Every Day is a New Adventure

Murphy's Law

2009-10-03T11:08:00.000-07:00

Despite having Scott half way around the world, things have been good. I won't go into detail because I don't want to jinx anything (anymore). But I will tell you a story about the morning I am recovering from.

I woke up and was able to completely get ready and eat breakfast before Hudson woke up. I took Barkley outside and he peed on a tree instead of in my closet. I got Hudson dressed and fed and left for work. All the students were present and on time, and they had all their paperwork ready for me.

I left work after only being there for 30 minutes and thought to myself "I should go get my oil changed while I have the time". So Hudson and I drove up the road to the mechanic and they could fit us in immediately. They asked me if I needed a ride anywhere I I asked them just to drop us a few miles down the road and we will walk back since it was a nice day.

So we start walking... About 2 miles later, the wheel on the stroller falls off. Luckily I purchased a warranty for the stroller and Babies R Us was in sight. I carry Hudson, Stroller , and purse about 1/4 of a mile up the road to get to Babies R Us. They were able to replace the part while we shopped around.

It had been about an hour so I figured the car should be ready so we headed to the mechanic. I get there and the guy said he's been trying to call me. He said that the tread on 3 of my tires was below the legal minimum for the state of VA but wasn't sure what the PA laws were (since I have PA tags on my car). He recommended I replace the tires anyways. So I agreed. This would take about another hour so I thought I'd take Hudson up to Old Navy.

As I was walking, I decided to check my phone since the mechanic said he'd tried calling me. I couldn't find my phone. I asked them to check in the car and it wasn't there. I went back to Babies R Us; it wasn't there. I walked all the way back to the initial spot where they'd dropped us off in hopes of finding my phone along the way. NO LUCK.

We walked all the way back to the mechanic and they said they'd found my phone in the courtesy van. At least it was found but I would have rather not walked 4 miles in flip flops.

There was a small problem when they were balancing my new tires- the guy spinning them accidentally cracked one of the rims but the garage is going to pay for that. I go to pay only to realize I don't have my credit card. It was obviously at Babies R Us because I was there earlier. So I walk up the hill to Babies R Us (you'd think the mechanic would offer a ride) got my card and walked back. I paid the $800 and was on my way.

I left work at 0830 to go for an oil change and didn't get home until almost 1400.

Quiet Day

2009-08-28T08:50:00.001-07:00

Today is a quiet day for us. I decided to take the day off to spend with Hudson. Some of the people where I work have been asking me to bring Hudson by since the last time they saw him was at his baptism when he was a month old.

We got to my office around 1030 and worked our way down from the third floor to the first. Hudson was being incredibly shy and even when the base SgtMaj gave him a toy bulldog, Hudson kept trying to give it back. He did pretty well for the most part. He didn't cry when others held him and he eventually willingly went to one of my friends.

On the way home, Hudson fell asleep in the car. At day care this week, he has been throwing a fit around 1100. He'll just sit down and cry. Fabiola has no idea why but now that I saw him fall sleep in the car, I think it's because he is getting tired earlier. Normally nap time is 1300-1500 but at 1130, he was fast asleep in the car and didn't even wake up when I got him out of his seat. Maybe the fact that he has 4 molars and 1 front tooth coming in all at the same time has something to do with it.

So now that Captain Fat Pants is sleeping, I am baking cookies for Scott to take to his class next week. I am sure that the 23 marines he is with will like a nice snack that didn't come from the chow hall.

Now I will leave you with some pictures of Hudson's second Oreo Cookie encounter. He eats it better if it is broken into pieces for him.

Thank You Card Etiquette

2009-08-26T07:04:00.000-07:00

Growing up, my parents always stressed the importance of a thank you card. I know there are certain rules to follow when sending them- rules about how long it takes to mail it, the situation for which you are sending the card, and stuff like that.

A friend of mine just got married and is facing a problem that I have been facing over the past few years. She received presents from people she didn't know- people who weren't even invited to the wedding that just sent a gift. Yes I think this is creepy and yes it happened to me. It also happened when Hudson was born and continues to happen for his birthday and our anniversary.

So in honor of my recently married friend, I am invoking a new thank you card rule:

If I don't you know you, you don't get a card- and its creepy that you are sending a gift.

The real question should be how are these people getting my address and my newly married friend's address if we don't know them? So I am invoking another 'rule of thumb':

Don't give out someones address or other contact information without permission- this can lead to the receipt of creepy gifts and uncomfortable thank you card situations.

PS No one ever sends us thank you cards

Oreo Cookies

2009-08-10T11:42:00.000-07:00

Last night I gave Hudson his first Oreo Cookie... He wasn't 100% sure what to think about it. He twisted it in half almost like a pro but then he shoved an entire half straight into his mouth without biting it.

Then he played with the cream on the other half for a few minutes while attempting the chew the half that was already in his mouth...

And this is where he announces that he wants his Grandpa Mike (another Oreo Cookie connoisseur) to come share the cookie with him.

Exciting Saturday

2009-08-09T12:09:00.000-07:00

Scott came home again this weekend and since it was the weekend before our 3rd anniversary, we decided to make it an eventful weekend.

Saturday morning we got up, got ready, and headed out to the zoo. Maybe it was the heat, or maybe it was the fact that the zoo is free and that aspect attracts a certain crowd but it seemed like everyone there was just yelling at each other- parents at kids, kids at parents, couples at each other... it really makes you appreciate the fact that you can go somewhere with your husband and child and not want to belittle either of them in public.

Hudson is still a little too young to fully enjoy the zoo but the two highlights for him were:

1. Watching the orangutan cross over the walkway on the cables

2. Eating chicken nuggets for lunch

Despite the fact that he was not too interested in seeing all of the animals, he was still pooped and fell asleep in his stroller, which he hasn't done since he was an itty-bitty baby.

After we got home, we put Hudson down for a real nap and we got ready for our fancy dinner at Ruth's Chris in Crystal City. Since we don't really know anyone why can babysit and I probably wouldn't trust anyone other than Fabiola (and it was too short notice to get her to babysit), we were taking Hudson with us to the restaurant.

Hudson was a little terrorist the entire time. He was launching french fries EVERYWHERE. Not just on the floor but also at us and other tables. Luckily the people around us didn't show that they were getting pissed because we probably would have just thrown in the towel and left mid-dinner.

The food was great. Scott got the filet mignon and shrimp with blue cheese crust and I got the filet mignon and shrimp with au poivre sauce (very french- hence the name- and reminded me of being back in Geneva). Our sides were green beans with roasted garlic and mashed potatoes. To finish everything off, Scott got Chocolate Sin cake which was a really really rich chocolate and espresso cake. I got creme brulee with fresh fruit. Once the desert came out, Hudson decided to sit very very quietly and wait for us to share with him, meanwhile bus boys were cleaning up the mess he had made within a 15 foot radius of our table.

