Neurotic Thoughts that keep me up at Night

So I'm laying here in bed.  I really should be sleeping.  I'm not sure why I can't, actually.

The laptops not helping, that's for sure.

Plus, somebody is doing step aerobics inside my uterus.

That's not helping either.

And also, being pregnant hurts. 

My Doc assures me that is normal, and I assure him that I remember from last time, but also I must assert that things became uncomfortable a lot sooner this time around.  Doc maintains that this is because it's my 2nd pregnancy.  And also because my babies are so close together so apparently everything is all ready and willing to stretch back out a whole lot faster this time around and push and pull in all sorts of uncomfortable ways. 

Yahoo.

And also, ouch. 

It's interesting though, how the pain is always in certain, very specific places.   My left hip has bothered me on and off for years, but pregnancy definitely flares that right up thus making it nearly impossible for me to sleep on my left side. 

Additionally, any um, pelvic "pressure" (and that's putting it mildly) is ALWAYS on the left side while the "round ligament" pain is always on my right. 

I actually sort of wonder if my uterus is expanding at some sort of wonky 45 degree angle, leaning to my right, because the hurts are so clearly always directed in the same areas. 

I guess maybe that's because of how I sleep.

But also...

With Peter I nearly always had a fairly substantial rounded lump sticking out just under my ribs on my right side.  I assumed (incorrectly) for months that this was his tooshy until at 36 weeks my midwife ultra sounded me (to ensure I was okay to move) and we realized that the lump was actually his head and he was sitting breech.

I spent the last few weeks of that pregnancy watching and feeling that lump move back and forth across my tummy, wondering if he was ever going to be able to turn over  (he never did) and always he went back over to my right.

Course we found out later he had the cord around his neck twice, so maybe that was to blame as well. 

Anyway.

Although it's still early (just past half way) this time... I OFTEN feel that #2 is like, clambering to the far right side of my tummy.  I have no idea if this is actually the case, nor why that would be happening.

Of course, I could be completely wrong (again) and I might just be feeling a foot or arm randomly stretch out to my right, but, in my brain this translates to me laying here, at well past my bed time, wondering why my children don't seem to like the left side of my uterus.

Is it because of my sleeping on my right side?

Is is because Peter stretched that side out so much when he was in there?

Or is the left side of my uterus just, not as good for some reason?

I'm thinking I may never know...

Just wondering...

Does anyone else really, really enjoy it when they find an old classmate from highschool on facebook....

Like one of those girls who always had the best of everything and always had the cutest of boyfriends...

And one who might even at one point have sort of stolen a guy you were crazy about right out from under your nose...

(hypothetically of course)


and today they're still single. 

:)

I'm going to hell for these types of thoughts for sure.

But I just can't help myself. 

My Friend Allison and Way too many pictures from Rhode Island

Back in May sometime, I received a random and somewhat unexpected phone call from my very good friend Allison...

The two of of us have been friends for years now since her husband's first ship was my husband's second ship.  Apparently, on one of their first underway trips Matt was getting to know Dave (Allison's husband) and one of them happened to mention that they had a new wife who had just moved out to San Diego.  As the story goes, the other one of them got very excited because they too had a new wife who'd just moved to San Diego.  The two men plotted and schemed a bit and decided their wives should be friends.  Not long after they returned home they arranged a dinner meeting for the four of us at Bennigan's.  Lots of conversation and alcohol was surely involved and before long the group of us were "old friends."  Later that summer there was a Navy formal (also undoubtedly involving alcohol) and the bond was sealed over entirely too many glasses of wine. 

That's actually one of the best things about life as a Military wife.  Right about the time you think you've had it, that you just might kill him for leaving AGAIN and then bringing home 4 bags of heinous diesel smelling laundry, there's always another formal coming up where they get all cute in their uniform and you get to wear a pretty dress for an evening.

Some wives I've met don't like them.  I'll never understand this.  Allison and I LOVE the formals, so, whenever we are in the same place, we always turn the event into a double date.

Needless to say, we've stayed friends, over the years, better actually then most Navy wives.  (Keep in mind that 7 years ago when we met, Myspace and Facebook didn't even exist.) It helped that when Japan made me crazy I went "home" to San Diego and visited her.   It also helped that when Matt and I were in  Japan her husband ended up stationed there the first summer too so she came to visit me (him) there.

