A Bad Decision

My good friend convinced me to run the Marine Corps Marathon in October. The idea is a bit daunting because the last marathon I ran I count as the most miserable and painful experience of my life. This marathon is going to be different primarily because I plan to train for a marathon prior to running one. Plus, we're actually running for a good cause. I'm on a charity team and we're raising money for the Yellow Ribbon Fund. If you'd like more information on the charity check out the website at www.yellowribbonfund.org. Our team has 25 runners and we're hoping to raise 25,000 for the cause. So far the farthest I've run is 7.5 miles but I'll keep you posted on my progress and hopefully I'll be ready for the race in October.

All Boy

I am writing at three in the morning because despite all the advice in all the parenting books JAC won't sleep through the night. Tonight I tried to just let him, "cry it out" and go back to sleep but he would have none of it. Instead he cried non-stop for an hour and I finally gave in and fed him again. He ate his whole 10oz bottle and then wanted more. While I appreciate his determination and never-ending appetite, I am ready for some uninterrupted sleep. Hopefully this is a sign that he won't be a push over when he gets older.

JAC has started doing something really funny. He rolls over onto his stomach, puts his hands under his mouth and then blows on them to make farting sounds. Both JAC and his dad think it is hilarious. Jess couldn't be prouder. I am definitely feeling like a minority in this fart blowing, Patton watching household.

Happy Memorial Day!

My son and husband are currently upstairs watching the movie "Patton," and I am grateful. I am grateful to have my husband here with me instead of overseas and I am thankful he can teach JAC how to be a man because I know I couldn't do it on my own. I am also very thankful for the wonderful people who loved and supported me while Jess was deployed - especially my church small group.

We just got back from the D.C Memorial Day parade and it was awesome! It was three hours of bands, cool cars, floats, horses, soldiers, and much more. Volunteers were handing out flags to wave and many groups were out to show support for our veterans. Even JAC got into the spirit of things and waved his little flag during the parade.

Jess and I have discovered a D.C phenomenon. All weekend we have expected to run into huge holiday crowds but instead the opposite has been true. The city has been empty. I think Washingtonians have fled to the beach or perhaps the mountains to enjoy their holiday weekend and Jess and I are taking full advantage of the empty city. This morning we even found prime parade parking for free.

Last night we went with our friend Kevin to the huge outdoor amphitheater run by the National Park Service. It is a great venue to watch a show and they were featuring a free "President's Own Marine Corps Band," concert. The band put on a really good show and we all enjoyed a picnic dinner on the lawn. After the show they had fireworks. Jess and I love fireworks but these were no ordinary fireworks. It was a 30 minute fireworks show and they fired them off about 100 yards down hill from use. The result was an awesome display of flashing colors right above our heads. I have never been that close to fireworks before and it was absolutely breathtaking. When the fireworks show first started JAC was snoozing and the sound woke him up. His eyes got really big and then he let out a big scream. Thinking fast I grabbed his bottle. He loves to eat and he quickly settled down and began watching the show. He seemed just as entranced as we were.

I have enjoyed the long weekend with my family but I have not forgotten the reason for our extra day together. I am grateful to all of our veterans, and government civilians who are working hard to keep the nation safe. I hope today you'll take a moment to thank a veteran in your life.

First Day of School

Friday was my first day of school and my excitement was almost overwhelming. I spent the night before scurrying around getting things ready and constantly asking Jess for reassurance. I was really worried that I wouldn't be smart enough to hang with the other students. I have almost no background in science and I didn't know quite what to expect. Jess promised me that I would do great and that I would love being out of the house learning new things.

I got to school early and picked a seat in the front of the class so I wouldn't miss anything. As the other students came in I was surprised to see that I was not the oldest "kid" in the class. About half of the class were adult students working to create change in their lives. Some of them were shift workers who were going to school during the day and working at night. Many of them were parents and there was also a handful of international students from all over the world. I really enjoyed the lecture portion and the lab was fun. I've always been fascinated by how the world works and Biology offers some insight into that. The only complaint I have was that introductions took too long and we didn't get to learn enough Biology.