Once we left the 11th floor restaurant, we were walking through the lobby and let Hudson run loose since he obviously had some pent up energy that needed to be released. He got a few feet ahead of us and ran straight into a glass door, knocking himself flat on the floor. We laughed... hard... and so the did other couple in the lobby. And then we continued to laugh all the way to the car because in a funny way, Karma had come after Hudson because of how naughty he was during dinner. Don't worry, he wasn't hurt. We wouldn't have laughed (as hard as we did) if he was.

So that was out anniversary celebration (with Hudson). Maybe in a couple weeks we will ask Fabiola to babysit so we can have a round 2.

Wondering What the Future Holds

2009-08-02T11:43:00.000-07:00

Any military family can tell you that you never know what the future holds because we move so damn much but the 1 advantage that you have with the Marine Corps is that there aren't that many places that they can send you. There are only really 6 main places you can go but you still sit around waiting, and waiting.... and waiting to find out where you are going.

This is how we hope Scott's career will progress in the next couple of years:

-Once finished in Japan, he will go to OCS at Quantico

-Once finished with OCS, he will go to TBS at Quantico

-Once finished with TBS, he will go to MOS School at a TBD location since the MOS is TBD

-Then he might have to go to at least 1 more school

-Then FINALLY we will get our duty station assignment

This whole process can take up to 2 years from the time he leaves Japan. That in my mind is a lot of waiting especially since I was ready to leave NOVA about a week after I got here (when my car was stolen by gang members). I cannot wait to know where we are moving. We are hoping for San Diego since some of our best friends are there but by the time we actually move, they will probably be moving too. Hawaii wouldn't be bad and I am sure Grandpa Mike would come visit us when invited (unlike now). North Carolina wouldn't completely suck because houses are cheap and we are at a point where buying a house isn't the worst idea we could come up with. 29 Palms would suck- no bright side to that one. Yuma wouldn't kill us... Scott's already in Japan so there is very little chance of them tabling that one (I hope)....

I hate waiting. I never like surprises. I just want to know where I am going to live next so that I can have something to look forward to.

Back in VA

2009-07-29T07:35:00.000-07:00

Hudson and I safely made it to NC (with a busted GPS) and back (with a functional GPS). It was an adventure getting there but well worth it. Scott did an excellent job of spoiling Hudson for a couple days but Hudson was happy to be back at day care with his little friends this morning. We look forward to seeing Scott again Friday night!

Heading to North Carolina

2009-07-25T08:59:00.000-07:00

I am just letting everyone know that Hudson and I are leaving for NC tomorrow to meet up with Scott! He flies in tomorrow night so we will meet him at the airport. We are staying down there with him until Tuesday and then hopefully he will be back up Friday night. Scott will be in NC for 6 weeks and then back up here for 10 days- then off to Australia to meet up with his ship and won't be back in Japan until November.

So as politely as I can says this- Please don't bother us until Wednesday morning (I'd say Tuesday night but I need time to unpack).

I leave you with a cute picture of Hudson who has recently learned how to climb into his toy chest...

She may not have been Michael Jackson but she was just as loved

2009-07-14T09:35:00.000-07:00

I am so tired of hearing about the death of Michael Jackson. Yes he was a magnificent singer and performer but I think things are going a little far. Flags are being flown at half mast, moments of silence are being reserved in government offices... Enough is enough.

Someone far more important also passed on the same day. Someone who I might not have been as close with as I should have or visited as often as I could have. But she was a loving woman who spent her entire life living for her family. She raised 6 children, one being my father. So I'd like for all of you to take a moment of silence to honor my grandmother, Margaret Strzyzewski.

And if you have a spare moment, while we are honoring people who have made a difference in the world, say a prayer for the family of 1st Lt Brian Bradshaw who gave his life in Afghanistan on the same Thursday that we lost my grandmother as well as the family of the unidentified female sailor that was found dead yesterday morning in the barracks here where I work.

Thank you.

It has been a while...

2009-07-11T05:30:00.000-07:00

I have been neglecting my blog lately. I find it hard to spend a few minutes to write about what has been going one (especially when there isn't really a whole lot going on).

Work is pretty much the same.

Scott is pretty much the same... he hates it over in Japan and while going to APAC in a couple weeks gives him a break from the craptastic life over there, it also makes it impossible to submit his officer package by Oct 1 so he will have to wait until Feb 1.

Hudson is pretty much the same... He isn't really saying anything more that the few words he has been saying. He still only has 6 teeth. He still has no hair. He is however getting more and more adorable every day! He does cute little things that just melt my heart. If I pretend to cry, he comes up to me and hugs me and then tilts his head in for me to kiss him. Some of you may have already seen these pictures but some of you have not...

So much on my mind...

2009-06-29T17:48:00.000-07:00

I won't go into everything that's been going on with work, family, friends, etc... because I don't want to throw myself a pity party but I will tell a little story.

Every day since Scott has left (with the exception of one day), Hudson, Barkley, and I have been going on a walk. We have a couple of various routes we take but they all conclude with getting the mail and going home. Today we went for our usual walk. While we were walking, Scott called to chat so I was pushing the stroller, holding the leash, and talking on the phone. This doesn't sound too hard but Barkley has ADHD and makes going for a walk nearly impossible. I got so frustrated that I put Barkley in the undercarriage of the stroller. It was close to the end of the walk so Barkley was pretty tired anyways. When we stopped at the mailboxes, I opened the box to get the mail, at which time Barkley decided to jump out of the undercarriage and cross the street to run towards another dog. I managed to corral Barkley and we headed home. I then made dinner and proceeded with feeding Hudson. That's when it happened... The car alarm when off. I had no idea what was going on. Barkley was going CRAZY. I ran up to the garage with a baseball bat thinking someone was trying to steal my car (in broad daylight in a closed garage) but no one was there and the alarm kept going off. I ran back downstairs where Hudson was crying and Barkley was barking and I grabbed the two of them. I took them to the garage and hit the garage door opener. And there she was... the lady who found my keys which I had left in the mailbox. This was just the icing on the cake of a horrific day. I kindly thanked her and was tempted to try to explain that I am not a complete idiot but I figured she probably just wanted to go home to her family so I shamefully walked away.

Leaving keys in the mailbox might not seem like a big deal but for me this is just proof that I have too many thoughts floating around inside my head. I need to clear my mind. I need to take a load off. I need balance. I need my Husband. These puzzle pieces need to come together soon otherwise I will be committed pretty soon at this rate.

Big News From Japan!

2009-06-25T09:17:00.000-07:00

I am so excited I can't contain myself any longer!!!!!

Here is some background information which will lead up to the good news, and then the even better gravy on top.

When Scott was promoted to E6, he was supposed to go to APAC (Advanced Personnel Administration Course). Because of the craptastic job he was doing at the time (shift work with 6 days on/4 days off) he was not able to attend the mandatory training course. When he switched jobs, things got so busy that he was still unable to attend. He was even trying to go before leaving for Japan but was not able to.

Now that he is in Japan, his command at Camp Fuji (even though he is stationed at Yokosuka) told him that he needs to go to APAC. Well, his CO had spoken with the CO here at Henderson Hall and the CO here told him that Scott is planning on submitting an officer package and that the would appreciated it if the command over there would help Scott in any way possible. So in the back of the CO there's head, Scott could potentially be leaving in December (fingers crossed) so why would he send him away for a 6 week training course (even though the course would help Scott do his job better for the potentially little time he is in Japan).

