Navy Wife Chronicles

The Begining

2012-02-12T11:32:00.005+09:00

"Courage is being scared to death, and saddling up anyways"~ John Wayne

For as long as I can remember, I have dreamed of a nice plot of land out in the country of my very own. I wished for the kind of life that could be found thumbing through the pages of Country Magazine. Up until now, I have gone in every other direction.

I went to school to become a hairstylist. I married a Navy man almost 8 years ago. We moved to Japan for three years. We had a son. I raised him mostly alone. My husband was out to sea 300 days a year. It was a hard life, and it took it's toll on us and on our marriage. Although I tried to stay positive, there was a time I thought we wouldn't make it. Eventually we moved back to the US, barely in one piece. We needed some peace and a place to put down some roots and establish a bond as a couple and as a family. It's almost like starting all over when you've been apart that long. There are many more details. But you get the gist. It certainly wasn't a farm life. So this year, when my husband was given a nice long stretch of shore duty, I saw my chance and I took it.

I looked and looked until I found the right spot to settle down. A small house. On 5 acres. With a barn. You have to start somewhere. This place had so much potential and room to grow. So we bought it. And ran at it full force. In a matter of weeks we fenced the horse pasture and built a horse stall in the barn. We've been painting, installing cabinets, clearing land and cutting down trees. My son's playground and sandbox are being built and my green house is up. It's like we couldn't wait to start our lives. With each project we grew closer and tighter together. We still have a long way to go. This is what we had been waiting for. I'm not saying life will be easy from here on out, in fact it will be harder. But it will be far more worth it than it ever has been, and we're so thankful for the opportunity we have to grow together.

My writing will become more detail oriented, with plenty of pictures and recipes. Tonight as I write, I realize how afraid I was of starting over. I needed to start fresh and begin again. This is a very small step in that direction. I invite you in the following weeks or years to peak in and see just how we're doing. One project and milestone at a time. ~Happy Trails to You

Life

2010-08-22T22:07:00.003+09:00

Life. Seems to me that life is often a big mess. A big mess of good and bad and beautiful. A beautiful complicated adventure. An adventure so grand that it inspires my insides. Inspires my insides to write.

I love to write. I hope someday to write a book. But until then I blog. I blog about nothing and I blog about everything. I remember, before I became a Mom I had so much more time to write. Time to write of my crazy random happenings during a somewhat ordinary day. I was creative in my writing about Life. And I liked it. Now days I'm lucky if I write one blog a month. The substance of my writing has also changed. Now I write about Life. Not the Life I had before I became a Mom. But the Life that I have now.

It's funny to me how your entire Life can change the moment that those tiny fingers wrap around yours and that tiny little pink face is looking up at you from a mass of soft blankets. The moment I knew he existed was the day my Life changed forever.

So now my Life is full of sticky fingers and dirty diapers. Temper tantrums and slobbery kisses. Sleepy hugs goodnight and happy hellos every morning. I wouldn't trade this Life for anything. And it's such a beautiful complicated adventure, that still inspires my insides...and every so often, it inspires me to write about Life.

6 Years and a Date

2010-08-13T20:20:00.009+09:00

Yesterday was our 6 year Wedding Anniversary. We celebrated by going on a much needed date night. The city of Sasebo is surrounded by mountain peaks. Almost every peak has it's own outlook that you can drive to and view the city. One peak in particular, Mt. Yumihari, has a resort at the top, complete with a restaurant. We decided it would be the perfect place to dine and take in the glorious view and city lights. The restaurant served French cuisine and we were both very excited to sample what they had. This is a journey through our splendid evening, and since I'm in love with food, we'll start there...with Dessert!

For Dessert: Vanilla bean ice cream sitting on top of two slivers of sweet honeydew melon. A cheesecake mousse. It had the texture of super fluffy jello and was molded into a cone shape. Raspberry coulis and blueberries. The sparkle of the raspberry and the creamy texture of the ice cream exploded with flavor in my mouth. I enjoyed all of this while drinking a tiny cup of coffee. Or cohee as the Japanese pronounce it. It was the perfect end to a wonderful meal.

The Main Course: I ordered the beef entree. My husband chose the lobster. The base of my main course was grilled summer veggies. A slice each of eggplant and zucchini, broccoli, tomato, pepper and onion. Also there was a tiny square of what tasted like thin slices of potato stacked on top of each other and baked. Like a miniature potato au gratin. All of this was crowned with 5 ounces of the tenderest beef I've ever had. Grilled perfectly to lock in the flavorful juice. Then a slice of fried potato crisp topped it all off. It was a work of art. Almost to beautiful to eat...almost.
Soup: We were both served a steaming cup of tomato beef broth. Very rich and full in body of flavor. But light and almost refreshing. Two herb rolls were also served with this course. Light and fluffy, the perfect side to this soup.
Salad: Mixed greens, topped with slices of shrimp, and sweet cherry tomatoes. It had a vinaigrette dressing that I found to be quite lovely. It enhanced the greens perfectly. The salad had a dollop of caviar on the top, that made me feel like I was dining with the King. But to be honest I could hardly detect any flavor from it.
First Course: A tomato slice. With a very light vinegar glaze and tiny bits of scallops pressed into it's center. The tomato and it's acidity are meant to cleanse the palette before starting a meal.
The view from the restaurant of Sasebo city. The sun was just starting to go down and was shining brightly over one area of the city. It was quite the breathtaking view.
A view of 99 Islands. Beautiful.
Me. Before dinner Brandon and I stood on the balcony and took pictures. Pictures really don't do this view justice.
In the entrance of the restaurant was this large glass vase filled with wine bottles. I found it to be a very cool piece and had to take a picture.
An end to a fantastic evening spent with the love of my life. I'm one blessed woman to have him!

Fire

2010-07-05T14:32:00.003+09:00

Today started like any other day. Brandon had duty once again and got up extra early and headed to work. He took our car, since Jackson and I had not planned on doing anything today. Jackson and I woke up a few hours later and began our daily morning routine. I made banana pancakes for breakfast. We watched cartoons. And just as I was starting to clean up the kitchen from our breakfast mess, I could see Jackson out of the corner of my eye, tearing apart my living room, as he does every morning while I clean up the kitchen. Toys litter my living room floor. Sofa pillows are now off the sofa. And there is Jackson jumping and climbing in the middle of it all. As I said, just like any other day.

While I am doing the dishes, I am hearing a faint noise. It sounds an awful lot like someone is pressure washing the front corridor to my building. Hmmm...I didn't remember there being anything posted in the lobby about it. But when I shut off the water to the sink I could hear it louder. Kind of like an alarm. Puzzled I went to the front door and opened it. Upon doing so I was blasted in the face with our painfully deafening fire alarm. It's amazing that while inside it sounds so muffled. I could see other neighbors doing the same thing. I went inside, put on a decent shirt. It was morning after all, and I was hardly dressed to go outside and greet the world. I grabbed Jackson, still in his PJ's and my cell phone and headed down with the rest of my neighbors to the driveway. I could see more people trickling outside as I stood and watched. With a noise that loud I expected some sort of massive drama to unfold in front of me. Or at least some smoke, maybe even some flames.

Half hour later the police and fire department came to do their jobs. Whatever that is. All of us, in our morning clothes, dripping with sweat from the heat and humidity that was hovering over us, stood there to greet them as they piled out of their trucks. My neighbor Stephanie, a firefighter/EMT for the last 10 years took charge. She explained what had happened and who lived where. The alarm blazing the entire time. Eventually at some point the firemen asked to inspect my home for signs of fire. And so up to the second floor Jackson and I went to show them just what they asked. As we walked up the stairs I was praying that Jackson didn't rub his blocks together and set a fire while I was doing the dishes. How mortified I would have been.

Now if you can remember, Jackson had torn apart my living room. And that memory came flooding back to me as I opened my door. My living room in complete chaos, like a tornado had come right through the middle of it. My kitchen was spotless however. The Japanese firemen asked if they could wear shoes in my house and very politely asked if they could open the door to my bedroom and bathroom. They walked softly and made little noise moving through my house looking for any sign of smoke. And as I stood there watching them, the whole thing felt so awkward. I was not in Kansas anymore, this was Japan. It seemed so funny to me in my head how opposite we are in America. The door would have been knocked to the ground, firemen would have trudged in the house wearing their muddy boots, and spraying anything in sight that even looked remotely warm. They wouldn't have asked or even apologized for turning a living room into a swimming pool. And I would have stood outside expecting exactly what I got. Here things are a bit different I guess. The men found nothing except a mess made by a toddler, and so they thanked me, put their shoes back on and quietly left.

I joined the rest of my neighbors once again outside. And so we stood and waited and laughed and got to know each other a little bit. Finally the fire department decided that there was no fire that they could find yet and so they let us all come back to our homes. We shrugged and kind of looked at each other thinking that this whole experience was sort of crazy. One by one we made our way back up the stairs. The alarm continued to go off for the next hour or so. And the men came door to door again asking about smoke. And then just like it all started, it stopped. The alarm was off. It was over. The men in their trucks left. And I was left thinking to myself, now what was the point of that? I guess we needed a little excitement in our morning. We certainly got it. If anything, it gave me something to blog about.

Happy Summer

2010-07-01T20:56:00.003+09:00

He loves to wear his Dad's work hat and drive in his car. Like he's a policeman.
Loves showing us his belly. He's proud that he knows all his body parts.
Brandon and Jackson on Father's Day 2010
Jackson and I hanging out in the blazing heat at a Luau last week.
Playing on the swings at the park. Love his little face, he sure lights up my life!

Jackson is 21 months old now! Only a few more months until he's 2. I can hardly believe it's gone by so fast. He's getting bigger by the minute it seems. Everyday he is learning more, and he amazes me. He's talking up a storm and has quite the vocabulary. I love all of his facial expressions and excited noises. He's such a happy little guy. Saying that Jackson is active is an understatement. He is running and climbing and jumping on everything. And that's ok with me, he's a healthy boy. But I don't think I've ever been more tired at the end of the day. Staying one step ahead is impossible, so I just try and keep up. Brandon is in and out to sea a lot these days. So Jackson and I are spending a lot of quality time together. We've been enjoying the summer, blazing heat and all. We hope all of you are enjoying the sun as well. Happy Summer!

Mt. Eboshi Park

2010-05-16T13:34:00.005+09:00

Yesterday we took a little drive up Mt. Eboshi. There is an outdoor adventure park near the top. It is based around children's activities, so taking Jackson was a blast.
They have a huge tunnel. Here is Jackson near the entrance, it went on forever. Perfect for a boy that can run and run.
Regular playground equipment. Jackson on the see-saw with his dad. He loved it!
Check out this slide monstrosity!!
On the swing with dad.
This looked like it was so much fun. Jackson was still too little to climb it, but I still wanted a picture. I would have loved it as a kid. Although I'm sure kids get injured on it all the time.
They had a whole building with wood floors dedicated to cars and little trikes for little guys. Outside they had a huge track for older kids and bikes and pedal cars available for them. But I thought it was great that they catered to both age groups. Jackson loved steering this car and honking it's horn.
Ahhh...the ball pool. This was amazing! It was literally like an outdoor swimming pool with rubber lining....filled with thousands of balls. They also had huge bouncy balls to play with and different soft rubber toys floating around in the sea of balls. It was an indoor area, so using it in the winter will be a fun too.
And the coolest thing of all, the slide. Jackson spent most of his time going down the slide into the balls. Other activities available were: a rollerblading trail around the park, go karts, mini golf, a giant sand box with neat ride on diggers, a hill with a ski lift and sleds to ride down on AstroTurf (also used in the winter time with snow for sledding and skiing) The park was pretty much free, although you could rent gear for super cheap to use. I can't believe we found such a jewel. We had such a great day together that on the way home we talked about doing it again next weekend. And these days anything that we can do for fun that wears our little tornado out is a great thing in my book. He fell asleep in the car on the way home.

Cookin' up a Storm

2010-05-12T18:20:00.003+09:00

Asian Steak Skewers with Lemon Poppy Seed Coleslaw. Delish!

Brandon has been on somewhat of a diet the last several weeks. We've both been rather careful of what we're eating. I have lost about 80 pounds over the last several months. But after being on a ship and eating ship food for so long, we needed to overhaul his eating. I didn't want it to feel like we were dieting. So I set out to cook a new healthy meal every night that didn't skimp on taste or flavor. I scoured cookbooks and the Internet creating menus for each week and bought fresh produce as often as I could. I've been quite successful in my cooking adventure. Brandon dropped 20 pounds this month. He looks and feels great. I'd like to think that my fantastic cooking had something to do with it. I took a few pictures of meals I created and thought I'd share them.
Citrus Fire Grilled Ahi Tuna Steaks with an Avocado and Citrus Relish. Steamed Cauliflower with Parmesan. Steamed Prawns with Coastline Dipping Sauce.

Fun with Dad

2010-05-12T18:06:00.003+09:00

Sasebo Aquarium. Brandon and Jackson checking out the fish.
Wearin' Dad's combat boots!
Daddy came home for lunch and Jackson was oh so excited to see him.
At the park in the Ginza. Jackson loves to play with his Dad.
Coming down the slide.

The Dolphin Show. I got soaked taking this picture!
Watching the dolphins from dad's shoulders, just like a big boy!
Looking at a cuttlefish together.

Having Brandon in port has been great. We rarely see him during the week, so we live for the weekends. Jackson has been having the best time paling around with his Daddy. Here are a few pictures from the last few weekends spent together as a family.

Ra-Ra-Ramen

2010-05-03T14:48:00.002+09:00

Feeding a toddler isn't always easy. And I'm one of the lucky ones. My son will eat just about anything I give him. I've never really had a problem getting him to eat his veggies. I love to cook. I love to create new things. And recently I've come up with a new idea that is super easy and quick for his lunches.

Jackson loves ramen. He loves to slurp up the noodles. He wants it everyday. He will get in the pantry and bring me a package of ramen. In Japan, it's everywhere and inexpensive. However a regular package of ramen is not as healthy as we'd all like it to be. The seasoning pack has more sodium than you should have in a week. And besides, who could eat the same thing everyday?? Apparently my son, but I do like to mix it up a little.

So I came up with a few ideas. Instead of making ramen with broth, I drain out the water. It's certainly easier to eat that way. I mix in a little olive oil and I season it myself. Then depending on my mood I add different things to make it yummy. I make taco ramen, with ground turkey taco meat, add in some tomatoes, avocados, and cheese. I make southwest ramen, with corn, black beans, and tomatoes. Japanese ramen, peas and carrots, scrambled eggs, and diced up chicken with a little soy sauce. Broccoli and ham. Turkey and cheddar. The possibilities are endless. I never realized how versatile it was.

He doesn't eat it everyday, although I know he could. But it does make things easier to have a go to meal when I run out of ideas. I thought I'd share it with all of you moms who just can't stand the thought of making one more PBJ sandwich.

A Night Out

2010-04-20T21:53:00.002+09:00

My lovely girlfriend Alicia offered to watch our son Jackson so that we could go out for a date tonight. It's my husband's birthday tomorrow, so we were pretty excited about the opportunity to have a little celebration as adults. So we got all fancied up and left Jackson home with Alicia. Tonight is the first time in Jackson's life that we have had someone other than family watch him.
Here is a picture of my hubby Brandon and I. Excited about our date! We decided to go to an infamous restaurant in town. It's called the Steak Salon. When you're told about it, it's almost as if you've just heard a secret, like it should be whispered because of how special it is. It's very pricey but worth every penny. It's also very small inside but well known as one of the best places to eat. Inside the restaurant, the walls are covered with pictures of the chef with captains and admirals and entire squadrons from the Navy. All of them have visited the steak salon and by word of mouth over the years, this tiny hole in the wall has made quite the name for itself. It's not a place to take kids, so we had never been before tonight. And after our amazing food experience, I can't imagine us not going back again and again. I will now take you on a journey through the most amazing meal I've ever eaten.
First course: soup. It was like a golden corn and onion puree with a buttery flavor. Rich and creamy. It was simple yet delicious. And at that point I couldn't wait to see what they served next.
Second course: salad. Mixed greens and shredded cabbage, exotic fruits, and topped with seared scallops. The dressing was fantastic. I had a hard time not licking the bowl after I finished. Brandon said he wants to eat this salad everyday for the rest of his life he loved it so much.
Meanwhile as we are eating, we are watching our chef cook. He was this adorable older Japanese man that had a warm smile and kind eyes. He was at home in his space and worked his kitchen like he'd been doing it by muscle memory for years. He took out a side of beef and cut our steaks from it. And we watched him saw through the meat in amazement, like he was the greatest chef we'd ever seen. Because he was. Our table was in a horseshoe shape with the kitchen in the middle. He was cooking our meals in a tiny kitchen on this little stove with cast iron pans. It was so much fun to watch. As he worked we watched, and sat close together as we chatted about all of the delightful things he was creating. What a romantic thing to share.
Third course: main dish. Steak, so tender you didn't need a knife. Potatoes, boiled, but they also had a crisp crust on them like they had been pan fried. Carrots, steamed, but so sweet it was like having an after dinner treat. Green beans, fresh out of the garden. Our steak was topped with roasted garlic, and the pan dripping sauce. The sauce was rich and fragrant with wine and garlic. It was so beautifully presented. Brandon and I got the same meal and as we ate we would moan and comment on the tenderness of the steak or the flavor of the sauce and the sweetness of the carrots. I cannot describe to you the flavor of this meal. All I can say is that it was an experience I have never had. One that I want to relive. Funny how food can make you feel so much.
Fourth course: dessert and coffee. A small scoop each of vanilla ice cream and orange sorbet, with a vanilla custard covered in a creamy orange sauce. It tasted like summer. Citrus and cream is one of my favorite flavors. It was a delightful way to end our meal. When we left, we felt extremely satisfied, but also wanting more. Brandon mentioned that we will be visiting there again soon. And I'll have to agree. You can't have a meal that good and not go back for more. Our evening together was splendid and when we returned home, Jackson was more than excited to see us. Which really is the perfect way to end a date night. Tomorrow is Brandon's actual birthday and Jackson and I will be cooking him a special dinner to enjoy here at home. And I just know that as we sit down to eat our Cornish game hens, I will be dreaming of that wonderful steak.

10 Things I Love About Japan

2010-04-15T18:54:00.002+09:00

1.) The People. The nicest, most respectful people you will ever meet make up the country of Japan. I am constantly amazed at how genuine they are.

2.) Gyoza. The food here in general is wonderful. But I am especially fond of Gyoza. (It's like a potsticker/dumpling for those who have no idea what it is)

3.) The 100 Yen Store. There are literally hundreds of them here in our town, kind of like Starbucks in Seattle. They have the greatest things and gadgets I've ever seen, and only for 100 yen.

4.)Flags/Banners. I grew up with a mom that loved windsocks and the concept of them makes me smile. So the fact that these people will find any reason to celebrate and then hang flags or banners all over the city....it just feels like fun to me.

5.) Parades. I swear that they really do celebrate everything. They stop everything they do to have a party. And along with their banners, they have huge colorful parades through the middle of town. I do love a good party.

6.) Musical chimes. People in this country also love a little musical ditty. When their clocks strike on the hour a little song plays and you can hear it through the neighborhood. Everyday at 5pm my neighbor's clock plays "Edelweiss" with a sort of flutey sound. It's so beautiful that I look forward to 5 pm everyday. Edelweiss, is my favorite song from Sound of Music.

7.) The differences. It's a very different culture here in Japan. Some things serious, some things silly, all of them fascinating. I like that it's different. The fact that business men in suits ride mopeds through town with their brief case bungee tied to the side, makes me giggle a little. And the Japanese Tea Ceremony is spectacular to watch. All things I never would have gotten to see had I not been here.

8.) Scenery. It's beautiful here. Like a tropical paradise. Lush with gardens and flowering trees and greenery. Truly amazing for the eye to behold.

9.) At your own risk. In the states it seems you can't do anything without the possibility of being sued. Here in Japan it's different. You can do things that you would never be allowed to do in the states. For example, play with the monkeys and kangaroos at the zoo.

10.) Work ethic. The people here work hard. And they are happy to do so. They are grateful for the job they have. That alone often makes me think twice before I complain.

The Perfect Potato Salad

2010-04-11T11:26:00.004+09:00

Last night we attended a BBQ at a friends house. Potato salad was on the menu along with various other picnic eats. Have you ever had a potato salad that was out of this world? One that you compare all other salads to. I've had salads that were bad and I've had salads that were so-so, normally the case at such functions.

