3.25.2013

Mini Me

When Charlotte was born, she looked so much like Joe. Naturally I thought she'd continue to look more and more like him as she got older. Even though she definitely got Daddy's hair, she's really starting to look more like me. Which I think is kind of awesome. Just sayin'. Sometimes I'll post a picture on FB and my mom will tell me later that I used to make that face when I was little. You gotta admit...that's pretty neat!

Mom says I did this a lot as a kid. 
And I think that's the cutest face ever!

I don't have a bunch of pictures of me as a baby/toddler/kid. My mom and Nana have 90% of them stuffed in photo albums in their closets. So when my [bio] dad sent me a disk with all the photos he had of me as a baby, I was super excited! I rediscovered the disk after Charlotte was born and occasionally I go through it and compare the two of us. Today, I found these gems:


I'm sure you can tell that I'm on the left and my blonde baby is on the right. Except for the different hair color and my extra chub...holy cow! {Pun not intended.} I love that we even have some of the same facial expressions. I see a lot of her daddy in her facial expressions, so this was cool! I think we're about the same ages in the pictures, but I'm not 100% certain.

Although she looks a teensy bit like Daddy in this one, you can still definitely tell she's my girl!


I love having a "mini me!" =)

3.22.2013

Ridiculous Pinterest

Happy Friday, y'all!


We're going to be busy getting into the house on post today, so I figured I'd share a little ridiculousness brought to you by Pinterest today. Enjoy!

Source: imgfave.com via Sarah on Pinterest


Here's my problem with this one: I had a birthmark that resembled a strawberry on my left thigh before it got removed. You're telling me that in my potential past life something killed me there? *eye roll* Can we please stop making ridiculousness up now? Thanks.



The caption under this one says, "Good to know for the next power outage: 1/4 Mt Dew in bottle, add tiny bit of baking soda and 3 capfuls of hydrogen peroxide. Shake and it glows." While helpful, this kinda, sorta, in a way makes me never ever want to drink Mt Dew again. Not that I do it that often anyway, but still. Yikes.



I think I saved the best for last. I about died when I saw this. The "Detangler Brush." Call me crazy, but I thought that's what ALL BRUSHES do. I mean, when I brush my hair with a regular brush, that's kinda what I expect it to do - detangle my hair. Am I the only one who doesn't understand this? Does this fancy, "Michel Merrier Professional Detangler Brush" have some sort of magical ingredient or power that I'm unaware of? Please, dear pinners and readers, enlighten me.

Have you found anything ridiculous on Pinterest lately?

3.21.2013

Where We're At

So I guess there are a lot of things going on that I haven't talked about... I realized this when a couple different people on Twitter asked me things about our move/current situation. I hope you're ready for an onslaught of info, because here we go! ;-)

We've been in a hotel on post for just a little over a week. As of tomorrow, we're staying on our own dime because the Army will only reimburse you for 10 days here. That's right, reimburse. We have outed the money for our entire stay here, unlike Hawaii where they pre-pay for you so you don't end up in the hole. Whatever. I'm not bitter or anything. Anyway. What was I saying? Right. 10 days.

First of all, who the heck can find a place to live in 10 days...WITHOUT A CAR?! I swear, the military has a sick sense of humor. Or they just want to snag all your BAH by forcing you into a house on post. Which is exactly where we're headed on Friday.

They sucked us in. Really, we have no better option. We don't have a car. We can't afford to stay in a hotel until our car gets here in April {yes, April, even though we shipped it in February} and we can actively look for a house. Also, we're really hoping to buy a house here. Lord knows that doesn't happen in a week or less. 

The house we're temporarily moving into? Tiny. Like our-bed-wouldn't-even-fit-in-the-master-bedroom tiny. Not even kidding. I think the only reason they consider it a master bedroom is because it has a bathroom attached. The second bathroom upstairs is bigger than the master bath! What?! The kitchen is literally half the size of our last one. As is the living room. The only bonus to this house is the extra bedroom (it has 3) and bathrooms. I think the people the Army hired to build housing for them 10+ years ago were smoking crack. Our house in Hawaii had one bathroom, which was fitting of a hotel room - and not a nice one. {It wasn't terrible. It was just small.} This house has a "master bedroom" the size of most people's guest bedrooms. I don't even know...

