The life cycle

So Tyler has become fascinated with the gypsy moth caterpillars that are EVERYWHERE these days. He thinks they are "cute". Meanwhile my dad is disgusted with them because they are in the process of destroying all the vegetation. And despite the fact that Tyler thinks they will turn into "beeeeeeuuutiful butterflies" I am fully aware that, after they destroy the trees, they'll just be turning in some ugly little white and brown moths.

In case you aren't familiar with the gypsy moth life cycle, be not afraid. I will fill you in a bit. Considering my prior extensive knowledge was based solely on my readings in "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" I had some research to do before I could answer Tyler's endless questions.

Apparently the first stage is the "egg" stage, where the egg masses are laid on trees. I think this is what we are seeing the remnants of here. I think the whitish masses are the eggs, whereas the other stuff might be leftover coccoons from the previous years moths (although honestly, I really have no idea what I'm talking about).
Next is the "larva" stage (essentially what we refer to as the caterpillars) which is the current stage we are in now. To give you an idea of how abundant they are this year, my dad was IN the process of washing his car, having already cleaned off the hood, and within minutes there were SIX caterpillars crawling around on it. Within this stage is when they do all their feeding, which is of course is what is destroying all the beautiful leaves.
Next you'll find the "pupa" and "adult" (moth) stages, but you'll just have to wait patiently for some photos of that in upcoming months.

If you so desire any further information (which I'm highly doubting), feel free to check out this lovely site.

And speaking of "life cycle" stuff, did anyone notice on my little ticker there (to the left), only 125 days left until little boy's due date!

Go figure

The child is napping.

Well, at least he's picking a good time to make a liar out of me. LOL!

Ummm, I'm not ready!!!

So Tyler apparently thinks he no longer needs a nap. Yes, I'm fully aware that I'm EXTREMELY lucky that my child was still napping until a few days ago. After all, he's 3.75 years old! However, he really seemed like he needed it. The child wakes up at what my brother would call "the butt crack of dawn" and crashes around 1:00pm. Often I'd have to wake him at 4:00 so that he'd stilll fall asleep at night. Bedtime has become more and more of an issue, but when I tried to have him skip his nap he'd be absolutely evil and still not fall asleep at night, and STILL wake up early. I knew the time was coming, but I was hoping that THIS would not be the time. LOL.

Well, on Sunday he skipped his nap because we were out and about while Al was here. On Monday he slept in until 8:00am (a rare treat) and then took maybe a 30 minute nap in his stroller on the boardwalk in Atlantic City. After fighting bedtime that night until about 10:30pm, he woke up around 8:30 on Tuesday morning. He NEVER napped that day, but I was able to convince him to have some "rest time" in his room. Repeat performance on Wednesday. Today he still woke up at around 7:00am, and after a 2-hour playdate at the park, I thought for sure he'd fall back into his normal nap routine, but nope. Napless wonder.

This wouldn't be so bad if he weren't SOOOOO cranky all afternoon. Seriously it's like watching someone on some sort of stimulant, running around like a crazy child, and then watching them turn into a whiny cranky infant. It's fun, let me tell you.

However, I will try to focus on the positive. He's been asleep each night by 8:30. Yep, that's all I got for the list of positives.

I want my naps back. Waaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh.

In need of a laugh?

I urge you to check out "Farmer Wants a Wife" on the CW network. I came across this tonight, accidentally, and I must say, it was entertaining.

First, and I may be WAY off base here, but the basis of the show is flawed. How many city girls have the dream of marrying a guy who drives a beat up pick-up truck and shovels manure? I am well aware that we can't always help who we fall in love with (believe me, being a Navy wife wasn't a goal of mine) but these women signed up to compete for the life of a farmer's wife. Hmmm????? I know that there are plenty of city girls who would gladly give it all up for a simpler life, but from my impressions of the "contestants" I'm not sure they fit in this category. I can assure you that their wardrobes have a long way to go, as well as their attitudes. Needless to say, I was amused. My dad, however, felt the need to go to bed mid-episode. How could he possibly sleep not knowing which girl's dreams were shattered forever when she was sent off the farm and back to the city.

Memorial Day Weekend!!!

I must say, I had a wonderful weekend! First off, the weather was gorgeous, and I got to spend time with my family. What more could I want?

Al flew in late Friday night (too late for Tyler to stay up). Tyler woke up to find his daddy in bed, and promptly greeted him with "Good morning Daddy. Can I smell your piggy toes?". LOL. After a brief snuggle time, we actually let Al sleep in (he's been working insanely long hours) and my mom and Tyler and I went to some garage sales. I scored some good deals for baby boy (2 brand new swaddle wraps for $2 each, 1 brand new ultimate crib sheet for $2, and a few little outfits I couldn't pass up).

