The Big Day

You know when you are planning your wedding, how it is this BIG date?! One that you know is going to come eventually and that you hope everything goes according to all your planning. Then the day comes and it is so surreal that afterwards you feel like the whole thing was a total blur?! Moving is just like your wedding day. That is how I feel, anyhow. It is a big life event that is SO emotional! I knew it was coming, and we did everything we could possibly do to "get ready", but now that it is here I really can't believe it!

The packers came Wednesday and Thursday and packed up the house for us. The military does hire the movers and take care of that aspect of the moves for us (how else could they expect people to move every 3 years?!). But, as a side note, there are SOO many other things that still go into moving that aren't as tangible as packing!

CJ is such a busy toddler, he was really wanting to help pack! (And also VERY confused about where those guys were taking his toys! Ha ha!)

Don't forget to pack my hangers!!

He had to take a snack break from all that hard work, right in the middle of the chaos!

And when all your toys are packed, CJ demonstrated how you can make a fun riding toy out of the trashcan liner!

The truck driver came on Friday to pick up all the boxes and load his truck with all of our materialistic belongings. CJ was a great supervisor!!

It's so strange and sad to see our house completely empty! We have so many memories here, both good and bad. Of course the best thing by far to have happened here is that this is where our family grew to include CJ. We experienced many of his "firsts" here, so it is rather bittersweet to move. But we are looking forward to this new chapter of our life, and all the unknowns (I'm sure both good and bad) that we will get to experience in a new house, as we make a new "home" for our family in California. We have a couple more days here in Michigan, wrapping up some loose ends, saying some more goodbyes and then we start our road trip out west on Wednesday!

Let's Make a Deal

I'm not as good at coupon-ing as I would like to be, but one thing I am proud of is getting a lot of CJ's clothes from children's consignment shops!

I had $10 of store credit left at one of the stores here in town, that I obviously wanted to spend before moving!! To quote a great movie: "If you don't use it you lose it!" ;) So anyhow, I found some great "new" (used) clothes for CJ. Most of them good name-brands too like Gymboree, Polo Ralph Lauren, & Baby Gap. The blue romper in the center with the car is reversible (it was BRAND new with original $55 price tag) and is green with an airplane on the other side!! So, with my store credit, I got everything you see in this picture for just $7!! :) I sure hope I can find some good consignment shops in San Diego!!

The Last First

When you have a baby, there are so many little milestones and firsts. You know, the ones that all the baby books list and that you are supposed to document (if you can find the time?!) I'm a little sad, because today little CJ had his last "baby" first.

Baby's First Haircut!

I found myself feeling so sad about cutting those precious curls off!! But as CJ's hair got longer, he would would get mistaken for being a little girl more and more (even when wearing the most boyish looking outfits!). With the move coming up, I knew we wouldn't have another chance to cut his hair for about a month, so I reluctantly scheduled the appointment.

It is was a kids haircut place called "Cookie Cutters", and they had a play structure in the waiting area, and lots of trucks and planes for the kids to sit in while getting their cuts. And you get to pick out your choice of movie to watch during the haircut. Here is CJ getting his first "snip". I was tearing up at this point! :(

We were worried about how he was going to react to getting his hair cut (especially because he has to be basically restrained to clip his nails), but with the movie (Thomas the Train) playing he didn't even NOTICE that someone was touching his hair, much less cutting it!

The finished product: he definitely looks like a little boy now, instead of a little baby!

The BIG BOY with his bittersweet Momma.

"Toddler CJ" with his proud Dada.

How on earth did my baby grow up so fast!? (I have a feeling I will be asking this question over and over again for the rest of my life!)

Last trip (for a while) to PA & OH

Last week, JT drove one of our cars over to San Diego (so that when we move we can all drive together in the same vehicle) and did some house hunting for us! While he was gone, CJ and I went over to Pennsylvania & Ohio to visit with my family for the "last time" (before the move!) We had a really fun time visiting with my Grandmother, and my Aunts, Uncles, & cousins.

My Grandma lives right next to a park, so CJ really enjoyed going over there and playing on the playground and feeding the ducks!

We also got to spend time with my mom's sister, my cousin, and my Great Aunt & Uncle (CJ's Great-Greats!!)

One thing that is always a "must do" for the area in PA where my family lives is a spillway where there are TONS of carp.