Just so you can see the ridiculousness for yourself. =P

Needless to say all this has reinforced our wish to live off post. Because good gravy, I think I'd go crazy there! I also caught a quick glance of our new, yet temporary, neighbors. Let's just say I don't think I'll be making many friends in the new neighborhood... ::shudder:: {Side note: Our super sweet neighbors in Hawaii ended up with crappy neighbors in our old house. Win some, lose some, I guess!}

Even though we are no longer "homeless," we're still carless and stuff-less. We will be getting our unaccompanied baggage Friday, but... Let's face it. All I'm getting are pots and pans, an air mattress, sheets, blankets, towels, a TV the size of a computer monitor, and some toys for Charlotte. That's not much. I mean, call me picky or needy, but furniture would be fantastic. Even just a futon to sit on while I squint at the TV! Is that really asking for so much? I think not. {Just FYI, our household goods won't even be here until the end of April.}

Oh, the many, many joys of military life. *sigh*

P.S. Totally spaced on Wednesday Walkabout because of the house-viewing thing. Whoopsies! I'll try to do better next time.

3.18.2013

A Year of Breastfeeding - We Made It!

While we haven't quite reached a year yet, her birthday is only 10 days away (*sniff*) so I feel pretty confident we'll make it. =)

First, I'm just gonna say that it kinda, sorta, in a way makes me feel like supermom for breastfeeding for a year. My body has made every single drop of milk she's had since she was born. Awesome, right?! I think so. I'm not one of those who necessarily thinks formula is evil, but I still feel awesome saying that she's never had a single drop of it!

And now I'm going to tell you that it hasn't been a picnic. Breastfeeding was a breeze...until my milk came in. That's pretty much when the real trouble started. Big boobies full of milk + tiny baby = many problems. I had a terrible case of cracked nipples. It took them almost 2 months to heal. {I'm not exaggerating, either.} She had a hard time latching - and staying latched. She was so, so tiny, and her mouth was even tinier. It's really a wonder she could latch at all! As soon as she'd get latched and going good, she'd pass out. Which is fine and all, but 10 minutes does not count as a full feeding! So we'd wake her up and try again. *sigh* And somewhere around the second week, she decided she wanted to suck her hand, too. So I'd try to get her latched and she'd shove her hand in there! Frust.rating.

And that was just the first few weeks, which, you know, also includes 2-3 hours of sleep at a time. Rough/feedings, cracked nipples, no sleep? Oh, so much fun. {You can read more about our early breastfeeding days here.}

For a while there after my nipples healed, I felt fantastic. I wasn't panicky every time she wanted/needed to be fed. I figured out how to deal with her attempt at "double dipping" hand and mommy. I even sorta, kinda adjusted to no sleep. Then we were slapped with reflux.

I really should've caught on before she was 3 months old that something was up. She was spitting up all the time, soaking numerous burp cloths a day. I washed more of those during the first 4 months of her life than anything else! It wasn't unusual to see spit up stains on the couch or pillows. I even got to the point where I'd stop changing clothes every time she spit up on me because I didn't have enough clothes to change into! But I never thought about the possibility of reflux until she started refusing to nurse. Total, complete refusal of the breast. Or, she'd nurse for a couple minutes and then cry and arch her back. After 2 days of little-to-no nursing, I called and set up an appointment with her doctor. We were given Zantac and sent home. A week later, my happy baby was back! I couldn't tell you the last time she soaked a burp cloth...or the last time I used one while burping her. =) After that, things were pretty much a cinch for us for a while, at least as far as feedings were concerned. 

At one point, her doctor became concerned about her weight gain/my milk supply. I was appalled when she tried to force formula on me. She didn't even suggest speaking to a Lactation Consultant! I wouldn't let her give me any, though, and we eventually ended up switching her provider. I did call a Lactation Consultant, decided to stop taking the pill, and also started a Fenugreek regimen. I don't remember if this helped her gain weight, but it did help my supply! I did supplement her with expressed breastmilk for a few days, but found that it made her less likely to nurse. I wanted to protect our breastfeeding, so I nixed it. She was much happier with mama in the end, anyway. 

