My Crystal Ball says, "Trouble is on the Horizon".

Oh ya, we are in trouble...such beauty...such energy...and now such mobility. We had a fun and exciting day all around! Started out with some Skype action and then followed up with a walk in Balboa Park for the March of Dimes, Walk for Babies. We got there a little late, but we still visited the booths and showed support. After that, we went shopping. Of course, we  had to buy for the girl. Nana suggested a walker.

 She loves it! I only let her sit in it for a few minutes at first. We had to get ready for dinner with Lori. Dinner went great. Baby girl played and behaved and the food was great and service was ok...and...and..and...So, as a reward, when we returned home, I put her back into her chair. Within ten minutes she was rolling everywhere. She doesn't really have control over where she rolls, but she loves it. It's a good thing I bought more baby proofing stuff today. She was in the kitchen with a quickness. She seemed really proud of herself.



Looking Back!

Even at 4pm, her hair is still just as wild as it was at 5am. It's crazy. I am in a little better spirits. I am going to attribute it to the fact that I can eat more than pudding again. Yes, on top of everything else, I had my braces adjusted on Wednesday.

Yesterday we had shots, so she didn't sleep as well as she could have. But, it was expected and planned for. Tonight she is still cranky and lethargic. She had a low grade fever, 99.5. So, gave her a little baby Tylenol at 8pm and put her down bed. I put her into my bed so I can be close to her and keep an extra eye on her. Of course, for safety, she sleeps perpendicular to me with her feet towards my belly. Anyone that's ever been stationed on a ship knows why I am not really worried about rolling onto her in my sleep. Your rack is about 30 inches wide. If you roll off -you fall, and it hurts pretty bad. So, I learned real quick how to roll without moving out of position. Now, even at home, I can't roll around. I do this scoot/roll thing.

I remember being on the pier on watch in 30 degree weather. I had on my helmet and Kevlar vest. I was armed with a 9mm and a M-14. I was so tired and cold...and on edge. We were in a foreign country, moored in some little fishing town -no base and no other kind of security. The locals were extremely curious and kept violating the keep-out zones. We were trying to keep them at arms length without offending them. It was a very tricky job. I was exhausted -which meant my patience was pretty low. My hands were so cold. I haven't owned a pair of uniform gloves in years because you don't need them in San Diego. So, in an effort to keep my hands warm, I kept jamming them underneath the sides of my flak jacket. It kept scraping my knuckles and tearing up my cuticles. This icy sleet stuff was hammering my cheeks and my lips were cracked. I couldn't wait to be done with that assignment. I really thought I was going to have to shoot someone. I was trying to distract myself so the time would pass. It takes real talent to distract yourself and maintain situational awareness. I tried so hard not to look at my watch every five minutes. Time passed so slow.

It's funny how things turn around. Now, I am trying so hard to slow down time. I want to savor every minute of every day. This is truly the best time of my life. Don't get me wrong, my college years were fun. But, now I can afford to go where I want and buy what I want. I love spending every minute and dime with my baby girl. As much as I hated being in the cold foreign country, I equally love being a mom. I can't believe my baby is 4 Months Old today! Happy Birthday Baby Dolly! I love you!

Crazy Efficiency-Lean Six Sigma at it's Finest!

Lean Six Sigma...the navy's study of process improvement to make things work faster, better, cheaper...and yield the exact same product every time; thus, reducing rework and waste.
I have been running like a mad woman the past few days. I have done everything from groceries at lunch to a haircut. So, among the trips to the bank and meetings over every subject around, I managed to hit the elementary school for a tutor session. I really like tutoring, but yesterday it made for a really long tiring day. Then the girl was up every hour and a half last night. So, after a morning full of boards and meetings, I had to run over and pump (very rapidly) then make it to a lunch with two of my protege's. I finished that (very rapidly) and ran to pick up the girl for her pediatric appointment. Then, I finally got to sit for five minutes...in the doctor's waiting room. Usually I can get in and out in about half an hour. Today, it took two hours. Cranky from teething, she pushed through the appointment like a champ. Ok, not so much. But, we were able to address several issues. With the screaming, I was able to finally see the white caps on her bottom tooth. It looks like her second tooth will be on the bottom front. I got her height wrong, she's now 26.5 inches long -at 18 pounds. The checked her ears and one was a little blocked with wax, but otherwise they were in good shape. And, finally, I asked about her scleras (white part of the eyes)...hers aren't exactly white. They are more of a gray or blue-ish. I figure after going into battle grounds 5 times, I have the right to demand a specialist and/or a second opinion. So, Monday I will find out when the pediatric optometrist can see the girl. In the meantime, I may up my iron -just in case.  I don't care if I get crappy care, but I will not stand for it on her behalf. The shots went a lot better today. She had three and cried a little -much better than last time. But, still all the aftermath. Hours of walking and rocking...and crying. She didn't even want to bath. Poor girl. She's finally asleep -more like out cold.

