The Dalrymple Family

Christmas 2011

2011-12-25T21:38:00.000-06:00

Wow! It's hard to believe Christmas is upon us. Even harder to belive that we have only about 5 more months in Kansas before we move again!
We started our Christmas festivities with Gingerbread houses followed by James and Shawn watching the Nativity movie on DVD. James was very intrigued by it all but we were thrown for a loop when he asked where babies come from and why Mary was screaming. I thought the video was a bit much but let Shawn and James bond over it while Ethan and I did other things. Then on Christmas Eve we made cookies for Santa. James really enjoyed this (as well as Shawn hehe) and took his time to make sure the cookies were perfect for Santa. Ethan enjoyed licking the frosting off the knife..glad we were the only ones eating them :). Then it was time to put the cookies out for Santa and for the boys to get to bed. But not before having the talk with James that he is to wake us up first before going into the living room to ensure that it wasn't too early. Thankfully they zonked out very quickly allowing Santa to make an early arrival. :). I have to admit I think I went a little overboard this year and ahve decided in years to come I will tone it down.

I think James came into our room around 3 a.m. and tried to get us to get up. I told him it was way too early so I agreed to lay with him in his bed. That did the trick until about 7:30 which was great. Aunt Andrea and Maw-Maw were able to join us via Skype as the boys opened their presents. This was the first year Aunt Andrea hadn't been at our house on Christmas. The boys tore into their stockings and presents and enjoyed each one. Both boys go the remote control Kevin Van Dam bass boat they wanted along with leappad, tag jr, basketball goals (over the door), fishing pole amongst other goodies. While they played with their toys I was going to attempt to make breakfast consisting of monkey bread and hashbrown casserole. Thanks to my sister in law, Susan I felt confident in doing this. Shawn grew up having a large breakfast on Christmas morning so I thought that would be a fun tradition too. After the monkey bread finished we put candles in it and sang Happy Birthday to Jesus. Both boys were so sweet and sincere about it. I must admit the breakfast was pretty good. Of course the casserole needs a little fine tuning but overall tasty.

Shawn and I had the bright idea of leaving on Christmas day to drive to Alabama. Well after unsuccessful napping on adults part we left out on the LONG drive home. Shawn was determined to drive the 12 hour (NOT including stops) through its entirety that night. About 3 hours in we decided we needed to stop for dinner before going any further and before the boys went to bed..in the car. I had done some research and found that IHOP and Denny's would be open on Christmas day. So that was our plan to use one of those for our stop. Well low and behold none were open. The only thing open nearby was Hooters, yes you read it right. I do love the food there but I was in a sweatsuit but we went in anyways. It was kinda humourous because the only people in there were families with small kids and older adults. I guess when it's the only joint open for miles you sacrifice. Then back on the road we went. I am not one who can sleep in the car so when 12-1 a.m. rolled around I was getting quite ill ans begging Shawn to get a hotel room but he declined. We pulled into his mom's house around 5:00 a.m. and the boys slept until 7 or 8. I can't recall the whole trip is a blur. But we ushered them out to Gran and slept a few more minutes...well I did and then Shawn came rolling out about 11ish. Ethan complained about his tummy but he says it quite often so I thought nothing of it. Then Shawn gets a little shower of vomit on him while in the media room. Yup the stomach bug invaded Ethan for about 6 hours that day off and on. That ws the night we had planned to do Christmas dinner with Shawn's dad. I was torn what to do because I wanted to see the family but didn't want to leave my baby. After much thought I decided to leave Ethan with Gran for some one on one time. He was fine the entire night and didn't get sick at all. We all ate at Tokyo (Japanese restaurant) with Papa D and then went back to Aunt Chresta's to open presents. The cousins had a good time and I enjoyed just playing around with them.
The next day we were suppose to have dinner at Grans with all the cousins. Notice key word "suppose to". Then Shawn gets hit with the stomach bug. I hear him come in our room hurling. Not a great wake up call. Shawn was sick pretty much the entire day which called for cancelling dinner at Gran's :(. This was the first year that we had not done Christmas with his entire family. Aunt Susan couldn't make Tokyo so we woulnd't get to see them. We couldn't reschedule because of peoples schedules and Gran was headed out of town. Quite odd for sure. The recoup time from the stomach bug for Shawn lasted for about 3 days. He was just very worn down from driving and being sick. However we were able to do a small Christmas with my side of the family the following day. It was nice to see all the cousins playing football and climbing the tree at Maw-Maw's. But what I was looking forward to the most was a night out with my besties, Kristin and Courtney! We all met up and went to BWW which is our normal place it seems to meet. It was such a fun time filled with laughs galore. They wanted to see a 9:00 p.m. movie but for some reason I was EXTREMELY tired and decided not to go. I was bummed but I could barely hold my eyes open.
Well the next morning would give me my answer...yup I got the stomach bug!! All I gotta say is I am glad my mommy was there with some pheregan! I don't care how old I get when I am sick or hurting I still want my mommy!! Shawn took the boys out so I could sleep that afternoon which was nice. Then they surprised me by bringing me a zebra coffee mug with my initials on it. Such sweet kids (and hubby of course).

Once we all ran the course of the stomach bug it was time to head home to KS. Although I enjoyed seeing family and friends and Alabama will always be a place we love it just didn't feel like Christmas this year. I got to thinking this is the first time since James has been born that we made the trip home together as a family where it took that long to drive so soon after Christmas. Other than the years Shawn was deployed we were close enough to make day trips back and forth between our home and families. The strain of the drive, sickness and jsut the exhaustion between families definitely has us rethinking how we will do Christmas in years to come. We want to enjoy the holiday as a family of 4 without added stress or exhaustion. We always said that our boys would wake up in their house on Christmas morning which we feel is important. We hope to start/continue traditions for our family of 4 for many years to come. Time is too precious!! I still can't believe I have a 5 year old!!!!

Branson, MO 2011

2011-12-21T21:41:00.000-06:00

We started our Christmas celebration a few days before Christmas by going to Branson, MO. The show capitol of the world...or so we heard. I must admit that what really drew us was the Big Cedar Lodge that is always pictured in the Bass Pro Shops. However to stay there was $160 a night which was way out of our budget. So Shawn went to Bass Pro Shop and signed up for one of the travel agencies to score a nearly free trip in return for a 2 hour spill trying to sell us a cabin. Well I was in because it was super affordable and allowed us to hit a show or two while we were there.
I was in charge of James Christmas party at his preschool so after I was done with that we headed to Branson the next day, Wednesday. The drive wasn't too bad and the boys enjoyed it. Ethan loves hotels so he was thrilled with knowing we would be staying at a hotel. We didn't stay at the Big Cedar Lodge but at a Radisson hotel in the heard of the city. That night we drove through a large Christmas Light display and Ethan ooh and ahhed over it. He was so funny with Christmas lights. He would beg me to ride around the neighborhood and at each house get so excited and say "pwetty Christmas lights mommy". It made me smile to see him enjoy the simple things in life. Ok back to Branson.

Upon check in we were told the "sales pitch" tour would be at 8:45 a.m. Oh yeah! The first night we just kinda drove around to see what there was to do. We also hit an all you can eat buffett which I normally am not a fan of but hey it's the holidays and I LOVE sweets. After filling our bellies we went back to the hotel where I ordered Dixie Stampede tickets for the following night. Then we all snuggled into bed so we could get up for our super early tour. James woke up and told us that his head hurt and his belly felt funny. I figured it was from the sugar overload the night before and gave him time to take care of business in the bathroom. Well then the vomitting began. Shawn went to see about just him and Ethan going on the tour but by law because he is married I had to accompany him. I asked James if he felt ok to go and he told me he did. So we loaded up in the van and rushed to the Big Cedar Lodge tour. In the elevator the puking began. Oh sheesh was I embarrassed. Luckily we were the only ones in there so we just tried to pretend it wasn't us...but James being James and the honest boy is he felt the need to tell EVERYONE who got on or off the elevator he just threw up in there. And James ran up to me and said "mommy i'm sorry i lied to you, I wasn't feeling better". I took him in my arms and told him it's ok but always tell mommy the truth. He was pitiful. To make matters worse the agent they sent us was undergoing chemo so couldn't be exposed to any viruses. That really made me feel awful. I know that these people thought we were awful for draggin our 5 year old around while puking but I honestly thought he was ok, he NEVER gets sick. Well we got a new agent and toured and let her give us the spill about time shares blah blah blah. James made it to the bathroom one more time and then we went back to the hotel for a long nap. He woke up feeling like nothing happened. Boy was I thrilled because our Dixie Stampede tickets were for that night and they weren't cheap.

We got to the preshow and the boys loved it. They both loved the juggling act and were quite entertained. Then it was time for the real deal. I wasn't sure if I was more excited or the kids. This was a show I had always seen advertised and it was always a desire of mine to go. This particular show was a Christmas one whic made it even better!! The food was A LOT and you ate it all with your hands which was kinda neat. The boys were in such awe of the show they didn't eat much at all. The show was AMAZING!!! I was so bummed that no cameras were allowed in there because i missed some great shots. Both boys talked about how awesome it was. It made me so happy that they enjoyed it too!!

Because of James sickness we didn't get to check out much more before we had to head home to bake cookies for Santa's arrival the next night!

Fun to be Five

2011-11-09T21:42:00.001-06:00

It is hard to believe that we are celebrating James FIFTH birthday. I remember finding out that we were expecting and then the culmination of his birth like it was yesterday. I always dreamed of being a mommy but never knew how wonderful it truly would be. James was the best baby and was always so beautiful in my eyes. I loved his chubby little self and his sweet demeanor.

I tried to entice James by offering a family celebration at Great Wolf Lodge here in KS. I was totally shocked when he asked if he could go to Chuck E Cheese with his friends at school. I guess I was in the mind set that we just wouldn't have friends that would want to celebrate with us but of course my social butterfly already has his best buddy this year, Japheth. I went back and forth and even solicited advice from FB :)...then I decided with our lifestyle it is important for James to have good memories with the friends he meets during our travels. I have no doubt that GWL will see us soon. :). Jame 3 best buds at Pre-K were able to join us and it was so fun. Since it was a weekday morning it was very pleasent. On the actual day of his birthday we made Hotwheels cupcakes to share with his class. That night he wanted cheese fries so off we went to oblige this birthday boy. I think his favorite part was when the restaurant sang happy birthday to him!

James has brought such laughter and joy to our lives. He has the best personality and can always make us laugh. James never meets a stranger and is always so kind to people...well for the most part. He adjusts so well to the moves that we make due the Army Life. James is so smart and wise beyond his young years. He loves to learn and picks up on things so fast. He has such a bright future ahead regardless what he chooses to do.

James is in his 3rd year of AWANA's and he loves it. He always learns his verses so quickly and comes home with such happiness on his face. Our one wish as parents is that he knows and accepts Jesus on his own one day. We know that each child comes to terms on his own.

James has begun a Pre-K program in Leavenworth, KS. He goes in the afternoon for 3 days a week. It has been more of an adjustment for me than for him. He LOVES it and has met his best buddy Japheth Nowlin. I love that James always finds new friends wherever we go. James has learned to spell his last name and has my phone number memorized. He will begin wrestling in December and I am so nervous. But I know he will succeed and give it his all.

Just within the last 2 weeks James has conquered the task of riding a bike without training wheels. He nailed it on his first try and I am so proud. Shawn actually worked with him one day I was out running errands. He couldn't wait to show me. I was one proud mommy!!

James,
You have brought so much joy to my life. I never knew that I could love someone as much as I loved you even before you were born. Labor with you wasn't the easiest...from start to finish was about 27 hours. :)You were always such a happy baby which helped with your daddy serving our country in Afghanistan. The past five years have seemed to fly by and I can't believe you will be in school this time next year. It is so bittersweet to watch you grow, but I am so proud of you. You are so kindhearted yet you are ALL boy. Over the past five years you have brought so many giggles to our family. I couldn't be prouder of you than I am now. I pray that you continue to love to learn about God and will devote your life to Him. I feel if you do that than everything else will fall into place for you. I love your hugs and kisses more than anything in this world. I pray I am the mother that you deserve each day. You make me want to be the best person I can be. I love you big boy and you will ALWAYS be my baby no matter how old you get. I thank God daily for giving you to me. You are such a wonderful boy with a bright future. I can't wait to see what it holds for you,know whatever it is I will be there cheering you along!!
"I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
My baby you'll be!!"
p.s. yes I will climb your window and rock you even when you are bigger than me :)

Just Kick It

2011-09-25T21:42:00.001-05:00

James played his first city league sports league this year in Lansing, KS. He played for the Dolphins in the 4-5 year old league. He of course was the superstar in our eyes. After playing in a Christian league I was a bit anxious about how playing in a city league where we knew nobody would go. Thankfully we got a great coach and teammates. There were 12 kids on the team but they split them into 2 seperate fields on game day so that the kids would get more play time. James would be on the field alot and was quite competitive. Sometimes I wanted to crawl under my chair because he was soooo competitive. Everyone would get a kick out of his facial expressions when he missed a goal or if someone got in his way. Luckily he only pushed into another player in an unsportsman like way. :)..whew. I was very thankful for such a good season. Oh yeah, I am 'that' mom on the sidelines yelling for my baby! It was also so cute watching Ethan kick his little soccer ball into the goal during half time. He is going to follow in big brother's footsteps I do believe.

The season ended at the end of October with a parents vs. kids game. It was quite humorous to watch because some parents were really getting into it and keeping the kids from scoring. I am thinking some of these men were quite sore the next day. In the end the kids beat the parents with 1 score. Now on to wrestling season...I am a nervous wreck!!!

Wonderscope

2011-08-01T21:43:00.000-05:00

While we are in Kansas I want to explore and do things that are fun for our family to do together. Since this next year will probably be our only time in the midwest I am determined to make the best of it. Due to the weather today i chose to do an inside activity. So we all gathered into the van and made our way to Wonderscope Museum in Shawnee, KS which is about 30 minutes from Leavenworth. When we arrived I was pleasantly surprised that we got in free since we were military. There were several rooms for the boys to explore but while they played they also learned....pretty sneaky :). There was a rollercoaster room (you used golf balls to explore different types of energy), art room, market room, water room, hospital room, and Lego room. The boys favorite rooms were the rollercoaster room and art room. Once neat thing about the lego room is that they had huge sea animals made out of Legos only!! To think of the time and construction it took to do it was awesome. It was a great time with my boys! I was so glad that Shawn came too!
After leaving Wonderscope we headed to Fritz's Railroad Restaurant that a friend highly recommended. We walked in and immediately both boys eyes lit up at the train that circled around the entire restaurant. But wait it gets better! Once we are seated more fun comes. We place our order by calling it in through a phone at the table. The food is then delivered by a train car overhead that drops the food on a shelf that lowers the food down to the table. Everytime the train car went overhead Ethan would raise his hands anticipating it being our food. Finally the food dropped and we ate some good old fashion burgers. This was one of the only meals that Ethan was somewhat behaved. He was mesmarized by the trains which was so sweet. Of course James loved the restaurant too. This restaurant will definitely get another visit from the Dalrymple Family!! It was a huge hit!

Ethan is terribly two

2011-07-30T22:59:00.000-05:00

It's hard to believe that our baby is TWO years old! When he was born it was such a wonderful blessing...then shortly after that the challenges began. Ethan has been quite a challenging child and very much of a mommy's boy. However, since I know this is our last baby I enjoy it to an extent. I didn't rush him to walk or talk like I feel I did with James. I want him to be my baby and he will be forever.

We moved to Leavenworth, Kansas shortly before Ethan's 2nd birthday so we knew it would be just us celebrating. But in the same respect I wanted him to have the fun and memories of his birthday. Several days following up to his birthday we talked about how he would be two and he was very adimint about a "choo choo" cake. The morning of his birthday, James and I took him to Play, Bounce, Jump here in KS. Ethan and James bounced untile they were bounced out! Later that night we had dinner at a local Mexican restaurant, the kid loves salsa!! Of course the evening was finished by enjoying a slice of "choo choo" cake. Ethan got several new, fun toys. His favorite that night was the Dancing Mickey Mouse. To hear his sweet laughter was music to my ears.

Ethan is communication so much better now. He talks alot and I often have to interpret for him to others. He gets so frustrated when you tell him "no" and will have a meltdown wherever we are. He also loves to yell and i mean YELL 'no' if things don't go his way. His newest thing is to cross his stubby little arms and say "no fwair". He is gonna be my little spitfire for sure. He thinks he is bigger than he is and tries his best to keep up with his big brother.

Ethan loves anything you can dip. That is my trick lately, whatever I fix him I put a dab of ranch or ketchup for him to dip his food into so that he will eat. He is such a picky eater that anything he eats is a victory. Of course he is only picky for me :)....anywhere else they talk about how well he eats :). That's my baby! He loves fruit and cheese. I always catch him in the fridge getting some type of cheese out :).

On the other hand Ethan is such a sweet boy. I love to hold him and read books. He loves to read and itneract with the stories. His favorite right now is a book my mom bought about Alabama Football. He will yell "Woll Tide" after each page on cue. It is so sweet. I love when he first wakes up and grabs his Mickey Mouse to love on and says 'good morning'. I love that he says he's sorry and hugs his brother when he knows he did something wrong. I love that he is independent but still needs mommy to kiss his boo boos. I love that he still likes to be held as we walk at times. I love to see the bond between my two boys and to hear them giggle and enjoy life together.

Ethan is following in the footsteps of James when it comes to sports. He loves to hit the tball, kick the soccer ball and jump into the pool. Ethan is James biggest fan and yells for him at each soccer practice and game.

My baby is growing up so fast. I do feel guilt at times b/c the time I had with James just isn't there for Ethan since my time has to be divided. However, Ethan is adjusting and progressing just fine for his age. I am so thankful God chose me to be his mommy and that he is a healthy (active) toddler boy. I love his little personality and hope that he continues to bring smiles to himself and to others. My hope for him is to know and trust God and Jesus and to live his life in accordance to Their plan. I honestly believe if this happens this will allow everything else to fall into place.

Final Splash

2011-07-25T23:48:00.000-05:00

Before moving from Alabama I was determined to have James one final hoorah with his friends. So amongst the chaos of moving and being homeless I decided to book the Muscle Shoals splash pad and le the kids have some wet fun. Of course I chose the hottest day which was great for the kids but the adults were sweating like nobody's business! Several of James school and church friends came. It was such a fun time, I think we were there about 3 hours total! We took a break to hydrate and feed the kids and then they went back to playing. James enjoyed this time with his friends. We have met some wonderful people through Kings Kids and Highland Baptist Church. Saying goodbye is so difficult especially when your child has to say goodbye. James is so strong though and told me he will miss his friends but he will meet new ones in Kansas. Gotta love his strong, sweet spirit. James battled at first because he would come to me with a sad look and say he didn't want to move. I pray he finds some friends in KS to fill the time while we are there!

Leavenworth or Bust!!

2011-07-25T23:32:00.001-05:00

Well it's that time again, moving time. This will make our 4th move in almost 9 years, compliments of the good old US Army :). For me this will be my hardest move probably just because we are leaving home, aka Alabama, AGAIN .But on the flip side I have got to spend a little over two years back in Bama! I have enjoyed family time, spending lazy days with my best friends and finally found a church we adored. Ethan was born in Alabama and James actually got to attend a MMO program for 2 years in a row! He is 4 and has been to 3 different ones. Picking up and moving to the unfamiliar is hard. I often ask why I married a military man because I don't like change at all, I am a very structured, scheduled person :). All I can say is God had a plan for me :).

After drying my eyes from goodbyes I hit the road running! So we left out on Saturday July 16 to drive to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, home of the largest military prison :). Since Shawn decided to do a full DITY move (where we move our selves entirely) we had to drive seperate vehicles since he had the boat to pull. So I drew the lucky straw to drive the boys..lol. So we loaded up on movies and snacks and hit the road running. We made a few stops along the way so the boys could stretch but overall it was a pretty smooth ride. Ethan did remarkably well which was my biggest concern. Even now at almost 2 years of age he is the worst traveler. We timed it so that after we stopped for lunch he would take his nap which would put us stopping for the afternoon once he woke up. it worked out well. We drove about 5 1/2 hours and stopped for the night. We let the boys swim before supper and bedtime which helped wear them out.

We got up on Sunday morning to begint he final drive to our new, temporary home for the next year or so. We finally arrived that night and I was VERY pleased with the home and the neighborhood. It seems like a lot of ILE students live here and there is a playground 2 houses up from which is awesome!! The boys loved their rooms and James loved the fact that the house is a "stair house". The house has 2 levels but we use the downstairs for a playroom which is awesome. The living room, dining room, and bedrooms are all upstairs. It has a nice fenced in back yard and deck. Overall I love the house!

I attended my first PWOC meeting last Tuesday. This is a bible study for military spouses which is awesome, being back in the military population is so refreshing after being away for almost 2 years. I hope that I am able to build some great friendships out of this group. James and Ethan both clung to me when I dropped them at the childcare rooms but when I returned they both seemed to be fine. I hate leaving them when they are upset.

After unpacking some boxes I explored the town...Wal-Mart is 0.3 miles from our house! Lots of good shopping within 30 minute radius. I think I was more excited to hit the commissary!! I know that this is a huge adjustment for us. Moving definitely was as hard when we didn't have children especially children who comprehend moves and miss their friends and families. I pray daily that i can provide what the kids need to make the transition as easy as possible. James has been defiant and difficult lately but I hope once he begins a preschool program he will be ok.

This is Army life...many moves and changes still to come :) since we have 12 more years to go!

Take Me Out To the Ballgame....

