After basking in the glow our first "sort of back to normal" school week I was awoken with a HUGE slap in the face, well it wasn't that huge but a ridiculous wake up call at 5:15 from Jack was just rude. Not only was it rude, he was beyond cranky. If you haven't experienced it, let me warn you that a 2 year old who wakes up cranky isn't pretty, because not only is he in a cranky bad 2 year old mood, he tends to also wake everyone else up putting them in bad moods too! Add to that, Rory making a horrific sounding cough and complaining almost in tears of a sore throat....yeah, all before a cup of a coffe...guess who is in a bad mood now!
Off to the Doctor office by 8:15, 2 out of 3 kids cultured and now all 3 are screaming and crying...what's a mom to do?? Go home and give them all oreos at 9am. Not my proudest moment, but there isn't anymore screaming and now I have stopped crying too.
It's the days like these when I hate deployments the most. Yes I know they are a fact of our life, I'm not complaining about that. It's just easier when your husband is here with you to help you through it, and it's 100 times harder when you are missing part of the team. I never want to say anything to Bryan about how it's really going over here, because how fair is that? It's not like he can make it any better, and he has other things he needs to be focused on. We are 6 months in and we have a little less than 6 months to go, so I'm going to have a pity party for one..and I'll be done with it at 12:01am Tuesday morning...
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Friday, February 11, 2011
Did that really just happen??
Have we just completed 5 consecutive days where kids went to school??? What?? No wonder I'm feeling at little unsettled. This feat hasn't been accomplished since late last year! Am I being slightly dramatic about this?? Perhaps, but you have not been in my house, so there!
The funny thing is, here I am all excited about this, knowing that we'll get through another 5 days of a "normal" schedule again next week, and then we're right back to square one...damn you President's Day!
Oh well, I'm sitting here and enjoying the quiet, planning the activities for the upcoming weekend, and praying that all 3 kids stay in their own beds until at least 5:45 tomorrow morning...I'm a simple girl you know!
The funny thing is, here I am all excited about this, knowing that we'll get through another 5 days of a "normal" schedule again next week, and then we're right back to square one...damn you President's Day!
Oh well, I'm sitting here and enjoying the quiet, planning the activities for the upcoming weekend, and praying that all 3 kids stay in their own beds until at least 5:45 tomorrow morning...I'm a simple girl you know!
Sunday, February 6, 2011
A break up letter to Winter
Dear Winter,
I'm sorry to say that it is time for us to go our separate ways. We had a nice time when we were happy, we had our first snow fall, the kids loved it. We had a magical Christmas Eve snowfall, and a perfect Christmas with Bryan home from Iraq. It was January 2 of the New Year that things began going south for us...
Bryan returned to Iraq, the kids tried to get back into the school routine, but it just wasn't working. We had illnesses, temper tantrums, and too many days of being stuck in the house. I've spent far too much time with the shovel, and not enough time sledding, building snowmen and making snow angels.
Yes, we've had good times, like lots of fun with our neighbors commiserating about the shoveling and the ridiculous amount of snow days that the kids have had. We have shared meals and bits of sanity, all while the kids have fun wild to get out the aggravation of not being able to play outside because it is -10 degrees outside. Bryan and I were also able to share a wonderful weekend together to reconnect and recharge mid-deployment, but was it really necessary to slap me in the face upon my return home with a blizzard and 3 home bound snow days???
Let's be adult about this, and just appreciate what our time together was, and move on.
Thank you..
P.S. The ice dam on my roof causing the water to leak onto my living room ceiling was a rather childish way to get back at me for breaking up with you.
I'm sorry to say that it is time for us to go our separate ways. We had a nice time when we were happy, we had our first snow fall, the kids loved it. We had a magical Christmas Eve snowfall, and a perfect Christmas with Bryan home from Iraq. It was January 2 of the New Year that things began going south for us...
Bryan returned to Iraq, the kids tried to get back into the school routine, but it just wasn't working. We had illnesses, temper tantrums, and too many days of being stuck in the house. I've spent far too much time with the shovel, and not enough time sledding, building snowmen and making snow angels.
Yes, we've had good times, like lots of fun with our neighbors commiserating about the shoveling and the ridiculous amount of snow days that the kids have had. We have shared meals and bits of sanity, all while the kids have fun wild to get out the aggravation of not being able to play outside because it is -10 degrees outside. Bryan and I were also able to share a wonderful weekend together to reconnect and recharge mid-deployment, but was it really necessary to slap me in the face upon my return home with a blizzard and 3 home bound snow days???
