Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Friday, November 26, 2010
San Fran
Since Cory had to work over Veteran's Day (well, kind of...he had a sim up at Travis AFB the day after Vet's Day) we all went with him and stayed with some extended family near the San Francisco area.
I think Cory said, he's only met this family a handful of times, and I had never met them. But it felt like we had known them for 10 years! They were some of the nicest, most relaxed people we've ever met.
They have a little cottage in their backyard that's perfect for a guest house! Their kiddos are older and were like built in babysitters for the weekend! We even went out to dinner the last night with just the adults, while their youngest daughter watched all three of the kiddos.
We hit the road at about 6pm on Wednesday night and arrived VERY LATE. It was nice that we only had to stop a few times since the boys slept most of the way. But apparently Vivi didn't get the memo that she was supposed to sleep when it's dark in the car. Since this trip, she has decided she hates the car. Hates, with a capital H. I can't tell you how excited I am about our 3,000 mile journey in less than a month.
Driving across the Bay Bridge to San Fran
The Bay was SO CLEAR, you could see everything!
See, look! the Golden Gate bridge!
There's Alcatraz!
After we crossed the Bay Bridge
Here we are at the top of Lombard St. The "most crooked street in the US". It looks like we're on top of a mountain or something! This city had the craziest hills I've ever seen!
After we drove down. It was kind of nerve racking...
The Golden Gate Bridge. It always reminds me of Full House....
Here we are in front of the Children's Museum in Sausalito.
Carter is very serious about his Marimba
We walked outside and visited all of the 'exhibits' in the buildings. This museum was a lot like the San Diego one. It was just for "play". The boys had a blast.
All the kiddos.
I think Cory said, he's only met this family a handful of times, and I had never met them. But it felt like we had known them for 10 years! They were some of the nicest, most relaxed people we've ever met.
They have a little cottage in their backyard that's perfect for a guest house! Their kiddos are older and were like built in babysitters for the weekend! We even went out to dinner the last night with just the adults, while their youngest daughter watched all three of the kiddos.
We hit the road at about 6pm on Wednesday night and arrived VERY LATE. It was nice that we only had to stop a few times since the boys slept most of the way. But apparently Vivi didn't get the memo that she was supposed to sleep when it's dark in the car. Since this trip, she has decided she hates the car. Hates, with a capital H. I can't tell you how excited I am about our 3,000 mile journey in less than a month.
Driving across the Bay Bridge to San Fran
The Bay was SO CLEAR, you could see everything!
See, look! the Golden Gate bridge!
There's Alcatraz!
After we crossed the Bay Bridge
Here we are at the top of Lombard St. The "most crooked street in the US". It looks like we're on top of a mountain or something! This city had the craziest hills I've ever seen!
After we drove down. It was kind of nerve racking...
The Golden Gate Bridge. It always reminds me of Full House....
Here we are in front of the Children's Museum in Sausalito.
Carter is very serious about his Marimba
We walked outside and visited all of the 'exhibits' in the buildings. This museum was a lot like the San Diego one. It was just for "play". The boys had a blast.
All the kiddos.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Happy Birthday to my little Turkey
Dear Clay,
I can't believe you are 2! I feel like just yesterday I was in the Storks Nest, thanking God my water broke so I wouldn't have to spend another night there. You only asked for one thing for your birthday and that was an M&M cake. You love M&Ms...a lot. You also love life. You are happy to just "be". Even though you have just recently began trying my patience with your 'terrible twos', you are still 1000xs easier than your brother was at this age.
You love to be outside, and to run around and scream for the heck of it. You love Toy Story and Wonder Pets. You love animals, and babies. You love your big brother Carter most of all. You copy every...single..dern..thing...he does. Sometimes, it's cute. Most of the time, it's something not so cute (because it's naughty).
You can count to three, identify most colors and animals and are a very good problem solver. You are an excellent 'finder' of things you've misplaced. You can jump with both feet off the ground and you can throw a baseball or make a basket like no one's business. You are a very good thinker, but we need to work on the 'talking' part of it. I can't believe how far you've come in talking in the past 6 months. To go from not babbling to telling jokes in 6 months is fantastic!