Fast forward 5 months, to the Nursing Strike of December 2012. =P I'm still not exactly sure what caused it, but I do think it was something my body did. I went to the commissary one morning, came back and attempted to nurse her. The strangest thing ever happened - my milk didn't let down. I was confused, but thought it was a fluke. This continued for the rest of the day and into the next day. I put in a call to the same LC and decided to start up on Fenugreek again to see if it would help. By this point, I couldn't even try to get Charlotte to take a bottle. She'd only had them a few times, and by 8/9 months, if you haven't kept it up, it ain't happenin. So she was getting nothing. I called everyone in a panic, seems like. =P After some good advice from my SIL, I decided to scale back her solids a bit and focus on nursing. I also started nursing her in our bed, lights off, fan on (to block outside noise). Within two weeks, things were back to normal. Whew! Even this far into our breastfeeding journey, she'll still refuse to nurse. Nothing like the Nursing Strike, but she will do it. I figure it's mostly because she's too busy to nurse. Too much to see! To much to do! So much to explore! She's very much a busybody. 

Despite all of the struggles we've had, I have thoroughly enjoyed breastfeeding Charlotte. It is tough, but it's also sweet.


Newborn Charlotte, passed out nursing. Sweetest thing in the world.

Gotta love the milk drunk face!!

This is when she started putting her hands and arms over her head while nursing. :)

Hehe. Seriously, isn't that the cutest?!
She wasn't asleep here, just closed her eyes because, gosh, life is hard, mama. 

This is when we started doing the side-lying thing.
No clue why I never did it before!

The hand gently laying there? Oh, sweetness.

And look at that sweet face!!

This is my favorite photo of her nursing!

I wish I had more recent photos of us breastfeeding... She'd grab my phone and stop nursing these days. So I guess I'll just stick with nursing while getting slapped, poked in the eyes, mouth, and nose, and getting my hair yanked. Yeah, that sounds good. ;-)


Yeah, breastfeeding may be tough, but it's totally worth it. If not for the sweet snuggles (though those are few and far between these days!), the health benefits are definitely worth it! And I'm not planning on stopping anytime soon. I know a lot of mamas will wean their babies at 1 year, but... I don't think we're ready yet. She still nurses 2-5 times a day. It's good for her and I think it's something we both enjoy. I enjoy the snuggles and she enjoys the milk (and putting her hands all over my face). I don't know when we'll stop, but I know it'll be when she's ready. Joe and I are both okay with that, so here comes year #2 of our breastfeeding journey - nursing a toddler!


3.15.2013

Ridiculous Pinterest


So, only a couple findings this week. Not quite as ridiculous at last week's {I mean, really? A goldfish bra?! Still can't get over that one...}, but here they are. Enjoy. :)



A lightbulb water garden... Right, because I want to take the time to empty lightbulbs, put water and seeds in them, and then string them up to look all pretty. I'd rather have a real garden, thanks. 



A bathroom/library. Ok. Hear me out on this one. I love books. I love reading. But this just looks like someone slapped a toilet and bathtub right in the middle of a public library! I want my bathroom to be a little more practical, inviting and relaxing than that, thanks. A few shelves on the wall filled with books? Sure. A wall of books? I don't think so.

And because I laugh {while also cringing} every time I watch this commercial, I just have to share. You'll thank me after you watch. ;-)



I really thought this was a commercial for a new So You Think You Can Dance-type show the first time I saw it. LOL!!!

Happy Friday, ya'll! 
Do you have any ridiculous Pinterest finds?

3.14.2013

A Last Hurrah

On Saturday, our last full day in Hawaii, we decided to take one last trip to the beach. We had planned to go the weekend before, but we were so busy packing and doing last minute things around the house that it just didn't happen. And this worked out well for us, anyway, despite the fact that it took forever for us to get there. {Definitely don't miss the traffic!}


I really wish we'd had more time to spend there hanging out. But with all our beach stuff packed with the rest of the house, it probably wouldn't have been a good idea anyway. No umbrella + lots of sun = 3 potentially sunburned whities. =P That said, I'm still glad we were able to go one last time. There were a lot of things about Hawaii that I didn't like, but the beaches weren't one of them!


We were both super excited that we got to see a couple sea turtles, too! This one guy was parked out on the beach, just relaxing. I know they don't really have facial expressions, but I felt like he looked so tired. Haha! Joe was especially thrilled to see one on our last trip - he had really been hoping to, but it's always hit-and-miss. Naturally, I took photos. Please note the shaka in the last pic. He's been all about the shaka since we moved to Hawaii. =)


Of course we had to take some time to get pics with Charlotte - our favorite Hawaiian souvenir! ;-) She doesn't quite look like it, though, does she? Haha! Poor bean got her mama's whitey-white skin. We also put her feet in the water, just to see how she'd react this time. She wasn't impressed. In her defense, the water was a little chilly. She did seem to enjoy the feel of the sand between her toes, though!