Let's be adult about this, and just appreciate what our time together was, and move on.
Thank you..
P.S. The ice dam on my roof causing the water to leak onto my living room ceiling was a rather childish way to get back at me for breaking up with you.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Big Steps and Letting Go
Brendan hit a big milestone today, and he did it in the most wonderfully subtle way.
Lately Brendan has been REALLY walking...no more scooting as his preferred mode of transportation, and it is so incredible to see how proud he is of his accompishments!
The milestone came this afternoon as Brendan, Jack and I were running into the Commissary to pick up a few things for dinner and it had just started to rain, so when I got the boys out of the car my natural instinct is to pick up both of them and carry them through the parking lot in order to get out of the rain. Once we got to the covered area in front of the store I put Brendan down and grabbed his hand and off we went. Then it happened. He let go. He let go and he brushed my hand away. He brushed it away again, and he walked away, all by himself.
To anyone walking by, it was a typical 3 year old wanting to do it all by himself, I don't need to hold your hand mom. To me, this was Brendan doing it all by himself, and I didn't need to hold his hand.
Lately Brendan has been REALLY walking...no more scooting as his preferred mode of transportation, and it is so incredible to see how proud he is of his accompishments!
The milestone came this afternoon as Brendan, Jack and I were running into the Commissary to pick up a few things for dinner and it had just started to rain, so when I got the boys out of the car my natural instinct is to pick up both of them and carry them through the parking lot in order to get out of the rain. Once we got to the covered area in front of the store I put Brendan down and grabbed his hand and off we went. Then it happened. He let go. He let go and he brushed my hand away. He brushed it away again, and he walked away, all by himself.
To anyone walking by, it was a typical 3 year old wanting to do it all by himself, I don't need to hold your hand mom. To me, this was Brendan doing it all by himself, and I didn't need to hold his hand.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
R&R Recap
So many wonderful things happened while Bryan was home on leave, but mostly we had fun reconnecting, as Rory would say "Our family all back together."!
Some highlights:
*Rory was thrilled that Daddy was there for her school Christmas Program.
*We celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary together.
*Rory took Daddy to lunch at school and was able to show him off to all her friends.
*We got a new car! I am finally a member of the minivan parade, and for all of the times that I swore I was NEVER going to be that mom, I can't tell you how much it has improved the quality of life in our family!
*We surprised the kids with a super fun mini family vacation at Great Wolf Lodge. It's still hard to tell who had the most fun, us or the kids!
*Christmas together as a family. Rory was beyond excited for this because Daddy not being home for Christmas was a huge thing for her, and she had a really hard time dealing with that, thankfully it was not her reality..he was here! She told us the day after Bryan came home that "I knew the Army was going to send him home for Christmas! Well, at least I hoped that they would, and they did!"
*Bryan took Rory for her first venture ice skating, and I'm afraid it's her last for a while. Poor Bryan was heartbroken when after she fell 2 seconds after she stepped on the ice, she went into a hysterical fit and declared "I don't ever want to ice skate again!" Poor Bryan, you would think that the Bruins just lost the Stanley Cup in triple overtime. Hopefully next year will be better!
*We visited a house all decked out for the holidays, and Rory was wondering when we were going to do the same thing at our house....hmmm....
*We prepared to ring in the New Year with a trip out for Chinese food, and of course our little celebration!
Then it was time to bottle all of those wonderful memories so that we can pull them out when we are missing Daddy, and then start planning for when he is home for good!
Some highlights:
*Rory was thrilled that Daddy was there for her school Christmas Program.
*We celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary together.
*Rory took Daddy to lunch at school and was able to show him off to all her friends.
*We got a new car! I am finally a member of the minivan parade, and for all of the times that I swore I was NEVER going to be that mom, I can't tell you how much it has improved the quality of life in our family!
*We surprised the kids with a super fun mini family vacation at Great Wolf Lodge. It's still hard to tell who had the most fun, us or the kids!
*Christmas together as a family. Rory was beyond excited for this because Daddy not being home for Christmas was a huge thing for her, and she had a really hard time dealing with that, thankfully it was not her reality..he was here! She told us the day after Bryan came home that "I knew the Army was going to send him home for Christmas! Well, at least I hoped that they would, and they did!"
