BIG Day

 

That's my son. Isn't he adorable? I certainly think so. He's also one of the smartest little people I know, and I'm not just saying that because I am his Mommy and "have" to! 

Potty Time

That's right, my "baby" is potty training. We've been doing it for several months now, ever since he turned one and started showing interest, but it's kicked into high gear lately! We started ECing at home, with the exception of bed and nap times. He was doing very good using his training potty, and then a little over a week ago he just stopped. He didn't want anything to do with it. He would scream when we put him on it. I didn't know what was going on!

Big Boy Bed: The Saga Begins

Last night was night one of the "Big Boy Bed". I'd rather not talk about how long it took me to convert the crib into a toddler bed, or the fact that it probably would have taken LONGER without the help of my one year old, (He really did help too! He is so smart!) but it eventually got all set up! Bubba was THRILLED! I was nervous. We were going to wait until after the new year, possibly closer to Spring, before we took him out of his crib, but after he vaulted himself out of his crib on Tuesday I decided that it wasn't worth the risk anymore. We don't have carpet, and we got lucky that he didn't hurt himself more than he did.

Wordless Wednesday: Late, But It's Still Wednesday In Idaho

Flashback Friday: Last Fall...Fin

All month I've been flashing back to this time last year. Bubba and I were on our own while Daddy was deployed, and I was determined to not only make the best of his first Fall/Halloween, but to take enough pictures so that Daddy would feel like he was right there with us. (Not to mention all of our family back in Ohio who were experiencing their new grandson/great-grandson/nephew/godson/cousin/etc. strictly through my photography.)

Whooo's Who Friday Blog Hop

So, the blog hop has not been a huge success in the weeks that I've done it, but I have had some lovely visitors, and that is enough to keep me going! Please, feel free to add yourself to the blog hop, and tell your friends! We're always looking to meet new friends and find new blogs to read!

<center><a href="http://lettersarrangedintowords.blogspot.com/search/label/Whooo%27s%20Who%20Friday" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Sneaky Momma Blog Design" src="http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s125/littlebenjaminbear/Blogger%20Layouts/WhooosWho.jpg" /></a></center>  

The Look Whooo's Blogging Award

I have decided to found my own blogging award. I read so many great blogs every day and would love to share them with others and give them an award for the amazing blogging I feel they do! So, I proudly present to you the very first winners of The Look Whooo's Blogging Award, brought to you by Letters Arranged Into Words! (And the letter "W") 

Whooo's Who Friday Blog Hop

So, the blog hop has not been a huge success in the weeks that I've done it, but I have had some lovely visitors, and that is enough to keep me going! Please, feel free to add yourself to the blog hop, and tell your friends! We're always looking to meet new friends and find new blogs to read!

<center><a href="http://lettersarrangedintowords.blogspot.com/search/label/Whooo%27s%20Who%20Friday" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Sneaky Momma Blog Design" src="http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s125/littlebenjaminbear/Blogger%20Layouts/WhooosWho.jpg" /></a></center>  

Flashback Friday: Fall Continued

Once again I'm going back only to last year at this time to continue this month's Flashback Friday theme of Bubba's First Fall. If you would like to see the first two flashbacks in this series, please feel free to check out my Fall and More Fall posts!

Flashback Friday: More Fall

This week I will be continuing with the theme I started last week and flashing back to last Fall at around this time. It was Bubba's first Fall, Daddy was in lands far, far away, and I was taking as many pictures as physically possible so that Daddy wouldn't feel like he had missed on minute of his son's life!

Whooo's Who Friday

<center><a href="http://lettersarrangedintowords.blogspot.com/search/label/Whooo%27s%20Who%20Friday" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Sneaky Momma Blog Design" src="http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s125/littlebenjaminbear/Blogger%20Layouts/WhooosWho.jpg" /></a></center>  

Wordless Wednesday: A Day At The Pumpkin Patch

Flashback Friday: Fall

Buckle in prepare for a ride. Don't worry, we won't be going too far. This entire month I plan to flashback only to last year at this time. Last Fall was Bubba's first, and as Daddy was away protecting our country, I was talking roughly 500-600 pictures a week so that he didn't feel he was missing anything. 

AMAZING News

What a busy, exhausting, and emotionally draining several weeks I've had. Many things have not been good, and I will probably update about them in a later blog, but I have some AMAZING news right now that I just can't keep to myself. After all, when your boys do great, you have to brag on them right?

Wordless Wednesday: Bubba and Shamrock Kitty

Remember When?

I remember at some point in my Elementary school career being given the assignment to talk to someone in my family about some major historical event in our countries history. Some of the questions included "Do you remember where you were when 'blank' happened?" and "How did you feel?"

Scarce

I know that I have been scarce the last week. I am very sorry for that. There is a lot going on outside of cyber-space right now. I am hoping to be back to my regular, blogging self in the next few days. Until then just know that I miss it, and could use some good vibes/prayers/wishes.  

Wordless Wednesday: Happy 71st Birthday Oz!

 

Whooo's Who Friday

So, this is my first time doing this, and I hope it works out well. I thought that so many people do blog hops and it has brought so many new readers into my world that I would try one myself! 
Welcome to Whooo's Who Friday! (If you are here from another blog hop, welcome!!!)

Flashback Friday: Baby-Versary

This week I'm flashing back to August, 5, 2008...the day I found out I was pregnant. I can't believe that it has been two years (and one day) since I found out that I was a Mommy! The time really has flown!

Thankful Thursday: Baby-Versary

Another Thursday...so many more reasons to be thankful! Today is a big one!!!  I am always thankful for my husband and son! Every day they both give me reason after reason to be happy and thankful...but today is a super-duper thankful day. Today is our Baby-Versary!

Wordless Wednesday: Guaranteed To Make You Smile

My Ear Itches...

...and I bet you're thrilled to know that little piece of information! It was what was on my mind when I was typing the title of this blog though, so there it is. You never know what you're going to get when you come here. I'm always working to keep you on your toes. 

