Memories of Us

Hello blog!

So, it's been 6 months or so since you last heard from me. A lot has happened in that time. We survived another deployment (only 2 months this time thankfully), my baby turned one and started walking/running and has gone from being the tormented to being the tormentor, my two year old found his voice and now uses his words to charm and amaze me all the day long. Jamie marked 10 years of military service this past fall and also was promoted to Major.

We celebrated our 4th anniversary, which seems like a ridiculously short length of time considering all that has happened in our crazy life together. And the biggest thing to happen in the last 6 months . . .

We are 22 weeks along with baby #3.  She is perfect and healthy and a SHE!  I almost don't really believe that it's a girl.  I had resolved myself to the idea that I was destined to be a mother of sons and would truly and honestly have been happy with another sweet boy.  That being said, I bawled like a baby when we found out that there's a little girl growing in my tummy.  Jamie was gone and had asked me to have the ultrasound tech write down the sex and put it in an envelope so that we could find out together.  So, I called him in the parking lot afterwards (it took two ultrasounds, coincidentally - she had her legs crossed the first time).  I had felt from early on that it was a girl, but was trying not to hope because I didn't want to risk feeling the guilt of disappointment if it wasn't.  Truly, I was kind of protective and a little defensive of the idea that it could be a boy since EVERYONE else was so hopeful that it was a girl.  The ultrasound tech gave NOTHING away, despite knowing that I already have two little boys, which made me believe that it was likely another boy.  The tech had written it on a post-it which was stuck to the inside of the envelope so I had to reach in and peel it off to read it.  But I saw an "L."  And I knew.  And I almost couldn't get the words "It's a girl" out to Jamie before I burst into tears.  I shocked myself at my own reaction.  I guess I just didn't know or wasn't letting myself acknowledge how much I really wanted a daughter, a little girl of my own.  I literally couldn't talk for a few minutes I was crying so hard.  And then, when I had composed myself enough to drive, my mom called and I had to pull back into a parking space because I started crying all over again.  The first girl of the generation and I get to name her "Mary" and she's ours.  We are so blessed.  I almost don't know what to think!  I only know boys!  What will I do with a baby girl!  I don't know!  But it will be such a lovely adventure finding out.

Here's hoping I can get my act together enough to document our lives with the detail and humor I did once upon a time.  I love reading my old blogs, remembering the things I'd forgotten, rediscovering myself at a different stage in my life.  I regret that I've failed to maintain that kind of record keeping.  So I'm going to try.  I owe it to myself and to my kids to write this stuff down.  They are just THAT awesome and they will be grown before I know it.  There is so much to remember. 

Hello Again

Long time, no blogging.  I won't even try to catch you up on three whole months of my adventures with two under two.  And actually, I as I write that, it occurs to me that I don't have two UNDER two.  My little big man officially turned terrible more than a month ago.  And I mean that literally.  TERRIBLE.  I spend 50% of the day anymore wondering where my sweet little guy went, because the little monster crying his head off in time-out CANNOT POSSIBLY be him.  Not really.  Maybe a little.  But seriously, he's a very different kid than the one I blogged about when last I blogged.  He's grown so much.  80% of what he says nowadays consists of two words.  "What's that?"  Seriously.  ALL DAY LONG.  He even points to things I KNOW he knows, just because he wants to hear my answer.  It's still in the adorable stage at this point, so I don't mind.  While his ability to verbally communicate is on the sparse side, he understands most of what we say and follows directions pretty well (when he wants to, that is).  I'm eager for his language skills to grow as I think frustration at not being able to convey what he wants is the source of most of his tantrums at this point.  Well, that and the existence of his little brother.  He still has many many moments when he's the sweet big brother, but more often than not Will doesn't want Jake anywhere near his personal space or HIS toys (a category that apparently includes ALL toys).  And I've tried to be very respectful of Will's right to be left alone and need to have his own things.  I don't want to feel like I'm INFLICTING Jake on him.  But often times I feel like Jake gets the shaft.  I feel guilty about that.  He is so laid back that it's just easier to give in to Will at Jake's expense.  Plus, while Will is at the age where he cares DEEPLY about EVERYTHING, Jake is still so little that he doesn't really care about anything.  As long as there's A toy in his hand, he's cool.  I'm worried that exploiting that fact is going to catch up to me in a bad way.  Anyway, so the sibling thing is starting to get harder.  Not that having two kids was easier before, it's just becoming harder in a different way.  Less running around trying to meet everyone's needs, more running around trying to keep the peace.  Sheesh, I didn't mean to rejoin the blogging world by griping about my two year old.  Anyway, I figure a good way to bring you up to speed is just a list.  And then a bunch of recent pictures.  So, here goes.