So here it is...

Good News: Scott is going to APAC at Camp Lejeune, NC for 6 weeks (flying there July 25th).

Better News: The USMC is paying for a rental car while he is there which means he will be coming home on the weekends.

Best News: Not only will he be able to come home on the weekends but he is also getting 10 days of leave at the end of the course and will be coming home!!!!!

So I guess the USMC is not totally trying to bend us over after all...

Update Fram Japan

2009-06-20T09:06:00.000-07:00

Scott has gotten settled in his (shared) room. Once the guy he is replacing leaves, he will have the whole space all to himself. He bought new bedding to replace the military issued bedding which from what I hear is horrible. He has called at least once a day since he got there and we were able to video chat last night and this morning. It helps that he has a US line in his room and at work (even though the one at work doesn't seem to be that reliable). We have a 'chat' date for tonight (his morning) so that he can see his little boy. Hudson was sleeping last night and I was at work this morning so Hudson didn't get to see his Dada.

Scott seems to be doing well. He doesn't seem too fond of his new boss but does anyone really ever like their boss? He went out to dinner on Thursday night with the other Staff NCO's and spoke with someone about potentially joining a softball team. That will keep him busy and make the time go by faster. They are debating about sending him off to a school in July so we will find out about that in the next couple of weeks.

If you have mailed him anything, it probably won't get there for a while. I mailed a box 2 weeks before he left and it is still in transit. I am still waiting to find out who ordered all the priority flat rate boxes for me so that I can thank them. Please let me know if you are responsible!

Things at home are starting to get more routine without Dada around. Hudson is usually down to 1 nap a day so his bed time is a lot earlier. Barkley didn't eat anything for the first few days that Scott was away but then after hearing Scott's voice on speaker phone one night, he got better and has been doing well ever since. Hudson still runs around looking for his Dada, thinking that Scott is playing hide n' seek with him. I remind him that Dada is in Japan but he really just doesn't understand. And as for me.... the first few days were the hardest (like for Barkley). I was really feeling sorry for myself but now that Scott is calling regularly, it is a lot easier. I've hired a cleaning service to come 2 times a month to alleviate some of the responsibilities. They are ok but I compare them to the quality of cleaning that my parents used to get from one of the cleaners they used to have (Babel). Everything else is going really well.

If anyone still needs Scott's contact info please let me know.

Arrival

2009-06-15T06:40:00.000-07:00

Scott safely made it to Japan. I briefly spoke with him around 3 am (4 pm Japan time) and then for a little longer at 5 am (6 pm Japan time). He was exhausted. He didn't get much sleep on the airplane. His first in-flight meal was chicken and rice with peas and what he described as "a strange dessert". His second meal was Pasta and the snack before landing was some "crazy crispy Chinese noodle things".

He said his living arrangement kind of sucks right now because he is sharing a room with the guy he is replacing. They will do a 30 day turnover and then once he leaves, Scott will have the room to himself. When Scott called, he used the cell phone he will be sharing with the other guy but once he leaves, Scott will have that as well. I have already started looking into calling cards with cheap rates to Japan.

I am not sure if the guy he is replacing already had internet established in the room and Scott won't be able to check his hotmail on his work computer so if you sent him an email, I wouldn't expect a response right away. Hudson and I will be calling Dada tonight on his work line (which is a Hawaii # then I dial an extension and it gets transferred to Japan) so hopefully I will have something more interesting to write tomorrow!

Last night my neighbor Ursula was kind enough to entertain me for a couple hours after Hudson went to bed. This helped me keep my mind occupied and also reminded me that I am not in this alone. Thanks Urs! That's all for now...

And he's off

2009-06-14T10:51:00.000-07:00

We just got back from dropping Scott off at the airport. We were allowed to go all the way to the gate with him which gave us an extra hour with Scott. Scott's flight left on time at 1245 and will arrive at Narita (Tokyo) at 1535. The flight last 13 h 45 min. The marine that Scott is replacing will be meeting him at the airport so that Scott doesn't have to try to figure out how to get to Yokosuka by himself. They will either take the government shuttle or the bullet train. Either way it will take a couple of hours before he arrives at the Naval Base. We are going to keep his cell phone active for the first couple weeks he is in Japan so that he can call and email. Once he gets phone and internet set up in his room, we will cancel his cell phone. That's about all for now. I will let you all know when I hear from him.

Reality

2009-06-13T14:37:00.000-07:00

As I sit here in bed watching my husband prepare for his departure tomorrow, things suddenly feel so real. It has finally sunk in that he is leaving. Up until this point, so much has gone on that I haven't really had a chance to "feel" it. Scott spent the first two months trying to find something other than moving to Japan and then when that became absolutely final, both of us were running around so much that I never got the chance to let myself "feel" it.

What am I feeling? It is a whole bunch of emotions all mixed into one right now. Mainly I am feeling that this is unfair. I know I have brought up this point a 100 times over again but why couldn't someone else go?!?!? As Scott was checking out of his office for the final time on Thursday, one of his coworkers, an Army E-7, told Scott that in the 17 years he's been in the Army, he has never once been separated from his family. Fair? I don't think so... He might not have been promoted as far or received as many awards or accommodations as he might have had he been more outgoing with his assignments but the fact that he has been able to make the decision (and that the Army has let him) to stay with his family along the way is SO not fair. This is where I stick my tongue out at the Marine Corps.

Second of all, I am feeling underestimated (much like I feel at work every single day that I actually show up). Almost everyone we encounter makes a point to offer there assistance in Scott's absence. They are mostly people that either work with Scott or work with me and know Scott... Some are also friends, neighbors (or both in some cases). While the gesture is kind and noted, I question whether or not these people would actually step up to the plate if something did happen and I really needed something. I am half tempted to call up some of these people and say "you know how you said to just call if I ever need anything? Well, I need my oil changed, a few random grocery items, and $30 for a pedicure. What time should I expect you?" Maybe that is a little asinine but I do wonder if their offers are truly genuine or they are just saying it to feel like the hero/heroine. With the excessive amount of people offering their assistance, I wonder if they think I am completely helpless. I know there are a few people out there that I will be able to count on if I ever need anything and for those of you reading this- Don't worry, I won't be afraid to ask for help when it is needed.

Now for the sadness and loneliness (as I type this through the blurriness of my teary eyes). I know what loneliness feels like. I have been away from Scott before but we were only a short flight away. I was reading Parents Magazine the other day and they had an article titled "The Things No One Ever Told You About Motherhood". The first item was dead on: LONELINESS. While most would think that having a child instantly gives you company since you are technically never going to be alone anymore you can become somewhat isolated. For the first few weeks it is hard to get away to even shower let alone socially interact and if you don't have friends with babies born within a few months of yours these outings are usually just for shopping so you really aren't being social at all. The article said that some women count down the minutes in anticipation of the spouse returning from work only my spouse will not be returning. I can sit there any converse with Hudson until I lose my voice but I won't have the interaction that I need to feel whole. I had the option to quit my job, put everything is storage and move to my parents house in NC to save money but this would almost completely isolate me and potentially make me crazy. As much as I love Hudson, now of all times I will need to adult to adult interaction that I receive at work.

