuff, whether it be shopping for personal stuff or wedding stuff.
Weather might've now broken - we're down to 79 during the day time today, which is much more comfortable :-)
Focus now turns to vehicles for myself - motorcycle and VW camper, probably. Just have to check the local classifieds to see what I fancy and what's available.
Arrived!
Arrived and settled on 23 August, 2011
DHL picked up my 11 boxes of stuff on Monday morning at about 11.30, so the journey really started. Loaded up at 6.45am Tuesday morning for the journey to LHR for the flight - Mum, Dad and my brother came with us, brother driving a rented Ford Galaxy to get all of us plus luggage in.
Got into Chicago O'Hare a few minutes early and headed off for Immigration.
I cornered a CBP officer and confirmed with him that I needed to complete a white I-94 and that the customs declaration only needed to have the back completed if I was bringing with me things that I'd had for less than a year or was planning on selling in the US.
Joined the immigration queue - we actually joined the USC/LPR queue as they said it didn't matter which. Got a youngish female CBP officer who took the brown envelope, opened it and started stamping forms left, right and centre. She chatted away with the two of us (Gin had come over to the UK a few days before so that we could journey back together), stamped everything that needed to be stamped and sent us on our way.
Picked up the bags from the carousel and went through to the customs point - they looked at the declarations, and waved is on through - even with 4 large suitcases, two cabin cases and two backpacks
No stresses at immigration/customs whatsoever! No secondary, nothing. Of course, that hadn't stopped me getting stressed about what could happen when the plane was coming in to land...
Over 3 hours at O'Hare, then onward flight to SLC where we were picked up by Gin's parents in her dad's old pick-up with topper (the only vehicle big enough for 4 people plus all the luggage.
Home and in bed by about 10.30pm.
Wednesday, and we were up early (the joys of an early night!) ready for errands - Gin handed me the keys to the car so that I could start getting used to driving in the US (only done it once before for a week on holiday) and we were off up to the county seat for the marriage license, then T-Mobile for my new sim card (Gin and her family are on T-Mob so it's easier, even though I do lose 3G from my iPhone), and finally grocery stores for bits and pieces.
Got home for lunch and there were the 11 boxes dumped on the drive - a little battered and bruised from their journeys though. We had lunch and then dived into the boxes - all 11 unpacked and some of the stuff sorted away by dinner time. Only a few breakages (5 glasses, a mug, a Le Creuset baking dish and a sponge tin dented to buggery), so not too bad all considered.
The stresses and strains then left me in bed all day yesterday suffering, but I'm better today, so hopefully it'll all be OK now, and, of course, Gin is off work as it's the weekend from tonight.
Only thing left to sort is my health insurance - the company I was going to go with (Humana) requires me to have lived in the US for 6 months prior to taking out the insurance, so back to square one. Gin's health insurance from her employer is a lot more money to add me on than the quotes I was getting, so if we can beat that, it'd be good. More to look into tonight and this weekend, I think - wonder if I'll have to speak to an insurance agent...
All photos are being added here
DHL picked up my 11 boxes of stuff on Monday morning at about 11.30, so the journey really started. Loaded up at 6.45am Tuesday morning for the journey to LHR for the flight - Mum, Dad and my brother came with us, brother driving a rented Ford Galaxy to get all of us plus luggage in.
Got into Chicago O'Hare a few minutes early and headed off for Immigration.
I cornered a CBP officer and confirmed with him that I needed to complete a white I-94 and that the customs declaration only needed to have the back completed if I was bringing with me things that I'd had for less than a year or was planning on selling in the US.
Joined the immigration queue - we actually joined the USC/LPR queue as they said it didn't matter which. Got a youngish female CBP officer who took the brown envelope, opened it and started stamping forms left, right and centre. She chatted away with the two of us (Gin had come over to the UK a few days before so that we could journey back together), stamped everything that needed to be stamped and sent us on our way.
Picked up the bags from the carousel and went through to the customs point - they looked at the declarations, and waved is on through - even with 4 large suitcases, two cabin cases and two backpacks
No stresses at immigration/customs whatsoever! No secondary, nothing. Of course, that hadn't stopped me getting stressed about what could happen when the plane was coming in to land...
Over 3 hours at O'Hare, then onward flight to SLC where we were picked up by Gin's parents in her dad's old pick-up with topper (the only vehicle big enough for 4 people plus all the luggage.
