Flashback Friday

P's First Christmas (December 2007)

our house at Fort Irwin, CA

we opened presents a few days earlier since we flew out to SC for the real holiday.

I love her face in this picture.. she was so excited :)

Happy Turkey Day

Hope everyone had a very happy Thanksgiving!!

From our family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Well our Thanksgiving didn't go quite as planned but I've come to learn that's what to expect on this roller coaster of a life. The kids and I were going to go to Cracker Barrel for lunch and enjoy some Thanksgiving favorites there but when we got there apparently every one else in town had the same idea. I had never seen Cracker Barrel so crowded.. think a Sunday morning times two. There was not a single spot to park and people were parking along the street and walking to it .. and let's not talk about the dozens of patrons I saw sitting on the front porch.. needless to say we did not even attempt to go in and see how long the wait was.. this mama with two small children was not going to fight that battle. Now I will admit I almost broke down in tears but regardless of the cruelty of the situation and all the reasons I could get down in the dumps I still had two kids that needed lunch. So we ended up at Steak n Shake and surprisingly the place was not empty and no it wasn't the Thanksgiving trimmings but P and I enjoyed it just the same and it was a heck of lot cheaper, ha! We then went over to Walmart to drown our sorrows in a little pre black Friday shopping.. then came home and baked turkey shaped sugar cookies. So for the most part today was no different than any other day but we still have much to be thankful for this season. I have two healthy children, loving parents, a brother & sister in law who I can always count on, an amazing extended family, great friends, and a husband who means the world to me and whom I love dearly. Of course today, my heart is heavier with him eight thousand miles away serving our great country as part of OEF but I am thankful despite our current circumstances that we are CLOSE to the end and my husband is safe and sound. And that's all that matters at the end of the day especially a day like today.. no today wasn't the perfect Thanksgiving but all of my family is safe, healthy and sound and for that i am blessed!

Flashback Friday

Camping at the Grand Canyon

Peighton

Summer of 2008

Wordless Wednesday

Halloween 2010:

Peighton as Princess Jasmine

Henry as Rex from Toy Story

Henry Update

WOW! Can't believe my baby boy is 9 months.. where has the time gone?!? He is such a happy, easy going little guy.. and i love him dearly!! Here are some stats on how Henry Clay is developing:

*weighs 23.5 pounds (75%)

*31 inches long (95%)

*has 7 teeth (4 on top, 3 on the bottom)

*wears a mix of 12 month and 18 month clothing

*size 3 diapers

*can say "dada", "dog", and "uh oh"

*takes 2- 2 hour naps a day

*sleeps 10-11 hours at night

*loves his sister and dog

*eats anything i put in his mouth and is starting to enjoy some table foods

*loves to play on the floor

*currently not crawling but he is making progress

Deployment Update

Kudos to the hubby who this past Thursday was promoted to 1LT!! I am so proud of him!! He works so hard and even though its somewhat of an automatic promotion, he still very much deserves it!! It was a bitter sweet time for our family.. we wish we could have all been together at his promotion ceremony especially since I missed his OCS graduation and would have loved to been able to "pin" his new rank on him :( But there is always next time and it will be big one (CPT)!! I am so blessed to have such an amazing husband who strives and excels in all that he does.. and the kids have a wonderful dad to be proud of!! That day General Petraeus and Katie Couric (CBS evening news) just happened to be there .. the General was visiting Salerno and Couric was following him for an interview for CBS's special on the War in Afghanistan. So it made his day even better by getting to meet and talk with both of them. So not only is he now a 1LT, he also met a few celebrities... so Brandon is officially a bonafide superstar, ha! And as for the deployment, we crossed off another month in this tour... we are certainly on the downhill but still too far from the finish line. I will start the real countdown and get more excited and less frazzled when the weeks left hit the single digits.. then I think I will finally feel like the finish line is just around the corner... Until then I keep trudging along.. all the while missing him and looking forward to the sweet day of homecoming!!

Henry's 6 months old!

Well folks can you believe Henry just celebrated his half birthday last Thursday?!? He is now 6 months old and I can still remember the night he was born... I can't believe he is on his way to being a year old soon! I am not sure I am ready for my baby boy to grow up so fast :( He is such a sweet baby.. he is so mellow and relaxed.. he's perfect! He is changing, growing and learning new things daily. He is almost sitting up all by himself.. he still tends to learn forward but he is working on it and working on strengthening those stomach muscles. He loves spending time in his jumparoo.. such an awesome baby item... i crack up seeing him jump and giggle! He is still at a solid 6 ounces per feeding but with the introduction of solid foods he is eating every 3+ hours so only about 30 ounces a day which is what is recommended for his age group. He loves to eat and hasn't met a food he doesn't like... well except for grits, ha! He typically eats oatmeal and a fruit for breakfast in the morning then rice cereal with a vegetable and rice cereal with a fruit for dinner. He is babbling and making noises galore! I try to get him to say "mama" or "dada" but he just looks at me and smiles/laughs. But I have notice him making the "m" sound with his lips .. maybe its just wishful thinking :) He still loves to swing.. I even let him swing in the baby swings at the park the other day and he thought it was the best thing ever! I love how he is so interested in his surroundings and follows P, Pete and I and checks out what we are all doing. And Henry LOVES his sister... its very sweet.. he just lights up when he sees her and when she interacts with him. I think P is finally getting the "hang" of him and enjoys that he is more animated and active.. can't wait to see what the two of them will think of each other when he learns to crawl, ha!

