"God is Love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him." - 1 Jn 4:16



Friday, December 31

Goals: Step 1 - Make 'Em Visible

Goals have been posted on the fridge - it's hard to ignore something when it's looking at you every time you walk by!

2011 Goals

Not 2,011 goals!

I don't think I've ever written a list of New Year's resolutions... and these aren't resolutions persay (something about that word just asks for you to break them!).  The last several months I've been working on re-prioritizing and making healthier choices.  This list is a concrete extension of those changes, something tangible and attainable so I have something specific to look forward to and celebrate.  So, without further ado, my 2011 Goals:

  1. Daily Quiet Time with God
  2. Memorize 26 Scriptures (that's one every 2 weeks)
  3. Continue participating in First Place for Health for the entire year
  4. Use up fridge foods before buying new ones
  5. Do something "new" with our daughter every week (art, field trip, whatever will work that week)
  6. Build and follow a realistic daily routine (Fly Lady)
  7. Schedule computer time so it doesn't take over my life!
  8. Start training for a Marathon (walking 5 miles by June, 10 by December)
  9. Make all gifts homemade
I'm terrible about saying I'll do something then not following through (even though I really want to!) so I'm holding myself accountable to this blog as a goal-tracker.  Wish me luck!

Do you have any goals - big or little, silly or serious, realistic or out-of-this-world - that you'll be working on this year?

Thursday, December 30

Curious

In case you haven't already figured it out, we (and by that I mostly mean me) are on the chewy end of the "crunchy" crowd.  We're willing to try something new as long as it's a) affordable and b) not going to cause undue inconvenience.  Generally we prefer to make lifestyle choices that will benefit the earth and our bodies as opposed to causing harm (seeing as how our bodies ARE temples for God).  Sometimes convenience just plain wins out.  We're not perfect, but we're learning :).

So, the most current point of curiosity for me: using oil as a skin cleanser.  The general gist is your skin generates oil as a protectant and moisturizer.  The problem comes in when your skin's pores get clogged up with dirt, grime, bacteria, and "old" oil.  Oil dissolves oil (yay for science class!) so it should make a fine cleanser.
I've looked up a variety of sites and of course each has its own suggestions for oils and oil mixtures.  The most affordable/viable (yay for a BX that has limited selection!) option for me at this time is probably olive oil and castor oil (if I can find it).

Something tells me husband will think I'm nuts, but at this point he's pretty well used to it.  The running record has been as long as I'm willing to do the bulk of the experimenting and it's not going to cause him problems, then he's cool with whatever tangent I care to explore.  He even jumps on the bandwagon on occassion!  Hopefully I can get all the experimenting/kinks worked out before he gets home from deployment, then we can cross the bridge of getting him to try it.  I'll letcha' know how it goes!

Sunday, December 26

Major Intervention: Day 1

We have a great dog.  She's driving me nuts.

Usually my husband takes her for periodic runs, hikes, and other high-energy adventures.  He's deployed.  Yay.

Most days, just making it to the point of showered, dressed, fed, and dog let out to go potty is quite the feat.  Our daughter's sleeping schedule is a mess, so that means mine is too.  We're all running on tired, stressed, and sick of Daddy not being home.

Our daughter's reaction is fussiness and a new conviction that she is the center of the universe and requiring of my full attention at all times.  My reaction is a shorter fuse and a lack of motivation and energy.  Our dog's reaction has been barking at sounds she can't identify (we live in an apartment, there are a LOT of unidentifiable sounds), jumping on and barking at visitors, and most recently growling at our daughter when our little one has come near the dog's food bowl.  That's a problem.  A big problem.  A big enough problem that without major intervention I think she's going to need a new home.

So.  Friday was Major Intervention: Day 1.  Major Intervention consists of:
  • Daily walks of at least 30 minutes.  These aren't just exercise walks, these are show-the-dog-who's-in-charge-through-consistent-discipline walks.  Think Dog Whisperer.
  • No more kicking her feet after she goes to the bathroom.  It's supposed to be a show of "I'm the boss" and help spread her scent, so nope, no go doggie.
  • Immediate redirection to her bed every time she barks, jumps, begs for attention, etc. until she cools it and is ready to focus on my instructions.
  • Eating only one time a day, while the baby is asleep.  If the dog doesn't eat within 30 minutes, the food gets put up.  If she's hungry she'll eat the next time food is offered (she's always been very good about self-regulating her food intake).
Once we get these elements in place we'll work in more tactics, but for now I think the most drastic changes in her behavior are going to be brought on by increased exercise and the constant reminder of who's in charge.  I know these are no-duh things, but the daily walks especially are really going to be a stretch for me.  Please wish us luck - we really need to see a major change in our dog's behavior!