Potato salad is like a summer anthem for my mouth. When I eat it, it's so much more than just a salad. My mind explores things that were almost lost. For me, It brings back memories of summer fun as a kid. Running through the Sprinkler, Sidewalk Chalk and Popsicles, an afternoon game of Frisbee in the yard. It's a food that is often paired with other summer foods I enjoy. BBQ chicken, corn on the cob, watermelon, and sweet tea. When the flavors of summer explode on your taste buds, it's not just food, it's an experience.

So last night left me wanting more. A bolder potato salad. With flavor bursting at the seams. The perfect concoction. I woke up this morning with a fierce desire to make that salad. House work?? What's that?? I was on a mission. And so as my son played at my feet, I began my journey, to make the perfect potato salad.

I began with 5 small potatoes. This is a marathon not a sprint. I am starting small.
5 hard boiled eggs
2 dill pickles, diced
1/4 onion, diced small. I like a little crunch not a big one.
2/3 cup Mayo
3 Tbs. Mustard
Season to Taste. Included: Garlic Powder, Salt, Pepper, Dill, Paprika
Secret Ingredient: 1/2 cup homemade (good seasons) Italian dressing. Made with red wine vinegar. I marinate the potatoes in the dressing after they are cooked, cooled in the fridge until potatoes are cold. When the potatoes are cold I mix all ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Then I do a taste test to see if it needs anything else. The dressing really gives it a kick of flavor.

After my salad is complete I survey the damage that has been done by my son. There is crushed cereal on my kitchen floor, he is covered in chocolate, from eating chocolate chips out of the bag, and there are juice boxes spread through out my kitchen all with the straws removed. My laundry still isn't done, and my kitchen is a mess now. But at least we have a delicious potato salad to eat with our chicken sandwiches for lunch. And really what's better than that?? I waited until he went down for a nap before I served myself a small scoop to try. Not bad for my first run. But I will continue trying to perfect my skill. I will eventually concoct the perfect potato salad. And I will be ready. Let summer begin!

Home

2010-04-10T21:18:00.005+09:00

Jackson and I have been home in Japan for a week. It's been a long week of readjusting. He couldn't be doing better, I on the other hand am struggling. I'm tired. Tired might be an understatement. After such a huge trip and a massive time change, it's silly to come home and just expect to fall right into a normal sleep pattern. I feel like going to bad at 4 in the afternoon, but I try and hold out until 8 with my eyelids drooping, and then I'm up before the sun ready to start my day. I'm working on it though. Jackson seems to be in perfect adjustment. Sleeping full nights and even taking naps during the day. You'd never know what we went through just to get here.

The trip. Oh my goodness! I for some reason don't take myself seriously every time I promise myself that I will never make that trip alone with Jackson. Maybe I forget how hard it is or maybe I'm just a gluten for punishment. Either way it's never easy. This time around wasn't as bad as it could have been. It certainly wasn't a cake walk though.

On our long flight over to Japan, 12 hours feels like it will never end. 3o minutes felt like 6 hours. I somehow managed to switch seats with someone, bless them. My original seat was the very last seat in the back of the plane, against the window, with Jackson sitting on my lap. I switched seats with someone who had two empty seats next to them. So I had my own seat and Jackson had two seats. This made things sooo much easier. Entertaining him for that long was the hard part. He had no desire to sleep, despite the fact that he was exhausted. After all our flight was a night flight. I can honestly say that he was the most well behaved child on the plane. He did the best he could have in that situation, and when we landed in Tokyo, I thought, so far so good.

Now came the hard part. Customs. 3 suitcases and 2 carry ons. A stroller and a cranky boy. By myself. I got a cart, got my luggage off the carousel, and loaded it up. Pushed the cart overflowing with bags and a stroller.....at the same time.....through the long customs line. We made it through, but then had another obstacle. We had to get out to the hotel shuttle before it left. I pushed the cart and the stroller outside and across the street. Jackson crying all the way. I knew he was so tired. We loaded onto the bus and rode the 15 minutes to the hotel. Tokyo Hilton. What a beautiful hotel. With full room service. I took full advantage of that. Jackson and I were tired and hungry. We showered, had a snack, and went to bed. We slept well, but woke up early to get ready. We had another plane to catch.

We somehow made it back to the airport, in a very similar fashion. We ate breakfast while we waited to board our plane. Our second flight was small and very uncrowded. In fact we had a whole row of seats to our self. Jackson slept for almost the entire 2 hour flight. He woke up just in time to get changed before we landed. As I got off the plane, I remember feeling proud of myself. I told myself that I was an international traveling guru, and with an 18 month old to boot....wow I'm good! I know that I can do just about anything, but it feels good to have such a big reminder.

We had to get our bags before we could venture out to meet Brandon who was waiting for us. What a happy reunion. Jackson hadn't seen his daddy for months. He was a little shy at first, but warmed up pretty quick. And I...couldn't have been happier to see my love, my heart beating fast and butterflies in my stomach when I saw his face. This is where we are meant to be. Here as a family. Home.

Bright Sunshiney Day

2010-02-19T03:04:00.002+09:00

Our fun in the springtime sun started with Jackson's very first happy meal! I remember as a young girl getting happy meals with my Nanny and going to the pond for a picnic and getting to feed the ducks. It's such a fun memory that I thought I should share it with Jackson. He loved dipping his chicken nuggets and munching on apple slices. Here is a picture of him holding his little picnic lunch.

Jackson loves to play outside. He will bring me his shoes and go stand by the front door and wait for me. Yesterday was the perfect day to play. I got to sit in the warm sunshine, while he did what he loves to do best....Run!

Riding his four wheeler was extra fun outside. I'm sure it feels more free to do it out in the open rather than inside the house. He rode it all over the yard and would hop off when he saw a rock to collect. At the end of our playtime, he had a pocket full of rocks. We had a great time. It's days like that, that I wish the sun would show it's beautiful face more often.

Legacy

2010-02-09T08:37:00.004+09:00

Jackson playing on Nanny's bed as he often did.

My living tribute to one of the greatest women I've ever known. I got her name tattooed on my arm last August, and she was just thrilled about it.

Jackson and Nanny. The first time she got to meet him. He was 6 months old and she was 87 years.

My Nanny passed away very recently. She was 88 years old. I know that she is in a much better place. Dancing on the streets of gold with Jesus. I am more than happy for her, she's been talking about meeting Jesus for my entire life. But I still feel as if my light has burnt out. We were kindred spirits she and I. I will never forget all that she has taught me about being a woman of God. And I will certainly always remember all of the memories we shared. She was such a remarkable woman, her legacy will live on forever.

Little Guy Stats

2010-01-16T14:22:00.003+09:00

15 1/2 months old. "Fixin" his 4-wheeler...He's all boy!

Jackson: Almost 16 Months and 25 Pounds

Favorite Foods: Sghetti, Peas, Pears, Goldfish Crackers

Favorite Toys: Noodle Bug, Tool Set, Little People

New Words: Thank You, All Done, Night Night Mama

Favorite Activities: Climbing, Jumping, Running

New Developmental Milestones: Shape Recognition, Eats on a plate using a fork

Favorite Bed Time Pal: Bloose (Blue stuffed Moose)

Loves: Playing Chase

Hates: Taking Naps

Loves: Giving Hugs and Kisses

Hates: Slowing Down or Sitting Still

Christmas Visit

2010-01-05T13:28:00.002+09:00

The Pauley Family. We try and take a family Christmas picture every year on the front porch. We missed out on last year since we stayed in Japan. So here is this years picture. Left to Right: Beck, Brandon, Jackson, Emily (Me), John, Kyle and his girlfriend Christina.

Jackson playing with the Christmas tree at Nanny and Poppies house.

Brandon, Jackson and I, In Japan a few days before we came home. Sasebo Park all lit up with Christmas lights.

I love this picture and that's why I'm posting it. Brandon and Jackson playing in the backyard at Brandon's parents house. Brandon grew up here and somehow it seemed sentimental to me to watch them walking hand in hand.

We came home for Christmas for 2 weeks. All 3 of us. It was quite the trek with a 15 month old, but oh so worth it. We had so much fun. And it went way to fast. We tried hard to split time between families and friends. Tried to see everyone we could during the 2 weeks. It was a wonderful Christmas.

The day we were leaving, up early in the morning doing those last minute things before our flight. Brandon suggested that I stay behind. He had to go back, he's on his way out to sea again. But he said he wanted me to be safe at home spending time with our family while he was away. He didn't want our fun time to end just because he had to go back. He said to stay. So I did. It was terribly hard to have to say goodbye to my husband right there in the spur of the moment. I wasn't prepared for it at all. He'll be gone for quite awhile. I miss him so much. But it really does make it easier to be here at home with a huge support system and friends to see. So here I am...again. Hopefully I'll get to see you all during our visit.

Dream a little Dream

2009-12-03T13:29:00.003+09:00

I guess being a wife and mom, you kind of forget about yourself. I put myself on the back burner a lot. I take care of myself in between all of the other things I have going on, determined not to be the one that lets herself go. But every once in awhile I get a glimpse of some of the dreams I've had over the years. Just because I am a supportive navy wife, and drop everything to go where Brandon's career takes us, doesn't mean that I can no longer achieve things I want for my life.

For instance, I have always wanted to write a book and have it published. Not for the money aspect of it, but for the sheer joy I get from writing. The only problem is, I don't know where to start. I have lived an ordinary life, or so it may seem. But some would say I see things differently. What one person may consider just a regular day, is an adventure full of surprises and memories for me. Ordinary days have shaped me into the person that I am. Do I start there? From the beginning? Or should I write about my Navy Wife adventures? Places I've lived, experiences that I have had. The only problem with that is, once I became a mom, exciting adventures were few and far between. Not that having a jumping boy full of energy is not an adventure. But who really wants to read a book full stories of laundry and dishes and dirty diapers. We've all been there and know what it's like.

I feel like I need more life experience for me to be able to write the kind of book that I want. However for some reason, I can't stop thinking about my book. So as you can see I am in quite the mental pickle. I have decided that it wouldn't hurt to get started in my book writing process, kind of like a rough draft of ideas. Hopefully soon I will have something more defined than that. But for right now it feels good to follow just one of my many dreams.

Giving Thanks

2009-11-29T16:51:00.002+09:00

Jackson demolished his dinner!
A little bit of everything....He sure did love it!

We had a truly wonderful Thanksgiving weekend. We were blessed to have Brandon return home to us just in time for the holiday. We've been adjusting to having him home, what with all of the extra laundry and cooking and re-learning how to sleep. Jackson of course is in heaven, he follows his Dad around everywhere and pretty much wants nothing to do with Mom. And that's ok. Brandon is finally getting to see all of the new tricks that Jackson has learned over the last month. Including, not being able to find his cell phone because Jackson put it in the drawer under the kitchen sink, that was an adventure scouring the house looking for it. We baked lots of treats, had quite the feast for dinner, and relaxed as much as we could in between. We watched movies, Four Christmases and Julie and Julia were both at the top of my list for the weekend, if you haven't seen them, do so. We also took a stroll through the ginza that is lit up with lights, just for fun and sipped on Strabucks.

This being the first Thanksgiving that Jackson has gotten to partake in eating regular food, I was pretty excited to see what he liked and disliked. Apparently he loved it all as you can see from the pictures above. I think the cranberry sauce was his favorite, just like his Mama! But he ate fistfuls of stuffing, potatoes, turkey and gravy too. And ate a whole piece of pumpkin pie to himself! It was quite entertaining for Brandon and I to watch. We are blessed with a son who eats just about everything.

As we near the end of our weekend I am both relieved and disappointed. I am looking forward to cleaning out the fridge and getting back to eating a lighter menu. But I also really enjoyed the time that Brandon could be home with us, it sure doesn't happen very often, and I'm not quite ready for it to end. One thing is for certain....I am so Thankful for the life I live!

It Is What It Is

2009-11-13T23:35:00.003+09:00

Apparently I have an acrobat for a son. He's a climber. Climbs everything in sight. In fact most of my day is spent making sure that he doesn't bust his little noggin.
See... Here he is thinking he's Batman, gonna scale the side of his bookshelf.
At least he's a happy boy. This is the face I get to look at everyday, brings joy and warmth to my heart. He can light up my face with a smile in no time.
Riding his Tonka Truck around the living room. He watches to make sure that I'm watching him do it, and if by chance I glance away, He says "Mom" over and over again until I watch him ride it again.
Nana sent new Batman jammies. They are cozy and warm and he loves them. But sometimes I swear that when he wears them, he's extra rambunctious, like he is a little Batman.

Deployments. Ehhh...I'm not partial to them. Don't get me wrong, Jackson and I are getting by just fine. We always do. But it certainly is different now that he is older. He misses his Dad and doesn't understand why. He talks about his Daddy all day long, pretends like he's talking to him on his play phone, sings songs about him, and carts around his Daddy Doll room to room. There's just some things mom's can't do ya know. I try my best. I know I'm not his buddy like his Daddy is. I can't help feeling like Brandon is missing out on so much. Just in the last few weeks Jackson has grown so much. He is talking more, walking more, and of course exploring more.

The doctor once told me that I have a "spirited" boy. It's basically like saying he's very active. Jackson does everything to the tenth power. Which certainly makes for a tired Mama at the end of the day. Sometimes I feel like I'm living groundhog day, my days all blend together and are somewhat the same. We have our routine. Jackson is so smart. Smarter than I often give him credit for. Because just when I think I'm safe, he figures out a way to undo what I did, to climb or reach what I thought he couldn't, and to mess up what I've just cleaned up. I must say the age that he is right now is by far my favorite. I get so much enjoyment out of just watching him. What a happy delightful boy, so curious and spirited about everything in his path. I try as hard as I can to just soak up every moment with him.

It's also the most exhausting age. I'm so ready for bed at the end of the day. And doing it alone certainly hasn't made it easier. I want to share this with Brandon. I'm not sure if it's just the weather, or that it's fall, or maybe that I've had a horrible cold, but I seem to just be dragging by. Day after day, oh so tired. There's nothing to do but keep going. It is what it is. For now we wait. Wait until he comes home. And hope that when he gets here, we're not too tired to enjoy it.

Happy Halloween

2009-10-31T19:44:00.002+09:00

Tired from laughing so hard. He had to lay back for a minute, so I caught this quick picture.
Cracking up laughing in his pumpkin outfit.
He hated the hat. He kept taking it off. But all the while laughed and laughed.

Today was Halloween for us in Japan. Jackson is still a little young to go trick or treating. And Brandon isn't home to enjoy it with us anyways. But I still wanted to dress him up and take a few pictures while he played today. Brandon and I were both pumpkins for Halloween when we were kids, so this outfit was quite fitting. We ended up staying home all day. It seems like everyone in Sasebo is sick, and going out to the harvest party on base to be stuck in the gym full of sweaty coughing kids didn't sound like fun at all. So we made our own fun instead. I dressed him up in his outfit and he couldn't stop laughing. He laughed the entire time, I guess he thought it was silly. He played for a long time while he drug his big pumpkin belly around the house with him. I made Jackson and I a great dinner, chicken enchiladas. And we split a baked cinnamon apple for dessert. We colored with markers, which is always a treat for him. He colored a pumpkin picture we got at the grocery store. He had a super fun bubble bath tonight and played with his boats. And then after he put on his jammies, we read his favorite book before bed. Might seem uneventful for most folks, but we tried to make it our own and it turned out to be a great day. Hope you all have a great harvest party yourselves.

Daddy Days

2009-10-26T13:29:00.002+09:00

Brandon and Jackson on the ship...Jackson loves visiting Daddy at work!
Jackson's first birthday trip to the Nagasaki Zoo. Daddy and Jackson petting the kangaroos.
Playing in the ball pit together. Brandon gets right in there with him and Jackson loves it.
Visiting the Aquarium at the pier. Brandon and Jackson checking out the big tank together.
Relaxing at home. Brandon and Jackson playing batman.

Jackson is loving having his Daddy home. Brandon's home port visits usually don't last long, so we try and pack in as much quality time as we can as a family. This time around it has been so fun to go on our adventures. Since he's older now, he is just a hoot to take places. Brandon has had the time of his life bonding with Jackson as he grows. What a great Dad he is. I wanted to post some pictures of my two boys together.

Old and New

2009-10-18T19:29:00.003+09:00

Over a year ago I wrote a post about where I was at in life. I read it recently, and feel like I am a different person, and I'm at a very different place in life. I have decided to re-post the older blog and then write below each statement how I feel I have changed over the course of the last year. Maybe this is for my own benefit over anything else, but feel free to read along.

Blog Titled: My life as I know it. Posted August of 2008
Things I'm learning about myself and about my life. Good and Bad. Some things I like. Some things I don't. But it's where I'm at right now.

-I hate being alone. And even more so hate being without Brandon.
~ I am now more comfortable then ever being alone. Maybe because I have to be so often. I will never enjoy being without Brandon.

-I love change, but am terrified of having to be outside of my comfort zone.
~I don't even think I have a "comfort zone" anymore. Most likely because I have lived outside of it for so long.

-The things I love most in life are what I fear losing the most. Turns out they aren't things at all.
~ This is still very relevant in my life.

-I am stronger than I thought.
~I know exactly how strong I am now, and just what I'm capable of doing.

-I don't like people as much as I used to. They disappoint me far to much for me to put any energy into them.
~I still feel like this, a lot more than I would like to.

-I am horrified at what American culture has become, yet I am still proud of where I come from.
~I am very patriotic, but still feel the same way about Americans today.

-Sometimes I think I am Super Wife. Could I get any better at it?
~ Not only am I Super Wife...I am now Super Mom....and yes, sometimes I amaze myself at how super I really am. ;o)

-I want people to change, but don't want to be the one to help them do it.
~I am more willing to help now a days, but get frustrated at the first sign of laziness.

-God really is in control.
~Amen

-I love to travel, but have decided that living in another country is not for me.
~I have come to the conclusion that home really is where the military sends us. Japan is my home. And some day my home could be in Texas or in Italy, and I am ok with it.

-Chocolate milk can always make a bad day good.
~Amen to that!

-I pick my nose way to much.
~Still do. I watched Dr. Oz one day and he said that it's dangerous to pick your nose, I was so bummed out, and tried not to do it. I think I made it a whole day and decided that it just wasn't worth it, I just had to pick it.

-I need to have my own life outside of being married, but don't want to. I'd rather just spend all my time with Brandon because it's comfortable. I can be me all the time.
~I am living the life. With and sometimes without the husband. It's all good to me!

-I need to learn not to organize everything. It takes the fun out of it.
~Still working on this. I need organization. But I am more than ok with my son making messes to fuel his curiosity and help his imagination grow.

-Painting my toes will always make me smile.
~Someone else painting them makes me smile even bigger!

-I'm sometimes honest to a fault.
~Still very true. I will always tell the truth.

-I am independent only when I have to be.
~Wow, not sure who that woman was....whoever she was, she hadn't taken care of a newborn baby in a foreign country by herself yet, and she certainly hadn't taken an 11 month old on an international traveling spree. Nothing makes you feel like you are independent more than being a mom.

-I'm capable of doing just about anything, including take care of myself. But I don't want to.
~ I am a champ at taking care of me and now everyone else, all day everyday. Bring it on!

-Immaturity is my biggest irritation. I can rarely tolerate people from the age of 15 to 24. There are a few exceptions, but not many.
~Still my biggest pet peeve. People that think they've got it all figured out and act like they are still in high school. Get over yourself.

-Moving to Japan was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. For more than one reason. It's still hard. But I'm so glad that I did it.
~I am sooo glad I did it. But it doesn't make it any easier.

-I am addicted to Starbuck's Bottled Frappuccinos. I drink one every morning, and even then I want another one.
~ I have cut this habit. I still love me some coffee, just not everyday, and lower in calories.

-I hate being pregnant, but can't wait to meet my son. I will be a much better mother than I am a pregnant woman.
~My son is Amazing! And all I want to do is be the best mom I can be. Pregnant Me will have to wait a few more years, I'm so not ready to do it again yet.

-I wish I could see myself like Brandon sees me. The way he looks at me sends me to the moon.
~I love that man! And Lord knows I'm still over the moon for him.

-I love the military, but don't like what we fight for anymore.
~ What do we fight for again? I think that most Americans don't even know.

-I never cried at weddings until I got married.
~Still true. Watched my friend Brittany get married this summer and cried like a baby while she recited her vows.

-I still get butterflies when Brandon smiles at me.
~Boy do I ever. We've been married for over 5 years now.