2011-07-25T23:32:00.000-05:00

We had one more load of goods that Shawn's sister was bringing the following weekend. So we decided that we would all go to the Kansas City Royals vs. Tampa Bay baseball game in Missouri. It was only about 40 minutes away and we got a great deal on tickets! After enjoying a wonderful dinner with them we headed to the ballpark. Our seats were way up in the stadium but it worked out well because there were a lot of empty seats and with 4 young boys we needed room for them to roam. James paid attention rather well to the game and learned a lot which he gladly showed me while we played baseball outside the next day :). He called strikes, fouls etc. Even Ethan did good at the game. The temperature was 104 when we arrived so it was super hot. We stocked up on beverages, snocones and funnel cakes.

The game was so fun. Although I really didn't watch much of the game I loved the enthusiasm of the crowd. I loved when they played music and vamped up the crowd. Just watching my boys enjoy something new was worth it to me. I am sure we will have many more fun adventures while here in Kansas.

By the way...Kansas City won in overtime!!

Paradise 2011

2011-06-09T23:14:00.000-05:00

We took our annual trip to Destin this past week and as usual it didn't disappoint! We stayed a full week at the MWR Campgrounds and it was a little slice of heaven. We got there on Wednesday and immediately hit the beach for some fun in the sun. James boogie boarded all by himself and was a pro at it. Ethan loved the sand and loved stomping sand castles as I build them. It kept him happy so I just kept doing it :).

My favorite part about the beach is always the yummy food. We try to find the restaurants where kids eat free or for cheap. Well we lucked up and found several at the HarborWalk. We ate at Harry T's which was delicious!! (Thank you Chresta for the wonderful suggestion)I found my favorite new place for fish tacos...wonder if I can convince Shawn to drive there when I have a craving?!. We got a ocean front dining table where the boys could watch the boats and waverunners pass by. Of course they loved it and all I heard the entire time was "boa" from Ethan. After finishing there we explored the rest of HarborWalk which was awesome because it was kids night there. They did free face painting and both the boys got their face done. James chose spiderman and everyone loved it. Of course we rode the little train that went up and down the HarborWalk....anything to do with "choo-choo's" and we are suckered into it. To top the night off we watched fireworks which was so pretty. Ethan was terrified and even after they were over kept saying "scare me" and "pop, pop". He is so funny.

AS if this place wasn't wonderful in itself....it got even better when my sister and the Conner's arrived on Saturday. This was Ava's first trip to the ocean so they were so excited. As soon as they arrived we went to the beach and bathed in the gorgeous sun. She loved it and loved the sand even more. After fun in the sun we headed to Fudpuckers for dinner to see the gators. The food wasn't that good this time but it was fun with our family and friends.

Of course we had to it Harborwalk while everyone was there so we did. It was so nice down there. The adults (minus myself) headed to the adult slushy machines :). The kids enjoyed just walking around and riding the train. Also earlier that day we went on the pontoon boat. It was AWESOME!!! We left out abou 10 a.m. and cruised down the harbor....we were thrilled when dolphins jumped out of the water. There were so many of them, it was beautiful. Everyone in the boat squealed with excitedment as we tried to get as close to them as possible. Mike even attempted to swim with them which was quite humorous. After that amazing specticle we headed to the sandbar to do some snorkeling. James of course caught on so quickly and loved it. He loved seeing the fish, crabs and other little critters. He was determined to catch some fish so he grabbed his empty cheetos bag and gave it his best.....but boy are those fish fast. So he put a couple of hermit crabs in the bag. We all snorkled and it was so fun. The water is so clear, like glass. I love it there. They have an inflatable slide in the middle of the sandbar which of course James wanted to do. So after a few slips and slides we were ready to head back. I attempted to swim out there but the current was so strong. I began to panic b/c I had Ethan with me so I hollered for Mike to come get Ethan. Talk about working hard to get nowhere...Whew!

Our final day in Destin we spent kayaking that morning. James and I shared a 2 man kayak while Shawn and Ethan shared a 1 man kayak. James (of course) was awesome and paddled great. Shawn was filming us on the kayak and all of a sudden a huge splash...yup Ethan toppled in while trying to look over the front. Thank goodness for his lifejacket :). In the video you can hear him splash in and the camera goes wild while Shawn is trying to pick him up. Oh my accident prone little man.

I love our camper during our beach trips....it is one of the few times I don't mind staying in it over a hotel. I know we couldn't afford to go if we didn't have the camper. It is great family time to just relax and enjoy one another. This trip definitely was special because of Andrea and the Conner family joining us. I have gotten so close to them all and to have a final...HOORAH was so nice!!

A Day Out with Thomas

2011-05-25T21:43:00.000-05:00

Being a mom of two boys I am learning that anything with wheels, water or dirt are their top interests. Both James and Ethan love trains, more specifically Thomas the Train. We noticed that railroads hold an event called "A Day Out with Thomas". I was determined to hit one of these before we moved and thankfully Birmingham had it. I'll be honest I was more excited to stay in a HOTEL while out of town opposed to a camper :). Our hotel was awesome by the way...probably only chain we will use now :).

Ok back to Thomas. We arrived just as Thomas was coming back to the depot which was an awesome sight. Both boys eyes lit up and we could hear Ethan yelling "choo, choo". I think he was a little more excited than James this time. After buying our tickets we boarded the train and took a ride down the track. The day offered so many different event areas. James favorite area was the huge sandbox. We met Sir Topham Hatt, played putt putt golf, jumped on the bouncy house and petted animals. It was so hot that day which really wore us out. This is an even that was so great for our entire family.

The next day we went to Birmingham zoo. It was just the right size for us, not too big but not too small. With an almost 2 year old who HATES to travel or be confined long periods of time, it is hard too do much. But he was a trooper and loved the animals. James of course was in awe and enjoyed all the different animals. He is so smart and loves to learn about things.

This was a much needed minivacation for our family. Shawn's fishing has him gone a lot so to get a weekend away was so nice. Anytime together is so fun and memorable!

Valentine's Day 2011

2011-02-21T19:58:00.000-06:00

First off let me say that I think Valentine's Day is a highly overrated holiday. However it is nice to take that day to really go out of your way for those that you love because let's face it, we all get consumed in everyday tasks and KIDS :). I am determined to make any Holiday fun and hopefully it is the little traditions that they will remember and cherish.

I started the morning off by making heart shape strawberry cheesecake muffins and bacon. Of course Ethan and I were the first to get out of bed which made for making anything difficult. Between stirring, spraying and pouring I was pulling my monkey off tables, stools, chairs, etc. James slept late today which is odd but as soon as he woke up he kissed me and told me I was his Valentine. I love that kid...last night he held his hands up in the shape of a heart and told me "Mommy, you are my Valentine". Seriously this kid is a smooth operator!! Once I got breakfast on the table (on none other than heart shape plates) I let the little boys open their gifts. Of course Shawn got his favorite candy and a card (Shawn's "real" gift isn't suitable to share; :). Nothing big but just little fun stuff and CANDY that my boys love. Shawn made the day great by telling me to go run because he knows I enjoy that few minutes to myself. The weather was gorgeous so I took him up on it for sure!! Then he surprised me with yellow roses and a card which was so sweet. Then all my Valentines went to Zaxby's for a delicious salad.

To top the night off my best friend, Courtney, and her family joined us for making heart shaped pizzas. Each child got to make their own and then we quickly baked them. It was so fun and the kids enjoyed playing together. It is the little times like this that I really enjoy being home. To make memories with my best friend and her family is priceless. Although I don't mind military life, those that never have to leave their friends just don't understand how precious this time is for me. I couldn't have asked for a more pefect day!!!

I love my husband so much and am so proud of him. He is an excellent provider in every aspect. It's hard to believe we have been together almost 10 years! I love my little boys so much and am so blessed that God chose Shawn and I to be their parents. They both have very different personalities but that makes them unique. Ethan is my wild, "tiny destroyer" while James is my sweet boy who knows just what to say and when to say it :). I love all of my boys beyond measure!!

Ethan-18 months

2011-02-08T23:08:00.001-06:00

Ethan is 18 months, going on 19 months this month. He is FINALLY a sweet,loving, cute baby who sleeps thru the night. I swear I thought we would never get to this point based on the first 12 months of his life. He was so fussy, clingy and just was determined to love his mommy to DEATH :). I knew he would quickly outgrow this but I just wasn't sure when. We would joke and say he was a terrorist in training with the whole sleep deprivity and crying :). He still loves to be held but is also becoming quite independent. He enjoys playing with choo-choo's (Thomas the Train), cars and balls of any type. Yup he is definitely all boy! He is happy most of the time but has a little attitude on him. I can remember James going thru this around this age though. Ethan will get mad and hit a wall or chair which results in him getting time out or a pop on the leg. He gladly sits in time out which is odd. He is still quite a finicky eater and mainly grazes not eating many real meals. But he is growing and seems content so that is all that matters. Ethan is much smaller than James at this age so he seems so small to me. Ethan loves to give kisses and hugs and adores his older brother. Ethan is my "tiny destroyer" because any room he is in he makes sure to leave his mark that he was there by leaving everything in the floor. Ethan sleeps through the night but he still has his bumper pads in the crip because he snuggles up to them at night! It is so cute...he has always had the need to feel snuggled since he was born so I guess those soft pads do the trick still. He will bury his head in them and just snooze away.

Ethan is saying some words. Of course I am usually the only one who can interpret. He says a lot of "B" words...ball, buzz, banana, boat. He can also say da-da and ma-ma (when he wants to) as well as his version of James. He will stand outside James door and yell "Ames" or something similar. He can say choo choo, cachow, that, chip,and toodles...of course some are not always clear but he will point to "lightning mcqueen" and say ca-chow. And yes he has learned "pug".....the name for his manhood. He is fascinated with this little part on his body, he will constantly touch, pull, put things on it while changing and just laugh! I guess they start young! He is also very smart and a good clean up helper. He will put things back where they belong in the living room, he helps put dishes up (and in the right place).

Ethan loves the outdoors and swinging. He enjoys climbing up the playgrounds so he can shoot down the slides. He really has no fear. He is still not the best traveler but he is better than he was for sure (not sure if he could get any worse!!). Ethan also loves to dip his food....ketchup, cheese dip, crackers into soup, veggie dip, it doesn't matter he always wants to dip something :).

He is such a sweet baby boy and his smile will honestly melt your heart. His big blue eyes and chubby cheeks lure you in so fast. I am so thankful for my 2 healthy, happy boys and the blessing to stay home with them and watch them grow!

A MAJOR Deal!

2011-02-08T22:40:00.000-06:00

On February 4 we had Shawn's Major promotion ceremony at UNA. This was such a special day for us to be able to pin him Major at the same place we pinned him as a fresh 2nd LT entering the Army back in August 2002. The day was made complete when COL Atencio arrived home safely and in time from Afghanistan to read Shawn his Oath of Office. COL Atencio has been such a huge support to us and our family through this journey called Army Life. James has really grown to love him and prayed for him nightly while he was gone. Then when he found out he was home he thanked God every night for his safe return.

Ok..back to Shawn :). We were so excited that our family and friends could share in this special day with us. I was overwhelmed with how many people were in attendance to be honest! It was a special day for all of us for sure. We decided before hand that James would pin the Major rank on him. It was so precious and although James might not understand the significance of it he will one day and I am sure he will be so proud. During the entire ceremony James would not leave Shawn's side. He clung to his leg and just stood there.

Shawn has worked so hard to get to this point. After our struggle with CPT promotion this was such a wonderful blessing to be promoted so quickly to Major. It definitly shows his hard work while he was deployed as well as stateside. To have the lives of hundreds of men on your shoulders has got to be such a overwhelming experience. To lead them into battle, to see them wounded and even lose a comrade is a wonder that they continue to do the job so few can truly do. Shawn is truly an American Hero. When he found out he was getting promoted he was like a kid on Christmas morning. I have never seen him so happy and so proud.

Army life isn't always easy especially deployments. I dread our next deployment so much especially with 2 boys who adore their daddy. Ethan already yells for Da-da when he isn't around or if he gone for the weekend fishing. James enjoys fishing with Shawn as well. In 4 shorts months we will be preparing to move to Ft. Leavenworth, KS for Shawn's ILE school. This will probably be one of the toughest moves for me because living near friends and family again has been nice. My best friend recently moved back to the Shoals which has been awesome as well as me growing close to another Army Wife here. The debate of whether I should stay or should I go is definitely weighing on us. I know that I will not have the option of sending James and Ethan to MMO program there which truly will mean full time SAHM. Shawn's school will occupy his time a lot as it did in Ft. Gordon. We love the doctors here as well as James making friends at church and at school. However, I also know that we need to be together as a family as long as we can before he deploys. Just hard to make that leap from here after coming back "home" for 2 years to Alabama. I know regardless where the Army sends us that we will make any house a home for our family. At the end of the day, that is what is most important!

Alabama Blizzard

2011-02-07T22:47:00.000-06:00

Yup, this is the most snow I think I have ever seen (or at least I remember). The weathermen kept saying that we were going to get a massive amount of snow. But because anytime they predict it it never happens I didn't get my hopes up. But to be safe I went grocery shopping for the necessities..chips, cokes, etc b/c we already had bread and milk. We all went to bed and woke up to a big surprise...10 inches to be exact!! So after eating breakfast we bundled up and went outside. James LOVED it but Ethan wasn't too fond of it b/c his gloves are not waterproof so his hands were freezing. We built a snowman and James made the biggest snowball I had ever seen just by rolling it around on the ground. It was so pretty and lasted a couple of days. Schools were cancelled, gyms closed which made it a long few days for me. But we made the best of it! We have had some very odd weather here lately with all the snow and cold temps. We just found out that Kansas had about 26 inches of snow! Time to invest in some winter wear for sure!!

Christmas 2010--WHITE CHRISTMAS

2010-12-31T22:23:00.000-06:00

The days leading up to Christmas are very busy for the Dalrymple family. We stay busy baking cookies, making Gingerbread houses (out of foam this year), looking at Christmas lights, visiting family and friends and last minute shopping deals. Being in Alabama, I love getting together with my best friend and her kids to make cookies for Santa. Of course their interest in cookies is overtaken by the urge to play in James room :) but we managed to get a few done for Santa's plate.

The 21st we went to my mom's house to do Christmas with our nieces and nephews. We kept it simple with Domino Pizza which was SOOOOOOO yummy to me. It is always a fun time where I can actually relax, laugh and be myself. When you get us all together in one room there is no telling what is gonna be said :). Both boys loved their gifts from MawMAw and the cousins. Our goal was to make real gingerbread houses but time slipped away so we just put on hold.

The 23rd we went to Shawn's sister's house in Harvest for Christmas with Papa (Shawn's dad). Initially we were to host but things just got hectic here and Shawn felt best for us to do it there. The meal was delicious and something I am going to try soon. We had Spasagna (spaghetti noodles in lieu of lasagna noodles). It was sooo good! Then we did gifts to and from Papa. Each child got a reel for a fishing rod, except James got binoculars since he got a reel for his birthday in November. James was SO excited with them b/c he had been wanting some for a while. After the festivies were done there we went to Gran's to spend the night for Christmas at her house on Christmas Eve. Of course Ethan had to be stubborn and not want to sleep which made for a VERY long night. This mommy doesn't work well on little sleep, finally he zonked out but was up bright and early.

That morning we just hung around the house. James, Shawn and Ethan went on a "snake hunt" around Gran's pond with his binoculars. He was so funny, I love his creativity. Of course I was hoping they didn't REALLY see any snakes! After a battle at nap yet again with Ethan it was time for Santa to make his grand arrival at Gran's. All the kids sat on Santa's lap...yes even the BIG kids :). Ethan still wasn't sure of him but sat with me for a family shot. We all were so excited that Gran and PaPaw bought each family a Wii game console and accessories. Not sure if the adults or kids were more excited. James got a Buzz Lightyear Wingpack from the Tucker's and Ethan got a book and outfit. We draw names so that we aren't buying for 5 kids each time.

After that excitement we hopped in the van for the drive back to Florence. James knew he had to be in bed so Santa could come. Once we arrived home our friends the Conner Family called and said Santa stopped by to visit and asked James to come. So James and I hopped in the car and visited. Ava was so afraid of him she wouldn't even look up. James ran right over and gave the Jolly Man a big hug and proceded to tell him what he wanted. I loved it! When we got home Shawn and James tracked Santa on the radar. We saw he was coming soon so we put out his cookies and milk and James ASKED to go to bed :).

The boys woke up to some good stuff. But I think James was more amazed at the SNOW on the ground!! Yes we had a WHITE CHRISMAS in Alabama!! It was beautiful. Stocking filled with goodies. James got a remote control helicopter, tool bench, blocks, camera and so much more stuff!! Ethan got a CARS ride on (which he is terrified of), lots of Elmo stuff to include a chair and guitar and jammies. After opening gifts we had biscuits and gravy and then decided to make a snowman. Whew, it takes 10 minutes per child to get dressed and they only stay out maybe 15...glad we don't live in cold climates year round. This year it seems we didn't go all out which I kinda hated at the end of the day but the boys were thankful for what they got which is all that matters. That night we hosted dinner for my family but due to the weather only my mom, my sister and Shawn's dad were able to make it. But it was delicious if I say so myself. I made a red velvet cheesecake that was yummmo!

My favorite part of the season is that James can tell the Christmas Story in his own words. He understands God sent his Son Jesus to die on the cross. I love it more than any present under the tree. I hope Ethan is as enthusiatic as James when it comes to Bible stories and learning...knowing Ethan probably not. Ethan is still my hard headed child for sure!

Chattanooga Choo Choo

2010-12-26T14:35:00.000-06:00

As part of James birthday present we bought Polar Express tickets for a train ride in Chattanooga, TN. I initially wanted to stay at the hotel so we could get the "full" experience of Elf tuck in and all the jazz but after seeing the cost I wasnt' sure it was in our budget (come to find out I was WRONG...about the same for what all we paid) so we decided to go camping with the camper.

We stayed at the KOA which was nice but it had rained the night before and it was so messy. There was a nice playground and sandbox that the boys enjoyed. They also had a jumping pillow...like a trampoline but much more fun! Shawn and I even had to take a try on it. :). Ethan giggled as he jumped and James wore himself out jumping on it. I will admit my breakdown because camping is so confined especially when the weather isn't cooperative...I wished I was in a hotel to bask in the relaxation :). But we made a fire and roasted marshmellows which the boys enjoyed a lot.

Friday morning we went to the Chattanooga Aquarium. James LOVES sharks and fish of all kinds so this was right up his ally. He got to pet a sting ray, catch a butterfly, see penguins, stand in a shark cage and so much more. Ethan just took it all in and pointed at things and would get excited.

We rode the Polar Express on Friday night. The Train Depot itself was pretty neat with all the trains and Christmas lights. We boarded the train and James got a window seat of course. We rode a few minutes down the track and then they read the Polar Express Book while handing out chocolate milk and gingerbread cookies. James loved it. Then we waited for Santa to board the train and make his way to us. James waited ever so patiently and told Santa his list (which I think has changed with each Santa). Ethan just screamed and clung to Shawn like "please don't make me visit him". James enjoyed it which is all that matters. But we learned that it is just not much of a train ride which is what we were hoping for so we probably won't be doing it again for a while. :)

Then the next day we went to Chattanooga Choo-Choo hotel and visited the trains. James loved seeing all the gears and what it looked like inside the train. We also did the Elf Workshop which was a craft station set up. James made about 7-8 different crafts which he loved. He loved the glitter and glue a lot. Of course I loved it because I love crafts. We ate at the Garden Restaurant and it was so delicious. We followed it up by goign to the candy store there and splurging on yummy treats. By the time we were done this it was nap time and both boys zonked on the car ride back to the camper. Later that night we hit Toys R Us to do some shopping! James was in hog heaven!! We don't have that store where we currently live so all the toys sent in to la la land!! He picked out a boat for Ethan...although secretly he wanted it so we grabbed 2 to be their presents from eachother.

After my normal meltdown of the camper :)..it was a good trip. James loves trains and this will be another memory for us in our scrapbooks. We are so fortunate to travel and do things together as a family.

James is 4!!

2010-12-13T23:35:00.000-06:00

It is still hard for me to believe that James is FOUR years old! Hard to believe that 4 years ago I gave birth after 28 hours of labor (from start to finish) to the perfect little baby boy. I get a little misty eyed at the thought of how fast time seems to go. We spent the first 15 months of your life alone in North Carolina while Daddy was in Afghanistan. You were my world then and you are my world now. I am such a proud mommy. It seems that time is going too fast and before I know it he will be in school :(. James has been the best baby and child so far. He has the most wonderful caring and loving heart I have ever seen on a child. Don't get me wrong, he is ALL boy but has a kind sould. He is very sensative to others which is so sweet. He is also a funny little squirt who is very animated. The things he says and how he says them will keep you entertained for hours! I must say that he is quite the athlete too. He has played two sports, tball and soccer, and has excelled at both of them. I am so proud of him and proud that he gives it his best each time despite if he they win or lose. James is also so smart and enjoys learning. He attends MMO 3 days a week and always is bright eyed ready to learn each morning. He can write his name and loves to draw his family. He enjoys doing crafts and playing outside. He learned to swim this past summer and would jump off and swim to the side. He amazes me how fast he picks up on things. He definitely is the child everyone dreams about :). James has adjusted so well to having a younger brother. He loves him so much and to see him give Ethan hugs and kisses makes my heart melt. I hope they continue the bond and are best friends throughout life.

James, you have brought more joy to our life than ever imagined. You have shown us what unconditional love is. I truly know that I would lay my life down for you and that I would do anything to keep you from hurting in any way. How God sent His Son to die for us is something that hits me hard often especially now being a mom. Our hopes and desires are that you will continue to learn and explore God's word and accept Jesus into his heart one day. You are already asking questions and it thrills us. We hope you continue to enjoy learning and get excited at new things. We see such a bright future in you.

We are going to Polar Express in Chattanooga for your birthday present. Too many schedules to work around to have a big party. But Gran came to Florence to eat with us at Demo's. Aunt Andrea and Maw MAw joined us for dinner at our house on your birthday.