Later in the afternoon we went over my grandparents house for a little get-together. My aunt and uncle (and their kids) drove down from New York to visit, so we decided to all spend some time together. I got to eat Riviera pizza (yummmmmm), catch up with family, and Tyler got to run around like crazy with my cousins Lauren, Abigail, and David. He had a wonderful time and kept asking when he'd see them again (not likely anytime soon).

On Sunday the three of us went out for brunch at Al and Tyler's favorite place, Denny's. Admittedly we were partially motivated just to hear Tyler order his famous "panPakes and wiFFed cream". Afterwards we drove to the shore to visit with Al's mom and extended family. His aunt and uncle have a little house/trailer in a rental summer community. Not only did he get to see his aunt and uncle for the first time in about 3.5 years, but 4 of his cousins were there as well (with some spouses and kids) and of course his mom was there. We were a little worried, because Tyler apparently felt no need to nap during the 1.5 hour drive, but he was sooooo good. It was a very relaxing time, complete with a barbeque, trip to the lake for catching tadpoles (or "taGpoles", as Tyler calls them) and a ride on the golf cart. Tyler also learned how to play "washers", which apparently was a big hit. A great time was had by all.
Today we all drove to Atlantic City (the three of us, plus my parents, my brother Jim, and his fiance Kristin). We ate at the French Quarter buffet and then my dad pushed Tyler on the boardwalk while he napped while the rest of us did some gambling. Then we had some time on the pier. Tyler even tried 2 new rides, the airplane and the firetruck.
Tonight we had to say goodbye to Al. Tyler was not happy about this at all. He wants him to stay, which is understandable, but he has also decided that we should just stay in NJ and Daddy could come back and visit when he's done working in AZ. He is not ready to leave in 15 days (we booked our flight for June 10th). He thinks we should stay "80 40 days" (which we THINK means 84 days, lol).

My dad and I drove Al to the aiport, since it was nearing Tyler's bedtime. Tyler got to spend some extra 1 on 1 time with his mom-mom, so Tyler rode his bike to the playground at the lake. What a great end to a great weekend!

Florida is in my blood now

Well, today the high here in NJ is 70 degrees. Tyler and I went to the playground today, donned in our jeans and long sleeve shirts. It was an absolutely gorgeous day! Then it occurred to me that EVERYONE else was wearing less clothing than us. Many people had on shorts, even some tank tops. At the very most they had on jeans and short sleeves. They must have thought I was nuts as they slathered their children in sunscreen. I just laughed and enjoyed the beautiful weather, knowing fully well that a day like this in FL might have prompted some people to take out the lightweight jackets. Oh what a difference 1,000 miles can make!

While I'm thinking of playgrounds, here is a picture of Tyler, taken last week, I believe the first full day we were here (Thursday). He just loves the beach and playground near his Mom-mom and Pop-pop's house!

Pregnancy Update

So I meant to get a belly picture at 20 weeks, the half way mark. I forgot. So then I was gonna get one yesterday at 21 weeks. Again, forgot. So I got one today, 21w1d. I can hardly believe how huge I look, which is frightening since I still have almost half the pregnancy to go! It's all worth it, but boy has this child given me a run for my money! I'm still getting sick occasionally. I still don't have much of an appetite. I'm still down at least 7 pounds. I'm still having pain (but thankfully nowhere near what it was like the night that it brought me to the hospital).

Tyler is still not buying the fact that it's a boy. He has however decided that "you can have this boy and then the next day a girl baby can come out of your tummy". Nope, not likely to happen, but the child can dream. He is getting excited though, asking me tons of questions about me going to the hospital, if he can see the baby being born, etc. I must say, I'm sorta happy about the fact that it's a c-section, because that way I am actually being truthful in saying that the baby will come out of my tummy. I certainly do NOT need to be explaining vaginal birth to a 3-year-old. LOL.

Stop reading right now

If you did not watch the American Idol finals, don't read. I don't want to spoil it.

Turn away.

Right now.

Yea!! Even though I wanted David Cook to win, I really honestly thought Archuletta would do so. I thought he had a broader fan base. Shows how much I know.

I'd like to add that I blogged about David Cook being my favorite of the top 24 all the way back on March 4th.

Awww, and it was a cheesy rendition, but they sang our wedding song tonight (Heaven, by Bryan Adams).

I'm still here!!!

Yes, I'm out of the blogging contest (well, at least the one that existed in my mind, lol).