You love to tell the "boo hoo" knock, knock joke.
You're favorite part: the punchline. You say, "Don't cry, joke!"
You do not love going to the doctor or doing anything that looks suspicious. You are TERRIFIED of the toilet. Well, not of the actual toilet, but using the toilet. You won't leave us the heck a lone when we're using it, but heaven forbid we try to sit you on it. You turn into a limp noodle and scream like we're pulling your fingers off, one by one.
I really wish you could stay little forever. You are such a charming, sweet little boy. You are great at sharing, and being nice to babies who are younger than you. You have a truly altruistic spirit, and I think you're going to do great things with it one day. I love that you are a Mamas boy and love to cuddle. We have a very special bond, and I hope we'll both always remember that.
Love, Mama
Clay 2yrs
28lbs, 34in
Favorites
Color: green
Animal: cats
TV show: Wonder Pets
Toy: basketball
Food: macaroni and cheese and hot dogs
Activity: swinging
Dislikes:
The toilet
The doctor
Being left at the CDC
Vegetables
I can't believe you are 2! I feel like just yesterday I was in the Storks Nest, thanking God my water broke so I wouldn't have to spend another night there. You only asked for one thing for your birthday and that was an M&M cake. You love M&Ms...a lot. You also love life. You are happy to just "be". Even though you have just recently began trying my patience with your 'terrible twos', you are still 1000xs easier than your brother was at this age.
You love to be outside, and to run around and scream for the heck of it. You love Toy Story and Wonder Pets. You love animals, and babies. You love your big brother Carter most of all. You copy every...single..dern..thing...he does. Sometimes, it's cute. Most of the time, it's something not so cute (because it's naughty).
You can count to three, identify most colors and animals and are a very good problem solver. You are an excellent 'finder' of things you've misplaced. You can jump with both feet off the ground and you can throw a baseball or make a basket like no one's business. You are a very good thinker, but we need to work on the 'talking' part of it. I can't believe how far you've come in talking in the past 6 months. To go from not babbling to telling jokes in 6 months is fantastic!
You love to tell the "boo hoo" knock, knock joke.
You're favorite part: the punchline. You say, "Don't cry, joke!"
You do not love going to the doctor or doing anything that looks suspicious. You are TERRIFIED of the toilet. Well, not of the actual toilet, but using the toilet. You won't leave us the heck a lone when we're using it, but heaven forbid we try to sit you on it. You turn into a limp noodle and scream like we're pulling your fingers off, one by one.
I really wish you could stay little forever. You are such a charming, sweet little boy. You are great at sharing, and being nice to babies who are younger than you. You have a truly altruistic spirit, and I think you're going to do great things with it one day. I love that you are a Mamas boy and love to cuddle. We have a very special bond, and I hope we'll both always remember that.
Love, Mama
Clay 2yrs
28lbs, 34in
Favorites
Color: green
Animal: cats
TV show: Wonder Pets
Toy: basketball
Food: macaroni and cheese and hot dogs
Activity: swinging
Dislikes:
The toilet
The doctor
Being left at the CDC
Vegetables
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Vivian 3 Months
Oh dear Sweet, Vivi.
I can't even tell you how cute and wonderful you are. You are like the babies out of one of those glow-y, soft detergent commercials. Sweet and smiley and you smell wonderful. You're a good eater and a GREAT sleeper. You sleep wherever I happen to lay you. Last week I actually misplaced you (don't worry - it was here in the house - not outside or at the commissary) and you were just sound asleep with a grin on your face.
And it's not like I really misplaced you...I just forgot where I laid you down when I got distracted.
But don't fret, I will probably 'misplace' you several more times. It's what happens when you're the third (or 4th or 5th) child.
Other things that happen when you're the 3rd child: you only get a monthly update on the blog every other month apparently.
I'll try to be better.
But back to your cuteness...You are a very smiley baby and give most smiles to me. You will smile for your daddy, but he has to work pretty hard. You do not smile much for your brothers, and I don't blame you a bit.