I just pray I can be the parent you deserve because you are more than I deserve for sure. I love you sweet boy!

Happy Halloween 2010

2010-11-11T10:55:00.000-06:00

It's hard to believe that Halloween has come and gone! It seems that this year has flown by...could be because I have been sleep deprived because of Ethan so days just run together :). But overall this has been a great year being in Alabama.

Halloween fell on a Sunday so Lauderdale County deemed Saturday night Trick or Treat night. James was so excited this year. He picked out his costume at the first of October...of course Woody since he was Buzz Lightyear last year. :). He loves the Toy Story characters. Ethan was going to be a Monkey. He wore the costume that James wore for his FIRST Halloween. I loved the costume and because Ethan's bedroom and wardrobe are filled with Monkey's it was so perfect.

James had a soccer game that morning and being the slacker mom I am, we carved our pumpking that afternoon. James told me he wanted a happy jack o lantern with round eyes and nose. So I drew it on the pumpkin and he actually helped carve the face on it. He was so proud of his work.

Then we napped and got ready for the big night of fun. We visited Maw-maw at work to get her back of treats and then headed back home to get some goodies. James was really into it this year. He would look for porch lights that were on and then go running up to the door. Everytime he would say "trick or treat" and would tell them "thank you" or "have a happy halloween". I swear that kid is the sweetest thing ever!!! His manners amaze me and make me feel I am doing something right :). I took Ethan to a few doors (mainly for my chocolate pleasures) but he was content riding in the stroller so we just left him in there. He was enjoying the suckers and smarties he received. We walked a good bit of our neighborhood before we called it a night. Our neighborhood is one of the busiest neighborhoods in the area. Cars line the streets for the entire neighborhood length. It is crazy. James was thrilled with his loot and wanted to eat all of it but we put it up after a few pieces.

Seeing the excitement in James eyes as holidays approach is one of the best feelings ever! I can't wait for Ethan and him to share in the festivies together very soon!

This and That

2010-10-29T22:02:00.000-05:00

Whew, it seems I never really have time to sit and update the blog like I would like. We are gearing up for the Holidays and it is so exciting with kids! We are doing some fun stuff at Christmas time especially while Shawn is here to share in the fun.

We have about 7-8 more months here and then it looks like we will be going to Kansas for Shawns ILE school (Major school). We are debating if I will go or stay but more than likely I will go because after he does his schooling and we PCS again he will most definitely deploy since he has been stateside since 2008. He is still planning on career Army which means we have about 12 more years of this thing called "Army Life". Living in Alabama has definitely had its ups and downs. I love having my friend, Courtney, nearby. She is a lifesaver in so many ways for me. I have also grown very close to Kristin, another Army Wife, which is great. She is so fun and just laid back, she balances me. The family involvement, however, isn't what I had hoped. It seems that when we are gone everyone is so anxious to see James or wonder what he is doing and wish they could be involved, yet while we have lived here we just haven't seen much company. This is really the only time that they will be able to see him play sports or just see his every day life. Despite the words of "we'll visit" when we move, we know traveling the distance we live when we move is difficult. Maybe my expectations were too high moving here. Families expand and get busy, schedules are hectic.

James will be 4 in just a few days. James attends MMO 3 days a week and is doing so great. Mrs. Emily is a wonderful teacher and I can see James learning so much this year. He is taking gymnastics Tuesdays after school which he loves. I peek in on him and he is so good at it. James is a natural at most things he does which is awesome. He has his two final soccer games and then we get a break until Tball season begins in April. (I will update more on James after his 4th birthday)

Ethan is 15 months now. He still looks so much like me as a baby...sheesh he is cute :) Although he finally has his sleeping habits regulated he is still an awful traveler! He screams almost the entire ride just going to Huntsville. He also is developing his personality and it is so funny because he grasps so much more than what he can verbalize. I bet it must be so frustrating to have all this stuff going through your head that you want to communicate but just can't! He is doing a lot of pointing of what he wants with a little "eh" as he points. We have taught him sign language for "more" and "all done" for meal times. However, often times he would just rather dump his food in my floor to tell me he is done. Oh the tantrums this little boy can throw! He lays down, kicking his feet while screaming. Then if James has a toy and won't give it to him he just screams...tenses his entire body up and screeches as to say "I want that now give it to me". Yes he gets time outs and little pops on the hands but I really don't see them working too much. Ethan is completely opposite in every aspect of James as a baby. I know people say don't compare your children but we all do. Ethan is so much smaller than James which is so odd b/c I look at Ethan and think he is a chunk..so James must have been a massive baby :). Ethan loves brushing his teeth, likes his vegetables, LOVES yogurt raisins and peanut butter.

Having two boys definitely keeps me on my toes. They provide numerous challenges but also plentiful and abundant love for me and Shawn. I love watching them interact. My favorite part of each day is in the morning when the boys wake up, James always gives Ethan a hug and kiss. Ethan will then wrap his short, chubby arms around James too and smile. It is the sweetest thing ever!! I always said I only wanted one baby after James was born but I am SO thankful that God knew my plans and didn't hold back. I can honestly say our family is complete with Ethan and I can't imagine life without him. I am thankful for two healthy boys that I would lay my life down for at any given time. You never know love until you have kids of your own.

Upward Soccer

2010-10-23T22:43:00.001-05:00

James is playing his first year of Upward Soccer at Crosspoint Church of Christ in Florence. Initially he was to be coached by Courtney and another girl but because they needed more coaches Courtney asked me if I would be her assistant coach. Yes I know....I am clueless about any sports so this was quite a task for me :). Our team is the Dragons and it consists of 2 boys and 4 girls. James and Rorie are the two boys. Bonnie, Barklee, Ava and Olivia are the girls. Rorie has proven to be quite a challenge for us but we know that he will get it soon. The first week I was asking what did I get myself into with this? Kids were hot, tired and not getting it not to mention James meltdowns when he didn't score or get the ball...seriously?? But now that we are further into the season things are going great!! The kids are learning TEAMWORK which is the key to any sport. It is so great! In this age league we don't keep score, don't have goalies and play 4 on 4..although we prefer 3 on 3 so whenever possible we use that theory.

We scrimmage diffferent teams during practice and on one of the teams is a really big girl who is kind of a bully...she pushes and is super aggressive which our kids aren't use to. James told Shawn about it and Shawn told him to just push her bag and that he can use his elbows to get her out of his way. The entire time I am wanting to push Shawn down b/c James doesn't need to start off being a bully but learning what is allowed and what is good sportsmanship. Well next practice the girl is all over them again. James bends his arm and chases her with his elbow bent...SOOOOOOOOO funny!!!! he didn't knock her down but it was SOO obvious he was trying to do what Shawn said. So when James got in the car we had to talk to him....without cracking up. Then next game James got the whistle blown for pushing :(. I understand he needs to be aggressive but he doesnt' understand the happy medium of being fair and aggressive together. I know he will learn.

James is an excellent player and has great potential.I love that Courtney and I have this opportunity because once we move we won't be back for a while. I love that two of my dearest friends in AL kids play on our team and we have fun. This has been well worth the experience and I wouldn't trade it for anything. However, James has told me he will be playing tball again in the spring...I prefer soccer though b/c it is more involvement than just hitting the ball off a tee. But he can do whatever he chooses right now :)

Break Time for Mommy!!

2010-09-07T22:25:00.001-05:00

Another year of Mother's Morning Out has began and I am so happy!! Yes I miss my little boogers while they are gone but it allows me to get stuff done without neglecting them or dragging them with me to do errands. It's amazing what you can get done when you don't have kids to drag around with you. James and Ethan are both attending Woodmont Baptist Church (King's Kids). It is so nice because it is literally 5 minutes down the road unlike in GA.

Because James initial teacher was offered a full time job the day before Open House we knew that she would not be his teacher but didn't know who would be at that time. I was very anxious because I always like to meet the teacher and get a feel for them before sending my kids to them. So going in today I kept a very positive attitude for James and knew that God would provide a good teacher for him. Mrs. Emily is a recent grad of UNA and has 2 kids of her own. James settled in with his friend from last year Anna Kate and they colored together. He was fine so I kissed him and I left. He is so big now and I am so blessed that he adapts to new places and routines so easily...a HUGE bonus since he is an Army Brat :).

Ethan has two teachers, older ladies so that is so nice. They adore the kids and spoil them as any good grandmother would do :). I was worried about him since he is SO clingy to me but he did great. He went to his teacher and I waited a few minutes and left once I saw he was playing and not upset. Shawn went with me to pick them up from school and Ethan kinda snubbed me and went to his daddy, as if to say he was upset with me. When we got home he kept saying "bye-bye" really loud as if he was telling me I left him bye bye today! I know maybe i"m interpreting things totally wrong but it was SO funny!

James filled us on his day and was so excited about it. I think he was getting bored at home as well. He loves to learn and play with friends. James was so excited when he told us about seeing Ethan being strolled around outside while he was at playtime. He said he waved to Ethan and Ethan waved to him. I love it!! Ethan is just at the age that we can do stuff like play outside but i still have to be right there with him which is so hard on James because he wants my attention too. Again, wondering if Mother's Guilt ever goes away from not spending equal time with each child. James said he saw Mrs. Cassie, his teacher last year, and that she was so glad to see him and gave him a big hug. That kids is so funny.

It is going to be a good year I do believe.

Destin 2010

2010-08-22T22:53:00.001-05:00

We just got back from one of the best vacations I can remember in a very long time. I love that Shawn has a flexible schedule and more importantly is HOME. We know his time to deploy will be here before we know it so we are taking advantage of having both parents home and traveling. Buying the camper affords us the opportunity to travel more and spend more time. We spent the same amount on the 5 days at the campsite as we would for 1 night in a hotel plus making most of our meals at the campsite is a huge money saver. Shawn and I honeymooned in Destin almost 8 1/2 years ago so it is very dear to us. We haven't been back since so to go back as a completed family was so amazing.

We spent 4 nights/5 days in Destin, Florida at the MWR Campground/Resort. It was so nice! Although it wasn't directly on the beach it has breathtaking views of the Bay and a pier you could walk out on to view the Ocean. It also had a pool (crappy hours and rules..but only negative of the entire trip), playground, workout facility, nice running trail, and nice areas for kids to release energy for sure. The beach was 5 minutes away and we were so close to everything. It was truly AWESOME!

While we were there James and Shawn kayaked, we rented a pontoon boat, James held an alligator, Ethan said MaMa for the first time, we shopped, we ate, we built sandcastles and most importantly we enjoyed time as FAMILY. We ate at Fudpuckers one afternoon where James got to hold a live alligator (the mouth was taped shut) but he was thrilled. Ethan even was excited to touch it. Me, not so much. The other restaurant of choice was McGuire's Pub where we ate so much we all needed naps. I love that place and it is a place we ate when we were newlyweds. James got to Build-A-Bear...of course he chose the outfit for him to be Buzz Lightyear. It was so sweet how he'd kiss the bear at night and cuddle with him. Ethan enjoyed the peaches and watermelon we got in Clanton, AL. He is a fruit baby for sure.

Our family truly enjoyed every minute and did so much while we were there. James loved boogie boarding in the clear water. I was amazed at how clear and beautiful the beaches were. The sand was as white as sugar. I was worried because of the oil spill but we saw no signs of it. The weather was awesome every day. It was a refreshing trip after the meltdown I had during our first camping experience in Myrtle Beach :).

When we took the pontoon boat out we saw Manna-rays which James referred to as Mr. Ray's from "Finding Nemo". Hearing his squeals of excitement was so sweet. We also got to go to the sandbar in the ocean and it was amazing. Shawn said while they were kayaking that they saw a dolphin too. There is so much to do there that even after 5 days we hadn't really done 1/2 of what we'd like to do...but that is more incentive to go back.

The mullet is gone :)

2010-08-13T22:26:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we took Ethan for his first haircut. His hair has a mind of its own so I was nervous that cutting it might create a bigger disaster. However, he was starting to look like he was sporting a mullet (business in the front, party in the back) and it was driving me crazy. So I decided to take both boys to the girl who does my hair. I sat in the chair with Ethan while Nikkole cut his hair. He did really good and only got squirmy when she went towards his neck. But she did a great job and he looks so handsome and mature now. After he was done he got a sucker from Miss Nikkole which he loved, as was evident by his soggy shirt ;). James did great too and looked handsome as ever!!

Ethan's First Year...

2010-07-31T20:51:00.002-05:00

I remember going to the doctor on July29th and being told that I would be induced the next day because my amniotic fluids were low (same issue as with James-ogliohydrosis). Fourteen hours later our little baby boy arrived. To say that Ethan has not been the easiest child is an understatement. He had colic and reflux which makes for one unhappy baby not to mention the chronic ear infections for about the first 10-11 months of life on top of routine teething. I honestly lived day by day wondering when the crying would stop...I worried I wasn't bonding with him the way I should because it seemed that he only cried and wanted to be held. I was beyond exhausted and got so tired of people making me feel worse by saying that he was fine for them or that he isn't that bad. I felt as if I was doing something wrong. I prayed things get easier so I can enjoy our last baby and not rush him to grow up too soon. Luckily I had a friend with the same feelings which helped me feel at ease some. I felt I was doing an injustice to James as well because I was just so drained to do anything even when Ethan was sleeping (which was not often). I didn't want James to resent me because I couldn't give him the attention I did before he was born. I didn't believe that Ethan was spoiled so I disregarded when people said that..I knew something was causing him discomfort. We waited it out and finally by 11 months he was a different baby. Then when he got his tubes he has been such a happy baby overall and sleeps FINALLY sometimes through the night. All I can say is I am SO glad that Shawn was home this go around and that we were near family.

Now here, a year later, and I feel so blessed to be the mom of two healthy beautiful boys. I know that things could've been worse for us and I am just so thankful they are both thriving, active boys. Ethan has such a loving and sweet personality. He is still a mommy's boy but I know that will all end one day soon so I am going to cherish it. He isnt' quite walking yet but is taking several wobbly steps and even walked across the living room last night. he waves bye bye and can say Hi. He has discovered his voice and lets out what sound like chirps. It's kinda funny b/c in the car James will tell him to be quiet and Ethan will just "chirp" at him louder! Ethan understands a lot. He has found a new love...FOOD. That boy can eat his weight and then some in food! I guess he is making up for lost time. Also he enjoys the water a little more since his ears aren't hurting all the time. He is a beautiful baby boy with piercing blue eyes and a sweet personality. I am so thankful that God chose me to be his mommy. Happy 1st Birthday Ethan Charles Dalrymple!

Fun to Be One!!

2010-07-31T11:29:00.000-05:00

We celebrated Ethan's first birthday last night. We had it at Monkeying Around in Florence (inflatable jump area) which we normally don't do for 1st birthdays but because the number of cousins, mosquitos in our backyard, the heat and Ethan not walking yet this was the only place. The theme was Mod Monkey and I loved it. I am a bit obsessed with monkeys with him for some reason!! Clothing, bedroom, shoes, bags..anything with monkey I buy for him. Our friend, Elizabeth, made his cute monkey romper for his special day and I loved it!!! It was perfect for this day.

Anyway...the entire family was there for this one and it was so fun. Shawn missed James first birthday b/c he was in Afghanistan so this was extra special to have him here. The kids bounced and ran and got some much needed energy before it was time to celebrate his first year. Ethan got his first taste of pizza and loved it. When it was time for Ethan to eat his cake he wasn't too sure about it. He poked it at first but when he got a taste of that frosting it was all over at that point. He devoured it like a champ....much like his brother did when he was that age. He also was a little upset when it was all gone :). Then came present time (which was a bit chaotic b/c we were running out of time). He got some awesome presents and money for his bank account. Being the 2nd boy he has so much already handed down.

We were so thankful that the entire family was there to celebrat this last of the first birthdays with us. :( And for the record...no we aren't having more :).

Ethan 11 1/2 months

2010-07-27T22:21:00.000-05:00

On the 15th Ethan got tubes due to chronic ear infections. I was so anxious about my baby going under anethesia even if it was mild. We drove to Birmingham the night before and stayed in a hotel since we had to be there for 6 a.m. surgery. Of course we made our regular trip to the Cheesecake Factory and indulged that night. I barely slept a wink that night b/c I was so worried. Finally 4:30 rolled around and I got up, showered and got a cup of coffee before waking Ethan. He was wide awake when we got to the hospital and got to play around for a while before falling back asleep on me in the room. The time came for me to walk him down to the operating room where I had to hand my baby off to a nurse. He opened his eyes and looked at me and I thought I was going to start sobbing. I quickly said (another) prayer that God be with the hands working on him and that he not be in in any pain. Honestly 10 minutes later my baby was safely in my arms drinking his juice. We got the ok to leave so off we went. About 5 minutes into the ride I heard him gagging a bit and because it was rush hour work traffic in Birmingham I couldnt' pull over....a few minutes later he vomited in the car which I had planned for b/c of the motion sickness right after surgery. Shawn and James were waiting on us so that he could get bathed before heading home. Ethan did great and slept most of the way home.

It's been almost 2 weeks since the surgery and I swear this is a totally different child. He is happier, more independent and eats like a grown man!! It makes me so sad that his ears were causing such pain for him. Seriously, he LOVES food now and eats more than James. I am so thankful that we have resolved what has been causing such pain for our baby boy!! Now it's time to get ready for 1st Birthday!

Magic Drops

2010-07-01T22:58:00.000-05:00

Ethan is officially 11 months now. On Monday I took him back to the doctor and the prognosis was just as I thought...double ear infection AGAIN!! URGH! So another round of antibiotics here we go. I decided to ask for numbing drops for his ears because he is so restless at night none of us sleep. HALLELUJAH they worked!! The first night he slept thru the night (waking once is sleeping thru the night for me) which was SO nice. Then in the car he didn't scream and enjoys looking out the window and at James. Then we tried the pool..SURPRISE SURPRISE he didn't scream while in his floatie for an entire hour!!! Who has taken Ethan and where is he?! Seriously 11 months later I can FINALLY say he is a happy baby with a sweet personality...He is so playful and loves to climb over pillows and James Cars couch. He is still very clingy to mommy but I know that soon will end and I'll be wishing it was back. He is standing for several minutes at a time so walking is very close. Ethan is eating so much more lately. He loves canned fruits and peas. he could make a meal out of them on their own!! He also loves the gerber meat sticks that smell like dog food to me but hey he likes them! I think he is making up for lost time from when he wouldn't eat before for whatever reason. He loves to play pattycake and peekaboo which is so funny. He also likes to clap his hands as if saying "Yeah" while eating and after taking his meds. He is so funny. I just hope this fluke is the real Ethan who has been waiting to emerge from the crabby baby he has shown to be the past 10 months. This Ethan I can work with!

Two Thumbs up for Tubing!

2010-06-17T20:33:00.001-05:00

Today we took James tubing for the first time today. Our first run was not a good one because I didn't lean back enough and we tipped forward and went spilling into the water. Thank goodness for life jackets! James bobbed back up and was terrified. So that was round one. The second round I went alone and showed James that we wouldn't tip anymore. I enjoyed it so much except my bottom hitting off the water :)...even with padding it hurts :). Finally we convinced James to trust us to ride again. So I leaned WAY back and off we went. James LOVED it. He insisted on wearing his swim mask to block the water out :). I kept asking him if he wanted to stop and he looked at me and said "when I want to stop I'll tell YOU"! He cracks me up!! We rode for a while and then decided to let Daddy take a turn. he told me to keep it at about 20 mph but it felt like we were barely moving so I vamped it up to 35 mph...finally I got the signal to slow down so I did. Then James was feeling brave and said he wanted to ride alone so we let him and went super slow. He didn't last but maybe 5 min and was ready to come back to the boat. But he gave it a try which was awesome. James wasn't too keen on swimming in the river at first but of course as it was time to leave he wanted to swim. We told him we'd come back another day to swim because we had to get Ethan at MMO today. Those few hours of just focusing on James while Ethan is at MMO is very nice. I know he appreciates it as well.By the end of our time on the river, we got TWO thumbs up!!

Ethan-10 months

2010-06-01T20:42:00.006-05:00

I cannot believe that 10 months has passed since we brought our baby boy home!! In 2 short months we will be celebrating his 1 year birthday and it is bittersweet. Ethan has been a TOTALLY different baby than James ever was. I dont' know if God helps block out the "bad" stuff with the first so you will have more or what but James seems like an angel baby compared to Ethan. Here it is 10 months later and he still cries a lot, very clingy to me and still wakes up several times throughout the night making my days very long. He has recently had a dual ear infection for over a month so I know that has some bearings on his behavior. We have a referral to an ENT in the works so I am SO thankful to get some kind of answers and hopefully relief for him. Ethan is the worst medicine taker...unlike James at this age. Shawn and I both have to hold Ethan down and tilt his head to get meds in him. It almost is comical how strong this little guy is. Ethan really likes real food much more over baby food. He loves waffles, bananas, pudding, jello, french toast sticks, cheerios just to name a few. For some reason the baby food makes him scream and I don't know why?! Maybe it's his way of telling us that he is ready to bump it up to big boy food all the time :). He is a crawling pro and scoots around rather fast. He loves to get into James room and play with his toys.....James doesn't like it so much but he is learning to give him a toy in order to keep him away from his train table! So funny. Ethan has more of a personality now and does smile more than he did before that's for sure but he is a very demanding baby at times. Anyone who asks me about a 3rd baby should be shot :). NO NO NO is the answer. The only way is if we adopt later on down the road but this mommy knows her limits and isn't willing to push them :)

I am still battling mother's guilt and wonder if it will get any better. Ethan is so time consuming that when I am not dealing with him I am so tired that I feel I often don't pay James the attention he deserves. That is still so hard on me and I wonder how to make it better. I do my best juggling them and feel confident most of the time but I miss James time. I also feel guilty taking any time for myself in which I have to ask for anyone, including Shawn, to watch the boys. If it wasn't for the wonderful daycare at the gym I probably wouldn't even get that time to myself. But I know that they will be in school before I know it wishing I had this time back with them!