Here's my story as to why (be prepared for some long boring rambling)

So Saturday was the funeral, which sucked. It sucked because obviously all funerals suck, and especially a funeral for a friend, but it sucked cause I was in so much pain. It hurt to stand up and I was having contractions and cramping. I thought it was just 'cause I was stressed and upset, but it just continued getting worse. After the reception (or whatever that is when everyone gathers after the funeral for a meal) I finally had to tell my friends to take me home (we had driven together). I tried resting for a while so that I could go back out that night to a bonfire my friend was having (we wanted to get together to remember the good memories and sort of celebrate Christina's life, if that makes sense). Well, after 2 hours of laying on my left side and drinking fluids, I was in excruciating pain. I called the OB, who essentially told me that he couldn't tell me anything over the phone (and gave me some indicators as to when I should go to the ER), and then called my friend to cancel. Two hours after that I couldn't even find a comfortable position to sit/stand/walk/sleep, etc, so I had my mom bring me to the ER. As soon as they heard I was pregnant, I was ushered off to L&D (very cool that I didn't have to sit in the crowded waiting room). They ran blood work and a urine test and hooked me up to monitors. The good news was that the baby was fine, consistent heart rate, and that my cervix was completely closed and my uterus and placenta were all placed properly. I was having contractions, but apparently they weren't changing my cervix, which is obviously good. However my pain was more localized on the right side (tender to the touch) and my urine came back with excess sugar and my white blood cell count came back high (indicating I was fighting some sort of infection/inflammation). They determined I was dehydrated and I was then on IV fluids the rest of the night. The pain seemed like it was located in an area that could indicate problems with my ovaries, kidney, appendix, or gall bladder. They did an ultrasound of those area and determined (I think) that my gall bladder was fine and that everything was okay with the ovaries. Unfortunately they can't see the kidney or the appendix during pregnancy since they sort of shift and hide behind other organs. However my pain was starting to subside, so eventually they ran some more blood work and urine tests. They were confident that I was rehydrated enough to be discharged and my blood counts were going back down (indicating that any infection/inflammation was subsiding). 9.5 hours after being admitted (and having NEVER slept), I was finally released around 9:00am. Soo, long story short, it MAY have just been round ligament pain that was exacerbated by the dehydration and stress, so much so that the ligament actually became inflamed. However, they aren't convinced that it's not my appendix or a kidney stone. Apparently in both cases the pain can sort of come and go for a while before it become acute enough to be diagnosed definitively. So, please keep your fingers crossed that it was just this ligament crap because I googled "appendicitis while pregnant" and did NOT like what I found.

Not only did I miss the bonfire, but I also missed brunch the following day. We saw quite a few old friends at the funeral and we wanted to get together since it seemed inappropriate to "catch up" in a funeral setting. So, there were about 20 of us that were going to go have brunch at The Lite Bite (where my friend Christina, and a few others, worked during high school). We were supposed to bring our kids (the few of us that have them). I was really looking forward to it. But after having not slept all night, and getting home too late to shower and get out the door, I decided it wouldn't be a good idea to go. Plus, I'm supposed to be "taking it easy" (that general term that means so little to me).

So, here I am, at home at my parents house. I'm trying to "take it easy". It still hurts to walk a little bit, and it still hurts to touch the upper right side of my stomach, but it's significantly better than it was on Saturday. I'm drinking my water. And thankfully I finally got some sleep. Tyler's napping, so I just thought I'd take this opportunity to catch everyone up.

Ah, the fun just never ends....

So I was busy trying to book my (and Tyler's) flight back to Tampa and had decided to stay an extra week. Well, the flights were really high (because it would be right around Memorial Day weekend) so I decided to stay until the 30th. Well, then Al called this morning, and guess what? The ever-so-lovely military is sending him to AZ. He'll leave the 27th. And he's staying almost a month.

We did some quick thinking though and decided HE could come here for Memorial Day weekend, that way I can stay here longer (since me going back to FL would mean me suffering in the heat without a husband anyway). Luckily the flights weren't too expensive (I guess normal people want to GO to Florida over a holiday weekend versus COME from Florida, lol) so I get my hubby back for a 3 day weekend before he ships off.

Other than that drama, I'm attempting to enjoy my time here. Yesterday (after Tyler hadn't gone to sleep until 2:30am and then still woke up early) we spent some time at the beach/playground and then went and had lunch with my grandparents. That night I had yummy dinner and then Tyler went back to the beach/playground with my parents while I head out with my friend Jen. We went to visit Stephen, my friend Christina's fiance, so that of course was emotional and draining. We wanted to visit, as well as we were requested to help create a collage of photos that will be at the viewing. So, after a late night, today I was beat. It didn't help that I've now developed a cold and also caught the cough that Tyler is finally recovering from. I'm totally dragging, and it's been raining, which never helps the spirits. Tracy and Tyler and I did go visit Jen at one of her many jobs (waitressing) to have lunch today. Otherwise I've been lyign around on the couch (and of course, researching flights). Tomorrow is the funeral, which I guess I'm sort of in denial about, but of course it's something that has to be done. I just don't think there is much that can prepare you for that type of situation.

Half-way, baby!

I'm 20 weeks along today! Wahoo! Which means LESS than 20 to go (since I'll deliver before my due date via c-section).