There aren't many things I'll miss about Hawaii, but being 20ish minutes from the beach will definitely be one of them!

3.13.2013

Wednesday Walkabout #28


Sorry for the delay... Jet lag is kicking my toosh!


Welcome to the another week of Wednesday Walkabout! Thank you so much for hanging out with us, linking up, and reading new blogs.  =)





A little info about the Walkabout:

This is a weekly linky party with myself and 3 other co-hosts. The idea? Just put your URL in the linky (it can be a specific post or your "homepage"- whichever you prefer), visit a few other blogs, and possibly make some new friends. Easy peasy, right?!

Oh, and you only have to link up with ONE of the co-hosts. =) 

There are just a few quick rules we've set for the linky party...

1. Please follow at least ONE hostess, and let us know you're a new follower and how you follow!

Sarah - G.I. Joe's Wife (That's me!)
Chantal - Scattered Seashells 
Jane - Taingamala 
Jamie - Handling With Grace

This week's Mystery Host is.... Heather from Here to There!  Go check her out!

2. Try to visit 3-4 blogs that interest you. Take some time and let them know where you came from.

3. Grab the button from my sidebar and spread the word! (Not required, but just cool if you do.) The more, the merrier.

Thanks for stopping by! Happy blog-hopping!






3.12.2013

PCS 2013, Part 3: Crossing the Pacific

The number 1 thing I hated about living in Hawaii was the journey it took to get off the island and somewhere on the mainland. Even California is a 4-5 hour plane ride. When we went home for Christmas last year, it was pretty much a nightmare with Charlotte. Being out past her bedtime, being in a whole new environment, and surrounded by a ton of strangers proved to be a recipe for disaster. Naturally, I was dreading this part of our PCS.

Since the Army pays for a seat for kids {hallelujah!}, we took Charlotte's carseat. Girl does fantastic on car rides, so we decided to take her seat with us. Besides, it really couldn't hurt. For the most part, having her carseat really helped.

Of course, having Bunny helped, too. =)

She was pretty upset for the first part of the flight to Atlanta {an 8hr flight, by the way}. She was so upset, in fact, that she wouldn't even nurse for comfort. Pretty sure she was outside-of-her-mind tired. She'd only had 1 nap and nap #2 should've been an hour before takeoff. Fun. Anyways, I ended up draping a blanket over her seat and she cried herself to sleep. I hated it {and I'm sure everyone around us did, too}, but after that she slept for about 3 hours. I nursed her after she woke up and she stayed up for about an hour...maybe hour and a half. She fussed on and off after I put her back in the carseat. I was so tired, though, so I didn't have the energy to fight with her. I closed my eyes, pretending to be asleep, hoping she'd get the hint. I guess she did because the next time I woke up, she was out!

In all, I think Joe and I got about 2 hours of sleep the whole stinkin' flight. Maybe we got more, but I doubt it. We had barely an hour layover in Atlanta - just enough time to change terminals and grab a quick breakfast. Our flight out here was barely 30 mins. =P I was glad because we'd spend the whole night flying, but it felt weird to be in a plane for only 30 mins. Haha! So, after about 10 hours of flying/traveling, we finally made it! Georgia. The mainland. The South. Home.

All the stuff we traveled with, minus the pack n play which almost got left behind.
4 suitcases, 3 carry-ons, stroller, carseat and carseat base.
3 humans, all sleep-deprived. =P

 Getting to our hotel on post was quite an ordeal... But suffice it to say we made it! This place has a separate living room and bedroom - YAY! Charlotte is sleeping in the living room which makes life a lot easier. I'm not constantly living in fear of waking her, haha! I honestly don't know how anyone shares a room - or bed! - with their kids. I'd never sleep well...or do anything else. ;-)

We're adjusting to the 6 hr time difference pretty well. Yesterday was rough; all 3 of us ended up taking a nap, and Charlotte had a hard time settling down for the night. She woke up at 10:30, I nursed her and put her back to bed...and then she cried on and off for like an hour. And all 3 of us slept until about 7:30 this morning. I actually had to wake Charlotte up!

Despite being homeless and carless, I think we're doing pretty well. I'm praying our car gets here soon so we don't have to keep relying on the stupid post shuttle to get groceries and dinner. And maybe, just maybe, we'll get a house soon, too!