Baby Dedication

2010-05-09T21:34:00.007-05:00

Today, on Mother's Day, we dedicated James and Ethan to God. For those who are not familiar with it, it symoblizes our recognization to God that he gave us such a wonderful gift that we now are dedicating/ returning them to Him. One of the first moms in the bible was Hannah.We publically pronounced that we will do all in our power to bring them to know God and Jesus. As parents we strive for this daily and just pray that we can set the example for our boys to be strong men of faith, to not give into temptation, to stand up for what is right, to be good spouses one day. Also I pray for the right reaction and discipline when we or they fail at these things. We just pray that they will accept God and Jesus in their heart and live life in a positive way. We know that they are not perfect and they will face hard times but I pray that as parents we can guide them and comfort them during those times. But just as there are hard times there are many joyous times that we will celebrate together.

We were so blessed to be able to do this in Alabama. Because Shawn deployed when James was 2 months old and returned when he was 18 months followed by a move to GA and then to AL, we just weren't able to do it earlier. Our entire family joined us in this special day. Grandparents, Aunt, Uncles, and Cousins were all there! It was so nice having both sides there at one time. Although at times I got stressed because I am a planner and not everyone understands that and respects the need for me to plan all and all it was a special day.

This is my first Mother's Day as a mommy of 2. I know that at times I complain about being a SAHM, the late nights of no sleep, etc but I wouldn't trade it for the world. To be given the opportunity to be home and not have a "fill in" mom with my children is the best feeling in the world. Although not everyone has the opportunity to stay home I know that I am blessed to stay home with them. I love watching them grow and learn new things. I love how smart and kind James is (well most of the time). I love how snuggly Ethan is and how his smile makes me smile. I love watching my two boys interacting even with Ethan only being 9 months old. The decision to have a 2nd was a very difficult one for me...everyone who knows me knows this. But I can honestly say I can't imagine life without my 2 boys and to give James a sibling is awesome. I hope that they will share a strong bond as brothers and be the best of friends. I hope that they will select women who will accept me as their mother in law and that I don't overstep boundaries but that I am allowed to be as active in their lives as possible. I understand that the bond between mothers/daughters and mothers/sons is very different. I accept that and am not nieve. 'A son is a son until he finds a wife, a daughter is a daughter all her life'. I can't imagine life without my boys...and yes for the record we are done :)

SOLD!!!

2010-04-30T12:49:00.004-05:00

We got news today that our house in NC is officially off the market! The guy who has been rented it got his loan approval today which is GREAT news for us. We will close very soon and have the burden of two payments each month gone!! We put our house on the market in July of 2008 and just now will we not have the burden of 2 payments. God is good!! We didn't make much off the house but to have the worry gone is priceless.

Although it is no longer our home, it will always hold a special place to us. It was our first home purchase as a couple. I admit when it came time to sign the first time I couldn't do it...we pulled into the parking lot and anxiety hit in and I had to reschedule. But once we did and the home was OURS it was a very great feeling. It was more than a house to us it was a HOME for us. Our precious first born was taken home there. It was there that we rocked our baby to sleep, where he began crawling and just had that feeling of home. His first bedroom was done by us in Winnie the Pooh and was a little labor of love. When we decided to paint the entire house neutral, that was the only room that kinda saddened me to see done. It is in that house that I learned so much about myself while Shawn was deployed. I learned that I could do so much more than I gave myself credit. It was there that I learned the joys and pains of motherhood. It is that house that after 15 LONG months in Afghanistan that Shawn returned safely to his family.

Now we hope that "our" house will hold memories for the new person living in it. I am so thankful for the answered prayers...even though it wasn't on our time and much of our savings was depleted....we know God does things in his own time for a reason.

Take Me Out To The Ball Game

2010-04-27T22:51:00.004-05:00

Tonight we had James first official T-ball game due to rainout on Saturday. All day I will ashamely admit I was hoping for rain so I could go to the gym and not go to the "boring" ball field....although T-ball was my idea :). Shawn feels like he is too young to understand but my thinking is "so what." It will be fun and a good learning experience for him plus who knows if Shawn will be here next year when tball season rolls around so lets just do it :). But the rain stayed away, so game on! It was unseasonably chilly this day so we all put long sleeve t's under our DODGERS tshirts. James was so excited. We loaded up the minivan and made our way to the ballpark. Aunt Andrea was there waiting on us to arrive. She wouldn't dare miss James first tball game. Once we arrived the sportsplex was so big I had to call Coach to see where we were playing. We finally arrived in the dugout and the tball mom in me came out!! I loved it...I would yell for him to pay attention or run the base or good job!! It was so great to see how these little guys played. Sadly only 4 of our team member showed up which I was a bit disappointed about but it was still fun. The other team had a massive number of players :(

James was first put on 3rd base which for some reason the ball NEVER goes that direction. He had is typical meltdown of crying and whining as he is known to do lately. I send Shawn out there to give him encouragement but it isn't working. Then it's time for his team to bat and another meltdown because he isn't batting first!! By this point I was so upset at his behavior and lack of teamwork I told him if he couldn't dry it up that we would be done with tball for the year. Finally it was his time to bat and he hit it so well!! He was confused at where to run and when but he'll get the hang of it. Luckily this year it is all about fun and not keeping score.

After their turn to bat James got to play 2nd base and he got to catch several balls and throw them to the umpire. His team did very well about not all running towards the ball and going only if it came towards them as taught in practice. I enjoyed myself so much more than I thought I would be. Lesson learned:stay open minded about new experiences!!

Shawn filled me in that leagues like these are all pretty much political gains. Coaches "preselect" their teams so to say. However, our team might be considered the leftovers but I think we are a good tball team and it is a great learning experience for us all. Our coach is very patient and positive which is awesome. It makes me not want to play in the future because it seems so unfair...I guess mainly because we will never know anyone to get onto the "good" teams due our moving around so often. But I guess at the end of the day it doesn't matter, what matters is that our team plays fair, enjoys themselves, plays using teamwork and gives it all they got!! What more can you ask for?! Yup I see a future in the ball fields for sure!

After his first game we went to Logans and ate way too much food. James was so stinking cute in his tball jersey!!

30 is the new 20...right?!

2010-04-20T13:52:00.006-05:00

I celebrated my 30th birthday on the 19th of this month. Shawn surprised me by invited some of my friends to celebrate with us at Casa Mexicana. I was so thrilled that my friends were there because this will probably be the last time we are in Alabama for a birthday celebration!! Shawn chose a yellow rose cake that was so yummy. I love yellow roses so he did great! I loved not only having my friends with me but their kids, it just shows how much we have changed over the years we still remain close.

A lot of my friends were so anxious about turning 30....me not so much. I think that I am very content with where I am at this age. I am doing exactly what I wanted to be doing at this age...being a mommy to my 2 children. I married a wonderful man so that checked that one off my list :). I never thought I'd marry a military man because I am not one who deals with change very well. Hey no wise cracks from those who know the background :) I feel that by marrying Shawn that I have met and seen places of the world I wouldn't normally see thanks to the Army. The deployments and long work hours are very difficult at times but I know that God will take care of our family. I always said I wanted to have my kids by age 30 and God blessed me with two beautiful boys. Yes I would love a baby girl but obviously that's not in our plans Shawn and I discussed and agreed that once I had kids that I would stay home until they were school age or old enough to tell me what was happening at daycare....make sure they weren't being mistreated. We have been very blessed to have the means to do that and not worry so much about financial stresses...especially in today's economy.

My next 30 years I hope to raise my boys in a Godly manner and for them to know and love God. If I can achieve this then I feel there is nothing else that I can't do. I would love to start running some races,starting with 5k and going from there maybe. I would love to pursue a Master's in Social Work so that I can work on post and help soldiers and eventually open a house for pregnant teens in foster care to help them be able to raise their own children successfully. Big plans yes but that is my dream....you never know. In 2 more years I'll celebrate 10 years with Shawn and I hope he is not deployed so we can go on a tropical vacation without kiddos and just enjoy being a couple!!

I am so blessed to be given the family that I have. I feel like the luckiest girl alive and know that I have so much more than I deserve.

Back to Bragg

2010-03-28T16:06:00.005-05:00

While we were so close to Ft. Bragg I had to visit. Something about that area is "home" for me. I miss the military atmosphere as well as the lack of drama which encompasses the Shoals Area. We drove thru our old neighborhood and showed James where he lived his first year of life and where he was born at Ft. Bragg. Of course he wasn't thrilled but I found myself getting flooded with memories that left a smile on my face. Ft. Bragg has not seen the hits in the economy like other areas in the world because of the soldiers. Business were popping and traffic was constantly flowing. We visited the PX which I loved and miss! Everyone keeps asking if we will get stationed back at Bragg and we keep saying we don't know. The Army is certain for one thing.."hurry up and wait" so we will not know until November our next duty station. As much as I love being here I am sort of ready to leave North Alabama (I know once I am gone I'll wish I was back here) just because all the drama and everyone in everyone's business!! I do like being around family (most of the time) and especially in those moments when you just need someone who understands you. Shawn's fishing keeps him away a lot so being able to drive 15 min to my mom's or sisters is so enjoyable!!! But we know this is just another resting place in our journey with the Army!

We were able to meet up with my bestie in NC, Beth and her family. I miss her so much. She is due with her 2nd baby in May and I am so excited for her yet sad I won't be there. She was a huge part of my life from Shawn's first deployment to being James first babysitter at only 3 weeks old.

The Thursday before leaving we found out that Shawn made the Major promotion list!! WE were thrilled and caught off guard because he was double below the zone. We didn't get our hopes up s when the list was released and he was on it we were ecstatic. Of course he won't offically be promoted until his number comes up...hopefully within 6 months while we are still here so we can be surrounded by family during the ceremony.

Myrtle Beach 2010

2010-03-28T15:45:00.009-05:00

During Shawn's spring break we decided to make the long 12 hour drive to Myrtle Beach to visit my grandfather. Of course my anxiety kicked in about traveling with 2 small children not to mention the morning before we left my van decided to not start...but luckily Honda fixed it :). Shawn had a fishing tourny in Gadsen so the boys and I drove there to meet him and leave from there. Shawn decided to drive straight thru whereas in times before when I drove alone I stopped midway and slept at a hotel. I have to say all in all the road trip was a success. Ethan has learned to sleep most of the way and when he wasn't one of us would sit in the back seat and occupy him. He would get a kick out of my feet propped up next to him so he could play with my toes :) Having a van is a lifesaver in so many ways.

We arrived in Myrtle Beach at 2 a.m. their time. Both boys were asleep when I went to get the key card to the condo...well i come out and Shawn is holding Ethan and James too is wide eyed. I thought "oh no"! As we went to our room I was astonished at how big it was!! James was so excited when he saw the beach from our room. He said "thank you mommy for planning this beach vacation. You're a genius, now give me a hug". It cracked me up. Well Shawn and James settled in for bed and Ethan and I were up until about 4 a.m. Both boys were up at 8:30 so not much sleep.

This was the same hotel that we went to during Shawn's R and R when James was only 6 months old. So to take Ethan there for his first beach experience was very sentimental.

Although the weather was not ideal for swimming outside we were able to dip our feet in the ocean, build sand castles and swim in the indoor pool. All things James was thrilled to do!! James is at the age that everything is fun and exciting and I absolutely adore it. Ethan of course just wanted to eat the sand :). Next time I think the pack and play will go out on the sand with us to deter that tasty plan. We also made a trip to the aquarium as usual :).

We visited grandpa 2 of those days as well. He has been diagnosed with COPD and doesn't have a lot longer to live we think. He recently got pneumonia which with COPD is never a good sign. We spent time with him at his house and went out to eat. He was so happy to see us. I know it must be so lonely being alone so far away from your family. I wish we were at Bragg where we were only 2 hours from him but we just aren't :(

Although it wasn't as restful as I had hoped it was an overall great time. While we were there Shawn and I celebrated our 8 year wedding anniversary...with the boys...by eating seafood!!YUMMO

Kernals and Coffee

2010-03-03T22:13:00.006-06:00

Whew! The past few days have had James in RARE form. James is normally a very active but sweet boy. He loves to be on the go but is genuinely sweet most of the time. Well he got sick last Thursday with the crud and was put on meds but he just refused to rest so he was ill as a hornet. Then on Monday night I was awaken by James at 2:30 a.m. saying his ear hurt. I gave him Motrin thinking he was just milking it wanting in our bed. WEll at 5:30 a.m. he again rolled into our room complaining so I laid with him and noticed his ear draining (he has tubes) so I knew it was infected. So on Tuesday we were off to the doctor again... Dr. Melvin looked in James ears and gave the confirmation that they are BOTH severely infected and prescribed 2 more meds on top of what he is already on. James has been so unruly, defiant, mean, unlistening and other qualities that are so UNLIKE him. Tuesday night he literally was on the top of his bed climbing the walls!! I keep asking whoever took my sweet boy to please return him because i miss him. Well on Wednesday morning I went to spin class as normal and Shawn would take James to school. The one time I leave my phone in the car go figure something would happen. I get several texts and calls from Shawn saying that i needed to call ASAP b/c James put a POPCORN KERNAL up his nose!!! Of course I went into panic mode thinking what if he inhales it so far up that it hits his brain and gets lodged or what if we can't get it out and it gets infected!! So I called the doctor and they said to bring him in. So I get home and make James blow his nose until it comes out...luckily it came out fairly easy. Then I took at a look at his coffee ground concoction and just throw out the vaporizer telling James we'll use his money to buy another one...yes he has an account thanks to $$ for Holidays.

Oh it gets better, he also climbed up on the counter and got some coffee grinds and poured in his vaporizer. So I finally get a hold of Shawn and to top things off Shawn has yet again ran out of gas...he refuses to get his gas gauge fixed!!

After many blows the culprit made its exit!!

I know that I will look back and laugh but on days like this I am so thankful to have the "normal" James over this demon child :). I am just praying for patience and understanding until these meds get out of his system!!!

Just been awhile

2010-01-28T20:53:00.004-06:00

It seems I never have time to update on this blog. Ethan is still very demanding and the time I am not tending to him I am spending time with James. I still am very much battling mother's guilt over not being able to spend quality time with James like I use to and I just pray he understands that I love him NO less. James handles it much better than I do for sure with the new addition. Lately I have noticed him wanting more of my time to play games or just play and it kills me because Ethan doesn't always allow. It irritates me to no end when people say that Ethan is a good baby and that I am lieing about him crying....the majority of these people are holding him or giving undivided attention to him. Sure he is fine as long as I am holding him and giving him attention but as soon as he is put down for a split second you'd think he was being mistreated!!! Crying begins.

Ethan is now 6 months old and his personality is developing. He has his first 2 teeth on the bottom and they were stinkers!! He is sitting up on his own for several minutes at a time. He loves to be held and talked to all the time but when he smiles at you it melts your heart. He is a snuggly little boy. He weighs 16 lbs currently...still below James but he is growing. We still have reflux issues and went to a specialist that was such a waste of time. That doctor was a quack...but we are trying new meds that we hope will provide him some relief. I hate to see him hurting and will do whatever it takes to bring comfort. Ethan lights up and gives his gummy little grin when James enters the room. Amazing the bond that he already has with his brother. Shawn laughs at how Ethan smiles so big when I walk in the room and how he will be perfectly content until he sees me and then feel he has to be picked up! :). Oh my spoiled little boy :).

James is such a sweet child with a dash of attitude. I always heard terrible twos but I think the threes are so much worse. James can be sassy and has began whining like he was a baby when things don't go his way. He recently was "that child" at a birthday party. I have NEVER been so embarassed. He cried and threw a fit because he couldn't open presents or blow out the candles. I know it is a phase and probably normal but it is SO hard when you are the parent. But overall he is so darn cute and lovable. He loves being outside and playing on the boat with daddy. We enjoy painting and doing crafts together. He loves his MMO and is so smart. He lights up my life and always brings a chuckle to us with some of the most off the wall comments.

These two boys are SO different. James was always chunky, loved to eat and warmed up to a schedule nicely. Ethan is smaller, fusses at every meal and makes a huge mess and makes his own schedule. I was able to pass a lot of James stuff down to Ethan but Ethan makes such messes on clothes that they all have stains....:(.

I definitely have never been one to want help from anyone or to leave my boys but I am ready for a girls only beach trip this summer. Not that I don't love my kids but that sometimes when that is all I do it can drain you. Because I don't like asking for help there are few breaks for me. My house is never up to par and I'm lucky if I fix my hair/makeup daily. This mama needs a break. I was hoping to take a vacation with just me and Shawn but not sure that will happen this year. I want eye surgery so badly and not sure we will afford both.

I recently began very part time work as a behavioral aid working with families involved with DHR. It is good money and allows me to get that bit of work in without full time committment. Right now i only have 1 case so it's not bad at all....caseload depends on referrals and funding. So far so good. But I can honestly say being a mom puts doing social work into new perspective. I don't condone abuse/neglect by any means!! But I also understand how overwhelming parenting can be and just a slight err in judgement can affect your life or your child's life.

I enjoy being a SAHM mom because i see my boys grow and change. I enjoy being near family....10 more months and off we move again. Not sure where but just doesn't seem like that is that long to be here. It has flown by. We've been here 10 months already. Our next move we will have to focus on school districts because James will begin Kindergarten shortly there after :(.

I love my family!!

Merry Christmas 2009

2009-12-25T22:35:00.002-06:00

Wow! We had an amazing Christmas this year. Being home in Alabama was so nice and not having to worry about travel and rushing back to our house for Christmas Eve. Regardless where we are we always plan to be a family in our house for Christmas Eve, especially while Shawn is here.

We had 4 seperate festivities. The first one we hosted at our house with Shawn's dad and siblings. I cooked lasagna with takeout salad from Olive Garden. To be able to have them in our home for a change was so nice. The second was with Shawn's mom and siblings again at his mother's house. Santa made his grand appearance at Gran's house. Each child (and adult) sat on Santa's lap so this thrilled the children. The third was with my family at our house again where we cooked traditional Christmas dinner. The fourth was with Shawn's family yet again in Crossville combined with a baby shower for Shawn's cousin's wife. Whew...we were wiped out byt this point :). But we are enjoying being with family for sure this year because we said when we moved that we won't be coming home as often as we have in the past. James enjoyed spending time with his cousins.

On Christmas Eve we made Santa a double doozie cookie and put next to the tree. The reindeers got apples on the front porch. James went to bed rather easily that night so Santa was able to come early to fill stockings and put out the presents. My mom and sister came over on Christmas morning around 7 a.m. to be there to share in the excitement. James got up about 7:30 or so. We started off by talking about Jesus birth and the real reason we celebrate Christmas. Then he opened his stocking and moved his way onto the presents. He got quite a few great toys between everyone. He opened his 'blue truck with a blue trailer and pontoon boat' last....this was the toy he really wanted more than anything. Once he opened it it was all over at that point. He LOVES that toy. Ethan got some new toys as well but of course was just as happy with playing with the paper and bows. Then I made monkey bread for a special treat for Christmas morning. After our prayer we sang "happy birthday Jesus" and enjoyed a family breakfast. It was a very busy day but was very enjoyable. We went to my mom's to do presents then came back to our house for dinner that night, Shawn's dad joined us as well. I loved cooking and preparing the meal. As much as I love the Holidays I don't like the pounds it brings along with it so I am going to be hitting the gym hard soon!!

We are so blessed to have Shawn home with us this year. The soldiers who are serving overseas as well as their familes are never far from our thoughts. I know that it is such a mixture of emotions for these brave people. Carrying on traditions while a huge hole is missing in your family is so difficult. We are so thankful for all our soldiers and their families. We know that our time will come too soon that Shawn will once again be gone so we are cherishing each minute as a family.

I know I complain about all the food, visiting, etc but I know we are blessed to have family and ample food on our table. There are so many who are struggling this time of year and I know we are so fortunate. James got money for his birthday and we adopted a 4 year old angel from Salvation Army Tree in which he spent his money on the little boy. He wanted to deliver the presents to him and play with him. It was so sweet and innocent that he just didn't understand how a child has no mommy or daddy or even toys. :). it is a tradition we definitely will continue in the years to come.

Ethan- 4 month

2009-12-11T21:42:00.003-06:00

Ethan had his 4 month check up today. He weighed almost 14 lbs and was 24 inches. He was in the 50th percentiled for both. SO odd b/c James was always in 95th or so. Ethan is just a more petite baby I guess :). While I was there I voiced our concerns and frustrations with Ethan's constant crying. I told the dr. that if they check him and if they find nothing medically wrong then I will be ok with letting him cry it out but only if they can tell me. Our doctor conferred with the head doctor and they agreed that Ethan is just a high maintanence baby...aka SPOILED :). Although they tell me this I am not 100% sold on it. He just cries ALL the time it seems. It is definitely taking its toll on our family...exhaustion, james is kinda put on back burner, etc. Just hard but we know it will get better.

I am just glad for a healthy growing baby boy. He smiles all the time, well when held and talked to. He started cereal with some bananas and he loves them. He lets me know when it is time for it at night.

Winter Wonderland

2009-11-30T23:09:00.005-06:00

Last year we discovered that Bass Pro Shops hold a Winter Wonderland at their stores each Christmas. It is such a great place to take kids, especially boys and everything is free. They have remote controlled trucks, race tracks, moving trains, target practice, craft/coloring centers and of course SANTA!!! This Santa is the most authentic Santa I've seen. There are so many great picture opportunities while it is decorated and no lines like at the mall. So this year we took the boys for their annual Christmas picture with Santa and Ethan's first Santa picture. I again was NOT disappointed in them. I loved them. James enjoyed playing with the boy toys set up while Shawn looked around at the fishing stuff. Shawn put Ethan in the Baby Bjorn and carried him while James and I spent time together....it is so rare for us to have alone time b/c Ethan is very needy (aka SPOILED).