Friday was also a big day for JAC because it was his first day at the babysitter. I was worried but we have a great babysitter from our church. Jess dropped him off at the sitter for me because I didn't have the heart. I shouldn't have worried. When I returned from school around five, Jess and JAC were sitting in the yard as happy as they could be. Jess said JAC loved the sitter and they loved him. Our sitter also watches after her 85 year old aunt and the aunt especially loved JAC and asked if he could come back the next day.

I have a long list of classes to complete before I can apply for physical therapy school but at least I have started on the journey. Luckily, Jess is a big encouragement. He really wants me to reach my dream. I have always loved that about my husband. He truly believes I can do almost anything.

Wake Up Call

I have a lot of catching up to do. The weather has been absolutely gorgeous and I can't stand missing it so JAC and I have been spending most of our time outside. I think we both even have a bit of a tan.

While Jess was out of town I felt like I could hardly sleep. I was constantly tossing and turning, and wondering if every bump in the night was an intruder. I did a lot of praying in the middle of the night. I prayed for Jess and JAC's safety and I prayed for peace of mind. One morning I woke up with a start to the strangest sound. It was almost a mournful cry. I immediately started searching for the source of the sound and eventually decided it was outside my front door. I slowly opened the front door to discover an Oriole perched on my front step. It refused to move but instead stood on the step calling his mournful cry. I even opened the door a crack and threw out some bird seed but he was not distracted in the least. I closed the door, got a cup of coffee and spent the morning watching the little bird who had chosen to guard my house. Some how I couldn't help but feel that this was a small form of reassurance from God who heard my prayers, and knows my love of birds.

A few days ago I had my alarm set on my phone but awoke early. I left the phone buried under the covers and Roxy sleeping on the bed and went downstairs to check my email. About ten minutes later I heard a horrible sound. It was the sound of a creature in complete anguish. Thinking something was terribly wrong with JAC, I raced upstairs only to find Roxy making the sound. My alarm was going off and apparently she wasn't fond of the sound or perhaps she just wasn't ready to wake up. I turned off the phone and she stopped howling, and promptly went back to sleep!

AAAAAAHHHHH!

Tonight JAC and I went out with my friend Cate for dinner. It was great to hang out with her again and JAC was on pretty good behavior. When we got home it was JAC's bed time but I delayed for a few minutes because my favorite T.V shows were on. I was glad I did because JAC was acting especially cute. He's been pretty grouchy the last couple of days so it was a treat to watch him smile and laugh. He has gotten to be a crazy kid already. When I try to sit and hold him he spends the whole time trying to flip over so he can learn to crawl. Instead I have to let him stand up in my lap. When he gets tired of that he loves to be tossed in the air - the higher the better. He thinks it is hilarious and will laugh and laugh.

It's amazing how smart he is getting. I must spend more time on my cell phone than I realize because when I put the phone to his ear so he can talk to his dad or his Nani he'll try to hold the phone. His eyes get big, he'll start smiling and then he'll try to talk into the phone. Its pretty cute to watch. Unfortunately midway through a conversation with Nani he started trying to chew on my phone.

We had had a pretty good night and I fed him a snack and was trying to get him to settle down on my lap when he started making this weird grunting sound. Every parent knows what is coming next. JAC let out a huge poo and it exploded out of his diaper all over me. I screamed - like a girl and ran to his room holding him out in front of me. I stripped naked, trying to get the poo off of me while he lay on his changing table laughing at me. Uck! Disgusting! My kid is crazy and I decided that was enough. It is now an official rule in this house. Pooing all over your mom will get you sent to bed.

Help!!!

Friends, family and random blog readers, I need some help. I am working on a project and need some really good recipes. I'm looking for old standbys or family traditions. If you don't know how to cook and your favorite recipe reads something like dump a can of this into a bowl, combine with jar of that and microwave, I understand and will take that recipe too. In return for sending me a recipe I promise to send you something. I'll just need your email address. Thanks in advance for all of the help. I hope everyone is having a great week.