*Bryan took Rory for her first venture ice skating, and I'm afraid it's her last for a while. Poor Bryan was heartbroken when after she fell 2 seconds after she stepped on the ice, she went into a hysterical fit and declared "I don't ever want to ice skate again!" Poor Bryan, you would think that the Bruins just lost the Stanley Cup in triple overtime. Hopefully next year will be better!
*We visited a house all decked out for the holidays, and Rory was wondering when we were going to do the same thing at our house....hmmm....
*We prepared to ring in the New Year with a trip out for Chinese food, and of course our little celebration!
Then it was time to bottle all of those wonderful memories so that we can pull them out when we are missing Daddy, and then start planning for when he is home for good!
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
The big surprise reveal!!!
The time had finally come, and all the pieces were falling into place for the big Christmas surprise! Bryan was coming home!!!!
We had known for a little bit that Bryan would be in Washington, DC for 10 days with his bosses for meetings to update everyone on how things were progressing in their neck of the woods. We didn't know if he was really going to be able to come home for Christmas from there. I never breathed a word of the possibility to Rory, because if it never happened I didn't have any idea how I was going to pick up the pieces of a very crushed little girl. Poor Rory has been having a hard time with Daddy gone, there are more good days than bad days, but the bad days are pretty bad. She couldn't get past the fact that when Daddy left in August that he wouldn't be home for Christmas, I remember the look on her little face the day before Bryan left and he had to answer her question about when he was coming home. Just breaks your heart.
Now, the day was here! Brendan and I were home from the tube surgery, he was cranky, uncomfortable, and only resting in my arms. Jack was being Jack and having fun! Mom had gone to pick Rory up from school, and as soon as they pulled in the driveway I picked up the phone and called Bryan to tell him to come home! (He had been at his brother Kevins house down the street since Kevin was able to get him from the airport.) Rory came home, Ann and Dave picked up and left just as our well choreographed plan had called for.
Rory and I were at the kitchen table doing her homework, as we did everyday, when I saw the car pull into the driveway, and the butterflies starting doing loops in my stomach. This is what happened..
Things I will never forget from this moment...
The poor look of utter confusion on Jack's face when he's trying to decipher who is Daddy and who is Uncle Kevin, and then him running to the refrigerator to look at the pictures of Daddy, then he comes back and it's all better!
Rory's quotes: "Our family is back together!" "It feels like a dream, but I know it isn't"
Brendan coming out of the post anesthia haze and tackling Bryan on the living room floor.
I always get a lump in my throat and crazy butterflies in my stomach when he comes home...I love him so much and was so happy to be back in his arms.
We had known for a little bit that Bryan would be in Washington, DC for 10 days with his bosses for meetings to update everyone on how things were progressing in their neck of the woods. We didn't know if he was really going to be able to come home for Christmas from there. I never breathed a word of the possibility to Rory, because if it never happened I didn't have any idea how I was going to pick up the pieces of a very crushed little girl. Poor Rory has been having a hard time with Daddy gone, there are more good days than bad days, but the bad days are pretty bad. She couldn't get past the fact that when Daddy left in August that he wouldn't be home for Christmas, I remember the look on her little face the day before Bryan left and he had to answer her question about when he was coming home. Just breaks your heart.
Now, the day was here! Brendan and I were home from the tube surgery, he was cranky, uncomfortable, and only resting in my arms. Jack was being Jack and having fun! Mom had gone to pick Rory up from school, and as soon as they pulled in the driveway I picked up the phone and called Bryan to tell him to come home! (He had been at his brother Kevins house down the street since Kevin was able to get him from the airport.) Rory came home, Ann and Dave picked up and left just as our well choreographed plan had called for.
Rory and I were at the kitchen table doing her homework, as we did everyday, when I saw the car pull into the driveway, and the butterflies starting doing loops in my stomach. This is what happened..
Things I will never forget from this moment...
The poor look of utter confusion on Jack's face when he's trying to decipher who is Daddy and who is Uncle Kevin, and then him running to the refrigerator to look at the pictures of Daddy, then he comes back and it's all better!
Rory's quotes: "Our family is back together!" "It feels like a dream, but I know it isn't"
Brendan coming out of the post anesthia haze and tackling Bryan on the living room floor.
I always get a lump in my throat and crazy butterflies in my stomach when he comes home...I love him so much and was so happy to be back in his arms.
Monday, December 27, 2010
What a day...
..what an incredible day...one for the record books!