Long story short - we made it. It's so good to be back on the mainland! {Though, I gotta admit I miss Hawaii's weather!}


3.11.2013

My Baby...11 Months...

How can it be?

How can her birthday be this month? How is it possible that this time last year I was busy putting the finishing touches on her nursery and now she will be one year old soon?!

I know every mom says it - and I say it all the time - but I just can't believe it's possible. I still feel like she should be like 3 months old or something. I just don't know how my baby went from this:


...to this so quickly:


I'm loving all the new things she's saying/doing, but gosh! It's hard to see her grow so fast!

She hasn't started walking yet {thank goodness}, but she's crawling like crazy and pulling up on everything. Just a couple weeks ago she started randomly standing up on her own in the middle of the floor - no support at all. Interestingly enough, she only does this in the afternoon/evening. And always in the middle of the floor. A couple of times, she did it in the bathtub, which totally freaked me out. 


Mobile babies are very hard to photograph. Especially solo.


It does make for some cute pics, though! =)

The only things she says that we can understand are "mama" and "dada." She says many, many other things, though. The girl talks almost non-stop. Sometimes she is very serious while she's telling us something. If only I knew what she was saying! Occasionally, she'll say something that sounds very much like a word, but I'm still not sure if I'm making it up or she's actually saying it. LOL! The occasional words are: night-night {nigh-nigh}, I don't know {I doh no}, oh {usually followed by babble}, yum, yay, and 'kay. =) She says "no," too, but it usually comes in a stream of babble. 


She is definitely still our "little bean." Everyone everywhere comments on her itty-bitty-ness. I currently have no idea how much she weighs because we haven't been back to the doctor since January. {Even though we were supposed to go back for a check last month. I can't tell you how much I'm OVER doctors telling me she should weigh X amount. She's healthy and she's happy.*sigh*}


She fits into clothes anywhere from 6-12 months. Onesies are mostly 6 months, with some 9 months mixed in. Pants are 6 months. Sleepers are 9 months for the time being. {I have a feeling she'll be in 12 month sleepers fairly soon.} Dresses are 6-9 months. She has a few 12 month shirts that are a little big, but still fit and look cute with pants. And occasionally a 12 month dress will fit/look right. She's pretty much everywhere as far as clothes are concerned. It makes dressing her - and buying clothes for her - interesting! She's in size 3 diapers, although they are a bit big for her. The size 2s are too small, though. *sigh* This girl... ;-)

She loves her bunny and is super-de-duper cute snuggling with it.
Bunny is now a nap/bedtime must-have, and is always good to have in case of emergencies.
{And by "emergencies" I, of course, mean meltdowns. ;-)}

I'm happy to report that her sleep has finally evened out! For a while there we were having horrendous naps. Thankfully, they've gotten better. She still isn't taking 2 hour naps consistently, but I'm starting to think that she just may not be a 2 hour napper. And hey, at least she naps! Most of the time she'll take 2 naps, but sometimes 3. Since we've been in the hotel, it's a bit harder for her to get 3 naps. So far she seems to be doing okay with it. Her nighttime sleep is pretty much the same. Bedtime is 7ish and she sleeps until 7/7:30am. I love my good little sleeper! {And here's hoping my good little sleeper doesn't have a ton of trouble when we get to GA!!}

Typical Charlotte. She's gettin' a bit sassy!

Breastfeeding is still going pretty well! Though she's been a bit of a fussy nurser for the last week, she still clearly wants it. Sometimes just for comfort, though. She'll nurse anywhere from 2-5 times a day. I freak when she only nurses twice, but I try and remind myself some babies wean at a year old...and we're closing in on 1. *sniff* My breastfeeding goal has always been one year, and it's looking like we'll make it! I don't know when we'll stop breastfeeding... Probably whenever she's ready. I have no problem nursing her into toddlerhood. =) {And, for the record, Joe is 100% supportive of this.} I'm pretty sure that's not a normal Babywise mom attribute, but I really love breastfeeding! It's tough and frustrating sometimes, but gosh. It's just so sweet, and I love the bond it's created between us.

Bunny saves the day...and photoshoot! =)

She's doing great with solids, too. She's eating so much more now! I do still give her some purees, just to make sure she gets something in her belly. {About half of what she feeds herself ends up in the floor. *sigh*} After the purees, she usually gets finger foods. Before we got into the hotel, I would usually give her broccoli, potatoes, chicken or ground beef...or some mixture of those. She likes to feed herself! More and more she's battling the spoon, so I figure I don't have much longer to deal with it. I don't mind her feeding herself...but it makes me realize how much she's growing up! I do like that she can eat off my plate when we go out to dinner, though!