-Friends have their own life.
~Yes they do, and I am blessed to be a part of it.

-My brother is grown up and can make his own choices. But I still wish he would do what I tell him to.
~I have never felt more strongly about this than I do now.

-I am turned off by selfishness.
~In a big way. Especially now that I put my needs behind someone elses every day. But that's what being a mom is all about, right?!

-I have wanted to do a million different professions in my life. All are different and they change on a day to day basis. The only things that stay the same are that I want to be a good wife and mother.
~I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up. But whatever it is, I am more than content with what I'm doing now, Being a Wife and Mother.

-Sad songs always play when I don't want them to.
~Very True. Always when I drop Brandon off on the pier and say goodbye and get back in the car.

-My parent's get cooler and cooler as I get older. I don't tell them enough how great they are.
~ I tell them more often now. But I'm pretty sure they are cooler now then they were when I wrote that.

-Brandon really is my other half and my best friend. I am amazed that God made him just for me sometimes, and what a good job he did. He's everything I ever wanted.
~Couldn't have said it better myself.

-I really could eat my Grandma Dot's orange salad every day until I died.
~I think of her when I eat it. I think of her everyday anyways, the orange salad is just icing on the cake.

-I am blessed beyond my wildest dreams, and am fully satisfied with my life. But I still want to be a better person.
~I am a better person since I last wrote that. I still want this for my life, I think everyone should.

My New Car

2009-10-09T19:38:00.002+09:00

Took pictures from all angles. This is the Driver's Side.
The Back. Has tons of trunk space. Will fit Jackson's stroller and groceries and have room for more, something our other car couldn't do.
The Front. Brandon is waiting for me to "get in the car woman". When we sit in this car our shoulders don't touch, like in the other car.
Passenger Side. It's super cute, and drives like a dream!

Finally got a new car. The little Suzuki Wagon R that we have is just not quite big enough for us. Imagine a metal lunch box on wheels with the motor of a moped.... So today we bought a BMW 320 i. It has the extra room that we need and was a great price. It will be perfect for us for the rest of our tour here in Japan.

Phone Nazi

2009-10-06T12:22:00.004+09:00

Jackson has an interesting "Lovey". Different from most kids' blankies or stuffed animals. Jackson loves the....Phone.

Since Jackson was just a few months old, he has known about the phone. His Daddy has been away often in Jackson's short life, and the only way for them to stay connected was by using the phone. I would hold the phone to Jackson's ear and let him hear his Dad's voice. And for a long time, that's all he knew about the phone, was that it was his Daddy. Whenever the phone would ring, or he would see the phone, he would say...Dada. Now that we are home, he gets to see his dad a lot more often then he did before.

But now there is a new person at the end of the phone line. His Nana. So his love affair with the phone is far from over. Jackson will carry the phone around with him all day. In fact we let him play with the old house phone, so that he wont use the current house phone to dial strange numbers. For some reason he knows the difference. He wants the phone that I use. He will bring it to me and say...Nana. So I will call her so that he can babble into the phone and listen to her voice with the phone pressed against his ear. It's the cutest thing I've ever seen.

He also gets very upset when we hang up. He will cry and hold the phone to his face. He thinks the phones are his. He gets upset when I take one from him and use it, even though he has 3 more to play with. He must have the phone within his sight at all times it seems. He wants to play with all of them at the same time, he loves my cell phone as well because he gets to talk to Daddy at work on my cell phone. He holds all of "his" phones on his lap and one at a time will press buttons and hold it up to his face.

I know that all kids have their attachments, but this one just makes me laugh. It's not the only thing that he likes, it's just the thing he like most at the moment. It comforts him for some reason. And since it's so silly, I thought I'd share it with you.

12 Months

2009-10-06T10:54:00.002+09:00

Jackson playing with his Tonka Truck in his playroom....

I just realized that I hadn't posted about Jackson's latest stats. So here are a few things that he's been up to. He just turned a year old last week, and has grown like crazy lately. He is now weighing in at 24 pounds and is 30 inches tall. What a busy boy he is, always playing hard, but never seems to wear out. He loves to eat, and I have yet to find anything that he doesn't like. He is a vegetable lover, which I am pleased with, and isn't so hot about sweets, which I am even more pleased with. We are currently working on his reading skills, using the "your baby can read" program, and he is doing quite well so far. He's really soaking things up like the little sponge that he is. And his vocabulary has doubled since last month. He is super attached to his dad and wants to spend every second he can with him. He loves playing with his trucks and plastic animal figures in his playroom. He also loves "helping" me in the kitchen get out all of the things I need out of drawers and cupboards. He is constantly in a joyful mood and loves to laugh, I find it contagious. I am loving this age on him, it's so much fun just to be with him! How blessed we are.

Things I don't care for...

2009-10-01T14:28:00.002+09:00

It has come to my attention that there are random things I don't like, that other people are quite fond of. There are reasons why I don't like these items, and I will explain. I made a mental note of some of them and am prepared to post them now.

#1 Oreos- Two words, Charcoal and Wax

#2 Ice Cream-Used to work at Baskin Robbins, Hurts my teeth from the cold, I'm lactose intolerant and it's not worth the pain I feel afterward.

#3 Pizza- Ate to much of it in high school and burnt myself out permanently. However it is my husband's favorite food and he is determined to eat it as often as possible.

#4 The Beatles- Never cared for their drug induced lyrics and once I read that John Lennon compared them to Jesus, it was all over but the cryin'. Now they just irritate me.

#5 Bono (From U2)- I think he's a whiner and don't care for his attitude.

#6 The smell of Hazelnut (candles, coffee, etc...)- makes me want to vomit. I have tried to change my opinion on it, but just can't, I hate it to much.

#7 Diet Soda- I'd rather drink the real thing or have none at all. I don't understand what everyone sees in it.

#8 Emeril (The chef with his own show)- He's a pompous ass. Thinks he's awesome because he can say BAM!

#9 Wheel of Fortune- Don't know why. It's to slow. I'm always shouting the answer while they are asking for the letter R. Irritates me.

#10 Anything relating to Aliens (movies,tv shows, books, video games, etc...)- I hate Science Fiction everything. If it's not possible or isn't realistic, I don't really care about it.

#11 Poker- Every one's favorite game to play, just isn't my thing.

#12 Slang Terms (Things like: Ridonkulous and Whatev)- If you can't talk like an adult, I don't have time to listen.

#13 Going-Green and Organic EVERYTHING- Everyone is on the bandwagon. I understand the concept, I just can't understand why they make a huge deal out of it and then charge more for it. Shouldn't have to break the bank to be healthy and help the planet.

#14 Dr. Phil- I admit I have watched him a time or two. But for some reason I feel like he thinks he's a counselor and he's not. He can't fix it for you...go read your bible and talk to Jesus.

#15 Grease (The movie) - Can't sit through it. I really don't like musicals, this one is at the top of my list.

#16 Baseball- Just have never been able to get into it. When I watch it, I could literally take a nap because I'm so bored. I'm more of a football fan...GO HAWKS!

You may be shaking your head at this point. Perplexed at how I couldn't like The Beatles, Oreo's, or even Baseball. They are All-American for crying out loud, how could anyone not love them? I am a complicated gal I guess. Hope you found some small amount of entertainment from this post. And if you didn't...I'll try and do better next time.

Jackson's First Birthday

2009-09-29T11:17:00.003+09:00

Jackson on his birthday. He LOVED the zoo!
Jackson and Brandon in Kangaroo Land.
Saying Hello...
Jackson and his Daddy with the Cavy's
Feeding Capybara's together
Jackson petting a Guinea Pig
With the Goats....They wanted to nibble his toes
It's a Rody! Bouncing inflatable horse... He thinks it's sooo fun!
Opening his gifts the morning of his birthday.
Eating his breakfast. What a big boy....12 months old!

Jackson turned a year old on Saturday. We took him to the zoo in Nagasaki (about an hour away). Brandon got to play "Pet the animals gently" with Jackson, while I enjoyed the show and took the pictures. We had a great time and Jackson really enjoyed himself. He got wonderful gifts and cards from everyone. And of course because I'm so big on birthday's, he got the royal treatment all day long! He was so tired at the end of the day, that by the time we got home he just wanted to go to bed. So we skipped his birthday cake and did it on Sunday instead. Here are a few pictures of his special day...Hope you enjoy taking a peek!

The Joy of a Cookie

2009-09-18T16:03:00.003+09:00

I love making Brandon his favorite cookies. Since I've been home I've been making him special little treats that he enjoys. I thought to myself, "What's the harm in letting Jackson try one out?" So here he is enjoying his very first cookie. Oatmeal with butterscotch chips, his Daddy's favorite. He sure did like it, not one crumb was left on his tray!

The Battle Inside Me

2009-09-17T12:09:00.004+09:00

Taken this week. After I reached the 55 pound mark!

I cannot remember a time when I was not self conscious in some way. I think it was born in me to have image issues. I grew up in a family where trying to lose those pesky extra pounds was the norm. Almost all of the women in my family have the same body issues and have taken great strides to overcome them. Some women smoked or drank or did both, went on crazy weight loss plans losing massive amounts of weight, Some gained it all back and more, Some have had plastic surgery, Most have taken prescription medication for everything under the sun, starved themselves, been anorexic or bulimic, been workout fanatics, and have overall been obsessed with vanity in some fashion. Don't we do some crazy things out of vanity? Really when I look at the big picture, I don't know any women that are happy with EVERY part of their body. There is always something that they would change. I consider myself to be at the normal end of the scale, unhappy with the image I see in the mirror, but often feeling defeated when it comes to changing that image.

I have Thyroid Disease, which helps me gain weight and makes it twice as hard to lose. I was diagnosed with this disease about 9 years ago. Since then I have struggled and struggled to change the image in the mirror. Often feeling like garbage because I just could never stick with it long enough to see the results I craved. Nothing had ever motivated me like finding out that I was going to be a mom. After becoming pregnant with my son Jackson, I was worried that my disease could affect him in a negative way, Women with Thyroid Disease have a higher risk of being diabetic or having hyper tension. I decided to live a healthier lifestyle. I reasoned with myself that it was for his benefit and best health interest. I kept my weight down and was very active during my pregnancy. Always pushing myself to give him the greatest chance I could while he has housed in my belly. I only gained 3 pounds while pregnant and my doctor was very impressed with my efforts to keep Jackson and I healthy. When Jackson was born he was perfect. I breastfed him until he was 4 months old. While I breastfed him I continued to eat healthy so that he would get the best nutrition he could. Helping me to lose weight.

At that point I was hooked. Not necessarily to lose weight, but to be healthy. I slowly started making better choices for myself. Eating more vegetables, Going for longer walks, Not drinking soda, Only drinking water. Little by little I saw changes in my appearance. I liked what I saw. So I would do a bit more. I ate smaller portions and made sure to eat healthier snacks. Every month I added something else to my list of lifestyle changes. Eleven months has gone by since I gave birth to Jackson, I have lost a total of 55 pounds since then.

People have started to notice my weight loss and have asked me how I have done it. I am always very honest. And I am almost saddened by the look of disappointment on their faces when they realize that there was no miracle pill involved and that slow and steady really does win the race. I've been there. It took me almost a year to lose, It has come off slowly, and I have not been a fanatic about it. I am so happy with my progress and am not in a rush this time around. I'd love to lose about 25 more pounds. Being healthy is what is important to me. Teaching my son to start out living a healthy lifestyle. He has inspired me to be a better person, a better mother to him, and a better wife to his Dad. I just want to make sure I'm around long enough to enjoy his life.

I wanted to post this blog because I know so many people out there that battle with the same issues. I know how hard it is. I have shared the same outlook for so long. It is a battle that can be won. You just have to have the right reason to want to win it.

The Trip

2009-09-08T18:33:00.002+09:00

Jackson and I recently made the trip back to Japan. Most of it was hideous and I hope to soon forget it, but it will forever remain etched in my memory. I am already dreading the next flight back to the states. Why, you ask was this trip so awful that I would post a blog about it? Hmmm....let's have a recap...

Saying goodbye is never fun, but it had to be done. In the Sea-Tac airport, tears, hugs, and then walking away.

Security. Hate it! I of all people understand that it is a must. And I know that these security people deal with hundreds of travelers a day. But is it really necessary to be so rude and obnoxious? Do they help you? A resounding NO. Traveling alone with an 11 month old is not easy, I did not need them to make it harder on me, but yet they did.

I entertained Jackson with several rice crackers, his toy dinosaur, and a sippy of apple juice for an hour before we boarded our plane. When he finally became board with my routine, I wondered how on earth I would entertain him for the 11 hour flight in a tightly cramped space.

The 11 hour flight consisted of Jackson crying for about 8 hours. No kidding. It was awful. Within the first 30 minutes after takeoff Jackson threw up all over me, right down my shirt. For the rest of the plane ride we both smelled of vomit. There is no airflow on the plane either, so sweating profusely was on my agenda for the flight. I learned that my son is very strong when he wants something bad enough, and even I have a hard time containing him with his flailing limbs and arched back. Jackson really just wanted down to play, but he is a rough and tumble fellow in his playing. We sat between two young Asian girls. One had long hair, in which Jackson pulled hard enough to make her head jerk to the side. He also, while standing in front of me and holding on to my legs, leaned over and bit the girl's knee. He's only had teeth for a month and he just doesn't have the hang of them yet. The other girl had headphones that she was listening to. Jackson repeatedly unplugged them and turned her music/tv on and off. He was loud and very vocal about not wanting to sit still. And even when he was quiet, he was causing trouble. The boy loves string, so when he caught a glimpse of the string coming out of headphone girl's hoodie, he pulled and pulled until he had a string to play with. When I realized where it had come from I handed it back to the girl and apologized repeatedly. During one of his crying spells, an American girl from a few seats back came up and snottily asked me to do something about his crying. I as nicely as I could, but with a look that could have burned a hole right through her, told her that I already was doing everything that I could. She stomped back to her seat and began loudly whispering nasty things about me to her friend. Obviously she wasn't a mom, and if by chance she was.... shame shame on her! Really? What more could I do? It was a night flight, my son was exhausted and ready for bed, but only had me to sleep on. The drink carts and meals were coming up and down aisles and the lights were on high. His ears were most likely bothering him. It was torture to that little guy. And I felt horrible for putting him through it. It had to be done. And finally we made it to the other side of the Pacific.

Seoul Korea! The rest of the trip was pretty decent actually. There we were getting off our plane at about 3 am Seattle time. Praise Jesus we made it! I quickly went through all of the security checks (customer service is fantastic on this side of the ocean), got my next boarding pass, and made my way through the crowded airport. It was mid day in Korea and there was hustle and bustle going on all around us. The airport is like a shopping heaven. Gucci, Coach, and Prada shops lined the hallways. There are spas, restaurants galore, and a kid zone padded play room. There is also a transit hotel for passengers with long layovers. That was us. 14 hours is a long time to wait.

So I went to the hotel and checked us into a room. It was a nice room, small, but had a bathroom and shower, a full size bed, and a mini fridge full of snacks (I hadn't eaten on the plane). Jackson and I were both delighted to rip all our smelly clothes off and jump in the shower. After that we both went to sleep. For almost the entire rest of the layover. I had a wake up call. Woke up, showered and did my hair and make up, put on a summer dress that I had packed in my carry on. I wanted to look lovely, I hadn't seen Brandon for months and we would soon be getting our first glimpses of each other. Only a few more hours, I began to get butterflies. I got Jackson ready in his clean clothes, paid my tab for my room, and we made our way down to our gate. We stopped at a coffee shop on the way and grabbed some breakfast.

It wasn't long before we were in the air. It's only an hour and fifteen minute flight. We had the bulkhead to ourselves and Jackson happily played on the floor. It went by fast and we were soon getting our bags and going through customs. It's not easy to get two suitcases onto a cart and then push it and a stroller at the same time through a long line. I did it with glee knowing what my reward would be on the other side. We made it through and followed the line of people out to the lobby. Drum-roll please.....And there stood the most handsome man I've ever seen. My husband! He hugged Jackson and I in one big scoop. And I felt instant relief. I was home. Our family was together again. It was bliss.

2 weeks have gone by already, hard to believe. We are happy to be home and to be getting back on track. Organizing and baby proofing our house has been a huge project, but worth all of the hours spent doing it. Jackson is adjusting well. Brandon is thrilled to have us home. And the boys of the house are like two peas in a pod. Jackson is so happy to be home with his Daddy. Thanks to all of you who prayed for our safe trip. I enjoyed seeing you all over the summer. It's unclear when we will come back to the states next. But I'm sure there will be a story to tell when we do.

10 Months

2009-07-28T02:59:00.003+09:00

Walkin'

Loves riding his Tonka Truck!

At the beach playing in the sand.

Jackson Ryan...10 Months Old!

Jackson just turned 10 months old yesterday. Wow this boy is growing and changing at lightning speed lately. It's like I woke up one morning and he was a different boy. Not a baby anymore. Like he just decided to skip the 2 months of babyhood he had left and went straight to being a toddler. It went so fast. We are growing together he and I. As he changes and grows, so do I. It's quite fascinating to me. I thought I'd post a few pictures of Jackson and share his latest accomplishments just for fun.

Jackson is crawling, and into everything. He also is trying his best at walking. He pulls up and walks along the furniture and will let go and take a few steps to get where he wants to go. It wont be long before I have to chase him down. He has quite the opinion and is talking up a storm. He doesn't think twice about telling me how it is and shakes his finger at me while he's doing it. In his craziness he hits his head or smashes his fingers all the time. We are now to the point where he doesn't really even cry anymore, he just gets back on the horse and tries again. He also has decided that baby food just isn't his thing and would rather just eat regular food. He's doing great about eating, especially since he still doesn't have teeth. He is getting 4 teeth at once right now, they just haven't quite popped through the skin yet. We're thinking any day. He really has no desire to have his bottle anymore. He drinks out of a cup with a straw instead. And he has completely done away with his binkie. Which is great because I was only giving him until he was one to have it anyways. He also prefers showers instead of baths. And is now sleeping like a big boy in his bed with a pillow and his batman blanket. He is still a little ham. Loves that attention. He is full of joy and laughter which I find to be contagious. This little guy just brings me so much happiness and contentment. I'm so glad that I was blessed to be his Mama.

Adding to the Collection

2009-07-16T05:02:00.003+09:00

I have a few tattoos and recently added to my collection. Here is the latest. I'm sure most of you didn't even know that I have tattoos, but that is because they are all small and in places that I can easily cover. I don't make a habit out of sharing them publicly, since they are in fact for me. But this one is special and since I love it so much, I thought I would share in my joy and post a picture of it.

Water Baby

2009-07-16T04:52:00.002+09:00

He is getting so brave at standing up. After this I had to drop the camera. He stood up all the way, lost his balance, and took a face plant in the pool. He sure is getting there though. He'll be walking in no time.

Tons of toys in the pool. But of course he wants the one that he doesn't have.

Loves to eat grass. Good thing I'm there to constantly tell him "no sir, get back in the pool and sit on your bottom"

Soakin' up the sunshine!

Jackson Ryan....9 1/2 months old!

Today we ventured out to the lawn and set up the pool. It's the perfect size to cart around and let Jackson get some playtime in. Since Jackson loves water this was a welcome treat. I of course took lots of pictures to send to his daddy. And we splashed and played until it was nap time. We are loving this sunshine and it was so nice to get some fresh air. Hope all of you are getting out and enjoying this beautiful weather!

Jackson's First Camping Trip

2009-07-07T03:16:00.004+09:00

On our way home. He was so tired from all the fun he had.

Playing in the dirt. He would scoot to the edge of the blanket and try to eat hand fulls of leaves and grass.

First campfire. Hanging out with Oji and Uncle Greg.

Sitting with Mama on the 4th of July. Loves his Batman sunglasses.

Sitting on a log next to the fire.

Watching the fireworks. Loved every minute of it.

Salmon bake Native style. Jackson loved eating salmon for the first time.

Playing with his ball.

We had a great time this weekend. Camping out in Tahola at the beach. It was Jackson's first camping trip, and he did wonderfully. I'm sure there will be many more trips to come. But since our family is so big on camping, I thought his first trip should be marked as a special occasion. He played in the dirt, sat by the fire, and ate salmon for the first time. He loved the fireworks, wasn't afraid at all of the big booms. Yes...we have an outdoor boy. He loves being out in nature and exploring. I can tell you we are thrilled about it. And look forward to the many adventures that are to come as he grows up. Here's a few pictures of our trip.

9 Months

2009-06-27T04:34:00.002+09:00

And he's up!