• Jake is 9 months old, almost 24 lbs (90th percentile) , 28.5 inches (60th percentile)
• Jake is crawling and pulling up and climbing on things already (God help me)
• Jake has two teeth and can feed himself puffs and Mum-mums
• Will is 28 lbs and I can't remember how tall, but he was in the 60th percentil for both
• Will's newest skilss are jumping with both feet at once and scaling the stairs by himself
• Will is in LOVE with trains.  For serious.  LOVE. 
• Jamie is deploying in the very near future for what is actually a pretty short length of time by militray standards, but still, longer than he's ever been away from the boys.

So, that's the broad strokes.  And now, the pictures.

Daddy and his boys at the zoo.

Jamie loves this picture.

He loves trains.  Even the crappy fake train at the zoo.

Because Will LOVES trains, we took a trip to Strasburg, PA where we got to RIDE a full size train pulled by a steam engine!  It was really nice actually, even if you aren't IN LOVE with trains.  Will was SUPER excited.  Like, he Couldn't! Even! BELIEVE IT!  A real train!  Like RIGHT THERE! 

We sat in what we thought was the last car.  Until right before we left, when the engine pulled up right behind us and hooked on.  That's when things went south.  And then, they blew the whistle.  The loudest freaking whistle you ever heard in your life.  From that point on, this is how he looked.

He insisted that I keep his ear covered.  Poor kid.  I thought maybe we had ruined trains for him forever.

At least Jake was happy.

Fortunately the engine only pulled from our end of the train on the trip down.  It uncoupled and was all the way at the other end for the trip back.  We could hardly hear it.  He came out of his shell after that, but only a little.  Things where totally fine later though, after we went in the store and discovered a train table and Thomas the Tank Engine galore.  We're going to go ride it again when Jamie gets back and Thomas the Engine will actually be there.  It is going to blow his mind!  I'm so excited!  Also, we will sit in the middle of the train next time.

Quick Takes on a Wednesday

1.  My husband and I upgraded to the iPhone 4 this weekend.  We were still using the iPhone 3G.  We were both beyond frustrated with how slowly everything was working.  Apparently our phones were so old and decrepit and OUTDATED that the newer software pretty much wasn't compatible with them anymore.  Part of me thinks, "Eh, three years is a decent life for a phone" but the other, more frugal part of me thinks, "What the hell!  That thing was expensive.  It should last FOREVER!"  We toyed with the idea of just going with the 3GS instead of the 4 because it was 75% cheaper, but we feared that, as quickly as Apple seems to come out with newer gadgets and updates, the 3GS would likely be outdated long before we would be ready to buy new phones again.  Anyway, so we are happy owners of the newest generation iPhone now.  On the way home as I was examining my pretty white new iPhone and noticed for the first time that Apple had added a second  (front) camera, a flash, and the ability to record video (in HD no less) I exclaimed in shock to Jamie, "Holy crap Jamie!  Our old phones were ARCHAIC!" 