Finally, I am feeling brave. I know this doesn't go along with the other emotions I am feeling but its what is inside of me. I don't feel like I need to keep telling myself everything will be ok and that I can do this. Bravery and strength isn't even a deep down feeling inside of me- it is right there on the surface. The military and other jobs have been separating families for a long time and for periods a lot longer than 12 months with a lot more restrictions than we will have. I know some of these families (especially the wives) and I am a lot stronger than they are. The next 12 months will be hard. My heart will break every day when Hudson wakes up and runs into our room looking for his Dada (more tears). I will feel loneliness like I have never felt before. I will worry about Scott every single day until he is back. And I will get through this.

So what am I going to do to occupy my time (and mind) for the next year?

1. I am going to start going to the gym (spare the laughter cuz I actually used to go religiously for a while while I was in Switzerland). I am going to start off slow. My plan is to walk on the treadmill or elliptical during lunch 4 days a week for 45 minutes.

2. I am thinking of taking some classes at NVCC to start the dental hygiene program. For those of you who don't know, I am hoping to become a hygienist. While my BA is in Business Admin, it isn't really a career path that can go easily with the military where as health care careers do.

3. I am going to become a time management expert. Right now I am a procrastination expert but with becoming a temporary single mom, I will need to really plan ahead and remind myself that the trash gets taken every Monday and Thursday and stuff like that.

4. I am going to save money. That is my main goal. Scott will be making so much extra while he is away so there is no reason for us not to be saving more than we are already. We have been living very lavishly the past few months so once he is in Japan, it will be time to tighten the belt so that we can hopefully buy a house at our next duty station.

Now that the tears have dried and I feel like I have gotten a lot off of my chest, I am going to help my husband pack his bags so that we can fall asleep together tonight. Thank you all for your support for the last few months and for the next year. While not all of you are biologically related, you are part of our family and I hope you feel the same way about us. Please pray for Scott as he travels half way around the world. I will update all of you once I hear from him Monday. If you'd like his mailing address, email address, or telephone number, please send me an email and I will forward it on to you.

Airplanes

2009-06-08T13:36:00.000-07:00

The recent Air France crash has brought back some painful memories and also ignited some deep seeded anxiety about flying. While many of you are praying for the families of those who lost a loved one on the Air France flight, please pray for those who have previously lost a loved one and also for the safety of future travelers.

I haven't been blogging much as we are preparing for Scott's departure but I am sure things will pick up as I will have a lot on my mind and will need people to share it with.

Menu 5/10 - 5/16

2009-05-14T16:04:00.000-07:00

1. Vegetarian Chili (just like regular chili but replace the beef with extra beans and peppers)

2. Pizza lasagna (I'll post this recipe when I have more time)

3. Rice and beans (with some chicken strips on the side)

4. Grilled Tri-tip and twice baked potatoes

This is a very simple week in the Pifer kitchen... there is too much going on these days for 4 star cooking!

Graduating

2009-05-14T06:48:00.001-07:00

I just wanted to let everyone know that Scott will be graduating on Saturday from American Military University. The ceremony is in Chantilly- only about one hour away- so we will be going to that this weekend. I am so proud of him!

Happy Mother's Day to ME!

2009-05-08T09:40:00.000-07:00

Today I picked up my Mother's Day present! It is absolutely breathtaking. Scott decided to "upgrade" my wedding band for my present. Maybe he is feeling a little guilty about leaving, or maybe he is really just trying to show me how much he appreciates all I do but he really went all out this year. I think he loves me.

Here is the best picture I could get without being too close.

For any of you military husbands that want to make your wife a little more sparkly this Mother's Day (or for any occasion), Helzberg offers a 10% military discount! It is where we have bought all our jewelry since we've been back in the USA.

Big Green Weenie

2009-05-06T13:54:00.000-07:00

Anyone in the Marine Corps or even affiliated with the military knows that getting the big green weenie is not good, and that is exactly what we are dealing with right now. Scott got orders, and not the good kind.

At the beginning of March, Scott got a call for another guy that works in the Pentagon and the guy was a little pissed because Scott had apparently got the assignment that this guy wanted. Scott then received web orders to report to Camp Fuji, Japan no later than July 1st (unaccompanied).

This didn't make sense since Scott was told by the old National Capital Region monitor that he was supposed to stay here until 2010 but apparently that monitor left for IA duty and never reset the "clock" on Scott so he got tagged for orders. To make it worse, the monitor for Scott's MOS had it out for him so he made sure that the orders SUCKED.

Scott tried absolutely everything to get out of the Japan assignment. He tried to file for a 12 month extension at the Pentagon. He tried to swap places with the kid who actually wanted to go to Japan. He even tried to volunteer to go to Afghanistan on a BGen's staff but NOTHING worked.

So... this time next month Scott will be packing up his things to go to Japan for 1 year. While he is there he will be submitting for an officer program which would bring him back here but if his command sucks as much as he has heard it does, they might not let him go.

I don't know how to explain what I am feeling. I think the worst part about what I am feeling is the guilt that Hudson won't be able to see his Daddy every day. Since Hudson was born, Scott only spent 1 night away from him and that was when he was only a few weeks old. I worry that Hudson won't remember his Daddy, or even worse that he will remember and unbearably miss him.

A lot will change now. Hudson, Barkley and I will stay here since the Marine Corps is still going to pay our housing allowance, I have a steady job, and we have a few friends here. I will have to cut back on working weekends since Scott won't be here to watch Hudson (which might make the steady job not-so-steady... I'll have to learn to do everything (clean, take out trash, get my car serviced...) all while working and taking care of Hudson.

Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers because we will need it!

Menu 05/03 - 05/09

2009-05-04T08:44:00.000-07:00

1. Sausage Stuffed Eggplant

2. Marsala Chicken with Sage and Mushrooms

3. Beef Enchiladas

4. Individual Chicken Pot Pies (minus the onions)

Gettin' into trouble!

2009-04-30T16:33:00.000-07:00

Hudson really seems to be into EVERYTHING these days... As I am typing this, he is standing beneath the computer desk trying to pull the cord that connects the keyboard... He doesn't even seem to flinch when we sternly say "NO"... Most of the time his naughtiness is quite annoying but then there are a few times when you can't help but smile. Here are a few examples:

Menu 04/26 - 05/02

2009-04-26T08:50:00.000-07:00

1. Spinach and Feta Turkey Burgers

2. Chili (Basic chili but instead of tomato paste or sauce, I use salsa and taco bell hot sauce packets).

3. Pork Chops in Muchroom Gravy

4. Penne with Chicken and Asparagus (if you don't like asparagus, zucchini works really well with this).

Babies R Us Coupon

2009-04-24T10:40:00.000-07:00

$5 off of $25 Purchase for all you mom's out there!

