Bubble Trubble...

So Evan and I make the short trek next door to my neighbor's house for a weekly play date. The very day we moved in Shelley came over to introduce herself. She noticed I was wearing an Air Force Academy shirt and asked if I attended...uh, no. Just then Scott walked out and we chatted about him graduating in '98. Her response? Her husband graduated from the Academy in '98! Sadly, Brandon is deployed so we've only met him on Skype! More talking led to learning that her two-year old is only one day older than our two-year old! What are the odds?

Shortly after that we were invited over for playgroup and have been going ever since. The entire group consists of three two-year olds (all with September birthdays!), two four-year-olds, and one newborn. Most days the mommies chat while Shelly spends an inordinate amount of time at the sink making bubbles and pouring them into the play sink outside for the kids to splash around. Watching Evan thoroughly enjoy this, I decided to do the same thing on those days when blocks and Sesame Street just aren't holding his attention anymore!

So, I bought some cheap (and completely awesome) bubble bath, poured it into his extra large bucket that should be used for holding his outside toys, added water and voila - Instant Happiness!

My thanks to you, Shelley, for making the ordinary extraodinary with your great idea!

Two

Sweet Evan,

Just two years ago in the wee hours on a cool September morning I woke to a little surprise. I gently nudged your dad and whispered, "I think we need to go to the hospital". This same thing had happened just 4 days before, so I'm not sure he really believed me!

We arrived at the hospital before 6am and called Granny to let her know you were on your way. The rest of the day Mommy and Daddy relaxed, watched movies and anticipated holding you for the first time. When Dr. Turner visited at 3:30 she told us that time had come...twenty minutes later we were counting your fingers and toes.

It sounds silly because I'm sure lots of mommies and daddies tell their babies the same thing; it was the best day of our lives. It was perfect and calm and relaxed. You were healthy and pink and screaming.

I could never have imagined where we would be two years later. Of course I knew you would grow but I had no idea how you would look as a little boy or what your little personality would be. You're one-of-a-kind...

I'll wake you up in a few minutes and you'll point to the light and fan and tell me, "on". We'll head downstairs and you'll find your chair in front of the TV and you'll point and say, "TT". I'll pour milk into your cup and bring it to you and you'll give me your first big grin of the day and maybe a little, "tanks"!

Today I'll ask you questions like, "Evan ,would you like to have waffles or toast?" and you'll say, "toes" or "Are you done eating?" to which you'll sign and say "ah duhn". When it's time to put on your shoes you'll run as far away from me as the room allows - usually into the corner of the kitchen - and exclaim, "NO!".

We might talk about colors and you'll name a few; boo, wed, puhpul and geen.

I'll ask you to find Daddy or Paw Paw and you'll walk through the house calling, "DA-DAAA" and "PAW PAWWW". For whatever reason we can't get you call for Mama or Granny...

If we play today you'll most enjoy filling your pail with "sand" in your new "sand box", coloring, or whipping up some burgers and fries at your McDonald's Drive Thru. We'll repeat the "letter game" at least a few times and you'll sing your "ABC's".

You'll run and climb and jump and flip...all your favorite activities.

You'll grin, and laugh and spin around happily in circles.

You'll also get upset today when you don't get your way. You'll run full-force away from mommy and dramatically throw yourself to the floor while screaming. You might even throw a toy or two! And that might get you a "time out"...

Tonight we'll have bath time and you'll stack your cups in order as I tell you what color comes next. Mommy will give you your gummy bear vitamin and you'll get upset because you want another one. I'll try to help you brush your teeth but you'll take the toothbrush from me to do it yourself. Only after I sweetly beg you will you turn it back over to mommy. When I ask you what book you would like to read you'll probably choose, The Brightest Star, a book about the story of Christmas. Just after we turn out the light to sing songs you'll point to your crib to signal that you want me to grab your pillow, stuffed frog, blanket and woobie for song time. There mommy will be in the rocker with you and all your favorite things. We'll sing our songs together and Daddy will come in to kiss you and tuck you in. Tomorrow we'll do it all again.

Little Evan, you truly are an amazing little guy. You make us laugh and - sometimes - want to take a time out ourselves! You have a sweet personality - you're outgoing and friendly, always saying hi and bye-bye to others you pass during the day. You're dramatic and independent and you know what you want. Mommy and Daddy love it all and don't know how we ever lived without you.