 After Japan, when Matt and I moved back to San Diego, we ended up moving into the same apartment complex as them. Lots more fun adventures, and at least one more drunken Navy formal was involved.  :)

Of course, soon her husband got transferred to Rochester and she moved far away.  And then she had her baby.  And then I moved to Monterey and had my baby.  Then she moved to Rhode Island and had another baby.  Then I went and got myself pregnant again... except, well, that baby hasn't been born yet.

So ANYWAY....

Back in May she called me with a proposal.  Her hubby was going to be gone for some training for several months over the summer and she wasn't happy about it all.  She had the time planned out so that what with visits from various Grandparents and a visit home she wasn't going to have to do the "Navy Single Mom" thing for more than a few days at a time, until the last few weeks.  But, come July, she had just sort of run out of people to have come help. 

So NATURALLY she thought of me.

That's kind of humbling actually, that of ALL her friends she'd want me to come. 

So they offered to fly me (and Peter) out for a week long visit.

To be honest, the idea of flying across the country with my kid on my lap was less than appealing, but I wanted to see my friend. 

So now, a couple weeks later, here are the best of my pictures from that trip.

One afternoon, we drove over to Mystic, Connecticut to go to their aquarium (which I have to say I really enjoyed a great deal more than the one here, but don't tell anyone I said that.)

So here we are all upon arrival.  Allison with her kids Lily and Jake and then me with #2 in my belly and Peter on my back.

Peter really enjoyed it when he was able to run around and look at the things of his own choosing.  He kept finding the nice, low tanks and pointing out the "Dish" to me.

He also seemed to LOVE the Sunflower Sea Star.  *Shudder*  (Those things creep me out.  Too many, "arms.")

Our whole merry group.  This picture is cute because it looks like Peter is trying to hold Jake's hand but don't be fooled... he just wanted to steal his pacifier. 

I bought Peter a book in the gift shop.  As usual he loved to read it himself, (upside down.)

We also got the cutest little stuffed hammerhead shark for Jake. 

He mostly liked to chew on it.  Go figure. 

Later that evening, back at the house, the boys enjoyed playing together.

And every time Allison or I sat on the floor Peter would climb into our laps.

The next day we went to the beach.  The weather wasn't really cooperating.  It was quite warm and humid the entire time I was there, but we also had lots of clouds and rain showers. The rain sure did take the edge off the heat, but it just made for a rather gloomy looking day at the beach.  I guess that worked out well though, because we didn't have to be all paranoid about the kids getting too much sun.

I'm also kind of proud to say that within two weeks of his first birthday, Peter has now had his feet in both the Pacific and the Atlantic oceans.  Not that I could very well get a picture, those waves are just too fast.

But come to think of it, he's become quite a little traveler too.  In this his 2nd cross country trip he made it to two more states (RI and CT.)  Add that to CA (his birth and home state, ) and Ohio, where we spent Christmas and that's already 4 states he's been too.  Plus, at Christmas we flew through O'Hare airport (in Chicago, IL) and on the way home we flew through Philadelphia, PA, so really counting airports he's been to 6. 

Anyway, back to the beach.  The great part about the less than cooperative weather is that the beach was nearly deserted so I could get some really cute pictures of the kids on the beach with out like, fat hairy dudes in the background picking their noses or something. 

After the beach, Peter was wiped out. 

Other than the aquarium and the beach, the rest of the week we just spent hanging out at the house being Moms and watching our kids become friends.  As much as I like to see the sights, Matt was stationed there about 10 years ago so I was more than happy to largely skip the hectic summer tourist scene and just hang out with my friend and our kiddos.

Allison recently adopted a new tiny kitten.  Peter LOVED him.  Probably a little too much and a LOT too hard.  (I have never been so afraid for a small creature in all my life.)

 

Sadly, before I knew it, Peter and I were at the airport waiting to come home. 

Well, I waited.  Peter ran around and played with his shadow...

And told anybody who would listen all about the planes outside the windows.

Thank you for having us Allison.  It was a lot of fun and I miss you already!  Hopefully we can get together again next summer. 

Seriously?

Okay, so, I get that generally speaking military base housing is one of the safest neigborhoods you're gonna get.  You can pretty much guarantee that the majority of your neighbors are gainfully employeed, in the military, and have probably gone through atleast a low level security screening.  I'm assuming this means I can pretty much trust my neighbors.  Potential cases of PTSD not withstanding. 