Making his way around.

Loves that he's made it so far!

Today Jackson turned 9 months old. He had his well baby check this morning and is doing splendidly. He weighs in at almost 21 pounds and is well over 28 inches long. The doc said to keep up the good work because he is doing so well. And it looks like Jackson will be trying to walk soon. He hates the crawling thing and would just rather stand up and go. He is pulling himself up on furniture and slowly making his way around. I posted a few pictures of him working on his walking skills. All in all he is a healthy and very happy little guy.

Jackson and Oji

2009-06-25T03:44:00.002+09:00

As many of you know, my dad had shoulder surgery about a month ago. He has been off work and at home recovering. This means that Jackson and I have gotten to spend lots of extra time with him, as I have been taking care of him during the day. He is now doing very well, but it has been a very painful recovery.

Jackson loves his Oji (Japanese for Grandpa). Oji takes Jackson for walks around the neighborhood almost every afternoon so that they both can get some fresh air. In the picture above, they had just gone for a walk and Jackson had fallen asleep, so my dad sat out on the front porch and read his book while Jackson slept. I thought it was very sweet and so I took a picture of the two of them.

Little Friends

2009-06-25T02:57:00.003+09:00

Jackson and Miss Mayah. Having fun playing with fruits and veggies.

Jackson and Miss Britten. His heart belongs to this girl. He'll do just about anything to get her attention.

Jackson meets Cloe for the first time. Cloe is one of Carissa's weenie dogs and she is quite the little lover. Jackson now loves dogs.

Tytus, Britten, and Jackson. The first time that they were all together. Their Mama's are all super good friends.

Oldest to youngest. Tytus, Britten, and Jackson. They will be great friends.

The first time they met. Jackson with Britten. Carissa and I will use this to embarrass them someday I'm sure.

Jackson has made many new little friends since we've been home. I thought I'd make a post and dedicate it to all the little people in his life. They are all my friends children, so it's fun to get together on play dates for both me and Jackson. I get to visit and he gets to play. If that's not a win win situation I don't know what is.

Mayah belongs to my good friend Rhianna. She is adorable and Jackson loves it when we all get together. And of course so do I, Rhianna and I have been friends for years.

Britten is one of my best friends Carissa's daughter. She stole Jackson's affections from the very beginning and he does anything just to get her to look at him. Of course the constant kisses she gives him might have something to do with it.

Tytus is an active fun loving little guy who belongs to my girlfriend Cierra. He is older than Jackson by a few months, but Jackson still pays close attention to him. He is looking forward to the fun that is to come.

Happy Father's Day

2009-06-21T02:22:00.003+09:00

Two pieces of paper. One for each hand. Oh the joy!!

Hmmm.....What's this? More paper? Could it be possible that I could have twice as much fun as I'm having now. Yes...Yes....I think I will.

Had to hide the sign behind him and give him another piece of paper to distract him. In no way was he interested in looking at the camera.

Mmmmm....Paper! Can't wait to chomp on this. Yumm!

We always take fun little pictures and send them to Brandon when he is out to sea. Jackson holds a sign to send his love through e-mail. For Brandon's first Father's Day, we did the same. Today is Father's Day for Brandon since he is ahead of us by one day. So this morning we got out the paper and a sharpie to make Brandon a nice sign and take a few pictures.

However...Jackson is really into paper these days. Getting a good picture of him with the sign was near impossible. He began to bounce up and down at the slightest inclination that I would give him a piece of paper. He almost launched himself off the couch. He began to shriek with glee as he got hold of the sign. He crumpled it into a ball and waved it around. We set it behind him on the couch and gave him another piece of paper, hoping to distract him away from the sign. There was no way he'd look at the camera. So I snapped away in the hopes that I could get a good shot. He then had both papers and was shaking them in his fists taking time out every few seconds to slobber and chomp his way into the paper. Oh the joys of childhood. I guess there's just nothing like the little things in life. It sure did put a smile on my face. And I know that Brandon will smile when he opens he e-mail this morning to see his son wishing him a Happy Father's Day.

Happy Father's Day Honey. We love you oh so much!

Jackson

2009-06-20T03:35:00.002+09:00

Helping me do laundry!

Mom....I want out of here! Moooommm! He yells at me down the hall now.

Wrestling with his puppy.

Hanging out in the yard after a swim.

Just for fun we got him a kiddie pool. Looks like he likes it.

Jackson will be 9 months old next week. Where has the time gone? Here's a look back at a few of my favorite pictures from his 8th month. He is growing like a weed. Pulling himself up on things, scooting around, rolling, tumbling, and jumping. He is also very very vocal and hams it up for any audience he can find. He loves to talk and eat and does both all day long. I still can take him anywhere, he's so well behaved. But I can hardly believe that my little guy is not so little anymore. Everyday he seems more like a boy than a baby. He is definitely ALL boy, no way around that. He has his 9 month well baby check next week and I'm excited to see how much he weighs. Lugging him around lately is quite the chore. That will be a new post in itself. We are currently in full blown teething mode. I'm praying that his teeth come in any second just so he can get some relief. This is still a very fun stage for us and we can't wait to see what he'll do next. Take a look at our Buckaroo!

Pictures

2009-06-20T03:26:00.003+09:00

Us the weekend before Brandon went back to Japan. At Ruby Beach.

Jackson enjoying some quality Daddy time.

Jackson and I on Mother's Day

The Pauley Family all together in one place.

5 Generation Picture. Great Great Grandma Hazel, Great Grandma Margaret, Grandma Beck, Brandon, And Jackson.

So... my amazing brother Kyle fixed my blog so that I can post pictures again. It has been broken since I've been home and I've had no way of showing all of our fun pictures. Here are a few pictures that should have gone along with my last blog of when Brandon was home. I will for sure post more soon. Enjoy!

Update

2009-06-06T08:01:00.002+09:00

It's probably no mystery that I've had zero time for blogging since I've been home visiting. I'm not going to apologize for it. I'm having a great time filling my days with things that are higher up on the priority list. But I thought I'd give everyone an update just because I had a minute to actually sit down.

I've been here for 2 months already. Wow that went fast! For the first month Jackson and I took turns being sick. I even had to be hospitalized. What fun that was. Getting used to our new home and the time chage was a challenge. Many sleepless nights and exhausting days were had. We did have fun visiting with everyone in between our down time. The second month has been jam packed with everything under the sun. Here is what we've been up to:

Brandon came home for 2 weeks to see his wife and son. It was a long awaited visit. He came home the day before mother's day and was able to share the day with me and Jackson. He also brought gifts, which is never a bad thing. Jackson and his daddy bought me diamond earrings and a pearl necklace for my first Mother's Day. His Aunt Cath happened to be up from Texas and we had a nice visit with her. I love Aunt Cath, she always brightens my day. We had a chance to go to Brandon's Grandma's house and take a 5 generation picture with Brandon and Jackson. It turned out to be quite the day. Unfortunately 2 days later Brandon's grandma died. We had a chance to see the ENTIRE family while he was home. Which was a blessing. We packed date nights and visits with friends into the short amount of time we had left. We spent as much time as we could together. A week after grandma died, Brandon's Uncle George died. A sad loss for Brandon while he was home. Brandon was due to leave a few days later. We spent his last days here with family.

During Brandon's visit Jackson and Brandon bonded more than ever. Jackson learned to say "Dada" a few days before Brandon got here. So the entire time he was here Jackson was calling him constantly to come play with him. They were once again best buddies and it was heart breaking for us when they had to say goodbye. Jackson still asks for his daddy and I have the horrible job of telling him that he's gone. I guess saying goodbye this time was harder than usual. We wont see Brandon for another 3 months.

Jackson has grown leaps and bounds in the last month. He is almost to the point of crawling. But would really rather just skip it and walk. He's quite the little wild man. He talks up a storm and has a pretty decent vocabulary for his age. I am amazed everyday at his growth and the change I see in him. What an awesome stage to be in right now.

My Dad had major surgery on his shoulder last week. On top of my already full schedule, I also have been taking care of him. He's doing much better now. Thank you to everyone who has been praying for him. He went from not being able to get up from his chair by himself, to going for a little walk everyday. We expect a full recovery, it will just take some time. 2 days after my dad's surgery was relay for life. We were a part of the hospital team that my dad is on. That weekend was a busy one. Making food, setting up camp, and tearing it down when it was all over.

This week I have been collecting items for Brandon's Father's Day box. Little things here and there and gifts from us. I finally got it done today and in the mail. Hopefully it will make it to him before Father's day, while he's out to sea.

I still have about 3 months left here in the states. I can't say that I don't miss my home in Japan. I might just be ready to go back home when it's time to go. But in the meantime I'll be busy. I might not get around to posting another blog for awhile, you might just have to be patient. I'm sure I'll see you around, and that could possibly be even better.

7 Months

2009-04-26T03:42:00.003+09:00

Wow I can't believe time has gone so fast! Jackson will be 7 months old tomorrow. I thought I'd post about his stats. I'm having trouble posting pictures on my mom's computer. So we'll have to wait for another day on that.

Jackson is pushing 19 pounds and is 27 inches long! He is getting to be so big!

Things he can do:
Using sign language. He is the best at telling me when he wants milk or to eat.
He says Mama and Baba.
He is working hard on forming other words and babbles constantly.
He sits up by himself.
Rolls over both ways.
He scoots.
Is working on crawling.
Stands up when he holds onto something.
Uses a sippy cup.
Eats a wide variety of solid foods.
Is teething quite a bit.

He is a super active kid. So I know when he learns how to be more mobile, I'm going to be one busy mom. I guess I better get a jump on baby proofing the house more. When I'm able to post pictures I certainly will. We hope you all have been enjoying this beautiful weather. Summer is just around the corner and we can't wait to go out and play more.

The Trip

2009-04-09T07:41:00.003+09:00

I'm so behind on my blogging. I figured I should post about our trip while I still could remember the details. It went well. Better than I expected. A few funny things happened a long the way, but we rolled with the punches and made it just fine.

Brandon took Jackson and I to the airport. It's a 2 hour drive. No different than driving from Aberdeen to Sea-Tac though. He went with us to get all of our luggage checked in. I had 1 suitcase. But when I got to the counter and put it on the scale it was over the weight limit by 10 pounds. So the lady handed Brandon a box and some tape and told him to help me put the extra weight into the box. Apparently you can't have 1 suitcase that's over the limit. But you can have one suitcase and a box. I'm not sure what the difference is, it's all going on the same plane. And it will eventually all weigh the same when it gets on the plane. Oh well. Brandon helped build the box the filled the box. Everything was good. Luggage got checked. He walked us over to security where we had to say our goodbyes. It was a normal goodbye for us. We've had to say a lot of them and we are used to it by now. It felt different because Brandon was the one saying goodbye to us this time. We were the ones leaving and he had to go back home to the empty house. He would only be staying there for a few days until he went back out to sea again. After we did our thing and he kissed his son and wife goodbye for the third time in Jackson's very short life, we headed through security.

We made it to our gate just in time. We walked right on the plane. The stewardess carried my diaper bag for me and got me all set up in my seat. I put Jackson to sleep right away. He slept through the whole take off. When he woke up I fed him a bottle and we played for a little bit. Our flight to Korea wasn't very long. I put him back to sleep right before we were about to land. His ears never bothered him on the entire trip.

When we got to Korea, it was a long wait. I had a 6 hour layover. I took Jackson to change his diaper in the restroom. Instantly we were surrounded by tiny Asian women young and old gooing and gawing at Jackson. He of course hammed it up because he loves the attention. Which made it hard for me to change his diaper as he was wiggling all over the place. We finally made it out alive. I thought the ladies were going to swallow us whole. I went to get my second boarding pass for my next flight. Mission accomplished. Jackson and I went and sat to eat lunch. He had bananas and I had chicken and rice from a little cafe in the airport. We sat and chatted as we ate. I figured he would be ready for his nap soon. The airport in Seoul Korea is fabulous. Shopping galore, they also have restaurants, a spa, sleeping areas with big lounging chairs, a kid area with a padded floor, and a million other amenities for the traveler in transit. It was great. So I took Jackson to the sleeping are so that we could sprawl out and take a nap. I laid him on his blanket and dialed my mom's number to tell her that we were safe and on our way to the states soon. As soon as I hung up with her, Jackson projectile vomited his bananas into the air, and of course since he was on his back what goes up must come down right onto his face. He was pretty ticked. All of the sleeping people were awakened by his frantic screaming. I scooped him up right away, along with all of our gear, and took him to the kids area. I laid him on his blanket on the padded floor and began to wipe him down. I stripped his clothes off and let him roll around on the floor. You've never seen a happier kid.We were alone in the room so I let him play for a good hour. He kicked and rolled and had a grand time with his toys.

He eventually got tired and I put him to sleep. I set him in his stroller and gave him his blanket. I rolled him into the spa and right up to a massage table. He slept the whole time I got a massage. It was great. I figured I'd need one after what I would soon be going through. The 6 hours came and went and it was soon time to board our next plane. I put him to sleep again right away and we took off. We tried to stick to Jackson's evening routine. He had his dinner and playtime. And when it was his bed time I asked the stewardess to bring out the bassinet that I had pre arranged. I put him in his little bed and he was sleeping soundly. I figured he would have slept for the entire flight since it was his night time. Unfortunately the Korean couple next to me didn't want their 10 month old son to sleep. They were very loud and quite obnoxious. Their boy woke Jackson up on several occasions. I put him back to sleep after every wake up. He was becoming more and more frustrated with the kid next to us. At about 1:30 in the morning the mother handed her son a metal spoon and pulled out the tray table for him to play the drums on. What a racket. I understand that she had a child, but mine was trying ever so hard to sleep peacefully. Half way through our flight I was begging God to make time go faster. But eventually we made it. The full almost 10 hours across the Pacific ocean. When we touched down in Seattle I got a little choked up. It had been a year since I was on foreign soil and here I was finally home.

It was a long trip through customs. I didn't get out to baggage claim to see my Dad for about 2 hours. The entire time I carried Jackson around my neck in a carrier. I was pretty sore for the few days after. On the way to the car I went to get in on the wrong side, and then I spoke Japanese to the cart attendant telling him to take my luggage cart. Poor guy had no idea what I said. I think I was over there to long. We made the drive from Seattle to Hoquiam and Jackson slept most of the way. He's such a good baby. I feel like I can take him anywhere, including on International traveling sprees.

Everyone was so excited to see us and thrilled to have us home. It's take a good week for us to be able to sleep at night and be awake during the day. Jackson has had a harder time than I have. But we are feeling better now and are glad to be home.

Home

2009-04-03T23:55:00.002+09:00

So...We made it home safe and sound. Sorry I haven't posted about it yet. It's been a long couple of days. The trip went fine. Jackson did amazing under the circumstances. I have been blessed with an easy traveler. There were several funny and not so funny thing that happened on our way home. I'll have to post about that at a later date. We are working hard to get settled. Enjoying our time with the family. Jackson is having a rough time getting on a good schedule. Day and night is opposite for Japan and America. So he wants to sleep during the day and play all night. I am a tired mommy for sure, as I haven't gotten a solid chunk of sleep yet in oh let's see...for the last 4 days. Jet lag is kicking my butt too. So hopefully in the next week or so we'll be feeling better. Jackson has seen several new faces and will see several more in a short time. That is also a whole other post. Thanks to everyone who was praying for our safe journey. If we haven't gotten to visit with you yet, don't worry, we will be here for a few months, so we'll see you all soon.

Big Day

2009-03-29T15:53:00.005+09:00

So tomorrow is the big day. Brandon will take Jackson and I to the airport. We will hop a quick flight to Korea and then wait in the Seoul airport for 6 hours. Then we will have our long flight to Seattle. Hopefully everything runs smoothly. I am mildly anxious about flying internationally with Jackson by myself. But I know I'll make it just fine, I'll just be tired when I arrive. It's going to be one loooong day for us, and traveling back in time wont help. We know that everyone will be excited to see us as soon as we get home, and we are excited to see all of you, but please be understanding of the jet lag we will undergo. Also please pray that we will have a safe trip and arrive all in one piece. See you all soon!

100th Post

2009-03-23T10:18:00.001+09:00

I thought I'd use my 100th post for something special. I guess you can't get more exciting than what I'm about to tell you all. So here goes...

I'm coming home!

I bought my ticket!!

I will be home in a week!!!

See you all soon.

Our Little Sailor

2009-03-15T17:59:00.002+09:00

Just posting the most recent pictures of Jackson. I let him play with Brandon's sailor hat while I was doing the laundry the other day. He was pretty interested in it, so I broke out the camera and snapped away. He looks just like his Daddy. These were my favorite pictures out of the bunch. Hope you enjoy!

Laundry Day

2009-03-11T12:41:00.003+09:00

There are so many things that we military spouses look forward to when it comes to our other half coming home. And I'm sure I don't have to go into great detail. But it's nice to share a life with the one you love. Hug and kiss them everyday, share a meal, not have to sleep alone, have a conversation that isn't over a crackly phone and then cut off 5 minutes in, just your basic everyday life happenings that we all take for granted. Our life is not normal. And I'm not sure it ever has been or will be. When your mate finally comes home all of those things come back into your life. But I can honestly say that there is one thing that every military wife dreads about their husband coming home.

The Laundry!!

There are only 4 washers and dryers on my husband's ship. For about 3,000 people. Unless he takes his laundry to the ships laundry service, in which case you never really get YOUR clothes back. Yes...you did take in white shirts, socks and underwear into the laundry service, and you will get back all of the those items, they just wont be yours. Yours will be nowhere to be found, and you will be given Seaman Smith's laundry in return. And if you've ever met my husband, you will know that he isn't the fluff and fold type. Most sailors aren't. They work 16 hours a day....Everyday. And most of the time they choose between sleep or eating. Which is why they all come home 15 pounds lighter, sleep always wins out. They have no time for laundry. They re-wear their clothes and uniforms until they can't take it anymore, and that's usually about the time that they are pulling back into port. How lucky for them. They can take it all home and dump it in a pile on the living room floor for their wife to do.

So not only do we wives have all of the fun stuff to do that we look forward too. Like cooking our hard working sailor a hot meal every night, getting up at 5 am to make their breakfast just for fun, and baking their favorite cookies. Did I mention that ship food is horrible and Brandon came home looking like a hostage. We also have to do the dreaded laundry. And yes, it will take all week to do. No one has enough hours in the day to do 20 loads of laundry and keep up with the rest of the house work too. Brandon likes to bring it home in chunks so that it doesn't overwhelm me. He's sneaky that way. He will just keep bringing home bags of it. And just when I think I'm done I have 5 more loads to do. It's not that I don't love helping him out and doing his laundry for him, it's just a lot of work. And I find that extreme organization in this case is a must. So I came up with this list of tips to help out the military wife, or anyone really, when faced with the haunting task of doing her mate's laundry.

Tips that I have learned over the years of doing mass loads of laundry.

1.) Have your sailor bring home the entire amount of laundry. That way you can see what you have to work with. And you'll be able to tell how many loads you will be doing.

2.) Make a pile. It's ok to dump it on the living room floor. Sure, there will be no room to walk, but it makes it easier to sort.

3.) Baskets. And lots of them. I have about 8 laundry baskets that I keep in the closet for when he gets home. I pull them out and line them up. 4 for sorting and 4 for the clean clothes.

4.) Sorting. Use your basic sorting instincts here. I sort it all in loads and each basket will be washed together.

5.) Pretreat. I don't even want to know what those stains are or where he got them. Spray and wash does the trick. I lay everything out and do it all at once before I dump them in the washer.

6.) Bleach. I use bleach for all of Brandon whites. They all seem to have a tinge to them when they make it home. A little bleach goes a long way in making them like new again.

7.) Dryer sheets. I use them on everything except his uniforms. You don't want his uniforms to be all soft and cuddly. It makes it harder to look sharp when you're ironing them if they just went through a teddy bear cycle in the dryer.

8.) Fold it right away. It you empty your dryer and then refill it right away it will be easier on you. Then proceed to your folding area and fold your load. That way you wont have 3 loads of unfolded clean laundry waiting for you at the end of your day. When you are already busy with other house work and a baby it sure does make a difference to have everything clean and folded. Then as you fold, sort your loads into your baskets that you set aside. For example, all of the socks underwear and t shirts together. Then when you have to repack his sea bag everything will be easier.

9.) Iron. Do all of your ironing in one day. After all the uniforms are clean, set them all aside. Break out all of your ironing equipment, including starch for those nice extra sharp creases. Get it all done at once so that you don't have to keep your ironing board up all week.