Happy Monday

I know, it's late Monday, but I never seem to have time to write until the evenings anymore...and almost never on the weekends, which makes me sad. I spend my days with the Bubs though, and when Daddy gets home from work we've been hitting the gym. After all, I've been on my medication for over a month now, and hope it's starting to work. I might as well do my part too. 

Friday Blog Hop

Another Friday, another chance to make new friends! Thank you for visiting my blog! Feel free to follow if you'd like, but even if you don't follow, please leave a message. I love knowing who is visiting my blog! Be sure to leave me the link to your blog so I can check it out in return! 

Flashback Friday: Happy BIrthday Sophia

Before becoming parents, hubby and I had the great honor to become an Aunt and Uncle to a beautiful little girl named Sophia. She arrived August, 1, 2006...almost 3 months early. Those first days and weeks were so scary and sad and...well, I can't even describe them. There is nothing quite like looking at and touching a baby that is smaller than most dolls. We could take off our wedding rings and easily push them all the way up her little arms and legs. It was hard, because we lived almost 3 hours away from the hospital she was at, (little did we know how much harder it would be to live across the country) but we were there the day she was born and many weekends after, hoping and waiting and praying.

The Boo Boo and The Magical Kiss

I was up super early this morning, and so got to have some "Me Time" before Bubba woke up for the day. As usual, he woke up happy, babbling to himself and his toys until Mommy got in to get him. Hearing his little "conversations" always makes me smile, so I will frequently let him babble away for several minutes before I go in to retrieve him. Walking into his room, I found him standing in the center of his crib with his blankets in hand, but when he saw me he dropped them both and looked down, bottom lip pooked out in his best "sad face". I walked over to him, sure to have an appropriate look of motherly concern on my face and asked "What's wrong Bubba?"

Wordless Wednesday: An Ode To Sophia

I've Got The Fever

Baby fever that is. Luckily I'm not alone. I think hubby has it too. At the very least I know he's thinking about it. At the Boise Music Festival on Saturday there seemed to be no end of pregnant people and people with very small babies. (Well, there was no end of people in general, but an unusual number of them did seem to be expecting or new parents.) At first I thought it was just me noticing this, but then hubby said "Look at all the babies here today! It makes me want another one!" Women very rarely get to hear that sort of thing from their husbands from what I'm told, so I feel very lucky.

Mila's Daydreams

I not only enjoy writing my blogs, I love to read other people's musings, ideas, opinions, etc. I'm always on the lookout for another great blog that I love to read, and I found one today that is just so creative that I have to share! (I wish I'd come up with this idea first...and that's not to say I won't use the idea with my next child.) 

Friday Blog Hop

Hello and welcome! If you are visiting from a Friday blog hop, please feel free to look around!! You don't have to follow, but please leave a comment letting me know you were here! If you like what you see,  please feel free to follow, and I will follow in return if you leave me a link to your blog! 

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Flashback Friday: Graduation

Three years ago this week I flew down to Texas to watch my husband graduate from BMT! I had never flown alone, never traveled alone, never lived alone, and certainly never imagined living across the country from where I had grown up, but all those things were happening or about to happen.

I was so very proud of him! I still am!

It was an amazing weekend, and saying goodbye again at the end of it was so hard, but it is also a favorite weekend of mine to look back on. I hope you enjoy it too!

My Blog Is Carbon Neutral

Since becoming a parent I admit that I give more thought to the impact I am having on the world than I used to . After all, what was done to the planet previously is what I deal with today, and what I do to the planet in my life is what my son will deal with in the future. We try to bike or walk when we can, we have changed to cloth diapers, we recycle...it never occurred to me that my blog might be leaving a carbon footprint behind.

Wordless Wednesday: Our Beautiful Nieces

Neglect

I feel that I have been terrible neglectful to my poor little blog lately. Also, to anyone who reads my musings. I haven't done any of my weekly memes in about 2 weeks, nor my Scripture Sundays, which I feel terribly about. All I can say is that we have had a series of terribly unfortunate events in our little bear den the last couple of weeks that has made the blog neglect almost a necessity.

I WON!!!

I can't believe it! I never win anything. Despite entering dozens of cloth diaper giveaways in the last few months, my win rate has been exactly zero. Until today!!! Today I found out that I won a Planet Wise Wet Bag from Melissa over at Home Grown Families!

Thankful Thursday

I'm back, and just in time for another Thankful Thursday!!! Did you miss me?!!!

To start off, I am thankful to have my computer back! The power cord, which had been going for some time now, finally died on me last week. While we waited for my new one, I was completely computerless. Not that I couldn't have used my husband's if I wanted, but I have mine set up just right for me. His feels like some kind of alien machine. I missed blogging, I missed keeping in touch with my family back home, I missed being able to just hop on and relax for a few minutes after putting Bubba down for his nap. I am very thankful to have my computer back!

Wordless Wednesday: 4th Of July

Busy, Busy, Busy

What a fun, busy, filled weekend! I love four day weekends, and I hate when they're over. 

We had a great weekend as a family and with our friends! We got Parker some new cloth diapers, which makes me more excited than it probably should. Who would have thought I'd get addicted to fluff. I wonder if there are groups for this...

Flashback Friday: 4th Of July

I know, I know...I'm running late. In some parts of the country it's already Saturday...but not in my part. Better late than never, right?

Since it's the 4th of July weekend I thought that I would flashback to this time last year. It was Bubba's first 4th of July, which made it a very special 4th of July indeed. We also had Ohio visitors, which is always a special event. It was the first time my brother and sister had met their nephew. 

My First Award...Make That AwardS

This must be my weekend! I found out just this morning that I got not only my first, but my second award for this blog!!! What a great way to start off a 4 day weekend, right?

Friday Blog Hop

If you are looking for new bloggy friends, which I always am, there's not better place to do it than a blog hop. Here are some of the great blog hops I am a part of this week! Please feel free to join in the fun!

