a nice perk

So about a month ago a friend of mine posted something pretty similar to her blog, so I am kind of copying, but after last night I couldn't resist any longer.

I've decided being stuck in training status at the Oakwood has a very nice perk, not just free food, but also CLOTHES and TOYS. People go to pack out and leave some toys behind to play with but decide not to keep them and hand them off. We have been the recipients of about a dozen loads now that we've been here 9 months. Not just from friends either, I've actually been stopped walking back from the playground, asked which building I lived in and given random stuff.

Although we are not packing out, we will be moving and I have tons of boys clothes that I just can't use on Maggie because she has more than enough clothes. Since I've been so blessed in receiving 2 huge bags/boxes of winter clothes for Finn, and a huge duffel bag for Maggie I felt it was time to let go of his stuff too. In a small way that was also my way of saying, I'm not going to be having anymore babies. Letting go a little bit at a time. That door's not completely closed yet, just ajar.

So Mike totally didn't understand this, but I know all my mommy friends will. Last night he went to the laundry room and there was a bag with a sign that said FREE baby clothes, I told him to take it. It was mostly boy stuff, but I am not opposed to putting my girls in boy stuff. I think I spent the first 3 months of Maggie's life telling people she was actually a girl :) Anyway, I've been feeling this total need to wash, fold and prepare baby clothes and now that I've been able to do it I feel "ready". So yeah we don't have a car seat, crib, bouncy seat and my essential balance ball...we do have tiny baby clothes :)

Catching up

Ah! I'm so bad about keeping up on this, really, it's been a while and lots has happened, kinda.

First off in mid August we found out that we will be adding another girl to the family, yippee...

We Shall call her #3 until we can agree on a name.

After that we rushed off to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware to spend 2 weeks with Mike's family. Me crazy? Not really, I like his family a lot, although there were dramatic points, most of the time was spent playing. Part of the trip there were 7 children under 7 in the house, two of which were pretty well contained in bouncy seats, but the rest were on a rampage. Learning boundaries testing the limits and driving two moms crazy! If anything the trip taught me that I need to loosen up a little on my patience level. It's very low and I've been cringing, waiting for the day that Finn turned into more than my baby, which he has been doing for years, but has recently learned how to "just joke" in his words, argue well, and test my patience over and over. The trip taught me that I really need to take it all in and figure out how to stay strict on my rules but also let Finn be a kid, these are natural things a kid has to learn to be a productive adult...right? Either way, I hover less at the playground, interfere less when other kids do things I'd consider rude or mean, and let Finn fend for himself, until situations just get too out of hand. Oh and the 4 cousins spent most of their non beach time in the basement of the house playing tigers.




I was so hoping that the time with lots of people all the time would get Maggie saying more, but nope, it just taught her to be more creative in the way she communicates. Although this happy mama is proud to say that Maggie will now say Mom! Yes, she knew mama, but would never say it directly to me, and now she does :)




We were very happy to make it back home just before school started for our friends and got to do some good playing and spent the first week of school trying to figure out what to do, but luckily we're not at a loss now that Finn started Preschool!! Now, I've been at war with myself wondering if I should bother, he'd learn everything he needed at home with me right? Well, yes, but he was just so sad that ALL his friends were in school. For a while he was against going and not wanting to make new friends, but once he went to his classroom and met his teacher, he was more than ready to let me be by myself. Plus side, Monday, Wednesday, Friday this pregnant tired mama gets a short nap in! Maggie on the other hand is not so thrilled to have her big brother gone.

Mike's Lao training is going well and he's even coaxed me into learning some of the language. After reading another FS blog today I found it funny that it seems all the languages, whether it's Lao, Arabic, French, Spanish....the people don't start simple. I can tell you how to say My husband works at the American Embassy, but I can't tell you the word for spoon or shirt...although we do know how to say crab, pinch, got ya, elephant and tiger.

life with state

So for those of you who haven't heard, our departure has moved again. By only a few weeks, but in doing the math a few crucial weeks in my mind. Mike's training schedule has changed again to get his classes finished with in February instead of March. Like the first week of February, so we can leave mid February, if everything comes together, but this would mean #3 won't be 2 months, but just 6 weeks. Yes that's only 2 weeks difference, but that means no 2month well baby stateside and no shots. AH! Freaking out just a little, but I'm staying positive. Mommies do this all the time, come stateside to have a baby and leave right at 6 weeks. No big deal. Our departure will be mighty stressful though. #3 and I will need to both be cleared to go, we will have to drive somewhere in VA to get the birth certificate before the standard month time, get 2 passports for the baby and a visa....and the list goes on.

18-months

So Maggie is really almost 19-months, but she had her 18-month check up yesterday and I find myself amazed with her growth, although according the Pediatricians records her head has shrunk. She has grown 3 inches since we've moved to Falls Church. Her weight has stayed pretty steady at 24 lbs which is good for preggo mama who's stuck having to carry the baboo.