In other news, I'm here in NJ. I think next time I'll just forgo electricity and water for a month so that I can upgrade to the direct flight at a decent hour. I NEVER want to have a layover in Atlanta again, nor would I prefer to ever fly AFTER bedtime. To sum it up, Tyler asked 1.4 million questions, thought he was gonna "hiccup all over " (aka: throw up), and never slept a wink until 2:30AM. Yes, that's right, 2:30AM!

The results are in......

It's a healthy baby boy!

I must say, I'm surprised. As sick as I was and as different as this pregnancy was from Tyler's, I was pretty convinced it was a girl. I tried not to get my hopes up, but I wasnt' successful. LOL. Plus, I was aching to get to buy some pink. But HE'S healthy and that's what matters. Everything is measuring on track with a due date still of October 2nd (but I'll have a repeat c-section, likely in late September).

For those of you confused by this post, no, I wasn't supposed to have my ultrasound until Monday. However I had to cancel that ultrasound with the perinatologist due to my trip to NJ (I'm going to fly out tonight to be there for Christina's funeral). My OB agreed to do an ultrasound today since the perinatologist isn't sure when they'll be able to fit me back in the schedule. So, now that I've been cleared and given a clean bill of health, I'm off to NJ. Wish me luck since the only affordable flight was with AirTran and includes a layover in GA. Did I mention that the flight isn't until AFTER Tyler's bedtime, which actually wouldn't be too bad if I had any hope that he'd sleep on the flight. He should be a load of fun once we finally land at 12:57am! LOL.

Hats off to the graduate

Today Tyler "graduated" preschool. Granted he still has a whole year left of preschool before attending kindergarten, but hey, a milestone is a milestone!

We got there and Tyler wanted nothing to do with the cap and gown. Apparently gowns frighten him. God forbid he wear anything that resembles the "cape" that you wear when getting your hair cut. But, after a little coaxing, and he did it! I was not however successful in convincing him to wear his tassel. Apparently it's way more exciting to spin it around and twirl it.

He did better than I expected, although he did try to run to me (like quite a few other kids) during the marching portions. I think he was just confused as to what he was supposed to do. They sang a few songs. Well, Tyler twirled his tassel instead. He chimed along a bit on the ABCs and Where is Thumbkin. Then they got their diplomas, which Tyler was overjoyed about because they also got a "present" (a graduation cup with some goodies). Afterwards we had some refreshments. All in all, it was a cute little event, although I don't think Tyler gets the finality of it all. He keeps saying "but I want to go back to preschool on Monday". LOL.

By the way, aren't the little caps and gowns so stinkin' cute???!!!!

Taken too soon

Last night I received a call, one which I can say I ever expected to happen. My dear friend, Christina, had passed away.

Christina and I met our freshman year in high school. I don't really remember how it all started, but I do remember our friendship blossoming. I recall taking a school bus trip that year to watch our Shawnee's basketball team compete in the finals, and on that trip Christina earned herself a nickname which would stick with her forever (much to her occasional disapproval). Christina said she could NOT figure out why someone would name their child "Dick". We laughed at her and told her that it was a nickname, to which she replied "for what, Dickald?". So, from that point forward, she was "Dickald", or, better yet "Dick". So, it's not as kinky as it sounds, and she would be so embarrassed if she knew I was sharing this, but frankly, mostly anyone who has known Christina for a long time also knows that she'll respond to the loving name of "Dick".

Anyway, our friendship in high school was just like any other. It was filled with talks about boys, trips "down the shore", sleepovers, proms, digging in holes, singing karaoke, and occasionally drinking too much. But above all, we laughed. And we laughed a lot.

College years found myself away in MA and Christina in NJ attending Monmouth University. Sadly, we didn't get together too often, and that was a time before regular cell phone calls or emails, so we pretty much drifted apart. We still talked and got together over breaks, but it wasn't like high school. Then again, nothing is ever like high school again.

As soon as we both graduated, moved back home and started working, we found ourselves hanging out again quite a bit, just like old times. It was often the 5 of us: Tracy, Jen, Kristen, Christina, and myself. In theory we were a little more mature, but not always. We often still acted like kids, but at least we were always having fun. Well, as much fun as you can squeeze in after work and on the weekends. Soon people started buying their own houses, getting married and even having kids. Our friendships all changed, but were always still a constant. Christina remained one of those friends that I could always call if I needed something. In fact, Christina was the first friend of mind to come and see Tyler in the hospital the day after he was born.

After I moved to Florida, Christina was one of a handful of people that was always on my list of those to see when I went back to NJ to visit. Thankfully I was able to arrange my last visit around her surprise 30th birthday. I will treasure that visit always.