Henry had his 6 month check up last week as well. He is growing strong and developing perfectly.. if there was any doubt :) He now weighs in at 19 pounds which is the 75% and is 28 inches long which was the 90% so he is proportionate and following the same growing curve since day one. He was not a happy camper though.. he was getting tired and he just wanted to go to sleep.. and he did NOT like being put down on the exam table... and the tears really started when the shots came... he was just pitiful! But as soon as I had him strapped in his car seat and paci in mouth, he was out and by the time he woke up he had forgotten all about it! He even managed to take the band aids off his shot boo boos .. i guess he was over that, ha! Well another doctor visit down and don't have to worry about another one till he is 9 months old in November. And if there was any doubt how big he has gotten.. he no longer fits into any 6 month clothing and is now in 12 month pajamas... and yes folks he just turned 6 months... he is all boy and I LOVE HIM :)

Halfway Point

Well folks we are finally on the other side of the hill in this marathon known as deployment!! Just last weekend marked the 6 month mark of Brandon leaving. Now with no set date of return or even a range of dates to go, we are hoping for January as that will be his 12 month mark in this so called 12 month tour. It still feels like we have a LONG way to go but I can also see that we've come a long already! Although right now I feel time is at a crawl, I am also amazed that 6 months have flown by just like that! I never thought this day would come the night I dropped him off... I was left feeling empty and unsettled... and now I am finally starting to feel like I can do this! Its been a wild ride these past six months.. with a lot of highs and some rock bottoms. This was a whole new experience for me in so many ways. We have never faced a true deployment before... yes Brandon has been gone for months on end on several times... we've face the separation of basic training, AIT, multiple TDYs and OSC schooling.. but no true Brandon's gone for a full year with just a 2 week R&R. And on top of this, we bought our first house just a month before he was set to leave and Henry Clay was due just a month after he left. We were beyond bless that Brandon was sent home and arrived less than 24 hours before Henry's birth! As I look past these six months, I've endure more than I could ever dream and know I am only a stronger wive, mother, and person in general for it! So far, I've face multiple snow storms, adjusting to life with 2 munchkins including a newborn, multiple road trips solo, AC breaking twice upstairs, flooding in the area, having to get the car fixed, keeping up with yard work, taking off a locked doorknob off of P's bedroom, unclogging a toilet.. and the list could keep going... the joys of homeownership, parenting, and life in general in the midst of a deployment... and with 6 more months still on the horizon I'm sure I will endure even more to write about. But I've learned and I've grown.. and I will continue to grow. Yes I can already gurantee some more bad days along the journey... but its like what they say what wont kill you will only make you stronger... so I continue on.... all the while waiting for the countdown to truly begin... and see my handsome hubby's face again!!

Summer Pics

the kids had a GREAT time at Mimi's and Papa's!!

Summer Vacation

This summer has been dragging... and we were in need of a change in scenery... and to get out of town for awhile. So off to Mimi and Papa's we went for 3 whole weeks!! It was a wonderful trip and we had lots of fun and made some great memories. The drive was uneventful down except for the traffic.. note to self don't travel on a Saturday during the summer... it took us a little over 6 hours to go 300 miles and made it to the halfway, pit stop of Conyers, GA which is right outside of Atlanta on the east side of the 20 toward Charleston. My mom met us there and we spent the night in a hotel... then got up the next morning and pushed through the other 300 miles to Summerville. It was a much mellower day of driving with Peighton in the car with Mimi so I just had Henry and Pete our dog. We were lucky enough that Papa had off the first week we were there so both Henry and Peighton got in some Papa time!! We had a first great week... my mom and I took Peighton to see Toy Story 3.. we all enjoyed it! I also got to spend an afternoon at the Spa which was a birthday/anniversary present from the hubs... it was a wonderful experience and beyond needed... 3 hours of pure relaxation and pampering... I got a massage, a body wrap and a haircut. It was fabulous!! My aunt, uncle, and two cousins came up from south Florida for a week while we were there. It was great to see them.. and they all got to meet Mister Henry Clay for the first time.. they were all in love and smitten with him especially Aunt Liz. We enjoyed going to the pool a few times with them as well as downtown Charleston. We had a great visit with them!! We celebrated the 4th with a fantastic cookout with the whole family... what a wonderful memory.. all had fun!! I was also thrilled that while I was at home in SC my best friend Celeste had her baby girl.. she is so precious... and I got to visit them both in the hospital the day after Bailee Grace was born... then we all went and visited them at home. Peighton was most impressed with the little one... weighing in at only 6.5 pounds at birth.. she was quite smaller than Peighton's little brother! We had a great time being back in SC... lots of good memories and fun times. It was a good way to break up the mundane of the summer!! We look forward to going back again this fall :)