Weekly Weigh In: Week 3

I was determined that this was going to be the week! The week that I had the nerve to post my weight and a picture and all that instead of just posting what I'd lost/gained during the week. When I got on the scale (aka. My Wii Fit) today though and saw I'd only lost a pound, I decided that maybe today wasn't the day. Maybe next week will be the day. Or the week after...

Thankful Thursday

This week's Thankful Thursday post is a little easier for me that last week's was. Despite feeling a bit down, it has been a better week, and we have a great weekend ahead!

First, I am thankful that we got some more cloth diapers in the mail yesterday!!! I guess I sound nuts, but I am absolutely in love with cloth diapering, I even have a blog 100% devoted to it, and this newest package means that we can cloth diaper all day long every other day. (One day of cloth diapering then one day of sposies while I wash and line dry the cloth diapers.) Hopefully I'll be cloth diapering 100% of the time before long!

Wordless Wednesday: Texas Sunsets

Scripture Sunday: James 1:14-26

It's been a rough week. We found out that a friend that we consider family will be leaving us on January for another base. We also found out that some people we thought were our friends weren't really. My own heart has been up and down with emotion, probably because of my medication, but if you add it all up it just equals a really difficult week to get through. 

Flashback Friday: MHAFB

Thankful Thursday

I am having a hard time being thankful today. Overall, it hasn't been a good day. Still, I feel it's important to find the silver lining in every rain cloud, so I am going to try.

Weekly Weigh In: Week 2

So, I still don't have the nerve to post my actual weight. I am a wuss. I am hoping that I will get the nerve in the next few weeks, but I am so saddened by my weight. I hate that there are situations I can't control that effect my weight. I would never be a small woman. I'm just not build that way, but I want to be healthier. I hate that I have conditions that can cause my weight to change as much as 20lbs in a week and a half. Hopefully the medication I am on will start working. GO MEDS!!!

Wordless Wednesday: NOT A Buckeye

Scripture Sun...errrr...Monday: 1 Corinthians 13:3-13

So, I am doing Scripture Sunday on a Monday. With the holiday and other things going on in the home, I just didn't have the time to get online yesterday to post. I feel badly, but you know what they say about "better late than never".

This week I want to share a verse that is well known in various forms. 

Flashback Friday: Fathers

 

It only seems fitting that this week's Flashback Friday has to do with Fathers.

Thankful Thursday

This is my first Thankful Thursday, and I really like the idea! They do it every week over at The Nut House, and I love it! After all, in the day in and day out of life, sometimes we all need to step back and realize that there are several things to be thankful for. Even on the worst days.

Weekly Weigh In

So, here's the deal...I think this is a great idea. Over at Marvelous Mommy they are doing a Weekly Weigh In. You post your weight, and are encouraged to post a picture, for the whole blogging world to see. The idea is that you will be able to show off your weight loss...but you will also be showing off gain...

Oh Yum!

I was checking out some of the blogs that I read and saw a post about Dr. Pepper Cake over at the Trendy Treehouse! If you know me at all, you know how I feel about Dr. Pepper, so I am going to have to try this sometime soon. Maybe for our 4th of July bar-b-q. If anyone gets the chance to try it before me, let me know how it went. Also, swing over to the Trendy Treehouse to let her know you tried it too, since she is the one who posted it to begin with!

Wordless Wednesday: Youngs Jersey Dairy

Baby I'm Amazed By You

 

My son amazes me! This is a daily occurrence. I am so blessed to have such an amazing little person in my life. The last few days he has been particularly amazing though!

Medical Update

If I seem like I am around a little less than usual for the next week or so, it's because of my new medication.

I got to see my new endocrinologist this past week, and I really like him. The man really seems to know what he's talking about, which is more than I can say for most of the people I talk to out here. He even raised my Synthroid, saying that I probably haven't been on the right dosage for years. Apparently, most doctors goals are to have someone with a thyroid disorder get their levels down to normal for someone with that disorder...Dr. Krueger's goal is to get my levels down to normal for anyone.

Scripture Sunday: Mark 10:13-16 & Ephesians 6:1-4

Our son turns 14 months old today. It's all gone by so quickly, and it has all been such a blessing! Because of this mini "birthday" I wanted this week's scripture to reflect children, not just their mention in the Bible, but our place as their parents to teach them and guide them towards leading a good life and having a relationship with Jesus.

It Starts

So...we started cloth diapering today. It went well. In fact, it went so well that I wrote not one, but two blogs about it over on my cloth diapering blog! Feel free to go check them out. 

Flashback Friday: Sophia Marie

This weeks's Flashback Friday was going to highlight my brother and my high school graduations, since we both just celebrated our graduation anniversaries this past week. (9 years for me, 3 years for him.) I couldn't find our pictures though, so will have to go with something else. Maybe graduation pictures will take over the spotlight next week.

Wordless Wednesday: Belly Shots

Through My Son's Eyes

If you know me at all, you know that I have the self-esteem of a not-very-confident-cockroach. (My cousin told me I should write a children's book about a not-very-confident-cockroach, but the thought kind of gives me the heebie jeebies. Maybe one day.) 

Just Another Manic Monday

Another new pictures, another new quote, another new week. It doesn't even really feel like I had a weekend with hubby on weekend duty all weekend. We'll make up for it next weekend though.

Nine years ago today I graduated from high school. I don't know why that makes me feel so old. I'm only 26, which some days still feels very young to me. (Some days I feel ancient though.) I just can't believe that it's been none years. It just seems like it went by so very fast! It makes me wonder how fast the next 9 years will go. My goodness, my son will be ten in nine years! I don't think I'm even ready to think about that.

Scripture Sunday: Romans 12:9-21

I am going to try, every week, to share some scripture that has meaning towards the week I had or the week I want to have. 

