Tying Up Loose Ends & Whatnot

So the weekend is almost here. For most it will start around 5pm, but for us it is whenever all is in order on the ship. The good news is that it will start today. The last week has been verging on the edge of hell due to problems with one of the engineering areas that is under the hubby's domain. After many, many long hours and dead ends of testing every possible reason for the failure, it was simply because the contracted crew wasn't performing the test correctly. Bittersweet sums up all of that. At least the my hubby's crew will get to spend the weekends with their families before heading out on their 6 month deployment. As of last night, we weren't sure that was going to be the case. Today's update was a huge sigh of relief for all.

Today I have to finish laundry, get an international cell phone for the hubby, pick up the baby bag I've been eyeing, organize the last of "what goes to Mass for 6 mos." and "what stays in VA for 6 mos.", and then pick up the hubby. I'd love to convince him to see SATC tonight, but since he'll be out of touch for the next 6mos, I think it may be IJ. Although, we may be watching game 6!!! SATC will have to wait until I'm back in MA with the gals! Tomorrow we're off to Baltimore for the night so we can catch one game this season!!! Sunday we'll pick up my parents at the airport, deposit them at the hotel on VA Beach, and retreat to our hotel for some alone time. Monday will come all to soon. I have to drop off the hubby at the ship around 5am, go directly to my parents' hotel for some comfort, and then back to the ship to watch them get underway. The rest of Monday will be spent relaxing pool side. Tuesday we'll start the trek back to MA and arrive sometime on Wednesday. Luckily there are visits (*MIL & *SIL) and plans through next weekend to help make the first week easier.

So Monday the clock will start ticking for another countdown. We will be at 6 months until the hubby returns from deployment & I return to VA and 5 weeks 3 days until Connor's due date.

A meme to pass time

Found at Janet's.

What were you doing five years ago?
- Working in Burlington with my good friend J,and looking forward to another great summer!!!

What are five things on your to-do list for today?-Laundry
-Get an internation cell phone
-Buy the baby bag I've been eyeing
-Get last of stuff to put in storage
-Enjoy a quiet night with the hubby

What are five snacks you enjoy?
-Most fruit
-Apple cinamon rice cakes w/peanut butter
-Fruit smoothie
-Pretzels
-Crackers & hummus

What five things would you do if you were a billionaire?
-Put money aside for a master's degree for me, no loans!
-College funds aside for Connor and future siblings
-Take the whole family back to St. Thomas
-Travel
-Build the house of our dreams

What are five of your bad habits?
-Expecting too much of people
-Keeping in touch with friends
-Procrastinating
-Making big decisions
-Worrying about making perfect for all

What are five places where you have lived?
-Fairhaven, MA
-San Antonio, TX
-Colorado Springs, CO
-Newport, RI
-Norfolk, VA

What are five jobs you’ve had?-Intelligence Analyst
-Teacher
-Software Developer
-IT Manager
-Information Security Babysitter

What five people do you want to tag?-no tagging anyone

All packed up

This month started off with two mini vacations & hotel stays, Myrtle Beach SC & F-town, MA. Then it was back to home to VA. In the last two weeks we set up temporary storage, packed up the house, and moved into another hotel for our last week here... But hotels stays will not end there... We're going to hit a Red Sox game in Baltimore JR's last weekend here. He has to catch one game this season... Then I'll spend my last night in VA Beach with my parents before driving home over the course of 2 days, which of course means 1 more hotel visit... Holy hotels!

Sunday's move went pretty well. The packing, moving, cleaning & move out inspection were all slated for Sunday because of the hubby's schedule. After 10 hrs our first home together in VA had no trace of us. Less than 2 hrs later I had taken a shower & collapsed on the bed. Then I realized I could see still. Crap, contacts still in... Back up, remove contacts, and collapse again. Double crap, with the days events I forgot my prenatal vitamin. Back up again. Finally, I hit the pillow not to rise again for 12 hrs. The hubby enjoyed a nice cold beer before calling it a night.

Yesterday we spent a lazy day at the beach. Then we took our friends to dinner to thank them for helping us move. We ended the night sitting on the porch of the hotel just talking. It was a perfect, relaxing day...

Happy Memorial Day

We got an email this week with pictures of the above sign in my hubby's hometown. It is a wonderful thing to see our service men & women, past & present honored. It brought a smile to my face when I really needed one... This sign is particularly special since it is in honor of my husband, who will actually be deploying in 8 short days. I'm so very proud of him and thankful for the sacrifices he makes everyday. And as the sign reads, please bring him home safely!!! Please bring them all home safely.