James is such a great kid. Granted he is only 3 but he doesn't have this long unrealistic list of what he wants for Christmas. I find myself wanting to buy him so much stuff but have to refrain. He has only asked for one thing for the last month or so. When it came time to tell Santa what he wanted he simply told him the same thing he has been telling us. "The blue truck with the pontoon boat". He saw it in the Bass Pro Catalog and has not forgotten about it. So needless to say I think "Santa" added that to his sack of toys to be delivered at the Dalrymple home :). Even on the way out of the store an employee asked if he gave Santa his list of Christmas wishes and he said "no I only want 1 thing"!! How great is that?? So this year I think it will be a light Christmas which we are fine with for many reasons. The most being that he is satisfied with a $25 toy and not these outrageous things......YET :). We know as he gets older this will change but for now we are going to enjoy our sweet, innocent little boy.

All Aboard the Polar Express

2009-11-30T22:58:00.006-06:00

This weekend we went to the Heart of Dixie Railroad in Calera, AL to ride the "Polar Express". We bought tickets for James birthday and he has talked about it ever since. Finally the day arrived and he couldn't wait to put on his Christmas Jammies and board the train. My favorite part of the entire trip was while we were unloading from the van I turned around and he was holding his Pooh Bear out, looking him in the eyes ,and with such magical excitement said "we get to ride on the train". I will NEVER forget that moment.

So we got our tickets and waiting in line to get on the train. James walked up to the train conductor and handed him his ticket. Then asked why he didn't "click" it like in the movie with a word. So we got on the train and got into our seats. He was so excited to look out the window. As luck would have it after a few shots of James and Ethan on the train our camera decided to act up again and quit working :(. So we had no shots from that point on which I was bummed. The people behind us said they would email us a copy of our boys with Santa but I doubt we see it :(. Then the train ride began and we traveled towards the "north pole". The story of Polar Express was read as we traveled. As we rode James would squeal with excitement..."we're off to the North Pole". The actual train ride was only about 15-20 min total. The other time was filled with the visit from Santa. Santa had to visit about 5 train cars so that took a bit of time. After Santa, came the cookies and Chocolate milk. James was so excited b/c they do that in the movie too (except with Hot Chocolate). Then the Elves come thru with bells for everyone from "santa's sleigh" and a really cute keepsake Train Ornament. All the time we are on the train Christmas carols are playing and James is singing along so sweet.

This was a time with James that will always be special to us. He waited so patiently for this time and was not disappointed with the wait. Little boys and their love of trains amazes me but I absolutely LOVE it. The simple things in life makes him happy.

This truly was a magical train ride that will live in our memories forever

Small Glimpse into the Future

2009-11-14T19:58:00.003-06:00

This weekend Shawn has been in the field doing the FTX with ROTC. don't you love acronyms for the Army stuff :). On Friday I told James that Daddy wouldn't be home for a few days b/c of work. Well Friday evening rolled around and James asked "when is daddy coming home?". To which I replied..."Daddy is doing the Army thing this weekend remember?" and James pretty much read my mind and said "I don't like the Army." The innocence of children is precious. So Saturday morning rolled around and James woke up nice and early at 6:30 a.m. and walked to Shawn's side of the bed and was shocked when it was just me and Ethan. Again I reminded him. I tried to occupy him by playing games and yes--even putting up the Christmas tree. But James wanted to talk to Shawn so I called Shawn hoping he'd answer and he did. James was excited to talk to him. Shawn got to sneak out and come home for about 45 minutes tonight so James so happy.

Of course at this time I asked Shawn if he was ready to go ahead and get out and look for civilian job. His reply with no hesitation...NO. He said in 12 years he can retire and he is very close to making Major in the near future. He knows that he will deploy and that it will be SO difficult on all of this time b/c neither of our boys will be "babies"....they both will understand and question where is daddy. But I also know if all soldiers got out because of deployments or missing family then we wouldn't have the strong army we have today. Sadly we won't be able to pick up the phone and call just to hear that voice. And worry will consume me on top of being a single parent during that time. This isn't the first time Shawn's spent the night or been away but I guess James is jsut noticing he is gone more b/c there are 2 kids now and it is SO hard to split my time. I go to bed exhausted and in tears a lot b/c i see that I lack in patience so much with them at times. Between Ethan's constant need to be held or he cries and James just wanting to play or swing it drains me. I have to learn to enjoy the little things because soon they'll be in school and I'll miss it. Granted I do NOT have the desire to have any more babies :). I love being a mom but I miss being an adult at times. I need my peace and quiet and lately it is few and far between.

Happy 3rd Birthday James!!

2009-11-10T09:20:00.007-06:00

3 months old vs 3 years old

James turned 3 on Nov. 9, 2009. I can't believe that he is three. I admit I get misty eyed just thinking how fast it has gone by. I never understood it when my mom would say "it felt like yesterday that I had you" but now I truly understand. I remember that I was induced at about 5:30 p.m. on the 8th of Nov and you made your arrival at 9:15 p.m. on the 9th! Yes it took forever but it was SO worth it. I remember seeing you and thinking how amazing it was that we created you (of course with God's help :))!! Holding you and loving you was amazing. Your daddy left for what we thought was 12 month tour to Afghanistan when you were barely 2 months old. It was such a rollercoaster of emotions for me....hormones from birth, emotions from Shawn leaving and getting ready to move to AL for a few months. As army life has it your daddy's tour was extended by 3 months so once he left for R and R it was 11 long months before we saw him again. You were a good baby...quite chunky but I loved it. I loved how you made me smile when times were hard although you had no idea how much I needed it. You transitioned into thing so easily and were a great traveler! Then when daddy came home you took very well to him adn we began our life as a family of 3 finally!! You were 18 months old when he came home. Then the moves began..first to GA then to AL within a year time.

Now at age 3 you are such a SMART child. You know your alphabet, numbers, sounds, memory verses, songs, colors and so much more! You started really talking well at about 18 months. You speak so clearly and pick up on things so fast. You are fast learner and always bring a chuckle to our lives. You have adapted to another baby in the house so well and are so gentle with Ethan. I think I had the harder time adjusting :) You are all boy but not in the rough house kind of way...just full of energy. You are a thoughtful, caring, sweet boy with a dash of attitude mixed in :) We pray each day that we raise you in the way God intended and that you will know Him and come to rely on Him. When I look at you I see that you are perfect in every sense of the word to me. You are my world and because of you I am a better person. I love your hugs and kisses....your cute little comments. I can't wait to see what the future holds for you b/c it is wide open for you. Remember that mommy and daddy always and forever love you and are proud of you!!

Happy 3rd Birthday to my sweet angel boy!!

For your birthday friends and family celebrated with us at the park. We will go to Polar Express at the end of this month for your gift from mommy and daddy.

Fall Fun

2009-10-29T22:07:00.006-05:00

This year we took James and Ethan to Tate Farms in Meridianville, AL. We met Shawn's sister (Chresta) and her family there. James was so excited when we got there. There is so much to do and he is at that age where everything is exciting and he is full of life! I LOVE IT! The last time we went was when he was 11 months old and barely toddling. Shawn was deployed but I was in AL for James birthday and met his family there. It is so amazing to look at the amount he has grown in these past 2 years! We were thrilled Shawn was there this year to enjoy the fun. He carried Ethan in the Baby Bjorn. It was so cold and windy but Ethan was toasty warm against daddy :). James was excited to spend time with Delaine and Avery. They play so well together despite the age gap. They are such sweet girls! James got to climb tires, swing, slide, play in corn crib, hold a bunny, feed a goat and take a hayride to find the perfect pumpkin. I had to take Ethan to the car to feed him so I missed the hayride :( but Shawn and James came back with a whopping 25 lb pumpkin. It was a day filled with fun. After the Pumpkin Patch we drove to Shawn's mothers house for the Alabama Game. James got a lot of cousin playing time which was good. I can so tell I am a transplant during these games because everyone is on edge watching the game and I'm oblivious :)..kinda funny.

Then the following Tuesday we attended a Fall Festival at my mother's school. It was a bunch of games for the kids and James LOVED it. His favorite was the bean bag toss. He also enjoyed dancing in the disco room. Shawn stayed home with Ethan so James and I could have our mother son time b/c it is so rare that we get alone time.

Then Halloween rolled on us. James was Buzz Light Year and Ethan was a Tiger. My initial costumes were Pooh and Tigger but James insisted on Buzz and I didn't want to spend a lot on Ethan's costume so I just got a cheapy from Wal Mart. I have to say they were the cutest trick or treaters out that night! We first went to my mom's house for her treats and to see the cousins. James REALLY got into it and would run back from each house saying "we gotta do this again" and would ride on the stroller until we hit the next house. We walked around the circle in our neighborhood and we were done. No need to overdo it on candy! It's the experience that counts. Then we came home and poured out the loot! He got some good stuff...too good b/c mommy LOVES chocolate but chocolate doesn't love mommy's waistline :). James is such a sweet kid. He took a couple pieces and let me put it up with no tantrums! Each day he gets 1-2 pieces as treats. I love that kid!! Hard to believe he will be 3 next week!

Now time for Thanksgiving and Christmas!! YEAH!!!!!!!!!! We're gonna put our tree up soon I want it up before we go to Polar Express at end of November. I love Christmas time and the magic in the air for kiddos!

First Real Reel

2009-10-15T13:09:00.004-05:00

James beloved "CARS" Fishing rod...the one that landed him in Bassmasters....bit the dust. So on Saturday Shawn took James to Dick's to pick out his first reel!! Of course Ethan and I tagged along for photo ops :). After much deliberation they concurred on one. James also picked a lure to go on his new rod. It amazes me how big James has gotten and how much he enjoys fishing. Watching him cast his new rod in the front yard was so neat. Also some comedy when he whacked Shawn with it on accident :)...hehehe

Then on Sunday Shawn took James fishing with his new rod. Shawn said James caught about 10 good fish on his own. James came home feeling quite fulfilled needless to say :) I know Shawn is proud of James and enjoys that alone time with him. Soon it will be the 3 of them and I'll be there spending time with my boys!

Ethan's 2 month

2009-10-06T12:12:00.004-05:00

Ethan had his two month check up last Thursday. He weighed 11 lbs even and was 23 inches long. He is a light weight compared to James at that age. I think his reflux has a lot to do with it. I told the dr. that he wasn't eating like I thought because he woudl cry after about 4 minutes on each side. After the dr. inspected his mouth he noticed that his tounge is like James, the frenulum(SP) is right at the end which doesn't allow for much movement. He said that might be causing him to get frustrated b/c he can't latch on correctly. He recommended having it snipped so I am waiting for an appt. Initially I wasn't going to do it b/c I didn't with James and everyone knows he talks just fine but it was the feeding that lured me into considering it. Ethan wakes so often b/c he just can't eat a lot w/o getting frustrated or upset b/c of it. So we'llsee.

James also had a dr. appt for his recurring ear infection...well he still has one after about 6 weeks of it!! He is being referred to ENT as well to see why it isn't clearing up.

Slowly Getting It

2009-09-29T15:39:00.006-05:00

Wow..EThan is 9 weeks this week and it amazes me at how much he has changed. He is getting a personality and smiles in the morning that gives you that boost to keep going despite the lack of sleep from the night before. He is cooing and realizing he has a voice at times. A friend I know told me about this thing called "the miracle blanket" that swaddles them. At first I thought it was a bit harsh but I have noticed that he sleeps better when he is swaddled. We have had pretty good success with him in his crib at night but he wakes about 5:30 ready to wake!! WHOA so not ready for that so we have moved a full size mattress into his room so I can lay down while he looks around and eats as not to wake Shawn or Shawn sleeps in there :). Ethan is starting to look like his own...I still see a lot of James in him though. I am feeding every 3-4 hrs now and that is a bit easier. He sleeps a little better and all I can say is God knows when we have had enough and gives us that break. I am going to send EThan to MMO one day a month soon so I can clean this house slowly. He is still a very clingy baby so I don't get a lot done.

James is still enjoying his MMO and is SO smart. He can recognize certain letters and loves to ask the time so he can repeat it. I have worked with him on money and he can recognize quarters and pennies and tell you how much they are worth. He cracks me up sometimes b/c when he gets upset when I tell him he can't do something he squenches his nose at me, points and says "You're the mommy" like that is an insult ;) James is REALLY attaching to Shawn lately which is sweet but sometimes hard one me because I feel I am jilting him b/c I am always tending to Ethan. I guess Mother's Guilt. James loves to fish with SHawn and their special thing is fishing and getting a Shaved ice at the River. UNA has started their football season so on home games Shawn and I try to take James to the tailgating and the game for just James time :). HE makes it clear that Ethan is too small to come. So Ethan gets Maw Maw time. James is still trying us and is defiant but we know that we have to stay strong and show him the right way so that he doesn't end up out of control. It's tiring but we want himt o be a respectful child and adult later on in life. I hate when people chalk bad behavior up to "he's just being a boy". True boys are rowdier but they can be respectful on the same note. He is still so sweet and precious. WE are planning on taking him to Chattanooga for his bday in November so he can ride a real train. He deserves that day to be all about him.

I am slowly getting use to two children. I still have my breakdowns from exhaustion but I know God will see me thru and provide me the strength needed for these boys. I still find it so funny how much more lax I am with Ethan. I use to stay home a lot with JAmes b/c of fear of screaming and the need to eat. Sure EThan screams while out but I just take him out of his carrier hold him and feed him bottle if I have to. He still isn't fond of his carseat for long periods. Trip to HSV and he is ready to oome out. We just bought a Honda Minivan so that extra room is awesome especially for feedings where the world can't see in. I have always loved minivans and knew HOnda was my only desire. What can I say I"m a Honda Girl thru and thru!

Shawn's grad school is going good. He is doing great so far. He loves working at ROTC as well. But his true love here is still fishing. He is fishing on UNA's Bass Team and is fishing some ABA tournaments. He is really good at talking to the big wigs and putting things in motion. He makes the right connections. Sometimes I wish I were a fisherman and he'd communicate with me that way :)...hehehe. He is truly an awesome father and husband. He works hard to give us things both financially and emotionally.

Reflecting

2009-09-14T14:11:00.009-05:00

September 11 has come and gone yet I still am struck with it's memories. I will never forget the day that our country came under attack. I was in class at UNA and remember coming down the stairs and seeing a mass of people watching the TV in pure silence. As I came to the end of the stairs, Shawn caught my eye with a look that made my stomach turn. As we rewatched the Towers come crashing down I almost lost it. I thought how could AMERICA come under such attack and where did that leave us? The innocent people who lost their lives that day. Shawn was doing ROTC but also was SMP with National Guard in FLorence. AS we walked he told me that there might be a slight chance he would have to go immediately overseas to defend the country. We were not engaged at this time (it would come a month later) but I still knew he was the one God sent for me to have forever. My heart sank at the thought of him leaving and wondering if he'd return. AT that time though I didn't know exactly what being an Army wife entailed but got a snippet of what it might. Thankfully he didn't have to go at that time.

Now 8 years later and 2 deployments under the belt it brings a whole new meaning to "Proud to be an American". My husband is one of the ones who defends our freedom. He does it so selflessly and without complaint. He works long hours and never complains or fails to do his "duties" around the house.

The first deployment to Iraq we had about 2 weeks to prepare ourselves for that first deployment. I wasn't sure what to expect except lonliness and worry. The Batallion Commander dropped the bomb on us at the Christmas Hail and Farewell. Shawn had clued me in earlier that day so I was not as shocked as others but the news was so hard to swallow. At that time I had only been working at DSS for 3 months, no kids so that was a blessing at the time. I met one of my dearest friends in NC during that time. She kept me sane during that time. She was one of the few non-military friends there I made. She was awesome. She'll never know how much her friendship meant to me during that difficult time and in the times to come.

When Shawn was in Afghanistan he missed the first year of James life which I know was hard but he also knew he had to go in order to ensure James safety and freedoms at home.Shawn initially left thinking 12 month deployment and later was extended 15 months. Some say oh that is only 3 more months. Until you have been there you don't know what 3 months, 90 days means. That means 90 days of sickness of worry, praying he'll return home in one piece. Praying that he not see so much that he isn't able to return home to a normal life. When Shawn left James was 2 months old, when he returned he was 17 months old. Shawn missed all the firsts with him. We have so many friends whose husbands are deployed right now and my heart aches for them. We know that Shawn is "safe" for 2 years but we know next duty station will more than likely deploy him again...we are not nieve. Part of me feels guilty having my husband home while so many are gone but then I remember that was me just a year and a half ago. While Shawn is here I wonder how I did raise James alone for 15 months while being away from family? All i can say is God gave me strength and a wonderful baby. Sure it was hard but I learned so much about myself and had to branch out and meet people. I met wonderful wives who were going thru the same things I was. The sitting by the phone and computer waiting for them to call or IM. Shawn was involved in heavy firefights and battles in Afghanistan the entire time. Although he was Signal his experience as Infantry officer landed him on the ground Commanding an Infantry unit. It was gut wrenching anytime I heard news on the TV about things and then not hearing from him for days. ANytime a battle occured all communication with "outside world" was cut off until all clear.

the day he left and the day he returned
I am so proud of my husband and all our soldiers who are serving so that we can be free. People take things for granted and it is sad. I just hope that we can enjoy these next 2 years together because we know that we will be seperated too many more times to count in the next 13 years. YES 13 LONG years left but he enjoys his job.

Juggling Act

2009-09-03T13:39:00.006-05:00

Whew! It's been a while since I have had time to update. Things are so crazy lately. Ethan cries A LOT...we think he has colic and reflux which stinks for all of us. Of course I am the only one going w/o sleep...Shawn and James could sleep through a hurricane :). Ethan is now 5 weeks old and is filling out and changing so much. James is doing so much better with him and is the adoring big brother. He kisses him, holds his hand in the car while he screams and proudly tells anyone that he is Ethans Big Brother. It's so sweet to see them together and just imagine what the future has to hold for our two boys.

This past weekend we joined our 9 year old niece, Delaine, as she was baptized. It was such a joyous time and I just pray that we can help our boys learn the importance of God in their life. I am not usually an emotional person in public but my eyes welled up with tears as she was raised back up from the water. She is such a sweet little girl. We visited Delaine the day she was born which for us is a rare thing with our moves. She is a special and sweet little girl for sure.

James started MMO at church this week and seems to really enjoy it. He needs that outlet b/c I am often so tied up with Ethan I don't have as much time as i would like with James. That still is the hardest part for me...not giving James my attention 100% like I use to do. James will ask me to come build with him and no sooner do I leave the room Ethan starts screaming. James gets put on back burner so to say and it kills me. I still cry at night b/c I miss our time we use to have. James also has started attending Puggles (AWANA's) at our church on Wednesday nights. He loves it!! He can't wait for Wednesday b/c he knows this is Puggles day!! He loves to learn about God and Jesus which is so exciting to see in him!

Ethan...well right now he cries, pees poops and sometimes sleeps. He isn't on a schedule, which for those who know me is killing me!!!! I won't lie..having 2 is very difficult and I just think that James was so perfect. i was content with 1 but am blessed with our 2 beautiful boys. Just the lack of sleep lately has really taken its toll on me. We have started letting Ethan sleep on us to ensure that we get some sleep....probably not the best idea but when you are starved for sleep you will do anything. We are transitioning him to his bed by 2 months I hope.

I am so blessed to be a SAHM because I honestly don't see how people go to work after being up all night and function!! I know tha ti could do it if it came to that but I am thankful that it hasn't as of now. Do i miss social work..sure. But will I regret staying home and watching my babies grow?ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!!!!! It's a blessing to have the chance. Shawn works hard and has a very demanding, dangerous job most of the time. He is a great provider for us and am thankful for him. We are enjoying these 2 years because it will go fast!

Changes at Home

2009-08-11T14:58:00.003-05:00

WHew!! Since being home things have been so crazy!! Luckily Shawn took off last week but returned to work yesterday. He technically had another week of leave but I think he would rather be at work than at home...don't blame him lately. Things have been going ok...James has been super testy and kinda bratty. While in the hospital James got spoiled with gifts and now expects them from people...embarassing but we are working on it. I just feel we are constantly on James and we are constantly home. It is killing me being home so much so I can only imagine how he feels. He plays out back but he wants to swing and often times I can't get out there b/c of Ethan. I honestly feel he is coping better than me but it still hurts. James is a bright kid and I know he can't wait to play with other kids soon. I love my boys..juggling 2 is hard. My mom raised 3 kids alone on very little money while attending school full time and I am amazed at how well she did because I have a husband an family to help and sometimes go crazy :)

I've noticed with the 2nd one I am a lot more lax on things. I wouldn't even let James wimper before picking him up as a baby....with Ethan I let him cry if I have things to do and if he isn't hurting. Ethan is only 2 weeks old and I have made trips to the barber, target, walmart and out to eat with him. James does SO good while we are out at the stores. He holds the buggy, doesn't throw fits and helps put things in the buggy. I also am ready to put Ethan in his crib just b/c he makes little noises during his sleep that don't wake him but all mommies know that the slightest noises wake us up :). So probably by 1 month I'll start putting him in his crib. We have a video monitor so I can see him w/o disturbing him....Shawn bought it for me for Christmas...so smart!

Today James, Ethan and I went for a stroll in the neighborhood. I mainly did it to get energy off of James. I let him run on the side while I pushed Ethan. He had a good time and enjoyed getting out of the house!

I know this will take a while to get the hang of but I think we will get it. Shawn is an amazing husband and father. Having my mom near also is great!!