10.) Reminder- Just because a ball of folded socks are in the pile, does not mean they are clean. And just a helpful hint, if it came in contact with the ship, it must be washed. The ship has it's very own distinct smell, or fowl odor I should say. Everything that goes on the ship ends up smelling like the ship. Just plan on washing EVERYTHING he brings home. Everyone will be happier because of it.

The Latest

2009-03-10T15:13:00.002+09:00

We are starting on the sippy cup this week. Today was the first go at it. And as you can see, he's pretty interested in it. He doesn't quite have the whole concept down yet. But he does really like it and gets pretty ticked when he can't figure out how to make it work like Mommy does. So far he grabs onto it and sucks on the top of it. I'm hoping he'll figure out that he has to tip his head back to drink out of it soon.

When Brandon came home we decided that it was time to make the transition for Jackson to sleep in his own room. He has slept in his own room before, just not every single night. While Brandon is gone I let him sleep in my room with me. He has his own bed in our room, but we're gonna take it down now. So last night was his first night in his crib in his own room. He did great, just like we knew he would. And Brandon and I got our room to ourselves. Here is a picture of him that I took this morning when he woke up. Don't mind the spots of gunk on his sheets. He's still a little sick and coughs in the night. He looks pretty happy to be in his own bed.
We got Jackson a walker and he loves it. He is really into playing with all of the fun toys at the activity table. And he loves cruising around. Here is a picture of him chewing on a frozen teething ring and walking himself around in circles. It doesn't get any better than this.

Sick Baby

2009-03-10T14:43:00.003+09:00

Jackson caught my cold this week. And of course it was a few days before Brandon came home. By the time his Dad made it home to comfort him, Jackson was at the tail end of his cold. Poor thing was so sick. I took him to the doctor right away when I first noticed his stuffy nose. It was a Friday morning and I just knew that if left untreated it would progress and get worse, he would end up with a fever by Saturday night and I would be taking him in to the clinic in the middle of the night. Isn't that how it always happens?? But there wasn't much he could do. Jackson wasn't sick enough for medication. He told me to keep doing what I was doing and hopefully he would get better before he got worse.

So I kept up with the saline drops in his nose, sucking out the goop, and giving him baby Tylenol to eliminate chance of a fever. He had to sleep sitting up because he couldn't breathe if he laid flat. He also wouldn't eat, so I had to give him pedialite to keep from getting dehydrated. After 3 nights of being up with him all night, he finally started to get a little better. And by the fourth night he slept a little longer. Last night was the first night that he slept all the way through. And today he is feeling much better. His nose is still stuffed, but his attitude is back to normal.

Oh man if I thought I was a champ at the single mom routine before he got sick, I'm superwoman at it now. It's not easy to do the sick baby and sick mommy thing when you're alone. Above is a picture of him crashed out in his swing.

Lavish Gifts From Far Away

2009-03-09T06:46:00.003+09:00

We'll start with the big ticket item....Diamond and Sapphire earrings. Sapphire is Jackson's birthstone and Diamond is Brandon's. Aren't they beautiful?? I love them! He got them just because he said I deserved something nice from Thailand. Isn't he sweet?
He brought all sorts of things home from the Hard Rock Cafe in Pattaya Beach Thailand. Here is just one picture of a shirt. But there's oh so much more.
This is what he brought Jackson home. We named him Patty, since he's from Pattaya Beach. Jackson loves him and has been rolling around on the living room floor with him since Brandon gave it to him.
I asked Brandon to bring home something that you could only find in Thailand. We collect different things from all of his port visits, each item tells a story about his travels. By the time he retires, we hope to have a whole bookshelf in our house filled with trinkets from all over the world. This is the what he found. It's a solid Jade elephant. It weighs about a pound. Pretty cool huh?!
And where would we be today without Starbucks coffee?? He of course had to go get himself a treat when he saw that there was a Starbucks in Thailand. So he decided to bring me home a mug just for fun.

Thought I'd post just a few of the fun things he brought home for us. There is so much more, but these things are my favorites.

Waiting For Our Ship To Come In

2009-03-09T06:35:00.002+09:00

Me and Jackson waiting on the Pier
Jackson. This was taken right before we left the house to go pick up his Daddy.

Our ship has sailed...and then returned! Brandon came home yesterday. This was the sole reason for Jackson and I staying in Japan for a few extra weeks. We're not sure on how long he'll be home for. But we sure are excited that he's back. He had to be up very early this morning to return to the ship for work. So we're planning to have a nice dinner together tonight when he gets home.

Here are a few pictures of us on the big day. And wouldn't you know it, my camera died on the pier and I didn't get a picture of the 3 of us together. I'll have to take some more when he gets home tonight.

The Birthday Monster

2009-03-05T14:23:00.003+09:00

I'm going to come right out and say it. I'm going to be honest. I am a Birthday Monster! Yesterday was my birthday. My birthday is the biggest day of the year for me. At least in my head it is. It's the only day that is all about me. I don't have to share it with anyone else. For the rest of the 364 days out of the year, I am a very giving and generous person. But as soon as March 4th rolls around, I am ready to be selfish and spoiled. I hate this about myself. Why can't I just be relaxed and go with the flow. Enjoy things as they happen and be thankful for what I have. I am the rest of the time. Why can't I be like that on my birthday??

Birthday's are big to me. My Mom always made us feel special on our day. Going out of her way to do those extra little things to say she cared. And it rubbed off on me, my birthday isn't just special to me, everyone else's birthday is special to me too. When it was my brother's birthday, I would decorate his entire room to the point of insanity. With streamers and ribbon and signs that said Happy Birthday. One year I filled his room with so many balloons that he could barley get the door open and walk in. He loved the extra effort I put in to make him feel special, and I set out to do it for those important people in my life. When I was little I would spend my birthday money to buy my Mama a gift, her birthday was 3 days after mine. I threw Brandon a surprise party when he turned 30 and had a GI Joe cake custom designed for him. With the help of his awesome brother of course, we pulled off the perfect surprise. And the first year we were married I invited his folks up to go to dinner with us and made him a "pirate party". For some reason I just love birthdays.

I'm not sure why, but I always get really cranky on my birthday. Like instead of a party, I need a nap. You know when little kids get to have their birthday party they get all hopped up on cake and ice cream, don't want to share any of their new toys with the kids at their party and throw a temper tantrum, and end up passed out on the floor surrounded by wrapping paper?? It's more common than you think. That's how I feel in my head on my birthday. Like I'm 5 years old or something. I try and calm myself down a few days before the big day and tell myself that it's no big deal. But it never fails, when the day actually gets here, I'm wound up like a cork ready to blow at any second. Nothing ever seems good enough. And I hate that I'm like that. You don't have to tell me how selfish it is. I'm well aware. And I'm making a conscious effort to change.

Brandon has taken over the roll my Mama once played, and every year declares it birthday week for me. He does little things all week, and gets me gifts and flowers, and takes me to dinner. So far it's worked to tame the monster inside me. I feel loved all week and by the time the week is over I'm ready to be unselfish again. He's such a good husband. How the heck did I catch him?

However...this year, he was out to sea. I am very sick. I'm not sure how I even got sick, but I am. I'm coughing and have a sore throat and a foggy head. I'm living off nyquil, and taking care of Jackson by myself. It didn't even feel like my birthday yesterday. My girlfriends took me to dinner on base. It was pretty good. I got a steak. But it just wasn't the same. I miss my hubby. He's so good at doing the birthday routine. Lucky for me he will be home very shortly. And he has decided that when he gets home we will have birthday week. Apparently he's gotten me a few luxurious gifts from some of the exciting ports he's been in. We're just going to pretend that it's not my birthday yet. I'm oh so excited about it!! Can you imagine, I get to have him home AND have my birthday?! How will I ever contain myself.

5 Months Old

2009-02-27T21:25:00.002+09:00

Just thought I'd post some pictures of our big boy. I can't believe he's 5 months old already. Yesterday was the big day. I let him have his favorite lunch and dinner, pears and sweet potatoes. And we played all day long together. I've soaked up every second with him since the day he was born and I still feel like it went pretty fast. But I don't feel like I've missed out on anything.

He is weighing in at 18 pounds and is 26 1/2 inches long. He is an amazingly happy little guy that spends his whole day giggling and smiling at mommy. What a joy he is. We can't wait for his Daddy to get home and see him. Hope you get some enjoyment out of seeing his happy little face.

Standing Up

2009-02-25T13:48:00.002+09:00

Jackson loves to stand up on my lap. He will hold on to my face with both hands and have one foot on each of my legs. He thinks it's pretty fun and giggles the whole time. So the other day I decided to see how he did standing on a solid surface. I set him down on the kitchen table and lightly pulled up on his hands, he stood right up. He stood there for a few minutes. My friend Jess snapped pictures while I held Jackson's hands. He laughed and laughed smiling ear to ear.

We have been working everyday on him sitting up and standing while I hold his hands. He's getting really good at it. He'll balance for a few seconds before he starts to fall to one side. And he has now started to scoot across the living room floor. He hates being on his belly for to long. So he's gotten good at rolling himself over on to his back when he gets tired of it. When he scoots, he does it on his back. Turns himself in circles. It's pretty funny to watch. I'm hoping that in the next few weeks he'll be able to sit up on his own. He's doing great so far. Just thought I'd share a few pictures of him.

Change of Plans

2009-02-21T11:37:00.002+09:00

Just thought I'd give everyone the latest update.

Jackson's passport arrived yesterday afternoon. Yay for that. Unfortunately it took so long to get here that our plans of coming home this weekend have changed. I'm quite frustrated about the whole ordeal. And talking about it only makes me more irritable. But I figured that I couldn't just tell everyone that I was going to be home, only to not show up.

Our plans have changed because Jackson and I have made it through Brandon's deployment. Alive and well. Due to operational security issues I can't really state what that means. Sorry. But Brandon has asked that Jackson and I be waiting for him on the pier when he does make it home. How could I possibly say no? I miss him. Having a baby changes everything. I have gone months without seeing my husband. Yes it's hard, but it has gotten easier for me. It's not fair of me to ask the same of my son just because I want to go home. Brandon and Jackson have missed each other. Jackson deserves to have his Daddy home. And Brandon needs to not miss the entire first year of his son's life.

Yes...I am horribly homesick. I miss my Mommy and Daddy. I miss America. I miss Olive Garden and Old Navy. We have been here for almost 11 months. I will be home as soon as humanly possible. However, our trip will be slightly delayed due to this change in plans. Hopefully only by a few weeks. So I must apologize for getting everyone's hopes up and then bumming you all out at the last minute. I'll try and make up for it soon. Thanks for understanding that this will be good for our family.

For Him

2009-02-21T11:26:00.002+09:00

Brandon and I love the song Faithfully by Journey. Lately it has become my Navy Wife Anthem. I thought I'd post the favorite part of my song for my amazing husband. Love you Babe.

And being apart ain't easy on this love affair.
Two strangers learn to fall in love again
I'll get the joy of rediscovering you
oh girl you stand by me
I'm forever yours...faithfully.

The New Diaper Bag

2009-02-18T09:41:00.002+09:00

The New Bag. It hangs off the stroller just great. Almost like it was meant to be there.
Perfect Size and Beautiful
Oh So Organized
Don't mind that I was looking a hot mess. I had just spent the day in the wind and rain. But isn't the purse cute??

A diaper bag is so many things to a mom. When you have children you only have so many arms, carrying a purse and a diaper bag becomes more difficult. And honestly it's inconvenient for me to carry 2 bags and a baby by myself. So not only do you have to carry in your bag of tricks everything that you could possibly need for your child, you have to carry everything that you carried in your purse. Such as chap stick, cell phone, wallet, keys, etc...

We have now established how important a diaper bag is. What we have not established is the importance of the look and functionality of said diaper bag. I hated going to the store and seeing nothing but Winnie the Pooh and Dora diaper bags. I'm not the baby!! Does everything have to look like it should be covered in baby poop and spit up?? I want my bag to be functional but still stylish. I didn't want to lose that about myself just because I became a mom. As many of you know, I am a high end and high quality handbag and purse floozy. I love them. All of them. Coach being my favorite brand because of its spectacular craftsmanship and classic style.

My first diaper bag was plain. The bare minimal. Tan and black. Oh how exciting! It had limited space and was made from absorbent cloth. Absorbent cloth that was light in color. Even the washing machine was no match to the things that appeared on that bag. When I decided that I was going home for Brandon's deployment I knew that I would need a bigger bag for my trip. Because you know as a mom that if your baby ever were to have a humongous diaper blowout it's going to happen on a 14 hour flight in a tiny airplane bathroom. You have to be prepared for everything while traveling. Including any delay or layovers. Extra food and clothing is a must. There was no way that all of the well needed items for my trip would fit into that tiny old bag.

I began my search. I couldn't find anything that fit me well enough. Fit my needs and my style. I just couldn't cave on the Sponge Bob bag, it was huge and obnoxious, it just wasn't gonna happen. I kept thinking to myself, wouldn't it be great it there were a coach purse big enough to be a diaper bag. Well...there are. They just cost about $500. I looked for months for the perfect bag. And finally yesterday I found it. It's part of the Coach Spring Collection. It's quite exquisite. And it's made from Coach's fine "coated canvas" so removing any smudges are super easy. I got the ok from Brandon, who had frantically been looking for the perfect birthday gift for me. Apparently he thinks I deserve the moon and more for being his wife and the mother of his son. Not necessary. The purse will do just fine. Thank you Honey! It was a pretty penny. But oh so worth it. And I did get it on sale, so I was proud that I got it for half of what it would normally cost. What a deal huh? And what a great investment, it will be used for years to come. Now I have this amazing diaper bag/purse. It even has all of the pockets inside. Oh how I love it. Here's a few pictures of my perfect find.

Happy Birthday To Me!!!

Weekly Update

2009-02-14T12:06:00.003+09:00

Jackson playing in the walker
Jackson and Jaiden
Jackson with Jordan and Jaiden
He hated trying peaches for the first time. I guess he's more of a banana and apple guy.
Doing what he does best. Putting something in his mouth.

This week has been crazy. And exceptionally hard, difficult, and challenging. All for reasons I can't say. I did come out on the other side stronger and I'm thankful for that. On top of this, it's been busy around the Pauley House. I ma becoming a pro at being the single mom. I'm not actually single, but it sure feels like it for about 8 months out of the year. I am learning so many tricks to do things with one hand and have been pretty inventive. Here is a little glimpse of what's gone on.

My good friend Jessica, and her 2 kids Jordan (3 1/2) and Jaiden (1 year) came to stay with us for a few days. Ok almost a week. The house was packed. Fun was had. But when they went home it felt good to get my house back to normal. Jackson had a great time playing with the kids. He loves Jordan, he is quite the little entertainer. Jaiden freaks him out on so many levels. She is mobile and somewhat violent in her playing. Keeping her away from Jackson was a challenge. All in all we had a good time.

Brandon was able to call a few times. He got our box of fun that Jackson and I sent him. He was pretty excited about all of the goodies and snacks. I guess the ship food has been making him sick. He said he can't tell if he's losing weight because he works out so hard everyday, or from how sick he gets every time he eats the food. He was just promoted at work. His new job title is Brig LPO and Brig Counselor. It's ok if you have no idea what that means. Just know that it's a huge deal and he's the only one on the ship that holds that title. He's working hard on his qualifications for getting his surface warfare pin. He'll be testing for advancement in March. He's up for 1st class. Also a huge deal. Some people go 20 years in the Navy and make it to 1st class. Brandon has been in for 4 1/2 years. If he pulls first this time around he will be well on his way to making chief before we leave Japan. Which was the purpose for moving here in the first place. All of my Navy Wife dreams are coming true! And right on schedule. He's doing very well on this deployment and Jackson and I are so proud of him. We can't wait for him to come home.

Jackson is growing and changing by leaps and bounds this week. He's almost 5 months old and is well over 17 pounds. He is getting to be so big. Lately we've been mowing through the baby food. He loves to sit in his high chair and eat. This week he tried peaches for the first time and hated them. He cried and cried after just 3 bites. He does however love carrots, applesauce, sweet potatoes, and bananas. He is becoming more mobile now. Trying to escape from things like his bouncy seat. He slept in his own room this week for the first time and is still sleeping around 9 hours every night. He has suddenly found his loud voice. He loves to yell at me. And he shakes his fist while he's doing it, like a little dictator or something. It's pretty hilarious. I have spent everyday rolling around on the floor with him. He's getting good at scooting around to be in the position that he wants. I love watching him change. It feels like he's different everyday. I only wish that Brandon were here to share it.

This week we also found out that Jackson's passport should be here on Tuesday. The passport guy guaranteed it, but because he's "guaranteed" it so many times, and I should have been home a month ago, I'm not sure how much I believe him. But if it is the case, and it actually does come, I will be home very soon.

Jackson's Daddy Doll arrived. The only thing is, I sent it to my mom's house in anticipation that we would be there. Just one more thing we will have to wait on. My mom says the doll is adorable. I can't wait to see it and give it to Jackson.

That's just a few highlights. I hope you all are having a good week. Hopefully I'll be sharing all of this with you from your side of the world very soon.

Getting Ready

2009-02-04T10:50:00.004+09:00

Rollin' around on the floor is his favorite time of day!
Always has to have something in his mouth.
Taking his afternoon nap. He's so sweet when he sleeps. It's a nice break for mommy too!
Happy Baby! Playing with Mortimer the Moose in his bouncy seat.

We have been quite the busy little Mommy and Baby duo this week. Trying to get everything ready to come home is hard work. Not only do I have to get my house ready. Because of the high humidity certain things must be done so that I don't come home to a mold factory. But I also have to do things so that when we are back in the states we can live a somewhat normal life. Applying for Jackson's Social Security number, Switching our medical insurance to state side, And getting last minute doctor appointments in before we go. We have to have Jackson's SS# to do our taxes. But we can't apply for it until we get his passport back. Unfortunately we have been waiting for that to come back for about 4 months. And to top it off they keep pushing back the date of when it will get here. I can apply for his SS# in the states when I get home, and I will do that instead of applying for it here. So as you can see, just being spontaneous and hopping on a plane to come home for a visit isn't in the picture for us. Everything seems to take hours worth of ground work to set up. I wish things could be simple.

Jackson has also been having a hard time with his Daddy being gone. We didn't realize that it would affect him this way. For a few days in a row he would cry all day long. If he couldn't see me in the room he would freak out and become hysterical. And then when I would pick him up he would clutch my face and bury his face in my neck and cry. It was like he was afraid I was going to leave. I couldn't figure out what was wrong. Nothing seemed to make him happy. But I got the idea to pull up a picture of Brandon on the computer and make it really big. I sat Jackson on the computer desk so he could talk to his Dad. And it made him so happy. He babbles on and on and tries to touch the computer screen. He smiles really big when he sees the picture. We do this everyday and it seems to be working pretty well. Brandon also was able to call this week and got to talk to Jackson. Jackson was really excited about it and talked right back to Brandon.

I ordered Jackson a "Daddy Doll" and I can't wait to give it to him. A daddy doll is made by a company called Hug a Hero, they take a head to toe picture of a service member and cut it out, print it on a soft fabric, and stuff it to make a doll. They also sell other products such as pillow cases and voice recorders. All of these items are to help make deployments or being away from loved ones easier for children. They even make grandparent dolls too. I'm thinking in the next few months Jackson will have a whole collection of his favorite people. Both sets of grandparents and his favorite uncles. It should arrive in a matter of days. Then he can take his Daddy where ever he goes.

Jackson has also slept an average of 9 1/2 hours a night for an entire week and a half. This is so nice for me. I feel so rested everyday. And it gives me that extra boost. With the added energy I've had, it's been a treat to go on a few adventures with Jackson. We've gone for walks, and gone to the ginza to look around. We've gone window shopping and stopped for lunch. I even got myself a Starbucks coffee this week and a new pair of walking shoes. The sun has been out and it's beautiful here. Even with the cool crisp air it's been delightful to be outside. Jackson takes really good naps after our outings. He seems to really enjoy getting out of the house. It's so nice to know that spring is right around the corner. Isn't it a nice thought after such a long winter!

One of Those Days

2009-01-30T12:02:00.002+09:00

Jackson in his new jammies.
Yummy sweet potatoes!

You know what I'm talking about. Nothing seems to go right from the start. You keep trying to thwart it at every turn but it just isn't gonna happen for you. Yesterday was that day for me. Amazingly I still had fun and ended my day with a good attitude. Here's how I managed to turn what could have been a disaster into a decent day.