I think a lot of parents around here relax a great deal in their parenting while living here, because it is considered so safe. 

How nice for everyone right?

It's like the 1950s.  Everyone seems to leave their doors wide open.  Everyone seems to know everyone.  And all the kids play together.  In the middle of the street.

That's all fine and good.

Until the lemonade stands started. 

At first Matt and I thought they were sort of cute.  One would pop up on a corner every couple of weeks.  The kiddos would smile in our general direction and just beg that we'd buy some.  And, if we had our wallets with us, we'd even buy a cup.  Just to be friendly and all that.

Then there were the kids up the street trying to sell rocks.  I'm not even going to go there, except to say that I seriously believe that if Matt had had his wallet on him at the time he probably would have bought one of those too.

Heck, back in the early 1980s there was certainly atleast one little girl with wild pigtails and a missing front tooth wandering around central Ohio who took great pride in her rock collection so I am certainly not one to judge.

So what's the problem you all ask, it's kind of sweet, isn't it?

How nice that parents feel the neighborhood is safe enough for their kids to try their hand as little entrepeneurs. 

How nice that the kids have the desire to go out and try to earn some money instead of just assuming some will be given to them.

So, yesterday there was another little lemonade stand.  It's the first we've seen in a while. 

Matt and I did not have our wallets, so we didn't not buy any.  Except the kids kept yelling at us that we needed some. 

Aw well, kids will be kids.

We smiled at them and went on our way walking the dog. 

We also tried very hard to pretend, a little while later, that we did not see them going door to door ringing bells trying to sell their wares.

I was a kid once after all and I can remember very well feeling just as desperate to earn a buck.

But then this afternoon after church the children who live across the street had set up a little stand of their own.

What were they selling?

Wait for it....





WATER.




Plain water. 



In dixie cups.




Oh come on girls you have got to be kidding me!  Every house in this neighborhood has running water.  And it wasn't even hot out today!

I went into my house, put Peter to bed for a nap and laid down for a couple hours myself.

Matt informed when I woke up that they'd come ringing our doorbell too, offering him a few cool, refreshing, er, dixie cups of plain water. 

I can't even imagine how much they were asking for it.

Confused

This is totally random probably, but I really just need to say that I just don't get the new fascination with cupcakes.  It seems like everywhere cupcake places (bakeries?) are popping up selling these tiny, round treats.  Don't get me wrong, I love me some cupcake. 

Cake... yum!  and Frosting....  yumyumyumyum!!! 

And, well,, it is neat to have the option to, like, swing by the food court while at the mall and pick up a sweet little individually wrapped treat, especially frosted just for me.

Er, well, it was, when I still lived in San Diego and one of those random cupcakes places had popped up at UTC mall.  (Nothing that cool, or unhealthy, would ever appear in Monterey, I'm sure.)

But, those cupcakes cost over three bucks a piece!  And they didn't even have a deal if you bought them in larger quantities.

Why on EARTH would I ever really pay more than three dollars a cupcakes at the mall when any grocery store likely sells them for a LOT less?

Well, convenience, and luxury, and fun, sure. 

And I got one.  Once.  When I was working for an actual paycheck.  Before I was a mother, when I felt like I had money to waste. 

It was cute.  It was yummy.  It had an excessive amount of icing on top.  :)

But seriously?

Why cupcakes? 

Is slicing a regular cake and putting a piece on a plate and using a fork REALLY that inconvenient?

Is it so difficult to commit to just one flavor for multiple servings of dessert?



Obviously, I'd rather just have a whole cake anyway....

Name Game

*sigh*

I was on Craigslist late last night and I think I accidentally (idiotically) gave my email password away.  The second I hit enter I rethought my actions but it was already too late.  That will teach me to stay up late messing around on the Internet, especially on sites like Craigslist where hackers and scams abound.  Not that I blame Craigslist.  They are a great resource for used baby stuff.  I am just a moron.

Anyway. 

While I "attempt" to undo that problem.... (I am currently awaiting a response from Hotmail's hacker claim investigation team-- or something like that-- because my password no longer works and I'm locked out) allow me to try to distract myself with a little fun. 

Who wants to play the baby name game? 

The following are a list first and middle boy and girl names we have been considering for #2.  After all , we can't very well call him or her #2 forever.  Or, well, we maybe could, but he or she would very well end up in therapy. 