Henry Update

Can't believe how much the little guy has changed just in the two weeks since my last blog on him after his 4 month check up! Last week I started him on rice cereal and it took a few days for him to get use to it but by the end of the week he was getting the hang of it. I typically try to feed him around our dinner time.. he even sits up like a boy in his bumbo style seat. Its a messy process but he is still learning! This week I moved him onto something a bit tastier and introduced him to sweet potatoes... and they were a hit! Henry reached another milestone just today... he got his first tooth! I noticed it will I was getting him dressed this morning and there it was.. a little white bud on the bottom. P better watch out now, ha! I think the tooth next to it will be budding soon.. I can see it another the gum line. Also last weekend I got Henry a new ride (stroller). Its a Maxi Cosi Perle.. and so far we love it! It was time for me to quit lugging around him in his car seat if I don't have to; and with the heat mixed with the unbreathable material of his car seat Henry can get rather sweaty riding around in it. I found this stroller at Babies R Us.. it was on sale and then I had a 20% off coupon so I scored it for a good deal. Its nice and plush with a padded seat and 5 point harness... multiple position reclining seat and an adjustable leg rest... the canopy has a peek a boo window and an attachable rain/snow shield that zips onto the canopy... it also has a few pockets inside the stroller for keeping toys and pacis at bay. We've already used it a few times and it has a smooth, light weight feel about it while pushing... and it folds compact style like an umbrella stroller. All in all, we are pleased with it.. Henry enjoys being able to see what's going on around him.. and its been a great alternative to the Graco Snap n Go stroller. It won't be much longer and I'll have to be looking at new car seats...

Henry's 4 Months Old

Henry Clay turned 4 months old on Saturday. I can't believe my little guy is already a third of the way into his first year!! He is such a sweetheart and I fall more in love with him everyday. He truly is a mama's boy but he also loves his sister... he just laughs and smiles when P talks to him. He is such a good baby and I've been so blessed to have a healthy little boy. I am amazed at where he is developmentally... I had forgotten about all little milestones from when P was little. He babbles and talks... I wake up in the morning to hear him on the monitor talking away in his crib. He is beginning to laugh when he gets all tickled. He is drooling like a fool, ha! Something is always in his mouth being chewed on even if its just a finger. I am waiting for a tooth but nothing yet.. just lots of drool and bubbles for now. Over the weekend, he learned to roll over from his back to his tummy; and about a week or so ago he learned to roll from his tummy to his back. He has yet to make a complete revolution but I'm sure it wont be long till he figures that out as well. Henry loves to play on the floor and can scoot in just about any direction... where i place him on the rug is not usually the same spot he is located at ten minutes later. We had his four month well baby check up and he is doing fantastic! Henry is a perfectly, well growing boy. He weighs in at 16.4 pounds and is 26 inches long... 90% for both his weight and heights... perfectly proportionate. He had to get two shots today as well as a drink the rotaq rota virus immunization... and he was a little trooper. He cried a little but has been doing fine since. He was a bit drowsy this afternoon and is taking a much needed nap. I am so amazed at how big he is getting and how fast he grows! And we got the go ahead to start on rice cereal .. after a week or so of that we can move onto fruits and vegetables... cannot wait to see how Henry reacts to that! I think I might also be washing up some 6-9 month outfits this week.. now I know why some of his clothes are getting too small :)

Grocery Cart Challenge

I saw this on a sweet friend's blog.. and thought it was a good idea.. and I followed her link to the blog and fell in love! While yes currently I am not cooking very much during the week and anything I do fix is far from gourmet as its only for P and I... but eventually hubby will be back home (yay!!) and the Lean Cuisine Meals, scrambled eggs, grilled cheese sandwiches, and bagel bites will not suffice for him... or the fact that by the time he returns next year I will also have Henry to add to the dinner table (wow! time really does fly by!) and so I will have a family of four to start grocery shopping for and cooking multiple weekly meals for... and if there is one thing I dislike its paying way too much at the grocery store. Don't get me wrong I love to eat and I prefer good food, however I am not a fan of dropping loads of money on something that either I can't wear or my children can't wear or a lovely vacation that we can enjoy, ha! And also I do not enjoy slaving in a kitchen for more than 30 minutes for a meal that my family will devour in less than the time it took for me to make. So this website has loads of good recipes that also won't break the bank.. so its giving me lots of good ideas to stow away till next year or i might even go out on the whim and try out my culinary skills on P and if nothing else Pete might enjoy the table scraps :)

Pictures of the Kids!

I am being completely biased but these two kids are just so darn cute!!

R&R

Well it came and went... r&r finally got here and after 15 glorious days it was over... just like that.. its like having to quit cold turkey... Brandon comes home and we get fifteen uninterrupted days then he has to leave and that's it until homecoming. It was everything and nothing like I imagined... he was suppose to get to Atlanta on the 11th and well that day came and went and he was still stuck in Kuwait... communication was very limited and the flight kept being push back so neither us knew when he would truly arrive... then 3 days later on a very late Thursday night he calls me from Atlanta airport to let me know he got there safely but was going to have to sit around and wait awhile until his flight for Nashville. He informed me that he was going to get a rental car and drive in... so at 5 am on Friday morning he was finally home! I was so ecstatic but also a bit bummed there was no perfect outfit planned and no gregarious welcoming at the airport but at this point I was just so thankful he had made it and was home.. at least for awhile :) I'm not sure who was the happiest to see him that day... P was most excited when she came downstairs to our room to see her daddy in the bed... I like to think Henry was excited too and of course Pete!

