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!