Home Sweet Home

2009-08-02T14:51:00.003-05:00

We got home yesterday around 5:00. WOW did I not expect the flood of emotions that came with it. I cried so much at the changes we were in for. James is very testy and not listening and it's hard b/c I have Ethan so much that I can't do what we used to do like play, read books, go on walks etc. I just worry that I will neglect James so much and not realize it. '

James didn't nap yesterday so we let him watch a movie after bathtime and he was out by 8:00 p.m. and didn't wake up until 7:30 a.m. He then crawled into our bed for our morning snuggle session and then he wanted up. He is the sweetest and most adorable lil boy.

Ethan and Shawn were still sleeping so I let them sleep while I did coffee and breakfast. I was so tired b/c Ethan was up a lot last night just fussy. Probably his circumcision but it was hard. I finally put him in his swing or just held him while he slept. Tough changes on him as well :)

My mom came around 10:00 this morning and was a great help while i prepared dinner and even got a nap in my bed!! Ethan just snuggled with her on the couch and watched SVU :). He was so sweet. My milk is slowly coming in but i feel he isn't eating enough still. I do feed him more often but b/c he is so small (came home at 5 lbs 12 oz) I feel he needs it. It took James no time to bulk up when he was that size. Before we know it Ethan will be a chunky monkey too.

When James was born he was my only concern so although it was hard I think splitting time with 2 is more challenging. Now I have to juggle time, housework, etc between them. Even when I'm tired b/c Ethan stayed up all night I can't just sleep when he does b/c of James. James still needs to do things and get out of house but I know all this will come in time. Emotions are just extremely high. I cry all the time

Day 2, Family of 4

2009-07-31T14:02:00.004-05:00

Last night Shawn and I decided to take Ehtan to the nursery so we could get some sleep. Of course I couldn't sleep b/c pitocin was still dripping and it beeped each time it dripped plus my uterus and stitching was aching. I opted for Loritab finally and it helped ease me a bit. Shawn slept for about 6 hours in the wonderfully comfy chairs they provide :). Around 7:30 I went to get Ethan again to feed him. He is latching on ok but I still have no milk so it's hard at times. My mom brought James up around 8:30 this morning and he stayed until about 11:00ish. WE bought him a couple of big brother gifts and told him yesterday that when he came to visit that Ethan had him a surprise. Mom said when James woke up this morning that he told her his tummy was full (although no breakfast had been ate) and he needed to get his surprise from Ethan. :) :)

We got James a big boy bookbag filled with cars, boats, crayons, candy, color books, stickers etc. Then We got him a CARS fire race track for him to play. He did really good while here that long and played. Only on a couple of occasions did he act up..but to be expected. He was SO excited that he got gifts. He said "thank you Ethan"..SO CUTE. He loves to hold him and give him Eskimo kisses!! He is so sweet!!

Ethan is doing great. He is just precious. He has had his urination and bowel movements and all looks great. He'll be circumcised tomorrow before we head home. I've got a little clothes shopping to do b/c I don't have any NB stuff really for him. He is long though so I might can go straight to 0-3 mths. I seriously was expecting an 8 lb baby but b/c ogliohydrosis came into play again he was small.

All and all everything is going well. REady to get home and get a little routine going and get James out and about again.

Ethan Charles Dalrymple is born!

2009-07-30T23:03:00.007-05:00

Ethan Charles Dalrymple was born at 8:13 p.m. He weighed 6 lbs 2 oz and was 21 inches long. He has a head of dark hair and a receding hairline like his daddy..hehehe. To me he already has a perfect little face with chubby cheeks. He is perfect!!!!!!!! I am so glad we decided to have a 2nd but now we are complete as a family. From the time they started the cervix thinning drug to time of delivery it was about 14 1/2 hours...so not bad compared to 28 hours with James!!
Last official pic of family of 3

At 1:30 p.m. they broke my water and thing progressed very fast after they began the pitocin. Everyone went to eat supper...well everyone but me around 6:15. (my last meal was at 4 a.m.)The doctor came to check me and was about 5 cm and he said by the time he got back from supper we should be ready to push. Well around 7:15 I was checked again and the nurse called the doctor b/c I was ready to push. The doctor didn't even get to eat before we started delivering this baby. After some pushes he finally came out but had the ambilical cord wrapped 2 times so they had to stop to remove it. Shawn cut the cord and then we heard the wonderful cries of our new son. With James we didn't hear him cry much so this was a much needed relief. His coloring was good as well. 5 fingers, 5 toes, and a little peterbug :). He is so small. He is 3 oz smaller than James but 2 inches longer. I know he will grow and change so fast. It took James only 1 month to fill out and get chunky. Shawn went back with Ethan for his first bath while I got cleaned up and moved into the room.

I had two wonderful coaches with me during this process. Shawn was so great. He would rub my calves and neck because I was in a lot of pain pre-epidural. He would hold my hands during the pain and just reassure me it was all ok and knew it would be worth seeing our little man. Mom was great too she would give me warning to breath before one hit. Both held a leg as I pushed out this lil' blessing. It was nice to have him so close to home. Our doctor, Dr. Allen was SO great. To have the same man you have seen the last few months deliver your baby is a nice feeling. At Bragg we had a midwife and it was whoever was on call that day. He was AWESOME!!

My bestest friend came to visit while I waited for the meds to kick in and get the process moving. I SO needed that laugh before the pain began. I had so many wonderful friends checking on me. I am blessed with the friends I've made over the years.

Of course I had several breakdowns of missing James and it hurt so bad. I just worry how I'll do with 2 and still have time for myself. James was getting some Papa D(Shawn's dad) time while we were not home. He is perfect to me and I just wondered how this baby would affect his life b/c he has been it for 2 1/2 years. After Ethan was born my sister took James up to meet his little brother. He was SO excited and to see his face when he saw Ethan for the first time truly melted my heart!!! He loves to hold him and kiss him. He kept telling me and Shawn to hurry and bring Ethan home. James kept asking where my belly was...yes it is still fluffy but he is so innocent :). Seeing them together just melts me. I know it will be a huge adjustment but we will survive. Having Shawn home this go around and family will be nice.

His face when he first met Ethan!! PRICELESS!!!!!!!

Giving Ethan kisses!!
Hat and truck Maw Maw brought for the new big brother

I love my family and am so blessed!! I am blessed with wonderful family and friends!!

Hospital Bound

2009-07-30T04:24:00.003-05:00

Well it is 4:24 a.m. on July 30 and we are preparing to go to the hospital for induction of Ethan. I am so scared, sad, excited...everything into one. I didn't sleep well last night at all and to add to it James woke up crying b/c he had peed in pull up and wanted me. It broke my heart to think of him waking up the next couple of days w/o us here. I probably will send Shawn back a lot to be there and keep as normal as possible. Of course mom and Andrea will be here too and they are "normal fixtures" around our house anyway. Shawn's dad will have him most of today and hopefully will get to visit us depending on how I am feeling and progressing. Don't want to scare him with the wires. I am so going to miss James!!

It's now 10:15 and still not much going on. My cervix was very high and thick and still only dialated 1 cm. They have given me a pill to help thin my cervix but they said that it will take a while probably b/c of lack of thinnning or dialating. After that I will get petocin. The dr. came in this morning and tried to break water again but too high up still. Kinda glad he didn't bc i'm not dialated and breaking my water too soon might result in c section so I think all is going as well as can at this time. Heart rate is staying steady. But they said it could take until tomorrow to actually have him....LONG LABOR again. With James I was in labor for 28 hours from start to finish but he was born under distress at the lovely Army facility. We shall see.

Here Comes Baby (38 weeks)

2009-07-29T20:43:00.002-05:00

Today we had our normal weekly visit for 37 1/2 weeks. I took James with me to see the ultrasound and hear the heartbeat because he kept asking. Shawn was meeting us there but they called me for ultrasound before he got there. James did so good sitting there and watching Ethan on the screen. He said there are two Ethans and I was like oh no there isn't but he meant the screen the tech was looking at and the one we saw. He is so funny...he woke up this morning saying his belly hurt and his brother was kicking him...guess he hears me saying it :). Then we went back to the waiting room to be called by the doctor and Shawn came in. James was so excited and proudly announced to everyone that was his daddy and he was a paratrooper soldier :). SO SMART.

Ok back to dr. appt :). My normal dr was out so his partner saw me. When he walked in he asked how I was and I said I am good. Then he said "your ultrasounds aren't". Shawn and I looked at eachother and my heart sank. He said your fluids are at 6 and the baby hasn't grown in the past week. He said there isn nothing to panic about but that he wanted to schedule induction tomorrow at 5 a.m. just to be safe. I was caught of guards because I really thought I'd go up until next Friday. I just pray that he is healthy and we have an easier ans afer delivery than with James. He said he didn't think they woudl have to balloon me but they would give petocin and a pill to help my cervix drop. He said that my cervix is still very high and that I was only dialated 1 cm probably. He tried to break my water but it was very painful and he stopped. Then he made the weirdest comment (he was very nice so don't get me wrong). He said he couldn't get it to break b/c he had "short stubby fingers"...just kinda weird and I got a chuckle. Of course when we got home Shawn said he could break my water :)..hahahaha.

So after the visit I was in panic mode and "last meal" mode. James and I went to the mall and got some curtains. Then we shared Chic-Fil-A (grilled chicken :)) and got a cookie from Great American cookie company. Ok I got a cookie AND a brownie..i made my sister go back and get the brownie for me so I didn't look like a glutton. But it was so good. I couldn't even eat supper tonight. Shawn and I will probably eat on the go tomorrow and that will be my last hoorah since I only ate poorly b/c of pregnancy. Shawn told James to enjoy today b/c mommy would no longer be making good stuff :)...hehehe. TRUE TRUE TRUE

So we are heading to bed soon. Well Shawn is fishing tonight with his dad. My mom is here to stay the night with us just in case. James will spend the day with Shawn's dad tomorrow and might go to the sitter on Friday just to have other kids to play with for a while. I don't know how long they will keep me but i hope to be out Saturday morning...so we will see.

It will be kinda nice b/c my friends are here and to have them visit will be a nice change. At Bragg my good friend Beth came to the hospital and it was nice. I really will miss her this time around but this is Army life.

Well tonight marks the end of our family of 3. Excited, scared and nervous all in one :). Praying for a healthy delivery and baby.

Trying-some Three's...EARLY

2009-07-25T22:01:00.003-05:00

Whew!! Lately James has been SO testy. I always heard it was the terrible 2's and trysome threes and I believe it. He will just boldly look at you and ignore what is being said in a very stubborn way. You think he'd learn after a few spanking but he still is so strong willed. Also if you ask him if he wants to do something he will say "no" just to spite you and then a couple minutes later come and say he wants to do it. So I don't give in and have to hold strong even if it means more punishment for me. He can be so sweet and loving when he wants to be but also be as stubborn and strong willed!! I guess I just take it too personally when he misbehaves....feel people judge me for not having "control" over my son. But I should know that children are strong willed and that being firm and consistent is the key with him.

Last night I think I had my lil' breakdown realizing that I will soon be a mother of 2 boys. I cried so hard wondering how I will handle 2 kids and still take care of me physically and emotionally b/c I give all I have for James right now. I feel guilty doing anything for me outside of the gym. I wondered how I would split my time between 2 sweet boys equally and how James will share the "spotlight" once Ethan arrives. It is a very exciting time but also kinda sad b/c my baby is going on 3 and will now be my big boy (although always mommy's baby).I don't know....just emotional thinking about how our world is going to change but for the best of course.

I had some contractions yesterday and still some today. Nothing severe but I am also comparing them to Petocin contractions that were SO bad that these seem easy. With James I don't remember contractions until I was induced and then boy oh boy do I remember them :) Nothing consistent so no hospital visits but I think maybe soon. Mom was on standby last night b/c Shawn was fishing a tournament. I told him I'd only call him if it was true labor...deep down he was hoping I'd wait and go after that :) So many emotions mixed into births. It will be nice to be in Alabama and have help just across the river if needed. Of course I am stubborn adn hate asking for help so it won't be too often :). also having Shawn home will be extra nice since he wasn't around with James from age 2 months to 17 months. So Ethan will be his "firsts" and it will be fun.

Hopefully soon I'll get to update about Ethan. I know at the most I have less than two weeks b/c they will induce at 39 weeks. So August 8th will be last day. I go Wednesday for weekly check and dialtion check so I can't wait. Knowing me I'm only 1 cm :)...hehe

36 1/2 weeks

2009-07-21T13:19:00.004-05:00

Well I had the regular check up today for my 36 weeks. The fluids decreased right around 8 but still no worries. The dr. said it appears I will NOT have ogliohydrosis that will cause early birth this time around which is great news. Ethan's heartbeat is good and he moves a lot it seems. He is measuring right on target and currently weighs around 6 lbs right now. I was thinking I would have an 8 lb baby so looking kinda right if I go full term. The dr. did not check for dialation today b/c they said b/c i'm not exactly 37 weeks that they wouldn't check until next week b/c they said it can sometimes cause labor to begin...of course I am thinking "CHECK ME NOW THEN" but I will let Ethan come on his own. This pregnancy I am SO achy and just tired. My patience with James is worn VERY thin and emotions are high.

I just feel there is not any me time with 1 child how will it work with 2. Shawn's new boat of course keeps him fishing or doing something to it although he said it wouldn't so I dont' always get breaks at night even. Just hard at times.

After my appt. Shawn and James met me at ECM to tour where we'd have Ethan. I couldn't believe the size of the rooms and NOT having to share with a stranger. The rooms are really big and have seperate sitting areas for visitors. At Womack on Ft. Bragg the rooms were shared and only seperated by a curtain. So even when my baby was asleep or myself there was no rest b/c visitors on the otherside of curtain or their baby was crying. NO rest at all. Visitors pretty much sat on your bed or on top of you when visiting at Womack. I think there will be ample room in these rooms at ECM. James kept asking to hear the heartbeat b/c last time we took him with us to dr. they heard it. He was a bit bummed about not hearing it. We are trying to prepare him for when Ethan comes. We tell him Andrea or MawMaw will sleep at your house while mommy and daddy at the hospital but that he can come visit and hold Ethan when he gets up. We also got him a new bookbag filled with goodies for his "big brother" bag. He picked out the bag and said he liked it a while back but I secretly have hidden it for a month now. Just so he knows he is still my baby!!

So I go back next Wednesday for another ultrasound and they will check for dialation. I have had some contractions but nothing consistent. Although this is our 2nd baby I never felt contractions at home with James...he had already arrived at this point at 36 weeks. I weighed more wtih James at this point but I feel bigger now than with James. Weird.

Pregnancy Emotions

2009-07-18T23:30:00.003-05:00

The other night nothing else was on so I ended up defaulting to watching MTV's 16 and Pregnant...BIG MISTAKE. It was the episode where the girl and her boyfriend opted to give their baby girl for adoption in order to provide her a life that they knew they couldn't. In my eyes that took a HUGE mature decision and something that shouldn't be taken lightly. They were able to do an open adoption...meaning they would still get pics and contact with the adoptive parents which is awesome. Not many adoptive parents will go for that because of the emotions and scare. I was crying so hard by the time it was over because to think that they made the toughest decision of their life and probably the saddest but that it would be the happiest day for those adoptive parents lives. It is just so heartwrenching to think of giving your baby up...especially being 36 weeks pregnant myself. Feeling this baby growing and moving inside me and then to go home without it would be the end of me personally. I think it took major maturity on their part and they shoudl be commended for doing what is best for them and their child. When I did social work seeing parents that saw that they couldn't give the child the life they deserve and for them to sign their rights over so that child could be adopted was probably the hardest thing to see. They struggled with that decision b/c they didnt want to appear to abandon them yet they knew they couldn't for some reason parent. Sadly parenting ISN'T something that just is natural for everyone...takes learning and patience, often not given to them. It's a sad cycle. Can you tell I miss my job at times :)

We have had so many friends and even family members deal with fertility issues. It's so hard to hear because there are NO words that you can give them...simply pray. These people struggling to make their family or add to their family is so gut wrenching and it seems so unfair b/c there are so many babies born to addicts, given up on doorsteps or simply mistreated yet people we know and love can't get a break and enjoy parenthood. Sometimes life doesn't make sense and it's hard. WHY WHY WHY?!

I know we are blessed to have our (soon to be) 2 boys. I know I am very fortunate to be a SAHM..although some days it might not seem like it. I get to be the one with my children during all their firsts and not worry about daycare workers not giving them the attention and love that i know they deserve. Shawn provides well for us and I am thankful each day for that opportunity to stay home because as the song says "It won't be like this for long". That song still makes me cry because it is so true. Before we know it James and Ethan will be off to college and I'll be going with them....hehe.

I am so thankful for our boys and know that God will take care of our needs and give me the strength when the time comes to be both mom and dad during the next deployment. Until then we'll be a family enjoying the little moments in life with eachother.

34 1/2 weeks

2009-07-09T22:15:00.002-05:00

I had my checkup on Tuesday for Ethan. All is remaining level as it comes to fluids and growth. I was very thankful to hear that he was growing well and levels weren't too low but kinda disappointed b/c I was hoping to have him by next week but guess not happening just b/c I want it to:). I'll hang in there until God says it's time for Ethan to make his grand appearance. The doctor said he isn't small or large but normal size...don't know what that means b/c he couldn't give me a weight. James weighed 6 lbs. 5 oz. so he was small. I am banking on about an 8 lb baby this time for some reason. :). Not sure but it is something I have felt all along. I definitely am much more achy and crabbier this time around. I am so anxious to meet him and to share that special moment as a family of 4 for the first time. James still kisses my belly and seems to be excited about his little brother.

We actuallly had maternity pictures done and I am SO glad we did...I wish I would have with James but I was so worried about weight that I let it control me. Granted in these pics I am not small but it is a special time in our life that we want to remember. The girl who took our pics was great!! She understood that a 2 y/o isn't always cooperative and that made us feel great. He did the best he could and I am so anxious to get them to frame. There are some that are just too precious!! James is so stinking handsome!!

I will go back to the dr. in 2 weeks (July 21) and then will go weekly just b/c my levels were so steady we added extra week in between until I hit 36 weeks. Then I will be seen weekly and I pray I go into labor before 39 weeks but we'll see. Healthy baby is top priority.

1st Dentist Visit

2009-07-06T14:56:00.000-05:00

I finally made it around to getting James a dental appointment. I wasn't sure who to take him to so I posted it on facebook and several people said Dr. McGee is great with children so I made an appt with him for today. I think I was more nervous about it that James was. To top it off one of my friends told me that if a child misbehaves that they will use saran wrap to hold their wrists down after asking you to leave the room. Well before I got there I made up my mind that if he was that terrified that I had to leave that James would be going with me!! That freaked me out!! I talked with James and tried to explain what they would do just so he wouldn't go in blind. He kept telling me that his teeth didn't hurt so he didn't need to see the teeth doctor!! So sweet and innocent. So I told him we go so that our teeth won't hurt and that the dr. will just look at his teeth and clean them really good with a special brush.

We get to the dentist and I see his office is so child friendly and specializes in dental pediatics!! YEAH! The office staff and the dentist were GREAT!!!!!!!!! When we entered the room there was a little girl next door screaming her head of fwhich really scared James so he buried his head in my chest and wouldn't talk at first. Once she stopped crying he calmed down and would talk a little bit. James sat in my lap in the chair and let them look at his teeth with the mirror and then they just put fluriode on a gauze pad and clean his teeth that way. No brushes the first visit because they want them to feel comfortable at first. Then after the dentist looked at him he got to pick a new toothbrush and toothpaste. He was so excited he asked me if he could go to daddy's work to tell him how good he was. So I called Shawn and he said he wasn't busy so off to UNA we drove. James showed Shawn his toothbrush and toothpaste then asked for a donut :). (someone brought some last week and he got one so he thinks they are always there). After telling Shawn about his visit I decided i'd take James to Krispy Kreme to choose a donut for being such a big boy at the dentist. He was so excited. He woofed it down in no time :). The only thing was they had Spongebob all over and they kept asking James who it was to distract him......I quietly told them he probably doesnt know b/c we don't watch him :)...I am just NOT a Spongebob fan at all and James is content not watching any of that stuff...we just miss Disney Channel!

When we got home he wanted to use his new toothbrush and toothpaste so I let him :). how can you tell a child "no" for asking to brush his teeth :).

The dentist said his teeth looked great! No cavities and clean as can be!! YEAH!!

Family, Fun, and Fireworks--Happy 4th of July

2009-07-06T14:39:00.000-05:00

This Fourth of July was very nice for us because we are finally in the same state as our family and not traveling in a rush to visit. On Friday night James and I made Shawn a special project. James was so excited to use his hands to make the flag and then glue his stars on the blue square :). Before we gave it to Shawn James was telling him about it...so any secret you need held dont tell James :). Shawn made a big ooh and ahh over it which made James smile from ear to ear. Shawn even hung it in the garage which is pretty neat.

On Saturday Shawn and James went to Crossville to visit Shawn's mom's side of the family since he hasn't seen his cousins in while. I opted to stay home because traveling or anything lately just is too tiring on me being 34 weeks pregnant. The drive was about 2 hours and everything is outside and I just am not a fan of the heat. So they arrived and did all the fun stuff there like swimming, eating, fishing, and operating his favorite remote control speed boat. Shawn said James would eat much but when he saw Shawn get some of the banana pudding I sent he climbed up in the chair and ate it all!! James LOVES banana pudding lately and it's so cute. On the way home James went to sleep only for about 30 minutes and then woke up thankfully b/c it was like 6:30 and I worried about bedtime. Shawn and James arrived back home around 8:40 and I hopped in the car and we drove to watch the fireworks. We decided to go to Patton Island Bridge which was perfect b/c we could view them from the walking bridge and they were not loud and scary like last year for James. James liked the fireworks but enjoyed walking the bridge more I think. Then we went home and got him ready for bed. He was so tired. Shawn's not much of a photographer so this is the only picture I have of James in Crossville with the cousins.