We started off R&R with tackling some projects around the house... Brandon worked hard around the yard for a couple of days getting it into summer shape... we even ordered a new storm door for the front.. he did a great job.. and the house was looking fab!! Brandon was able to take Peighton to school a few days which I know just melted her.. and he even got to see her at one of her ballet classes. Needless to say whatever anyone had to do while he was home... we all went and did it together... we were an inseparable family of four! Brandon and I were able to enjoy a weekend in Savannah without the kiddos. It was a much needed vacation and quality time for both of us. Mimi and Papa kept both Peighton and Henry... and I think they enjoyed the bonding time, ha! We spent a few days in South Carolina... catching up with great friends and visiting family :) We returned home to spend a few more days together just as a family before Brandon's departure. We even managed to squeeze in a trip down to Nashville to the wonderful Mall at Greenhills and a scrumptious lunch at the Cheesecake Factory. The day finally came and Brandon had an early flight out... it was a quiet ride home from the airport that day.

And to think its already been over a week since he left... its been a long week and it still doesn't feel right him not being here.. we are readjusting back to the way it was before r&r. It's one of those catch 22 situations... r&r is a great experience but the ending of it leaves you with a realization that this it until he returns home for good. On the flip side I can finally say we are almost there.. not quite the home stretch.. but we are almost over the hump and i can see the finish line in the distant future... and I know we will get there.. we will make it.. and I cannot wait for that day to come!!

What a Week!

It is strange to think that just seven days ago we woke up to find that two days of heavy rain had led to massive, historic flooding not only for the Nashville area but right here in Clarksville. The Cumberland River was at uncharted heights rising above 60 feet when flood level is considered at 46 feet. The destruction was incomprehensible and the number of fatalities was unfathomable... because this unprecedented flooding was not cause by a major hurricane or other nature force but just the sheer power torrential rain can cause when it does not let up for over 48 hours. It was the only thing on the news here but yet did not receive the national attention it deserved.. but middle Tennessee rallied up and prevailed... now a week later... roads that were impassable are now being driven on... schools are back in session and the clean up is well underway. I am beyond fortunate that our house was saved... flooding never even threatened our area... but thoughts and prayers go to those who lost everything not just for the sheer fact of having to start all over but also many did not have flood insurance and the devastation is beyond a numerical value. And yes this all occurred while the hubby is away... I can even imagine what the rest of the year will hold for us.. but for now I can check off surviving a historic flooding off my list of endeavours.

But the bright side to this week was seeing Peighton at her first ever ballet class. I knew she would be shy and timid at first but I was happy to see that towards the end she was doing the steps and looking happy. She even wanted to practice them at home. The class is small with maybe only 7 other little girls.. which is perfect for that age group. We have our next class this Wednesday and I am hoping for another great experience for her. And as for Henry he is always my bright side.. he is amazing.. and I grow more in love with him every time I awake to see his happy face greet me from his crib. He hit a milestone just this morning with sleeping the entire night without waking for a feeding... he was asleep by 830 and did not wake till about 6 this morning. He had been only getting up once a night somewhere between 2-4.. now to wait and see if this is his new pattern or just a lucky fluke.. either way i will still gladly wake at 2 in the morning just to see his sweet face!

Peighton Update

So today I officially signed up P for ballet class on post at the SKIES building... I hope she is excited as I am about it, ha! She starts next Wednesday.. it's at 12 and a 45 minute long class. We are doing this class for the month of May but if she enjoys it then I will sign her back up for it or we might try tap next. With Brandon being deployed, we have the advantage of free SKIES classes... the ARMY Family Covenant gives children the equivalence of $300 for the duration of the deployment to use toward the SKIES classes... a nice benefit to have! Now I have the task of finding ballet slippers, tights and a leotard by next Wednesday... I love shopping though so it gives me a reason to shop! Hopefully, I wont have a hard time finding them... I think I remember Payless having the shoes at least and I've heard that Target carries them as well. Not sure what the rules are about taking pics during the class... if I can I will be sure to take them and post for all to see... but either way I will definitely update soon on how the first class went :)

New Pics of the Kidos

Kiddo Update :)

Well I can't believe it but my baby boy turned 2 months old this past Monday :) He is growing up so fast... can't believe he was only born 2 months ago... seems like I've always had my little monkey! I love how his personality is blossoming every day... he is more alert and active... and I love getting his smiles and to hear him "talk" to me. I am completely in love with him... his is still mommy's sweetheart! He had his first official doctor's visit for his 2 month check up on Tuesday. And I am proud to say his growing good and healthy. Henry is now 24 inches long and weighs 12.8 pounds... he is in the 75% for his weight and 55% for his height... needless to say I think he is growing just fine! He is starting to fit into 3-6 months clothes already. He is also up to 4 oz. bottle every 2-4 hours depending on his mood :) Henry only gets up twice a night now... he is usually in bed by 815/830 and does not wake up for his first feeding until sometime between 12-1... then not again until 3-4... then is usually up for the day between 7-715. He has a good schedule for the day too... so thankful he is on a decent schedule already! He is such a good baby... he was even a trooper when it came time for his shots... he cried a little but he was lucky to have his big sister there to hold his hand :) Can't wait to see how big he has gotten and all the things he can do at his 4 month check up!

And for a little update on Miss Peighton... she is transitioning to the 3's and 4's side at her preschool... she gets to go the big kid side! She is so excited too :) She went there for a little bit on Tuesday.. about 2 hours... and she did very well over there. My baby girl is growing up!! I think having some familiar faces over there helps her adjust as well... some of her friends have also turned 3 and are already over there... she will be over there permanently starting next week. I am so happy she loves school... let's hope this sets the tone for the remainder of her school life :)

Extended Spring Break!