Starting Potty Training

Baby Girl with her favorite monkey and her new silky.

This is proof that no matter where you are....the monkey is still looking at you -creepy.



Baby Girl got a new teddy bear that came with it's own blanket. She didn't care for the bear, but won't put the silky down.



Another reading lesson! Yes, she loves it!!!!!

Yes, that's her potty chair she's sitting on.  Train like you fight!

In the military, we believe in starting out the same way you want to continue. So, in good fashion, she is practicing using the potty. No, I didn't take the diaper off of her, she did sit on it without any help. The goal is to make her feel comfortable and natural on the potty chair -that sings and has a spot for a roll of toilet paper!

Hit or Miss Nights

After a night of ol' girl getting up every two hours, she was ready to play at 4:30 in the morning. She was in such a good mood. I knew there was no hope of going back to sleep, so I gave in and played with her. After playing "Arms Up, Baby Up" for a while, we decided to do some phonics. She loves it, so OK. Zombie mommy was working the 'ing' words before the sun came up! It took a while to get tonight's picture due to eating hazards. What do I mean by 'eating hazards?' -you ask. She has lightning quick hands and keeps trying to eat the camera. She could probably eat it too. Tonight she refused her 5pm nap. So we sat on the porch and watched the day end. It was nice. The temperature was warm with a slight breeze. She just sat calmly with her head on my chest as we rocked. Bath was short and she was pretty tired at 7pm when I put her to bed. I am pretty exhausted too. Good thing I actually cooked yesterday. Otherwise, I would have seriously considered just going to bed without dinner. I really have no idea how she decides how much she wants to sleep at night. I only have two weeks left before I go back on the schedule for 24 hour shifts. I have to get a hold on her sleep habits or I am going to be truly screwed -and so will Lori. Lori will keep her on my 24 hour shifts.
Today's research stated that I should start the girl on a sippy cup at around 6 months old. I just feel like it's way too soon. Of course, this is also the article that said to give them boiled tap water at/after 6 months. We are equipped with two kinds of sippy cups, so when she hits 6 months we will see if she's ready. I know this is going to sound a little snobbish, but even if I felt comfortable giving my kid water, it wouldn't be tap water -duh. We pipe our water in from out of state and it's not the best. And the CDC says that water in babies under 7 months can cause water intoxication, seizures and hypothermia. This is my logic: there's no magic timeline indicator in the baby's body that says, "OK tomorrow she will be 7 months so she can't get sick anymore". So, she'll get water at after 9 months...maybe later. I can put breast milk in a sippy cup. Hell, it would probably be a whole lot easier to fill up.

Oh My, Oh My

I love Mondays. I started out at 2am, but was able to get back to sleep until it was time to get ready for work. At which time, baby girl was very happy and giggly. I love time with her first thing in the morning when the rest of the world is quiet. It makes me hate going to work. I missed her all day long. After work she was still in a great mood! Life is so much easier when she's happy.
Annmarie got a surprise in the mail tonight! Grandma Judy sent her some new dresses. We were supposed to do a fashion show, but baby girl was tired. So, tomorrow's pictures will be of her new dresses.
OK...let's get to it. I am tired of dancing around this issue. Is it normal to fart a lot when you are breast feeding? I swear to you -I can clear a room in 10 minutes and do it again 15 minutes later. I have never had gas as bad as since I gave birth. It has been every day -and crazy amounts. When I am in public, I have been able to blame it on Annmarie.  That's not going to last much longer because I know as soon as she can speak, she will rat me out. We were sitting on the couch and I lit it up. She got mad and started screaming and crying at me. I can't say I blame her because man they stink.
On a good note, while we were sitting on the couch -after I gassed her out. In my defense, I am trying to get her to sleep the whole night. Anyway, while sitting on the couch looking through the baby food cookbook Marci bought me...and I rediscovered the Spa gift certificates Janyl and Kayla got for Lori and I at Christmas. Score! It was like Christmas all over again. In all the chaos, I totally forgot about it. And, (sorry) I never realized that there was one for Lori in there too! Ha! I love being blond! I am constantly surprised!

