Frustrated

Today was not one of my better days. It started out great. I took my neighbor Katie and her daughter to a Party store to look for decorations/invitations to her baby shower. I asked her if I could throw her one since she just moved here and doesnt really know anyone. They're an adorable little family with a 2 year old daughter named Madalyn and Katie is pregnant with another girl due in March.

After the party store, we came home to get Alex (he went down for a nap right before we left so I left him with Daddy) with the intention of leaving relatively soon and meeting up with a bunch of the neighborhood girls at the mall so the kids could ride the Christmas train.

Once Alex was ready and we were preparing to leave, I stopped to help Janal put the cover back on Ronan's carseat which I'd promised to do since she wanted to wash it. As I was doing that, Josh came outside to tell me that he was going wake-boarding with a friend and he asked me to put sunscreen on his back. Since I hate the way my rings slip and slide when I have lotion on my hands, I took my rings off and set them on the small table outside our door intending to put them right back on after using the sunscreen. Instead, I walked across the porch to grab a wet wipe to clean my hands and was distracted enough to forget the rings and take Alex to the car to leave. Before pulling away, I realized I wasnt wearing them and ran back up to the porch to get them but they were GONE!!!! 

There were quite a few of us outside when I set them on the table and I think perhaps one of the kids picked them up and then dropped them somewhere once they lost interest in them. I certainly hate to think any alternative. Everyone helped us searched EVERYWHERE we thought they could possibly be. We tore up the grass, we ruined the shrubbery. I finally decided to go to the mall like we'd planned and on the way home stopped to rent a metal detector from a retired Navy gentleman who is coming out tomorrow at 8am to search again since we had no luck with the one I rented.

I've felt sick to my stomach all day about it. Well, that and some other issues a few of you may know about. It's just one of those days that forces me to be thankful that it's a material item that's missing and not my son. Things can always be worse, right? My poor husband is pretty upset about having to pay thousands more dollars on something we don't even have anymore but he's not taking it out on me. He has been really sweet in spite of the fact that I know he's really frustrated. That's how I know I picked the right guy. =o)

Here is a shot of the kids waiting in line for the train. Cute as buttons, aren't they? That's Madalyn standing up and you should already know Liam and Ronan. Tyler is the one with the huge smile in the brown shirt. He's Amy's son and he's 5. The cutie in the yellow shirt is Jolene's son, Ryan.

Amy brought over some train toys that Tyler doesnt play with anymore and they're adorable. Josh and I thought about buying Alex some train stuff but it's so expensive I decided we would wait. Alex loves it tho. Now we just need a train table to put it on.



I guess I'll do the responsible wife thing and clean up the kitchen before I crash.

New Years Eve, tomorrow!!!! What's your New Years Resolution going to be?

Christmas

Ahhhh...Christmas.

I love it. There is something purely emotional about this holiday. Or maybe it's because I've been away from someone I love the last few Christmases. This year I know without a doubt that I am where I need to be and truly, where I want to be, but still...I really miss my family.

Similarly to the way I feel when I hear beautiful music, Christmas music and decorations never fail to improve my mood. And it never hurts to hear Alex say "ooooohh preeby" every time he sees the tree.

Josh had to work on Christmas night but we had a great day overall. I made french toast for breakfast. Then we drank coffee and helped Alex open all his presents. You should have heard this kid. "CAAARS!!! Mommy!! CAAARS!!!! Ayrpane!!! He-y-cotter!! MomMom!!" Who can help but get him a zillion toys??

I ate WAAAY too much. I made a glazed ham, gr bean casserole and an apple pie. It was all super delicious if I do say so myself. Josh was equally impressed especially since it was the first time I ever made an apple pie and it tasted great!! Consistancy, not so amazing, but hey! We like apple soup.

Our neighborhood has been dealing with an epidemic in the last 9 or 10 days. I believe it started with our house. After hearing him scream "MOMMY!" for 5 minutes I went to get Alex out of bed the Saturday before Christmas and there was vomit everywhere!! His diaper was equally as disgusting and we spent the entire day dealing with both those issues. Poor nugget. He was SO sad. I could just tell he hurt. And he was so thirsty so he kept asking "Wawer? Peas, Mommy? Mulk?" and of course, everytime he drank, he threw it back up. We finally took him to the ER around 5 because although I didn't think he was dehydrated yet, I knew he would be if it continued. We got some Zofran to go and after one last extra large stomach dump on Daddy (when he was trying to put Alex to bed), he woke up the next morning and hasnt thrown up since. He did continue to have the other issue for a few days following and just 2 days ago found his appetite.

The only nap he took that day was on the floor next to Daddy. Lucky parents that we are, we got the same dreaded disease the Monday following. Rough day, if I do say so myself. And Josh had to work that night.  I do not wish that bug on ANYone. (shudder)
Other than that, things havent been very exciting around here. We did buy Alex two (yes, I said 2) ride-on cars for Christmas. I wanted one that I found online but shipping to Hawaii is REDICULOUS so I ordered Lightening McQueen from AAFES and while waiting for it to arrive, I found a Blue Angels Ride-on car on Craigslist so I HAD to have it. I'm supposed to return the other one when it gets here but we might talk Daddy into letting us keep it since he's too short to reach the pedal on the airplane. He has a blast turning it off and on though. And 'firing' the guns and turning the lights on and off.