It started with my phone ringing too early in the morning. I jumped out of bed to answer it, not wanting it to wake Jackson up. Too late. Although he eventually put himself back to sleep. We had to get up and get going anyways. I had a blood draw on base that morning. I looked outside and realized it was pouring. Awesome. That meant that I didn't have to fix my hair cute. After always doing everyone else's hair, I never want to do my own. It always ends up ruined in the rain anyways. So on went my favorite knit hat. I got Jackson ready and we headed out the door.

My blood draw was quick. Thank goodness. I hate getting it done so often. And usually they end up poking me a million times to get one tube of blood. My veins are stubborn. Not today, only one stick. I was a little more sore than usual, but it was worth it to get out of there so quickly. I ran a few more errands on base while I was there. Jackson and I are shipping Brandon a box to the ship. Just some fun goodies for Valentine's day and his birthday gift. He's gonna love it. So Jackson and I went shopping for some things to put in the box. They didn't have everything that we needed of course. I hate getting in and out of the car with the stroller, shopping bags, diaper bag, and a baby in the rain. We were having a huge storm with high winds and thunder. But I did it all day, so I must be a pro by now. By the time I got to the grocery store Jackson was in meltdown mode. Just add it to the list. It was his nap time. I ended up running down the aisles throwing things into the cart. He was screaming so loud that people were sticking their heads around the corner to see what the deal was. Not caring at all what other people thought I began singing loudly Jackson's favorite song as I shopped. He loved it and calmed right down. 99 rounds of Jesus loves me later I was checking out in the line. The bagger felt bad for me so she carried all of my bags out to my car in the rain and helped me load them up. What a blessing. Jackson fell asleep on the way home.

My friend Jess came over for dinner and a movie. It's great to eat with someone. It's so quiet at night around here with Brandon gone. Jess made dinner which was a nice break for me. We played with the kids on the floor for a bit. Jackson had his dinner. He ate an entire jar of sweet potatoes. It was his first time eating the potatoes, and I think it's safe to say he loved them. He kept pulling on my hand to give him more. Then when it was gone he bent down to lick the tray on the high chair. I had bought him new jammies at the store. Size 12 months. I figured it would be awhile before he would fit into them. But after his bath I tried them out anyways and they fit perfectly. I'm so thankful that he's growing so much. There was a time when I thought he was never gonna grow. My evening was great. Good company and good food.

I feel so strong lately. I feel like I could go through Brandon's entire deployment and not even bat an eye. When I come home I will be coming home because I want to not because I can't handle doing this by myself. And that feels really good to know that about myself.

There is always something to be thankful for my friends. No matter how dim the day may seem. Jesus is always there to remind you that there is light.

So Far So Good

2009-01-28T14:00:00.002+09:00

So far this week has been good. I feel productive and strong. I've gotten good rest. And amazingly Jackson has been very well behaved. Brandon is doing great for those of you wondering. He misses us, but that is to be expected. I'm hoping to talk to him in the next few weeks. It will be nice to hear his voice. For now e-mail is getting the job done. Thank you Jesus for modern technology. If we could only communicate by writing letters it would make for one long deployment.

Usually the week before Brandon leaves the house is a disaster. We let everything go so that we can spend as much time together as possible. Yes that's right, I'm not a perfect housewife all the time. The day after he leaves I begin my insanity clean. I usually get everything done the first week. It's harder now that I have Jackson, cleaning gets done during his naps. I have cleaned my house from top to bottom already. And I am confident that it will stay this clean until Brandon comes home again. Just a hunch, as I've gone through this before.

Jackson has been pretty mellow since his Daddy left. And for 3 mornings in a row he has slept past 10am. Usually he's up at 6am for the day. So you can imagine my surprise when I woke up before him. Sleeping in the past few days has been great. I feel so much better during the day when I get good sleep. Sleep deprivation is not my favorite thing. I'm going to be so excited if this is his new sleep pattern. But I'm not holding my breath because he changes so much, this heavenly sleep might not last long. During the day Jackson has been a happy little guy and is just content to roll around on the floor to play. He is giggling more and more and it cracks me up. The more I laugh at him giggling the more he giggles. It's pretty cute.

I've gotten a lot done during my free time. It feels good ya know? It's like spring cleaning. Clean sheets. A clean shower. A spotless kitchen. And floors that shine. Ahhhh! Besides, it will be nice to return to a clean house when I come back to the states to visit.

However no matter how hard I try to keep things clean and caught up, I have this little mess maker coming behind me. The more bottles I wash the more he makes. The more laundry I fold the more he makes. The more diapers I change...you get the picture. It gets a bit redundant after awhile. I'm mixing it up today by taking Jackson on a a field trip to get some errands done around town. Hopefully that will break up the monotony of everyday housewife life. At least during this week.

The sun is shining here and it's a beautiful day. If it's the same on your end of the world, I hope you can get out and enjoy it.

Goodbye Is Hard To Say

2009-01-26T13:43:00.004+09:00

The night before Brandon left
Asleep on the couch
Saying goodbye

Well....Here we go again. Jackson and I are on our own once more. This time for a lot longer than we ever have been. We are hoping that Jackson's passport will be here next week. At least that's what they have been telling me. Then we will hop a plane home for a visit. That's going to be an experience in itself. Getting myself to the airport with a baby and a suitcase. However...We hope to see you all soon.

The day before Brandon left was rough. Jackson was really fussy. Refused to take a nap or eat full meals. It was like he could feel the tension and anxiety. He knew what was coming. He just wanted to be with his Daddy all day. He did sleep all night, which was great for us because we really needed the sleep. Brandon took him out of bed in the morning so that we could put him in his car seat. He said goodbye to him while Jackson rubbed his face on his Daddy's shoulder trying to go back to sleep. And that was that. We drove him to the ship and dropped him off. Did a quick goodbye in the parking lot. I was thankful that Jackson fell asleep in the car on the way home, he went right back to sleep when I put him in his crib and slept for several more hours. He just wore himself out.

I am doing better than I expected I would. After being strong for such a long period of time it exhausts you. I takes a lot of energy to pretend that you are fine when your other half has to go away. Of course it hurts, he's part of me. I knew it would be tougher this time around. Watching my husband kiss our son goodbye. Jackson will be 8 months old before Brandon sees him again. I gave myself permission to cry if I felt like I needed to. I was waiting for the tears to come and they never did. I stood in the cold and kissed him. I drove home. Still no tears. I'm stronger than I thought I was. I know I'm gonna make it. But only because I don't have a choice. At least I'm not falling apart right from the get go. We are gonna have one heck of a homecoming. I can't wait to start making plans for when I see my love again.

Snow

2009-01-25T17:15:00.003+09:00

The Sasebo River. Taken from our back balcony.
This is what we woke up to. Half way through the storm this is what all of the houses in the neighborhood looked like.

Yesterday we drove to the base to get a few things at the store. While we shopped a blizzard began. When we came out of the store we were wondering how we would get home in our tiny little car.

Our friends and next door neighbors just moved in. They have no vehicle and had coincidentally gone to the store the same time that we did. They took the train and walked to the base. It's quite the jaunt actually. But in the snow we knew that there was no way that they would make it all that way carrying all of their shopping bags. Brandon offered to walk and take the train with Tom. So that Stephanie and their son Dylan could ride home with me in the nice warm car. It sounded like a good idea at the time.

The men began their hike across the frozen tundra. And us women folk started up the car and headed for home. Our car is super light. Think moped with 4 wheels. I was thanking God that I grew up in Washington and wasn't afraid to drive in the snow.We left the base and knew right away it was going to take forever to get there. No one was even paying attention to lights. People were just driving right through them. Bumper to bumper. Snow and ice covering the road. Accidents occurring left and right. The Japanese have a hard enough time driving in the rain, snow was more than they could handle. Some of them stopped their cars right in the traffic, put on their four ways, locked up and abandoned their cars. Right in the middle of the road. Some even left their car doors open and scurried away as if a bomb had gone off. Jackson was ticked. Sitting in the backseat crying. Dylan had to use the restroom and told us so every 30 seconds. It took us 2 hours just to get half way home.

It wasn't long before we got a call from the husbands. Neither one of them had house keys to get into their houses. They were stuck outside of the building in the freezing cold with snow dumping on their heads. They eventually made their way to the other side of the street where there is a coffee shop. Or so they thought. It was actually a little bar. Drunk Japanese men filled the small room. They charged the guys 5 bucks for a cup of coffee. We called to tell them that we had made it half way home and were near a little restaurant that we frequent. We told the guys to walk and meet us. Eventually we all met up for some dinner, a much needed bathroom break and some rest from being in the car. After dinner we all managed to pile in our tiny car for the drive home. Poor Brandon had to sit in the trunk. By then traffic had cleared and we made it home in 5 minutes. By the time we walked in the house it was 9:30 pm. It was a pretty hectic day considering that we just meant to pick up a few things. We shall see how much more snow we get. Hopefully we don't get snowed in.

4 Months

2009-01-25T16:48:00.003+09:00

It's so hard to believe that our sweet baby is 4 months old now. It has gone by so fast. But then again, I have soaked up every moment and have worked hard at living in the here and now, so I am comfortable with how fast he has grown.

He is getting so big. Double what he was when he was born. He is over 15 pounds and is 24 inches long. He's fitting into all of his 6 month clothes already. Jackson is doing really well in all of the developmental areas as well. Smiling and laughing and doing silly little things to make us laugh. We are constantly saying that we are to the fun stage now. It just keeps getting better.

The Choice is Yours

2009-01-18T18:48:00.003+09:00

Growing up I had dreams of many professions. You know when as a kid someone would ask you what you wanted to be when you grew up? Most kids would say, a fireman, or a doctor. I on the other hand changed my mind every other day. And even now as an adult I'm still not sure of what I would choose to be in the professional world. Maybe I just haven't decided, or maybe I'm just happy to be me and live the life I have. I got to thinking of all of the things I have wanted to be over the years. You see, I really believe that life is to short to not do what you really want. If you really wanted to be an astronaut, then there is no reason that you shouldn't be.

People tend to make wrong choices upon graduating from high school. They view college or life on their own as an escape from their childhood homes. Trying so desperately to be adults and live a mature life. They eventually settle for a job that pays the bills, get married and have children, and live a life that they never really wanted in the first place. I know to many people that wasted their one and only life doing exactly what they didn't really want. Excuses are scattered about their daily lives. I have come to the conclusion that the only thing holding you back is yourself. If you really want it, then take it. You only get one shot right? Then it's over.

Things I have wanted to be over the course of my life make up quite the list. Even as a married woman, every few months I have a new "dream". I tell Brandon, I want to be a professional (Insert a cool job here). He laughs because he knows that I have such a wild imagination. But supportive he is, and continues to be no matter the idea. Some things I am passionate about, but most are just mere interests. They include:

A Baby Doctor/OBGYN( I wanted to be with babies as a young child and had no idea what the job really required),
A Nurse,
An Artist (Really it would be great to do arts and crafts for a living),
A Professional Traveler (Really! I just want to go on vacations permanently and travel the world seeing things that interest me),
A Marine Biologist,
A Vet,
A Dog Trainer,
A Hair Stylist/Color Tech (Which I am by the way. At some time in my life I wanted nothing more, but became bored),
An Actor,
An Interior Designer,
A Professional Kick boxer (I even bought a heavy bag and hung it in my garage),
A Counselor (I'm not giving up on this one yet),
A Political Advisor,
A Teacher (I could never make my mind up on what subject I would teach)

The reason that I am none of these things mean far more to me than any desire to have a profession. The only thing that has never changed is that I wanted to be a wife and mother. And I am. I consider myself to be a Professional Navy Wife. I am very involved in Brandon's career. Brandon was blessed to realize what he really wanted to do. He quit his job, lost weight, and left his new bride for 6 months to go for his dream. I am forever inspired by his love for his profession. I love being a stay at home mom. I love living and traveling in other countries. I love that I have the option to do hair on the side. Yes I am content in my life. Just because it's not always easy has nothing to do with the fact that I am happy. I have the means and ability to do whatever I want, within reason of course, it will always be my own choice if it actually happens or not.

This post was a product of a few things I've been thinking about over the last few days. Maybe it will inspire those of you on the fence, living a life that you want to change to actually get up the courage to go for it. It's no ones choice but yours. Life is an adventure. Live it as such.

A Few Pictures

2009-01-14T10:29:00.002+09:00

Getting so big!
Playing with Mortimer the Moose
He was so not into getting his picture taken
Jackson and Mama
Hamming it up for Mama

Just a few pictures of Jackson that are the most recent. We can't believe how much he is growing. He's almost 16 weeks old now. He continues to be just a happy little guy full of joy and giggles. He's so expressive and has such a personality. We are loving every moment we have together. Thought you all would enjoy a look at him.

Today

2009-01-12T19:59:00.003+09:00

My day has not been exciting. Nothing spectacular to write about. I am in the mood to write, so write I will do. Really about nothing but things that are mulling through my head.

The hubby has duty so he wont be home until tomorrow. He spends the night on the ship every 6 days. You would think that it would give me a break from cooking dinner and a chance to watch whatever I want on tv. It's not the case tonight. His long deployment is coming with extreme force. I can't be specific on when he leaves. But it doesn't give me and Jackson much time left with him. I am kind of bummed about it. The closer and closer it comes the more I dread it. He will miss so much of Jackson's first year. So it's nights like this that I wish he was home with us instead of on that hunk of metal. But what can ya do right?!

Meanwhile I'm coming home. Hopefully very soon. I'm waiting on the Embassy in Tokyo to send Jackson's passport. They are taking their sweet time with it. This has caused me much turmoil in my heart. I so badly want to be organized at all times. Not knowing when it will come is driving me crazy. I can't buy a plane ticket until it arrives. Patience is what we are working on this week. Today I worked on packing up all of Jackson's things so that I can ship them home. I still have so many things left to do before I can leave the country.

Jackson is pretty clingy today compared to usual. He really just wants to sit on my lap and rock in the chair. He doesn't want to take a nap but is pretty tired. His teeth still haven't come through and are waiting under his gums. I think he's just cranky because his mouth hurts.

I made spaghetti for dinner. Like I always do when Brandon has duty. Spaghetti is my favorite, I could seriously eat it everyday. I usually watch Seinfeld at night. But tonight the Golden Globes are on. We get everything a day after the US does. So I live in the future because I'm a day ahead, but never hear anything that's going on in the world until a day later. It's strange to me that celebrities are wearing fabulous dresses and are dripping with thousands of dollars worth of diamonds when people are losing their jobs left and right. Just an observation I had. I wish I would have watched Seinfeld anyways, there is nothing special about the award show.

I put my back out this week and spent 3 nights sleeping on the living room floor. Fun times. Since there are no chiropractors around here, all they could do was give me pain killers. Brandon has had to do the majority of the household work and took care of Jackson for a few days while I've been out of it. He now has a new appreciation of me. He had no idea how hard I work to keep things going around here. He did a great job, but was so ready to hand the reigns over to me when I was up and about again. Now I'm up to my ears in laundry since he had no idea how to work the Japanese washer and dryer. His help was much appreciated and I'm so blessed to have him.

That's about it for today. Laundry and a cranky baby. I still have a few hours left before bed maybe something exciting will happen. I sure hope all of you are having great days.

First Trip to the Ship

2009-01-10T20:24:00.003+09:00

We took Jackson to the ship the other night. Everyone has been asking Brandon at work when he would bring Jackson on board so they all could meet him. Since it was his first time being on his Daddy's ship we took a few pictures. This is our favorite picture of Jackson meeting Brandon's chief. Jackson loved her. He made cute little faces and just really hammed it up. I'm sure there will be many more pictures in the future of Jackson on board the ship, but this was the very first.

Just Ducky

2009-01-10T20:10:00.002+09:00

When I was 9 weeks pregnant both my Mother-In-Law Beck and my Mama had baby showers for us. We were moving to Japan shortly after we found out I was pregnant so we had to have my baby showers very very early. During one of those baby showers we received this adorable duck outfit from Brandon's cousin Jan Middleton. I loved it as soon as I unwrapped it. It's so soft and cozy. We got to Japan and unpacked all of the boxes and put things away in our new home. When I unpacked all of Jackson's boxes I was so excited when I saw the outfit again and put it in his little dresser. I have been waiting since I was 9 weeks pregnant to put Jackson in this duck suit. And finally it fits him. It's so cute on him. The back has a little duck tail and everything. Here is a picture of him the first time he wore it.

The Blahs

2009-01-06T16:29:00.002+09:00

Do you ever just feel... blah? Like things are happening all around you, and you could really care less. You aren't motivated in the slightest. It feels like you do the same thing day in and day out. I'm there baby!

Especially with the holidays being over, I am feeling the blahs even more. The tree and decorations have come down. The fridge and pantry have been purged of any "goodies". Our schedule is back to normal, what ever that is. I'm not sure if things will ever be considered normal for us because of the lifestyle we live. But things have settled down again and we are in somewhat of a routine. The problem is me. I am not motivated to jump start myself into getting my healthy life style back.

When I was pregnant I was so active. I ate healthy everyday. I craved veggies and fruits. I only gained 3 pounds my entire pregnancy. I was so proud of myself for sticking to it and staying healthy. Jackson was born and in the weeks that followed I quickly lost 35 pounds. It's safe to say I'm smaller now than I was before I got pregnant. Now with him at 3 months old, I'm finding myself at a plateau. I still desire to be a better me. To be healthy and active. But I'm so not in the mood. I'd so much rather take a nap than a walk in my free time. I'm still tired. I realize that this is our life now. My day is full of laundry and dishes, and taking care of a cranky teething infant, cleaning up after everyone and the messes they make, making dinner every night, and still trying to find some time left in the evening to spend with the hubby who wishes to do nothing but play on his computer after a day at work. All on a minimal amount of sleep. Time for myself is not even in the picture. Is it just that I expect to much out of myself? I know I'm not perfect. And I know life isn't perfect. But I was really hoping to have it all figured out by now. The truth is I don't. And I won't even claim to. I just do the best I can with what I have and go from there. I'm clearly not happy with myself. I want to be a better person. More relaxed. Healthier and more active. The only person that can change that is me.

After not having tv for 8 months here in Japan, Brandon hooked up the American satellite dish for me. I only get about 6 channels. But it's better than nothing right? I have been watching a lot of news and a lot of Oprah. Oprah is doing the best life this week. Everyday she does a different show on being the best you can be. Yesterday was a show on weight. I was surprised to know that Oprah suffers from thyroid disease as I do. The show was pretty motivating for me. Today the show was on health. Things we can all do to be healthier. Keeping our minds and bodies strong. For the rest of the week she is covering other subjects. I'm curious as to what else I will learn. Those of you interested should watch it. I am challenging myself to get in the groove and change my attitude toward my way of life. As I re-read this blog, I am already bored out of my mind. It's not much to read, so for that I'm sorry. But it's where I'm at today.

Hey Everyone.....

2009-01-03T00:10:00.002+09:00

Please go see my friend Rhianna's new blog. She's worked really hard on it and it's finally ready. It's pretty cool if you ask me.

The address is http://rhianna.3wisdoms.com/

You can also visit it by going to the "Rhianna's New Page" link on my blogroll. Enjoy!!!

Happy New Year

2009-01-01T06:46:00.002+09:00

For those of you living in the states it's still New Year's Eve. But for us it's already 2009. We didn't do much to celebrate. We never really do. I made spicy peanut chicken with rice for dinner. And we sat around last night and watched movies. We barely made it to the countdown before we went to sleep. We hope that all of you have a great time celebrating and have a Happy New Year!

The First Solid

2008-12-31T19:43:00.002+09:00

The beginning of our new food adventure......
First Bite.
Not so sure about it yet
Pretty into it at this point.
All done. He had it everywhere.

We started giving Jackson a little bit of rice cereal in his bottle. He loved it. He ate his bottle like a little shark baby. So we decided to see how he might like it as a solid. We watered it down quite a bit of course. But all in all I'd say it went over pretty well.

He wore his starfish bib. Sat in his high chair like a big boy. He sat waiting patiently for me to prepare his first meal. And then we started. He opened his mouth for me to put his first bite in. Then he rolled his little tongue around trying to figure out what the heck I'd just given him. Then out of nowhere he would give me a big smile and cereal would pour out the sides of his mouth. He would also blow when I'd give him a bite and it would fly everywhere. He kept doing it until he was covered in it. Then he would squeal from being so excited. Toward the end he was grabbing my hand so that he could eat more. It was pretty hysterical to see him so excited about it. We had to scrub him down good afterward. We took lots of pictures of this momentous occasion. Here are a few for you all to see.