Happy Birthday, big boy. May you continue to grow and learn and be happy. We love you more than you could know...

I hear you calling from your crib now...

Love, Mommy and Daddy

Nine Years

We were 25...

We were starting out...

We were carefree...

We were apartment renters...

We were at Whiteman AFB, MO...

We were 27...

We were reassigned...

We were settling into married life...

We were still doing DITY moves...

We were home owners...

We were pet owners...

We were navigating through our fifth year...

We were at Lackland AFB, TX...

We were 30...

We were moved again...

We were neighbors and friends...

We were potluck party go-ers...

We were new parents...

We were at Ft. Meade, MD...

We were 33...

We were sent to familiar surroundings...

We traveled as three...

We found our new routine...

We are back at Lackland, AFB...

We are 9 years wiser than those young kids who were married 9 years ago today...

We are proud, proud parents of the cutest-ever 2-year-old...

We are still in love...

We are hoping for many more adventures together...

I love you.

Evan's Alphabet

So for a while now Evan has been very interested in letters. Months ago I started to notice him pointing to various letters in books as we read, signs as we drove by, and even my t-shirts as I held him.

Then came the letter recognition explosion. We recently placed a snap-together mat of all the letters and numbers under his toy area in the corner of the living room. Little by little I started to realize he was actually recognizing and saying the letters...much to my amazement! So, this last week I wanted to see just how many he really knew; he's up to about 14! Of course now that I see his abilities we make a regular game of "playing letters". I am always amazed by how much they soak in and store in their little heads long before they verbalize it!

We're working on numbers, too, although he was bored with the "game" for us to get good video tonight...he's a two-year-old after all.

Enjoy!

Some of the Last Pieces

If our move to San Antonio were a 100-piece puzzle, we just placed 98 and 99. The picture is almost complete.

Yep, I'm back to work and Evan's in daycare for the very first time!

I was lucky enough to be invited back to Deacon Recruiting (I worked for them a short time just before we moved to MD three years ago) as a Recruiter/HR Coordinator on a part-time schedule. The 17th seemed so far away...and then there it was!

A few weeks ago I did some driving around and stopping in prospective daycare centers for Evan. I found one that was new and shiny with all the bells and whistles (and price tag to go with it) but was more content with the smaller, family owned, seem-to-love-them-like-their-own center just a few miles further. Last week I brought Evan in a couple of times to play for about an hour so that he was accustomed to the teachers and kids before leaving him for 9 hours on Monday.

We must've looked like newbies dropping off their 6 week old! Scott followed us to the daycare Monday morning, video camera in tow. I carried Evan's blanket, pillow and woobie along with a list of "tidbits" I thought of the night before when I could not sleep. You know, things like, "he's never drank from a real cup all by himself" - since they don't allow sippy cups - and "he's never slept on a mat on the floor". I, of course, got a little teary as I left him in the room and turned to leave. Scott was sure to get that on camera!

I called to check on him as soon as I got to work and was reassured he was doing fine. Later in the day his teacher called me to again let me know his morning went really well. I was really relieved.

And that big smile when I picked him up...it washed away all my apprehension. I know he's going to learn all sorts of new things, new words and meet new friends...it's so hard to let go, even just this tiny bit!

So, off to find that last puzzle piece...a new gym. The hardest part of all to fit back into place....

The night before our big day....cannot resist that sweet face!

Ms. Rachel's Comments on Evan's Morning

Too Close to Two

Little man of mine, you're growing way too fast. Everyone says this happens; in the blink of an eye your baby is all grown up. I knew better, though. With my impatient nature I figured I'd always be looking more forward to the next milestone, never minding leaving the past behind. I was wrong. I look at you everyday and want to just freeze-frame your little face, your smile, your sweet mannerisms, your chuckle...all of it.

Everyday you do something different and new. Just yesterday you said "keys". That may not sound like much but considering you've barely talked at all and, unprompted you repeated me when I said, "Where are Mommy's keys?"...I am here to tell you it was something!

As if that weren't enough, later that same afternoon I check in on you watching Sesame Street and hear you repeat Cookie Monster by saying, "cookie". Two words in one day?? I couldn't wait for your Daddy to get home so we could show him! We practiced over and over all day.

For a while now you've also been saying "peez" while signing it at the same time...honestly I could watch you do this all day because it's just that cute. You point to your eyes individually and say, "eye", "eye"...and then repeat it pointing to Mommy or Daddy's eyes.