Saturday, December 25

Merry Christmas

May this joyous season be filled with peace, grace, thanksgiving, and blessings for you and yours!

-Our Milfamily

Shoe Surprise

I love rediscovering things I didn't know I had!  Went to pick out my clothes this morning for Christmas Mass and found these gems in my drawer - who knew I had such cute shoes? :-)  (I am typically much more of a sneakers or socks kinda' gal)



Wednesday, December 22

I'm Melting

Our 10-month old baby girl has learned how to give hugs.  Those little arms wrapped so lovingly and trustingly around my neck.  My heart will soon be a puddle on the floor.

Is It Possible?

Heaven in a cup?  And without the nearly $5 price tag?  So going to try these tonight!

http://www.acozykitchen.com/iced-pumpkin-spice-latte/

Christmas Peace and Waiting

I have something like 4 or 5 posts with one-line notes to myself sitting in my draft pile, waiting to be fleshed out and shared with the world; a pile more pop into my head only to get shoved out with more pressing matters such as diapers and dog food.

As I sit and type this post our beautiful baby girl is gently holding our dog's bone out to her so the dog can chew more comfortably (presumably that's the reason... right?).  Such a sweet picture :).

Christmas is only 3 days away but it doesn't even feel like we've made it past fall.  It doesn't feel like Advent, it doesn't feel like Christmas, it doesn't feel like much of anything really.  Daddy's been deployed for awhile now and we're all just in a holding pattern waiting for him to come home.  Our little girl is growing and learning by leaps and bounds, but there is little else to show time's passing.  I quit working outside of our home right before LO was born and Daddy's not on a schedule that affects us much - he doesn't come home for lunch at a specific time, he doesn't need to get up and out the door in the morning, he doesn't have workdays vs weekends that have any bearing on us.  We talk to him on Skype but not on a predictable schedule.  The only place we need to be at a specific time is Mass and even then we have choices on which Mass to attend.  It seems very much like we're just standing still, waiting to see what will happen next but only with a mild curiosity.

This isn't to say we haven't been doing anything.  On the contrary, we have craft projects and organization projects and furniture projects and Spouse Club projects spread from one end of the house to the other!  Several weeks ago I must have caught the craft bug because every time I turn around another project idea peeks around the corner and begs to be tried out.  It's been fun :).  I suppose that's one of the benefits of deployments - if all these projects were out while my husband were here he might have a conniption!

Regardless, it IS Christmas time and I think taking a break this year from all the bustle of getting ready for the holidays has left time and space in my heart and soul for more important things to grow.  We're not opening presents on Christmas day  (nor anytime soon for that matter) and I don't care one whit.  I haven't been very good about Advent decorations/visible preparations such as an Advent wreath or calendar, but I've been talking about the Christmas story with our daughter without feeling like I have to say anything about Santa and all the secular trappings of the season.  This Christmas preparation has been peaceful, calm, and pure.  I am looking forward to celebrating Mass with our daughter and just rejoicing in the joy of Christ's birth.  Perhaps God guided the timing of this deployment so we would have a chance to start off on the right foot as we celebrate our daughter's first Christmas - it's certainly setting the stage for much more peaceful Christmases in the future :).

Too Much "Little" Time!

You know you need a little more adult interaction when your friend comes over and you tell her, "Beep, beep!" when you get ready to open the oven.

You know you have a good friend when she doesn't even bat an eye :).

Friday, December 10

Complaining and I know it.

So feel free to stop reading right here.



My head hurts.  My mouth is dry.  I thought I was done being sick then ate lunch today and tummy went into spasms.  I have a 4' x 8' sheet of plywood in my living room.  It's a Christmas card that was supposed to be painted and up by the roadside by last night.  What a wonderful week to get sick.  Got to experience our first mama-puking-so-baby-please-keep-sleeping episode this week.  Brought on pregnancy flashbacks, not the happy kind.  I am so over this deployment it isn't even funny.  Time has completely gone out the window but right now it feels like time is crawling.  Nothing seems to go just right with hubby deployed but we've been doing just fine.  Done now though, thanks.  I'm tired.  Going back to bed.  It's only 2:55 in the afternoon.  Oh well, maybe baby will keep playing and not lock herself into the dog's crate this time (true story).

Saturday, December 4

Interactive Jesse Tree

Just found this online - a great way to celebrate Advent, especially if you don't have the space/time/creativity/fill-in-your-excuse-here to put up a Jesse tree of your own.  It's also great for those on the move - celebrating Advent via iPhone... who knew.  Yay for technology when it brings us something wonderful!