This day, Thursday December 16, 2010 began at about 4:30 for me. This was the day that Brendan was to have his second set of ear tubes put in, and his adenoids taken out. His surgery was scheduled at 7am, which meant that we had to be there by 6am, and the hospital is about an hour away, so it was a very early morning! Luckily my parents were out visiting, so they were going to take care of getting Rory to school and keeping Jack entertained....that's a BIG job!
I woke Brendan up, well I wouldn't really say I woke him up, as much as I picked him up from his bed. This child was not at all interested in what was coming his way, and he was going to be less than thrilled that there was no breakfast involved either! We did a quick diaper change, got his jacket in, strapped in the car seat, and off we went!
We arrived right on time, when does that ever happen?? We did all the check in that we needed to, and then were called back to the pre op area. They were nice enough to let Brendan stay in his feety pajamas...and doesn't he look nice and comfy..
I was really hoping that this surgery was going to go as well as it did when he had his first set of tubes in 2 years ago, but I was preparing myself for the fact that it might not.
After all the pre-op work was done and all the questions were answered, we made that walk once again. I know that it was just a set of ear tubes and the removal of adenoids, not even close to hear surgery, but I still hate the walk. It's the walk to the operating room doors, where I have to kiss him goodbye and hand him over. It still makes my stomach drop....
About 30 minutes later, Dr. Christensen came out to the waiting room to talk to me. With a very reassuring smile on his face he told me that everything went well, but there were a few surprises...uh oh. First of all, one of Brendan's ear drums had burst from his last ear infection and it had failed to heal, and it didn't appear that it was going to heal, but that was a good thing in Brendan's case..no need for a tube there. In the other ear, the tube went in just fine, but it turned out that he had a severe ear infection in that ear. Nice, nothing like that news to make you feel like a horrible mother! He also said that his adenoids were really swollen so it was a good thing that they came out!
I was able to go back and be with him about 20 minutes after the surgery, and he was one very unhappy kiddo. I just held and rocked him and tried to make him feel better, but it just didn't seem to be working, until one of the nurses brought out a TV and put in a Dora video. The tears stopped almost immediately! tell me that Dora isn't magic!
About one hour after that we were on our way home...and what a surprise would be coming to our door later!
This day, Thursday December 16, 2010 began at about 4:30 for me. This was the day that Brendan was to have his second set of ear tubes put in, and his adenoids taken out. His surgery was scheduled at 7am, which meant that we had to be there by 6am, and the hospital is about an hour away, so it was a very early morning! Luckily my parents were out visiting, so they were going to take care of getting Rory to school and keeping Jack entertained....that's a BIG job!
I woke Brendan up, well I wouldn't really say I woke him up, as much as I picked him up from his bed. This child was not at all interested in what was coming his way, and he was going to be less than thrilled that there was no breakfast involved either! We did a quick diaper change, got his jacket in, strapped in the car seat, and off we went!
We arrived right on time, when does that ever happen?? We did all the check in that we needed to, and then were called back to the pre op area. They were nice enough to let Brendan stay in his feety pajamas...and doesn't he look nice and comfy..
I was really hoping that this surgery was going to go as well as it did when he had his first set of tubes in 2 years ago, but I was preparing myself for the fact that it might not.
After all the pre-op work was done and all the questions were answered, we made that walk once again. I know that it was just a set of ear tubes and the removal of adenoids, not even close to hear surgery, but I still hate the walk. It's the walk to the operating room doors, where I have to kiss him goodbye and hand him over. It still makes my stomach drop....
About 30 minutes later, Dr. Christensen came out to the waiting room to talk to me. With a very reassuring smile on his face he told me that everything went well, but there were a few surprises...uh oh. First of all, one of Brendan's ear drums had burst from his last ear infection and it had failed to heal, and it didn't appear that it was going to heal, but that was a good thing in Brendan's case..no need for a tube there. In the other ear, the tube went in just fine, but it turned out that he had a severe ear infection in that ear. Nice, nothing like that news to make you feel like a horrible mother! He also said that his adenoids were really swollen so it was a good thing that they came out!
I was able to go back and be with him about 20 minutes after the surgery, and he was one very unhappy kiddo. I just held and rocked him and tried to make him feel better, but it just didn't seem to be working, until one of the nurses brought out a TV and put in a Dora video. The tears stopped almost immediately! tell me that Dora isn't magic!
About one hour after that we were on our way home...and what a surprise would be coming to our door later!
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