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Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Blogspiration Lost

Disclaimer: this post may be a lot tad on the whiny side.  don't judge.

I've lost my blogspiration.  I have been in such a funk the last couple weeks.  Between the car being sick, Bobby working all the time, house in shambles with no time or energy to clean it up, bad sleep and Jack being sick, my blogging inspiration has flown out the window.  I actually stared at the computer screen for about 5 minutes trying to think of what to say next.  I am way behind in reading any other blogs.  I love all the fabulous things you al have to say, but I don't want to go read them.  Nothing personal, I swear.

I am ready for this deployment to be over.  It could be much worse though.  Bobby could be gone.  I am so thankful he's home, but it doesn't make it any easier with him here.  I can't rely on him for anything.  He works super long hours (he went into work at 2:00am yesterday) so I feel so guilty asking him to do anything.  I feel like we are in this holding pattern that is never ending.  We have no idea what will happen with us next.  I know in the Army you never know for sure either, but at least you have an idea.  If we were to stay in, we would be going to Career Course next.  But our next step is for Bobby to go interview for jobs at a career conference.  And we won't have any idea what companies until we get there.  And we have already done this once.  Which did turn out how we expected.  I know Bobby will get a great job, he is a great leader and will be such a huge asset to any company, I just want to know that everything will turn out ok.  And I want to know where the heck we will be. I hate the waiting. 

Bobby's parents are coming into town this weekend.  We have a wedding in Charleston to go to that has a "no kids" clause, so they are coming to watch Jack.  Who has a wedding on a holiday and doesn't allow kids?  Bobby was supposed to be in this wedding, which is a long story in itself, and now that he's not, both of us are kinda not excited to go. 

Oh, my sandals came in the mail on Monday.  Totally not the same color as in the picture.  They are basically lime green.  I don't mind them, they weren't what I was hoping they would be, but I don't want to send them back.  I'm still hoping the blue color will magically appear at my house. (I wear a 9.5 if anyone wants to send them to me)

Well sorry for the Debbie Downer post.  Hopefully I can kick this funk and get back blogging about happy things like puppies, babies and rainbows.

Monday, June 28, 2010

What a Morning!

 Jack woke up with a fever.  And when I tried to give him tylenol, he threw it up.  The vomitted two more times, all over me.  And this happens as I am running around the living room, in my underwear, with no glasses on trying to find my phone to call, well someone!  I really didn't know who to call first.  Bobby? The hospital (who wouldn't have answered the phone for another 10 minutes anyway)? My mom?  My neighbor who has kids and would know what to do?  Why don't you get like a checklist when you have a baby on what to do in these situations?  And then, my phone dies. Ugg, why aren't you self charging phone...

Of course situations like this make me want to call and scream at Tricare.  Let's see Jack will be 7 months on Saturday, so for 7 months on Saturday I have been trying to get him seen at a pediatrian in the town that I live in.  Doesn't sound too much to ask right?  Ha! Well it is.  And the fact that there are TWO Army bases here doesn't help.  But BOTH Army bases are at least a 35-40 minute drive for me.  I was scared to load a baby up in the car who has been vomitting.  What if he aspirated while I was driving?  I know there are plenty of moms who have been referred off post to see pediatrians in this town, who have Tricare Prime like me.  I even know moms who live 5 minutes outside of post and were referred off post!  Why can't they just do the same for everyone?!?!  It drives me nuts!

Friday night, I was talking with another wife whose husband is on Rear D also.  She shared with me this fabulous thing she learned.  What she did was call the pediatrians office in town and asked if they were accepting new patients.  One pediatrian was so she called Tricare up and said this is where I want to go.  All they needed was a letter of acceptance and voila! she now has her child seen in our town and not 40 minutes away!  I had all intention of doing this today, well I still am but we had a slight detour through the ER on post.