Click the tree or go to this website:  http://www.stfrancisparish.org.uk/advent.html



Jesus is coming!

To Sew or Not to Sew

My mom can whip out the most amazing clothes and creations without ever consulting a picture or pattern.  She made every special-occassion dress I can think of as I was growing up and she and my mother-in-law just collaborated on our daughter's christening gown.  It's breathtaking.  I love that Mom could share herself with me in such a special way.  I am not a seamstress by any stretch of the imagination, but I'm considering carrying on the tradition (at least to some extent) by making our daughter's Christmas dress this year.  I'm looking for a no-sew or easy-sew pattern or idea that will fit well over our baby girl's round little belly and fluffy cloth-diapered bum.  These little kimono dresses seem to fit the bill.  So what do you think?  Do you have any experience making clothes for little ones?  Any tips? Inspiration?  Feedback on styles?



http://www.newbornbabyzone.com/baby-clothes/fabulous-outfits-for-a-baby-girl/

http://www.etsy.com/listing/32049528/christmas-dress-michael-miller-yule

How to Sew a Reversible Baby Dress with Open Back Printable PDF Pattern and Instructions newborn to 24 monthshttp://www.etsy.com/listing/60484998/how-to-sew-a-reversible-baby-dress-with

Kate Quinn Organics Long Sleeve Kimono Dress - 100% Organic Cottonhttp://www.bitsybirdie.com/servlet/the-16/super-soft-organic-cotton/Detail

16-front-viewhttp://whatdidshedotoday.typepad.com/what_did_she_do_today/tutorial/

REVERSIBLE Kimono DRESS- PDF PATTERN /  TUTORIAL-- SIZES 12/18m  to  4Thttp://www.etsy.com/listing/62271124/reversible-kimono-dress-pdf-pattern?ref=sr_gallery_7&ga_search_query=baby+kimono+dress&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_page=&order=&includes%5B0%5D=tags&includes%5B1%5D=title&filter%5B0%5D=handmade

Sunday, November 28

Halleluia!

I feel refreshed; I feel free; I feel like ME again!

I, for the first time since I can't remember when, read a whole book today.

Start to finish.  Every page inbetween.  And loved it.

I will probably regret it in the morning when the baby wakes up ready to play at 6:30 and I've just gone to sleep at 1:30, but tonight?  HALLELUIA!

Wednesday, October 27

HA! I'm not the only one!

We had a great start to breastfeeding.  And an awful one.  In summary:

  • "perfect" latch the first time (according to the nurse) even though it hurt
  • PIRANA child (bit down and sucked so hard she drew blood blisters... EVERY. TIME.)
  • gained weight "appropriately"
  • "nursed like a champ" every 1-6 hours (she slept a pretty long shot at night right off - the hospital staff wasn't impressed - i.e. woke us both up every 2 hours insisting that our peacefully sleeping and clearly not starving child simply must eat)
  • no engorgement when my milk came in (despite serious overproduction issues that stemmed from blindly following advice that clearly wasn't working)
  • baby was in general a pretty happy baby
  • I hated it.
Yep.  There were no warm, fuzzy feelings, no exceptional closeness, no enjoying the new-baby smell.  I. Hated. Breastfeeding.

Now don't get me wrong, I was 100% committed to giving our baby what I knew was best for her and my husband was 100% behind me which made all the difference in the world, but every single time I nursed our baby I battled irrepressible feelings of hopelessness, even anger.  It was awful.  I loved our baby and loved holding her, cuddling her, soaking in all her babyness, just not nursing her.  On more times than I can count I either bawled through most of a nursing session or had to pass our daughter off to my husband before she could even latch on just so I could get a grip before she ate.

I figured it was the hormones.  They're supposed to be all out of whack after you give birth, right?  Or possible post-partem depression (which I won't rule out, but I figured not every day was bad, or at least not all day, so we were okay, right?)  I mean, everyone raves about the wonderful bond between a mother a nursing baby.  All the research I did said I could look forward to some soreness, yes (which the more research I do, the less true this appears to be), but most importantly a warm gush of love every time I nursed.  Well I didn't get that.  "There must be something wrong with my perspective, because I'm doing everything else right" is what I told myself over and over.  "I'm just not trying hard enough."

Enter this bolt of lightening:  http://www.fightingfrumpy.com/2009/10/im-such-boob-sequel.html

And this simple description: http://www.d-mer.org/Frequently_Asked_Questions.html

I'm. Not. Crazy.

I wish I had known more about this oh I don't know eight months ago.  I think it could have saved a lot of heartache and self-berrating.  I think I would not have felt like such a hopelessly terrible mother for not loving such a huge part of caring for our newborn.  I think I would have sought out help.