Everyone goes and feeds the fish & ducks old bread. Thankfully the loaf that I gave little CJ to feed the fish hadn't expired yet, because he was more interested in feeding himself! Ha ha! We had a great time!

Then my aunt, cousin and I took CJ to the his first petting zoo. The same petting zoo that my cousin, sister and I got mauled by goats at as children, but thankfully they have redone the layout and the animals are more restrained! :)

CJ LOVED it!! He kept chasing around the baby goat and he thought that the piggies were super cute!!

After a few days in PA, CJ and I took Grandma with us to OH to visit my Dad's sister & her daughter (my cousin). She has 3 kids (and is expecting one more VERY soon!) and CJ had a BLAST playing with them! Especially her son; it was like CJ instantly recognized another "guy" to play rough with!! Too cute!

My cousin has a pool and it was a beautiful day to go swimming! CJ really enjoyed the little boat they had, and I did too because I didn't have to hold him the whole time! :)

Before we left OH to head back to MI, we stopped over for some yummy ice cream!!

We are really going to miss living so close to family, but hopefully we will get a few visitors in California! :)

Like Dada, Like Son

Anyone wanna try to tell me that my two boys don't look alike?

With the very dark brown head of hair my husband has, no one ever believes it when we say he had blond curly hair as a kid! Well, here is the proof!! And it looks like little CJ looks like a "little JT". :)

6 years

6 years ago from right now, I was marrying my best friend! That day neither one of us could have ever imagined all that God had in store for us. There have been lots of highs and lows, but, thankfully we had each other through it all!

June 4, 2005 - Wedding Day - Carteret St. UMC, Beaufort, South Carolina

June 4, 2006 - 1st Anniversary - Waikiki, Hawaii

June 4, 2007 - 2nd Anniversary - Honolulu, Hawaii

June 4, 2008 - 3rd Anniversary - Yosemite National Park, California

June 4, 2009 - 4th Anniversary - Mackinac Island, Michigan

June 4, 2010 - 5th Anniversary - Pacific Rim, Ann Arbor, Michigan

Military life definitely has a ton of pros and cons, but I really feel like it has been wonderful for our marriage. Whenever we move somewhere new, and neither of us know anyone, or where anything is, (or in the case of Hawaii how to pronounce the words!), we have to rely completely on each other. JT is the only person that can fully relate to what it is that I am going through since he is going through it too, and we "get through" it together! I am so thankful that no matter how many moves we have to do or wherever the military may send us, that I always get to move with my best friend! I don't know what the next 50 or 60 (yikes, that is a LOOOONNNNG time! and we will be ancient!) years holds in store for us, but I know that as long as we have each other we can get through anything! I love you JT!! Happy Anniversary Honey!!

To work or not to work? (that is the question)

This is probably the same question that all moms struggle with at some point!

I hadn't planned on being a stay-at-home mom. I worked full time until the day before I was induced (41 weeks), and the plan was for me to come back after an 8 week maternity leave. We had a spot reserved (with deposit paid!) at a great childcare facility. It was close to my work & it was close to our house. Well, as everyone knows, things don't always go according to your plans...

The week prior to me going back to work, I went in to have a meeting with my boss. I thought we were going to square away my returning hours, as well as discuss my need for pumping breaks, etc. I was laid off at that meeting instead.

Being a new mom is a HUGE change to your life, and a hard enough adjustment. But losing my job on top of all those other new mommy hormonal emotions was a lot to handle! I was angry, I was hurt, and I wondered why they chose to "get rid of" me. I'd be lying if I didn't say that it was really hard for me. At first, I resented my new "job" a little and really took for granted this gift of time with my new son. Every time we'd have a rough day, I couldn't help but think "uggghh, I could be at work right now..." Now, looking back, I really regret that. I feel so guilty for ever thinking those things because time is so precious and it goes by way too fast! :(

Fast forward...CJ is now almost 17 months. I now can honestly say that I really cherish the time that we get to spend together everyday. I now know that God's plan for our family, yet again, was perfect. Was it hard going from DINKs (dual income no kids) to a single income with a baby? Absolutely! Are there still days I miss having adult conversations? Of course! But, overall I wouldn't change a thing!

With the upcoming move, there are going to be lots of changes (understatement of the century!). And one of the things I've been wrestling with is whether or not to go back to work once we get settled. There are lots of pros and cons, and unknowns that make it a tough decision. I'm not sure yet what the future holds, but either way, I know I'll be "working"! ;)