That birthday party was 3 weeks ago, and yesterday, her life was taken from her. From what I understand, she thought she had the flu and went to the hospital. They gave her fluids and told her she'd be okay. She died the next day. So last night I lost a friend, a good friend. One that can't be replaced. My heart aches for the loss of my friend. But she wasn't just my friend and a friend to many. She was a daughter, in fact an only child. I can't imagine the despair of losing a child, and my heart breaks for her family. She also was engaged, due to be married 10/10/08. My heart breaks for Stephen, who lost his true love. They were a beautiful couple.

So, take this time please to remember those you love. Unfortunately we never know when they may be taken from us.

Christina, I love you and miss you already.


July 1995 (17 years old, yet acting more like 7 months!)


August 1995 (doesn't everyone like to dig holes at the beach?)


November 1995 (Senior year homecoming dance)


May 1996 (Senior Prom)


June 1996 (Senior Breakfast)


July 1996 (just relaxing with friends)

July 1996 (toga party at our shore house)

July 2001 (Kristen's going away party)


July 2003 (my wedding shower)

August 2003 (Jen's bachelorette party in New Orleans)

August 2003 (my bachelorette party in Atlantic City)

August 2003 (my wedding day)

July 2004 (my baby shower)

August 2004 (Christina and Tyler, 1 day old)

August 2006 (10 year high school reunion)

June 2007 (all my friends visit for a weekend in Tampa)

April 2008 (Christina's surprise 30th birthday party)

Hurtful Joke!

I saw this headline today on my local news section of Yahoo. It CLAIMS that "The real change should be Tuesday morning when forecasts call for temperatures to be in the high 50s around Tampa and in the high 40s in Hernando County.". You have NO idea how excited I was when I read this article. The 50's??? I would be in HEAVEN!!!!!

So, without reading any further, I popped on weather.com and found this. Not exactly what I had hoped to see (but of course not surprising in the slightest). To sum it up, on NO day in the 10-day forcast is the high supposed to be lower than 82. What a letdown!

I immediately double-checked and the first article was published TODAY. So, what's the deal? Well, apparently it was referring to the LOW temperatures, which according to weather.com is still not accurate (lows will only be in the 60s). Is it an April Fool's Joke over a month late???????? Don't tease me with low temperatures!

A fun-filled day!

Today we had a wonderful fun-filled day. The morning was pretty low-key. Tyler's little friend Dionna came over and they played outside some and then inside until his naptime. Justine (our babysitter, and Dionna's older sister) came over around 1:30 and we went out to lunch. Just the 2 of us. No sippy cups, no small cuts of food, no coloring books, no convincing a 3-year-old to sit quietly. Just a relaxing, good time...well, minus the 20 minutes we spent trying to get into the mall area and find a parking spot. Sam Seltzer's would be way more appealing if it's location was not the crazy mall! Anyway, we came home and Tyler was still napping. He woke up and we decided to go bowling. We brought along his friend Dionna. He had a great time, and is actually getting the hang of bowling. He can find his ball (the 6lb one) and put his fingers in the holes (for the most part) and then do his best to get that ball down the lane. Sometimes it makes it, sometimes it doesn't, but he's always happy with the results. He did fairly well today! Afterwards we went to Sonic for a late dinner and the kids ran around and had fun. A very nice, relaxing evening. Yeah!

Edit: I personally did not bowl, so you can all get that out of your heads how I'm overdoing things. LOL. I enjoyed from the sidelines. Oh, and I almost forgot to mention that we got to watch a grown-up movie (no, not that kind of grown-up movie, just the kind that's not animated) after Tyler went to bed. We saw Juno, which Al wasn't expecting to like, but we both enjoyed it...don't tell him that I told you guys that. He still think it's a "chick flick". LOL.

Ups and downs....

The past few days have been rocky for me. Some presumed that maybe I just wasn't thrilled about turning 30. In reality I don't think I could care less, I think I'm just pregnant and hormonal.

After my post on Wednesday morning, I went blueberry picking with some playgroup friends at Kandee's uncle's blueberry farm. I had a really nice time and tasted some delicious blueberries! Tyler enjoyed himself tremendously and I was really happy that we were able to go.

From there, since we were all the way out in Plant City already, I decided to swing by Parke HydroFarms to get our produce basket. Our visit there wouldn't be complete without some strawberry picking, so we are now officially berried out!

After that we came home and Tyler napped while I rested up. I had a lot of cramping and discomfort, as well as getting sick a few times. Again, yipee, happy birthday to me!