Home and in bed by about 10.30pm.
Wednesday, and we were up early (the joys of an early night!) ready for errands - Gin handed me the keys to the car so that I could start getting used to driving in the US (only done it once before for a week on holiday) and we were off up to the county seat for the marriage license, then T-Mobile for my new sim card (Gin and her family are on T-Mob so it's easier, even though I do lose 3G from my iPhone), and finally grocery stores for bits and pieces.
Got home for lunch and there were the 11 boxes dumped on the drive - a little battered and bruised from their journeys though. We had lunch and then dived into the boxes - all 11 unpacked and some of the stuff sorted away by dinner time. Only a few breakages (5 glasses, a mug, a Le Creuset baking dish and a sponge tin dented to buggery), so not too bad all considered.
The stresses and strains then left me in bed all day yesterday suffering, but I'm better today, so hopefully it'll all be OK now, and, of course, Gin is off work as it's the weekend from tonight.
Only thing left to sort is my health insurance - the company I was going to go with (Humana) requires me to have lived in the US for 6 months prior to taking out the insurance, so back to square one. Gin's health insurance from her employer is a lot more money to add me on than the quotes I was getting, so if we can beat that, it'd be good. More to look into tonight and this weekend, I think - wonder if I'll have to speak to an insurance agent...
All photos are being added here
Wednesday, 17 August 2011
Closer, ever closer
Well, with 6 days until my emigration flight, checklist time:
Motorbike sold a couple months ago
Car sold last Saturday
DHL booked to collect 11 boxes of household/personal effects on Monday 22nd August
Last run of shredding of paperwork etc done
Memberships and direct debits cancelled
Gin arrives Friday early evening, two cases and a cabin case in tow.
Family party lunchtime on Saturday
Out with my friends for a meal Sunday night
Leave early Tuesday morning for Heathrow and the flight through Chicago to Salt Lake City :-)
Motorbike sold a couple months ago
Car sold last Saturday
DHL booked to collect 11 boxes of household/personal effects on Monday 22nd August
Last run of shredding of paperwork etc done
Memberships and direct debits cancelled
Gin arrives Friday early evening, two cases and a cabin case in tow.
Family party lunchtime on Saturday
Out with my friends for a meal Sunday night
Leave early Tuesday morning for Heathrow and the flight through Chicago to Salt Lake City :-)
Wednesday, 27 July 2011
Counting down
Well, since approval, I've been back to the Isle of Man for work, and then, once I got notification that the passport, visa and documents were with the courier, Gin and I booked out flights.
Gin is flying over on the 18th August, arriving 19th, we have a family get-together on the 21st, the boxes should be picked up by the courier company on the 22nd, and we fly out on the 23rd!
12.50pm flight from LHR to OHD (Chicago), 4 hour stop-over to pass immigration, then OHD to SLC, arriving at my new home airport at 9.30pm local time!
It's really real now :-)
Wedding invitiations have been sent, car is going up for sale, ISA has been closed...
Gin is flying over on the 18th August, arriving 19th, we have a family get-together on the 21st, the boxes should be picked up by the courier company on the 22nd, and we fly out on the 23rd!
12.50pm flight from LHR to OHD (Chicago), 4 hour stop-over to pass immigration, then OHD to SLC, arriving at my new home airport at 9.30pm local time!
It's really real now :-)
Wedding invitiations have been sent, car is going up for sale, ISA has been closed...
Monday, 18 July 2011
Interview day!
Well, today was the culmination of seven and a half months of form-filling and waiting - time for my visa interview at the US embassy in London.
I caught the train up yesterday (Sunday 17th) with my brother, staying at the "cheap as chips" Travelodge right next to Marylebone station - cheap was for a reason, mind... The bathroom wasn't the most salubrious, no air-con, wi-fi costs extra - but the beds were comfortable enough.
This morning was interview time, so up at about 7.30am, shave, dress, black cab to North Audley Street so that I could put my phone into the safe-keeping of Gould Pharmacy, then wander down to the embassy. Queued for a little while outside, then through the scanner (both me and my bag, separate scanners, naturally) and into the embassy proper.
At the welcome desk I was allocated my number (I915 - presumably the 15th immigration visa of the day) at 8.17am, and sent to the waiting area.
Find a seat, sit down, and wait....... and wait...... and wait.....
