Home sick

Now that I have my tickets home, and now that I am going home I am getting SUPER homesick! I keep day dreaming about all of the places I want to go, and the food I want to eat, and the people I want to see. I'm so excited to be able to go to Concert in the Park, and to celebrate Gryphon's first birthday with our family and friends. Not to mention we'll be in town for Jon's brother's (Luke) 30th (?) birthday and my mom's __ birthday!

I'm also extremely nervous to fly, alone with a one year old. That's right when Gryphon and I come home he will be one! We have one seat for the two of us....he can't stand to sit still for longer than 3 seconds! I'm not sure how he's going to handle two planes and a 3 hour layover. I'm not sure how I'm going to handle it. I don't think I'll be drinking anything before the second, and longest, flight; the idea of leaving Gryph in the seat while I go to the bathroom or trying to fit both of us in the airplane bathroom seems a little rediculous.

Fortunatly for me, a good friend is flying with her one year old this week. I'm hoping to benefit from her experiences.

OH HAPPY NIGHT!

So 2 months ago I had to stop nursing Gryphon....it was a very hard and sad time for me. I had always thought that I would nurse my baby to his first birthday, if not longer. My milk production slowed drastically after the "Mad Dash" cross country drive from SD to Goose Creek. I was giving Gryph more bottles than I wanted because it was easier and faster to bottle feed him in the car. If I oculd do it all over I would never have given him formula, I would have waited for my milk to come in, and had a cranky baby for a few days. (Now I know for next time)

So when Gryph turned 7 months, I had to stop nursing him.
TONIGHT I was getting into the shower and noticed some milk plugs (I'm not going to explain for those of you who don't know, it's kinda TMI). So I decided to clean them out, and as I was squeezing....Milk came out! So I took my shower, and I felt let down (not sad).... I decided to try to express after I got out of the shower.
I was successful.... well sort of. I got enough out from each side to cover the bottom of a bottle. That bottle is now in the fridge with water in it to keep the milk from going sour over night. Tomorrow Gryphon is getting some of mommy's goodness with his morning bottle!!

I am so excited. I felt like a failure as a mom when I had to stop nursing him early. Now I feel better.

This story made me want to cry.

It's crap like this that makes me sick! When a father can't play outside without worrying that he's going to be robbed and killed! What the hell is wrong with people, that they attack a man in front of his 5 yr old daughter!!!!
This story along with the kid who shot his friend, the kid who shot his dad's pregnant girlfriend, the kid that shot his dad........all these horrible stories are in the news and people still think that the government shouldn't make it harder to get guns???? It makes me so sad and mad.

http://www.counton2.com/cbd/news/local/article/north_charleston_man_shot_while_playing_outside_with_daughter/21641/

Things I want to do in my life-- My Bucket list

In no particular order here are some of the things I want to do in my life...

Volunteer regularly
Write poetry, again
Learn how banking/ financial stuff works (seriously I have no clue about money related things)
Live in Japan!!!! (this is in the top 10, maybe even top 5)
Have another baby
Feel good about myself, for longer than an hour.
Be the person that remembers to send birthday cards to friends.
Take my kids camping and backpacking often
Be a positive influence in people's lives.
Play soccer again
Learn to quilt
Learn to sew
Learn to knit- I would love to make my own scarves,and baby blankets
Work out regularly
Live in Hawaii
Build our dream house
Go para-gliding
Have the house all my kids' friends want to hang out at!
Have the house my friends want to hang out at
Maintain my oldest friendships
Be strong enough when I have to be
Read a new book every month

There are more things, I can't think of them right now. I'm working on some, others will take a while, others I will constantly have to work on.
What's on your list? (maybe I can steal them)

A little life update

So far I've used this blog to vent... mostly. So here's an update on what's been going on with us.

Gryph- (he's the most interesting)
Last Sunday he got sick, his first real illness. For 4 days his temp hovered between 102.7 and 104.2, we went to urgent care twice (once doctor didn't even notice he was a boy!), and the ER once (they were very helpful). Jon and I have had to pun Gryph down every day, twice a day for the last 4 days to give him antibiotics...we finally realized it was much easier to put it in his bottle with his formula.
He is nearly 10 months old! Is crawling like a champ, and creeping around the furniture...he's been very daring and will hold on to a chair with his finger tips and reach out with the other hand to get to a table or toy. He's even stood on his own for a few seconds!!! Which is very exciting, but also very scary. Finally he's getting the hang of walking while holding onto our hands! To brag a little more, I think we played roll the ball for the first time yesterday.

Jon- I shared that he graduated with Honors last week, now he's in a holding pattern called T-Track. He's waiting to "class-up" and for his security clearance to come through. Hopefully they happen at the same time. Jon's made a really close friend Scass, who we have adopted into our family. Gryphon loves him to pieces, he cried the last time he saw Scass leave!

Me- nothing really changes with me. I love being at home, but am looking to explore our area and find new things for Gryph and I to do. I've made one really amazing friend, and a few other good friends. If it weren't for these people I'm pretty sure I would be insanely home sick. I'm growing into my role as a Navy Wife, a relatively smooth transition from Navy Kid. I've had several "Navy Wife" experiences, things I remember my mom and her friends talking about. Late night calls, running friends to the clinic with a sick kid, play groups, late nights laughing and enjoying a glass or two of wine, last minute baby sitting, etc. It may not seem like much to you, but it fills my heart!

The best news I have right now is that Gryphon and I will be able to celebrate his birthday in San Diego. We're going to be home May 19-27!

Pick a lane!!

I need to vent!
Everyone says that California and New York drivers are the worst... obviously they've never driven in South Carolina.
Every time I go out and drive off base I see at least one person driving half in their lane and half in my lane. EVERY TIME! Ok so, some times they're riding the hash marks, but more often than not their wheels are fully in a second lane.
How oblivious, or drunk, or dumb do you have to be to not realize or care where your car is on the road?!
Arrrrrrrrgh!

So proud!

Jon has been in A school, the first part of his schooling to become a Nuclear Electronics Technicion for the Navy, for the past 6 months. The hours have been long, the program intense, and the information fast paced and very challenging. Yesterday (2/9/09) Jon took his final Comprehensive test, or "Comp" for A school. He PASSED with HONORS! That means his score was 3.6 or higher (his was higher!)
I am just bursting with pride! He worked his butt off, and had obligations outside of school that none of this classmates had (have). He was the only married guy in the class until Christmas break and he is the only father! He managed to balance his insane work load and his family life!
I'm so proud.

Just thought I'd share!