COUPON

Nicknames

2009-04-24T04:55:00.000-07:00

Over the last 13 months, Hudson has had many nicknames but the only one that has really stuck is "Captain Fat Pants". We call him "fat pants" because his legs are so chubby... and well, the "Captain" part just seemed to fit.

Here are some pictures of him running back and forth between scott and myself to illustrate his "fat pants".

Barkley had to be a part of it! Now he decided to try to escape to the upstairs! Pretty soon this pressure mounted gate will not be able to contain him!
After his escape efforts failed, he surrendered to playing with his countless toys.

Menu 4/19 - 4/25

2009-04-22T13:29:00.000-07:00

1. Spicy Rapid Roast Chicken, glazed carrots, and rice.

2. Chicken Caesar Salad and Strawberry Pie.

3. Zesty Slow Cooker Chicken Barbecue.

4. Black Bean and Salsa Soup.

As you might be able to tell, http://www.allrecipes.com/ is one of my favorite recipe websites!

Menu 4/12 - 4/18 and Baked Brie Recipe

2009-04-17T04:45:00.000-07:00

I forgot to post what I was planning to cook this week!

1. Rotini pasta with tomato basil sauce

2. Mushroom Slow Cooker Roast Beef

3. Spicy Crab Pasta

4. Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms (really an appetizer but there are sooooo good).

Some of you wanted the Baked Brie recipe so here it is. I either add some garlic to the egg wash or I top it with blueberry preserves.

INGREDIENTS
1 (8 ounce) can Pillsbury refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1 (8 ounce) round natural Brie cheese
1 egg, beaten

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Unroll dough and separate crosswise into 2 sections; press dough into 2 squares, firmly pressing perforations to seal. Place cheese round on center of 1 dough square.

2. With small cookie or canape cutter, cut 1 shape from each corner of remaining dough square; set cutouts aside. Place remaining dough square on top of cheese round. Press dough evenly around cheese, folding bottom edges over top edges; press to seal completely. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Brush dough with egg. Top with cutouts; brush with egg.

3. Bake 20 to 24 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet; place on serving plate. Cool 15 minutes.

Happy Easter Captain Fat Pants!

2009-04-12T15:53:00.000-07:00

This year Daddy was the Easter bunny in our house. He got Hudson not one but 2 Easter baskets as well as some goodies for Mommy. Most of the toys from one of Hudson's Easter baskets were too mature for him but he will be able to play with them next year. The other Easter basket will be his official basket from here on out. It was a camouflage hat that had a basted stuffed into it- very cute. Scott even arranged a small Easter egg hunt for Hudson since we didn't go to the one at the base yesterday because of the rain. Hudson wasn't 100% sure what was going on but eventually understood that you pick up the eggs and put them in the basket. Here are a few of the pictures for our Easter festivites.

This is the Easter Basket that Fabiola and Golda (day care providers) made for Hudson.

This is Hudson's GI Joe basket.

This will be Hudson's official Easter Basket.

Here are some pictures with Daddy.

And now with Mommy...

Balloons

2009-04-12T15:41:00.000-07:00

For Hudson's birthday party, my brother and sister-in-law (Mike and Amanda) bought some balloons. One of the was a giant "1" which was only supposed to last for 18 hours. 4 weeks later it finally fell to the ground. Hudson had a blast playing with it!

And into the play room....

Poor Barkley wanted no part of the caos!

Waive for the Camera

2009-04-10T11:09:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures of Hudson being silly and waiving to the camera!

Already learning to share

2009-04-10T11:06:00.000-07:00

The pictures speak for themselves...

Birthday Pictures- FINALLY!

2009-04-10T10:52:00.000-07:00

So I finally have some of Hudson's birthday pictures to share. The first two are from his actual birthday. He ate a cupcake on March 9th! The rest of the pictures are from his party on March 14th. Scott's parents, his grandma, my parents, my brother and sister-in-law, and my grandparents all came into town for the party. I will send out an email with the pictures once I have the last of them.

Shopping Cart Cover

2009-04-09T11:48:00.000-07:00

We have decided that it is time to get Hudson a shopping cart cover/high chair cover. The only problem is that we can't decide which one we like best. We want one that is relatively gender neutral but not too girly (which most "gender neutral" items are). We have narrowed it down and here are the picks:

3.
Let me know what you all think. I am leaning towards the first one right now...

First Class Ticket to HELL

2009-04-06T13:37:00.000-07:00

This is more of a warning than a blog post and it mainly appeals to those who live in Alexandria (and actually go to church around here). One of my neighbors (a sweet older man who also has a little yorkie) warned me yesterday that some cars had been broken into at his church and that this seems to be a trend in this area. Someone goes around to the churches on Sunday morning breaking into the cars and stealing whatever they can. So if you go to church in the Alexandria area be careful about what you leave in your car and make sure to lock your doors! What ever kind of person is doing this sure did purchase a first class ticket to hell!

Menu 04/05-04/11

2009-04-02T11:45:00.000-07:00

I got this idea from a friend of mine and she said this help her keep on track with cooking dinners instead of getting take-out when she can't remember what she wanted to make. So I am going to give it a try. I will plan 4 meals each week which will provide 6-7 nights worth of food and if we do not have enough leftovers then we can treat ourselves to pizza, chinese, or actually go out to eat!

So here are my 4 meals for next week:

1. Chicken Taco Soup

2. Skirt Steak with Crispy Potatoes

3. Garlic Chicken

4. Red Wine Short Ribs over Buttered Egg Noodles (I don't have a link to this recipe so if you want it, let me know).

We will see how well this works for now. I will go to the grocery store tomorrow so that I have everything I need for these four dishes. If this works, I might make this a regular thing. Wish me luck!

Pictures anyone?

2009-04-02T06:20:00.000-07:00

I haven't written anything recently because I have been waiting for pictures from Hudson's birthday party. If you have pictures, please send them to me on a disc if possible (since hotmail compresses the size). I'd really appreciate it!

Sad Goodbyes - Just a quick note

2009-03-24T08:28:00.000-07:00

Usually at day care it is harder for me to say goodbye to Hudson than it is for him to say goodbye to me. He has toys and friends there to keep him occupied so once we get there, he soon forgets about mom. Today, the second I said "Hudson, Mommy has to go to work now" he ran up to me and threw his arms around me crying. He's teething right now and not feeling 100% so he is clinging to me a little more than usual but this was insanity. I picked him up and hugged him and then handed him to Fabiola but once the door opened and I started to walk out, he was fighting Fabiola to get to me. It broke my heart and took every ounce of strength to walk out and not look back. I could still hear him crying when I got to my car. I hope this is a one and only kind of thing because my heart just can't take it!

Cleverly Disguised as Responsible Adults

2009-03-18T07:02:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was not only my son's first birthday party but it was also a MASSIVE family invasion. My parents, my brother and sister-in-law, and my grandparents were all here for a few days.

On an average day, Scott and I wake up between 6-7 am (depending on if we work and what time Hudson decides he no longer wishes to sleep) and we get ready for the day. We either drop the kid off at day care and go to work or commence our intricately planned out day which is scheduled around nap time.