You have grown accustomed to hand squeezing and feet pulling and slobbery wet kisses from the dog. Your brothers shout in your face and push your cheeks together and I actually caught Carter doing the "Stop hitting yourself" routine with you the other day. He may or may not have learned that from me...I apologize. I had no idea it would be used on your precious face.
You are just now starting to space out your feedings to about every 3 hours. Before this week you were still eating about every hour and a half. Needless to say, this week has been very painful in the boobie department as they make the change.
On Saturday night, I laid you in your bed for a few minutes and you fell asleep and THEN SLEPT THROUGH THE NIGHT. I was completely expecting to pick you back up after 5 minutes, but you never woke up and I wasn't about to wake you.
Me and your father checked on you multiple times and I'm sure you were like, "Oh em gee guys..get outta my face, I'm trying to sleep!" but we've never had a baby that slept because they were TIRED! Since then, you have been sleeping in your bed and through the night. ON ACCIDENT. I wasn't really ready for you to leave me at night, but I know I will be kicking myself in 6 months if this is the only chance you're offering up and I'm not taking it. It's okay, I sneak into your room at 6am and bring you into bed with me, even though you're still asleep. We can then snuggle and nurse until the boys wake up. Most of the time when the boys wake up, you have fallen back asleep and will sleep until 10 or 11am. On Sunday - you slept till noon. You ARE my daughter!
You are close to laughing, and are getting better at holding your head up. At your 2 month appointment you weighed 11 pounds (and some change) and were 24 inches tall. You are in the 50th and 80th percentiles! And, I answered "yes" to every milestone question (which was definitely a first for a 2 month well baby appointment!). I don't give you much tummy time because it just makes you so darn mad..and I'm going to try and be better about that too.
You have officially turned into a thumb sucker, and I attribute a good portion of your good sleeping to that. I know I will regret letting you suck your thumb when you are seven and having to have a sharp, pointy, medieval dental appliance to make you stop, but for now, I am nothing but grateful.
Next month we are moving to Florida and you'll make your first of many long treks across the country to a new home. Luckily, we will be there for awhile and you'll have some normalcy for awhile.
You are still very fun to dress everyday and I don't even mind when you have a poop explosion,(you had 3 today) it just means I can squeeze in one more cute outfit on you per day.
I love you so much and please stop growing.
Love,
Mama
I can't even tell you how cute and wonderful you are. You are like the babies out of one of those glow-y, soft detergent commercials. Sweet and smiley and you smell wonderful. You're a good eater and a GREAT sleeper. You sleep wherever I happen to lay you. Last week I actually misplaced you (don't worry - it was here in the house - not outside or at the commissary) and you were just sound asleep with a grin on your face.
And it's not like I really misplaced you...I just forgot where I laid you down when I got distracted.
But don't fret, I will probably 'misplace' you several more times. It's what happens when you're the third (or 4th or 5th) child.
Other things that happen when you're the 3rd child: you only get a monthly update on the blog every other month apparently.
I'll try to be better.
But back to your cuteness...You are a very smiley baby and give most smiles to me. You will smile for your daddy, but he has to work pretty hard. You do not smile much for your brothers, and I don't blame you a bit.
You have grown accustomed to hand squeezing and feet pulling and slobbery wet kisses from the dog. Your brothers shout in your face and push your cheeks together and I actually caught Carter doing the "Stop hitting yourself" routine with you the other day. He may or may not have learned that from me...I apologize. I had no idea it would be used on your precious face.
You are just now starting to space out your feedings to about every 3 hours. Before this week you were still eating about every hour and a half. Needless to say, this week has been very painful in the boobie department as they make the change.
On Saturday night, I laid you in your bed for a few minutes and you fell asleep and THEN SLEPT THROUGH THE NIGHT. I was completely expecting to pick you back up after 5 minutes, but you never woke up and I wasn't about to wake you.