So.  For any currently nursing moms, potentially future nursing moms, and the dads and friends that support them, if something doesn't feel right, YOU'RE NOT ALONE and don't be afraid to seek out help :).

Home

Awhile back I read this post and almost cried:

It spurred me to read a few more similar posts:


What hurts perhaps the most is that I feel more at home in church, sharing in the Mass with my husband, daughter, and friends and family if they're there, than perhaps anywhere else on earth.  My fervent prayer is that our baby girl feels the same.  How can she feel at home when children are intentionally sidelined into a separate room or are denied their basic needs because it might cause someone else to become uncomfortable?

The church I grew up in didn't have a cry room till I was in college.  What possessed them to add it at that point (the church was well over 20 years old) is still beyond me.  The parish was young and I relished hearing the baby babbles and little voices asking some really great questions.  I'm not talking about 8-year-old kids munching cheerios or playing Gameboys, I mean honest curiosity and just plain vibrancy that small children carry with them everywhere they go.

The priest of our parish when I was little (not the afore mentioned, this one was before I moved as a kid) used to stop what he was doing if he saw a parent stand up to take a crying child out of the sanctuary.  "Don't leave!  That child's voice is the music of angels!"  Oh how I wish all people felt the same!

Now that we have our own little one, I must say we have left the sanctuary with her on a small handful (like less than 5) occassions.  Not because she was being disruptive or we were worried about bugging the people next to us so much as because she is WIGGLY and it is much easier to rock those wiggly toes to sleep while standing as opposed to kneeling.  We've always stayed within earshot of the sanctuary (or at least a speaker) and have come back to the sanctuary within a few minutes too.

I thought we were doing pretty well with the whole family-celebrating-life-and-Mass-together thing, but we did have a surprising bump on the road.  A few weeks ago we (finally!) made it to the States and were able to celebrate our daughter's baptism (yay!).  We sat down in the front row, everyone dressed to the hilt and weary sloppy smiles because we were there celebrating Mass as a family and our baby was going to be baptized.  Well, everyone was wearing smiles except the baby.  She was hungry.  So I did what I always do... fed her.  Yep.  In the front row.  In my dress clothes.  Without a blanket.  What shocked me is that a family member leaned over and insisted, "You can't do that here!"  Well would you rather I let the baby scream or shall I run and hide?

If children (with all their sniffles, wiggles, babbles, and all) aren't welcome in church, then why on earth are we there?  Jesus says, "Let the children come to me" and by golly I'm pretty sure He means it!

Saturday, July 31

Midnight List

1. I need a language plan.
2. I have more in common with Attachment Parenting than I realized.
3. My parenting opinions have changed drastically since actually having a child.
4. I'm so far behind on housework it isn't even funny.
5. I should be sleeping.
6. Everyone else in the house is sleeping.
7. WHY AM I NOT SLEEPING?!
8. Rice crackers are yummy.
9. I've discovered card making. Instant gratification. I think I'm in love.
10. I married the love of my life :D.
11. I gave birth to another love of my life :D.
12. Life's pretty cool.

Tuesday, July 27

IMPORTANT!

A fellow milspouse blogger recently posted this reminder that we all need to be careful in daily life, but especially on the web.  Please take a moment to read the post and evaluate whether or not you could make improvements in your own OPSEC or PERSEC.  Pass the message along and stay safe!

Top 10 Reasons Why Mil Spuse Bloggers MUST Practice OPSEC

Thursday, July 22

Our Stash

I think cloth diapering has grown to a cult-like obsession!  Eesh!

The cloth diapers of yesteryear are being swallowed up by the hundreds, maybe THOUSANDS, of new, modern, funky, recycled, cute, weird, practical, crunchy, fantastic diapers and diapering products available from one corner of the earth to the other corner of the web these days.  I have spent DAYS researching, bookmarking, highlighting, and comparing more diaper options than I ever realized existed before we had our little one.

I've decided something.

I don't NEED all those crazy options that are out there!  Don't get me wrong, many of them look great, but they just don't fit with our priorities.  My amazing husband didn't even bat an eye when I told him I wanted to consider cloth diapering our kiddos (current and future).  His only request (as it usually is) was that if there were going to be options, please limit them as much as possible.  No prob.  I googled, I searched, I read, I sifted, I consulted, I scoured, I skimmed till my eyes crossed.  I had some great pointers from one CDing mama in particular - to whom I am eternally grateful :)!  I finally came up with a list of priorities (in order):

  1. Health.  My family historically has sensitive skin, and I've seen the nasty rashes kids can get from unhealthy diapering practices.
  2. Cost.  Did you know some diaper covers can run you upwards of $80.... each?
  3. Ease of use.  I don't know any parent that can actually use all her brain cells when she is up for the 4th time that night with a squeaky, hungry, drooly, poopy baby.
  4. Fast-drying.  Our dryer sucks.  Welcome to Japan.
  5. Longevity.  The whole point of using cloth dipes is to be able to REUSE them.  Why would I want to buy a new set every time we have another kid?