If you are not Christian or not religious I hope that you will not be offended. This is for me and something that means something to me. I am not ashamed of my Christianity, nor will I hide it in hopes of keeping friends or followers. 

That being said, this weeks scripture comes from Romans, chapter 12:9-21.

The USAF: Reflections

Looking at my blog, I guess I really don't blog about the Air Force much. I probably should. After all it's a major part of our lives...and often a frustrating one...and blogging is one of my main sources for venting my frustrations.

Rump-a-rooz G2 One Size Pocket Diaper Giveaway!

Home Grown Families is giving away a Rump-a-Rooz G2 one size pocket diaper from Diapers Etc!!! 

Check out the giveaway here!!!

Envibum Cloth Diaper Giveaway!

Home Grown Families is giving away one Envibum Cloth Diaper to one very lucky Mama!

Go check it out!

Cover The Booty Giveaway!

Melissa at Home Grown Families is doing a great giveaway that I am really excited about! She'll be giving away a one-sized pocket cloth Katydid diaper to a very lucky mama! 

Go check it out!

Flashback Friday: Because It's The Thing To Do

A few of my friends are doing this on their blogs, so I decided to jump on the bandwagon before it gets too full and I can't find a seat. Can't say if I'll do it every Friday, but it seems like it might be fun.

Healthy Mommy Pledge

  I got this from my friend, Mrs. Muffins over at her blog. I love the idea, and wanted to re-post it here! Goodness knows I have enough working against my health, I don't need to be working against it myself! So, I signed the pledge, and hope you will too!

Thank You For Being A Friend

This morning, June, 3, 2010, Rue McClanahan passed away of a stroke at the age of 76. 

(Not So) Wordless Wednesday

I've seen this idea on several other blogs and have decided to jump on the band wagon! The idea of Wordless Wednesdays is to share pictures on your blog! Since we all know how much I love taking pictures, I think Wordless Wednesdays are a wonderful idea!

All Give Some, Some Give All

 

Memorial day. A day we don't have to work. A day to bar-b-q, drink, splash in the pool. A day to hang out with family and friends. Memorial day is seen by most as the official kick off to Summer. The first big hurrah of the season. Sometimes there's even fireworks.

A Little New

So, I'm doing a couple of small changes to the blog this weekend. First off, I have a new siggy. (Part of the reason I am typing this is to check it out.) Second, I will be re-vamping the blogs header. 

I also have added Picture of the Week and Quote of the Week boxes in the left and right columns. It is an idea I got from my cousin, so thank you Alexandra! I think it's a really neat addition to any blog!

Follow Us

I love writing, both for my own pleasure and for other people to read. Whenever I add to my blog, I try to post it up on Facebook so that my friends and family know that I've been plugging away at some new thought or opinion, but sometimes I forget to share that I've added a new blog.

If you would like to avoid missing any of my blogs, please feel free to follow my blog. It's fast and easy and free! All you need is a (again, free) Google Account!

If you already have a Google Account, this is going to be even simpler. Just go to the Follow Me box in the left blog column and click on the Follow button. It will ask you if you want to follow publicly or privately, but either way you will get regular updates whenever I blog on your blogger dashboard.

If you don't have a Google Account, it takes only minutes, and is free. Did I mention that? Simply go here and sign up! Once you have your Google Account set up, go to the Follow Me box in the left blog column and click on the Follow button!!! Easy as pie! (I've never understood exactly what that means, but it sounds yummy!) 

This way not only will you never miss a blog update, but I don't have to keep spamming my blogs over Facebook and e-mail! 

Also, if you know anyone who might want to follow us, please send them our way! The more the merrier!

God Bless and thank you for reading!

 

Cloth Diapering: Day One

I'm trying not to get frustrated...really I am. I understand that these things will take time to get used to, but if any of you out there have some advice I am more than open to it.

I should point out that we have always disposable diapered Parker. We have talked about cloth diapering our next baby, but after an incident that happened with Parker this week we thought we might start cloth diapering him part time. We are still planning on using disposables for bed time and long trips up to Boise, but want to start using cloth during the day.

Today wasn't a complete failure. I can see how, in theory, this could be a good thing for us.

But...

...To start off with we didn't want to buy super expensive diapers, just in case. So we have some pre-fold cloth diapers by Gerber. For some reason, even though I am following the directions, I can't seem to make them fit correctly. I am sure that there is just something simple I'm missing, but it's very frustrating, and not made any easier by my wiggily, squiggily, baby! This is compounded by the fear I have of sticking him when I put the pins in to secure the diapers. (I know they have safe, plastic clips instead of the poky diaper pins, but they didn't have any where we went to get diapers. I'd have to go up to Boise and see if I can find any there.) Being so afraid of sticking him, and his constant wiggles during a diaper change doesn't result in the best fit, even if I was confident that I am doing it correctly.

Of course, 5 minutes after I got the first one on him today, he pooped...and it went everywhere. Luckily, I had the little plastic diaper covers on, but still. I changed him as quickly as possible, and threw the soiled diaper in the wash. I set a load to soak, since I was sure that I'd have more diapers before the day was through. 

I was right. In fact, I think that my son pees more than any other child on the planet. Every 15 minutes or so, he potties. At that rate, I'm changing him every 30-45 minutes to keep him from leaking, even with the diaper covers. (Which is another story all together. I hate the stupid plastic covers. I know they have cute covers with designs and different materials, but I didn't want to spend a bunch of money up front if we end up not going with this cloth diaper thing.)

I just don't know. I'm at a bit of a loss. This is something I'm very interested in for both Parker and any future children we have, but we aren't off to a very good start. I don't have anyone around here I can ask about it, and all the stuff I've looked at online is so expensive. I understand that it's cheaper in the long run, but I don't want to spend a bunch if it ends up not working out. Isn't there some cheap way to do some kind of trial period? Is there something better than the pre-fold diapers? Where is a good place to get them? What are some good covers? Like I said before, any advice is welcome. In fact, I'd love it!!!