We have our ultrasound coming up in a few days, but since we don't yet know what the baby will be, (other than, well, human, obviously) and we're not going to announce the gender anyway, I invite you all (if there are any of you) to play along and pick your favorite potential baby names out of the following options:

Boys:
First Names- Andrew, Alex or Aiden
Middle Name- James, Jacob or Jonathan

Girls: 
First Names- Abigail, Alexis or Alice
Middle Names- Joy, Jane or Jennifer

*Obviously, you might notice we (I) want the initials to be A.J.  Just go with it.  There's a story there, but I'm not going to tell it right now.

**Also, some of you might "think" you already know our first choices based on personal conversations we've had, but please tell us your opinion anyway, for fun, regardless of what you think you may know.

***If you hate all our choices, please don't tell us.  Kindly just pick your fav boy and girl combination from the choices listed.

Click where it says "# comments" in red at the bottom of this post and follow the directions on screen to let us in on your two cents. 

Or don't, if you don't want to, well, that's up to you, I'm just trying to come up with something fun to distract me from the disaster with my email.

Peter's First Birthday Party

On Saturday, July 10, we celebrated Peter's birthday with some friends by having a BBQ.  We would have done it the week prior, but the Independence Day Holiday meant that many people were out of town.  Also, Matt seemed to think that throwing a party for a one year old was silly.  Since July 10 also happened to be my 32nd birthday I told my beloved spouse that all I really wanted for my own birthday was to throw a celebration for our son.  And celebrate we did.

Here is the birthday boy all dressed in his cute new Hawaiian outfit and ready for the fun to begin.  (A sweet lady from church brought this outfit back for him from her vacation.  How generous of her!)

I found it amusing how out front, our house resembled a bicycle and stroller parking lot and inside we were standing room only!

For lunch Peter enjoyed himself some Italian sausage and cheesy poofs.  Not that I meant to give him the sausage... he was supposed to get a hot dog.  But, after Daddy burned grilled them all, it was difficult to tell the difference. 

After most people ate, the children played for awhile.

Peter spent a long time watching the older kids and wishing to be bigger.  *sigh*

Meanwhile, our neighbor Grace (Peter's girlfriend) looked ABSOLUTELY adorable dressed up for the party. 

When it was time for cake, everybody got ready with their party hats.  (Peter and Lyla didn't seem to know what to make of this.)

And I proved to everyone that I am a gigantic sap by starting to cry while everyone sang happy birthday to my baby.  (I choose to blame this second pregnancy and my hormones.)

It was pretty funny because while we were singing, Peter stuck his finger into the icing and helped himself to a healthy swipe.  It happened so fast Daddy missed getting a picture, but in another minute he was digging into his own slice. 

And little Liam was going for the stray bits that made it to the floor.  :)

I think it is safe to say he enjoyed his party cake.  :)

Here's a random shot of me and my boy.

I also found it sort of funny how after lunch all the woman and children ended up playing in the dining room...

... while all the men stood in the kitchen and continued to eat. 

Peter just seemed kind of overwhelmed.

Before long it was time to open presents.

My friend Miranda is a pretty huge Texas A&M football fan.  Since I've been living in California too long dealing with silly (lame) PAC 10 fans I tend to take every chance to harass her about her team in favor of my own beloved Buckeyes, since at least the Aggies have a repectable program (as opposed to some other school in the So-Cal area who shall go unmentioned at this point.)  That day, however, she won the argument by ensuring that the little barn she gave me son was proudly displaying it's Aggie roots. 

Here's a close up.

Hmph!

Well played Miranda, well played. 

Matt seemed to find this funny as well.  As did her daughter, who's standing in front of him. 

And then there were more presents...

Here's a quick family photo, (which Peter didn't really cooperate for.)

Naturally there were also a few minutes where the babies enjoyed the tissue and wrapping paper more than the toys.

Peter tried to leave with our friend Pat. 

Afterward, Peter "helped" me clean up.

The remains of the cake.  Not sure who got their finger in the icing the second time, but I can't say I blame them.  :)

Brutus, who was finally released from our bedroom after the last guest was gone tried his best to eat clean up the grease drippings from the grill.  (Yuck.)

And then of course the rest of the day Peter spent enjoying all of his new toys.

I think he had a great party. 

And celebrating his birthday with many of our friends made a great birthday for me as well.