Take a book, this bit is very boring!
I was called through for the first part of the interview, where my documents are checked and my fingerprints taken by the scanner - this was at 10.15am.
Sent back to the waiting room again....
Half an hour later, my number is called again, and off I trot for the interview proper. Scan one hand to prove it is I, raise my right hand and affirm that what I say will be the truth. And off we go.
Well, off we go may be a slight exaggeration - I was asked if Gin and I had met, if I'd been in the US for more than 90 days at any one time and to complete one of the forms with Gin's full name and my signature.
That was it.
APPROVED!!!
All done by about 11.50am, sent to the courier desk to pay the fee, and off I jolly well trot out of the embassy.
Go back to the pharmacy, retrieve my phone and proceed to wake Gin up at 4am Utah-time with the good news - followed by my Mum & Dad, and then off to meet my brother for a very British shake of the hand in congratulation lol
I caught the train up yesterday (Sunday 17th) with my brother, staying at the "cheap as chips" Travelodge right next to Marylebone station - cheap was for a reason, mind... The bathroom wasn't the most salubrious, no air-con, wi-fi costs extra - but the beds were comfortable enough.
This morning was interview time, so up at about 7.30am, shave, dress, black cab to North Audley Street so that I could put my phone into the safe-keeping of Gould Pharmacy, then wander down to the embassy. Queued for a little while outside, then through the scanner (both me and my bag, separate scanners, naturally) and into the embassy proper.
At the welcome desk I was allocated my number (I915 - presumably the 15th immigration visa of the day) at 8.17am, and sent to the waiting area.
Find a seat, sit down, and wait....... and wait...... and wait.....
Take a book, this bit is very boring!
I was called through for the first part of the interview, where my documents are checked and my fingerprints taken by the scanner - this was at 10.15am.
Sent back to the waiting room again....
Half an hour later, my number is called again, and off I trot for the interview proper. Scan one hand to prove it is I, raise my right hand and affirm that what I say will be the truth. And off we go.
Well, off we go may be a slight exaggeration - I was asked if Gin and I had met, if I'd been in the US for more than 90 days at any one time and to complete one of the forms with Gin's full name and my signature.
That was it.
APPROVED!!!
All done by about 11.50am, sent to the courier desk to pay the fee, and off I jolly well trot out of the embassy.
Go back to the pharmacy, retrieve my phone and proceed to wake Gin up at 4am Utah-time with the good news - followed by my Mum & Dad, and then off to meet my brother for a very British shake of the hand in congratulation lol
Sunday, 12 June 2011
Just another step on the journey
Received my "packet 4" letter a couple days ago - that's the confirmation of my visa interview appointment.
Visa Interview Appointment!!!
It's set for Monday 18th July at 9am, so my brother Cris has said he'll keep me company, and we'll go up on Sunday morning on the train, stay at a hotel near to the embassy in London, then spend the afternoon wandering around the city before getting an evening train home.
Packed my hard suitcase today, ready for the move - two motorcycle helmets, Mac Mini, two Minimax external hard drives, Mac OS discs, wireless keyboard and magic trackpad, motorcycle gloves, original Star Wars videos and two Harry Potter ultimate edition blu-rays. All for around 22kg, so ready to fly :-)
Also went through the stuff in the garage, and have hooked out the last of the stuff that will be coming with me (I think!), and also through the loft of the house, so I know what's left now (I think!).
Just got to sell the gas cooker, 1-piece motorcycle leathers, Henry vacuum cleaner, and some other bits and pieces.
Visa Interview Appointment!!!
It's set for Monday 18th July at 9am, so my brother Cris has said he'll keep me company, and we'll go up on Sunday morning on the train, stay at a hotel near to the embassy in London, then spend the afternoon wandering around the city before getting an evening train home.
Packed my hard suitcase today, ready for the move - two motorcycle helmets, Mac Mini, two Minimax external hard drives, Mac OS discs, wireless keyboard and magic trackpad, motorcycle gloves, original Star Wars videos and two Harry Potter ultimate edition blu-rays. All for around 22kg, so ready to fly :-)
Also went through the stuff in the garage, and have hooked out the last of the stuff that will be coming with me (I think!), and also through the loft of the house, so I know what's left now (I think!).
Just got to sell the gas cooker, 1-piece motorcycle leathers, Henry vacuum cleaner, and some other bits and pieces.
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