We lead fairly average lives and most would classify us as responsible mainly because we do a damn good job of taking care of our precious son. When family visits (at least mine) "normal" and "average" tend to get thrown right out the window (while still maintaining the sactity of nap time). We were going out to eat for almost every meal (and drinking at almost every meal), we were waking up earlier than usual just so that we could actually shower before people came over, and for the first time since my son was born, someone else put him to sleep for the night.

The evening after my son's birthday party, my parents and grandparents babysat while Scott, my brother, my sister-in-law, and I went out for a few drinks. I knew the night had the potential to get messy especially since I had to go home and take a nap the day before after having only 1 1/2 drinks at lunch. I classify myself as a non drinker partly because I am still breastfeeding (yay for extended breastfeeding!) and also because I average maybe 1 glass of wine a month.

We started the evening by parking in the parking garage at the mall, which wasn't necessarily a bad thing because it gave us a deadline of 1030 to leave to go home since the mall closes at night. We first went to Siné (an Irish Pub at Pentagon Row). We ordered a bottle of wine for me and my sister-in-law, beers for the men, buffalo shrimp, steak bites, crab dip, cheese steak, and Irish nachos. We finished our food and drinks and went across the street to Champs. Once we got there I knew I was feeling a little not so sober because I had to pee so bad that I actually considered doing it in the sink since all the stalls were occupied. Once we were seated, we followed the same routine as at the last bar (wine, beer, snacks...).

It was getting close to the 1030 deadline so we headed to the car. As we were walking through the closed mall, and the night time cleaning crew was busy at work, my stomach all of a sudden realized that it not only consumed about 1 bottle of wine but also a massive amount of not so healthy, greasy bar food. Luckily at the moment of this realization there was a trash can near by otherwise a mob of angry night time mall cleaners would be chasing me to the parking garage. If I didn't already appear to be acting like a teenager that can't hold her alcohol, when we got home, all four of us took the left over forks and spoons from my son's birthday party along with 3-4 rolls of toilet paper and vandalized out neighbor's yard (don't worry- they are cool and thought it was funny since they knew we were going out that night).

So the point I am trying to make is that just because we lead fairly normal lives since the birth of the most precious baby in the world, we are far from mature, responsible adults- it only appears that way.

Crazy Andy and his Sugar Mama Broomhilda

2009-03-09T05:51:00.000-07:00

Over the last few years, Scott and I have moved almost every 12 months and at each new place, we've had some interesting neighbors. At our last place, we had "the dog walker" who didn't believe in shaving, personal hygiene, or shoes... At this place, we have crazy Andy and his Sugar Mama Broomhilda. Her name is actually Gigi and whether or not she is his sugar mama is between them but she is significantly older than him and drives nice cars...

If I had bigger huevos, or huevos at all, here are a few things I would like to say to crazy Andy:

1. No one should wear spandex. NO ONE.

2. Just because it is 60+ degrees, you don't have to walk around with your shirt off all the time.

3. When you run into me and I am carrying a toddler, diaper bag, boob juice cooler, purse, and a laptop, I do not expect you to offer to help because that would be creepy but please do not try to carry on a 20 minute conversation with me. If it happens again, I will throw boob juice at you.

4. What is the point of having a garage if you do not park in it? There are 4 parking spots for 8 condos and if you and Broomhilda are using 2 of them, that really isn't fair to the rest of us.

5. Is your car really that dirty that you need to wash it every day?

6. Stop calling my husband "Bro". He isn't your friend; he isn't your actual brother. If you forgot his name, just ask.

7. What do you actually do for a living? Some people say you are a drug dealer which would make a lot of sense considering you are home almost 24 hours a day and have people coming in and out of your home. If you are a drug dealer, please stop and just off yourself if you find it that hard to be a productive member of society.

8. Your music is too loud if I can decipher what it is that you are listening too. Same goes for your TV.

9. If you make another comment about my child crying (especially when he is teething and keeping me up all night) I will leave a flaming bag of dog poop on your door step and ring your door bell.

10. There is no reason to stomp around upstairs. It makes me want to punch you in the face.

That is all I can think of right now. As more things come up, I will add them to the blog.

He sure does love his Daddy!

2009-03-07T10:31:00.000-08:00

Hudson is getting to the age where he like to play rough and since Mom is a little bit of a puss bag on this subject, he usually goes to Daddy when he is ready to play.

Breast Feeding a Toddler

2009-03-03T07:06:00.000-08:00

Some of you may or may not want to read the following post but I am still going to write about it because it has been on my mind a lot recently.

As Hudson approaches his first birthday, many people seem to be asking me the same question over and over again... Not "is he walking yet?"- which he is. Not "is he sleeping through the night?"- which some days are better than others... They are asking me when I am going to stop breast feeding. I was unaware of the concept that after the first birthday you close the all you can eat mama buffet. I did know that at 1 year a child can have cow's milk but I didn't think that starting 1 type of milk meant stopping the other.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the following:
-Exclusive breast feeding until 6 months of age (check)
-Breast feeding at least for the first year of life but preferable until the age of 2 (partial check)

So why do people think it is necessary to abruptly stop breast feeding just because a child is 1 year old? Are these people going to classify me as socially unacceptable for breast feeding past 1 year? If you have an opinion on this subject, please feel free to share (without fear of being judged).

Snow in March

2009-03-02T04:22:00.000-08:00

Since it snowed about 5 inches last night, my office is closed today leaving me to stay home with my precious baby bear. We took Hudson to go see snow a couple of months ago and he was, well, less than enthused.

I was making breakfast and heard him laughing and playing in the dinning room and wondered what he was doing. He was watching the snow come down and thought it was the most exciting thing in the world.

Three Teeth

2009-02-28T13:35:00.000-08:00

Up until yesterday, Hudson only had 2 teeth. He got the first one on Thanksgiving and the second one on Christmas (great holiday season). He didn't get one in January so I think part of me surrendered to the thought that he might only have 2 teeth for the rest of his life. He did look really cute with only two teeth but then again I said the same thing when he had no teeth at all.

Yesterday he was an absolute crab ass and then didn't want to eat his lunch (mushed summer veggies- do you blame him?). When he didn't want to eat his blueberries for his snack, I knew something was up. So I did what any parent would do (and some really weird strangers and/or overbearing family members) and stuck my clean finger in his mouth and there it was- a THIRD tooth.

Maybe this time next month he will have 4 teeth! Who knows! In the mean time, here are some pictures of Hudson playing with his "Big Boy" spoon. The big boy spoon is the spoon we allow for him to play with while we use a different one to feed him... it serves as a distraction since he still isn't that fond of solids yet.

The trial is OVER!

2009-02-26T13:00:00.000-08:00

Thank God!!!

After 3 days of trial, the testimony of 14 witnesses, drug tests, paternity tests, and many wasted hours, the jury found Cpl (insert name here) guilty of all charges. She was sentenced to 6 months in the brig (suspended), knocked down to Private, and a bad conduct discharge in 6 months. The brig time was suspended by the base commanding officer but if she so much as breaths with an attitude in the next 6 months, she will be in the brig.