I have given away my secret...I keep up on the blog so I never forget a single moment of this wonderful (if not smelly) time!

Peas, No More Mommy!

Oh baby dolly had a pretty good first Easter! I learned a long time ago, that if you are going to spend holidays without family, it's best to do it in an unorthodox way That way you don't compare the day to good memories. For instance, one year, for Christmas, I went to Hiroshima and visited Ground Zero with a couple of friends. There is no way to compare that with sitting around a Christmas tree with family. The activities are too different, but both are special. I have to find a balance now so that Annmarie has good childhood memories.    This year is my freebie! She won't remember it, so I wasn't pressured. We went to church and then visited with a friend of mine that's in the hospital. Church was interesting. She doesn't understand that Church is a place for quiet babies. She did like the echos and singing. So, there's hope. Maybe eventually we will make it through an entire service.
Yesterday, I introduced peas. Hmmm. I had to stop half way through the feeding to use the snot sucker to get some of the peas out of her nose. I thought she was just accidentally getting them up there. Today, we figured it out. She hates them. She was spitting them out and using her hand to shove it up her nose. Today for lunch she refused to even put them in her mouth. She is definitely developing. For dinner, we tried sweet potatoes mixed with cereal. She refused to eat it after a few bites. I decided to try it without the cereal -she ate it up. I couldn't get it in fast enough! One more veggie on the 'score' list! I have to admit, after seeing the peas come out looking the exact same as it went in, I didn't really want her to like it either. It was icky. When the girl was about a month old we had bouts with acid reflux. Knock on wood, she hasn't had an episode in about six weeks!

Field of Dreams

What an awesome day. It's days like this that make my never want to leave San Diego. Baby girl and I slept in and just hung out in bed for a few hours. After that, I had to get up and get us ready for lunch and running with Aunt Lori. We were supposed to do some shopping, but Aunt Lori had a much better idea. She suggested we go to the Carlsbad Flower Fields. Now, granted, I have been past this place probably a dozen times in the past 15 years. I was missing out. This place was beautiful! I wish I would have gotten some shots of the ocean. Yes, you could see the waves hitting the beach from this place.

Baby doll was good -even though she was in a different car seat and the sun was in her eyes a little more than I like. She was so excited! She sang with the radio, talked and played for hours. Then, when we got back home, she Skyped and she did pretty well with it! Definitely getting more vocal. It's nice. It will be really nice when she can tell me how she feels and what she needs. We were only able to do about half an hour of phonics today. It's ok. The day was too beautiful to sit inside! What a great day for Grandpa to have a birthday. I wish they lived closer so we could have taken them to the Flower Fields. Janyl will definitely have to come to this place when she gets here.

Happy Good Friday!

Today was such a much better day! This picture was taken at 5am as we were getting ready to leave for Tara's house. She wore herself out to the point that I was able to get her up, dressed and in her carseat without waking her up. I was pretty worn out too! Today we resumed a pre-baby ritual of Friday afternoon naps. I was supposed to Skype with the grandparents, but fell asleep. Luckily, they are patient people and were still awake when we woke up from our nap. It felt good. I think she may be cutting another tooth. Fussiness, more drool, chewing on everything, not eating as much...whatcha think! Mimi asked for her measurements today! I love it! I can't wait to see what she wants to create. Score!

No More Tear's My A...Butt

Oh today was challenging! I woke up in the middle of the night extremely sore from yesterday's work out session. And the girl was up at 3am -which was great because that was the only time she woke up! I was a little behind at work today because of yesterday's PIE (Partnership in Education) tutoring session I had with the kindergarten class at Cabrillo Elementary School. So, I ended up working through lunch to try and get out on time. That didn't work. I was still late and this jacked up the girl's schedule just enough to make for a long day. I think she cried more tonight then in the entire past week. Lori was supposed to come up and maybe do dinner. It's probably a good thing that she had to cancel. Annmarie was too tired and refused to nap. So, onto the treadmill with my sore body. As long as she wasn't going to nap, I was going to try to keep her near her schedule. She had applesauce for the first time tonight. You could tell she really liked it because she stopped crying long enough to devour it. I like it because the color isn't likely to stain as much as the other food she's been eating. I think in a few days, I am going to try sweet potatoes.
Bath was quick. She stayed awake, but only because I accidentally let the baby shampoo get into her eyes. I knew the slogan 'No More Tears' was crap from when I worked with the Army on my IA. We used it to flush OC (pepper) spray from eyes when on mission. I couldn't tell which burning was from the OC spray and which was from baby shampoo. So, baby's bath was abruptly halted. She screamed for another half hour after that. She finally fell asleep...but only for 15 minutes. Then we started again. Now she's asleep again and I am afraid to breathe loudly. So, no pictures today. Sorry.