Me and your father checked on you multiple times and I'm sure you were like, "Oh em gee guys..get outta my face, I'm trying to sleep!" but we've never had a baby that slept because they were TIRED! Since then, you have been sleeping in your bed and through the night. ON ACCIDENT. I wasn't really ready for you to leave me at night, but I know I will be kicking myself in 6 months if this is the only chance you're offering up and I'm not taking it. It's okay, I sneak into your room at 6am and bring you into bed with me, even though you're still asleep. We can then snuggle and nurse until the boys wake up. Most of the time when the boys wake up, you have fallen back asleep and will sleep until 10 or 11am. On Sunday - you slept till noon. You ARE my daughter!
You are close to laughing, and are getting better at holding your head up. At your 2 month appointment you weighed 11 pounds (and some change) and were 24 inches tall. You are in the 50th and 80th percentiles! And, I answered "yes" to every milestone question (which was definitely a first for a 2 month well baby appointment!). I don't give you much tummy time because it just makes you so darn mad..and I'm going to try and be better about that too.
You have officially turned into a thumb sucker, and I attribute a good portion of your good sleeping to that. I know I will regret letting you suck your thumb when you are seven and having to have a sharp, pointy, medieval dental appliance to make you stop, but for now, I am nothing but grateful.
Next month we are moving to Florida and you'll make your first of many long treks across the country to a new home. Luckily, we will be there for awhile and you'll have some normalcy for awhile.
You are still very fun to dress everyday and I don't even mind when you have a poop explosion,(you had 3 today) it just means I can squeeze in one more cute outfit on you per day.
I love you so much and please stop growing.
Love,
Mama
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
New Home
We're PCSing in 41 days. Here's our new 3,036sq ft house in Crestview FL.
Woot, woot! We bought it yesterday.
These are pictures from the listing. (Although Cory did go and buy it in person)...yes, we have (well Cory has) seen it, and yes it looks exactly the same as in the pictures.
Beautiful!
Master bedroom
My first garden tub ever! I can bathe like 6 kids in here! (Don't worry, I'm not getting any wild ideas)
Our kitchen, with granite countertops, and new stainless steel appliances.
A breakfast nook! A nook, just for breakfast!
Another view of the kitchen...I do love it.
Here's our 'bonus' room. which will more than likely end up as our play room.
The living room with a fireplace.
Here you can see the layout of the living space. To the left is our bonus room over there, the kitchen is behind the wall with the pictures on it, and the dining room is next to the kitchen on the right. (When you walk into the front door it's immediately to your right)
Here's our garage with built in cabinets!
Our backdoor and deck.
Our house is on a hill, so you have to go down the deck stairs to get to the grass. There is a forest preserve behind us with plenty of trees, sticks and bugs for the boys to play in.
Woot, woot! We bought it yesterday.
These are pictures from the listing. (Although Cory did go and buy it in person)...yes, we have (well Cory has) seen it, and yes it looks exactly the same as in the pictures.
Beautiful!
Master bedroom
My first garden tub ever! I can bathe like 6 kids in here! (Don't worry, I'm not getting any wild ideas)
Our kitchen, with granite countertops, and new stainless steel appliances.
A breakfast nook! A nook, just for breakfast!
Another view of the kitchen...I do love it.
Here's our 'bonus' room. which will more than likely end up as our play room.
The living room with a fireplace.
Here you can see the layout of the living space. To the left is our bonus room over there, the kitchen is behind the wall with the pictures on it, and the dining room is next to the kitchen on the right. (When you walk into the front door it's immediately to your right)
Here's our garage with built in cabinets!
Our backdoor and deck.
Our house is on a hill, so you have to go down the deck stairs to get to the grass. There is a forest preserve behind us with plenty of trees, sticks and bugs for the boys to play in.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Happy Halloween
Everyone loves Peter Pan at our house. Although, I did have to tape a picture of 'Michael' on the back of Clay, people didn't put it together that that's who he was. And, Carter corrected them when they guessed a 'baby in pajamas'. We let them stay up until trick or treating was over (8pm) and hand out candy. They were very generous, and we hall had a great time!