I think the jury was a little too lenient. Had this been a federal trial, she would get at least 3-5 years for the druga alone. I am happy that she was found guilty but I think that the jury and CO were easy on her since she has a 4 month old baby. I guess they forgot that she was using the drugs while she was pregnant so her baby obviously isn't her primary concern in life. I hope this whole thing shed some light on her and she will at least become a better mother.

Oh well. It is over and I never have to deal with her again (I hope).

Here are some more pictures of Mr Huddy Butt (endorsing Ranch Salad Dressing). He was helping us clean up after dinner one night. I know that he is wearing the same clothes in a lot of these pictures but that is because a lot of them were taken the same days. I promise he has more than 2-3 outfits.

Here is a picture of Hudson dancing with Mommy

And here are a few of Captain Fat Pants running around

Too Much Tequila

2009-02-24T04:58:00.000-08:00

I had to post one more before I left today... Hudson looks like he took one too many shots of Tequila!

More Information

2009-02-24T04:34:00.000-08:00

After my last post I received a lot of emails asking questions about the court martial. I will try to answer as many of them as I can:

Neither Scott nor I did anything wrong.

I am not testifying against a friend or student. I am testifying against a crazy girl at Henderson Hall where I work. She is being charged with multiple offenses such as drug use (while PREGNANT), adultery, unauthorized leave, and defamatory statements about the marine corps and United States Government. I am testifying about the defamatory remarks.

I hope this clears up some of the questions. The prosecuting lawyer has been very kind and helpful and is going to give me a tour of the court house and show me the room where part of Men of Honor was filmed. I asked him if I could bring snack and he said only if I bring enough to share with him...

So on a lighter note... here are some precious pictures of Hudson reading one of the books that his great grandparents sent him for Valentine's day.

Hopefully I will have some time this evening to post more of the pictures that I haven't had time to post.

The trial starts today at 1300 but my testimony isn't until tomorrow (hopefully in the morning). Scott is going to stay home with Hudson tomorrow. It will be his first time spending a whole day alone with Hudson so keep your fingers crossed for them too!

Court Martial

2009-02-23T10:49:00.000-08:00

This week is going to be a crazy week for me. I DO have more videos and pictures to post but it might be a few days. I have to testify in a court martial that starts tomorrow so by the time I get home, all I am going to want to do is cuddle with my little baby bear. Hopefully I won't be needed past Wednesday but it all depends on if they judge dismisses me after my testimony. Keep your fingers crossed that everything goes well and that the military judicial system serves its purpose.

Almost 1 year!

2009-02-18T14:29:00.000-08:00

The other day we received a package from our good friends Mike and Amanda. Yes I know my brother and sister in law are also named Mike and Amanda but they are in fact a different couple all together...

The box was in place of their presence for Hudson's first birthday celebration. It consisted of balloon/lollipop looking items with a picture of each of them (and their adorably precious daughter Avery). The note said that since they cannot attend the festivities, they want us to hang up the pictures so they can be there in spirit. Once we opened the package, Hudson immediately wanted to play with the picture balloon/lollipop of Avery.

And some more playing...

And this is what happened when we explained to Hudson that Avery was not coming to his party...

So dear Avery, I am afraid you have broken my poor son's heart. You must find a way to make it up to him before the wound becomes permanent.

Dog vs Baby (Part 2)

2009-02-15T13:44:00.000-08:00

Many of you saw the video on YouTube of Hudson and Barkley fighting each other through the baby gate, so now we have part two where they are fighting (not through the baby gate but on the living room floor) over an empty Mt Dew bottle. For those of you who have not yet seen Dog vs Baby (part 1), I have included it below as well.

Temper Tantrums

2009-02-15T13:06:00.000-08:00

Temper Tantrums are no longer few and far between in our home! Yesterday Hudson was playing with a baseball toy (actually playing with it instead of picking it up and slamming it on the ground) and I wanted to get a video of it to send to our friends who gave him the toy. Once I pulled out the video camera, he was no longer interested in the toy. He wanted the camera and when I didn't give him the camera, he made it quite clear that he was not happy with me.

Walking Man

2009-02-11T04:51:00.000-08:00

It's official. Hudson now prefers walking as his primary mode of transportation. Even when he falls down, he gets right back up and walks away. Sometimes he will still crawl but more often than not he is walking!

It seems like it was just yesterday that I was so excited that he had rolled over. He is growing up way too fast. Hudson turned 11 months this week. 11 MONTHS! That's almost a year. I can't believe how quickly it is all happening. Everyone tells you that time goes by so fast when you have a baby but you never really believe it until it happens to you.

Hudson really has turned into such a little man. He has so much personality that he cracks me up. He throws little temper tantrums when he doesn't get what he wants; he walks around making funny little noises; when Scott and I are laughing, Hudson starts laughing even though he has no clue why we are laughing. He brightens my life every single moment I am around him (even when he is teething and wakes up 5 times a night).

Here are some recent videos so you can see the preciousness that I see every day!

Daddy and his Baby

2009-01-31T12:30:00.000-08:00

Up until a few months ago, the only way to get Hudson to fall asleep was for me to feed him until he fell asleep in my arms. As he has become more and more independent, this happens less and less. When we put him down to sleep, he usually watches us walk out of the room and waits for one more "Good Night Hudson" before he lays his head down and drifts off to sleep.

Needless to say, both Scott and I miss the feeling of holding a sleeping baby in our arms. Today, while I was at work, bitching about being at work, Scott got to feel this joy once again. He was sitting at the computer holding his little buddy when he all of a sudden looked down and Baby Hudson was asleep in his arms.

Isn't this just about the most precious thing you ever have seen? I am jealous that Hudson chose Scott's arm instead of mine but I am sure my day will come again!

Back to Working Weekends

2009-01-31T06:45:00.000-08:00

Today is the first day of the Spring Semester where I work which means I go back to working the "occasional" weekend. This give Scott and Hudson some alone time without Mommy (who Hudson seems to be clinging to more and more these days).

Normally working the "occasional" weekend isn't that big of a deal but the genius (my boss) who made the schedule for this semester scheduled 5 class weekends over a period of 6 weeks. I am not the only person upset by this- many of my students have voiced their concerns about not having time to complete 3-4 chapters worth of homework in 1 week PLUS working AND taking care of their families. It really has created more of a mess than the genius originally thought.

When my boss came into the office yesterday I decided to bring it to his attention that maybe we should rethink the schedule. I didn't want to throw any of the students under the bus right away so I said it was because I would be working an ungodly amount of days straight. His solution was that I take a few days off mid week a few times. That is all fine and dandy but we pay for day care- if we don't use day care, we still pay for it. Plus Scott would still be at work so I'd only be able to spend time with Hudson and not my whole family.

I then told my boss that some (almost all) of the students have voiced their concern and disdain about the schedule and that maybe we should take them into consideration. He said "tough for them". Tough for them? WTF? They are the ones paying an obscene amount of money to take these classes so it is my opinion that we should cater to them just a little bit instead of saying "tough for them". The reason why there are so many classes in such a short time is because that is how it worked out best for the boss.