 

I miss everyone even more than I can explain right now. I hope next year we get to come home like we plan to. As long as he doesn't deploy over Christmas, we plan on returning to the mainland for approx 3 weeks next December/Jan.

I love you guys. Every single one of you.

Dog Beach

I don't know that it's actually called that. But it's how we refer to it. Josh and I have decided to try and take the dogs at least once every time he's on break from work. They love it there. Alex is getting braver but it's still takes a little coaxing to get him to venture out into the water. The dogs, on the other hand, wade right in and start swimming.

I am actually surprised at how much they enjoy it. I thought Warner might like it but I never expected Roxie to. She seems to like it more than he does. Here is a video clip of them swimming out to me. There's a sandbar that goes out pretty far once you walk through several yards of 10 inch water.

Tuesday was Josh's birthday. I made him cupcakes and we had the neighbor boys over to fly those little paper airplanes for a bit before he had to go to work. It was fun. Really low key and we didn't even buy him any presents this year but he's getting some work-out stuff that he wants instead. I think next year I'll make sure Alex has something to give him. Mostly because after Christmas, he's going to understand the whole gift thing more than he would now.

Did I mention that Alex likes the dog crate? The dogs, on the other hand, would prefer not to be in it when the door is closed, but Alex thinks it's cool. And of course, he wants the dogs in it with him.

 I wasn't going to dress up Alex for Halloween but Janal had an old costume that fit him and Josh was working and we were bored. The above picture was taken after he'd been running around with candy for an hour. He was cheesing in Ronan's Spiderman hat. My comedian.

I love this picture of all the boys. Josh was on patrol so he drove by us several times while we were out walking. Alex really did have a lot of fun once he realized the point of the game. Stick the bucket out towards people and they put candy in it? Who wouldn't want to participate in something like that? =o)

Well I suppose I'll go work on dinner.
Anybody want to come over?
xoxo

"Ay Ya Yoo, Mammy"

(This was from last week...when I REALLY meant to post but got sidetracked)

Best words ever spoken. I tell him I love him all the time. Before he naps or goes to bed I always hold him for a few minutes and sing or hum a song and then rub his hair and kiss his nose and say "I love you" at least 14 times before laying him down. The other day he beat me to it and as I was kissing his nose he said "ay ya yoo mammy". I think I almost cried. Yea, it's that big of a deal.

Some days I get frustrated at the lack of attention I've paid to things that I feel I should have done. (IE laundry, dishes etc) I know I only have one baby and I think sometimes it makes me feel like I'm not good at prioritizing because there are literally days when I do NOTHING about the way the house looks because I'm playing with Alex or I just can't stand to be indoors when it's so pretty outside 24/7. Anyway, I look at people like Janal or Rachel and think "if they can do this with THREE kids, then why can't I do it with one???". But then he kisses me...or brings me a flower...or says "ay ya yoo" and I don't care how many dirty dishes there are in the kitchen and I don't mind the pile of laundry waiting to be folded because I know that before I can blink, Alex is going to be "too big" for all this lovey stuff.

I Should Be Punished

I promised myself I would write in this more often and here I am... a little less than a month since the last update. Ooops.

Well, we still don't have our furniture. We did get the things we'd shipped from Lajes (The Azores) so at least we have a crib and high chair and some kitchen stuff. This loaner furniture is really uncomfortable, though. I think they do that on purpose so you don't try to steal it. Although I would think the print of the fabric would keep that from happening.

So, what's new? Not much. Alex is growing like a weed. I've already given some of his clothes to the neighbors and I'm going to have to get rid of quite a few more items pretty soon. He loooooooves to wear shoes and pretty much insists on having something on his feet all the time. He loves having the dogs around. He can say "bob" but saying Roxie's name is a little harder.

I bet you're thinking you want to come visit me now, aren't you? Yea...it really is THAT pretty. Even better in person. This beach is on part of the island owned by Bellows Air Force Station. They actually have cabins and things that you can rent. All along the beach there are these trees that just make you want to put up a hammock.

We've been spending a lot of time with our neighbors and their kids. Tomorrow we have a "mexican food" night planned. I'm making Andrea's Garnachas and some yummy Guac and Janal is making Quesadillas. I think Jeanna is making Enchiladas. I'm sooo hungry just thinking about it. You want to come, too?

I finally took a  couple videos of the house. It's empty but at least you can see the layout. 

Josh just started working swing shift which SUCKS. He'll be on a 6 on 3 off schedule until he goes to the kennels. That date depends on when someone leaves and frees up a dog. So for now he's working 8 to 10 hour shifts. Blech.

Alex and I went to the Aquarium with Janal and Bender and their kids. He thought it was pretty fantastic.



Ahhh...my boys.

 

Touchdown!!!



Well I have to go. Unfortunately, Ronan (the 19mo old in the middle of the above pic) was just admitted to the ER for severe dehydration. He's already underweight and has been throwing up for about 3 days now. Janal took him to the clinic and they took him in an ambulance to the main hospital. Josh is at work but Bender and Liam are at home so I will probably take them to the hospital here shortly. Keep them in your prayers if you think about it.

Love you guys!!

See you soon??