Soon!!!!

Eric will be home SO soon. Due to OPSEC (Operations Security) I won't say the exact day, but soon!!! This morning, I went shopping with my little BFF (Carissa, duh!) and bought a new outift to wear when he comes home. I was getting so giddy. I'm like a schoolgirl! When I sit back and think about it, it is SUCH an amazing feeling. Usually the "butterflies" fade within months of dating. But, military spouses are lucky. We get to feel the butterflies a lot. After he is in the field for a week or month, when he gets back from deployment...it's remembering those beginning feelings all over again. When seeing him is the only thing you can think of. When he reaches across the front seat of the car on the way home from the 'Homecoming' and grabs my hand...Swoon!! I suppose I love him a little bit.

I am super excited for the kids to see him again. Carissa has grown so much, and Robert is such a big kid now! Eric is going to get such a kick out of them. Carissa walks around saying "hi dad, hi dad." I wonder what she will say when she actually sees him?!?! And Robert...well, there is only so much a Mom can do. He is getting older and needs his Dad more. I don't speak "football." Eric does.

Pictures and lots of excitement to come within the next week!! Check back!

03/24/2011        the day he left...

Carissa is ONE!!!

Yesterday our sweet baby girl turned ONE! I can not believe how quickly the past year has gone. It feels like just yesterday she entered the world. 9lbs, 2oz and 22inches long.

The moment I saw her, my heart tripled in size. She was here! And she had red hair!!! Throughout the past year, she has grown into a beautiful, funny little girl. She has her brother wrapped around her finger...and I suppose she has from Day 1!

AND her Daddy! I can just imagine the years of anxiety our sweet girl is going to give Eric!

Dear Carissa,
Happy Birthday pumpkin!! From the day I found out I was pregnant, I could just tell that you were a girl. I could FEEL it. And when the ultrasound confirmed what I already knew, I felt like I could explode with happiness. I was having a GIRL! I dreamt about meeting you. When I held you for the first time, I looked into your eyes and promised you that we would be best friends forever. And we are! Oh Carissa, I love nothing more than playing with you. You love to shop, to dress up...you love pretty things, and attention from anyone you meet. You love your brother "bob" and your puppy "bow bow." You blow kisses and give hugs. You have filled my heart with so much joy. The love between a mother and daughter is indescribable. I am your biggest fan, and I promise I always will be. You are going to grow up to be such a smart, beautiful girl...and I know that you will always stay as sweet as can be. Mommy and Daddy are so incredibly blessed to be your parents. Thank you for choosing us as your family. I love you princess C!

to the moon and back,
Mommy

Happy 6th Birthday to Robert

My baby boy isn't a baby anymore. Today he turned six! SIX! I remember bringing him home from the hospital like it was yesterday. I remember having him like it was yesterday. Every year, I tell him my labor story. I obviously leave out all of the grossness that labor and delivery brings, but I start at the night before, and the excitement Eric and I felt, heading to the hospital. I always tell him that I asked Eric to run into Wawa and grab me bubble gum and mints. And Eric walked out of the store with bubblemint gum, because he was in such a rush! I tell Robert about the nurses, and how Eric fell asleep when I had my pitocin drip started. And I always get a giggle out of the fact that he swallowed a bit of meconium. "Ewww! I ate poo??" Yes, sweetheart, you did.

My entire life changed for the better that day. My world made sense. My heart grew bigger than I knew it could. I was in love...and still am.

Dear Robert,
Happy Birthday, buddy! I can not believe that you are six years old already! Thank you for making Mommy smile everyday. From the moment I found out you were in my belly, I talked to you, I dreamed of you. We have been through a lot together, you and I. It was just us for awhile through two deployments and endless schools and training that Daddy did. But, with you by my side, it was hard for me to ever feel lonely. Your smile always lifted me up...made me laugh when I wanted to cry. You have always been more than a child to me, you have been my best friend. I enjoy nothing more than watching a movie with you, taking walks with you, and just talking together. You are so smart, so kind to your friends. You are a wonderful big brother to Carissa. Nothing makes her happier, than when she plays with her "Bob."
Mommy and Daddy love you very, very much. We are so blessed to be your parents. Thank you for picking us! Happy Birthday, sweetheart.

moon and back,
Mommy

thoughts throughout the week(s)

I think it is safe to say that I am officially a terrible blogger. I forget about it all of the time. And for some reason, I feel like I can only blog at night. Not the case. I am pretty sure I could blog in the morning and the world wouldn't end. With that being said, let me catch you up...