My absolute favorite shot from this month's photos!

Through the crankies, the teething, horrible naps and nursing strikes, I sure do love this baby girl. She's brought so much joy into my life, and has helped me through some of the toughest days after losing our second little baby so early. Playing and cuddling with her sure does seem to melt some of the pain away. I'll always be thankful for this girl, and the miracle that she is.


Sweet Bean, I didn't know it was possible, but I love you more and more every day. It's crazy to think that you'll soon be a year old, but I think I'll probably always feel like we just brought you home from the hospital. =) Daddy and I love watching you grow and learn. We love to see you wave "bye-bye," and reach to us when you want to be held. Your kisses are the sweetest! I could always use more of them...even if they are a bit sloppy. I love your jibber-jabber and wish I knew what you were saying all the time! I even love that you're a thumb-sucker. ;-) It's the sweetest thing I've ever seen - especially when you cuddle up with bunny for a nap. Oh, little bean, we love you so! Don't ever forget it!

xoxo,
Mama

3.08.2013

Ridiculous Pinterest

Because sometimes, when  you're pinning stuff....you just think, "what the heck?!"




I don't even have any words to respond to this one...


Source: google.com via Sarah on Pinterest


Someone please tell me why on earth anyone would be caught wearing makeup like this. Unless you're on some NYC runway during fashion week, my guess is it ain't happenin'. ::shudder::




Yes. Because I have time {and patience...and coordination} to do that to my own nails. Right.




I think we've all been there at least once, right? The worst are the ones that require a number, uppercase letter, 8 characters and expires every 3 months {my college email password was like that}. Seriously!? Who can think of that many passwords requiring a ridiculous amount of characters?!


What's the most ridiculous thing you've ever found on Pinterest?
Go link up with JG and share!


Happy Aloha Friday!
{^^^It's my last one in Hawaii! Wahoo!}

3.07.2013

WOAH

If I could choose just one word to describe our moving day this week, that would be it. 

Woah.

Backing up to last Friday, a guy from the moving company came by to evaluate how much stuff they'd need to bring Monday. He was here for a total of 10 mins, I think. We were told that they'd pack us up on Monday and take everything out on Tuesday. 

Cool. Not a problem. That's the way it was the last 2 times we moved.

So then Monday comes around. I'm a big bundle of nerves. When the doorbell rings while I'm making Charlotte's breakfast? I almost had a heart attack. I don't know why, either... 

Anyway, I finally calmed down a bit once they got to doing their packing thing. We basically watched and tried to keep Charlotte happy... Which was quite a task since the whole house had been overtaken by boxes, paper, loud tape dispensers, and strangers touching our stuff. Overall, though, I think she did pretty well.



It wasn't until the guy in the living room started covering furniture with paper that I realized something was different... I kept thinking that none of the movers we had before had done this. They all waited until the second day to worry about furniture. Then around 11, a woman - who I'm assuming is some sort of supervisor - came by to check their progress. This is when we were informed that they'd be packing us up and moving us out...in the same day.

I was SO not prepared for that! I had planned on wiping down all the furniture after they left so that it'd be clean before it got put into crates for the next 1-2 months. Not to mention I was planning on sleeping in my own bed...and Charlotte sleeping in hers...one last night. I was completely shocked. I don't know why, but I was really kind of upset about it. I've been so emotional about everything lately, so I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. It was just something else I wasn't expecting.


And of course, seeing your house torn apart and full of boxes doesn't really help things, either. SO. WEIRD. We lived in this house longer than anywhere else, so I guess that's probably one of many reasons why I feel so emotionally attached to it.

