Our first midwest storm

  Saturday night we had the worst storm I have even seen.  I would swear it was a tornado, but I guess they are calling it a microburst.  Whatever you call it, it was bad, I was scared, and it did a ton of damage in our town.

Around 4pm that day, Bobby was on his way back from his reserve training in IL.  He called and told me that the weather was awful, street lights out, people driving slow and pulled off the road, downpour and high winds.  It was 90 degrees and sunny where we were so I didn't think much of it.  Jack and I were headed into town to run errands. 

After our first stop, the sky had changed and you could tell the storm was coming our way so I decided to head to the grocery stop down the street from our house instead of close to where I was.  When I walked into the store, it was still sunny and blue out.  I was in for maybe 15 minutes, we just needed some quick things for dinner, and the sky outside had turned black and it started pouring.  One of the cashiers offered to stay with Jack while I pulled the car up.  By the time I got the car, the winds had picked up and the power went out in the store.  I quickly loaded the groceries and Jack into the car and headed out.  I barely made it 100 yards when the wind picked up so much I swore the car would flip over.  I called Bobby hysterically crying that the car would flip.  I could see the wind and rain and it was horizontal.  That was really all I could see too.  We stayed put since I was too afraid to move.  It lasted about 10 minutes and then I could see where I was going. 

I told Bobby I was going to try to drive home.  We only live 1/4 mile from the store, I could make it.  Well the road to our house had two trees blocking the way so I had to turn around.  When I finally got home, it had started to hail.  I got Jack inside, noticed the dogs had freaked out and scratched the back door to pieces, and then noticed our patio set was missing the umbrella.  When I got closer, I noticed the glass top was shattered all over the deck.

Luckily, Jack, Bobby and I are all fine.  Just shaken up.  Bobby followed the storm most of the way home, but made it home in one piece!  Power was out for about 7000 people in our town and some people still do not have power.  Our town is being pretty great about clean up and restoring the power though.  They have set up a shelter at the community center and have man power from towns all over helping remove downed trees.  Here are some shots from our tour of the damage...

I'm still an Army wife...

  Well an Army Reserve wife now.  Bobby is away for his first Army Reserve training weekend.  He has to go a little over an hour away into Illinois.  I'm not exactly thrilled over this.  In Bobby's new job, he gets 2 4-day weekends off a month.  And that's pretty much it.  The other two weekends, he works 12 hour shifts.  So the Reserves are cutting into my weekend time.  Now I only get one!  I know, I know boohoo, at least he's home. 

Trust me, I am completely thankful he is here with us, gets to eat (most of the time) dinner with us, sleep in his own bed, and play with Jack everyday.  I just am not handling this transistion very well.  Bobby's hours are not what we were expecting.  His shifts are crazy and not anything normal humans should have to work.  But his plant is Unionized and the hourly workers make too much money with the schedule the way it is to want it changed.

I'm not sure what to expect of the Reserves.  He is stabilized, so no deployment looming.  We are beyond thrilled with that.  But it still worries me.  I guess it's because we just came from Ft. Stewart where units barely get 12 months home between deployments, and the time home is spent mostly in the field.  It must be my Active Duty wife brain that knows never to believe it until it's over.  The Army always changes things.  I don't feel strong enough to handle a deployment with a child.  I have said over and over, I don't know how families do it, and do it multiple times.  It breaks my heart to think of all the kids who have to say goodbye to their moms and dads.  Those parents are much stronger than me.  I don't want Jack to have to say goodbye to Bobby like that.  So the Reserves scares me.  I just hope everything works out like we want it...

Sore butts

 Poor Jack-man has the WORST diaper rash going on.  He's had some diarrhea from teeth coming in (so I diagnosed, he had no other symptoms, just call me Dr. Mom...) which caused a small rash to break out.  So I took him out of his cloth and put some disposables on with some diaper cream and waited for results.  Well nothing happened.  Actually, something happened. His rash got worse.  He ended up with little ulcers all over his bottom.  He cried, or rather screamed when we changed him.  I cried when we changed him.  It was not good.

So I called around hoping to find Jack a pediatrician.  No such luck.  Apparently in our town, every pedi is either booked up till September or not accepting new patients.  I really didn't want to drive to another town, so I took Jack to the Express Care clinic.  A short, for hospitals, 45 minutes later, we left leaving the Dr. confused on what to do since it wasn't yeast like she was expecting.  A couple creams and a week later, Jack still has a bad rash.  So I've been trying all the at home remedies I can find.  Vinegar and tea tree oil in the bath, a olive oil/water/tea tree paste on the butt, cornstarch dustings, and going commando most of the day for Jack.  So we've gone through a ton of shorts, but I'll gladly take laundry over screaming babies.  Any suggestions on anything else I should try???  My poor little man...