1.    Robert started First Grade!!!!

So far, he loves it. He really enjoys school. He comes home everyday with new stories to tell me. I hope that never changes.

2.    Eric will be home in ONE month! WooHoo! I can not believe how fast the past six months have gone. It's crazy. I can't wait for him to see the kids. They have grown so much. They miss their daddy, and I miss my best friend!

3.    Robert will be 6 years old on Tuesday. Carissa will be one in two weeks. I will be 28 in a week. EEK!

4.    Have you ever seen a more beautiful baby??

5.    I decorated for fall. This is our Scarecrow Family.

6.    I have been shopping for fall and winter clothes for Carissa. o.m.g. It is SO fun. Winter clothes for a soon to be 1 year old may just be the cutest things ever. You know what Winter means? Uggs. Carissa in Uggs. 'Nuff said.

7.    The best photographer on Earth is taking "Cake Smash" pics next week for Carissa's first birthday pictures. This is her hair flair for the shoot.

She's a fancy little girl...what can I say?

8.    Robert is still LOVING football. He'll be bummed when it's over


So, that's about all that is happening. I promise to get better at the blogging. (I say that in every post, don't I?)

Labor Day weekend

Holiday weekends are SO much fun. I used to dread them when Eric was gone, but I'm so over that. I need to make them fun for the kids...and me, too! So, this weekend has been great so far. Yesterday was pretty low-key. Football game in the morning. (Don't ask, Robert is NOT happy...26-0, the other team. Shhhh! Don't tell him I told you!!) And then we went to the pool in the afternoon. Last night, I let Robert stay up late to wait for Eric to call, so we made this concoction.

It was caramelized bananas, almond slivers and chocolate chips inside a puff pastry shell. omg. Delicious. As you can see, they didn't last long.

Today, we went to the beach in the morning! It was great. Sunny, blue skies, high waves. The kids had a blast playing in the sand and the water. Carissa ate some sand. A seagull ate Roberts lunchable...good times had by all.

This afternoon, we ventured out once again...this time to Mission Trails Regional Park. It is about three minutes from our house, and beautiful. We did an easy hike.

And the BIGGEST news of all today....

Carissa Grace is 11 months old!!!

Our sweet baby is now FULLY walking...saying a bunch of words "mama, dada, bob, duck, hi," signing "milk" "all done" and "eat," still nursing, but eating three full meals a day as well as snacks. Her favorite foods right now are watermelon, broccoli and ground turkey. I can not believe that she will be a year old next month. Where has the time gone?

Robert starts first grade on Tuesday. Tomorrow is Labor Day. We are hoping to relax and spend our last day of summer vacation having fun! Maybe back to the beach??

Look out for a special 'First Day of School' post on Tuesday!!!



thoughts throughout the week

What a week it has been already...and it's only Tuesday. Here are some of last week and this weeks happenings..

1.    Robert is loving football. He practices hard and crashes even harder! The Cougars won their first game 26-0 and lost their second 12-6. The second game was lost in the last TWO seconds. Such a bummer for the boys. But, they looked great and had fun...and really, that's all that matters.

2.    School starts next week. This has been the quickest summer of my life. Poor Robert barely had a summer. Between VBS and then football practice and karate, he hasn't had an actual day off. Besides the weekends. Crazy.

3.    I am in love. Yes, of course with my husband. And kids. And dog. But I have found a new love as well...Pinterest. OMG. So addictive. But, way better than playing cheesy games. I am not a game player. But I LOVE pinboards. This is right up my alley.

4.    I haven't been sleeping well. At all. I lay awake and just think and think. I hate it. I need sleep. I've been making an afternoon pot of coffee to get through the day. Oh well, this shall pass.

5.    I'm ready for October. Ready for cooler weather, for pumpkin flavored things...but most of all, I am ready for Eric to come home. I miss him. I LOVE fall. I am going all out this year. I love to decorate the house in pumpkins and berries and scarecrows.

Here's hoping for a good week...and some sleep!

watch out world...she's on the move!!

Carissa walks!! She has been taking a few steps here and there for the past two weeks, but yesterday she seemed to have got it down. She still likes to crawl, and be carried, but she knows what she is doing. I think she'll walk when she feels like it, crawl when she doesn't. Obviously, I am beyond proud of her. I sent videos to Eric, who is also very proud of our little girl. I can't wait until he gets home so that C can show off her skills!

Here she goes...