Thank you to all Veterarns! Happy Memorial Day!

It's only Thursday???

This week I have already dealt with the crisis of trying to find temporary lodging since the hubby leaves in 12 days and we let go of the VA home in 5 days... This includes one very rude customer service rep for a military hotel who actually laughed at me when I told her we were in between homes and my husband was deploying June 2nd. Not a good moment for me... After several searches, 3 more phone calls, and 2 hotels that couldn't accomodate the full 8 days the gods of good karma rewarded us. We will be staying at another base about 20 minutes away, and at discounted rate!!!

In addition to the whole lodging debachle, my husband has been on the ship for over 58 hrs the week, and that is not including today. Getting ready to deploy and replacing major parts does not leave the engineering department with much down time. Being the cheif engineer only increases this stress and is not all it's cracked up to be. Did I mention we're moving in 5 days??? That leaves my husband two more nights of packing his stuff... Only 2 because Saturday he has duty, which means 24 hrs straight on the ship. Lovely!

Then there was the whole paperwork snafu with my job. All has been settled. This was after a week of phone calls and worrying though...

Now this is all stressful enough - misguidance from HR, a move, finding temporary lodging, dealing with your hubby's exhausting schedule (50+hrs in 3days), and preparing for your hubby's 6 month deployment. Now, let's add a little more to it, shall we? Throw in one 33 week 1st time pregnant mama who is about to say goodbye to her hubby for six months, just 4 weeks shy of the birth of their son. Craziness! I don't cry often, but have had my moments in the last week.

Luckily, today has already turned around... Paperwork - fixed and filed; Temporary housing - reeserved; Hubby's schedule - back on track; Deployment - it is what it is... And while I think, it's only Thursday, I don't want it to be anything other because every day is one day closer to the hubby's deployment.

Stay Centered Please

Connor,

At first I thought you sitting really low was uncomfortable because you roll across nerves that I'm sure is pre-delivery pains... Dramatic, a little... Then there are times when you try to squeeze into the small space between my right hip & ribs. This leaves mama stretching to the left and trying to calmly rub that area hoping you'll move. Today, you have decided to try and fit under my rib cage. Not comfortable at either. While I love feeling you move around and watching what I think is a foot shift across my belly, can we stay a little more centered? There is plenty of room there... If you can do this for me, I promise not to pinch those little chipmunk cheeks when you arrive. Deal? But keep moving around, daddy loves seeing & feeling you move around.

Thanks bean!

XOXO - mama

More Storms

Thunder, high winds, lightening, hail and reports of circulation seen in the winds and clouds = Severe thunderstorm & tornado warnings. Adding to this, my husband is still on the ship. AWESOME!

Not even 3.5 servings of frozen charleston chews comforted me. We'll have to see if Cold Stone can do the trick later tonight. Such is life down south.

The Progression

Being on the move and in the Navy has us a little out of touch with family & friends. We try to be good about documenting the pregnancy. This way we can share with all as things progress. My friend J sent me a picture idea (belly & heart picture at end), which spurred the latest snapshots of the pregnancy progression. It also had me looking at pictures through the weeks. Here is a little look back...

~18 Weeks~	~26 weeks~
~29 weeks~

And our shots from this week, Week 33...


All of it has really been wonderful. Thankfully the pregnancy has gone very well.

Random Things

Beating your husband in mini golf by one stroke, excellent! I must admit that he gave me a 1 handicap per hole due to the growing bump... I'll take it though.

Beating your husband fare & square on foozeball, also excellent. That was a legit win too... 3 out 5 games were mine!

Thank goodness there was no air hockey. I would have definitely lost...

Being beat up by bean, not so great. No one warned me that sitting would be almost impossible at times. Or that I'd be up 1 to 2 times per hour not only to run to the bathroom, but to desperately search for the rolaids becuase of the fire storm in my throat. It will all be worth it when little Connor comes, in about 7 weeks now.

Our weekend plans include: (1) Some down time at the beach (2) Start the packing extravaganza 2008, phase II (3) Look at new family friendly cars for me (4) A movie (5) Dinner at PF Changs (6) and maybe some Cold Stone Creamery...

Hope all have a good weekend!