Single Parenthood

This week JAC and I are on our own. Jess is in California for business and we're holding down the fort here in D.C. Jess' job takes him out of town for about 5 days a month on average. The first time he left us JAC was only two weeks old and if it wasn't for two great ladies from my church who came over and gave me a couple of hours off I think I would have spent the whole three days in tears. Now JAC and I are used to being on our own and while we both miss Jess I've discovered some distinct advantages to his being away. Here's my short list:

1. Girl Food: When Jess is gone I can eat whatever I want. I don't have to worry about what's on the table for dinner. I typically make a big green salad, a big fruit salad and a pot of spicy chicken soup and eat that for a whole week. I supplement it with an occasional dinner of breakfast cereal.

2. Girl Dates: When Jess leaves I party. Actually I just try to make dinner dates with the girlfriends I love. This week I have two dinner dates and a picnic date planned. It's going to be awesome.

3. Girl Mess: Or lack there of. I can't explain it but it always seems like Jess creates messes without trying that I have to clean up all week. This especially pertains to laundry. It doubles with a guy in the house. This girl mess advantage also applies when I want to be a slob. I can spend two days leaving cereal bowls in the kitchen, ice cream bar wrappers in the living room and a pile of dirty clothes at the foot of my bed and then clean them up the day before Jess gets home. He'll never be the wiser.

4. Chick T.V: I love getting to watch all those guilty pleasure T.V shows - like the cop show with the lead character I think is really hot. I own the remote!

5. Phone Conversations: While Jess is gone I take the time to call all the people I really love and chat. Since most of them have jobs during the day they are only available at night but I hate to talk on the phone when Jess is home. I like to save that time for the two of us.

There are a lot of disadvantages to Jess being gone and I know that I actually have it pretty easy. Luckily I don't have to work and take care of JAC. I know a lot of single parents are juggling both. Jess is also only gone for short periods of time. There are many military spouses enduring single parenthood through long deployments. For now I'm going to be thankful and embrace the time I have to myself . Nevertheless, I'll look forward to Jess being home at the end of the week.

Am I Allowed To Brag?

A few days ago I was telling a friend that when JAC was born I thought he was an especially good looking baby but when I recently reviewed JAC's newborn pictures I realized he was just as funny looking as all the other newborns. She laughed and told me she had had the same experience. I guess this is just another example of the exceptional child phenomenon. Most good parents can't help but believe their child is really exceptional and special.

Yesterday Jess had the day off work and as luck would have it I also needed to take JAC for his four month checkup. Jess came too and I was really glad he did because we had so much fun. We have a great doctor and she was so proud of our JAC and I love people who love my kid. She told us JAC was in the 90% in both weight and length. She also said that she saw a lot of babies and that she thought JAC was extra cute. To add a little icing to the cake she acted very impressed with JAC's skills ( He has mad num-chuck skills - hehe). She said that JAC was developmentally ahead of most six month olds and couldn't believe how coordinated he was or how well he could roll over. She even wrote on his chart "Impressive Development." JAC must have known that he was on display because for emphasis he rolled around on the examining table and then proceeded to tear the paper on the table to shreds. It was so fun to be there with Jess and get to see him be just as proud as I was. Jess and I are both pretty sure that JAC is exceptional. Unfortunately, the visit had to end with JAC receiving two shots. JAC acted indignant. His face turned red and his expression angry and then he let out a squall. I told him to "Be Strong, " and after a few minutes he pulled it back together.

This morning I woke with a deep profound desire to get out of town. I looked a Jess and said we should pack up and go to hiking in the Shenandoah - we could stop and get doughnuts on the way for breakfast. Jess was on board so an hour later Jess, JAC, Roxy and I were in route to the mountains eating doughnuts. It was a beautiful drive and we had a great hike. JAC spent the duration of the hike hanging off the side of the backpack to get a better view. The hike was cut short because we were afraid it might rain but both Jess and I agreed it was awesome to get out of the city and into nature.