Ok so back to Jack, I got both of us changed, loaded him in the car and drove to post.  Checking on him like every oh, 15 seconds or so.  Bobby had called the appointment line and gotten an appointment for 10:15am, but I wasn't waiting over 2 hours.  So we went into the ER.  We got in fairly (40 minutes) quickly and when they got a rectal temp on Jack, it was 101.3F.  Poor little man was so sad, but still was flirting with the nurse.  Since he had thrown up, he got a tylenol suppository.  An hour later, his temp went down a degree and we were sent home.  He's still pretty cranky but is sleeping away right now.  Hopefully we can get Jack's pedi changed once and for all and not have to deal with the long drive to post with a sick baby.  Not fun...

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Button, Button Whose Got a Button

I DO!!  Isn't she so cute??
Mrs. Gambizzle over at Life as a Sailor's Girl was feeling generous and made this for me!  Super talented that girl is.  She even makes her own jewels!  You really need to go check her out, maybe if you are lucky she will make one for you!  In the mean time, you can grab my button over there on the left and add it to your blog!  Thanks Mrs. Gambizzle!

Bucket List, Savannah Edition

We won't be here forever.  This will hopefully be our last year in the Army.  When this deployment is over, Bobby will be getting out and making moves for the business world.  Which still leaves us with no idea where we will end up next.  That makes me anxious.  I dream of searching the internet for houses for sale and clinics I might want to work at. Oh well, I should get at least 2 weeks notice where we will go next.  That's plenty of time...

There are still so many things I want to do while we are here.  Who knows if our next town will be as amazing as living in a place with so much history?!?  So I'm starting my Savannah Bucket List.  I'm going to keep it up there next to my about me page, so if you have any suggestions I would love to hear them. 

1.  Stay in a bed and breakfast
2.  Complete the Savannah Bridge Run
3.  Eat at 'our list' of restaurants we haven't tried yet
  • 700 Drayton
  • Ele
  • Elizabeth on 37th
  • The Chart House
  • Saigon
  • Sapphire Grill
  • B. Matthews
4.  Go crabbing again
5.  Camp on Cumberland Island
6.  Take Jack to St. Simon Island
7.  Go to the aquarium in Atlanta
8.  Take a carriage tour now that we know more about the city
9.  Bike from downtown Savannah to Tybee Island
10. Soak up the sun for a day on Tybee
11. Race the dogs in the wiener dog races
12. Go to the mountains in North Georgia
13. Visit the Georgia Sea Turtle Center
14. Have family beach pictures taken
15. Visit the Telfair museum
16. Visit the Mighty 8th museum

Well that's all I can think of right now.  I know there are more I've come up with before, at least now I have a place to put them when I remember them!

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Our 1st Father's Day

Good thing I'm a planner.  I had Bobby's father's day cards and gift before the car got sick.  Don't worry, she's all better now, a week and a half later... Bobby is pretty easy to shop for.  Bike parts. The problem with that is, bike parts are expensive.  Well you know, the good carbon fiber kinds...  And while my stay-at-home mom gig pays really well in slobbery kisses, you can't get too many bike parts with those.  So we got Bobby a Road ID ankle ID.  Now when Bobby goes out on his 25+ mile bike rides, I have a little comfort knowing if anything happens, at least someone will know who to call!  These are really great products for any athlete.  If you wanna buy one for someone, I have coupons they sent me to give to friends, just let me know!

We also got him Alton Browns "cookbook."  It doesn't really have recipes, but the who, what, when, where, why and how of cooking!  We love watching Alton and learning all about food.  My aunt actually went to culinary school with him too!  Bobby's only request for father's day was a steak.  So I got him the hugest (yes, it's a word) bone in ribeye I could find.  The ribeye is his fav and bone in makes it extra yummy!  A couple weekends ago, Bobby used an Alton Brown technique to cook these awesome "steakhouse" steaks on our grill, so he modified the technique a little and grilled a great ribeye!  They had that crust on them you only seem to get at a restaurant.  Sorry, I really can't share his secret with you...  When we first got together, Bobby's grilling skills were, well lacking, sorry babe, I still love you but he has come a loooong way.  He pretty much gets the steak perfect every time now!

