Wordless Wednesday: On it's way to Afghanistan

Random about Me's!

1) Do you prefer taking a shower or a bath?
I'm sure most of my fellow mothers can agree that a bath is idealistic now a days. Every once in a while I enjoy a good bath, but showers leave more time in the day for other things.

2) What jewelry do you wear on a daily basis?
I always have my wedding rings and Tiffany's bracelet on. I carry Matt's dog tag on my keys so I rotate wearing his dog tag with other necklaces. As proud I am of him, it gets repetitive to answer everyone's questions when they see it.

3) Have you read any good books lately?
Just finished "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" and working on "Three Cups of Tea." Both excellent reads! I am always looking for another good book, so your suggestions are welcome!

4) What’s the oldest item in your closet?
Well considering I just had to buy all new clothes last spring thanks to shedding the baby weight but not quite fitting into my teeny bopper clothes, I'd have to see my Reef sandals. They are 4 years old now! I think next summer I need to invest in a new pair.

5) What toppings do you put on your popcorn?
I don't eat popocorn so that's an easy one! Can't stand feeling it stuck in my teeth!

6) Does your house have stairs?
My parents house does yes, 2 actually. but the house we are looking at in TN won't. YAY for less baby proofing!

7) Are you a morning person or a night person?
Neither really. I enjoying doing things in the morning, working out, shopping, I feel more accomplished, but I enjoy my nights that are all to myself!

8) What’s the healthiest decision you made today?
Going to the gym! And my new eating plan! Counting calories was a lot scarier than I thought it would be! You really have no idea what you're consuming until you count servings and add those calories up! Makes you much more conscious of what goes in your mouth!

8. If you were a shoe, what shoe would you be and why?
I don't think I can really answer this one because I feel like I take on so many roles! The wife part of me wants to be a 4 inch red patent leather stiletto, the mom in me wants to be a pair of monkey slippers, the athlete in me wants to be a pair of running shoes.



9. What talent do you wish you had? Would you pursue learning or brushing up on that talent now?
I wish I was musically inclined. My husband is and I have this little fantasy of having a little family band!


10. What is your fondest childhood memory?

Summers on the Cape.


11. What is your favorite song? What lyrics strike you the most?

Okay this is the most unfair question ever, but as far as a classic, I'd go with "Don't Stop Believing" I am a big Journey junkie!

12. If you could go back in any period of time before you were born, where would you go, what would you do?
Roaring 20's, for sure. Right before the great depression hit. The Great Gatsby is one of my all time favorite books.


13. Who is your role model?
Another hard one. I'd have to say my fellow milspouses who are the definition of strong and dedicated to their marriages even while their spouse is halfway across the world.



14. Pick a scar. Tell us it's story.
On my arm. Bar fight. My first and some idiot was stealing our drinks and when someone said something to him, he swung at her, so I grabbed him and he threw a glass at me. Luckily he missed and I only got cut by a piece.




15. If you had no computer, tv, or phone for a whole day (YIKES!) what would you do with yourself?
Skip-Bo. Hubs and I were TV less for a couple weeks last year and we just played cards, read, and talked. It was actually really nice. He wants to not get a TV right away when he gets back so we can spend "genuine family time".

Early Intervention

I am truly blessed to have delivered a perfectly healthy baby boy and I never forget that. I know not everyone is as lucky as I am and I count my blessings everyday. So far, we haven't discovered any major allergies, aliments, or injuries. However, I felt that he wasn't talking as much as most almost 18 month olds are. I try my very hardest not to compare him because babies do things at their own pace the first few years of their lives, but I felt uncomfortable and luckily my pediatrician took my concerns to heart and recommend he be evaluated by Early Intervention to easy my worries and to help him progress.

I was pleasantly suprised how quickly he was able to get into the program. I called immediately after his appointment (a Friday) and was called back Tuesday to set up the intial meeting. They came the following day! I was very nervous because I didn't want them judging my baby but the first meeting was mostly paperwork, getting background information, and lots of signatures. We set up an appointment for his actual assessment for the following week.

The assessment was a bit difficult for me because he was not doing ANYTHING they wanted him to do in true Shane fashion and I knew he could do the things asked of him. He was ready for his nap so that may have contributed to his lack of interest or the fact that out of the 3 ladies here, he had only met one of them before. I was shocked to see that he scored right on age for verbal but they scored him at 10 and 12 months for two other categories (one was fine motor skills and the other had to do with his interest level). Because he was 30% delayed (he'd have to be at 12 months for any of the sections to be eligible) we were eligible for services. (Side note: his fine motor skills are totally fine. He can stick my car key in my ignition and use a fork. He was just not having the game one of the ladies was trying to do with him)

Yesterday we developed his ISVP, which is basically goals and deadlines for both Shane and I. They gave me a list of resources that were available to me which included a tot time for Shane and a Mommy's group for me. Right now they are going to come work with him at least twice a week at home, more if we need it.

These are the goals I set:

Learn 10 new words in 3 months.
Develop an stronger attachment to daddy's voice/picture to help to form a healthy social/emotional bond
Help him to communicate better with me to avoid tantrums.


In addition to the regular home visits, I am receiving sign language classes, stress management classes, and financial planning classes! I was amazed that this program has so much to offer me and not just little man! But the more I think about it, this is really a family assignment. Shane can't be learning these things without me helping him so I need to be as equipped as I possibly can be. And the fact they provide these wonderful services to me for FREE makes the icing on the cake that much sweeter.

Heaven.

Wordless Wednesday

You make me smile ♥

Okay, I have to do one of those posts. The ones where you gush about your husband. What can I say? He's pretty freaking amazing.

Matt recently switched companies. He was attached to a forward support company as an infantryman which I knew as soon as he came home and told me, was not going to be good. Not to sound like a snot (and I'm not an infantryman) but infantry guys have a certain level to which they like to perform and they have a way of doing things not all other MOS's understand. Just from being at this new company for a week, I have seen SUCH a change in him. He is happy, he feels like is part of a brotherhood, he feels included and that makes for a happier husband and happier wife. I hated hearing himself be down on himself or have something crappy happen. Deployments are tough as it is and he was miserable being away from us and miserable in that company. It has been night and day.

I cannot use the word "proud" enough. I am SO proud of my husband, of his battalion and of his brigade. They have done amazing things in the areas they have been controlling while they have been there and have gained some really positive attention from some pretty important people. Matt made a decision to go to this unit for the opportunity to deploy again. And while having him deployed hasn't been a walk in the park for me, he is doing what he wanted to do and all I can be is supportive. Keep things together on the home front so he has nothing to worry about but the mission. Raising Shane has been a challenge but he is such a great kid and I was thrilled to know that Matt really appreciated everything I've done and that I'd been doing a good job with him. This is my first time raising a child so it's foreign territory for me and more of a challenge than I had expected. But I love being a mom and he is so worth it!

We are in the home stretch of this deployment (only 3-4 months left!!!) and while his new mission doesn't thrill me, I am confident in him as a soldier and NCO and the guys that he's with. I will be moving back (depending his redeployment date) in about 2.5 months so I can set up house and get some of my sanity back. We are on the waiting list for housing so I am praying that a house will be available when we need it. I don't want to have to sign a lease anywhere.

So that's it for now. I love that husband of mine and I can't wait to have my "mountain ninja" home.

Flashback Friday

Since Matt and I will be celebrating 6 years being together in a few weeks (we officially began dating October 5, 2004) I figured I'd share some of the beginning of our journey together.



Old school. Superbowl 2004. Pats won. He had facial hair.