You're inserting your little personality into everything you do. Lately when you've been playing and something drops to the floor or happens unexpectedly you exclaim, "Aw, man!". In some of those same situations you smack your hands to your face in annoyance. Ever the drama-seeker!

The boundless energy continues. Your new favorites are spinning in circles until you fall over, jumping from one rug to another with both feet, doing front rolls, and hopping on one foot. I won't say you've completely mastered that one but when we prompt you to do it and demonstrate it for you, you try your hardest to imitate us. It actually looks more like you kicking with one foot while adding a little bounce but you really think you're hopping and we're not telling you any different!

While I thought I would wait until your actual birthday to talk about all your newest adventures I decided today, on your 23-month birthday to record just a glimpse. At the rate you're growing and changing I can only imagine what new things you'll do in the next month that I'll be able to share.

You're almost there, big boy, an actual two year old...but you're forever my baby boy.

All my love to you...

New Do

We all know I prefer short hair. I've decided many times through the years to "grow it out" but the minute it gets stuck in the collar of my shirt I renege. So, when I came across a 30% off coupon from the salon I went to before I moved, I decided to go short again.

I knew my old stylist was no longer there so I asked for someone who was great with short hair, highlights and cut well with a razor. The next week I was sitting in Lorenzo's chair. I showed him a picture of a rather boring, been there-done that, short bob but then started talking about layers and texture and having something "fun and easy". This must be where the communication failed. Granted, what he described to me sounded great and I was super-excited. However, what I left with was some seriously short hair; probably the shortest I've ever had.

Don't get me wrong, it's an awesome cut. He knew what he was doing...too bad I didn't! I went back a week later for highlights and watched him style it again. To hear Lorenzo tell it, I was styling it to be "too clean" hence the cut was losing its "sheek". Uh, ok. That's stylist talk for, "you're styling it to be a mommy cut when it's SO much cuter than that!" So, I took his tips and my new cut is finally growing on me, no pun intended. Hey, at least it's cool in this god-forsaken heat!

Mi Casa

We were pleasantly surprised to find the old house in really good condition after being left for three years. We've had two families rent from us in that time and, relatively speaking, they took care of the place. As I've mentioned we did have a few things done before moving in; the inside was completely re-painted and carpeted and a plumbing leak fixed. We've since found some minor things that have needed attention; broken window blinds and an overgrown flower bed to name a couple. We tackle a few projects at a time...

Here are some recent pictures...

The exterior front from the street...

The entry way; taken from the hallway leading to the kitchen

The dining room; taken from the living room

The living room; taken from the kitchen

The entry; walking into the front door

Looking down on the entry from the stairs

The kitchen

My flower bed that I planted ALL BY MYSELF! We'll see if I can keep it alive!

Evan's Antics

Blooming where he's planted, Evan is certainly adjusting to his new home. So far we've had a couple play dates with new friends...

Jack (5 yrs), Evan (2 yrs) and Davis (1 yr)

Spent some time in the backyard playing in the splashpad (likely against watering restrictions!)...

...and brought the outside toys in on those days when it's just too hot to be outside! Here's Evan using his "new" Cozy Coupe (thanks, Melissa!) as a jungle gym!

Home Sweet Home

We're finally feeling settled...finally.

It took a while to get here. When we arrived on the 12th we walked into our house of no carpet and almost immediately started cleaning. That day we also checked into our hotel; where we would be for the next TEN nights.

Usually Scott gets to take off about a week to get everything in order before heading back to work. This time, however, he had to attend a conference the week we arrived. So, Evan and I were left to fill our days and evenings at the hotel. You can imagine a toddler in a hotel room for several hours is not a good combination. Most days we ran errands in the morning and made it to the house for nap time so that I could continue cleaning. Melissa was kind enough to let us borrow her Pack and Play so that I didn't have to lug mine around everyday and Evan slept soundly in the master bedroom closet. Hey, it was the darkest room with air conditioning. Funny that, once I had his room darkening curtains hung and could nap him in his room, he still walked to the closet when I told him it was time for nap. Poor baby!