Easter Crafts

Such a big girl! Sitting in her chair all on her own! I love it! She is starting to discern and vocalize her likes and dislikes more and more every day. So far, she has a very easy going personality...as long as you feed her.

Derek is my future Son-in-Law! I love him and his sister. They are Annmarie's first friends. Annmarie is wearing her new bunny mask that Derek made for her.  Ella makes me want to give Annmarie a little sister. I love how she dotes over Annmarie!

 She did great the night before last and only woke up at midnight and at 5am. Last night, however she went back to getting up at 11pm and 4am. Today, I had an early morning PT session.

 Working out the troops at 7am followed by tutoring at the elementary school at 10:30. So, needless to say, I am exhausted again. Hopefully she sleeps better tonight than last night.  I was ok with the work out. I am pretty sore, but I made it through and I feel pretty good -minus some minor aches and pains.

I really like that Tara does crafts with the kids. I think I may have to send over some scrapbooking and/or other materials!

Family Traditions

In the fine style Annmarie established...Caleb Isaac burst onto the scene to join the family in an amazing manner! Delivered with love by Jess & Ernie on a blanket on the side of the busiest highway in Pittsburgh 1 mile short of the hospital. Weighing in at 7 lbs 12 oz (20.5 inches long), both Jess and baby are healthy & resting @ Magee.

PITTSBURGH  — THE PITTSBURGH CHANNEL.com

A baby was born early Tuesday morning on Interstate 376 (Parkway East) when an expectant mother didn't make it to the hospital in time. Channel 4 Action News' Bob Mayo reported that the father pulled the vehicle to the side just after midnight on the inbound parkway, just before the Oakland exit. The special delivery took place on a hillside under the "Oakland/Glenwood 1 mile" sign. City paramedic Richard Colaizzi, from the EMS station in the Hill District, arrived at the scene with partner John Hobdy and saw that the baby was wrapped in a blanket and being fed by his mother. "Mom did a great job. Dad did a fantastic job in getting us there to the scene. All we had to do was cut the cord, make sure mom and baby were doing fine," Colaizzi said. The paramedics drove the mother and the baby in an ambulance to the hospital, where both of them were doing well Tuesday afternoon. "The baby only cried when we took him away from mom to clean him up, get him in some nice, dry clothes," Colaizzi said.

Welcome to the Family Caleb!

Sleepy Time...nice.

Such an awesome kid. She was so good yesterday. She made it through multiple Skype sessions, ate all her food, did her phonics...and then fell asleep in the tub. Hmm. Ok. So, I rinsed the shampoo out of her hair and gave up on the whole bath thing. She was out cold. She slept until midnight and then again until 5am. It's amazing how much better I feel when she doesn't wake up at 4am.
So, at 5am, we were able to get in another phonics session before mommy went to work. After work, I tried to do the same thing as last night -except make it through the bath. She loves the bath. I was able to keep her up for her nightly massage then feed her some more. Hopefully, she will make it until 2 or 3am. Baby steps.
So...during the evening reading lesson I was sitting in the rocking chair with Annmarie in her chair facing me. And...a spider. Yes, a spider came down from the ceiling. I saw it out of the corner of my eye. It was about 3 inches from my face -when I flipped the F out, snatched up the girl and went towards the bedroom. She thought it was hilarious. She played really well today.  It was a lot of fun watching her smile and try to play Patty Cake and Peek-a-Boo.  It's hard to believe she's almost 4 months old. She has more shots on the 28th! I made a point to schedule these ones for Thursday so I don't have to work all week afterwards. That was murder.
Yes, I put her in the swing and killed the spider. I really -truly do not understand what the deal is with all the wildlife inside my home lately.

I love my veggies!

We start a feeding all nice and clean.