Following these parameters and a bit of experimenting during our little one's newborn stage, here's what we've settled on:
That's it.  Nothing special, nothing fancy.  Affordable (yes, it was an investment to begin with, but not nearly as large of an investment as most other diapering options out there), multipurpose (those dipes make great burp rags, doublers, etc.!), and cute to boot :).  We tried some of the other "easier" options such as fitteds and All-In-Ones (AIOs), but as my (did I tell you how amazing he is?) dear husband pointed out, they're really not any more or less complicated than prefolds, snappies, and covers.  I love that man!

The only concession we are making to more "simple" diapers is a half-dozen Thirsties Duo Diapers we have in the mail.  Changing diapers in Japan can be interesting on occasion.  We've been using disposables while out and about because we thought it might make life simpler (changing a prefold does require a smidge more time and room than changing a disposable).  Problem? No trash bins in the bathrooms.  Now if we have to carry around the dirty diaper anyway, then why on earth are we wasting the money, health benefits, and land-fill space on disposables in the first place?

Challenges: our dryer can't handle anything thicker than a prefold and I am not thrilled at the idea of unstuffing dirty pocket diapers.  Solution? The Duo dipes are "sleeve" diapers - every review I've read says the inserts no kidding wash out of the diapers in the washing machine.  Hallelujah!  Diaper changes as fast as a disposable, healthy as cloth dipes, AND I don't have to get my hands dirty?  I'm all there :D.  We'll see how it goes - the trial run will be while we're visiting in the States.

I suppose I also ought to share what we use to round out our cloth diapering system:
  • Cloth wipes (purchased and cut up from old receiving blankets)
  • Wipes spray (don't have a strong opinion on this, but we've been satisfied with these so far)
  • Country Save powder detergent (we can use it on ALL our laundry - it gets my husband's mechanic's uniforms clean yet is so gentle on our baby's skin we've never had any residue problems or irritation due to laundry)
  • Wet bags and pail liners - can't live without 'em!
Well that's it.  That's our stash.  It might not look as fancy as some other people's, or it might look more expensive than others', but we like it - it works for us.  Feel free to pester us with questions or just shake your head and think we're crazy! :)

Military Tides

PCS Season.  Deployments.  TDYs.  Retirements.  Changes of Command.  Promotions.  Lots of things going on right now.  People we love have moved on to new places and new faces appear daily.

This is the life we have chosen.  Most days I like it, some days I love it, and some days I just call it a scrap and move on.

Right now we're focused on an upcoming deployment.  Not totally unexpected, but not exactly planned-ahead either.  We had not-so-secretly hoped dh wouldn't deploy while we were stationed here, but that was silly thinking and we knew it.  Uncle Sam must have heard our quiet chatter and decided to remind us who's in charge of where/when we go.

So.  Deployment it is.

We've done two deployments so far, and learned different things from each.  This will be our first while stationed overseas and (more significantly) our first with a little one.

The upsides:
-Daddy was here for our little one's whole "growing time" (i.e. my pregnancy) AND the delivery (one of my biggest fears with the military has always been that I'll have to "go it alone" during a delivery)
-he's seen lots of milestones including first bath, first smile, first roll, pushing up, hands and knees, and hopefully crawling before he goes (pretty likely the way dd is hanging out on all fours these days!)
-Skype.
-he's not as likely to deploy again for (hopefully) awhile
-he can bring his bike (he's training for a triatholon :) )
-we get to visit family/friends in the States before he goes
-the support here is amazing - so much better than our last base!!!!!

I'm trying not to focus on the downsides right now.  We're on quite a short timeline and frankly we don't have time to mope.  That's probably best :).

We're going to need some help though and I know that.  If I learned anything during my pregnany it's that people genuinely want to help and I genuinely need to accept it - for my health and my sanity.

This is why I'm asking you guys - what advice can you give for making the most of a deployment with a little one?  It's a "short" deployment and I know both dh and I can handle it just fine (lots of prayers and good communication are key!), but I'm worried our little one is going to take it hard.  Will she know who he is when he comes home?  Will she sleep as well while he's gone?  Can I make her smile as big as she does for her Daddy?  I'm all ears for tips.

Sunday, July 4

Diaper Bag: Update

Yay for free stuff that rocks!