So the carpet was installed that first week as well. I immediately knew something wasn't right but decided it was just the fact that I had only been looking at a sample and now that ALL the carpet was laid it looked different. At first I noticed it was simply a color issue. I thought I had chosen something more gray/taupe. What I got was more tan/brown...and with orange-y specks. Not completely terrible, but definitely not what I chose - AND SIGNED FOR ON THE JOB PROPOSAL. That Saturday we were in Home Depot for a myriad of other things (who knew moving BACK into your old house could be so expensive?!?) and I held my breath as I walked to the flooring department. Looking at what I thought I was getting I knew the carpet I received was not the same thing; in color AND quality. I begrudgingly told Scott and the uphill battle began. The following Monday night we met with our contractor and told him of our findings. Sadly, he could not answer for the mistake. He offered no apology, admitted no wrong-doing and spoke of no possible solutions. When pressed for the exact specifications of the carpet he put in my house, he could give me none. When asked if it was at least a carpet by the same manufacturer, he stated, "It should be." HUH??? I was irate at this point. In the middle of all our questions he actually left the house to make a phone call, came back to the door and said, "Sue me!" It was like a bad dream.

Since then we have filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau (of which he is an A+ Member) but the contractor failed to respond to it in the alotted two weeks. Scott's working with the legal office on base in an effort to seek advice on the matter. We could end up in small claims court over the issue but are trying all other avenues first.

Sadly, one of the biggest lessons we learned is that you cannot be completely trusting of people doing work on your house. Someway somehow, I feel we should have been even more involved. But, the contractor was actually the referral of a friend and we looked him up and found his BBB memership and rating; how could we go wrong?

So that was the biggest drama of moving in. By the following Wednesday we were done with our ten nights in a hotel (and, sadly, nighly dinner and wine service!) and were sleeping in our house. Without our things, mind you. That Friday the big moving truck arrived and, luckily, so did ALL of our things. Sweet Melissa watched Evan most of the day while Scott and I received our things and started unpacking. We were manic in our unpacking; every box was unpacked and put away by Sunday night. My parents arrived Monday and spent the entire week helping us get settled. Scott and my dad tackled the big projects while my mom and I watched Evan and did a little shopping. The two of us did get a burst of energy on Friday morning and dug up every over-grown, hadn't-been-trimmed-in-three-years bush in my flower bed...much to Scott's chagrin. That project wasn't on "the list", you see.

The parents left last Saturday and we've continued settling in since then. Evan and I tried out a new gym on Monday. I received and accepted a job offer by Tuesday. Things are rolling right along.

We have about two more weeks of fun before I head back to work and Evan to "school". Wish us luck!

Deep In The Heart of Texas

...we actually made it!

We drove from Waco to San Antonio this morning, arriving around 11 am. We went straight to the house and unloaded a few things, ate lunch, and put Evan down for a nap. The poor guy napped almost three hours! While he napped Scott and I piddled around the house; I started cleaning window blinds (can I get a way-gross??) while he checked things out and put things away.

Melissa stopped by; it was SO GREAT to see her. We chatted until Evan woke up and then headed over to her house to play with Jack and Davis. Evan seemed happy to be among kids again. Scott met up with us later and we chowed on Bill Miller's with Melissa and Jeff while the kids caught up on Noggin.

We luckily got out of staying in temporary lodging on base (I say that just because it would have been quite a distance from the house) and I made reservations at yet another Marriott (we should have a free stay by now with Scott's points!!) for the next week as carpet is installed at the house. We left Melissa's at 7:45 and got to the hotel at 8:30! I got a bit turned around...give me a break, I haven't been here for 3 years!

Scott kindly kept his comments to himself and we unloaded what was left in our cars into our room. Evan was promptly put to bed and we then converted the room into "home".

No pictures today...but I'll be sure to update soon. We're happy to have safely arrived and are looking forward to an eventful couple of weeks ahead...stay tuned!

All The Way to Waco

We had every intention today of stopping in Dallas...but then we got there, it was still early, Evan was hanging in and so we decided to keep going. We made it all the way to Waco (about three hours north of San Antonio)!

It was a pretty uneventful day. We started about 8:30, stopped for a quick Sonic lunch in Texarkana and managed to sail through Dallas with no issues. We arrived at our hotel by 5 pm and promptly headed to Taco Cabana for dinner...so GOOD! We brought Evan to the pool for a quick swim before bedtime and he was sleeping tonight by 7:45! I cannot say enough how great he's been...I have been pleasantly surprised at how flexible he's been, even when his naps have been either very short or non-existent!

You can tell we're tired; pictures are fewer and blog posts shorter. We'll be happy to finally be settled but that likely won't happen for another couple of weeks. We'll be in another hotel next week as we wait for carpet to be installed and for our things to be delivered. After that it will be unpacking and settling in. It cannot happen soon enough...