That night I wanted to go to Outback for my birthday dinner for some Aussie fries. They were quite yummy, as was my dinner. The wait staff brought out my dessert with a candle on it and serenaded me for my birthday, which Tyler thought was quite spectacular. While we were eating I asked Al if he found out if he could go into work late on Tuesday so he could attend Tyler's preschool graduation. He was clearly trying to avoid the subject, so I KNEW something was up. He finally admitted that he found out that day that they were sending him AGAIN to Oregon. He will leave Saturday or Sunday. Not only will be miss Mother's Day, but Tyler's preschool graduation as well. I was NOT a happy camper. He will supposedly be home next Friday or Saturday in plenty enough time for our big ultrasound on Monday. If that does not happen, I apologize, but I can not be held responsible for my actions. LOL.

I did get a fun present that night. A Xyron 900. It's a fun scrapbooking gadget. Al has discovered that scrapbooking has "tools" too, so he's been all over that for gifts recently.

On Thursday I went to my regular OB appointment. All is seemingly going well. According to my doctor I haven't gained back any of the weight I have lost, but according to my scale I'm only down 7lbs now. Regardless I do know I'm eating more so that's good. The baby's heartbeat is good and strong and my uterus is measuring right on track. I did mention the frequent cramping and contractions I'm getting and I was told that it's my body's sign that I'm overdoing things. I'm not sure how I could feasibly do any less than I'm doing, but I have taken it under advisement and I'm trying to rest up more when Tyler is napping, as well as increasing my fluid intake.

From there we shot across the street to our play group's Mother's Day potluck brunch. Tyler had fun playing with his friends, and I had fun eating and catching up with all the ladies.

Yesterday afternoon brought the same type of reaction to my pregnant body. Apparently my body thinks LIVING is too much activity. I'm not sure what to make of that.

So last night Al and I did some talking, and then after that I did some soul searching (as well as shedding a few more tears). For one, I need to stop stressing about how things AREN'T working out the way I like, and focus on what IS going well. We have a stable home for the next year. I have friends here that I care about. Al supposedly won't go away too much after this summer, and he will reportedly be here when the baby is born. So I'm goign to make the best of it that I can. Which of course means I'll have to throw myself into some sort of project. LOL. I think the first to tackle will be getting Tyler a big boy bedroom set. Hey, I've gotta do whatever I can that works!

Today our play group had a "Mom's Helping Mom's" event at Melodie's house. The ladies helped rake leaves and bag them while the kids played out back. Yes, I DID rest frequently, and instead of raking I spent a good portion of the time just watching the kids in the backyard.

Anyway, I think that about sums it up. A HUGE thank you to all of you who called, e-mailed, and sent birthday cards my way. I really appreciate it!

Blah!

Today I just feel blah. I just can't shake this feeling. I will try to post tomorrow and let you know what I've been up to. I think I even have some pictures to share. Just not in the mood tonight.

It's my birthday and I'll cry if I want to....

Let's see, Tyler was up at least 4 times between when I FINALLY fell asleep at 1:00 until Al woke me up at 5:20 to wish me a happy birthday (yes, sweet, but I really could have waited until AFTER work). Then Tyler woke up claiming he was sick. I didn't have it in me to argue, and gave him chewable Tylenol and TRIED to go back to bed, listening to Al try to get ready for work and Tyler toss and turn in bed until he finally got up at 7:00ish. Since then he's been whiny and annoying. I feel like crap from no sleep so I was trying to get him to play in my room while I rested, and instead he took it upon himself to open up his cup and pour it on top of me and the bed (sorta accidentally, but annoying nonetheless). So, soaking wet, I get up. I go to check my e-mail. Got an e-mail from Al. Again his date for leaving this stupid base has been changed. I know I'm just hormonal, but everytime I even think about this anymore I start crying and cramping. I normally am pretty strong, but I just can't handle the stress of this. 99.9% of me just wants to leave and move back home with my parents with some stability for Tyler and some HELP for me. Selfish, I know. But now they're back to him staying here a full year longer, so I freakin' have to put up with it because I can't rightfully justify leaving my husband for a full year.

Yipee, happy birthday to me.

playing hookey

So this morning I flew out of bed at 8:50, thinking that, honestly, Tyler must have stopped breathing. He rarely ever sleeps past 7:00. I'd say the last time he slept past even 8:00 must have been a good year ago. Anyway I literally ran into Tyler's room and threw the door open. He rolls over, looks at me, and rolls back over to go to sleep. Phew, he's not dead! So I go and lay back down, adrenaline pumping, absolutely convinced that his fever must be back and he must be terribly ill. I went back in his room about 9:10 and he felt fine, temperature wise. I asked him if he felt okay and he says yes, but of course asks for some medicine (I didn't give him any). Normally we should be leaving the house in 5 minutes for preschool so, still convinced he may be sick, I ask him if he wants to go to preschool or just rest. He answers "just rest". 10 minutes later he wanders out and seems completely fine. I have NO idea what prompted the very late sleeping for him, but he seemed just dandy. So, I decided to skip preschool (we would have already missed 1/3 of it even if we rushed to get out of the door) and we head to the beach (actually the bay) for the morning. I figured I might as well enjoy it before it gets too hot for me and too crowded once school lets out. We packed lunch and had a wonderful time. We even found a shark's tooth! My plan was partially motivated by the fact that i KNEW I had to get him to use up a ton of energy if I expected him to ever nap today, and my plan worked. Not only did he nap, but (knock on wood) I think he's already asleep for the night as well. Gotta love those spontaneous fun days!