On Sunday we ate at mom's with James other cousins, my sister, Shawn's dad and my mom. The weather was not sunny but the kids decided to swim anyway. After a bit of swimming it was time to eat. The kids played for a while and then we went outside and did sparklers and snap n' pops. It is so nice to be with family and just relax and enjoy it. James has a jammed packed weekend of fun and it is nice to see him interact with family. We know our time here is short lived and then we'll be hours away again but it's ok b/c we now know that we can make memories as a family of 4 (soon) :)

Big Boy Bike

2009-06-28T22:37:00.000-05:00

We have been pricing bikes for James for a while and was shocked at how much a little bike costs. As I was driving to my mom's one day I saw this little bike at a Consignment Shop for $15. It was IDENTICAL to the one at Wal-Mart we saw that was $60so I thought it was a great deal. James was excited too. Just a couple weeks ago he was a little too short to reach the pedals but he slowly has been getting the hang of it and we have been letting him practice at home. He is really getting it and is so proud of himself. I can't believe my baby is riding a bike!! He is so big and such a sweet boy most of the time.

Swimming at Gran and PawPaw's

2009-06-28T22:25:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we went to Shawn's mom's house for the day. Luckily she has a pool too so James is getting very spoiled while we are here :). This summer James has not wanted to go under or get his head wet much. That all changed once he got used to the slide and jumping off the diving board without any assistance. He was so proud of himself and we were proud of him too. It's amazing how a little encouragment will spark that little fire of courage. James enjoyed swimming with his cousins and of course riding Paw Paw's tractor. It was SO hot that I started feeling it as the day went on. Pregnancy and heat is a terrible combination!

He wasn't too big on eating but these days it is so hot I don't blame him. I just can't believe how much he has grown and turned into such a big boy. He is my lil' pride and joy for sure!!!!! He was so worn out that when I took him in for just rest time and drink he zonked out. He would have stayed asleep but I had to potty and he was laying on me so when I moved he woke up. I love those little moments of snuggle time. :) On the drive home his eyes were so red from the chlorine and jumping but he had a blast. Of course Shawn is a bit more stern on him than I am when it comes to doing things but in the end it is normally for the best because I do caudle James a lot but he is my world and I don't think I do it to the point that he is a momma's boy....just so he knows I will keep him safe :). Of course I get flack for being the over concerned mom but when you are a SAHM with little help for the first 15 months of your child's life...that is kind of what you mold into. I don't regret any decisions as a parent.

Point Mallard

2009-06-26T15:31:00.000-05:00

We decided to do a trip to Point Mallard Water Park in Decatur yesterday. It was 1/2 price night so we couldn't pass it up. I don't think we've been in at least 5 years or longer. Shawn and I both loved going there as kids and thought James was the perfect age to take there since they added the kiddie area. We also took cousin Kya with us and then met Shawn's sister, Susan, and her family there. It was great! James loved the Kiddie Swim area. The slides there go extremely fast and caught him off guard at first. He bumped his head and lost his hat but after a minute of regaining his balance he was off again. His favorite part was the wave pool. He would get knocked down by waves and then struggle to get up just to jump into the next one. Shawn was a smart daddy and brought James life jacket so it was easier than with swimmies to stay afloat. Kinda stinks b/c they won't let kids under 42 go down the water slides which was a bit disappointing but James was such a trooper and let daddy and Kya go down w/o any fits!! I love that kid. The three hours we were there went by so fast...we might try again before Ethan is born but not sure I can hold up so we'll see. It was a fabulous time and very relaxing and enjoyable time for me.

32 1/2 weeks

2009-06-24T13:25:00.000-05:00

Today was another checkup for me and Baby Ethan. I really like the doctors here because they take my concerns seriously and I don't have to wait for a call back like I did when we lived in NC. Shawn decided to go with me since work was slow and we were meeting the actual dr. today, Dr. Allen. He was really nice and listened to my concerns regarding low amniotic fluids. This is exactly the same time that James levels began to decline and by 36 weeks I was induced. Dr. Allen wasn't going to do an ultrasound but said to ease me he would do one today. So we went back and we got to see our lil' man. He is growing well and is on target for weeks gestation. However as I feared my fluid levels dropped from 13.1 to 9.2 in just 2 weeks span. He said not to worry because it is all subjective but the same ultrasound tech has done it every time so I feel confident it is accurate. Normal levels range from 5-20 so as long as I can stay above 5 for the next 4 weeks I will feel much better. Ethan needs at least 36 weeks gestation!! Of course I am a little panicky because birth defects can occur with low fluid levels. Just trying to hydrate and stay as calm as possible. Nothing can be done to increase fluids really...just something that happens. I read only 8% of women are diagnosed with this ogliohydrosis (SP)...oh lucky me :). So they are doing another ultrasound Tuesday at 11:00 to see how they are doing.

Ethan is still breech too but dr. says he has plenty of time to flip and get into position. Dr. Allen also mentioned he could go in and turn him but tha tis something we will have to weigh b/c it can put baby in distress or can even cause kink in ambilical cord causing worse things which ultimately would still result in Csection which is what we would be avoiding initially.

Just hoping for positive thoughts and prayers for a HEALTHY baby boy.

Piggy Bank Fund

2009-06-15T17:52:00.000-05:00

James has been watching a lot of Barney Songs lately (I know poor me :)) but is in love with the guitars on it. So he said he wanted a real guitar like "Q" aka Hugh had when he visited like 2 months ago (Amazing the memory of kids huh?) So I told him we could empty his piggy bank and use that money to buy one. Thanks to PawPaw Berryhill's visit to GA before we moved James had a lot of quarters and even two $1 coins in there. At the end he had $23 to put towards his $30 guitar. I was a bit sticker shocked at how much they were but Shawn said go ahead and let him get it. James little face lit up with excitement when we finally found it. Any mom knows it's hard to turn down that lil' face! James was so excited and couldn't wait to open the guitar in the store. He waited patiently as we made our way thru Wal-Mart. As soon as we got home he was ready to jam!! He is so funny (and quite spoiled I think :)) and loves it. It was his first purchase with his Piggy Bank Fund. Now he will have to earn more $$ for his next big purchase...mmm wonder what it will be?! he is so big now! He is 2 1/2 and all boy. He runs on energy like I've never seen! he is my big boy and so sweet!!

30 1/2 weeks

2009-06-11T11:29:00.000-05:00

Today was my routine checkup at the doctor. They did another ultrasound to check fluid levels and make sure all was up and up. Everything looked GREAT! Fluid levels, growth, size, etc was excellent she said. I am relieved in one way but in another was hoping for an early induction...of course after 36 weeks but the sooner the better after that is what I wanted. It is just getting a bit miserable with this weight. I was surprised I do not weigh more than I did b/c I feel about 10 lbs heavier!! :). The only downfall is they said that Ethan is breech right now which scares me a bit. But the dr. also said he has plenty of time to flip and position himself correctly. I have to admit that C-section scares me for so many reasons...the recouperation time, the pain, and the fear of never losing the weight or the pooch. yes I know that sounds vain but that is how I feel. Of course I want him to be healthy and to have a safe delivery either way. I just really pray he turns around before too long. I told the dr. that I felt his head was already sometimes hitting and she said...well it's not his head..so his foot is causing the sudden urge to potty and the hardness in my abdomen :)

James seems to be taking it all still very well. He will often kiss my belly or press his mouth up to it and talk to him. It cracks me up!! He says he will share with him and love him very much!! So innocent and sweet.

i honestly worry about life with 2..I always said James was my only. I love that lil guy so much that I wonder how he do when not all of my attention is on him all the time. I know that God will help me juggle 2 lil angels. I know that later on they will be best buds and it will be worth it. I still want my lil' girl but we are done. We are going to make sure of it this time :)...Shawn is going to get snippity snipped :). If we choose to we will adopt later on...I have always wanted to be a foster parent or adoptive parent. Of course it will not happen anytime soon or might not at all...just something we talked about at one time. Plenty of sweet kids with no homes due to no fault of their own.

I go back to dr. in 2 weeks so we'll see what Ethan has decided to do. :) Please just pray that he flips and that labor is as easy as possible when the time comes.

We have entered the "why" zone

2009-06-09T21:13:00.000-05:00

I am very bad about blogging...my blogs tend to combined many events so bare with me..sorry. Just not a lot of free time or brain power lately :)

Well that time has come where James asks the question "why?" a hundred times a day. And I find myself saying the dreaded phrase "because I'm the mommy that's why"!! Oh I said I'd never say that but I do!! It really only irritates me when i have asked him to do something and he questions me! I don't mind explaining other things to him but for some reason that gets under my skin :). James is a very smart boy and is very bright for his age. The director of his MMO program was so impressed at how articulate he is and very vocal.

He began the summer program at a local Mother's Morning Out on June 2. I kind of regret sending him now but the lil break is nice. Plus he enjoys playing and learning with kids his age. We haven't been successful in finding a local church yet so I'm kinda having a hard time meeting people. Living near my mom we go to the pool often and there is also a great splash pad at the Marriott Hotel that is free. Good cool relief for him. I prefer the pool b/c I can actually get in and not feel like a cow around others. The only thing I regret a little is that I feel I always have to entertain him by doing something and he is very spoiled b/c of it. Sitting home is not an option lately and he thinks we always have to go somewhere. So I'm trying to limit going places so he understands it is a reward to go somewhere and not a given. Plus when Ethan arrives James little world is gonna be rocked. Going places will be a little more difficult at first b/c of breastfeeding, naps, etc.

Here are some pics from the splash pad today. Oh the Sonic drink is almost a daily thing..mainly for my sake b/c I LOVE THEM!!

27 1/2 Weeks

2009-05-20T22:17:00.000-05:00

Whew today was a bit of a scare. I ended up calling my dr. here to see if I could get in to make sure Baby EThan was ok. After the last ultrasound in GA and the concern with ambilical cord I am so on edge. Not to mention the low amnio fluids I had with James. I hadn't felt him move much in almost in 24 hours but also know that the placenta's location can block me from feeling him move. Just to err on side of caution I went in and the dr. and her nurse were so wonderful. They didn't make you feel like a burden or like I was overreacting at all. In fact the nurse told me if I ever had concerns to call her and she rarely leaves office for lunch and she'd do a heartbeat check for me to ensure all is ok. That made me feel better. On post just getting in for scheduled appts was hard enough much less if you had a concern or emergency. Kinda like the civilian life here :). The Dr. did an ultrasound and heartbeat and all was great. Very strong and he was moving around and I just didn't feel it b/c like I said before the placenta is anterior making it harder to feel the moves. It is so different b/c with James at this point I could see him moving in my tummy but it is different this time around. Each pregnancy is definitely different. We are just so thankful all is ok..my biggest fear is having a baby that is born unhealthy or with disability. I know God will take care of us and provide us with our baby boy healthy. Our next appt is June 10, I'll be 31 weeks and will get another ultrasound and then I'll be seen every 2 weeks to measure amnio fluids until I deliver. They don't induce here unless medically necessary. I would love to go by end of July if baby is strong enough to make his appearance but we'll see. Please keep us in your prayers!

Potty Training

2009-05-13T21:43:00.000-05:00

WE have been working on potty training ever since we got back from Disney World at the end of January. We really didn't push it but just would ask if he had to go and often he would hold it until we asked. Of course there were accidents along the way but he has done SO good. He has progressed from sitting on his froggy potty to standing up on the big potty...yes he has pulled his pants down outside and peed on the grass. I try to encourage him not to do that unless we are at our house with mommy or daddy. I guess when he has to go he has to go but he has gotten better about coming inside when playing to go potty. He has always been good about not pooping his in pullup so he has been doing that for a while which I thought was odd b/c I've heard kids have a harder time with that one. We were really proud and knew he was making great strides when he told the gym daycare worker that he had to go potty!! I was so excited!! I think we might do the big boy undies soon just to see how he does. He won't even pee pee in his shorts when he is playing in the sprinklers or pool. He will whine and say "I don't want to pee pee in my pants" So proud of our lil boy. He is now 2 1/2 and the center of our world. We know that regressions might come after Ethan is born but we are going to continue praise and positive reinforcement.

We had our 26 week appt today for baby Ethan. It was my first time meeting the dr. here in AL. All went great and she is so nice. All checked out great and fluid levels are still where they need to be. We will do another ultrasound on June 10 just to ensure because that is about the time that James started going down was around 32 weeks. We just want a healthy baby boy and we will be the happiest parents in the world!!!!!!!

"Nana Pudding"

2009-05-09T14:01:00.000-05:00

Today James and I decided to make Banana Pudding or as he calls it "Nana Pudding". Gran and PaPaw took him to Dreamlands in Huntsville and ever since he had that taste of it he is hooked!! He asks for it all the time. I figured it is healthy (b/c we use sugar free) so why not! So I prepped everything and then let him put the bananas, cookies and coolwhip on. He was so proud of himself. I'll admit that the cool whip had me scared b/c he couldn't get it off his spoon so he was slinging it up and down but we came to compromise to shake gently. He did a great job and we'll enjoy it after dinner tonight. I am trying to involve him more in the kitchen and around the house so he feels helpful and like he did something. We are so ready for rain to be gone so we can enjoy the pools and sun before Ethan comes. Pushing James in his stroller is killing me lately! WHEW....big girl can't move. :)

Bye Bart, Misty and Major :(

2009-05-06T20:11:00.000-05:00

Tonight we had some friends from GA stop by on their way to their next duty station in Ft. Lewis, WA. It was so nice to see them before they left because we know it will be a while before we see eachother again. I was even sadder than I thought I'd be. They are an awesome couple we met while there and James loves them so much. I think Shawn is very sad too because he and Bart got along so well and enjoyed the passion of fishing that only a true fisherman could enjoy. They were even out fishing in it this morning amist the storms :). We know this isn't goodbye forever but just temporary. Army life allows us to meet many great people along our journey known as 'army life'. After Ethan is born we will make a trip up there. I want to travel more while Shawn is home and allow James to experience new places.

James and Major played together and James was so worn out! YEAH! So until next time Brimhall's! Good Luck in Washington!

Happy 30th Shawn!

2009-05-04T19:46:00.000-05:00

Today was Shawn's 30th birthday. We celebrated at Casa Mexicana in Florence. I wanted more people to attend but because of the move I didn't want to plan anything because we weren't sure where we'd be in the moving process. Last night I decided to do a little party for him. I ordered him a small cookie cake for himself (and James of course). Shawn went fishing this morning before my dr. appt so James and I snuck to the mall to get it. As soon as Shawn gets home James runs out and yells "we got you a cake daddy". Needless to say anything you want kept secret don't let James know :). Then that night we went to Casa with friends and family which was nice. I was extra glad Shawn's long time buddy, Zac, was able to join us. It was very short notice but he was able to come so that was great!

The waiters sang Happy Birthday and made him wear sombrero which is what I wanted!!! It was so funny. James enjoyed the cake and made his rounds to each person with cake once his was done. I think overall it was a nice night and I still can't believe this is his 8th birthday we've spent together. Many more to come!

The Big One That Didn't Get Away

2009-05-02T14:35:00.000-05:00

Today Shawn took James fishing while I unpacked a bit. I got a message on my phone that said James caught his first fish on his CARS fishing pole. He said it was about 5 lbs. So I finished what I was doing and then headed with sandwiches in hand for my boys. James was so excited to show me his big fish. As Shawn pulled it out of the live well I was shocked that he caught that HUGE fish on his lil' rod. The FLW weigh in station was at McFarland and Shawn asked if we could weigh James fish. They were very nice and said sure! Well it weighed in at 5.25 lbs!! The guys there were so impressed that he caught this on his lil fishing rod and that he was only 2 1/2. I wanted a pic of James up on stage getting it weighed but of course he was being nosey and talking to people. I swear that kid being so friendly kills me ;). We are thinking of having it mounted as his first official catch! Shawn was so funny b/c he said he has never been so excited as he was when James caught it. Shawn said James told him "i'm hung daddy" so Shawn went over and it was just too heavy for him to reel in by himself. Shawn was a proud daddy and said it was a day he'll never forget. :). Jame keeps saying he caught a "Big Small Fish" which means "Big Small Mouth Bass Fish". He's so smart at technical names of things :).

Sweet Home Alabama

2009-04-28T22:22:00.000-05:00

Well we are settling into our home in Alabama. Shawn will be here Thursday with the rest of our stuff and I'm anxious to get unloaded, set up and purged of all our stuff we have too much of :). Amazing how moving so often you realize you have a lot of stuff you could do without. But also keep in mind that with each move comes different windows that require different curtains, bathrooms, etc.

Our home in Florence is nice just not what we have been used to in the past. We went from Ft. Bragg (very Hooah Military Town) to Ft. Gordon (semi Hooah Military town) to Florence, AL...no military base for at least 1 1/2 hrs and it's not a big one. I miss our life in NC and my friends I made there. i guess it will always be special to me b/c I "found" myself there working as a social worker and becoming a first time mom. It is where we started our "grown-up" life together as husband and wife. i know we'll be back soon enough b/c Shawn loves the 82nd Airborne Division....minus deployments :). But we know that they are part of it and we will have many more in the next 13 years of military life. My biggest fear is how the boys will react w/o daddy there. James asks about him when he is just gone over night.

James is settling in pretty good. Regardless how he acts during the day he always brings a smile to my face with just a kiss, hug or "I love you". He is truly a smart kid and we are blessed to have a smart, healthy big boy. We live close to an awesome park that has ponds for him to see turtles and fish so he loves it. He asks everyday to go fishing with daddy so I am sure that will be first on agenda when Shawn returns back here. He is a smart kid...sometimes too smart :). He test me daily and I just pray that God give me the ability to parent out of love and nurture and not anger. I hate spanking and he knows it but I do it b/c I don't want him out of control. I hate the phrase that people use "he's just being a boy". I do believe boys are much more active but doesn't mean they have to be disrespectful or have excuses to not listen. Parenting is amazing and filled with so many joys but it is the hardest job i'll ever love :).

We'll be here for about 2 years so we hope to make as many memories together as a family while Shawn is here with us. We definitely have lost a lot of money waiting for our house to do someting in NC so we'll have to be frugal but I think we can do it!! I see the 15 months he missed with James and want to ensure we do as much as possible now. Kids grow and change so fast. James will have his 3rd bday in November and it is crazy how fast it has gone by.

I hope to get involved in church and other social activities outside of just being a mommy. I feel I need a life outside of it or it will consume me. I am going to look into part-time work possibly once Ethan is older. But for now I'm gonna enjoy my boys.

So Long Georgia!

2009-04-20T21:15:00.000-05:00

Tonight is James and my last night in our home in Georgia. These past 8 months have FLOWN by and I can't believe it is time to move again. Shawn has decided to move us because he hopes the DITY pay will pay off the Tahoe. I hope so b/c that money each month will be great for other bills or savings :). It is just so aggrevating b/c our house is complete chaos and I don't handle it well. Needless to say Shawn is getting brunt of it....:(.

Shawn took James tonight to say goodbye to "his" friends, Bart and Misty. James played with Major (their lab) and was worn out when he got home. James has grown really close to them and it made me so sad when I talked to him in the car. James ALWAYS asks about Bart. I guess Bart took him to his car seat and Shawn said when Bart shut the door and went back towards the house that James just began sobbing crying for Bart. Oh I cried for James too. I look at this life we live as Army and this is the first move where James was old enough to know people and understand that we probably won't see them again for a very long time. He was so sad. I think that I can handle these moves easier than my son will be able to. Any parent knows that you would so take any hurt or pain from your child and take it on yourself just to not see them hurt. He is so tender hearted and loves people. I just hope it doesn't affect him long run having ot say bye to so many people over the years. I also think of the next deployment we'll face and it tears me up. James loves his daddy and anytime he's not here he ask where his daddy is. I can't imagine how he will feel when daddy is gone for 12-15 months. I just pray I have the strength to be mommy/daddy when that time comes to two little boys. But for now we are going to enjoy our family time together and do asmuch as we can while daddy is home to make those memories that will be etched in our memories forever.

Next Stop...Bama Bound!!

Easter

2009-04-12T23:32:00.000-05:00

James was so excited this year about Easter. Of course his main focus was hunting the eggs. We tried to explain to him the meaning behind Easter but I am not sure he fully understood it. Maybe as he gets older and we repeat it each year he'll understand.

At his MMO program in GA he got to do an egg hunt and he was so thrilled. The one with the Mommy's group got rained out and the reschedule date was a day James decided to sleep in so we missed it. So Easter Sunday we got up, made breakfast and let James look in his Easter Basket'. I'll say he racked up this year on stuff!! :). Then after church we hid the eggs the Easter Bunny left filled with candy. James was SO excited as he searched the back yard for each egg. It was so cute. Each time he found one he wanted to open it to see what was inside. Finally he collected them all and saw the loot of candy.

He also got a soccer goal from the EB and was so excited to score on daddy. Priceless.

It was a very nice day. AS James gets older the Holidays are so much more fun to share. He is such a sweet boy and the innocence of excitement and childhood is contagious. We are so blessed.

Going to Grandpas House

2009-04-05T20:59:00.000-05:00

This past weekend we decided to make a visit to my grandfather in Myrtle Beach, SC. His health has been not so good and since we will soon be 10 hrs instead of 4 hrs away we decided we should take advantage. Also while we were there we'd take advantage of the Beach. James was old enough this year to know what the beach was and to have fun. The first day we arrived it was so warm so after nap we got James in his swimmies and took him to the beach. The water was SO cold but he didnt' care. He jumped in it and rolled around....he was so fun to watch the joy on his face. The next day we went swimming in the "heated" pool and he was so proud of himself b/c he could get around the pool with just his arm floaties. He was jumping in and without notice so we had to keep an eye on him. Then we braved the chilly wind and went to the beach again..Brr....James played again in the water and sand but said he was chilly so we went to the room and had lunch and nap. On Sunday we went to Ripley's Aquarium. James loves sharks and fish so he was so excited. He wasn't so sure about the sharks swimming overhead in the tanks but he warmed up to them. He even tried to touch the sharks and stingrays in the exhibit. It amazed us how quickly he has grown in just a year and how smart he is. He amazes us daily.