Well its been awhile since my last post... and I can't believe how busy we've been this past month that I haven't even been able to blog. But oh so happy to say that april is almost over with.. and the time sure is flying! Peighton had the week after Easter off from school and I knew I wanted to take the kids home to SC for Easter so we just left a little earlier and made it a 3 week long vacation. We had a fabulous time and had a busy three weeks there. Henry met a lot of new faces.. and I know everyone was excited to meet the little guy! Peighton too was happy to get to see everyone again and to be at Mimi's and Papa's house. Let's see we went to the park several times, the Children's Museum, Folly Beach, and of course some shopping :) The kids had a great Easter... we went to church that morning... P had an easter egg hunt in the yard... and the easter bunny left them each an easter basket filled with goodies. It wasn't the same with Brandon there... but we will just have to make up for it next year! We had an uneventful drive home with just a little bit of traffic and no major kiddo meltdowns. Now its back to normal for us... whatever "normal" may be :)

Henry's 1 Month Old!!

Can't believe my sweet baby boy is a month old already... yep on Friday, March 12 Henry hit the one month milestone :) He is such a good baby... and has been such a blessing to our family!! I am lucky that he is already on a decent schedule. Henry is up to 3 ounce bottles and feeding every 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 hours depending on his mood... there are times he acts like he can't make it past 2 hours without feeding again and other times he is content for a full 3 or 3 1/2 hours. He is a very good sleep as well. He usually is taking his last feeding at 8 and in bed by 830.. he usually doesn't wake for his first feeding until midnight then again at 230-3 in the morning then again at 530 then he is typically up by 7 or 730. So yes he is still feeding three times a night but with 2 1/2 to 3 hour stretches between feedings I get a good bit of sleep. During the day, he usually takes a good morning nap with some cat napping in the afternoons... its still hard to get a firm afternoon schedule since that tends to be our out and about time especially if Peighton has school. I can't complain though he is very content and happy baby. He is getting longer and longer it seems... he has such long legs and arms unlike Peighton... it cracks me up how different shaped they are. Henry is becoming more and more alert... enjoying his time on the floor and listening to Peighton read books to him. I am looking forward to seeing him change and grow over the next month :)

another week down...

Well we did it or should I say I did it... a full week of just me and the kiddos. Last Friday, we had to say another goodbye to Brandon as he left to go back to Afghanistan... much harder this time to see him go... we are so grateful for those two weeks!! Then we had to say goodbye to Mimi who headed back to SC on early Tuesday morning... Peighton had the hardest time with that one... she misses her buddy and asks me daily when we going to go to Mimi's house? So now its just the three of us and luckily, we had a successful first week! The weeks are always the easiest to get through... its the weekends that are tough... I am use to handling the day to day stuff but by Saturday I am ready for some reinforcement, ha! Peighton had her typical routine this week with school on Tuesday and Thursday. She was happy that Henry had to come with us this week... she was excited to introduce him to her teachers :) Henry and I enjoyed it just being the two of us during those few hours. We made a commissary trip on Tuesday and had lunch with a friend on Thursday. We are so happy that the weather has been beautiful these past few days and have taken much advantage of it. On Friday, I took the kids to Chickfila and Walmart ( I really should just say I took Peighton but Henry was in tow even if he just slept most of the time). Peighton got a mini golf set, a jump rope and some sidewalk chalk... all great supplies for a weekend outside! Let me just tell you, we had a blast Friday afternoon... our whole front walkway is filled with colorful chalk drawing via Miss Peighton... and who knew jumping rope was such a workout?!? Needless to say, we all were tired that night... Peighton fell asleep on the couch watching her movie. Even Henry enjoyed the sunshine sitting in his bouncer on the front porch :) Saturday was another fantastic weather day... and we headed to the big park on Post. It was very crowded but Peighton still had lots of fun!! And for today, I have an FRG meeting this afternoon... then the weekend will be over/another week down. Its weeks like these that make it seem possible to survive the rest of this seemingly LONG year. But if I look at the smaller picture, it seems even less daunting. The kids and I are headed to SC for Easter and Peighton's spring break. Then Brandon will be home for his R&R sometime around the end of May/beginning of June. Then back to SC for summer vacation... time really does fly!

Henry's 2 Week

Yesterday, Henry Clay turned 2 weeks old... can't believe he is that old already. He is growing like a weed and is a very healthy little boy :) His weight is up to 9 lbs. even and he is in the 75% for his weight. His height is 22.5 inches which puts him in the 95%. He is going through a growth spurt... gaining over a half pound and growing half an inch just since his last check up a week and a half ago. Henry is still doing well with his sleeping and feeding habits. He is up to 2 oz. every 2-3 hours... and sleeps well at night with 3-4 feeding throughout the night. I usually get lucky with about two solid hours of sleep at a time... I know I'll catch up on it one of these days, ha! Henry is also become more alert and stays awake for longer periods of time... his most active is morning and evening... he likes to cat nap in his bouncer in the afternoons. He is still mommy's sweetheart and of course a daddy's boy... and especially little brother to Peighton... she has grown to love him and wants to always be around him. She is being a great big sister and mommy's little helper... if only she could get up to feed him at night, hehe. I'm lucky that she's a hard sleeper and Henry doesn't wake her up throughout the night. We are settling into our new little family of four quite well and we are so blessed to have two wonderful, healthy children whom we love and adore :)

Henry Update!