Jack is so lucky to have Bobby as a Daddy.  I just can't get over how much he loves Jack.  It melts my heart every time I see them together.  I can't wait to watch Jack grow up and interact with his Dad.  I am one lucky girl to have two of the best guys in my life...

Friday, June 18, 2010

Shoe Envy

  I want this shoe.  In this color.  In my size.
I cannot find it ANYWHERE!!

Well actually today I found it on a website called Camping For Life.  But when I try to add it to the cart, it just says shopping cart empty.  And of course the website has no way to contact anyone there.  They are an Amazon affiliate so I called Amazon.  No help.  The chick couldn't figure out what the heck was going on or how to get ahold of anyone either. Umm...hello?  You are affiliated with this company and don't know how to get ahold of them?  Thanks...

So I think I might settle for this color.

I like this color too, but I just really wanted the blue.  At least they are on sale for $64.95...

Thursday, June 17, 2010

I have a confession...

 I may have become a Twilight-a-holic.  Well not like full blown cause I haven't read the books and I don't like swoon over all the cast members.  I really want to read the books, but the whole raising an almost 7 month old occupies a large chunk of my life right now.

When Jack was still a wee little guy who didn't move and would fall asleep if I put him in his swing, I rented Twilight on demand.  Then like two days later rented New Moon.  I am hooked.  I think I am really hooked because I want to know what's gonna happen.  And now I want to go see Eclipse when it comes out.  I don't really have any friends who are into them though.  So, I asked Bobby if he would go with me.  He said sure, but movies are just a $9 nap for him anyway.  There have been like two movies we've seen together that he actually stayed awake through.  Is it like illegal to bring him to this movie?  I'm not up on the Twilight-a-holic rules.  I'm still a new addict.

I am also a Jacob fan.  I like werewolves better than vampires.  Totally think Bella should chose him over Edward.  Not to mention that Jacobs skin looks way better than Edwards. 


Bytheway... can you believe I have an almost 7 month old??!?!  Yeah, I'll probably say that every month, get used to it...

Monday, June 14, 2010

Too long To-Do list

 I have a million things I want/need to get done.  I don't really want to do any of them.  Bobby and I have officially outgrown this house.  There really isn't room for one more thing.  That doesn't mean I won't buy anything, just not so sure where to put it.  And it drives me crazy that there are so many things that don't have "homes."

My guest craft room is in shambles.  Nothing has a place and it makes me not want to even go in there.  Good thing there is a door on that room and I can pretend it doesn't exist.  I have these big plans in my head on what I want it to look like, but the fact that we probably will be moving in less than a year have put any new remodeling on hold.  Plus, there is a huge bed in the way that we can't get rid of.  Who puts a bed in a craft room anyway?  So all my crafty things sit out in the elements.  Free to collect cat hair and be buried under the things we can't find a place for so they get banished to the room with a door that no one else goes in.  My poor cricut.  Don't worry girl, someday you will have a beautiful table to live on, I promise. 

I have like 4 craft projects that I have been putting off because I can't craft comfortably in that room.  Two are for my bestest friend who is having a little baby girl this July.  I am making wall letters like Jack's and a vinyl wall phrase.  No motivation to get in there. 

Doesn't life always get in the way when you have things planned?  This week I have had a bunch of things on the schedule.  So of course, my car decides to be difficult.  Well, really she's not broken or anything.  We took her in because the A/C was acting funny.  The middle vents were nice and icy cold, but the sides were blowing less than icy air.  And since it has regularly been 95 degrees or hotter here, we figured we'd check it out.  And the diagnosis?  Something way hard to reach, rip the entire dashboard and steering wheel then look behind that and in between the engine hard to reach, is not working right.  Obviously I cannot remember what the name of it is right now.  And when will she be ready you ask?  Oh Friday. Maybe.  She's been in sick call since last Thursday.  But she's getting fixed on post and it's WAY cheaper than any mechanic anywhere else.  So this week I am missing the funeral of a great man who lost his battle with cancer.  I worked with him in a therapeutic riding program that lets children with disabilities feel the amazing power of riding a horse.  And less important, but still prepaid for, are our Squats N' Tots class and our waterbabies class.