Then something happens...and it all goes down hill. It couldn't be her...she's too innocent looking. 

 And very entertained with her feet lately. It seems she can't get enough of them. Today we introduced green beans. And, wouldn't you know it...first bite she decides to stop and poop. I guess it's what  you get when you feed your kid green beans for lunch.  I think she liked the green beans, but it's hard to tell. She made mean faces, but then she was eating hostage style with zero patience.

She was trying so hard to shove everything in her mouth she almost ended up swallowing her own sock. I had to rescue it. Poor sock. Of course by the end of the meal...it was all over her. After getting her cleaned up and changed, she is doing phonics while I put this together. Then it's off to Skype!

Dealership Excursion

 What a busy couple of days. I finally took the car in for it's 10k maintenance (at 11.7k). It was supposed to only take an  hour...three hours later we were finally out of there. She was pretty good -I was proud of her, but wasn't going to push my luck. While we were  there she ended up spitting up all over the both of us. That was of course what lead me to discover that all of the extra clothes I carry for her were too small. Luckily...things seem to work out eventually. When I was pulling the stroller out of the trunk, I found a bag of clothes that I bought for her and forgot about. Nice. So, I put them in the bottom of the stroller so I wouldn't forget them again. I am not really sure when I bought the clothing, but who cares. I am not looking a gift horse in the mouth. It was so beautiful out today. After we left the dealership I took the girl home to clean us up. Then we hit the mall for a nice walk and some shop therapy. I have to get used to not putting quite so many clothes on the baby. She was a little warm  today. Ok, she may have gotten heat rash today. To help ease it, I let her play in the tub extra long tonight. She also tried peaches today. I hope she is not allergic. I am watching her. Her new bed rails arrived. I figure that if she's rolling around and sharing the bed with me, I should probably get them. I am afraid of the baby sliding down the side of the bed and getting stuck between the bed and the wall. So, it was an excuse to go shopping again. I also picked up a really cool travel bottle cooler, a cool Pooh hoodie and more bibs. The drooling has been non-stop. Then we stopped by my favorite mom-n-pop restaurant on the way home. When I took the girl in to pick up the food, the cashier looked at her and started making baby noises. Ha. Annmarie went from happy and quiet to ballistic in 15 seconds. The first time I heard her really go ballistic was when I took her in for her shots. Since then, she has not been shy with the loud high pitched "eeeeeee" scream. She doesn't do it very often -mostly when she is too tired -but man. The slaving grace is that she is easily soothed -most of the time.
Oh, and we have books en route to the Grandparents and Uncle Matt!
As normal, in order to get one thing done, I had to let 3 others slide. So, tomorrow I am going to try and get caught up on house stuff. I have a really big certification I am working on at work, so I am pretty tired during the week. Its funny how everything changes. I used to do as much as I could on the weekend so I would have a smooth and easy work week. Now, I try to get as much done at work and during lunch as possible so I can have a manageable weekend.
Once she starts sleeping through the night, I am sure I will be able to make things more balanced. Until then, it's a neverending rat race so I can have time on the weekends to spend with the girl. It's been hit or miss. Some nights she is up every two hours, some nights she only gets up once -at 4am.

The Elusive Full Night's Sleep

Wanted: A full night's sleep. Rumored to be found with the Easter bunny and/or other mythical creatures. Customer will pay top dollar. Item needed to cure chronic Zombie-ism. Must come with owners manual and instructions on what to do with it. Will forgo warranty if owner agrees to not accept returns.

The past couple of days the girl has been waking up around 10pm and again at 4am. This wouldn't be so bad if I didn't have to get up for work at 5am. She usually goes to bed between 7:30 and 8:00. So, basically I can't fall asleep until after she goes back to sleep. And there is no sleeping between 4 and 5am. Usually, I slowly get more exhausted until Friday and then I sleep all day long Saturday and get recharged. Unfortunately, there was a headache night. Now, I am so exhausted that I literally dropped the toothpaste off of my toothbrush onto my foot this morning -and then almost locked myself and the baby out of the house at 6am. Thank God for coffee -and a time consuming practice of back up planning.

So, baby girl eats vegetables for lunch and cereal with fruit for dinner. It seems after she tried the squash, she refused to eat plain cereal. She realized that it taste bad. So, I was forced to introduce bananas. I have to be careful not to call them "nanas". I don't want to confuse her. :-) I tried again to get video of her rolling over. Little stinker -enough said.
I tried really hard not to laugh today when Tara told me how Annmarie had a lot of really smelly gas all day. I knew it was because I had spicy sausage, beans and rice for dinner last night!

