Pango Size Attribute

[getik too <getik2 inbox com>]

Pango layout with an attribute list applied to it.  The size attribute does not seem to take effect unless the pango layout and attribute are created and attached in a callback function triggered by a redraw.  If not placed in the redraw callback the size of the text is always the same no matter what value I set for size.  
The effects of the other attributes such as weight are seen even if they are not placed in a redraw callback.  
I am using gtk 2.6.  Is this a bug, is this the way it is suppose to work or is there a specific way to change the size of text in a pango layout.  
I am not using the markup parse method.  I am simply attaching an attribute list to the layout.  I would rather do it this way