There's no stopping him now!

First off, before I forget, Al had his follow-up appointment bright and early this morning. Apparently he does have some inflamation in his eyes which MAY explain some of the blurriness he does have. It has improved though since they removed the protective lens he had to wear until today. Right now his vision is apparently 20/40 which is a HUGE improvement versus his previous vision. They do want to see him again on Friday just to make sure no infections are developing and to keep an eye on the inflamation. At this point we're accumulating some major frequent traveler miles to/from Jacksonville!

As for Tyler, he apparently is just dandy. I have NO idea what that fever was about, but it's gone, and I'm thankful.

So, as I was saying, Al had his follow-up today so he was home by 11:30 just in time to meet me at Tyler's preschool for pick-up. We decided to take advantage of the fact that he didn't have to go back to work so we did a snazzy little lunch date at the very fancy McDonald's inside the Walmart, followed by a special trip to the bike department to let Tyler pick out his very first "big boy bike". Tyler immediately was drawn to the smallest and cheapest bike there (which is good for us) because it was "just the same size as the one at mom-mom and pop-pop's house in NJ". He wanted to try no other bikes, but then he did notice that the upscale bike wich had a water bottle. That was starting to sway him, even though he didn't want a thing to do with the bike itself and wouldn't even try it out. So instead we picked out a water bottle holder which we promised to attach to the bike he really liked and saved ourself $30. He rode his bike through the store and then promptly threw a fit when it was time to get off the bike to bring it home. Temper tantrums mean, yep, it was naptime.

After his nap Tyler wanted to try out his bike. Unfortunately he did NOT want to wear his helmet. May I complain for a second about the stupid helmet law in Florida? It's bad enough that motorcycle helmets aren't required, but IF there is a helmet law in place for bikes, it is obviously not enforced. I don't think we've ever seen a child in this neighborhood with a helmet and none of his friends have one (or if they have one, they don't wear one). So, after insisting on being the uncool parents, Tyler begrudgingly put on his helmet and happily rode off into the sunset. Okay, not the sunset, because that doesn't happen until AFTER bedtime, but you get what I mean!

We have a bike-rider!

sick boy(s) update 2

Well, Tyler's fever seems to be staying down with just Tylenol for now. He has been acting 100% fine since probably 4:30pm. He is playing, drinking, and eating fairly normally. He says he feels fine. I guess we shall see what tonight brings. At this point he's begging me NOT to take him to the doctor, lol.

As for Al, well, he apparently is pain free. That didn't keep him from watching TV and "resting my eyes" all day long today. I should be more sympathetic because he did just have surgery, but I guess the pregnant crampy lady with sick child just doesn't have it in her. He'll be leaving tonight to drive to Jacksonville again for his follow-up appointment. I'd prefer he not drive at all, but he did agree to drive tonight instead of tomorrow morning so that the bright sunlight does not bother him (the bright light is most bothersome to him, apparently he can see okay otherwise). With any luck they'll have good news to report. I sure hope so, because he can't logically drive home from Jacksonville without corrected vision.

sick boy(s) update

So, last night went better than I expected. He got up shortly after I posted, and was still burning up. I brought him in our bed and let him watch TV (thank goodness for on-demand free kids shows). His fever must have broken because he became relatively chatty and even asked to eat something and ate probably almost a cup of dry cheerios and drank some ice water. We finally got him back in bed by midnight and he felt mostly fever-free. It wasn't too bad of a night. And Al slept through the night without bothering me. LOL.

Tyler managed to sleep through the night and was up by about 6:45. He felt a little warm, but not bad. He said he felt okay, but all he did was lie on the couch ALL morning. He didn't even ask to eat, never whined, never played anything. I did get him to eat a few Cheerios and he drank some Pedialyte and had an ice pop. He later had less than 1/4c of chicken noodle soup. He started running a fever again of 102 and I got him some Tylenol. He then napped for 2.75 hours. He is STILL running a fever of 101.5, despite the Tylenol so I finally just dosed him with some Motrin and hopefully the fever will go down. If not I might run him down to urgent care just for my own peace of mind. Poor little guy!

Could be in a for a fun night...

So last night I was BEAT after the drive and fell asleep within minutes of hitting the pillow (a rarity for me). I was awoken around 2:00am by a VERY whiny husband. In his defense, he was in pain, but he is also a man and therefore unable to take care of himself. I have no idea what I was supposed to do, yet I was awoken, apparently on accident. I'm not so sure. After probably 15 minutes of hearing him moan and groan, I head to the couch. So obviously I didn't have the greatest night's sleep. So, tonight the potential exists for a repeat performance.