The Christmas Picture

2008-12-29T13:37:00.003+09:00

Since there aren't very many places to get professional pictures taken here, we decided to take our own Christmas pictures. Here are the favorites. They were taken on Christmas Eve. Jackson was taking a nap under the tree. We think they turned out pretty good.

He will be having his 3 month pictures taken soon. Keep an eye out for those.

Please Pray

2008-12-29T13:17:00.002+09:00

My best friend, Bekah Ladue, has been serving in Iraq for the last several months. This weekend she was med-evacuated to Germany, due to possible brain issues. She is undergoing tests and treatments. We wont know any more details for a few more days. She was origianlly due to come home in January sometime.

Please keep her in your prayers. Please pray that they find no tumors or problems. That she come home with a clean bill of health. And that she come home safe. Thank you.

Big Boy

2008-12-27T21:27:00.004+09:00

Jackson is changing so much. And doing it at a more rapid pace than I was hoping he'd do it. All of the sudden it seems like he's growing into a little boy and is not the cuddly baby he once was. I never imagined that I would like the cuddly baby stage. When it comes to other people's kids they just eat sleep and poop. But when it's your own baby, you want to hold onto every second and find a way to extend time to make it last longer. At any rate, it seems to be going by pretty quickly. I can hardly believe that he is 3 months old already.

These are the things that Jackson has been up to in the last week or so.

Chewing on Elmo's Eye. He never uses his toys for what they are meant for.
Teething. Most people would say it's not possible for a 3 month old to be cutting teeth. However his 2 bottom teeth are coming with force. We can see them quite clearly under his gum's waiting to pop through. He is drooling constantly. We have to keep a bib on him, and even then he soaks through his clothes. He's a bit crankier too. He chews on everything as you can see from the pictures above. It's only a matter of time before those teeth break through and show their pearly white heads.
His taste in clothing has changed. No more fluffy baby stuff for this little guy. He wants to be the fashion icon for his generation. Check him out in his new big boy clothes.
He wants to sit up and face out. He refuses to sit facing us anymore, and hates even more to be cradled like a little baby. He wants to see everything. He is holding his head up now. He loves his high chair. He can sit in it while we are in the kitchen and check things out.
He wants to do it himself. Since he was just a few days old, he has tried to "help" us with everything we do. Change his diaper, get him dressed, he's right there trying to do it himself. He started holding his own bottle when he was 5 weeks old. But now he wants to do it himself all the time. He's pretty excited to start eating a few solids in the next month or so.

He is gaining weight at a quicker pace now. Thank God for that. He has gone up a size in his clothes. We are now wearing 6-9 month onesies. I've cleaned out his dresser and taken all of his clothes out that were too small. And we have replaced everything with bigger sizes already. He loves to talk and jabber on and on. Sometimes he will grab our noses and lips. And he has now started mimicking us. He is now pretty into his toys. We got him a big toy box for the living room to keep all of his goodies at hand. It's so strange how he recognizes his favorite toys already.

He has also developed quite the little attitude. He wants what he wants. In the last week he has rolled his eyes at me when I talked to him in a high pitched baby voice. He pulled my glasses off my face and thought it was hysterical. And recently he has started making this grunting sighing noise when I give him to many kisses. As is to say, ugh mom enough with the kisses. He has his limit. He has also decided that he would rather sit on Daddy's lap sometimes. And he makes it pretty clear by throwing his head back and arching his back and crying until I hand him over to his Dad. Then he is perfectly content to sit and watch tv like a big boy with Daddy. He's still very much into Mama. I've got the touch. Sometimes I'm the only thing he could ever want. But I am noticing a little independent person come up from within him and I am fascinated by it. I just wish that it would go in slow motion. I don't want to blink or I'll miss something.

Back in Action

2008-12-27T21:21:00.002+09:00

After having no internet for a week, I'm back in the saddle. You never realize how much you need technology until you are forced to live in the dark ages. The owner of the building that we live in, decided that he would install a bigger faster internet, and in doing so it was shut down for a week. Since our phone runs off of the internet also, I've literally had no communication with the outside world. Oh goodness...I do sound like a priss. Anyways, I have so much to post about, but have decided to do a few different posts to cover it all.

I do hope that all of you had a wonderful Christmas with your loved ones.

Just add it to the list

2008-12-18T20:09:00.004+09:00

I think it's safe to say that I've been pretty busy. Maybe for... I don't know... lets say the last 4 months or so. Without any form of a break. I'm kind of tired. Ok, really really tired. No amount of naps is helping me catch up. This week I was hoping to relax a bit, and I've done so a little. But the story I'm about to tell you will perhaps help you better understand why I have not been writing amusing or comical blogs lately.

It all started when Brandon came home from being out to sea. A week later, I was put in the hospital a week before I had Jackson. I delivered him by c-section and stayed in the hospital for another 5 days. On the way home from the hospital we went grocery shopping. Jackson was 5 days old. I cleaned my house for 2 days and my parents arrived from Washington. They stayed for 2 weeks. We toured the country almost everyday. Brandon and my parents left for the states in the same weekend. And I was left by myself in Japan with a tiny baby that was used to being held for 100 percent of his day. Needless to say it was a lot of exhausting work to do alone. But I made it.

Brandon returned home from a school in Texas 6 weeks later. Winter had just begun and our house was freezing. Literally. So the first few days he was home we spent hundreds of dollars on heaters for our home. Jackson and I had spent several days bundled up in blankets and sweaters. Finally the house was warm. But because of the extreme humidity in the air, our house soon began to condensate. When I say condensate, I mean that all of the walls in our cement house and the windows poured water from them like the flood. Water began to pool on our cement floor. We used towels to mop it up, but every morning it was back with force. We then bought a dehumidifier to suck all of the moisture out of the air. We thought we were geniuses. One morning 2 days before Brandon's parents were supposed to arrive, we awoke to find that our entire house was covered in mold.

Those of you who know we really well will know that I am a bit phobic of mold, bacteria, and germs. I am insanely allergic to mold and anything to do with mold, such as penicillin or cheese. And now my whole house was covered in it. I was mortified. All of the floors, the bathrooms including toilets and showers, every window and door, and even furniture was black and furry. We kicked into high gear and cleaned for hours. Moving furniture, mopping entire rooms, wiping down windows and doors. No easy feat when you have to do all of your cleaning during Jackson's nap time. We had to get it clean. There was only a matter of time before I broke out in hives and couldn't breathe. Let alone little Jackson's tiny lungs breathing it in. We didn't want to take the chance of him getting sick. So we worked well into the night to get it clean. Mission accomplished.

Brandon's parents came. We've been having a great time with them. 2 nights ago I noticed that our bedroom floor looked kind of dusty. So I bent down to check under the bed, which I had just mopped under the week before. The floor was black. Mold everywhere. Again. Just add it to the list I guess. I still hadn't gotten my well needed break yet, why not just extend it a few more days. I was exhausted and ready for bed, but knew that it would be impossible for me to sleep knowing that the thing I am most phobic of was in fact living and growing under my bed. Brandon's mom held and rocked Jackson to sleep so that Brandon and I could get to cleaning. We moved our entire room around. Washed the window, mopped the floor, and washed all of the bedding. We wiped down and dusted all of the furniture with antibacterial spray. I'm happy to say that it is finally clean. It was one of the most disgusting things I've ever had to do, just thought I'd throw that out there.

The question is: will I have to keep going through this? We live in a tropical location. With 100 percent humidity in the air. Am I seriously going to have to de-mold my house every week? Will life ever calm down? On top of this, I have mentioned before in a previous blog, Jackson had been having troubles with his weight gain. And to top it off is now lactose intolerant. Brandon is in and out of the house constantly. If it's not one thing it's another. Brandon's mom told me the other day that from here on out life will be this busy. And the more kids I add to life the busier it will get. Yikes! I'm coping just fine, I wouldn't say I'm overwhelmed. But this my friends is why you have been asking yourselves where my funny little blogs have gone. I simply don't have the time.

This Week in Pictures

2008-12-15T10:24:00.003+09:00

Not the best picture of me. Jackson and I had just taken a bath and were in our jammies ready for bed. He snuggled right up to my neck and held my face with his hand.
Jackson the morning that we celebrated Christmas with his Grandma and Grandpa. I love his little Christmas outfit.
My Christmas Gift this year. There is a picture of me when I was a baby with a bow on my head. We thought we'd carry on the tradition.
Jackson with all of his gifts sitting under the tree. Can you believe they were all for him?? What a blessed little boy!
The 3 of us on "Christmas" morning. :o)
Daddy showing Jackson his new book. The real reason why we celebrate Christmas.
My Mom sent Jackson slippers. They are so cute, I couldn't resist taking pictures of him wearing them.
The 3 of us at Sasebo park. It's all lit up for Christmas with thousands of lights.

We've had quite the busy week. Brandon's mom and dad are here and we've been showing them the sights. They are having a great time being grandparents. Jackson gets passed back and forth between everyone all day. We also celebrated Christmas with them, since they are going home before Christmas day and Brandon has to work on Christmas. We helped Jackson open all of his wonderful gifts. He of course isn't old enough to understand, but it was still fun to hold up his gifts for him to touch and see. We sat him on my lap on the floor and Brandon sat in front of him going gift by gift opening them for him to look at. He was in a pretty good mood thankfully and enjoyed all of the attention. Grandpa was snapping pictures like crazy.

Jackson turned 11 weeks old this week. He also had a doctor's appointment this week. I haven't posted much on the subject, simply because we weren't really sure what was going on. Jackson had a difficult time gaining weight after he was born. He gained very slowly. So we have been in and out of the doctor's office since he was born. Doing weight checks every week and trying different things. It's been quite the stressful ordeal for me. His doctor was very patient and worked with me very well to adjust Jackson gradually. He was also having a problem with the added formula the doctor had given him. He would get sick and throw up his entire bottle 10 minutes after he ate. It turns out that he has his Mommy's tummy and is lactose intolerant after all. My mom had the exact same problems with me and had to quit breastfeeding and had me on an all soy diet. He is gaining weight fast now that we have switched his diet around. He can only breastfeed a few times a day and is eating a hypoallergenic formula now. He's doing really well on it. He is now pushing 11 pounds and is 23 1/2 inches long. Still small for his age, but very healthy. The doctor as well as Brandon and I are all happy with his progress over the last few weeks.

We still have this week to spend with Grandma and Grandpa. It's hard to believe they have been here for a week already. I will post more soon when I have a minute to sit down and write. We hope you all are having a joyful holiday season so far.

They're Hereeee......

2008-12-09T10:17:00.005+09:00

Ain't that the truth!!!
Grandma and Jackson snuggling on the couch.
Jackson passed out on Grandpa's chest.

"Operation Grandchild" is in full swing. It was launched the day we picked Brandon's parents up from the airport. They have only been here a few short days, but have somehow managed to destroy all of my work getting him back to "normal".

You see...My parents were here in October, Jackson was 2 weeks old, he never got put down. He was held nonstop and snuggled and kissed and rocked. He loved it and became quite happy with taking his naps on his Oji's (Oji is Japanese for Grandpa) lap and snuggling with his Nana all day. When they left he was devastated and cried for hours when I tired to put him down for a nap in his crib. He had gotten used to always being held. I finally got him back on somewhat of a schedule and then BAM! D-Day!!!

I was half way expecting for Brandon's mom and dad to exit the plane, pushing people aside, running through the crowd, knocking down everyone in their path, shove Brandon and I out of their way, only to scoop up their precious grandchild and shower him with hugs and kisses. Standing there at the airport waiting to see their faces appear, I was giggling at my silly thoughts. I have quite the wild imagination don't I?! It didn't really happen that way at all. But it certainly could have. Brandon's parents have been waiting to be grandparents for a looong time. And now the wonderful day was here. They got to meet the little guy. They were not shocked that he is a miniature version of their son. Brings back a lot of great memories for them, and Brandon's mom gets a little teary eyed.

All of that to say, they are here. Safe and sound. Had a great trip over. Jackson is loving the sudden extra attention he is getting. He has been so used to it just being him and mom in the house. Now it's bustling with excitement and the smell of cookies are in the air. You have never seen so many gifts under the tree. All for our little Jackson. His Nana and Oji sent gifts, Nanny and Poppie, Uncle Kyle sent gifts, and now there are gifts from Grandma and Grandpa under the tree. What a blessed little boy. He's sleeping on his grandpa's lap everyday, getting fed and rocked by his grandma, and snuggled and showered with affection by both of them all day long. Nap time in his crib has almost been thrown out the window, although I am holding on tight. I don't care. He doesn't get much time with them. This is what grandparents are for anyways. All children should be so blessed to have a family that loves them so much. Brandon and I love to watch them interact with him. It's pretty hilarious. We've never seen them like this before. They sit on the couch with him in between them and talk and smile and laugh at everything he does. It's like his own little audience. And I must say he's thrilled.

As for Japan adventures, we've only ventured out a few times. They are still adjusting to the time difference and the cold. In no time we will have them out and about experiencing the orient. I will post more on their stay later. Here are a few pictures of Jackson and his Grandma and Grandpa.

First Snow

2008-12-06T12:39:00.002+09:00

This morning we woke up to the sky dumping snow over the city. Big fat flakes falling slowly. When we were getting ready to move here, we were told that it stays warm all year long. I bought shorts and tank tops like they were going out of style. And I even bought Jackson little shorts and sandals. We wont need them now. Over the last few weeks it has gotten colder and colder. This morning it is 4 degrees Celsius. It's ok because it kind of reminds me of home. I feel like this winter will actually be comforting to me. Here are a few pictures of our first snow in Japan from our back balcony.

Sleepy Head

2008-12-03T21:12:00.004+09:00

Brandon was playing a game on his PlayStation and Jackson was sleeping soundly on his chest.

I was blessed with a son that loves to sleep as much as we do. Brandon and I both love sleep. And it seems that our love of slumber has carried down into our little one. He sleeps through the night, and has since he was a week old. And takes several naps a day, sometimes for 3 or 4 hours. He wakes up to eat and play and then takes another nap. He doesn't care what's going on around him, he will sleep through the vacuum cleaner and the tv. And rarely does he care about what position he is in. Whenever we hold him he snuggles in and gets cozy and drifts off to sleep. Here are a few shots that I got of Jackson sleeping in all different positions this week.

Here he is sleeping with his arms up in the air.

Jackson sleeping on his belly during nap time. He rolls himself over to sleep like this. His arms are down by his sides and he was drooling and snoring.

Sleeping on my lap. With his feet and legs curled up and his head leaned way over to the side.

He fell asleep in his bouncy seat after he wiggled himself onto his side. Then he continued to sleep for an hour or so with his hands over his ears.

Getting Into The Spirit Of Christmas

2008-12-03T20:36:00.003+09:00

We decorated the house this week. It's beautiful. I really really love when Christmas rolls around, because I love getting into the spirit of the season. It makes me feel warm and cozy. We wanted to find Jackson a stocking this year. But we couldn't find one over here anywhere. To my surprise my Grandma Dot sent Jackson this beautiful stocking in the mail. Along with his "Baby's First Christmas" ornament. We are loving them both. We hung Jackson's stocking up on my quilt rack. I'm pretending that it's our mantle. Something was kind of off though. Brandon and I needed stockings to match Jackson's. So I got online and ordered us both stockings and had our names embroidered on ours too. Now we have a whole family of beautiful stockings. Thanks Nanny for blessing us with such a nice gift.
Since the first year that Brandon and I were married I have put the tree up early. Usually because Brandon is seldom home and no one really ever comes over. So what does it matter if I put it up early? I love my tree. It makes me happy. And when you live alone most of the time in cold dreary winter, it's such a nice feeling to have the lights lit up and the ornaments sparkling. The first year we were married I bought my tree on sale at Walmart. Along with all of the ornaments and tree skirt. I bought the tree in October. Brandon was gone in boot camp and then a specialty school for 6 months. I figured what the heck, it's on sale I might as well get it. The day I bought the tree I was so excited for Christmas. I went right home and put it up in the living room. In October. I caught quite a bit of grief from my girlfriends that would come over. But I didn't really care. So every year since then I have gotten the itch to put it up early. This year I held out until Thanksgiving week, which was quite the feat for me. Here is a picture of our tree and stockings hanging on our "mantle".
Brandon and I capped off the evening by watching Christmas Vacation, a classic Christmas movie that I love. And of course drinking hot chocolate. It was a fun night for us. In fact it is my goal to own several Christmas movies so that I can watch a different one every night for the month of December, until Christmas comes. If you ever want to get me a gift, make it a Christmas movie. I love them!
And what kind of mother would I be if I didn't make my son wear Christmas Jammies?? They are adorable and he looks so cute in them. I love the reindeer heads on the feet. Every year my mom buys us Christmas socks. Some of them are pretty obnoxious too, with music and flashing lights. I have a whole drawer filled just from the Christmas sock collection. We open them on Christmas Eve every year and wear them when we open our gifts the next morning. This will be my tradition with my kids. Christmas Jammies.

I hope that all of you have a great time getting into the Christmas Spirit with your loved ones. It really does make it more fun and special. This was just a peak into our home for Christmas, hope you enjoyed it!

Santa

2008-12-03T12:49:00.003+09:00

There has never been a time in my life that I can recall ever thinking or believing that Santa was real. I never had a traumatic moment in my childhood where I found out that he was just a lovable guy in a red suit. Granted I grew up in a christian home and knew the real meaning of Christmas from an early age. I always just thought that Santa was a jolly character. No different from Frosty the snowman or Rudolph the red nosed reindeer. It was fun for us to get our picture taken with him. We would even leave cookies and milk out for him on Christmas Eve, knowing full well that My Dad would be the one eating the cookies and drinking the milk. It was just a fun thing to do around Christmas time. Christmas may be about different things for different people. But for me Christmas has always been and will always be about Jesus.

Brandon and I have been discussing lately how Christmas will be portrayed and celebrated for our children. Since this will be Jackson's first Christmas we want to start now in teaching him what it's really all about. We have both come to an agreement that we will not lie to our son and tell him that Santa is real. For what? Just so he can believe in something that seems lovely and magical for a few years before he's traumatized when he finds out from his friend at a play date that we lied to him. That's just not how we roll in this house.

So because it's Jackson's first Christmas, we bought him a book about the "First Christmas". It's about why we celebrate Christmas in the first place, Jesus' birth. We found it fitting. We will read it to him instead of reading him The Night Before Christmas. This is not to say that he wont have Merry Christmases with stockings and gifts and sugar cookies. He will just know the meaning behind it all from the beginning. Really, what more could a kid ask for!

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T18:30:00.004+09:00

Jackson had a long day. He looks like I felt after dinner. Ready for a nap. I wonder if he feels like he's in a "Turkey Coma" too!

Isn't Thanksgiving great?? I really love it! The eating and talking and laughing and more eating. Then there's the game playing, the football game on tv, and pie, oh the glorious pie!! And of course remembering that Thanksgiving is meant for us to be thankful for all that we have. Since we are over here in a country that doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving, we were kind of on our own this year. We would have loved to have spent the day with our family, but that's just how it goes sometimes. The fact that you can spend hours planning a meal, shopping for the perfect ingredients, pulling out all of Grandma's recipes, and adding those special touches of your own, Stand in the kitchen cooking for hours, to have it all devoured in 20 minutes, and then have to do 3 hours worth of dishes with a tummy ache. It all just didn't seem worth the effort for just the 3 of us this year. So instead of doing the traditional feast at home we opted to go out to eat today. We went to the restaurant on base, they were serving a huge Thanksgiving buffet. It was great. We ate and had a nice time together as a family and then went home with full bellys and no dishes to do. All in all it was a good day for us. And having Jackson with us made it all the more special. Here are a few pictures from our day.