Don't you love it when...

 You've finally gotten the baby calmed down and ready for bed, you lay him in him crib, kiss him goodnight, quietly turn around for the door only to trip on the block that somehow snuck behind your foot which leads you to knock into the toy that proceeds to sound off with his obnoxiously loud helicopter noise.  Then as you try to bend down to pick it up to shut it up, you bang your head into the dresser drawer you left open when you got the pjs out.  The drawer was left open because you had to chase down the naked baby fresh out of the bath who is about to pee all over the carpet.  So holding your head you feel for the doorknob, but first catch your fingers in the folding closet doors and finally freedom is seconds away.  You open the door, light from the hallway floods in, the baby jerks his head up and starts to cry... again. 

We've had a long night here.  Pretty ready for the Daddy to come home on Thursday. I never would have survived the deployment with a baby...  You mamas who do are way tough, tougher than me...  And don't ever let 'em tell ya different!

Shopping makes me mad!

Maybe just more so shopping with a toddler.  Not only do I have to entertain Jack, I also have to look out for people walking down the aisle (on my "side") not paying attention.  Keep Jack from grabbing anything within reach.  Force cinnamon pretzels into each hand to distract Jack from the fact that he is strapped into the cart.  Oh and I have to find what I need.  Piece of cake...

Today we went to Lowes to find a hanging basket for the gorgeous ivy geranium I bought at the Farmer's market yesterday.  While I was browsing the fruit and veggie plants, I found Thai basil!  I have searched high and low in the world, ok maybe just outdoor markets and greenhouses around where we have lived, for this plant!  I almost ordered seeds off the internet one year but ended up with no room for it anyway.  Well when I saw it today I had to have it.  Well, no we don't have a garden.  Or so much as an area yet for one.  Our fence isn't even up yet, so I have no clue where one would go.  But I bought it anyway.  And since you can't just buy one plant, I got some sweet basil, curly parsley, cilantro, 2 different tomato varieties, spaghetti squash, and a jalapeno plant.  Hmm... now where to plant these babies...  Well luckily, last year, a friend got us a cute galvanized bucket full of plants for our garden last year.  So I filled it back up with all these plants.  Ok just half, I need to go buy another bucket for the herbs.  Then once the fence goes in, I plan to build a raised bed garden.  So soon enough they will have a permanent home.

Ok back to why I despise shopping.  When we paid for our things, we get out to the car and wouldn't you know someone has parked over the line leaving me oh 2-3 inches to get Jack into the car.  Why does this always happen on the car seat side?  If I wasn't such a law abiding citizen and really liked my cars paint job, I would slam open my door into the other car just to teach 'em a lesson.  This always happens to me too.  The other day at the gym, Jack and I both had to get into the car from the other side cause someone was that close.  I'm not quite sure how she didn't take side view mirrors off getting in...

Also, it's my absolute favorite to watch people just sail the cart back in the general direction of the corrals.  Eh, so what if we push it into the side and not actually the opening.  As long as it's close it counts right????

Where's my baby?

 Someone took my sweet little boy and replaced him with a biting, hitting, pinching, screeching, hair pulling, whining, give me more (insert snack of the minute here) now or I'll scream (again) toddler.  Now who was it?  Come on, I want that baby back....

Now after all this happened, in a span of 10 minutes, I did get to laugh with him at the silly squirting fish in the bathtub, name and point to all the body parts we know, pour 25 or so cups of water over the belly (which is hilarious) and snuggle up in our towel cause getting out of the bath is sooo super cold.  That's my little guy...

Then I even got a few minutes of couch time snuggle while eating some blueberries and watching Diners Drive Ins and Dives.  Jack is a big Guy fan.  They have similar hair post bath time. 

But the moral of the story here is, my little baby is getting too big.  He so independent.  Knows what he wants.  And usually wants it right now, or 5 minutes ago.  The neighborhood kids ask him to come play.  He tries to call the dogs by "whistling" and clapping.  He drives his powerwheel (steering doesn't count) all over the 'hood.  Lounges in his chair while watching his shows, with his feet up.  Eats bowls of yogurt with a spoon and doesn't make (too much of) a mess. Climbs the stairs.  Feeds the cat.  And who knows what will happen tomorrow.  Well, nothing I tell you, I won't let him out of his room.  No more growing up Jack...

Mommy's Little Helper

 Just wanted to share the cutest little helper.  Bobby showed Jack once how to feed the kitty and now he's a pro.  He just loves the kitty so much, so feeding her must be great!

Isn't he just the sweetest boy?!?!  But seriously... how do I have a child old enough to help out???