Hopefully Uncle Matt will have his new laptop online tomorrow so we can Skype. ***If we get home early enough*** No promises, but we are trying.  If tomorrow doesn't work out...Friday definitely.
OK Grandparents and all others, what is better...Friday, Saturday or Sunday?

A Day in the Park

The picture to the left is Annmarie at the park with Tara. The significance is she isn't in her car seat. This time, she sat up in the stroller all on her own -instead of locking the carseat onto the stroller. She did really well from what I hear. She also got a new Bumbo seat to use at Tara's house. Oh, I love it almost as much as she does. She looks so cute in it. I am going to try and get that for tomorrow's picture!

A mezzo-soprano singer named Priscilla Dunstan  hypothesized that there are 5 sounds used by all infants regardless of culture or linguistic group. These 5 distinct sounds, or sound reflexes, carry distinct meanings and are used by infants to communicate during the first few months of life.

According to Dunstan the five universal sound reflexes are...

NEH – I’m Hungry.
OWH – I’m Sleepy.
HEH – I’m experiencing discomfort.
EAIRH – I have lower gas. (I have an upset stomach)
EH – I need to burp.
OK. I will bite....so where the hell does the high pitched siron like "eeeEEEEeeeeEEEE" thing Annmarie does fit in?
Speaking of which girlfriend is up...so I will finish later!

A Day of Milestones!

For some reason the alarm scared the crap outta the girl this morning. Today was the first time she didn't sleep thru it. Fortunately, as soon as I picked her up she was all better. She just nuzzled her head into my chest and cuddled. And yes, I stayed in bed for a while and just enjoyed cuddling with my little girl. Then on to phonics...I think it's starting to kid-warp my brain. Last night I couldn't fall asleep because one of her songs was stuck in my head. I swear I was about to rip the damn puppet's "head, shoulders, knees and toes" off. Eyes and ears and mouth and nose....head and shoulders...knees and toooooeeeeessss. Arrrggghhh!
So, today was pretty zombie-like. But, it's ok. I will make it through.
I missed another mile-stone today. Today, reportedly our little girl allegedly rolled from front to back without Mommy being present. I tried to get her to do it again so I could video tape it. No dice. Of course it was a while before I saw her roll from back to front. I knew she was rolling because she would be on her belly when I came in. I just could never get her to do it on command.
There is no better feeling than cuddling with my girl. Oh! Snap! I almost forgot...today the girl decided she wanted to eat the old fashion way! No bottle for her. I hope I can get her used to doing it on a regular basis. That would solve one major flying problem. I think she just felt bad for not letting me see her roll over first.

Squash that idea!

I had a huge headache last night that didn't subside until about 3:30 am. The only saving grace was that she slept until 4am. It kinda sucked because I didn't get sleep, but at least I didn't have to play mommy with a massive headache.
I gave in today and gave the girl squash for lunch. Man, was it messy. She just seems so hungry all the time. I think she likes it.  I gotta tell you I wouldn't eat it. That stuff smells icky. Now we start the allergy watch.  The first 24 hours after we try something new, I am super paranoid of allergic reactions. The girl is taking a nap right now. After which, we are popping onto Skype again!  She seems to be getting the hang of it -and I like that she can see her relatives. I am thinking about buying books and shipping them to people...that way they can read to her. I think that if we get the same books as she has here, I will be able to sit and hold them here as you read them there. What do you think? Let me know if this is something you are interested in. Her books are pretty cheap, the Children's Book of the Month Club ships for free, and I think it's a good thing.

Annmarie's Great Cousin Cassie (sounds better than second cousin) may come out for our birthdays. I can't wait. It should be an awesome trip...if she can make it! I am so excited. We have the strongest women in my family. And, when we all get together...it's usually an awesome time. My sistas' need to get on the ball. Annmarie needs some girl cousins so we can guarantee a future of strong beautiful women.

Speaking of beautiful women, in a late breaking tidbit, Annmarie met Aunt Kayla today! Finally! The girl was pretty tired, but still did good. We have a date for next Saturday to Skype again!