The rest of the day was pretty much a blur. I took Charlotte to get lunch - so she could nap in the car, I could escape, and we could get food. When I came back, the movers were gone and the house was empty. I was a little sad that I didn't get to see it go {again, weird emotional attachment}, but glad that they were gone. After lunch, Joe had to call the hotel, go by finance and housing later that day just so we'd have a place to sleep Monday night! Of course, we kept the pack n play for Charlotte so at least she had somewhere to sleep. =) {Such good parents we are. Haha!}

Thankfully we got it all worked out and got in our room by 5pm. THEN we had dinner with an older couple from church and our pastor. Y'all. We didn't get back to the hotel until 8:30. Charlotte's bedtime is like 6:30/7pm. She got 1 nap. I was exhausted from not sleeping well the night before, getting up at the crack of dawn, and dealing with moving stress. Charlotte has NEVER been out that late. Ever. {Well, ok, unless you count the days we flew to/from NC in December.} I was terrified at how the night would play out. And it was confirmed that I have an awesome kid. ;-)

So far, staying in a hotel with a baby is tough. She's sleeping ok-ish at night, but her daytime sleep is terrible. Of course, it doesn't really help that they're renovating the room next to us {thanks for that!} and that we're still driving back to our house to clean once a day. The poor girl has had a lot thrown her way lately, and that's not gonna stop...at least until we get to GA. At this point, my life-savers are: thumbsucking (for her, not me, LOL), her lovey bunny, and the sound machine.

If you think about it, say some prayers for us! We're looking at buying a house in GA which means we could have a looooong hotel stay ahead of us. I'm uber protective of her sleep schedule because she's so much happier when we stick with it, so this is hard on both of us. Her poor little eyes were so red before I put her down for the night. She's exhausted and so am I! She's not nursing well lately, either. Way too many distractions - too much stuff to look at in our hotel room. I'm just praying she'll adjust soon!!!

3.06.2013

Wednesday Walkabout #28

A little late today, but I remembered! YAY! ;-) 


Welcome to the another week of Wednesday Walkabout! Thank you so much for hanging out with us, linking up, and reading new blogs.  =)





A little info about the Walkabout:

This is a weekly linky party with myself and 3 other co-hosts. The idea? Just put your URL in the linky (it can be a specific post or your "homepage"- whichever you prefer), visit a few other blogs, and possibly make some new friends. Easy peasy, right?!

Oh, and you only have to link up with ONE of the co-hosts. =) 

There are just a few quick rules we've set for the linky party...

1. Please follow at least ONE hostess, and let us know you're a new follower and how you follow!

Sarah - G.I. Joe's Wife (That's me!)
Chantal - Scattered Seashells 
Jane - Taingamala 
Jamie - Handling With Grace

This week's Mystery Host is.... Mallory from Mal's Miles!  Go check her out!

2. Try to visit 3-4 blogs that interest you. Take some time and let them know where you came from.

3. Grab the button from my sidebar and spread the word! (Not required, but just cool if you do.) The more, the merrier.

Thanks for stopping by! Happy blog-hopping!






3.01.2013

Crunch Time

You guys... We move out of this house in 4 days. 

Four. Days.

Would you like to know what I've done so far to prepare?

Nothing.

Unless you count getting mostly caught up on laundry. That in and of itself is quite a feat these days. I've cleaned up catch-all areas like the table in the kitchen and the desk (for the most part, anyway). I organized under the bathroom sink so I could figure out what's getting packed up and what's going with me. I went through Charlotte's clothes.

My house still looks like a mess. 

Suitcases are empty.

There's a ton of food in the fridge. Though, thankfully, I was able to donate 2 grocery bags full of breastmilk I had stashed in the freezer. So glad to just see this (along with some food) in the freezer! And I'm also happy that I didn't throw all that milk away! I think I would've cried. 


I've made packing lists, so at least there's that. 

We also have one day after we move to come and clean everything, so I don't have to focus on that, too. I'm sure some cleaning will be done before the movers come, but the bulk of it will be done after the house is empty. It'll be easier that way. Though I have no idea what I'll do with Charlotte... I guess she'll chill out in the Ergo on my back if nothing else! Thank God for babywearing!

Though I'm completely ready to move, I'll admit that I'm a little sad to be leaving. Only a little

This is where I figured out life as an Army wife...or maybe just how to deal with it. This is where I survived our first deployment - a year long one at that. This is where I welcomed him home. This is where I was pregnant. This is where my sweet little baby bean was born. This is where I learned to be a mom. This is where friends became family because we don't have family close by.

I'm anxious about moving. I hate that we'll be homeless and carless for at least a month. I'm not thrilled about staying in a hotel while we're homeless, or sharing a room with Charlotte. {Nap times and bed times are going to be sooooo fun.} It'll be a little sad to say goodbye to this place, but - at least emotionally - I think I'm ready. 

Now if only I can get our stuff ready to move! Wish me luck! ;-)