I am pleased to announce that I am completely in love with a little boy named Henry!! He melts my heart every day and I could not ask for a better baby :) He is doing very well... growing and thriving strong! He is up to about 2 oz. a feeding and eating every 2-4 hours depending on his mood, ha! He is sleeping well at night... waking every couple of hours for his feedings. Henry is become more awake and alert every day... he is keeping both his eyes open longer with each passing day. He is just so darn cute... I love him :) We took him to his well baby check up this past Wednesday... he weighted 8 lbs. 7 oz. so he lost about 8 ounces since his birth... just under 5% of his original birth weight. The doctor gave him a seal of approval... and he goes back this Friday for his 2 week check up and his first round of shots...eek wish us both luck!!

Henry Clay Doggette

A Baby Story

Well he is HERE!! Henry Clay arrived into the world on Friday, February 12th at 8:08 in the evening... words could not express how blessed I feel to have such a beautiful and healthy little boy... he melted my heart from the minute I saw him. The experience was magnified even greater by having Brandon here after all. YAY!! I will have to start at the beginning... I got a call on Tuesday evening from Brandon saying that he was being sent home on Emergency Leave and was starting his journey home the next morning. I was completely surprised and in such awe... and on Thursday evening he was home :) We were so happy to have him home if only for a short time!! Now at this point I was seriously ready for baby to be born... everyone was here and I wanted Brandon to have as much time with his son as possible. On Thursday night, I started having contractions and they only increased overnight. I still wasn't sure if I was in labor labor.. but I decided to head to the doctor the next morning to see if I've been progressing any... and sure enough my contractions were every 3-5 minutes and I was at 4 cm dilated... time to be admitted to the hospital. I was so relieved! I was in my room at about 930 am and by 4 that afternoon I had no progressed much further so my doctor decided it was time for some patocin and to break my water... needless to say it was then time for an epidural :) And about 3 hours later, I started feeling the contractions again... and the doctor checked me out and I was fully dilated and ready to start pushing!! It happened a lot faster than I imagined and way faster than my labor with Peighton. With my first practice push, his head was crowning and the nurse told me to wait for the doctor... then 30 minutes later of pushing... Henry was out. It was an emotional experience... and I was so happy to have him in my arms and more thrilled that this labor was so smooth compared to last time :) He weighted in a whopping 8 pounds and 15 ounces and 22 inches in length... Henry topped his sister... I guess I just grow them big, ha! His apgar scores were 8 then 9... we couldn't ask for more healthy of a baby. My own recovery went very smoothly with no complications and I was feeling good the very next day. Henry was thriving just as well... and we were released from the hospital on Sunday by lunch time. It never felt so good to be home :) And I'm still in awe and feel overwhelmingly blessed that Brandon was here to experience it all...

Doctor Day

Well this day has been crazy... and its not just because its snowing again... i thought we lived in the south... and yet snow again for the second week in a row... i am ready for spring time :) I had my OB appointment this morning... I am 38 weeks and 2 days... and could not be more ready for his arrival. At my last doctor's appointment on the 25th of January, I had no progress so I was quite surprised and happy when she checked me today and I was already 3 centimeters and 50% effaced with his head in position 0... she told me that she'd be surprised if I made it through the weekend. Woohoo!! I've been experiencing some contractions but nothing too intense or regular... mostly I have a lot of lower back pain. So needless to say I called my mom and told her she might want to head up earlier than planned... hopefully I'm not jinxing myself and he still isn't born for another week or so, ha! I am a mix of emotions though... part excited and part anxious... and part sad that Brandon won't be here. Now its just a waiting game :)

Peighton also had a doctor's appointment today for her 3 year old check up. It never ceases to amaze me how crowded a doctor's office can be especially a PEDS... but yet again I was aggravated that our appointment was at 3:45... we got there around 3:30 and didn't leave the office until 5... at least we don't have to go back till her 4 year old check up unless she gets sick in the meantime. It was a good visit though... she is growing and developing just perfectly :) Peighton weighs 33 pounds and is 37 inches tall... around 70% for her weight and 55% for her height. Luckily for both us, she is all up to date on her shots and didn't need to endure that heartbreak. She did have to get her finger pricked for her blood to be checked for her iron levels. I am happy to say that they were up... so she is no longer anemia... her daily multivitamin is helping keep her levels under control. She cried more for having a band aid on her finger than the actual procedure! So all in all, Peighton is right on track!