On top of that, when I put Tyler to bed I noticed something odd. Well, first off, he didn't complain about going to bed, which in itself should have been a red flag. But he was also pretty warm. I asked if I could take his temperature and give him medicine, to which he just laid his head down and closed his eyes, so I decided to drop it. Afterwards I got to thinking. He did throw a total temper tantrum before naptime (unusual) and then passed out as soon as I put him down. He wet through at naptime (also unusual) and he barely ate anything today (also HIGHLY unsual). But aside from that he was totally normal. He had had a great day at the pool and playground. No other signs. But I decided it could be a rough night so I ran out to get him chewable Tylenol (he's been iffy about taking the liquid so I thought this might persuade him). While I was out he woke up screaming and saying he was sick. Al felt him and he was burning, took him temperature at 102.5 (very high for him). He asked Al for medicine so he gave him a teaspoon of liquid Motrin. By the time I got home (not even 10 minutes later) he was back to sleep. Since then he's woken up crying again saying that his head and throat hurt. His temperature was 101.5, but it was too early to give him anything again. He agreed to eat an ice pop which made him FEEL better, but he still feels really hot. Luckily for me, his typical response to a fever is to vomit until the fever breaks. Doesn't every woman dream of changing the sheets in the middle of the night. Luckily I have had good practice since I just changed them this afternoon after the peeing incident. Grrrr. Anyway, so I'm attempting to stay up until 12:30 when I can hopefully get him to take the Tylenol before I go to bed (that's if he's not up again before then on his own).

Wish me luck!

Some questions answered....

1) Nope, I don't know when we are moving yet. Believe me, it frustrates me far more than it frustrates any of you! As of now, essentially the 2 bases (the current one in FL and the future one in NC) are fighting over my dear half-blind husband. The status changes on a regular basis. All we do know for sure now is that we are supposed to eventually move to NC. And in the meantime Al will likely spend a lot of time away, although not true oversees deployments. Just enough to have me wondering WHY I'm suffering in this heat while my husband is never home.

2) Yes, I do intend to find out the sex of the baby. I have NO ability to be patient about this issue. I have to wait to see a perinatologist for my big ultrasound, just to rule out any potential heart defects, so the big day will be May 19th. Sorta frustrating considering we could tell the sex of the baby NOW, so if anyone within a driving distance of my house happens to have access to an ultrasound machine, I'll gladly come visit!

3). The surgery that Al had was called Photorefractive keratectomy, better known as PRK. It accomplishes essentially the same thing as Lasik (or so I understand) except that the military won't allow Lasik for anyone who may potentially jump out of planes and such. Al's been on the waiting list for this surgery for about 2 years, so it was pretty exciting that it finally came up. This eye surgery wasn't a new concept to him though, as he has had SIX eye surgeries prior to this in his life, all of those being muscular surgeries however. He had his follow-up appointment today and all seems to be well. We did the LONG drive home and he's moping around the house and milking the situation for all it's worth. LOL. He has another follow-up on Monday morning and he should know by then how successful the surgery truly was. We're keeping our fingers crossed that the contacts and glasses will be a thing of the past.

Yeah for WiFi!

Al's surgery is complete and we are now checked in our lovely cheap motel/hotel for the night. The surgery went well, or at least we presume. He is able to see, but everything is blurry, as it apparently should be.

Here's HOPEFULLY the last photo (taken this morning) that we'll ever see of Al with glasses.

I'm happily playing on the internet as my half-blind husband is trying to watch TV. Keep in mind, the TV itself is blurry and then he's got blurry vision on top of that. If it were ME I'd be taking one of those nice percosets and enjoying a nap. LOL. Tyler is happily playing in the bathtub because he thought that would be "fun" (not MY idea of fun, but who am I to judge?).

Today I'm exactly 18 weeks along. After bottoming out at a 10lbs weight loss, I have now put back on 3lbs in the last 2 weeks. I'm feeling significantly better, although not as good as I felt with Tyler. Although, as I have been reminded, I am nearly 30 years old so apparently my body isn't as resilant. Last I checked, 30 is NOT old! But anyway, the baby is making his/her presence more known each day. I'm definitely starting to feel some kicks!

And we're off

Yes, we did just arrive back home on Sunday night, and we're off again. And, no, I'm not happy about it. Even less happy about the 3.5 hour drive each way. Meanwhile Tyler's concerns are more of a different nature. "Mommy, do I have to see the eye doctor? I don't want eye drops. Maybe I'll just ask the eye doctor really politely if I don't have to have eye drops. Will the doctors sleep in our hotel room?". Aaah, life through the eyes of a 3-year-old.