Another let's throw another log in the fire life move is our dryer is on the fritz.  Only SLIGHLY annoying since we use cloth diapers and rely on the dryer.  I tried line drying, but my stash is just not up to par yet and they were not drying fast enough.  So this happens last Thurs. night.  After the car is gone.  And of course there are NO appliance parts stores open on the weekend here.  Who does that?  Apparently nothing breaks on the weekend around here.  Also, since there is no dryer action, there is no laundry action.  So our bedroom is slowly becoming a dirty laundry pit.  We did do a few loads yesterday and with the help of my lovely neighbor and a newly makeshifted clothesline, we got some clothes cleaned up. 

Top all of this off with I can never clean my entire house in one sitting anymore, my to-do list is too long to do.  Anyone want to come help me get anything done?  Pretty please?  I pay in baked goods, outta this world lasagna and baby kisses.  The bed in the craft room will be waiting for you...
 

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

What A Stud!

 We went to the pool yesterday with my BFF and her boys.  Jack loves to swim.  He has mastered the bathtub.  After swimming for a while and playing in the fountains, Jack wanted to lounge out and do some people watching.  He is my baby afterall...

I need more sunscreen mom

I really wanna play with those kids over there

They better not splash me

This is my beach pose

Monday, June 7, 2010

But I don't even have a speech!

 Hiphip horaay!  I was given an award!  This is my first ever bloggy world award.  The blogging community sure knows how to make ya feel special!  Here she is...

An awesome blogging military couple gave me this award.  You need to check out the life of Dave and Ashley over at Alot O' Curls and A High & Tight!  So there are some rules along with getting an award.
1. Thank the person who gave you the award

2. Share seven things about you

3. Nominate 15 newly discovered blogs that you think are fantastic

4. Let your nominees know about the award

Thanks so much to Dave and Ashley!  They are in the middle of a 30 day 'project.'   You should go check out what I am talking about, I don't like to spoil surprises.  Don't mention that to my husband, he might disagree...

And onto the seven things about me!  I'll try to make these new things, but a few are inevitable...

1. I have the most adorable baby boy in the world! Watching him grow is the best part of my life!
2. I'm 28 and have never had a cavity.  My dentist tells me everytime I see her that I have "the prettiest teeth."
3. I want a horse farm someday.
4. I just completed my first Adventure Challenge and didn't die, I actually finished.  And burned a mere 2600 calories.
5. I have two favorite soups.  Corn chowder (but made my way) and thai coconut soup (tom kha gai).  I cannot seem to find a recipe for tom kha that tastes the way it does in restaurants.
6. I had my son in a waterbirth at a birth center, next time I would consider a home birth.
7. I met my husband in a bar.  His first line was "I know what kind of girl you are."  I translated that to the kind he would marry.

And since I have limited time to get this blog accomplished before the little monster wakes up from his nap, I am gonna cheat and give you my top 5 blogs (in no particular order).  Babies give you get outta jail free cards right??

3. Heather @ Love, Heather (She just got engaged too!)
4. Courtney @ On An Adventure

I would like to thank my husband, my baby boy, and the crazy life we live for my blog inspirations.  Without them I would get a lot more accomplished...


Thursday, June 3, 2010

Six months ago today...

My world was forever changed.  My sweet precious Jack came into the world.  I cannot believe that 6 months have flown by already.  When I was pregnant 6 months felt like 6 years!  He has accomplished so many things in his time here already. 

