January: A Review

Goal 3:
3. Post each month in pictures in an effort to take more pictures and learn more about photography.

Well, I don't have tons of pictures from this month. One, I was pregnant and tired. Two, I had a baby! and Three, well, I've already shared most of the pictures I took this month in my previous posts. Let's call January a learning curve month. It can only improve from here right? 

Luckily, January can pretty much be summed up by the two pictures I have left:

1. Crazy weather. Highs of 70 to lows in the 40s with a little ice storm thrown in. One little glimpse of winter in an otherwise mild season. Is it too much to ask for a little snow? 

2. Cuddling with my sleepy boy. Obviously our days are currently filled with eating and sleeping and enjoying these moments.

We're adjusting to our new life around here and we're pretty happy with it. 

New Year's Goal Update

1. Have this baby!

On January 16 at 1:45 am my water broke.

At 2 am I called Adam, who needed to hightail it home from 29 Palms, CA.

I drove to the hospital and had a friend meet me. Two other friends joined us a few hours later and all three of them stayed with me through the whole ordeal. They laughed with me, they prayed over me, and they cheered me on. The Dr. remarked "If you couldn't have your husband here with you, at least you have Team Estrogen."

Couldn't have said it better myself.

At 12:19 pm Garrett Achilles Thomas made his debut and all I could do was laugh and cry all at the same time.

Adam made it to the hospital at 6pm. 

(This is pretty much my favorite picture from that day.)

We're pretty much in love with this little guy. We think we'll keep him.

He eats a lot and sleeps a lot these days and so far we think we're figuring this whole parent thing out. (Ask me that again in a few weeks.) When he's full and half asleep and dreaming he smiles. When he cries it's like a little baby Pterodactyl. And isn't this just the sweetest face?

Adam is taking a few extra days of leave and then heads back out the CA for two more weeks of training. We've been so blessed by the friends and family that have checked in and stopped in and brought us meals. 

And I am forever indebted to Team Estrogen!

The Nursery

Dear Baby,

It will be in your best interest to just go ahead and love airplanes. 

Love,

Mommy and Daddy

Who can resist Snoopy?

38 Weeks

Adam says it looks like the airplanes are in a dogfight. He likes it. 

We put together the crib and dresser and bought the glider special order. We painted the bookcase and I made the clouds on the wall. We took it just a little at a time and we are so happy with it. I can't wait to rock him in that chair and watch him sleep in that crib. I can't wait to finally meet him and hold him and kiss him. So. So. Soon.

Oh my!

Sightsee Jacksonville #2

If you moved to Jacksonville in 2008 (as we did) you may have seen this sign right off of Western Blvd. behind Toys'R'Us. If you moved to Jacksonville any time in between then and this very moment that you are reading this, you may have seen this sign. In the same spot. Oh Jacksonville.

"Soon" can be seen on many signs up and down the coast. That Hampstead Town Center sign from four years ago meant that construction started this year. And even on base, the new housing "coming soon" still took three years.

I've learned that there are some loosely used terms in Eastern NC. Words that in other places hold a bit more meaning. But nonetheless, offer an interesting experience, cultural learning, or at the very least, comic relief.

(We're not really missing out on a seafood restaurant anyway. Seafood here is not quite the same as the seafood I grew up on along the Chesapeake Bay. Oh Maryland Blue Crab how I miss you!)

New Year's Goals

As we enter the new year, there's always resolutions to be made. And then immediately broken and all but forgotten until you look back in December and wonder "what did I set out to accomplish this year anyways?"  Last year, I resolved to Move. Just keep moving. I'd say I did, but not quite in the way I figured I would. I guess that's how life is supposed to work. You think you see how it should be and set out to do just that, but life still jumps out and surprises you.

This year, I'd like to set some goals. I love setting goals. I love accomplishing them. And of course, I get to put them on a list and check them off when I'm done, which is pretty much my favorite thing to do.  Not goals, like "appreciate life more" or "get healthy", but goals I know I will have to accomplish and that are open ended enough to let life work it's surprises instead of willing it to go in MY direction.

So here they are:
1. Have this baby!
2. Allow myself time to ease in and learn how to be a mom and wife, while also being a part-time technology facilitator and Navy Relief volunteer. And allow myself to cross something off that list if I can't be all of them.
3. Post each month in pictures in an effort to take more pictures and learn more about photography.
4. Totally rock out nursing mom fashion.
5. Make it through another deployment with my Grace and Dignity intact.
6. Make sure Adam is taken care of and involved in the parenting of our son even for those 7 months he won't physically be here.
7. Accept the time of waiting again for where Adam's work takes us and be open to wherever that may be.
8. Give out more grace. To others, to myself.
9. Welcome Adam home and celebrate!

Ready, Set, Go 2013!