How do you deal with a boss who is only concerned with himself and not his employees or the students? Do you think I'd get fired if I decided to just not show up on some of these weekends? Would getting fired be worth being able to spend more time with my son and husband? Too many questions for so early in the morning...

Ms Fabiola's Family Day Care

2009-01-28T09:51:00.000-08:00

Anyone who has talked to me about day care knows that we absolutely LOVE Ms Fabiola and would have her live with us in a heartbeat if she didn't already have her own family that she needs to take care of. Every time I tell people how much we love Hudson's day care they seem surprised- or they automatically think I am about to tell a negative story the second I bring up day care. Maybe most day cares are slummy, roach infested, child neglecting centers but Ms Fabiola's home day care is FAR from this stereotype.

Ms. Fabiola's day care is a 2 woman (Ms Fabiola and her sister Ms Golda) operation run out of the basement of Ms Fabiola's home. There is a common room, a baby nursery (no they do not leave the babies in the cribs all day long), and a private bathroom. It is always very clean and lively, and no matter what time I pick Hudson up, they are always tending to him like he is their own child. The second week Hudson was there, he had a diaper explosion and they called me to ask if it was ok to give him a bath. On days when I keep Hudson home, they call to make sure he is ok and even when I call to say he is sick, they call back a few hours later to check on him. That is true love and concern right there people. Below is a picture of Ms Fabiola, Hudson, and Ms Golda right before Christmas.

Just when I thought it was impossible to love Ms Fabiola and Ms Golda anymore, their mom sent Hudson a handmade sweater. Their mom lives in Bolivia and makes children's clothes for a living. Ms Fabiola told me that she tells her mom about Hudson so her mom made him a sweater.

Hudson was not happy about his kisses from Barkley....So he tried to escape...

But don't worry, he came back for more pictures...

So the moral of this blog post is that not all day cares are horrible places. We have been absolutely blessed to have been able to send Hudson to Ms Fabiola's Family Day Care and have fallen in love with Ms Fabiola, Ms Golda, and their families. We hope that all our family and friends will get to meet them at Hudson's first birthday bash!

The Plague

2009-01-26T09:55:00.000-08:00

This weekend the plague entered out home. We had to call Grandma Kathi to come down from Pennsylvania to make sure we were all taken care of. I have a few new pictures of Hudson to post and I will do so as soon as the deathly virus has left our bodies.

The Miracle of Toilet Paper

2009-01-22T13:22:00.000-08:00

As I said before, I have been sick the past few days. This afternoon when I checked my email, expecting the usual junk that I normally receive, I had a funny email with the subject THE MIRACLE OF TOILET PAPER and I wanted to share it:

Fresh from my shower, I stand in front of the mirror complaining to my husband that my breasts are too small. Instead of characteristically telling me it's not so, he uncharacteristically comes up with a suggestion. 'If you want your breasts to grow, then every day take a piece of toilet paper and rub it between them for a few seconds'. Willing to try anything, I fetch a piece of toilet paper and stand in front of the mirror, rubbing it between my breasts. How long will this take?' I asked. 'They will grow larger over a period of years,' my husband replies. I stopped. Do you really think rubbing a piece of toilet paper between my breasts every day will make my breasts larger over the years?' Without missing a beat he says, 'Worked for your butt, didn't it?' He's still alive, and with a great deal of therapy, he may even walk again, although he will probably continue to take his meals through a straw. Stupid, stupid man...

Accidents Happen

2009-01-22T09:05:00.000-08:00

For the most part we have been relatively lucky that Hudson hasn't had too many accidents. He had his first 'big' one at day care a couple months ago when one of the other kids pushed him over when he pulled himself up on something. He only had a couple of scratches on his forehead and nose and from what I understand, he didn't even really cry about it (tough little guy).

Well, this is all changing VERY quickly. Our little man has become quite the dare devil in his first attempts at walking. He will throw himself from the coffee table to the couch just to get a feel for walking. This thrust causes him to take 2-3 steps depending on how far away the table is from the couch.

This weekend I was sick and left Scott in charge of watching over the little man. I spent most of the weekend on the couch in my PJ's watching VERY old episodes of Sabrina the Teenage Witch meanwhile my son was running around under the 'supervision' of Scott.

This poor kid had more accidents in one weekend than he had in the first 10 months of his life! He hit his head on the floor at least 3 times, scratched his chin on the book shelf, almost bit his lip off when he hit his chin on the table, and has multiple bruises on his knees. I was almost afraid to take him to day care on Wednesday out of fear that Fabiola would call child protective services.

When she saw Hudson, she asked what happened and I told her the situation (me sick- dad in charge) and she laughed saying "Accidents Happen". This made me feel better about all the pain and suffering that Hudson had gone through over the weekend. She then proceeded to offer a bit of wisdom (she has 3 of her own and has run her own day care for 11 years) "When kids are small, accidents are small too. You need to worry when they are big because then the accidents are big". This made a lot of sense to me considering I was almost ready to run to the emergency room over a bloody lip...

Snow Day

2009-01-11T05:03:00.000-08:00

This weekend we decided that we wanted to take Hudson to go see snow. Since there is a lack of snow in Alexandria, our closest option was Liberty Mountain at the boarder of Pennsylvania and Maryland. Liberty Mountain consists of a hotel, two ski slopes and a bunch of snow blowers, which was fine for our mission.

As we are getting everything together, we realized that Hudson didn't have any cold weather gear. This is how we ended up dressing out poor little guy: fleece sleeper, 2 sweatshirts, waterproof jacket, fleece pants, the most water resistant pants we had, and two pairs of baby booties. We did have a baby snow suit but is was way too small on him and he looked absolutely pathetic wearing it.

So we pack up and drive 1 1/2 hours up to Liberty Mountain "Resort". We get there (not knowing at the time how small it was) and it is FREEZING! I didn't realize how cold fake snow could be. We put on all our layer and proceeded to the "mountain". At most ski resorts, there is usually a small area for children to play, sled, build snow men, etc... Not here. We just stood on the side of the ski lift. Hudson didn't seem to mind because he was absolutely mesmerized by the skiers going by. He kept making "oooh0oooh" noises every time a skier would get close.

Despite the freezing cold and the lack of children's play area, I would say that our trip to see snow was a success. Hudson enjoyed it and we enjoyed watching him enjoy it. Maybe next year we will actually get him a really snow suit and take him somewhere that is more child friendly.

New Year's Resolution

2009-01-08T10:06:00.000-08:00

Every year I tend to make the same resolutions over and over again- get in shape, save more money, blah, blah, blah... This year I have resolved to have a more "connected" 2009. I haven't exactly dropped off the face of the earth or anything but after Hudson was born, the only emails I usually send are those of pictures. Pictures are worth 1000 words and all but I thought that maybe reading about our lives might be just as intriguing as looking at 100's of pictures of the same baby pretty much doing the same things over and over again.

So, here I go. Starting my first blog. I usually make fun of people who have blogs but I now find myself caving to the convenience of a site which can be accessed by multiple people instead of writing emails over and over again.

This is a work in progress. I have not figured out all the features of this site and I am not sure I have the patience to do it but I will try.

I wish you all a Happy New Year!