On another note, tomorrow is Michael and my 5th wedding anniversary! It's also Michael's 3rd anniversary of joining the Air Force. (He left for BMT on our 2nd anniversary. What a gift!) I love him so much and am so blessed to have him in my life! 

God bless and thank you for reading! 

 

You Can't Go Home Again

 

I used to think there was no truth to that statement. After all, didn't I do just that three weeks ago today when I hopped on a plane and flew back to Ohio? Well, yes and no. 

Going home was amazing! While the flight scared the jeebers out of me, watching the land below change from brown and barren to green and lush was so exciting. (Though it did take me awhile to realize that the fuzzy black patterns below were trees...It has clearly been way too long!) Driving away from the airport and seeing Ohio for the first time in two and a half years left me in awe! There were trees and hills and so many people!!! As we drove to dinner with my family I saw more people and cars in about 20 minutes than I've seen in almost three years in Idaho! We were on an 8 lane highway!!! It was a little frightening, and I had a certain moment of kin ship with the scared little Country Mouse his first time in the City. I realized then that I have been slightly institutionalized by our remote location and the feeling of security you get by living in what is essentially a highly guarded gated community. With jets. (Which I missed the sound of immensely while we were gone!) 

So much was the same! Part of me felt like we had never left. Every way I turned my head there was something else as familiar to me as my own house. The flower shop on the corner that has been there since before I could remember, the park where they do the fireworks display every year, the street my high school is on...I could close my eyes and almost feel like I'd never been gone. Never been in Idaho for two and a half years. Idaho quickly began to feel like some kind of warped dream. 

Best of all was my grandparent's home, which is very much the house that built me. It looked the same, it felt the same, it even smelled the same! For the first time in such a long time I got to hug my Grandmama! Before moving to Idaho, I had never gone much more than a month without seeing my grandparents in all of my life. Now they were meeting their Great-Grandson for the first time and he was a year old already. Not that they haven't seen pictures, (I've been told I don't take enough) but now they actually had the opportunity to touch him and hold him and see what an amazing little person he is for themselves.

We got to hear the sound of birdsong in the morning as hundreds of the little feathered creatures sang their homage to the rising sun. We got to listen as the wind blew through the trees. We hear plenty on wind in Idaho, but not the sounds as it sways through the branched and leaves...and the lack of trees in Idaho also leads to a lack of birds and thus morning choirs.

Then there were our friends and family! I can't begin to describe what it was like to see everyone again. While my mother, father, brother and sister had been out to Idaho a couple of times, no one else had been able to visit us in the time we had been gone. We hadn't seen our oldest niece since she was one and had never even met our youngest niece. Parker had to meet his Godparents (my cousin, Alexandra and our best friend, Chris.) and his great-grandparents...and it was wonderful for us to see them again too of course...it was overwhelming and amazing and busy. You never realize how much you are going to miss a place or its people until the chance to see them is gone. In many cases it was as though no time had passed at all. We eased back into our friendships and relationships as though we'd been gone for a long weekend instead of long years. 

It was like we had never left.

Except that we had.

For all that was the same, there was just as much that was different. There were buildings and stores and places that we knew and frequented that were long gone. A walk through the Dayton Mall broke our hearts. It's turned into a ghost town to the point where tumbleweeds bouncing down the walkway wouldn't have surprised me at all. When we went back to my old school I was shocked to see the younger brothers and sisters of children I had taught were one and two classrooms above mine. Not that I didn't know that the children were growing, but seeing it with my own two eyes was a shock! Both of my parents are living somewhere new, which is a beautiful home, but it's still different than it was when we left...

Hardest of all was the changes in the people. As I said, with some of our people it was as easy to find our place with them as flipping open a familiar book. With others the passing in time was far too obvious. There is still friendship there, still emotions, but people change. No matter how much I would like it, time doesn't freeze when we leave a place, and people living their lives changes them, sometimes in different directions. I understand this. Michael and I have certainly changed. After all, we have a son now. That's changed us. For the better, but it's still a change. When you're coming back into a group of people who don't even have spouses, much less children, with a little toddling child at your side, things are bound to be different. There was a certain discomfort and uncertainty that I am not used to with my people, and it made me sadder than I can begin to express.

People have gotten older. My parents and Grandparents have all aged, which comes as a shock though I know it shouldn't. I think all of us to some extent believe that the important "grown ups" in our life will always be as we see them. Immortal. There are more gray hairs now. More little things that the unfamiliar eye will notice while someone who sees it every day would probably overlook. One of my dearest friends from high school is losing his father, a man who had always been so joking and youthful...

...Days pass, weeks pass, months pass, and years pass. They pass by quicker every year, and with their passing comes change. It can't be stopped, it can't be reasoned with, and it's not all bad. Some of it is very, very good...and it is still hard to see it happening and know that you can't go back to the way things were, even for a little while. I wouldn't change my life for anything, even as far as we must be from the people and places we love for now...but the distance makes true the statement that "you can't go home again". Yes, you can hop on a plane and go back to the places that remain. You can see the people, laugh about the old times and make new memories...but there will always be differences. Every day brings a new change, and all those changes add up. There were many good times during our trip to Ohio, but it brought about many realizations as well. 

We will go home again as soon as we can, hopefully sooner than later. I look forward to it, but I know now that it won't be the same ever again, not really. And that's OK, even if it is a little sad.

God bless and thank you for reading.

 

One Fear Conquered, One Fear Realized

Well, here I am. Obviously I survived the flights home, though how I did that I am not entirely sure.  We had some crazy turbulence, and I spent a lot of time praying, eyes shut tight, hands gripping the seats so hard my fingers hurt. Luckily, I couldn't completely loose myself in that fear, because I had Parker there, who was unsettled when I was unsettled. There was much nervous laughter on my part, but we all survived.