Feeding

Pretty baby covered in cereal! It's amazing how sticky that stuff gets once it's smeared all over. I let her hold her own spoon for a bit, but had to take it away from her. Yes, I am a sailor, but I can't let my kid look like a pirate. Huh??? Yes, she kept sticking the end of the pretty purple spoon in her eye. She was aiming for her mouth. She just has horrible eye-hand coordination. So, in order to avoid the necessity of an eye patch, I took the spoon away.

We were supposed to Skype with Aunt Kayla today but life and schedules got in the way. But on a good note, as we were removing the crud from Annmarie's neck folds, we discovered Janyl's graduation present! So, Aunt Janyl...check your email for information! Muuaahh! Congratulations!
Today was a very good day! Every time Annmarie got tired today, I simply laid her into her bed and she went to sleep -no crying...no fits...just a nice day with a happy baby. She ate all of the cereal that she didn't smear in her hair. I was tempted to let her try squash. She's so hungry all the time. Right now she gets cereal once a day. I give her milk for the rest of the day. Maybe I will start giving her cereal twice a day.

The Many Languages of the Military Mom

Sorry, I haven't been 'on' much in the past few days. Life has a way of becoming super busy without notice. I have been having issues with the fridge...or in other terms:

Military Boss Talk: Sir, I conducted PMS on the AN/SQQ Fridge, Mod 1 Mark 1, to correct a discrepancy in accordance with CSOSS Procedure FRI-03 and Maintenance Procedure 4688/010-Fridge.

Deckplate Talk: I tore that b!tch down to parade rest and ripped out the piece o' sh!t vent louvers.

Woman Talk: I used a butter knife to take apart the freezer and then a hair dryer to defrost it. Then removed the man-made vents -as once again, the man was wrong.

Mom Talk: Annmarie, you sit still in your chair hunny, and watch phonics while mommy fixes the fridge's boo boo. And, keep your earmuffs on.

Yes, my fridge went on the fritz again. Yes, the military taught me enough to be able to safely find my way around the machine without releasing toxic coolant into the air. And, yes, my lazy butt seriously considered just buying a whole new fridge. Option 2 was paying someone to come in and fix it again. I opted to just do it myself.

One big problem in the military is that you are never know if you will be in the same spot long enough to make deep roots. I am no exception. I never know where I will be in the next couple of years. So, why invest in a really nice fridge, if I know I will have to leave it when I leave? If I buy another cheap one, chances are it will have the same design problems as the one I currently own. If....if...if...tired of all the if's.

Which leads me to the other issue on the plate. It seems I may have to move to the East Coast for my next rotation. Up until now I have always fought to stay in San Diego. "What's different now?" you ask. This rotation will lead into my twilight tour. So, I need to start setting up for my retirement. Yes, I intend to retire at my 20 year mark. For now, (I say again, FOR NOW) the plan is to retire in/around/near Ocala, Florida. I have no intention of returning to Hernando County. South of Tampa is way too hot. And, north of Ocala is...how do I put it...too...not me...for the most part.  Ocala is good. Cost of living isn't high. Near enough to drive home every now and then; same time zone as PA -so the flights are easier, no snow...
As soon as Aunt Lori finalizes her plans, I will be able to work out mine. There are several options right now, but as she is Annmarie's short term care provider, I have to wait on her to make a move. But, I have to find out what jobs are available and when they open up -NOW. If I need to move earlier or later, it has to be addressed soon. I can't go to a job that isn't open.

As always, Saturday is being reserved for Skype time. Just let us know when you are free and we will make it! She is developing quite the personality! She would love to meet her Aunt Kayla this weekend! I haven't made any plans because I have been running like a madwoman all week. But, the good side of that is that now our schedule is totally flexible.  I will try to add pics in to this tonight when I get home.

Where is the crystal ball when you need it?

Wheels are turning...started the transfer process for August 2012. Things are looking like I may have to move to Mayport, FL. Not sure. Bids start tomorrow. Lots of research to do.