Peighton's 3rd Birthday

Cannot believe my little girl is 3 today... that this morning at 1148 three years ago she finally made her appearance... it was a difficult labor but I wouldn't trade her for the world :) I am amazed how much of a person she has become in just three years... she is definitely her own unique, individual self... with great spunk and enthusiasm. And I am also pleased to say that she is potty trained, woohoo! We passed that benchmark and I was so worried she'd be leaving for school still wearing diapers, ha! Peighton has known all week long that her birthday was coming soon... she received a few birthday cards earlier in the week as well as a singing teddy bear from Brandon (which i have heard over and over and over, but i know she loves it so because it came from daddy). We also took mini cupcakes to her class yesterday in honor of her birthday... she was very excited to share them with her friends. But I loved how she came down the stairs this morning and into my room with no idea that the day had finally arrived... today was her birthday and when i told her she acted surprised... but then she saw her presents sitting on the table and the excitement grew. So of course, we could not wait any longer the presents must be opened! I've learned that a birthday after Christmas has its downside... she gets so much for Christmas it becomes hard to find the right things for her birthday only a month later. Plus, she is getting older and is becoming more particular in what she plays with... and she keeps her toys longer- they are growing with her. She received a Princess Ariel crown to go with her dress, a numbers matching game, four princess books, a DVD, a grandma and brother doll to go with her dollhouse (she was very excited about this becomes she has her own "Mimi" now)... plus some stickers and dry erase markers to go with her most wanted present thus far- an art easel. She insists on doing art daily and she especially loves to "color" on dry erase boards... so now she has her own space to do it all! We also received several phone calls from her favorite people... she loves when she can talk on the phone :) She has said for several weeks now that she wanted a pink cake... so this afternoon she helped me make her pink birthday cake with sprinkles of course. It was very tasty too... she loves to bake! All in all, I think Miss Peighton had a fabulous birthday well suited for a wonderful three year old :)

Baby Update

Well I am almost to the finish line... 36 1/2 weeks today... about 3 weeks left to go!! Hopefully, he wont make me wait till then but now its just a waiting game... I'm getting very anxious to meet the little guy... cannot wait to see what he looks like... ahh! I'm going to be so in love :) I can't wait to see Peighton's reaction to him... I know she is going to be a great big sister!! I am hoping these next three weeks go by fast... I am over being pregnant and ready to feel "normal" as soon as possible. I had my doctor's appointment today... and not too much to report... he has dropped and his head is in a good position... and there is some softening but I have not dilated any... his heartbeat is good and I measured at 36 cm. I was a bit annoyed to discover that I don't have another doctor's appointment till February 8th even though I should be seen every week from now on; but there were no available appointments and since I am not a high risk patient I just have to wait till then to be seen again. I guess it doesn't bother me that much considering I know if I have any problems or concerns they would see me if need be; however I'll just be in the dark about how I am progressing for another two weeks... and in two weeks a lot can change! Maybe I'll get luck and I wont have to go on the 8th because he will already have arrived :) The doctor did say to expect him early due to the fact that Peighton was over a week early and subsequent babies tend to follow the same pattern... let's just hope he isn't as BIG as his sister was! I think that's why I want him to come early so he can't pack on the pounds :)

Revision

Just wanted to let y'all know that I have his address and have posted it on the blog! I'm sure Brandon will love whatever is sent to him... little reminders of home :)

One Full Week down :)

Yay!! We survived our first week of this deployment... it seemed some days dragged on and then again I can't believe its already been over a week since Brandon left. Time really does fly by in the grand scheme of things :) I am happy to report that he has arrived at his final destination at FOB Salerno and is adjusting well. He has already been busy at work transitioning and preparing with the unit to take over come February. Brandon says that its not too bad there... reminds him of Fort Irwin and Fort Huachuca... very desert like with lots of mountains around him and the weather so far has been sunny and nice. He seems in high spirits and making the most of it! We are very lucky that he is MI and will be staying right there on the FOB... that fact has been a real stress reliever for me especially! He is also lucky enough to have his very own room... they are staying in buildings that are divided into about six rooms... I know he will be more comfortable when he is able to get his action packer with all his creature comforts he had sent over there earlier. We are also very fortunate that he has Internet access right there in his room... that is going to be so nice :) The pros keep getting better... he has been able to call daily so far and even Peighton has been able to talk with him. I don't know what we'd do without modern technology... its been a true blessing!!

I still don't have an address for him yet... but as soon I get one I will be sure to pass it along. I am sure he would love to start getting stuff in the mail especially some goodies!! I can also let y'all know any specifics of what he might need or like. There is small PX there... but with thousands of others soldiers using it ... there quantity and selection can get limited! Plus, I love being able to spoil him even 8000 miles away :)

Peighton and I are doing fine... trying to keep ourselves in good spirits... more me than her... as children will react to how we feel. We are keeping busy... her going to preschool helps keep us in routine and makes the time go by. Just think it wont be long before I am posting a one month update :)

Update!

It seems like a lot has happened since my last post... just a week ago. It has been one of those weeks!! Brandon left for Afghanistan early this week... a few delays but he is almost there. He is in a transition spot there in the country and should be arriving at the FOB later on this week. We have been adjusting as best as can be expected... Peighton just thinks he is at work still... which technically he is... just 8000 miles away :( I have received a few emails from him as well as a couple of phone calls which have made the week so much better. Communication should be more convient once he reaches the FOB... I should also be getting his address soon which I will pass along to y'all. He seems to be doing well... adjusting to his new environment and getting use to the massive time change. He is 10 1/2 hours ahead of us... so for most of y'all that would be only 9 1/2 hours. We still aren't sure whether he will be allowed to come home when the baby comes or if he will just be taking an early R&R... which will probably be in April. Just continue to keep him in your thoughts and prayers as well as the rest of the unit. I am so PROUD of my soldier!!