Evan was not as happy as we were to cross the TX border...this is the best we could do!

Leg Three To Little Rock

We made it...

We woke up bright and early at 6 am this morning to get a better start to the day. We did just that, heading out onto the open road by 7:45!

There were the usual couple of stops for potty breaks and playtime and a couple of extras due to Evan managing to get BOTH arms out of his car seat harness (what's my problem with this thing??) and throwing woobie around the car so that it landed in places I couldn't easily reach while doing 70 mph on the highway. Insert big sigh here...

We stopped for lunch at one of our standards, Chik-Fil-A, and learned too late that today was "Cow Appreciation Day" meaning, if you were dressed as a cow you ate for free! There were entire families (yep, Dads and all!) dressed as cows and lined up for their free chicken. If I had only known...or thought to at least get a picture of it!

After a long day of driving we stopped just after 4 pm in North Little Rock. We'll be back on the road in the morning headed for Dallas, TEXAS!!! We're so close....I can almost taste the breakfast burritos now!

You can't really see it but hanging from the top of the bridge is the "Welcome to Arkansas" sign. For obvious reasons we didn't stop for it. But it sure was nice crossing the Mighty Mississippi...

So we drove into the Arkansas Welcome Center and took this picture instead... It looks to me like the sign says "Kansas" but we're most definitely in AR (we can tell by the HEAT!!!)

Rules are a bit more lax on the road...here's how I found Evan after turning my back for literally 10 seconds. Something I have to do at each hotel room is unplug the phones...little dude loves dialing and picking up the receiver to say "hiiii"...so stinkin' cute.

Remove Nash, Insert Cooke

'Cause we're in Cookeville tonight, not Nashville!

Today was especially long, or it least it seems like it. For some reason it took three hours to leave the hotel this morning (at 9am!). We planned all along to stop in Lake City, where Scott's mom lived for quite some time and where he spent many Christmas vacations with his family (a side note; I tagged along on one Christmas trip in 1999 that resulted in our engagement - so the city has special meaning to me as well). Scott's aunt and cousins still live there and we thought it would be nice to say a quick hello since, well, we're never just driving through Tennessee. That detour added a couple hours to our trip. Once we were on the road again we decided to stop about 90 miles short of Nashville, here in Cookeville, TN.

Evan had an okay day. I had to wake him up a little early and as soon as he started his nap we had to stop for gas. Just after that was our Lake City visit so he didn't sleep at all until about 3:45 and even then it only lasted about 45 minutes. Oh well..

The time change gave us an hour, but it also meant Evan's 8 pm bedtime felt like 9pm. You can imagine the mood he was in by then! All in all, though he has done much better than I expected.

Tomorrow's plan is to drive 6.5 hours to Little Rock. We're trying to make up a little time since we didn't get all the way to Nashville today. It will be our longest day of the five...wish us luck!

Evan wasn't exactly in the mood for the Tennessee picture...

Good ol' Lake City

Hotel fun with Evan...we've learned to be creative!

West to Wytheville

Our first day on the road is done...and all went amazingly well!

By the time we said our goodbyes to Lee, Alex and Jackson, fueled up and got much-needed coffee, we were on the road at about 8:45 this morning. We drove about two hours before Evan started getting a little antsy, which I decided was due to him not eating breakfast this morning (even though I offered him three different things in an effort to (1) fill his belly and (2) get out that first poop before getting in the car!). So, we decided to stop just before 11 am for lunch. We completely lucked up on a McDonald's that had an outside playland (since I had not done my homework as Melissa suggested and mapped these out beforehand!). The weather was perfect and Evan had a great time playing both before and after lunch. With his diaper changed, hands wiped and belly filled, we loaded back into the car and he was asleep within ten minutes.

He slept like a champ, which was a concern considering he's never really napped in the car. He slept on and off for about two hours. Yippy!

Once he woke up we decided to stop again for a little leg stretching, snack and playtime. Again, we lucked up with a Burger King inside a convenience store with an inside playground. Both these playgrounds today were fully enclosed tube structures which made me a bit anxious since I could only hear where Evan was climbing and not see him. To my surprise (and delight) he wasn't scared at all...he climbed through them like he had done it a million times before. I did have to rescue him from the last stop at Burger King, however. He didn't see the need to stop "driving" the car to find his way to the slide so that we could leave. He wasn't happy with me...