Back in VA

After 2 weeks of vacation we are back home in VA, but there will be no settling in. This weekend will start the packing and next weekend the move. The following weekend will be another whirlwind of sorts. It will start off with a night of Red Sox baseball in Baltimore and end with me dropping my hubby off at the ship for his 6 month deployment. This year has already gone by so fast... June 2nd will be here before we know it. I'm hoping that the second half of the year goes by just as quick. It probably will seem to go by quicker for me preparing for Connor, the arrival of Connor, visits with the E family, spending one last summer in MA, setting up the permanent move to VA.

I am thankful that we got six weeks of down time together vs. the long weekend trips. The hubby was also there when we found out we were pregnant, the first appointment when we heard Connor's heart beat, the first ultrasound, when we found out Connor was in fact Connor. Due to the excitement of knowing bean was Connor, we went clothes shopping for bean. We did the 3-d imaging, which was totally worth every penny. This weekend we even purchased the crib set together. He has also felt his son get more and more active. So all in all, not that bad. Such is the life of a military family. Luckily, we have a great support system on both sides which helps immensely.

Well back to the last night of vacation with the hubby because tomorrow work and all other preperations are back on.

Eight Weeks To Go

How time flies! We went for a 3d imaging ultrasound last week. Absolutely. Amazing. We got to see his little face, legs, arms... It was so wonderful! I really cannot wait for him to get here! Well I can, but just so everything finishes developing.

So, 32 weeks pregnant now and starting to feel it. Connor has taken a liking to my right side. More specifically, he likes to wedge himself between my ribs and hip. Then for fun he stretches moving one foot under my ribs while the other foot floats around, kicking here and there... Yesterday his head or hand was bearing down, very low. I thougt he might just try to come early... That or he is excited to know that we are down in VA with daddy until the deployment vs. our normal 5 day stay. I told the hubby Connor was saying, "Hey I'm right here and ready to play... Let's go!" This was how most of yesterday went, which wasn't much fun seeing that we were in the car for 6 hrs... But movement is a good thing!

We spent the last week in Myrtle Beach. Excellent weather. Beautiful scenery. Wonderful company. Grandma, grandpa, Aunty Aimee & Grant joined us over the weekend. Grandma brought a bin of clothes for the little guy. Between that, hand me downs from his little cousin who is only 5 months older, & gifts from others I won't have to buy this little man anything. Have to and and want to are two very different things! Some things are just too cute to pass on. It has already become all about him... I was warned, but didn't fully realize this until we became parents or found out the bump was a boy.

Tonight we're off to MA to visit with the other side prior to the hubby's departure. We'll enjoy the company just as much. We're hoping that the weather will be good to us as well! That, and I'm really hoping Connor is nice to his mommy on the trip there & back. Noone wants to be uncomfortable for 2 hrs on an airplane...

In Getting back...

With a recent increase in downtime, I am going to try & be better about blogging... I found this questionairre on E's site.

Where is your cell phone? On the table
Your significant other? On the ship
Your hair? In need of cut & highlights
Your mother? She's at work.
Your father? Watching my nephew
Your favorite thing? Being in VA with the hubby for more than a 5 day stretch
Your dream last night? Can't remember
Your favorite drink? Water, Pomengranet soda water... With alcohol, most summery drinks with rum
Your dream/goal? To continue being happy
The room you're in? Living room
Your ex? No comment, the past is the past
Your fear? Child birth, something happening to bean or the hubby
Where do you want to be in 6 years? Living the life I have now with my family, just hopefully less deployments for the hubby
Where were you last night? 3-D Imaging appt & out to dinner for the hubby's bday
What you're not? Cold, it is 70 degrees in VA!!!
Muffins? Yummy
One of your wish list items? To have the hubby here for bean's arrival, but it is what it is...
Where you grew up? Massachusetts
The last thing you did? Checked my email
What are you wearing? Khaki pants & a black top
Your TV? One that works... I refuse to by a big one until we find a house next year
Your pets? None.
Your computer? 3 laptops, Dell & 2 HPs...
Your life? More than I had wished for...
Your mood? Motivated
Missing someone? Not really, no.
Your car? Acura TSX
Something you're not wearing? Makeup, the luxury of working from home.
Favorite store? Right now the majority of my shopping is at Target...
Your summer? Completely different... Connor should be here in July
Like someone? I do, I do.
Your favorite color? Green.
When is the last time you laughed? Early this morning
Last time you cried? Sunday night when I saw a commercial for Carrier, a PBS special on Navy life