So the typical questions asked at the 18-month is if she can climb stairs, or crawl, everyone who knows Maggie, knows she attacks the stairs, now she jumps down them, even if I try to keep her from doing so. The number 1 question is words, how many words does your child speak. I looked at the doctor with a quizzical look like I don't know. I know some people actually count their children’s words and even write them down in a memory book, most people who know me, know I'd start something like that with good intentions, but fail, so honestly I have no clue. I asked the doctor if OW counted as a word and she said no, even if it's her go to for everything for example STOP and HELP. Nope not a word just a sound. She has however mastered the words NO and MINE. Yippie!

She then asked me if I felt Maggie was developmentally challenged, I had to stifle a laugh. If anything, Maggie is ahead of the curve other than talking.

So this is my proud post on our little daughter who is now not so little.

Our 4th

Everyone is well aware that this past weekend was the 4th of July! Yippie! It's a good time to celebrate our Nation's birthday. Which makes it what 234 years? Pretty nice.

A great Army friend came to stay with us for the weekend and Finn was just so excited about this. Uncle Bailey made his weekend by just listening to him :) The best thing about the Army was that, although all of our family is spread out across the country, we made our own family out of the good friends we made. On Saturday we made our way to the Walter Reed Army Medical and Health Museum, creepy stuff in jars! Who could ask for more? Then straight to the Nats game, which was sold out, but we were able to get standing room only tickets and wandered around the stadium buying junk food, and beer for the boys. We left early because it was HOT and didn't want to face traffic, but oh too soon since the Nats ended up coming back in the 9th inning and beating the METS! Crazy.

The 4th was just awesome. We spent a total of 10hours sitting out by Roosevelt Island, directly across the Potomac from the Lincoln Memorial, a perfect spot for FIREWORKS! Mike has made a somewhat family tradition to write out the beginning of the Declaration of Independence on something, last year we had an awesome chalk drawing on our drive way, this year it was on shirts, we'll see what we get next year in Laos.

July 4, 2009.

July 4, 2010.

Here are a few shots of the awesome fireworks, taken by Mike of course.

Finn watching the fireworks, first year he wasn't scared of them, but we're pretty sure last year he just wanted the attention from a pretty girl by acting scared.

A life lost

I had planned to spend most of Father's day telling my husband just how thankful I am to have him as the father of my children. They truly are lucky, but as we awoke in the morning we got the news that a friend and past co-worker was killed in an explosion in Afghanistan on Friday. The rest of the day we attempted to go on with our plans, but it was really spent in a daze.

Most people through out the country have been touched by one of the wars we are currently fighting. Serving in the military we met so many men and women who touched our lives and inspired us to be more than we were. Staff Sgt. James Hunter was not an exception. He pushed me to write better, take better photos, and push myself hard during physical training. On the long after hours road marches I was forced to do to better myself, he would empty my rucksack and burden my load. He worked hard and laughed even harder. It was a true honor to have served with him.

Staff Sgt. James P. Hunter January 22, 1985 - June 18, 2010
Never Forgotten, Always Remembered

NC weekend

Mike was invited about a month or two ago to go camping at Jordan Lake, NC. We've been planning and buying for over a month to prepare to go, but not enough planning in the world could keep a pregnant lady satisfied in 95 degrees of heat.

We started the trip rushing from FSI to Fort Bragg to hopefully meet our good friend off the plane from Afghanistan! Which, by some unknown luck, we were able to do! We constantly called a friend for an update on the flight and from the Cumberland County line the flight had already landed. That's about 45minutes away from Green Ramp. We made it to All American FWY with another update, Paratroopers have not deboarded. Good! That gives us at least 20 minutes! For those of you who have not experienced a redeployment 82nd style, it takes a very long time. After attending about 100 redployments, literally, I still get choked up and teary eyed. My first redeployment ever,(march 2005) I met my future husband, he just didn't know it yet :) For me I can feel all the emotion and excitement in the air and when the National Anthem plays, I always shed a tear, even when I know not one person coming home. The best part about my job was when I did know the people coming home. I got to see most of my friends coming off the plane, which no one else gets. I was supposed to be professional, but usually I couldn't contain myself. I always love a good reunion. I've been witness to many great reunions: engagements, fathers meeting their children for the first time, fathers rushing off the plane to the hospital because baby was about to be born. And a few not so good reunions. In the end, I am just glad to have 1 more good friend home, for a while.

After the redeployment we cooked out and stayed up till 2 a.m. catching up with old friends. It was a fantastic trip!

Early Saturday morning we packed up and left for the lake. Saturday was great, till a thunderstorm hit. Luckily Mike bought the outrageous tent from REI that kept every drop of rain out, but I wouldn't recommend getting into the tent until the sun goes down. The kids spent all day splashing and swimming in the lake till it started raining, so they slept like little rocks. Sunday the heat hit immediately and we had to hit the road, which Mike had to pull over on a few times to let me out. I wouldn't give camping a thumbs down, but first trimester and heat do not mix well.

All in all the entire trip was worth it and I'd do it again. Oh and although we had the camera we managed to leave it in the van and not take a single picture.