After that stop we drove about another hour and landed in Wytheville, VA. This was our planned stop for the night...about 5 hours away from Columbia (although we arrived at 5pm!). Our plan is to drive about 5 hours a day (or a little more if Evan will let us!) to get to San Antonio by Sunday.

Tomorrow we plan drive to Nasville...about 5.5 hours.

Some pictures from today:

This morning we decided it would be fun to take a picture with Evan at each state line we crossed. Not long into our trip this morning we passed this sign; and then had to turn around to make sure we got this picture! Not 1/4 mile down the road from this sign was one welcoming us to West Virginia - we decided to skip it; especially since about 15 minutes later we were back in VA...not sure how that happened. Guess it's the crazy way these three states lie geographically.

This was taken at our McDonald's lunch stop. Evan loved climbing up the slide rather than using the steps...of course! One time he slid down holding one of his shoes. I was SO GLAD he thought to retrieve it before coming down...I would not have wanted to go in after it!

Mommy and Ev enjoying the slide at Burger King. This playland was exceptionally challenging...I almost needed GPS to find my way through the tubes to the slide. And what is it about these slides that causes you to be shocked all the way down? They really need to do something about the static electricity problem...I can't believe kids think this is fun!

One of my two trips into the tube of terror to talk Evan out...he loved the thing! He especially loves steering wheels lately...always wants in my car to "drive"!

Almost there...This was taken just before we stopped driving for the day. I radioed to Scott to bring me the camera as soon as he stopped so that I could catch this. Notice he has a leg thrown over his seat AND one arm out of the harness. Guess I need to tighten those up tomorrow!

Homeless

It's official; we're "homeless".

The last days have been a whirlwind of activity. Our packers arrived on July 2nd and proceeded to cram all our worldly possessions into some boxes (which, by-the-way is like Christmas on the back end when I get to open them all and see what's inside...sometimes I actually forget about things I have when I haven't seen them in three weeks!). It wouldn't have been the same without some drama so, in true Murphy's Law form, that same day Evan had a temperature. Thinking I should get him checked out before we hit the road, I brought him to the doctor. Luckily it turned out to be just the sniffles but I did ask the doc to take a look at Evan's by-then-red-and-swollen lower lip. We decided it could've been the start of a fever blister and Evan and I headed home. Over the course of the next hour we watched his lower lip continue to swell, then the upper lip, then the cheek, eye....We left the Emergency Room at 9 pm that night after a dose of Benadryl and steroids. It was an allergic reaction of some sort but, as usual, we have no idea. Maybe he's allergic to moving...

Friday the 3rd was relatively quiet; the calm before the storm.

On Saturday (that's right, July 4th) we waited for the movers to arrive. By 10 am our things were being loaded into a very large truck. That process didn't finish until 7pm! Debbie and Nancy were lined up to watch Evan for a few hours on both the pack and move days but, with his fever we all decided it best to keep him home. I was completely anxious at the thought but Evan was a trooper! He mostly stayed out of the way and took long naps in the pack and play...in the closet. If I had only known how well he sleeps in there I may just have made it his nursery two years ago!!

Sunday and Monday were dedicated to cleaning and painting. By then Evan was feeling better and able to play with his friends Josh, Molly and Monica for a few hours on Sunday. On Monday Evan had his last day with Debbie while Scott and I repainted his room (whose idea was it to paint the nursery, anyway??) and finished cleaning for the walk-through at 3pm. We took it right to the wire and when I left to pick up Evan the management company was just arriving for our inspection.

This move has taken an especially emotional toll on me. I think it's a combination of having great friends who I've grown really close to in such a short time and this being Evan's first home and first friends. On Sunday we said goodbye to our neighbor, Nancy and her sweet kiddos, Josh, Molly and Monica. Josh and Molly have been special playmates to Evan; Josh even recently knocked on the door asking if Evan could play which is super-sweet considering Evan's only two and they could just think of him as "the baby next door". Evan's also been giving Monica some training as a Mother's Helper as she has watched him several times so that we could work more efficiently at getting things ready for the move. It was a tough goodbye...

I couldn't sleep on Sunday night in anticipation of what would surely be another difficult day of goodbyes. Difficult it was. I picked Evan up and watched him and Debbie play at the top of her stairs as she tried to coerse him into changing his diaper. And I cried. I just couldn't help but think this was the last time I would see them interact this way, witness the special bond that is theirs, see how much she loves him. I like to think he'll always remember her but, sadly, I know that's probably not true. Luckily I will.