Oh Messy Days

I should be used to all the messiness by now. Today was a trying day. Of course, at 1am I had to go a couple of rounds with the bottle warmer. I use it the same way every night. And every night I get a different result. Last night, it over heated the milk even though I pulled it out early. Then I had to start from scratch and the second bottle was just plain cold. I ended up with Annmarie working herself into a fit as I mixed the hot bottle with the cold bottle so I could get something in her. And then, not only did she devour one bottle, but she took down the second one as well. What a mess though. Then of course, she made 'stinkies' -or as I like to call them: "eyebrow waxers". In the past two days I have dropped and/or spilled baby powder three times. I have baby powder all over everywhere from my uniforms to the side of my couch. Every time I think I have it cleaned up...I find it or drop it somewhere else. Besides the baby powder, we had a pretty smooth morning. After work (and after I picked the girl up) I realized I was dangerously low on gas. I did make it to the gas station -with only 1/16 tank. I hate taking it that low. Phase Two phonics went well today, but baby didn't want to take her nap afterwards. I even spelled it out to her, but she still refused. 'Nap' is one of her words this phase. We went onto cereal for dinner. I made it a little thicker today. I am trying to work her up to a decent consistency. I forgot how deadly her eye-foot coordination is. And, of course she kicked the little bowl of cereal out of my hand and all over the both of us. Her aim is miraculous -especially seeing as how she had cereal all over her face and in her hair when she made contact. Just as we finished clean up she made 'stinkies' again -or as I like to call it: "toxic waste". After that Momma needed some fresh air. So, we went to sit on the porch to rock the girl to sleep. The temperature was comfortably cool and the sunset was beautiful.  The rest of our night was pretty uneventful -book reading, baths, and bed! Experts say nightly baths aren't necessary for infants. Unless mine is particularly messy and I just don't know it, I have to say I firmly disagree.

Just Another Manic Monday!

One year ago today there was a huge earthquake here. I remember thinking that the washer was off balance. I went upstairs and shut the washer off and the house was still shaking. I couldn't understand why everything was still moving. Another plane had issues and was forced down today. This one was United. Also, officials finally found an Air France Jet on the bottom of the ocean. That's a lot of planes. It's ok. I'm just saying.

It seems the night thing is hit or miss. Last night she was awake every hour and a half. She had four bottles between 11pm and 4 am. I think we are officially in a growth spurt. Somehow I turned off the alarm clock in the middle of the night. Instead of waking at 5am, the girl woke me at 5:30. She was laughing and wantin' to play. At first I was ignoring her so she would go back to sleep. Then I noticed that it was light outside. Oopsie. She was good though. She laid there while mommy ran around like a crazy woman. And as I made it out the door, I accidentally rammed her carseat into the banister. She thought it was pretty funny. Thank God.
The picture to the left is Annmarie and her first boyfriend, Derek. He is Tara's oldest kid. I have arranged a marriage for the two of them! Tara actually got Annmarie's hair to stay down.
Tonight we discovered the Holy Grail in the folds under what is supposed to be a neck. I think I can get some good money for the 1979 Vette we pulled out the other day. All kidding aside, I am amazed at how much crap gathers under what is supposed to be her neck. The folds on her thighs are famous for that too. I found a white powdery substance caked in the folds and had to wonder if that was why she's so active. Maybe it's all the Charlie Sheen hype.

Payday Weekend in a Military Town

It was so nice to sleep in this morning. Of course she still woke in the middle of the night, but it was all business. Eat, change dirty diaper, back to sleep. Phonics went nice and smooth today. Tomorrow she starts Phase 2 of 5. I am excited that she will have a new set of words. The first group is getting pretty 'redundant'. She really likes her new books. I am so glad that she seems to like to learn. It made for a nice morning. She had another bowl of cereal today. She handled it pretty well. It's really hard for me to not rush her into baby food. I am going to try my best to wait until she is four months before we start veggies. I know she's a solid huge kid, but in some ways she is still a little baby. A three month old in a seven month old body. So, I keep reminding myself that emotionally she is still only three months old.

Payday weekend in a military town is insane. Everyone wants to be on the road. Everyone wants to buy groceries. Everyone wants to go to the mall. Of course, I have to do my part. Today was grocery day. A good portion of my groceries are delivered. But, not my fresh fruits and veggies -and a couple of other odd items. So, I braved the commissary today. Those of you that are military know the implications of what that means. Until you experience a payday weekend in a commissary you never quite imagine it. The only saving grace is that I went up to the marine base. It's tamer. Sometimes Navy wives are a little...overwhelming.  But, the girl was good. Of course, at the first sign of tired eyes, I immediately stopped and got in line to check out. Next time, I will just start at the other side of the store. There are times when you can spend up to half an hour in check out. I had a wire come undone on my bottom set of  braces and just don't have a lot of patience. I exhausted the kid. Today's picture is post bath. She was so tired, we bathed her early and she still passed out before her hair even dried. Nice.