2.  I think grocery shopping alone with the boys is one of the hardest parts of having two kids under two.  Jake is only a month or two away from being able to sit in the cart, which may or may not be better than my current method of wearing him in the Baby Bjorn.  At this point, I shop in fear of the moment that Will is going to start acting up (throwing things, attempting escape, etc) because having Jake strapped to my front severely limits my ability to manhandle an unruly toddler.  Also, unloading groceries onto the conveyor belt at the check out is hard to do with Jake grabbing everything as it passes within reach.  So, NOT having to wear Jake will be an improvement.  However, sitting Jake in the cart will ALSO cause problems since it means Will is going to have to SHARE driving wheel privileges and will most likely be in bodily contact with his brother for extended periods of time.  Plus, Jake seems to enjoy being worn.  He just hangs out, sucking on his bib, observing things, holding onto my fingers when the opportunity arises.  Who knows how he'll act once he's sitting in the cart like a big boy.  Anyway, shopping with the both of them is hard and will likely continue to be hard.  Also, shopping with them is expensive.  Because I shop QUICKLY.  So, forget coupons and bargain hunting.  I do my best, but I think coming out ALIVE is more important at this point than saving a few dollars.

3.  Both boys sleep through the night now.  I wish we could let them share a room.  It would be nice to have a place for guests to stay.  But they have pretty much the exact opposite nap schedule.  Jake naps from about 8:30 to 10:30.  Will naps from 11 to 2.  Jake naps from about 1:30 to 3:30.  Thus, sharing a room wouldn't work at this point.  Also not happening at this point?  A life.  If you will notice, we are trapped at home until nearly 4 every day because somebody is always sleeping.  I spend my days trying to keep the awake kid quiet enough to let the other kid sleep.  Also, I get ZERO free time during the day.  Anyway, at least I get to sleep at night.  Which is actually kind of HUGE.  Thank you sons.  

4.  I HATE HATE HATE the dryer in this house.  We couldn't use our own dryer because this house requires a gas dryer.  On a side note, while I enjoy cooking with gas, I kind of hate having a gas powered furnace, water heater, and dryer.  Our utility room (where all those things are located) and the upstairs hallway literally stink when anything is being heated.  Anyway, so I don't like the gas powered dryer.  But only in part because it is gas powered.  I mostly hate the dryer because it has a buzzer that sounds MULTIPLE times as it dries clothing (Seriously.  It buzzes 3 times.  To tell you the clothes are "kind of dry" "mostly dry" and "seriously, they are dry now and I'm about to turn off").  But the worst part.  You can't turn the freaking buzzer off.  What kind of idiot designs a dryer with a mandatory buzzer?  You know what this means?  This means that I don't get to do laundry between 8:30 and 4 because the damn buzzing dryer will wake up a sleeping kid.  I can do laundry from 6-8:30 and 4-7.  But you know what?  I FORGET to do laundry during those times because those are the times when I have two awake and demanding children to take care of.  AND the damn laundry room is upstairs.  I hate you, buzzing gas dryer.  I hate you so much.

5.  Will has suddenly fallen in love with my jogging stroller (which, coincidentally, I've only ever actually JOGGED with like, twice).  To his credit, it does look like a pretty sweet and comfy ride, what with the rubber tires and shock absorbers.  I think his new found love though has more to do with seeing Jake ride in it.  Now any time Will sees the garage door open, he sneaks out there and climbs into the stroller.  And sits there.  And waits.  Occasionally calling out orders to "Come here and push me in the stroller" which in reality sounds a little more like "BOOOOO!!!"  That is Will speak for "Do what I want!"  And when that doesn't work, he smiles at me and says "Buttie."  Which means "Push the button."  This is him trying to get me to push the button to open the garage door, presumably so I can push him in the stroller.  I believe this is a toddler attempt to TRICK me into doing what he wants.  Clearly he hasn't figured out the art of deception quite yet. 

6.  Will thinks he's a big boy.  WAY too big to use a booster seat. 
Cook books are okay though.

7.  Will has clearly accepted that Jake is a member of our family and is becoming quite the protective and loving big brother.  I almost can't handle the cuteness.