We said our long goodbyes to Debbie, Mason and Micah and headed back to the house to say goodbye to our newest neighbors, the Beyers. Even though we've only known them since March we have come to be really great friends. Since the weather has warmed up Greg and Scott can be found a lot of nights shooting washers in the back yard as the kids run through and Katrina, Nancy and I chat on the side. Ashley and Evan have become fast friends. He absolutely loved playing chase with her; a sign of things to come, possibly? Older girls chasing after him!?! The day the moving truck arrived Ashley cried because Evan was moving away. Made my heart melt...

After many hugs and well-wishes we were on our way. Since Saturday we've been staying with our friend, Lee and his two kiddos. They've welcomed us warmly and we're so thankful. Today Scott heads back to Fort Meade for some final out processing and then we'll be packing the cars for the long ride to San Antonio tomorrow.

Some people pity us and this transient life we lead. Yes, it's more challenging in a lot of ways but it's more rewarding, too. I have friends in Missouri, Texas and now Maryland that I never would have otherwise. Each place holds friends who have known me at a specific time in my life; in Missouri I was newly married and had never lived so far away from home, in Texas I was venturing into a new career, and in Maryland, a new mommy. My friends in each of these places have supported me and helped mold me into who I am. I can't imagine who I'd be without them.

Today I'm a combination of sad and excited. I plan to let my fond memories propel me forward into what will surely be an exciting time in Texas; the second stop on what has become Evan's Big Air Force Adventure...because now it's really all about showing him the great places and faces of, hopefully, the world.

Goodbye friends...until we meet again.

Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go
So make the best of this test and don't ask why
It's not a question but a lesson learned in time
It's something unpredictable but in the end it's right
I hope you had the time of your life

~Good Riddance, Green Day

The Countdown Begins

We are T minus 11 days and counting; we're currently planning to pull out for the long drive on Wednesday, July 8th.

I can say things have finally started taking shape. It definitely looks and feels like we're moving. It's funny to me how I've forgotten these feelings from moves past. How, really, everything just feels the same; our daily routines are intact, the house looks lived in and things are still in their place. I have caught myself sitting and thinking, "wow, it sure doesn't seem like we're moving in TWO weeks!" What I'm trying to say is that I had forgotten how quickly a move really comes together. One day you're sitting on your couch watching TV and the next that same couch is shrink-wrapped and your TV is in a box. It's amazing to me how much I forget about moving during the three years we spend on station. You'd think this would be old hat by now, but it's not. Sure, we now have lists of lessons learned, things we need in the cars for the trip, etc. But the shear magnitude of moving coupled with the speed at which it happens - surprises me everytime. Maybe it's just that my emotions are slower to catch up.

In any case, we are in final prep mode; pictures and curtains are down, everything is washed and waiting to be packed, only what we need for the next month (towels, clothes, etc) is in use. Tomorrow we'll continue the process of getting ready; pools have to be deflated, toys separated, and the list goes on.

The packers are scheduled for the 1st and 2nd with the truck picking up all our worldly belongings on the 6th, traipsing them halfway across the country and hopefully not losing them along the way!

We will be moving in with the VanCleef's (our friend, Lee and his two kiddos) for the last 4 to 5 days before we head out; I think it would be too difficult to live in our house with all our possessions boxed and not be able to open them if I needed something!

I'll be sure to update along the way...the plan is to be in SATX on July 12th. Right now I'm still having a hard time believing so much will take place in such a short amount of time!

My Daily Soundtrack

I've said it before; Evan LOVES banging on anything with everything! He bangs trees with sticks, puzzle pieces together, the baby wipes box with his toy hammer...you name it. His banging is generally encouraged unless it's - oh let's say - taking his toy bat to the TV stand...or dining room chairs...or glass-top table. We have to set some boundaries, right?

Anything else is fair game and Scott and I have learned to function amidst the chaos. Sometimes that means raising our voices to continue our conversation and sometimes it means reirecting Evan to a softer toy to bang with and "misplacing" his drum sticks!

This morning was no exception. The first thing he picked up was his drum and sticks...sigh...

A little sampling of his musical prowess..

Back to Big Trucks and Bill Miller Iced Tea

That's right...we're Texas Bound!