And, I conquered a fear! If you remember, in a recent blog about my plane fears, I shared that I don't move once I am on the plane for fear that my movement will unbalance the plane and send us all crashing towards the Earth. Because of this, I haven't used the rest room in a plane since I was a very little girl and far too young to understand the dangers of air travel. It appears that God decided to test that theory while on the smallest plane flying out of Dayton yesterday. (Which still wasn't as small as the prop plane I took to Witchita Falls several years ago. It didn't even have a bathroom.) After several orange juices, I found myself in desperate need of some relief, and some courage. It was almost a 3 hour flight, and we weren't even half way through yet, so the choices were limited to either standing up and walking to the back of the plane to brave the potty or wetting myself without a change of clothes on hand.

I seriously considered the second option for several minutes.

Imagine my shock when I found myself unbuckling my seat belt and standing in the foot wide aisle, making my teetering way back towards the 15 inch wide door at the back of the plane! Now, call my crazy if you wish, but I can feel the vast amount of space that is underneath me when I am on a plane, and it has always been a very strange feeling. It is worse when you're walking over it, aware that the only thing between you and that immense amount of empty space is a small cargo bay with some scattered luggage.

Once through the door I found myself in the smallest, noisiest, most frightening bathroom I had ever imagined. Every second I was sitting there I was convinced that the bolts holding the toilet seat in were going to looses, allowing the toilet, it's contents, and myself to fall through the air to the Earth below...fear does not have to be rational...but somehow I survived! It was a proud woman who made her way back to her seat (I smacked a guy in the head with my boobs as I was coming out of the bathroom...there was really such little room and they are so very large...) and buckled herself back in!

I also have proof that God has a sense of humor...and all this happened in one day! 

I have often said, not entirely joking, that the only way planes could be worse for me is if the crew consisted of giant spiders. No, the crew of my plane was not made up if over sized arachnids, but there was too much irony in the situation not to find it amusing.

Our second plane had little screens that lowered from the ceiling on which they were showing these beautiful nature shows! I didn't have my headphones, but I was watching the shows for the beautiful images and to keep my mind off of the terrible turbulence. I am assuming if I had been privileged enough to hear what the narrator was saying I would have realized that they were shifting topics on this particular documentary...all I know is that one second I was fascinated by the images of underwater volcanoes and running lava under the ocean, and the next second I was staring into the multiple eyes of a huge spider, made larger by the amazing zoom lenses of the camera men. 

It was close enough to count the individual hairs on it's many legs, and even had it not been zoomed in upon to such a disgusting level, it was a huge spider by any standard! I looked away as fast as I could and started giggling, half way between hysterics and genuine amusement that they very thing I had said could make a flight worse for me was happening. Michael laughed himself, and took great delight in narrating the eating and hunting habits of our large arachnid friend until it was again safe for me to watch. Overall, it was highly amusing, and reminds me that God Himself must have a sense of humor. 

I suppose I have rambled enough, and I have several thousand pictures to go through in the next couple of days. I will post some as soon as they are ready.

God bless and thank you for reading!

 

Never Enough Time

 There just isn't enough time.We've been in Ohio almost three weeks now, and even with every waking hour a busy one, we didn't have enough time. We didn't have the time we wanted with friends. We didn't get to go all the places we wanted to see. We didn't get to spend the time we needed to with family...

...and tomorrow we go back to Idaho.

It feels like only yesterday I was writing a blog about my fears of flying and how the next time I wrote I would be in Ohio. I didn't have time for most of our trip to even write a short one liner, but I had to get at least one blog in while listening to the sound of birds, where I can look out my window and see trees and all things beautiful.

It has been an amazing trip. I am sure that it will take several blogs to write about it fully, and even then I won't be able to express everything I would like to. I am not that good of an author, nor am I emotionally stable enough to be capable of putting a name to all the emotions I am feeling. Despite the fact that this has been an amazing 3 weeks, I have been filled with a measurable tint of sadness the whole time. Leaving tomorrow will be so much harder than it was the first time, because I know what is awaiting me on the other side of the trip. I have amazing friends and "framily" back in Idaho that I miss very much and who I can't wait to see, but the longing for Ohio that I know is waiting for me as well will not be so welcomed. On the flip side of that, things have changed, and in some cases, changed to a point where I will be happy to leave them behind. Memories can be much sweeter than the truth in some cases.

Tomorrow we get on a plane again...and I am just as scared this time around. Unlike other fears, that doesn't seem to be one that leaves me over time. I am praying we make it through safely and that we get to see our Framily back home...and I am praying that we get to make the return trip sooner rather than later. The next time I write, I will be back in Idaho. 

Thank you for reading and God Bless.

 

I'm Leaving On A Jet Plane...

...in just a few hours as a matter of fact.  I'm no calmer today than I was yesterday. I have yet to burst into tears though, so I guess I am ahead of the game. We've dropped Jake off at our friends house while we're gone.

Of course, I had everything planned out perfectly. Parker was going to get his bath and go to bed early since we'll be waking him up before 5am. Michael and I were going to shower and go to bed early as well so that we could be well rested for our trip instead of biting eachother's heads off.

Here we are right about the time I expected us both to be snuggling into bed, both us grown ups are yet un-showered, Parker would pick tonight to stay up until almost 10, the packing isn't done, the trash isn't out, I don't think I'm going to get the chance to sweep and mop like I wanted to, I haven't written out the instruction list for Shamrock and Tessa yet...Michael and Ivy are playing Army of 2, so I guess it will be 5 Hour Energy and coffee by the gallon tomorrow. That or we will just be running on pure adrenaline right up until we crash in bed tomorrow night. 

The next time I blog, it will be from OHIO! 

God bless and thank you for reading! 

 

I'm Not A Pessimist, I'm A Realist!

 I'm scared to death about Monday. I keep having nightmares (and daymares) about the plane ride. This isn't a new thing. I've been afraid of planes since TWA Flight 800 went down on July 17, 1996. I was 12, and it was all over the news for days. It left a horrible impression on me. A lasting impression. (No idea why I was permitted to watch hours of horrifying news coverage at the age of 12...)