I have a little boy who rolls everywhere, low crawls so fast I can barely keep up, laughs at his doggies, smiles the best smiles at Mommy and Daddy, eats solid foods in his high-chair, gives kisses and holds on tight for hugs, sleeps in his own crib, pets his animals, blows raspberries, plays his piano, tries to sit up, notices everything and is determined to get it, and fills our hearts with more love than we have ever felt.

I have written out Jack's birth story once, but it was so boring I wouldn't even try to read it again.  So I am gonna try again.  Hopefully, it will come out as beautiful as his birth was...

The morning of December 3, 2009 I woke up hurting.  I felt nauseas, crampy, and just not right.  I got up to use the bathroom and decided I was gonna camp out in bed that day.  Jack was already late, but for some reason I wasn't expecting to have a baby yet!  My mom was scheduled to arrive the next day, so he had to wait for Gramma right?  I called Bobby to tell him I didn't feel good and wasn't going to come decorate his Battalion for Christmas.  When I layed back down, the cramps got worse, so I called Bobby back and said maybe he should come home.  After 10 or so phone calls back and forth, we decided Bobby would come home for lunch, see how I felt and we'd take it from there.

By the time he arrived home, I was furiously cleaning the house.  All I could picture was coming home with a new baby to an unmade bed and dirty floors.  I was having what I thought were contractions because they were something I hadn't felt before.  We decided to try timing them.  To this day, I still cannot figure out Bobby's method of recording contractions, but it worked for him.  By the time I got out of the shower, my contractions we about 4 minutes apart.  When I called the birth center, I had two contractions on the phone so she said to come on in.  I thought I would have time to dry my hair from my shower, but about 2 minutes into the process, I quit. 

The 15 minute car ride seemed to take an hour.  My contractions had picked up quite a bit, so much that when we got to the birth center, they were about 10 seconds apart.  The midwife on call was exactly who I wanted to be there.  When she checked my cervix, I was 4 cm dilated.  She hooked me up to the monitor, but I was in so much pain I couldn't stay still for the readings.  Jack also was apparently sleeping.  She suggested I get in the tub to try to slow things down.  The tub didn't slow anything down.  During my pregnancy, I always asked Bobby if he would be in the tub with me when Jack was born.  He would make a face and say no way.  So I was surprised when he pulled out his bathing suit and helped me climb into the tub.  I was so glad to have him so close, especially when I needed to squeeze things.

My friend Rachel showed up just as I was about to get into the tub.  I talked with her for about 5 minutes before I needed to focus completely on laboring.  During the three hours I was in the tub, barely anyone spoke.  I needed the silence.  It helped me focus all my energy on the pain.  I guess I even shushed people, but I don't remember that!  Being in the water was amazing.  I felt weighless.  I was able to put pressure on my back when the contractions came.  I tried repositioning once, but the pain was worse.

When I was 8-9 cm dilated, I got out of the tub to have my water broken.  I had the most painful contraction after that and Bobby helped me back to the tub.  I could now feel Jack in my pelvis.  With each contraction, it felt like I pushed forever.  It felt so much better to push.  With every push, I felt Jack come further and further down.  My midwife kept telling me to reach down and feel his hair, but I knew he wasn't out very much.  Finally they convinced me to reach down and just as I thought, he was hardly out.  I was hoping like half of his head was out, at least that's what it felt like!  I remember looking at Bobby towards the end.  I will never forget his face.  It was this pride and awe I have never seen in a person before. 

Once Jack's head was out I had to stop pushing so my midwife could check the cord.  I wanted to push so bad then, I wanted to hold my baby.  I really don't remember pushing again.  He was just in my arms.  He was beautiful.  The water had washed him off, so his skin was a gorgeous pinky color.  You could tell he had blonde hair.  His little fingers grasped the air, looking for something to hold.  I took them and held him close.  He started to cry and for a moment it was all I heard.  It was like we were the only people in the room.  I looked down at my son, the little baby I grew inside me, and felt the world melt away.  The instant love you feel is better than you could imagine.