Thursday, October 28, 2010
San Diego Children's Museum
Cory's been TDY for almost two weeks now. Last week I decided that I could trek to San Diego by myself with the kiddos. My friend Sarah just took a trauma nursing job down there. She's been really helpful this pregnancy and has driven to Edwards 2 or 3 times to help me out.
I figured the least I could do would be to make the effort to come see her!
Alas, driving three kids for 4 hours to stay in a single bedroom apartment is no easy task, but we made it work!
The only pictures I have are of the kids at the Children's Museum, just two blocks away from Sarah's apartment. We had big plans, but it rained a lot of the time we were there, and so this is one of the only 'activities' we ended up getting to do.
I have to say, I've never been to a better Children's museum. Most of the time, for the kids to really enjoy one, they need to be readers, but this was the PERFECT museum for kiddos who can't read. It was just interactive, fun playing! They loved it!
Here's the Marina, just a few blocks from Sarah's house. We thought the boys would really enjoy it, but by the time we made it there (this was after the museum) they were deliriously chasing pigeons and then both crashed asleep before we walked the length of it.
Here's Clay, a future artist maybe? I hope not, he's not going to be able to take care of my old decrepit body on an artists' salary.
The "Make your own bubble wand and then play in a giant sticky bubble mess" exhibit
Loved it.
They had this area with these weird costume pieces. Absolutely, 100%, Carter's FAVORITE part. He is very very into dress up.
Here's Clay trying some stuff on...although he's much more skeptical of stuff like this.
Carter having the time of his life.
They had this big rock that the kids just...painted. "Here's an apron, a paintbrush and a bucket of paint, have at it!"
I would like to remind everyone that knows me this was VERY HARD for me to watch. Two boys, with a bucket of paint. BUT, you would all be proud. I let them do whatever they wanted and paint for as long as they wanted. WITHOUT following behind them with a package of wipes. And while these shirts didn't survive the trip (there was a paint stabbing of sorts) we all kept our cool and and just went with the flow.
Loving the drums.
Cool riding toys, but the boys weren't quite old enough to do it on their own.
Here's how Vivi still spends every adventure.
Cool Grocery Store part. They loved putting stuff in their buggies and 'checking out'. Especially Clay!
I figured the least I could do would be to make the effort to come see her!
Alas, driving three kids for 4 hours to stay in a single bedroom apartment is no easy task, but we made it work!
The only pictures I have are of the kids at the Children's Museum, just two blocks away from Sarah's apartment. We had big plans, but it rained a lot of the time we were there, and so this is one of the only 'activities' we ended up getting to do.
I have to say, I've never been to a better Children's museum. Most of the time, for the kids to really enjoy one, they need to be readers, but this was the PERFECT museum for kiddos who can't read. It was just interactive, fun playing! They loved it!
Here's the Marina, just a few blocks from Sarah's house. We thought the boys would really enjoy it, but by the time we made it there (this was after the museum) they were deliriously chasing pigeons and then both crashed asleep before we walked the length of it.
Here's Clay, a future artist maybe? I hope not, he's not going to be able to take care of my old decrepit body on an artists' salary.
The "Make your own bubble wand and then play in a giant sticky bubble mess" exhibit
Loved it.
They had this area with these weird costume pieces. Absolutely, 100%, Carter's FAVORITE part. He is very very into dress up.
Here's Clay trying some stuff on...although he's much more skeptical of stuff like this.
Carter having the time of his life.
They had this big rock that the kids just...painted. "Here's an apron, a paintbrush and a bucket of paint, have at it!"
I would like to remind everyone that knows me this was VERY HARD for me to watch. Two boys, with a bucket of paint. BUT, you would all be proud. I let them do whatever they wanted and paint for as long as they wanted. WITHOUT following behind them with a package of wipes. And while these shirts didn't survive the trip (there was a paint stabbing of sorts) we all kept our cool and and just went with the flow.
Loving the drums.
Cool riding toys, but the boys weren't quite old enough to do it on their own.
Here's how Vivi still spends every adventure.
Cool Grocery Store part. They loved putting stuff in their buggies and 'checking out'. Especially Clay!
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