Now, almost 14 years later, I have the logic of an adult behind me, but the same fear clutches at my chest when I think of getting on a plane. Logically, I know that the odds are on my side. I know that the odds of being in a plane crash are slim. The odds were on the sides of 230 people on July 17, 1996 too. The odds were on the side of every last passenger who boarded a plan on September 11th. Sometimes, no matter the odds, events are tipped in the other direction. Sometimes the horse that is ranked 30-1 wins over the 2-1 thoroughbred! 

And don't give me that "You have a better chance of being in a car crash than a plane crash" crap. That's like saying a woman has a better chance of dying in childbirth than a man does. Yes, statistically there are more people who have been in car accidents...because more people ride in cars per day!!! That's one of the most BS things I have ever heard, and is probably a statistic that some airline president came up with. Also, if my car crashes I am what, maybe a foot and a half off the ground? If our plane goes down it has to go down a few miles before it hits the ground! I might have more of a chance of being in a car crash, but I have a better chance of walking away from it too.

Poor Michael. He's never flown with me. He has no idea what he's in for. He tells me, and he is right, that I will pull it together for Parker's sake. It's not fair for me to transfer my fears onto him. This could be a wonderful, fun experience for him, and I will do everything in my power to make it such. After all, he'll only have his first plane ride once. So, I will smile and take pictures and try to keep my fear to an absolute minimum when he is around...Of course, I can't say I won't spend a lot of time becoming reacquainted with my breakfast in the airport bathroom before we board. 

Luckily, I don't get air sick...mainly because I refuse to move once I'm on the plane. Seriously...once I am on and strapped in I won't move until it is time to get off again. I have a completely irrational fear that somehow my standing up to use the restroom will throw the planes balance off, sending us rushing towards the Earth to end as a tangled mass of metal and wings...Even knowing how silly that sounds and is, it doesn't change the fact that even bending to get a book out of my carry on makes my heart race and my stomach turn. 

On the flip side, I can assure you that if my plane does go down, it won't be a terrorist that does it. Let some crazy guy (or woman...I don't gender discriminate) tell me he's taking over the plane with my son on board with a box cutter. They will be removing that from his colon once the plane lands. No, if we go down, it will be an act of fate...which makes me feel a little helpless.

I think the thing that scares me most is that I have Parker with me. If something happens, it will happen to him too. He is so young and precious and the thought that Michael and I could take him on a plane and something terrible could happen...I would feel like it was my fault!

I know we'll probably be fine. I know on Monday I will probably land safely in Ohio for the first time in 2.5 years! Knowing that doesn't stop me from being scared out of my mind. It's not helping me sleep at night. Luckily, once I'm in Ohio I'll have a great time and several weeks before I have to think about it again!

Thank you for listening to my ranting. Voicing my fears helps a little. I know the odds are in my favor. We'll say our prayers before getting on the plane and leave it in God's hands. After all, that's all anyone can do in any situation. I know that He will keep us in His light and grace, even if I am scared of the worst every minute of the flight. 

Thank you for reading and God bless!

 

Oh The Horror

 

Today was Parker's 12 month check up. (Almost a month late, but better late than never.) I can't say that I ever look forward to a check up when I know there is going to be shots, but I handle it better than I used to. His first shots I cried harder than he did, and I didn't stop crying for a long time! But when Michael left I had to do it on my own several times, and while I still get teary now, I'm a tougher Mama. Still, it's a new set of shots at 12 months, and I am severely allergic to the MMR (which is one he was getting) so I was a little more nervous than usual.

My son is scared of stethoscopes. He was frightened of them when we had to go to the UCC last month and today he started screaming the moment he saw the doctor take it out. I felt terrible for him, but was also trying not to laugh. Really son? You'll jump head first off the couch, you'll climb up stairs as fast as physically possible with no care for if someone is there to catch you, but you are scared of stethoscopes? Ah well. Some people refer to planes as metal tubes of death. 

He's growing wonderfully, though it's slowed down quite a bit. He's lost 2lbs since last month and a half a pound since his birthday, but the doctor said that is normal since he is running now. It should even back out soon. He's 30 inches tall and his head, which had been of some concern at his 6 month check up, was fine.

Poor little man had to get 2 shots in each leg! I felt terrible. Your every instinct as a mother is to protect your children from what can hurt them. It goes against your gut to hold your child down while some stranger jabs them in the leg with sharp, painful objects! I'd rather those few moments of pain than years of pain or disfigurement or death from a disease he could have easily been immunized against though...so I held him and then afterwords gave him lots of cuddles and kisses.

The minute the nurse left the room he grabbed his pants and jacket and thrust them at me saying "Go! Go! Go!" which made me laugh, though I was a little misty. We couldn't "Go! Go! Go!" though. I still had to take him down to the lab to get a blood draw. Not only were they doing the usual blood draw for 12 months but they had to do a draw to test for lead because our house was built in the 40s. Really? I live in housing so old that they need to test my child for lead content? That freaked me out more than a little, and I am thinking that we will talk with housing about moving to the newer houses when we get home from our vacation. I was going to wait until we had another one on the way to move, but I'm pretty freaked out.

Apparently they felt the need to have someone in training take my child's blood. I know that the only way to learn is by doing, but the afore mentioned instinct to protect your child from pain doesn't allow for error when someone is sticking your baby with needles. One guy is holding his arm down, I am holding him as tight as I can to keep him from jerking away, and this other guy is poking into his arm with a needle, wiggling it around, tapping on his arm and then pulling it out to try again! I was furious, which kept me from crying, and the man holding Parker's arm finally took over to get the blood they needed. Much snuggling, and a strawberry Dum Dum, followed. (Never leave home without them!) 

I'm glad it's over with! I am not looking forward to next time, but that is in the far future and not something I have to think about right now! Right now we have some more important Parker milestones to concentrate on...his first plane ride and trip to Ohio!!! 