After 6 months of waiting - sometimes patiently and sometimes not so much - we finally received orders last week and will be heading back to San Antonio in July.

As any military spouse will tell you receiving orders conjures lots of emotions. All at once I'm excited to see my old friends, happy to go back to my house, sad to leave all my new friends and Evan's first home, and overwhelmed at all that needs to be done in five short weeks!

We've definitely shifted into moving mode in the last few days. Furniture has been sold, closets cleaned and storage areas created for those must-have items we'll carry with us in the cars.

This is sure to be our most exciting adventure yet; Evan's first 25 hour car ride. Whoo-hoo...anyone envious?

We'll be sure to update along our journey...until then I'll be busy undoing our life in MD.

Stay tuned...

Big Helper, Indeed

A couple of weeks ago I decided it would be a good idea to clean out the Christmas Closet. I vaguely remembered cleaning up after the holidays and, toward the end, just cramming as much as I could on top of boxes and shutting the door. It was just too overwhelming after our trip home AND with a toddler under foot.

So, one afternoon while Scott was at work and Evan was napping, I took on the challenge lurking behind the door. Shortly after I started Evan was awake ('cause it's just Murphy's Law that the sleeping toddler has an early nap on the day you want to get something accomplished!). So, I let him "help" me...

At least he was having a good time...



So here's a tip; on a rainy day when you can't think of one more creative, fun thing to do, pull out the tissue paper and let your kiddo go wild!!!

Splashin' Around

Just a few weeks ago it FINALLY warmed up just enough to pull out the pool and take a dip! Evan was a bit timid at first; it took seeing me wade around a few minutes (and accidentally splashing him!) for him to take interest. But once he did....

He had a really great time filling up cups, trying to drink the water (which, of course resulted in choking!) and even having Woobie join in the fun with him! I cannot wait until the neighborhood pools open for the season; I have a feeling it's going to be a fun summer with the little fish...

Picasso

Ever since my friend, Lisa, gave Evan his first Doodle Pro, he's been completly intrigued with scribbling. He's even mastered erasing by pulling the lever across...usually before we've completed whatever "ball" we're drawing at his request. *sigh*

So, I decided it must be time for crayons and paper, right? While he does enjoy actually scribbling with them, he has also been known to have them as his snack. One day I left him with his colors for literally 10 seconds and came back to find him smiling coyly at me - with big green chunks of wax on his teeth! I guess next is play-doh...good thing he's not allergic to wheat!

Some of Picasso's work...

Mother's Day

I had an absolutely great Mother's Day this year. It was a beautiful day and I spent the late morning with my two guys at the playground rounded out by lunch and a nap! Who could ask for more??

Big Boy - Climbing the hill with no hands...rather than use the steps, naturally!

Big Falcon, Little Falcon

Mommy helping Evan take big steps...

Squeezin' on my sweet little man...

Better Late Than Never...

Good-ness...has it really been a month since I last posted??? I really don't know where the time has gone. One thing is for SURE...this little guy is funnier and has more personality than ever!

A few weeks ago I organized some recent pictures and fully intended to blog in detail about each event...that was an ambitious goal. At the very least, here are those pictures and some blurbs about what's been going on with us. Enjoy!

Easter Morning

There was no chocolate, no bunny, and not a Peep to speak of but Evan didn't notice a thing; He was too busy cracking himself up (no pun intended) over plastic Easter eggs!

Little Drummer Boy
This kiddo is into music...guitars, xylophones, harmonicas...oh, and of course the drum! We've learned to talk over the noise - ahem - music!

His first passion - the Great Outdoors!

Does he even belong to us? Noise AND he likes to be outside...sheesh! Routinely Evan will bring his shoes over to one of us and then proceed to walk to the front door and hang on the knob (which we promptly child-proofed with safety knobs!). It's the sweetest thing. Once outside he prefers to run up and down the sidewalk while I walk briskly alongside on the street. When he tires of that, he walks over to the garage, points, and says, "ball" because he knows all his outdoor toys are just behind that big door! One by one he pulls all of them out...

We end most days with a trip to the playground where the little guy can run free, slide, and climb to his heart's content...

...did I mention he's an avid stick collector as well?

His first corn-on-the-cob...yummy!

One afternoon Evan and I shared cookies on the couch and I couldn't resist taking a few pictures of his bright, happy face.

And I was lucky enough to catch one of those "mmm, mmm, good" faces, as well!