Now for the latest on miss Peighton... she has done fairly well since Brandon's leaving... her age has been a blessing because she is not old enough yet to understand... and we just got done with a nine month separation while he was away at school so in some regards she knows no different. We started potty training her last weekend... serious training... like only panties during the day... and she has done REMARKABLE :) I knew she could master it... and all before her 3rd birthday. She has had minor accidents and she has even pooped on the potty for the past couple of days. Peighton will even go when we are out and she went at school this week as well as staying dry!! YAY :) I am so excited... I really did NOT want to have to deal with two kiddos in diapers and I knew she was smart enough to catch on. I was worried she might regress with Brandon being gone but she has continued on... and I am so proud of her. Let's cross her fingers she will not regress with the arrival of the new baby... but I know if I stay on her and keep working with her she will not even be phased by it. Its so NICE not changing her diaper anymore :)

Well that has been our week... we have a quiet week coming up then its busy, busy for us for awhile... oh yeah and only about 4 weeks till baby is due!!

Snow Pics

Peighton all bundled up... she loved it though!

Driving her jeep through the snow in the backyard :)

It was so pretty, but after a bit it was just cold!

Brandon & Peighton with the snowman they made... haha!

I am happy to say that after three days of snowing on and off... the sun finally came out today! The snow has melted away but it is still bitter cold out there... high for the day still in the 20's. We are looking forward to later in the week when it warms up to a mere 40... but at least it will be above freezing :)

Snow Day :)

Today, we woke up to snow!!! It was very exciting to see a white blanket covering everything... it has been snowing on and off throughout the day as well. Brandon still had to go to work today... and even Peighton's preschool was still open, but we opted to stay home and enjoy the warmth of indoors :) Pete (our dog) did not like the snow too much... he has barely left our front yard to go to the bathroom then its right back in... I don't think he likes the cold or snow on his paws... he is more a warm weather dog!

Yesterday, I had my 34 week OB doctor's visit. Baby is doing fine... he is measuring about a week ahead... and he is no longer breech... she did an ultrasound and he is head down! Peighton was able to see her baby brother on the monitor... he looks like he might have a big head like her... haha :) So we are still aiming for the 20th of February but not to be surprised if he is a week early... I'm ready whenever he is. Just about a month left to go... I head back to the doctor on the 25th of January... then every week after that!

We are fortunate that Brandon is still here... he has not left yet... the date was pushed back due to flight scheduling. Its a bit annoying to get yourself set for one day and it be pushed back to a later date... and we still aren't sure on the current date. But we've been blessed and will take any extra days we can have with him :) I will be using this blog to keep y'all updated on him while he is over there... including his address and any updates he sends me. Just keep him as well all the others that over there in your thoughts and prayers as well their families... we can't wait till the countdown for him to come home begins :)

Christmas 09 Pics

Riding in her new Jeep at Mimi's & Papa's

Peighton must have been a very good girl this year!

Our house all decorated for Christmas :)

Holiday Recap

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Year's. I know we surely did... well for the most part :) This was a very exciting Christmas for Peighton... its the first year that she actually got it... she understood what Santa was all about and what was going to happen. So needless to say, presents were bought without her knowledge and not placed under the tree until Christmas Eve... ensuring the Santa fantasy. We had decided to stay at our house for Christmas morning this year since we never have before and also since Brandon wont be able to spend the holidays with us next year. So our plan was to have Christmas at our house then wake up early the next morning and head to Summerville for a couple of days. It was too funny that morning... it was almost like Peighton forgot all about it... she came down the stairs and straight to our room (like any other morning)... she asked for her shows and milk... then when we walked into the living room and she saw the tree with presents she remembered and was like oh, santa came! Then she was all excited :) She was even a very cautious unwrapper... making sure all the paper was off of her presents. It was hard to keep her focused... each present she wanted to play with right then... she didn't understand that she could unwrap them all and go back and play. Luckily, she only had the presents that we got her under the tree.. and it didn't take too long... about 20 minutes total I believe. Then of course, we had to open them all and take them out of their boxes to play with them!! Peighton must have been a very good girl this year (as usual) because Santa left her some very good presents :)

The rest of the day wasn't as peachy due to Brandon got sick early that morning and stayed sick the rest of the day :( So we didn't get the Christmas dinner... I wasn't going to cook up a big storm just for no one to eat it... thus, Peighton and I ate chicken nuggets and macaroni & cheese... at least we can say we had each other :) Other than that... it was a perfect day... we all went to bed early because there was a 4 am wake up call for us to get on the road! We ended up getting on the interstate about 530ish... and had an uneventful drive down with minimal traffic problems... which is always nice! We arrived about 5pm and Peighton got to do Christmas again with all of my family... Santa must have thought she was an exceptionally good girl because she got lots of goodies :) We had a wonderful time... eventhough it was a short visit... I think we got in all that we wanted to accomplish. We went to church Sunday morning... Brandon and I went out with Celeste, Dustin, Tim & Ashley on Sunday night. Monday was filled with some girl time... Peighton got her 3 year pictures taken... she did a good job even if she wouldn't crack a smile... the pictures still say Peighton!! We also managed some shopping that day :) Tuesday was our last day but not for Peighton. Brandon and I left Wednesday morning and Peighton stayed with Mimi and Papa until Friday when we picked her up in Atlanta. We had a good two days of just the two of us... and enjoyed New Year's Eve with dinner out!

We were truly blessed this year with all of the wonderful time spent with family & friends!! Brandon is off till Tuesday and we are looking forward to spending some last minute, quality time as a family :) I will be posting pictures very soon of the holiday adventures!!