After many (way too many) hours searching the web and scouring the sparse selection at the BX, I gave up on trying to find the perfect diaper bag and just made one.  Note - I am NOT a seamstress.  I actually had to go through and watch some online video tutorials so I could run the sewing maching without killing anything...

So, long story short, here's the bag!



  • filled with sposies at the moment, but designed to fit up to 8 cloth dipes (so probably 4 cloth dipes plus change of clothes, toy etc. - enough for half a day out or so)
  • cell phone, small notepad, and pens are easy-access on the side :)
  • Wipes, bibs, paci, bags, and mama's stuff fit in the outside pockets so no rummaging in the bag for what we need
  • side pocket fits a water bottle or baby bottle - heck yeah!
  • 100% machine washable

Used an old pair of my husband's ABUs, a shirt I found free at Airman's Attic on base, and the strap from a bag I also found for free at Airman's Attic.  The only thing I bought was thread.  Wahoo!

Mission Accomplished :D

Monday, June 28

Military Life

Sometimes it sucks.  Just missin' my hubby :-\.  Watching "Broken Bridges" didn't help - 5 small town boys lost in a military training accident.  Hubby's not deployed, but we know many who are - my heart goes out to them and their families!  Please say an extra prayer tonight for all our boys and gals in the service.

Tuesday, June 22

Nerves of Steel or a Wet Noodle?

I was 15 when I watched as my mom was wheeled off the ice rink on a stretcher.  I was 14 when my brother head-butted our dog and ended up with 47 stitches and skin grafting.  I was 10 when my baby brother busted his chin open and was the first of us to need stitches.  I've had surgery, I've given birth, I watch CSI.  None of these things bother me - buck up and deal.  I accidentally pinched my husband one day and nearly threw up.  The fact that I had caused him pain, that he was even IN pain or hurt in any way literally made me nauseas.  I've watched kids take tumbles and not batted an eye but I couldn't hold my own child down as she got her first round of shots.  As she grows and takes her own tumbles, needs stitches, or (heaven forbid) gets wheeled anywhere on a stretcher, will I have nerves of steel or will I be a wet noodle, a blubbering incoherent mess?  Lord help me, I have no idea.

Friday, June 18

On a Mission

I am on the lookout for the perfect diaper bag - either purchased or a pattern to sew my own.  An easy task I (erroneously) thought this would be!  Most diaper bags are made for disposables diapers and formula feeding - neither meet our family's description.  My perfect diaper bag would include these features:

1. Wide enough to handle a day's worth of cloth diapers.
2. Short enough to stash in our stroller's storage basket.
3. Washable or wipe-clean.
4. Outside pockets for mama's stuff, pacifier, and extra bib or rag (gotta grab those suckers quick!)
5. Inside pockets for change of clothes and wipes.
6. Neutral so my husband will carry it (right now we're using my purse - he's not thrilled... ;p)
7. Long enough strap to wear crossed over my body (bending down while holding baby and carrying bag on 1 shoulder just doen't work).
8. Outside pocket for water bottle or sippy cup.

Open to suggestions! :)

Tuesday, June 8

Fiddling

not on the roof :P.  Please forgive any confusion on this blog for the next little bit - I'm trying to figure out how to add tabs so I can have other pages on the blog but make them look different.  It's a work in progress.

Finally

Nearly 4 months.  14 1/2 weeks.  102 days.  1020 feedings.  That's how long it took till I suddenly realized the other day that yes, I love nursing and I will miss it when dd is all grown up and eating "people" food.  Somewhat longer than the 2 weeks people told me would be the hardest.

I never would have made it without some serious support (from my husband and piles of others) and advise from people who have "been there."  And prayer.  Lots and lots of prayer.

Some of the issues we've encountered have been typical ones, others not so much.  So thank you - to those of you who shared your own experiences with me and to those who have been brave enough to bf!  Now don't even think about bringing up teething.

Jesus was a cloth-diapered, breastfed baby!

Monday, June 7

Wide-Eyed Wonder

Each time we've gone off base with our little one, we've attracted a small crowd.  Fellow milfamilies warned us about this phenomenon before our daughter was born but I was unprepared for the gifts!  Yes, gifts.  Let me share an example:

We and a couple friends spent the day at Mt. Takao a few weeks ago.  Lots of fun.  Before riding the rail up the mountain we needed to fill our tummies.  We sit, we order, we drool over others' food as its delicious scents waft our way.  All the while dd wiggles, coos, drools, typical baby stuff.  The eyes of the lady and sons at the table next to us are riveted upon all this American babyness - simply unable to look away.  Next thing I know one of the pint-sized sons is handing over a toy at the coaching of his mother, "Dozo, dozo, dooooozo."  Yeah, we were a little dense.