After dinner we came home to relax. I decided to play with Jackson in his jungle gym on the floor. You know when you have those times as parents when it feels like you do the exact same thing everyday, everyday, everyday. Changing hideous diapers, feeding, crying, feeding some more, rocking, and singing, and crying, over and over again. And then I wonder if I'm doing a good job as his Mom. Is he learning? Is he growing enough? Does he feel loved? And then that one little smile or laugh will make it all worth it. Today was one of those days. For some reason the smallest thing can brighten my day. Jackson was playing in his gym and he reached out to grab onto the little monkey that was hanging above him. He was smiling at him and kicking his legs in delight. And then he started to babble at the monkey like it was his little friend. For some reason I got so excited and thought he might like to play with a toucan, so I took the monkey and set it aside and gave him the colorful bird. No. Not what he wanted. He scrunched up his face and turned his head so that he could see the monkey. He started to cry, so I gave him the monkey back and he smiled at it again. He recognized it. He could distinguish the difference between the bird and the monkey and knew he wanted one over the other. How cool!! He IS growing and learning! We are doing a good job. What reassurance. It made me feel so much more confident that we are doing all that we can for him. Above is a picture of Jackson and his Monkey.
Jackson and Mama at Thanksgiving Dinner.
Brandon feeding Jackson.
My Little Turkey!
Cutie Pie Jackson. Ready to go have dinner.

Daddy Is Home

2008-11-26T10:49:00.002+09:00

Jackson with his Daddy. Right after Brandon got home.
Jackson just kept looking at him. He just wanted him to stay awake and keep playing, but Brandon was so tired that he fell asleep.
Brandon was a little jet lagged. He fell asleep in the chair holding Jackson on his lap.
Jackson's new floor gym. Early Christmas gift.
Brandon playing with Jackson in his floor gym. He actually crawled in there to play.

Brandon is home. We couldn't be happier. Jackson is loving having his Daddy home. He kinda just keeps looking at him, and then he will smile really big at Brandon. They are inseparable. Brandon has only been home for a few days, but he jumped right into being Jackson's entertainment right away. Which is great for me since I haven't gotten a break at all. The first day or so Brandon was a little out of it from his long trip. Him and Jackson would take naps together and snuggle in our big chair. He's been a big help. Now we have settled into life with a baby together quite nicely. It's really the first chance we've had at being a family together since Jackson was born 2 months ago. I can't believe he's already 2 months old. It went so fast.

We did a little Christmas shopping for Jackson the other day. We bought him this floor gym. I wanted to wait until Christmas morning to help Jackson open it. However, Brandon had something else in mind. When we got home he told me that Jackson wouldn't know the difference if it was opened on Christmas or not. Then he talked me into letting him put it together so he and Jackson could play. It's amazing to me the things this man can talk me into. And of course it's easier for him to do when he's been gone awhile. At least they had fun right?!

I just wanted to give everyone an update on our little family. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving for us. My Auntie Mo sent Jackson a onesie with a turkey on it. I can't wait for him to wear it. It's gonna be great to spend it as a family. I'm really focusing this year on all that I have to be Thankful for. There is so much I've been blessed with. We hope you all have a great Thanksgiving Holiday.

8 Weeks

2008-11-22T15:35:00.003+09:00

Big Smile for his Mama. After we got back home from our walk today.
Cracking up laughing. I love his little giggle and his squinted eyes.
Just having some quiet time in his crib. He was making so many little noises that I went in to check on him. This is the picture I got. He's so serious sometimes.

Jackson just turned 8 weeks old. Here are a few pictures I took of him today. He is growing so much and developing fast. I just wanted to share them. Brandon comes home tomorrow, so I will be posting pictures of his homecoming with Jackson soon. Stay tuned.

This Week.....

2008-11-18T18:10:00.004+09:00

As many of you know Brandon has been gone for quite some time now. He will be home in 5 days. And we couldn't be any more excited about it. Althought the days seem to be dragging by. Jackson has gone 5 weeks without his Daddy. He is really looking forward to listening to his Daddy read him his bedtime story again. Because of the kind of Navy wife that I am, I have been preparing for his return all week. I started by getting my haircut, painting my toes, and waxing my eyebrows. I can't show a picture of my haircut because it would ruin Brandon's surprise. But here is a picture of my pedicure. The color is "pistol packing pink", I did it in honor of my gun loving husband. I have also cleaned my house, just because I don't want to have to do it when he's home. And I have gone grocery shopping and stocked the house full of his favorites. Including the ingredients for his most loved cookies. I will bake them right before he gets here.

I am also working on this year's winter scarf. Cranberry Red. Mmm...I love it! I have made several and have one in just about every color. Last year for Christmas I made one for everyone in the family. I even taught my Dad how to knit. He made My Grandma Dot a scarf for her birthday last year. It's kind of my hobby in my free time. I've been working on this one today during Jackson's nap. When I come home I'd love for my friend Sherri to teach me how to knit a few other things. All I know how to do now is a scarf. I have a feeling I will be spending some of my time in her cozy little knitting store.

This is a picture of Jackson from today. This is the very first outfit I ever bought for him. 3 years ago when we first started trying to have a baby I came across this little outfit and loved it. It has little sailboats stitched all over it. So I bought it, before I was ever pregnant, and before I ever knew that he was a boy. He finally fits into it. When I tried it on him today I was thrilled that it fit and had to take a picture.

Jackson gets a few bottles on top of breast milk everyday. The doctor wants him to gain more weight. He is doing good so far. For some reason Jackson loves to hold his own bottle. This is him snuggling with his lion friend before nap time.

I'm sure Brandon will be surprised at how much he has grown since he's been gone. I'm so glad that he will be home just in time to have Thanksgiving dinner with us. We are so Thankful to have such a wonderful Daddy and Husband.

Pictures

2008-11-11T22:45:00.003+09:00

He just started sticking his tongue out when he smiles. It makes me laugh.
He figured out that there is a mobile in his bassinet. He's pretty into it as you can see.
Just after his bath. The first time he didn't scream when I took him out of the water.
In rare form. He was in a good mood when he woke up from his afternoon nap.
I love the way he sleeps. Like a little man already.

Tonight I'm just posting a few pictures of my little guy. We are having a pretty relaxed evening. At the moment I am rocking Jackson to sleep in the office chair. We are listening to Elvis, Jackson's favorite. He likes it when I sing "I can't help falling in love with you". He doesn't care that I have a horrible voice. As I was loading pictures from the camera, I decided I'd share my favorites from the last week.

Childhood Memories

2008-11-10T18:36:00.004+09:00

All Grown Up!

Last night my friend Jessica and I got in a conversation about our childhoods. Things we remembered. We told each other funny stories and laughed and had a great time throughout our evening. Then today I got to thinking about my childhood and how great it really was. I was thinking that my childhood would have been nothing without the parents that I was blessed with. How my parents always loved my brother and I, and how we always knew it. And how they always supported us and encouraged us no matter what. They taught us to love Jesus with everything we had. They did the best they could in raising us and for that we are blessed. I've learned so much from them over my lifetime. I was also remembering how fun it was to grow up in the Reynolds household. By becoming a parent myself all of these feelings are fresh in my heart. Staying up late rocking Jackson to sleep, I'm so aware of how much my parents love me, because of how much I love him. I sometimes feel a little emotional about the whole thing, and that's ok. So in honor of memory lane I am posting my top 10 most memorable things about my childhood. A tribute you might say, to the 2 people that made it all possible. It might be long but here goes.....

1.) Family Vacations. Was usually a camping trip in the summer. Although there was a trip to Mexico thrown in there. This spurred my love of travel from the get go. We always came home with a souvenir. Trips were always near water, so that fishing could be done. In fact I don't think I've ever gone on a vacation with my family that didn't involve fishing. But thanks to that little fact, I never would have developed my fascination of everything to do with water. Swimming, Snorkeling, Fishing, The Beach, I love it all. Fun was always had. Someone always came back injured (more on that later). And I have thousands of memories from all of the trips we've been on.

2.) Injuries. I am accident prone. As is my family. I have witnessed and been victim to more injuries during my childhood than most people have their entire lives. It just makes us that much stronger. And gives us a good laugh when we have those "remember that one time..." kind of moments. The situation was always handled appropriately. But we always laughed about it later. And this is the reason I see humor in everyday life no matter the circumstance. I have fallen down stairs, broken bones, been burnt or cut more times than I can count. I have seen my brother get sewn up with stitches on more than one occasion. Have taken my mom to the ER for getting gas in her eye. Watched my Dad dive off a rock into the river only to come up with all of the skin on his face removed. He has fallen from the roof and broken his ankle and gone off the rope swing and broken his finger. I have seen my mom start the propane BBQ and had all of the hair on her face including eyelashes burnt right off. In fact everyone in the family has fallen down the stairs in my parents house, broken something, cut something to require stitches, and been burnt in someway or another. That's just how we roll. Some people may call us clumsy, but dang it we always have the best stories to tell at the Christmas party. You will always want to sit at our table!

3.) The Pool. My parents always tried to have a pool for us to play in. We are hot blooded.When Tyson and I were really little we had smaller pools. Little kiddie pools with a foot of water. One time my Dad brought home 2 catfish when he'd gone fishing at the lake. He let them loose in our pool on the back porch so that Ty and I could play with them. He even let us keep them as pets for a few days before he gutted them. As we got older so did the pool. Now their pool is a pretty good size and has accommodated several pool parties. Parties with large football playing boys. Parties from the church cell group. And parties just for fun all summer long. I will never forget moving into the new house the year I graduated from high school. My Dad worked day and night to try and get the pool and the deck built before my big day. And he did it. My Graduation party was quite the hit. I will also always remember the many family chats we've had over the years, just hanging out by the pool.

4.) Fishing. It's no secret that it's the family's hobby. I'm well rounded for this reason. I can gut a fish and drive a boat like no one's business. You can learn a lot about life when you're in a boat for 6 hours with your Dad. He's such a good Dad and he doesn't even know it. Maybe it's my fault for not telling him enough. So just in case you read this Dad, just know that you are awesome and I'm so grateful to God for having you in my life.

5.) Food. My Mama is an amazing cook. As a matter of fact every woman in the family can make a good meal. All of our family memories revolve around food. There is always some hot dish waiting to be served. It just makes it that much better.

6.) Birthdays. Every year growing up My Mama did everything she could to make our day special. She always made me my favorite meal. Every year it was the same. Shrimp fettuccine, with cherry cheese cake for dessert.

7.) Little Things. Come to think of it, Mama is always trying to do some little thing to make us feel special. She would drop off little gifts for us at school. It was so fun to go down to the office and get it. The week before I graduated high school she hung up little printed signs all over the house. They all said "It's all about you", if you really know me then you already know that I love to pretend that everything revolves around me. It's a little family joke. Anyways, the signs would be a different color everyday and have the count down of days left until graduation. She would hang them on the bathroom mirror and my bedroom door and what not. It's funny how those little things always pop into my head. She's so great!

8.) Holidays. Holidays were not always made to be a big deal. And I think that's important. That way the focus was not on the holiday itself, but in just spending time together. One year for Christmas we decided not to give gifts, but instead to go on a fantastic ski trip to Idaho. Another year while our house was being remodeled we had Christmas in the travel trailer. We once had a Christmas chair instead of a tree. We just threw a quilt over it and stacked all of the gifts on it. We do have a few silly little traditions, like Christmas socks and opening one gift on Christmas eve. But I have always admired the flexibility and the family closeness that we all share during that time of year. No matter what we did it always felt special to us.

9.) 100 % support. They always did everything they could to encourage our hopes and dreams. Even if it meant staying up late to help make buttons for class president elections. Which I won by the way, all because of my Dad's creativity. He would work side jobs to pay for cheer leading uniforms, football camp, and school clothes. My mom would drive us to all our games and practices. And stood patiently waiting outside the church for the mission trip bus to roll in after I'd been gone for a week. Still to this day they show the same effort and dedication to support both me and my brother in everything we do. Most recently they flew to Japan to be with me after I had my first baby. I can't help but think that that's just how being a parent is. Lord knows I'd fly to the moon if Jackson needed me to.

10.) Watch and Learn. Isn't that how we learn about life. Sometimes you have to watch someone else do it first. And as a new Mom, I realize just how much I've learned from my parents. Every year they seem a little cooler. I "get" them more. I know now that it wasn't always easy for them, because it certainly isn't always easy for me. The things that get me by in my everyday life aren't things I learned in school, but things I learned from watching them. From those heart to hearts with My Dad in the fishing boat. From those late night chats with My Mama on the way home from Tyson's football games. Those are the tools I use everyday. Every kid goes through that phase during their teenage years when they think they know it all, I was no exception. But I do know that now as an adult when I live my life everyday, I'm thankful for all that they taught me.

If you read it all the way through I'm impressed. This might be my longest yet. Maybe this will inspire you to call your mom or dad up and say thanks for being in my life.

Godzilla

2008-11-08T22:22:00.003+09:00

Godzilla waiting for Jackson to wake up so they can play.
Taking a nap together
From tonight just before bed. Look at that smile.

Brandon and his brother Kyle are like big kids. They love things like Comic Books, Super Heroes, Movies, Video Games, Toys, And anything that explodes or starts a fire. I have reserved myself to the fact that they will teach Jackson the fun of being a kid, even well into his adulthood. I've come to terms with the whole ordeal. Jackson is already showing several characteristics of being Brandon's mini me.

Before we even knew if Jackson was a boy, his Uncle Kyle bought him a stuffed Godzilla. He was absolutely convinced that he would get a nephew. And he was right. Godzilla waited patiently for Jackson to be born. He sat in his crib for months. Now that Jackson is old enough to hold onto his best buddy, we take him everywhere with us. Even though they are the same size. Jackson loves him. He sits with him in his bouncy, goes for rides in the car, and takes naps with him. He holds onto his head and slobbers and drools all over him. Tonight I finally got a good picture of Jackson and his buddy and wanted to share it. Thanks Uncle Kyle!!! Jackson can't wait to meet you.

Wiggle Worm

2008-11-07T14:34:00.003+09:00

When I was pregnant I got little rest, or sleep for that matter. Mostly because Jackson was a wiggle worm. He moved and kicked and wiggled constantly. And now that he is on the outside I realize nothing has changed.

A few days ago I was awakened early one morning to a crying baby. An angry cry. Half asleep I was wondering what could have made him so mad. When I figured out what it was I just had to laugh. I wish I would have been awake enough to have the sense to take his picture. He had wiggled and kicked so much in his sleep that one of his legs had come up and out of one of the legs on his jammies and back down into the other leg hole. Two legs in one pant leg. He could no longer kick his legs as he pleased and it woke him up and made him ticked.

When I lay Jackson down for his nap, I am most certain that he will not be in the same position when I return to check on him. He will roll over, be facing the other way, or be on the complete other side of his crib. Sometimes it freaks me out, but I'm getting used to it.

This morning I could hear Jackson fussing. He soon began to cry. I rolled over to see what was the matter. And when I saw him I went to go get the camera. Again he had wiggled himself into a tizzy. Jackson had wiggled his arm out of the sleeve, and since he likes to hold onto his other hand when he sleeps, he found a way to do so. Up through his neck hole. His one arm was hanging completely out of the neck hole. He was so angry about it. When I fixed it, he stopped crying and looked up at me and smiled. As if to say, Thanks Mom! I'm sure he will not appreciate that I posted pictures of him like this when he's older. But it really is just to good to pass up.

6 Week Pictures

2008-11-05T17:09:00.002+09:00

Today I decided to dress my little guy up for a photo shoot. Jackson is turning 6 weeks old this week. So I thought it fitting to have some pictures to mark the occasion. I will be taking more throughout the week and most likely will be posting them. These are the ones I like so far.

Jackson

2008-11-03T22:21:00.002+09:00

Gotta have one without the binkie for Grandma Bek.
In his Jammies ready for bed.
Just woke up from his nap. Looking around his crib.
The tail end of a smile! Rhianna got him that sweatshirt, and I just love it.

Since I have nothing better to do with the little bit of free time I have. I thought I'd post a few pictures of Jackson from this week. It's hard to believe he's almost 6 weeks old already!

Halloween

2008-11-01T00:33:00.003+09:00

Mommy's little sweet pea
Jackson in his costume

We went out to Hario Village to my friend Jessica's to have our own little Halloween party. Jessica made dinner and a pumpkin cake. We passed out candy to the kids when they came a knocking. I dressed Jackson up in his sweet pea costume. Really just for the fun pictures. He didn't even cry. He actually took a little nap. Everyone loved him. It was a pretty relaxed evening, nothing to exciting. We came home to start Jackson's bedtime routine. It's amazing to me how much things change when you have a baby. I never thought that I would be up early everyday and spend my entire day doing whatever a tiny little person wanted. Look at me now huh!? Anyways here are a few pictures from our evening.

The Passport

2008-10-29T18:14:00.005+09:00

Jackson's adorable new hat!!! We love it!
He was a little cranky after his long day.

To live in a foreign country, you are required to have a United States Passport. In order for Jackson and I to come home for a visit in the spring, he is required to have one. Even though he is just a tiny baby. So today we sat out on an adventure, him and I, to get his paperwork and pictures for his very first passport. And what an adventure it was.

Baby passports are just like adult passports, they are required to have a picture. I'm not sure why, because in a few months he wont even look like the same kid. In this picture Jackson's eyes have to be open, he cannot be crying, and he has to be looking at the camera. A tough feat for a one month old. The only place to get a passport picture is a tiny photo booth on base. You know, the kind you see in the mall or at the carnival? The itty bitty booth with the curtains that you make funny faces in. It's exactly like that. Only I have to sit and hold Jackson and duck down out of the cameras field of vision. I can't show in the picture at all. Because the booth is so small I practically had to sit on the floor. He was right in the middle of his nap time. He was not interested in having his picture taken. He cried when I took his binkie away. He cried when I had to hold him in the air to get the perfect shot. I fed the camera with yen and had to hold Jackson's body just so for it to work. It took 45 minutes, $20, and about 18 tries before we finally got the perfect one. Now I have all of these print outs of Jackson making funny faces and crying with my arm or the side of my head in the picture. I guess I can put them in his baby keepsake box. Then we also had to go and get all of his paperwork. I can't turn any of it in until Brandon gets home. We of course need his signature. But at least we will be ready to come home when we want to.

While we were on the base running errands, we stopped to get the mail. And to our surprise there was a package waiting for us. Oh how fun! Sherri and Rhianna sent Jackson a fun gift. Several adorable outfits, and Sherri knit Jackson a great hat. We are thrilled about all of it. Thanks ladies! Your gift was wonderful and we really appreciate it. I will post pictures of his fun gifts soon. My camera is acting up at the moment.

We also ran several other errands today, but none really worth mentioning. It was pretty busy for both of us. We came home tired and ready for our afternoon nap.

Cry Cry Again

2008-10-27T18:57:00.003+09:00

I know that my hubby has already posted a blog on this particular event. But I thought I would share as well. In the above picture Jackson is holding his own bottle and eating. At one month old.

He is a breastfed baby. However recently he has developed a bit of an upset tummy. Maybe it's colic, I had it when I was a baby, or maybe he is just extra gassy. He is extremely hungry during his evening feeding and after he has depleted my supply he gets angry because there is nothing left. He cries for hours, swallowing more air, creating more gas, that upsets his tummy. I just wanted to help him feel better. No one wants their baby to cry for hours. Trying to find what works best for him, I had the idea to give him 2 ounces of formula after his evening breastfeeding. It helps fill him up the rest of the way and reduces the amount of time that he spends crying before bed. So far it's worked great. His doctor applauded my idea stating that a little formula never hurt anyone. After all.... Brandon and I were both formula fed babies.

Last night while feeding Jackson his midnight snack he reached up and grasped his bottle with both hands. When I let go of the bottle he held it on his own and continued to eat until he was done. This is the picture I got of him. Maybe it's silly to be excited over something so small. But everyday he does something new to excite me and make me proud to be his Mommy. Lucky you! You all get to read my posts about it.

One Month Old

2008-10-26T17:40:00.003+09:00

Man of the house. Keeping Daddy's chair warm for him until he gets home.
One month old today!
Jackson looks more and more like his Daddy everyday.

Jackson turned one month old today. I seriously can't believe how fast it went. He's growing and changing so much. This morning it seemed like he grew over night last night.

He is weighing in at 8 pounds and is 21 inches long now. He is a really strong baby. Trying so hard to hold his head up by himself already. The doctor commented on how well he's doing for his age. He is sleeping on average of 6 hours straight through at night. Which is great for me! He's got such a personality, he makes me laugh everyday. He smiles at me now and is trying to babble and talk. I still haven't caught one of his smiles on camera yet, but when I do it will melt your heart. He's such a cutie. It looks like his eyes are going to be just like Dad's. Big and brown. Jackson is a big snuggler, loves to be held and snuggled up in a blankie. It's so fun for me to have someone to watch movies with at night. He sure is a handsome little guy. And what a good baby he is. We've ventured out on our own a few times since everyone has gone, and we actually survived. I'm so blessed to be his Mommy. Just wanted to give everyone an update and post a few pictures of him from this weekend.