When we got home Jess mowed the lawn and JAC and I ran to a Bar - B - Q at my friend Janet's house. We were celebrating her oldest son graduating from college and we spent the evening on the deck eating ribs and talking about current events and issues. Most moms will understand what a treat it was to talk about something other than baby stuff. I felt like I was slowly remembering how to use that part of my brain again.

A Big First

Yesterday I took JAC to his first professional baseball game. Some friends of ours from church invited us and their two year old son came too. They had great seats right behind home plate on the club level. I felt kind of like a rock star. When we walked into the door we had to show our tickets and they said, "Welcome to the club." JAC seemed to really enjoy it and was good the whole game but he did take a little nap during the fifth and sixth innings. The Nationals played the Astros. I'm not sure who won because they went into extra innings, started pouring down rain and we had to make a run for the car but it was fun.

We have been getting a lot of rain here lately in D.C. The first couple of days I thought it was cozy but after seven days I am really getting tired of it. This morning I woke up to the nicest thing - Sunshine! It is not supposed to last long and they are forecasting 4 more days of rain but I'm going to soak it up while it lasts.

Last night when Jess got home from work JAC was in a particularly good mood. He was laughing and making funny sounds. Jess was playing with him and it was great to watch them together. Jess held JAC's hands while he practiced standing and then he decided to put JAC up on his shoulders. JAC's eyes got big as he realized how high up he was and then.... he puked on top of Jess' head! I'm still laughing just thinking about it but I'm sure Jess wasn't too pleased. Our kid can be really unpredictable.

The Race is On....

I'm mostly sure I set the record for gaining the most weight while pregnant by gaining almost 60 pounds. The day I went into the hospital to have JAC I weighed over 180 lbs. I blame the Carmel Machiatto. While I was pregnant my coffee posse at work went to get our daily cup of joe and I frequently ordered a decaffeinated Carmel Machiatto. Soon the ladies at the coffee shop started remembering my order and they would see me coming and have it ready before I reached the counter. There was no turning back. After I had JAC I looked it up on the Internet and found that a Carmel Machiatto has 500 calories. I was basically drinking an extra meal every day and some days I even had two!

I have been in a long quest to loose the post baby weight and get back into my skinny jeans. It is slow progress and I currently weigh 145 (ouch!). To super-charge my motivation Jess and I are having a contest to see who can loose 5 pounds before my brother's Miami beach wedding on 4 June. The non-stop rain here in D.C is zapping my motivation and I hate to loose a good competition so I'm posting this on my blog in hope that blog readers will cheer me on. I'll keep posting my progress and now I need to get out the door for a run.

Prayer

Last night Jess and I were watching late night television and yet another show featured a woman having an affair. In the show the woman proclaimed she had the right to have the affair because her husband had emotionally shut her out and neglected her. At that moment I felt really discouraged because I feel like marriages are really under attack. I recently found out that another person I care about had an affair and now her marriage is in shambles. It seems to be a growing trend among people in my age group and I can't help but feel that it is partially because marriages lack support structures such as church and family. When Jess was deployed I was really really lonely and our marriage felt like a desolate desert. Jess was exhausted and every time I talked to him he was grouchy and generally out of it. It was really hard to remember the sweet fun loving guy I had married. Luckily a great group of people at my church adopted me, prayed for us and kept me company. One night after hearing me moan about my marriage a good friend of mine pointed to a picture on her fridge of she and her husband. They looked really happy. She told me that this was a picture from her birthday but not on a good year. Instead, she said that this was a really tough year of her marriage and she had committed to a lot of prayer. She said God had answered her prayers and they were now happier than they ever had been but she kept the picture on the fridge to remind her of the power of prayer. That advice really fortified me and helped me make it through a long deployment and I couldn't help but fell really blessed this weekend as I thought back because now Jess and I are happier than we have ever been.

Thursday is the National Day of Prayer and I am committing this week to pray for marriages especially those marriages that are struggling. I am also praying that God will bring support to those people who feel really alone in their marriages. I'm asking my blog readers to spend a moment in prayer this week too because I know the devil is relentless but that God can do amazing things.