I'm always afraid of looking the wrong way or saying the wrong thing or just in general looking stupid, but that fear is amplified when out and about in an unfamiliar culture where I can't even pretend to read the signs.  My solution?  Keep my eyes down, smile, and nod.  Periodically toss in the handful of Japanese words I know and hope I didn't just call someone a dufus.  My strategy was failing miserably and the pizza hadn't even arrived yet.  Crud.

Well as it turns out, this family was being super nice and just wanted to share something cool with our little girl.  I'm sure I totally botched the whole thank-you-and-bow bit and they must have walked away wondering just how many more times they were going to have to say "Doooooozo" (please, as in I am offering this to you, please take it dingbat) before the idiot American caught on (they literally must have said it about 20 times), but all in all it was pretty neat.

I assumed this was a one-time deal.  Nope!  Our daughter has been the oblivious recipient of now two unsolicited gifts from random strangers.  I really need to read up on this phenomenon - how do you deal with people giving you stuff you can't use, didn't ask for, or don't know what it is?!  I'm not ranting, I'm just curious.  I've been told it's terribly rude to refuse a gift in Japan (understandably so) but I didn't even realize that first family was trying to give us a gift - I thought they just meant dd could play with the toy while we were sitting there (which wasn't going to happen - 5 second rule is one thing, but letting your 3-month-old knaw on a toy of undisclosed history is quite another).

This type of event is becoming rather frequent.  People here positively gape at our daughter, coo at her, and otherwise indicate that they are impressed.  Yes, she's cute (oh I'm not biased at all, no) - all babies are cute (not as cute as she is, but that's okay ;p), but in Japan, the American brand of cuteness is apparently a hot commodity.  We've had more than one discussion with strangers running something like this:
"She? He?"
-Yes, she.
"Sleeping? (or drooling, or whatever she is obviously doing at the time)
-Yes, sleeping.
"She has small head, round face, not like Japanese"
-Ah, yes, thank you (seriously, how do you respond to that?).

Families with blond-haired, blue-eyed children tell me they get it the worst.  People randomly come out of nowhere and rub their kids' heads.  Ack!  We haven't had to deal with that one (I have issues with people touching me and I'm not too keen about strangers touching my baby girl!) but I really am at a loss at all this wide-eyed wonder she seems to generate all around her.  So much for staying incunspicuous!

Saturday, June 5

Snippets

I haven't posted recently - well at least not anywhere other than in my head.  Will try and get something more substantial up here soon.  Mothering takes up lots of time and energy!  Loving it though :).  In the mean time, back to enjoying the much-needed shoulder rub from my amazing husband :D.

Tuesday, June 1

He makes me smile :)

OK, so I walk in the kitchen this evening and my husband is squawking like a chicken.  Literally.  I love my husband :).

Wednesday, May 26

A Reminder

I just wanted to say thank you to the woman hosting this "contest."  Thank you to the men and women of the armed forces, and thank you to all the families.  Sometimes we all need a not-so-subtle reminder of the humanity of these families.  As a milfamily, sometimes we need a not-so-subtle reminder of our blessings.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/photography/2010/05/coming-home/comment-page-6/#comment-311642

Wednesday, May 19

Goals

for today:

-Shine my sink... half check
-Keep my kitchen counters clean... check
-Work out... yeah not so much
-Replace an unhealthy habit with a better one (water bottle in fridge instead of swiping juice or soda)... check (for today)
-Bake a loaf of bread... almost check (it's in the oven, rising)
-Wash clothes (all the way to putting them away)... check
-Type 2009's Christmas letter... check
-Not freak out over crappy news... mostly check (I love my husband - he gets the credit for keeping me sane on this one :))
-Either find a way to move or embrace this place as "home" for the next 3 years... check in progress?
-Not clobber the dog... check :)
-Love my bitty family... double check!

So my goals might not be the same as anyone else's, but I'm getting there - so life is good :).  And yes, 2009 IS the right year there - we're a bit behind!

Night :)

Sunday, May 16

For a friend

Ok, I'll see if I can hit all the points I want to here :).


1) We are one year into our four-year assignment overseas. While challenging at times, I am thrilled to have this amazing, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.


2) It's legitimate to be concerned about having a good strong support system when you PCS to a new place whether stateside or overseas. When we moved to Tucson I wasn't all that concerned but as it turns out we were very challenged to find our niche in the community. Stateside bases are pretty much located within civilian communities which means there are piles of churches, schools, stores, etc. Yay for convenience but crappy for encouraging unity within the base.