God bless and thank you for reading!

 

U is For...

...Update!

I don't blog enough! It's funny, because I find it so therapeutic. I can't tell you how many times in a day I find myself mentally writing blogs that I never end up actually putting down. I guess part of it could be that I am worried that no one wants to hear what I have to say. That in its self is odd, since I've never really cared before...

Of course, it could also be the lack of time I find myself with. Usually my "Mental Blogs" get written as I'm changing a load of laundry from the washer to the dryer or cleaning baby poop off of whatever surface it has managed to make its way onto or falling asleep after another long day. I wish that I could wear some hat that would transmit my thoughts directly into the blog. There would be a lot more to read.

A lot is going on right now, thought not much of much interest to anyone but us. We (and by we I mean I) have been doing a ton of laundry in preparation for our big trip next week! I can not believe that at this time next week we will be in Ohio! I am so excited to see our friends and family! I am petrified of the plane trip that will come first, but I am putting my prayers in with the Big Guy that we all make it through unharmed. I know already that we won't have enough time! No matter how much we plan and how much time we get to spend with everybody it won't be enough! The thought of going home already brings tears to my eyes...but I am going to try not to think about that too much, especially since our trip hasn't even started.

Parker is learning something new every day it seems. Tonight he turned the light in his bedroom on and off all by himself when it was bed time. If I say "Let's go potty!" he will walk right into the bathroom and lift up is potty seat lid! He knows where to go when we say it's bed time or bath time. He is just so smart and such an amazing little blessing! He makes my cry daily, but not in a bad way. Every time he learns something new or does something sweet (like his out-of-the-blue Mommy kisses!) my eyes tear up. I thought my hormones were supposed to be back to normal by now...or at least, normal for me.

We have successfully weaned. I remember wondering a little over a year ago how breast feeding was going to go. It seemed like such an odd thing to me. From those first minutes together though I had loved it, and weaning him has broken my heart. Michael spent the first few nights holding me and convincing me I wasn't a terrible mother and that Parker would still want to snuggle with me even when I wasn't breastfeeding him. There was a lot of will power used not to have him nurse just one more time...but I got through it. Parker took the transition wonderfully and doesn't seem to miss it at all. I miss it, but it was necessary, and being able to breast feed for a year when I didn't know if I would be able to make is 6 weeks was amazing! 

I would have probably done it longer...but in order for them to test my prolactin levels to see what my normal base line is (which is much higher than most people) I have to be done feeding even though I will still lactate until they have me back on my medication. Once back on my meds my cycles will start going back to normal and my levels will inch down which will enable us to start thinking about doing it all over again! (Not saying that we haven't thought about it already, but it's not possible until I'm back on my medications.) I am not looking forward to it. I am not looking forward to the blood work (there is a lot of it) or the MRI (they make me claustrophobic) or the medication. (which makes me sick as a dog when I take it...worse than any morning sickness, flu, stomach virus...) But, it is what we need to do for our family...not just for future babies, but so I can be as healthy as I can for my son and husband...so I'll do it and somehow get through it!

All that will have to wait until we are home from our vacation though, and then the battle will start with trying to get a referral to a competent endocrinologist...which I am not sure exists in Idaho. We shall see, and I will be sure to keep the updates coming.

Parker's one year check up is on Friday, which means shots again. (yuck!) Michael will be working and unable to be there, but I got pretty good at doing it alone while he was gone. I'm a little worried about the MMR, which I had a severe allergic reaction to, but I am going to talk to the doctor about that and see what he thinks. We shall see.

God bless and thank you for reading! 

Bubba's Birthday Parties: A Visual Journey

Bubba Bear's birthday was on April, 13th! I can't believe that our baby is one! It all happened so fast! 

Bubba is getting three parties for his big O-N-E! We had a get together on Tuesday, his actual birthday, at our house. We had "framily" there to share the special day with us. Mommy made a cake and cupcakes and we did presents from Mommy and Daddy. (Which ended up being an all day thing...We probably had about 4 or 5 gift sessions because he kept getting bored.)

He had a big party on Saturday the 17th with a bunch of friends and "framily". We did an Eric Carle theme, which was so much fun! There were kids everywhere, toys, bar-b-q...It was fun, but I am so glad that I don't have to worry about that for another year! I made another cake for that party, and I hope I never have to ice another cupcake! 

He will get a third party when we go home to Ohio next month with our friends and family there. It will be a jungle theme, but I don't have to worry as much about that. My Mother and Grandmother are doing a lot of that party stuff, and Grandmama is making the cake, which makes me so happy! I am thrilled that Parker gets a Grandmama Cake! (They are the thing of legend in our family.)

Of course, I took a billion pictures. (I'm not exaggerating either.) Here are just a few for your enjoyment!

This was the cake for his Tuesday party. It was devil's food with home made chocolate and butter cream icing. The nose and foot pads were made out of chocolate chips. I loved his blue eyes! I figure with as beautiful as his eyes are, Bubba's cake had to have blue eyes too.

These were the cupcakes I made for everyone else at his first party. The bears are silicone cupcake holders that I found at Michael's. I love them!

Bubba's Tod Rod...the coolest present EVER! It's a Power Wheel for younger children.

 

Bubba got lots of books! We love books!

We do our own "professional" photos for all the big events and milestones. 

We had the Eric Carle theme for his Idaho Party. I found this cake idea at Coco Cake Cupcakes and thought it was just adorable! I didn't use fondant for the head. I don't really like it and I felt icing gave off more of an Eric Carle feel anyways...but I thought it was an amazing idea and was happy to get to do it. 

I used sprinkles for the little "hairs".

We used the Eric Carle theme throughout the entire party.

 

It was a great couple of days! I can't believe he's one! It's been an amazing ride so far, and I'm looking forward to the rest of it!

God bless and thank you for reading. (And looking.)