When I looked up at Bobby, he had tears in his eyes.  I probably did too.  After Jack got all his blood from the umbilical cord, Bobby seperated us.  It really felt like the moment I gave Jack life.  He was now his own little person.  The most wonderful part about the birth center was that Jack never left my sight.  While I was finishing up with the birth, Bobby held Jack skin to skin on his chest.  I loved watching my boys bond.  Then Jack was given back to me to nurse.  He latched right on.  It was amazing to look down and watch this minutes old baby know what to do.

And here we are 6 months later.  I still love to watch Jack nurse.  He has changed so much in how he nurses.  He's at the point now where he looks around and things distract him.  I have to hold his hand so he doesn't try to fit his hand and my nipple in his mouth.  I can't wait to see what the next six months have to bring.  Then he can stop growing.  I want to keep my baby a baby forever...





I love you Jackson...

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

It worked!

 Jack naps!  And has been sleeping realllly well! Good, cause I was about to start pulling my hair out!  Bobby and I couldn't be happier parents right now!  I went back and forth over all the different "methods" of sleep solutions.  I can't believe how strong minded people can be about the different methods, especially when they haven't tried it! 

I knew the basics of the cry it out method.  I mean it sounds self-explanitory right?  But I hadn't really done much reading on it.  Like I said before, not much time for reading these days.  So after whining talking to my BFF about what the heck to do with this child, I decided to let him learn to fall asleep on his own.  And if that involved a little crying to get some sleep, we would try it.  She told me I might need to let him cry for up to an hour! How was I ever going to listen to my poor baby cry for an hour?

So the first night, we started our routine.  Eat dinner, playtime, bathtime, nurse in his quiet room, little lovey baby/mommy time, then Daddy put him in his crib.  He was good for a minute.  Then cried.  For 40 minutes.  I cried too.  I wanted so bad to go pick him up.  There was no way this was going to work.  Finally around 8:30pm, he stopped.  My first thought is "OMG is he still alive?"  After making Bobby check that he was still breathing, we got to relax.  Well for like three minutes before Bobby was asking to go to bed.  He's such an old man now that he gets up at 4:00am.  I guess I can't blame him.  Before we went to bed, I did something I should have done a long time ago.  I turned off the baby monitor.  See, our house isn't that big.  Jack's room is right next to ours.  I can hear him breathe practically.  I didn't need the monitor to hear him cry.  All it did was wake me up every time he squeaked.  I needed some sleep too...

At 4:00am the alarm goes off, I panic.  Jack had not woken up yet.  But I take a breath, relax, and realize he's probably fine.  I mean, the kid had not slept well for a least a week, he was probably exhausted.  I fell back asleep, but not very well since I kept thinking I heard him crying.  He ended up waking up at 5:00am! 

The next day we started our first naptime routine.  About 9:00am, we go into his room, read a book, nurse, and I put him down in his crib and turn his seahorse on.  This time he only fussy cried for like 15 minutes.  And napped for like an hour.  Much better than the 20 minutes he used to sleep huh?

And here we are now, almost a week in.  He naps three times a day, wakes up once during the night again, and falls asleep on his own!  Usually it's less than 5 minutes of fussiness, I really wouldn't call it crying!  He is so much happier too.  I am happier too in case you couldn't tell!

In the end, I learned that you just have to go with what works for your child.  Be open to everyone's advice and don't write it off until you've tried it.  Every child is different, so everyone's parenting technique will also be different.

On a different note, I'm getting the mirena put in on Wednesday.  Anyone have one?  I am not looking forward to pain in that area again.  I tried asking the NP all these questions like whats the pain like? how long does the procedure take? how long will I be down for, if at all?  But in typically military healthcare fashion, she told me to read the handout, "all the questions you could ever ask are answered in there."  Obviously not lady...