3) God always provides. My biggest fear when we got orders to Japan was that the church on base would be awful (we had a bad experience in Tucson). The next nearest English Mass is over an hour away, so we knew we'd have limited choices. Not to worry - the church community here on base has been amazing in more ways than one :).


4) It is what you make of it. Overseas bases tend to have fantastic resources and support systems built into darn near every aspect of base life. However, you have to be willing to put yourself out there at least a little bit (this is really hard for me but it is SO worth it!). Examples include Spouses Clubs, children's playgroups, Bible studies, off-base tours organized by the base, the list could go on forever :). In our experience so far, these kinds of supports are much more prominent and successful than those at stateside bases. Everybody's in the same boat overseas, so they tend to help each other out/seek each other out more than in the states :).

5) Deployments are a fact of life. They suck. No getting around that. However, they can go much more smoothly when the whole family is prepared and good supports are in place. On top of the everyday base supports, there are great resources available for deployed families. At this base there is a monthly free dinner for deployed families, a certain number of hours of free childcare per month, piles of trips and family-friendly events specifically for deployed families (think Disney!), and each unit makes sure the families get whatever help they need (meals, mowed lawns, whatever). This is in addition to whatever support you get from the friends you make on base (and you will... quickly!). The best support I get during deployments comes from fellow milfamilies that have been there, done that. Civilians, no matter how hard they try, just don't get it.


6) Make friends. Go out of your way to meet people. PCS season is like the tide - it brings in new people as well as pulls some away. You don't have time to dilly-dally when it comes to getting to know people. This can be tough. I am a wall flower and have to almost force myself to go up to a new person with a smile and introduce myself. Boy am I glad I do that though - I have met some amazing people that have enriched my life and the life of my whole family! Some of those people I may meet only once, others I hope to keep connected to for a lifetime, but the support I get (and hopefully give!) by connecting to those people is invaluable. This is part of what it means to be a military family - embrace it :D!


7) Deployments vary widely in duration. During shorter deployments (six months or less), many families choose to either stay in their homes overseas (since there are all those built-in support systems!), or go "home" to the states for just a visit - maybe up to 2 months. During longer deployments (one year or more) some families choose to stay overseas (for school, work, or personal reasons) and some choose to move back to the states. If the service member is given an "unaccompanied" tour in say Korea (this is not a deployment, but in fact a temporary duty assignment, typically of one year or more) then the Air Force (and perhaps the Army?) will give the deployed family the choice of moving back to the states, but be sure and double check if the move has to be to your "home of record" or to any place you choose. This can be important if your home of record is in one state, but your extended family (whom you want to live near for that year) lives in another state.


8) Military bases are like child factories. Seriously - I think children under 18 outnumber adults like 3 to 1 :P. This means that if you have kids, don't worry - so does eveyone else (well, almost). Playgroups, childcare, playgrounds, schools, sports, youth centers, dance lessons, etc. abound. So do families with children the exact ages/stages as your children :).


9) There's always something new to experience when you're overseas. That's one of the best parts!


10) There's always something to miss when you're overseas... like Dominoes :) (we do have Pizza Hut though, and Subway, and Burger King, and well.. we're not exactly deprived over here ;p).


11) In my opinion, despite its challenges, frustrations, and occassional silliness, living overseas with the military is TOTALLY worth it :D.


Ok, hopefully that hits all the high points of military life overseas. If your friend is willing to talk with someone she's never met, then please feel free to share my contact info with her :). I am also happy to drum up the milwife network and find some local base people in the country she's potentially moving to. It makes a huge difference to have a friend before you arrive in a new place!


Thanks and good luck - I know this has been long... ;p

Saturday, May 15

Why I'm here

Ok, so here's the deal.  I don't like to write.  I live in Japan.  Our baby girl is 3 months old.  I need a place to vent.  So.  Here I am :).  I'd be lying if I said I really don't care what other people think of this blog, but I'm not really writing it for other people, either.  I've enjoyed following a few blogs I've recently discovered, and each has provided me good food for thought.  Mostly I was amazed at the commaraderie and support available through the blogging community.  As a young, Catholic, cloth-diapering, homeschooling (okay, so she's still tiny but learning happens from before birth!), military wife living overseas it can be kindof challenging to find that kind of support in person.  I LOVE living overseas but it does have its drawbacks :P.  So THANK YOU to those of you who've bared your souls for people like me to read.  You've helped me feel connected, validated, and real.  Perhaps somewhere along the line another cluttered mind will stumble upon my blog and find something in it that helps him/her too :).  In the mean time I make no guarrantees of frequent or predictable posting or that the posts will even make sense.  Thanks and feel free to stop by, comment, ask questions, or whatever (just please be nice :) ).

God bless!