The funniest thing I think he did while there was use Pooh Bear as his scapegoat. I asked him not to push buttons on the safe so he took Pooh's paw and said Pooh wanted to press the buttons. Then if he wanted to get up he said "Pooh needs a drink". So SMART!!!! He is so funny and I giggle all the time at his little antics. We went to the Disney Store to get the new baby a Pooh Bear but the electricty went out and we weren't able to get it...we were bummed. James picked it out himself and was so proud. Guess we'll try again soon. It was so sweet b/c he told me one day last week the baby could have his Pooh Bear and I thought I was gonna cry......yes hormones are awful when pregnant.

Of course in between all this stuff we visited with grandpa and had dinners with him. He seemed so happy to see us and James always can bring a smile to anyones face. My grandpa was diagnosed with COPD, pretty much a terminal lung disease but he has quit smoking and he looks a lot better than he did. He was sad that we were moving further away yet again. When we were in NC it was only 2 1/2 hrs, then we moved to GA where it is 4 1/2 hrs and now to AL where it is 10 hrs. WE were always the closest to him and now we too will be far away and we all know that 2 kids makes traveling harder but I am still going to try to make it up there as often as we can. We are all he has and it makes me so sad to think about him being all alone.

We hope to make it to the beach again depending when we get moved to AL once it gets warmer so James isn't shaking while in the water. We'll see how it goes though b/c I already feel huge :)

I had a lot more pics but the blogger is giving me a hard time. They are on my facebook page and Shawn's though

Happy Anniversary!

2009-03-28T15:00:00.000-05:00

On March 23 Shawn and I celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary. It is crazy that we've been married that long and this is our 4th to actually be together. We weren't going to do anything but Shawn asked some of our friends to watch James so we could go out. We ended up getting Japanese (YUMMY!!!!!!), picking out baby stuff for nursery (green monkey) and running to mall. Adult conversation, taking our time to eat and not going to bathroom for spankings every few minutes was refreshing!!

It was so nice to know that James was in good hands and that he loves Bart and Misty. He was so exhausted when he got home.

Shawn bought me an awesome jewelry set I always eyeball at the mall and the movie Fireproof. I got him an inversion table he has been wanting for a while.

Shawn is an amazing husband and father. He has really been helping out a lot lately around the house b/c I am just zonked byt James bedtime. He is packing and getting us ready to go to Alabama. He just overall is being so great lately I couldn't ask for more.

Our anniversary was amazing and we know we have many many more to celebrate with our two boys!

It's a BOY!!

2009-03-23T12:01:00.000-05:00

We found out today we will be having another little boy this Summer. We couldn't wait the 3 more weeks and just had to know. So on our 7th anniversary we found out that we will be having another boy!! We were thrilled to see that the heartbeat was healthy, spinal cord intact, and a very active baby. He was all over the place. We are very blessed with another baby boy...Guess God has a reason for no girls for me :(. I have to admit both of us were filled with mixed emotions. We were wondering how you could be so happy yet slightly disappointed at the same time. We both so badly wanted a girl. Shawn said he is sad too b/c he will never get to walk his daughter down the aisle. I have been emotional since we got home...happy, sad...gotta sell the pink I bought. Although I knew deep down it was a boy, part of me was holding on to maybe I was wrong. Hormones are AWFUL! James will be a good big brother so we know that much. God has blessed us with 2 healthy boys so far so we wouldn't ask for more. For those that are thinking well you could try once more...NOPE!! Not an option. We said either way that this was it for us. Even with a 3rd no guarantee of a girl and 2 is enough for me....those of you who know me probably know that 1 was good for me :). Done at One was always my phrase so Through at Two is my new one and FINAL one :). Well off to go thru James clothes and sort what can be reused.

Ready to Move it!!

2009-03-21T00:51:00.000-05:00

Whew I am the most impatient person in the world!! Shawn finished CPT Career Course the 20th and I am so ready to move to AL.....or at least get where we are going. Moving to AL comes with many mixed emotions...good and bad so we'll see. We'll be there for 2 years so I hope all goes smoothly. The biggest thing is that we enjoy family time with our families but we also enjoy starting our own traditions with just our lil' family. We know that we will be away from them most of the time in this Army Career so we have to make our own. I went home last weekend for 4 1/2 days searching for a home. NOTHING....I found one in Florence that was what we wanted but a little higher than we wanted. We probably are going to end up getting it just b/c rentals are scarce especially for a nice area and home. If we pass it up then we might not find another one. It's a nice home in a nice neighborhood not far from James MMO and UNA. It's really close to an awesome park and running trail in Florence so that is exciting. I am just anxious to get to packing, moving and setting things up before baby comes. The Army is SO SLOW about anything but deployments it seems! I guess we'll start packing next week while James is at MMO and just line boxes in the garage. Shawn decided to move us so he can get paid and put the money towards the Tahoe to pay it off. One less car payment will definitely help. But moving is STRESSful enough w/o trying ot do it yourself. So we'll see.

Oh did I mention we are about 99% sure our house is sold. :) God has answered 2 huge prayers for us which I am very thankful for! I definitely was down in the dumps for a while wondering WHY WHY WHY WHEN WHEN WHEN! :) The guy is doing somewhat like a lease to buy. He has to rent for 6 months and then will purchase. All the paperwork is signed,money put towards it, etc. Our realtor went above and beyond to ensure he will qualify for a loan. She is awesome. So no double or triple payments for us in April!! YEAH!!! We really sold the house fairly cheap but we just didn't want to be tied down to it. I miss my lil' house on the hill. So many memories there for sure. But we have learned memories are made wherever we go.

James has been so sick with bronchitus and it is pitiful. He has thrown up several times, coughs to the point of no breath and shakes. It is the most pitiful thing. I worry when we go back for check up if things are better they might put him in hospital :(. They didn't say that but just scares me. He couldnt' handle augmentin and I'm not sure the Z-pack is working like it should. It sucks to feel so helpless over your little one. He's still as smart as a whip and it doesn't get him down. The other day I went to talk to him because he was doing something he shouldn't. So i bend down to talk to him and he looks at me, tilts his head and said "Hi Cutie"!! AWWW...Shawn had to turn his head to keep from laughing!! Such the manipulater :). i'll just be glad when we can sleep again w/o waking up coughing and vomiting. He's a trooper though.

Monday is our 7 year anniversary! I can't believe it. Sadly I think we've only spent maybe 4 of them in the same state. Some of our great friends in GA are watching James so we can have a few hours of kid free dinner or movie. James loves them so he will be thrilled. Today at Shawn's graduation he kept asking "Where's Bark (AKA Bart)?" He said "I love him, I hug him today" Sure enough Misty walked in and he ran up and gave her a big hug!! Then was Bart's turn. He so badly wanted to fish with Bart and Daddy today but his health just wasn't up to the coolness and wind today on the water. That's all he ever asks about is fishing with them. :(

Also on Monday we are paying to have a 3d ultrasound to find out the gender of our baby. Shawn felt the baby kick for the first time Tuesday!! Makes it feel so real!. i couldn't wait 3 more weeks!! Killing me to know!! I feel it is a boy but Shawn swears it is a girl. I think either way as long as it is healthy we will be content. Of course since we have our strapping young man we both would love a healthy girl but only God knows what is in store for us and has already determined it.

My Smart Little Boy!! :)

2009-03-02T22:41:00.000-06:00

James is the smartest, quickest thinking little boy I have ever seen. There is never a dull moment in this house with him. We are very blessed to have him and I can't imagine life w/o him. :).

At bedtime he usually likes to "read" his two books and then he knows he has to stay in bed and no playing. Tonight Shawn went to check on him and he has his bucket of blocks in his bed. When Shawn asked him what he was doing he said "I play blocks in my bed." He knew that he wasn't supposed to get out of bed so he stretched to get them and he thought since he didn't get out of bed to play that playing on the bed was ok. After getting a good laugh out of it we put them up and he went to bed. I swear that kids amazes me!!

James is amazing. He talks all the time and he is the most lovable little boy ever. We are anxious to find out baby Dalrymple's sex in April we hope!! We just hope all is healthy. James still isn't 100% sold ont he fact of another baby but too late now. I think he will be an amazing big brother. So lovable and cute!!

Bama Bound?!--Hopefully!! :)

2009-02-22T19:35:00.000-06:00

We found out on Friday that we will be moving to Alabama around April. On of Shawn's Professor of Military Science, Colonel Atencio, made some calls and requested Shawn to work at UNA ROTC from April until he begins grad school. He is such an awesome person!! So James and I will be traveling to Alabama very soon to look for a house. I just hope we can find something soon so we can get moving. Shawn has the bright idea to move us and I told him I don't want to hear a word about how much stuff we have or how tired he is!! The Army will move us for free and pack us so he has NO excuse. We shall see. He is SO stubborn!! I'm pretty useless between being pregnant and having a 2 year old constantly around I can't get much done.

My next dr. appt is the 12th of March and then the ultrasound comes after that so we are hoping to find out what we are having before we move to AL. Switching insurance can sometimes be a hassle.

I think we both are excited to live closer to family...I think Shawn is more excited about the fishing :). It will be nice to finally not have to spend our vacations stretched visiting home. Now people can come visit us for a change. :).

The only possible drawback will be if our house doesn't rent. It officially goes on the market March 1 so we will see. We are so broke that if nothing happens we will have to reconsider going to AL and possibly going back to NC.

God answered our prayers in His own time so we'll see what else is in store for us!

The family that bikes together....

2009-02-21T21:00:00.001-06:00

Today was a great day. Shawn had bought me a bicycle for Christmas and I had yet to ride so we went and got him a bike and James a trailer to pull behind the bike. We also got the trailer b/c it doubles as a double jogger. So after James nap today we rode about 4 miles around the neighborhood. It was fabulous!! James enjoyed it a lot but his helmet (yes we make him wear one) kept sliding down but we'll get it right next time. Shawn trailed him this time b/c more than likely I'll use it more than him. He was awesome for doing so!! He said it was harder pulling 35 lbs of baby behind but not too bad. Only bad part is when Shawn had to come out of the saddle to get up the hill James lil head bobbed awful so we have to work on it. We both run and do ellipticals but biking was a whole new adventure for us. We loved it!! Everytime Shawn stopped he said "no, ride more" he was so cute!!

Hurry up and Wait :)

2009-02-20T13:48:00.000-06:00

Well we know that CPT Career Course ends March 20 but we are unsure what we will be doing after that point. Shawn could take S-6 course until end of May but he doesn't want to and neither do I. I want to get settled by June wherever we are going for many reasons. One to allow James to get adjusted to new home and new area before another baby is brought there, Two for me to get established with a doctor prior to me giving birth preferably, Three to have time to unpack and get the nursery and James room put together. I probably still woudl be stressing even if I weren't pregnant but the uncertainty of when or where is the hardest part for me right now. We'd hoped to be in AL but nothing is definite because of a gap in time. But we are working on that and pray that things will work out where we cn get out of here sooner than we hoped!!
if we are in AL we will be near family and they can always help us unpack :)

James is now almost 28 months old. he is quite the talker...and I mean ALL THE TIME :). When I run or walk with him I just would love not to hear a thousand questions b/c I feel I HAVE to respond or he thinks I am ignoring him. So hard pushing 35 lbs and jogging while talking :). He is such a sweet boy though. He says his blessing at each meal and prays at night for everyone. he loves to give kisses and hugs. He is slowly potty training and does better telling us when he has to use #2 than #1...which is odd. He usually holds his pee until we ask so we try to ask often. He is getting the knack of it though. he is truly my angel and I can't imagine life w/o him.

I am now officially 15 weeks pregnant and LOVING it. Definitely different this time around because I enjoy it more. Not sure if it was work or the constant pressure to remain thin evenw hile pregnant before but it is so enjoyable this time. I find myself admiring my growing belly often in the mirror. :). We won't find sex out for probably at least another month which is KILLING me. O fcourse we want HEALTHY baby but we want our lil' girl. But if God wants us to have another boy we will be fine too. But this will be it for us. two is good and is definitely hard enough with a husband who is gone 15 months at a time :) and no family around to help most of the time.

Mission Bye Bye Binky!

2009-01-23T15:27:00.000-06:00

We decided when we got home from Disneyworld that we would attempt to take away the Binky. I wasn't too concerned if we failed b/c he only uses it when he is going to bed and not just all the time. So the first night was Wednesday and he did great. Then Thursday night he fussed a little and it broke my heart but I was strong and I just laid in the bed with him until he was comfortable. He finally said "Bye bye binky" and if you ask what he did with them he said he gave them to the new baby!! SO SMART!!

to top it off today he told us he had to poop so we sat him on his potty and sure enough he did!! we praised him and he was so excited. Although I don't think he is ready to potty train we welcome anytime he tells us he wants to go!! YEAH for my big boy!!!

DisneyWorld

2009-01-20T15:35:00.000-06:00

We went down to Disneyworld the 15-19 of January. It was AMAZING. Yes I am almost 29 and this is my first trip there so I was excited as well as having James to see the magic thru his eyes.

First let me say that Shawn is amazing. If it wasn't for him I would have completely melted down and jsut given up. James was very difficult because of his age he didn't understand waiting and that he had to get off. So many fits and fussing....I was so embarassed but Shawn kept up with him and took care of him for most part. The weirdest thing is that I felt we got looks as if there kids weren't 2 at one time and didn't do the same thing. It was just a good deal and we didn't want to pass it up b/c regardless where we are next year we won't be as close as we are now.

We started our day Friday at Epcot...HUGE mistake!! There just wasn't a lot to do for children his age. We rode the Nemo Ride and he was terrified after a fish jumped out at him. So we walked around and looked but decided to head over to Magic Kingdom. Much more James speed. We rode Dumbo, Tea Cups, watched Country Bears Show, went to Mickey's Toon Town and watched the Fireworks display at the Castle. It was about a 10 hour day the first day of taking in the scenes.

On Saturday we went to Animal Kingdom and Disney Hollywood (MGM). We took a Safari ride and saw live animals such as elephants, giraffes, tigers, etc in their own habitat. James LOVED it. Then we saw Nemo the Musical Live and it was great. At MGM we saw a stunt show with live cars and James was fascinated. We also got there right in time for the block party which James loved b/c he could "break it down" as he would say!! He learned the YMCA and was so cute! He also got to meet Lightning McQueen and Mater from his favorite movie CARS. We also met Buzz Lightyear and Woody from Toy Story. Shawn rode Buzzlightyear with James while I took a break....the pregnancy wears me down I think. We also took a safari boatride in Adventure Land which was neat. James and Shawn went up into a treehouse to look around. Shawn rode Tower of Terrors but thankfully I was unable :).

On Sunday we went back to Magic Kingdom. We rode Winnie the Pooh Ride and Peter Pan. James enjoyed them and said he was flying during Peter Pan. James saw Splash Mountain and wanted to ride it but it was too chilly!! Thankfully. We saw the Dreams Come True Parade with Mickey and Friends which was neat. James again enjoyed this. He was captivated by the shows, parades and musicals. James and I left around 5:30 this day b/c he was exhausted. Shawn stayed with Bart and Misty and rode big kid rides. James was racked out before we left the parking lot! He hung in there like a champ.

On our last day there we ate at Crystal Palace which was AWESOME!!! GOOD FOOD!! Winnie the Pooh and Friends come around to the tables and meet with each family for pics. James did great and hugged them all. That was my favorite part I think. Then we rode It's a Small World and went to Mickey's Toon Town so he could play on playground. His final ride was Goofy's Barnstormer which was a roller coaster....after that he was ready to go. So we boarded the monorail and went to our car for the LONG trip home. James slept for 3 hours in the car and might have slept longer but I woke him up when we stopped for gas.

I am sure there is so much I am leaving out!! A lot to cram into 4 days but it was SO worth it and the cost was GREAT!!! Great memories!

Healthy Heartbeat

2009-01-13T22:02:00.000-06:00

We got to hear our baby's heartbeat for the first time today!! Also unlike Bragg we got the initial ultrasound of our peanut :). I am measuring right on time and due date is remaining August 14. Everything looked good as far as fluids, heartbeat and measurements. The heartbeat was 154-156 today. Of course we want a girl but a healthy baby is on our top of priorities first and foremost. We took James with us today and set him on the bed while the dr. took the heartbeat. He just smiled ear to ear. So cute...we know he is clueless but we want him involved. It makes it feel so special to have him sharing with us. Our next appt. is Feb. 12 but we won't get ultrasound for about 4 more weeks after that. They are going to monitor me regurarly until 20 weeks and then I'll get ultrasound every visit to ensure amniotic fluid isn't low again this time. All we can do now is pray for a healthy baby in August!!!!!

Christmas 2008

2008-12-25T20:34:00.000-06:00

Wow!! What an exciting and fun filled Christmas we had this year. James just turned 2 and was all into presents this year!! He got the knack of tearing open paper to see what it revealed underneath. :). he just didn't understand not all presents were for him.

We ended up making a quick visit to AL to visit family before heading back to GA. We did Christmas in Huntsville with Shawn's family and then headed to the Shoals to do it with my family. It was VERY tiresome and probably not something we will try again but visiting family was nice. Shawn and I actually got a few hours alone and it was SO nice!!! Just to eat a dinner where I didn't feel like I had to woof it down before my son got irrate. James got some great gifts from the family.

Then on Christmas Eve morning we headed back to GA. My sister, Andrea, came back withus to do Christmas with James. She adores James so it was nice. James put out cookies and milk for Santa Claus and then headed to bed. He was out like a light by 9:30. Santa came and placed his train table under the tree. On Christmas Day James woke up and was so excited tos ee that Santa ate his cookies and drank his milk!! Then off to open more presents. He didn't notice the train table until the very end...how he missed it I am not sure :). But he LOVED it. Shawn and I exchanged gifts after and I think we both were thrilled with what we each got. I think the biggest present was being together this year as a family. Hard to believe that we will be a family of 4 this time next year.

Then after James naptime we went to our good friends home, Misty and Bart for a fondue dinner. We weren't quite sure what we were in for but it was AWESOME. Well the little I got to eat b/c james had his normal meltdown and acted up. Definitely something Shawn and I want to do again. YUMMY. Misty and Bart are such wonderful hostess and we are blessed to have met them while here in GA. It made the night go by so fast due to the great company.

This was a great year filled with many memories. From Shawn returning safely home, to moving to GA, to the Holidays, and finding out we are expecting our other blessing in August. I just pray for sanity and patience for this 2nd child. I love being a mommy more than anything but it is definitely the hardest job ever! We know that 2009 has many more wonderful memories to add to our collection.

Holidays 2008

2008-12-20T17:26:00.001-06:00

Wow this year has truly flown by. Between Shawn coming home and moving it has been a whirlwind. We have enjoyed spending the holidays together this year as a family. For Thanksgiving my grandfather, my mom, and us spent it at our home in GA. It was a nice time and a relaxing time. I enjoy not having to travel at the holidays because it is always so hectic. James enjoyed playing with Buster and grandpa. That boy can talk anybody's head off (he gets that from his daddy's side-hehe). I find myself telling him he doesn't have to talk all the time!! He asks questions and then answers them himself...silly kid. Ok sorry for side track.

Then for Christmas we went to some of our friends home here in GA and made Gingerbread houses. James enjoyed sampling the candy. We have been fortunate enough to meet some new friends here, Bart and Misty. They are wonderful. Although they don't have kids themselves yet hopefully soon they will. They enjoy being around James and James feels the same with them. Then we have visited Santa three times (got one good pic out of it) and went with another set of friends to view this great display of lights in town. It was massive. We rode a hayride around to view them all. Then James played on their play area and we roasted smores. Although it was like 72 degrees that dday it was still fun.

We are looking forward to spending Christmas in our home in GA and then traveling home to spend some time with family. James ended up getting pneumonia so we couldn't go home ahead of time like we planned. He is doing fine just gets tired easily and has to have breathing treatments pretty often. If the ER doctor would have diagnosed it correctly on Tuesday I wouldn't have gone back on Friday to be told it was pneumonia as I suspected. That is a whole other blog :).

I am thankful for my family and for our soldiers who sacrifice their lives so that we can spend this time together. This time last year Shawn was thousands of miles away and part of my heart felt missing. This year James is old enough to enjoy Christmas and we are trying to teach him the meaning behind Christmas...not just presents.

We also found out that we will be expecting Baby Dalrymple #2 in August!! This will be our last baby for sure. I am very nervous about having 2 and just how well I will do but too late now ;). We hope to move to AL once our time is done in GA but it all depends on our house situation in NC. I do not want to move back there knowing I will be having another baby and will want my mom's help and breaks :). But maybe having Shawn home this time will be a lot more helpful.

Merry Christmas to everyone!

James is Two!!

2008-11-22T22:58:00.000-06:00

We celebrated James 2nd birthday in Alabama with our families. We had his birthday at Spring Park in Tuscumbia. His theme was Thomas the Train. All he kept saying up until his birthday was he wanted a choo choo cake! SO CUTE!. The weather cooperated thankfully...a bit chilly but nothing horrible. James and his cousins rode the roller coaster, train and carousel. I think everyone enjoyed it. It was nice to have Shawn home this year too to share in the excitement. James got a lot of nice gifts and he is playing with each one!!

It amazes me how fast he has grown. It seems like just yesterday I was holding him and rocking him. Today he sat with me in the rocker just wanting to be held and I remember when he used to couldn't sleep w/o me rocking him to sleep. Now he just drifts off to sleep, car in hand :). :( My little boy is growing up and I want to freeze time. He has the sweetest personality and is SO smart. The dr. said that he is advanced for his age which makes me feel great...although I swear the kid has ADD with all the energy he has.

Lately we take our evening walk to see the ducks at the pond down the road. He loves it and although it is cold we bundle up and get to moving. It is nice to be able to enjoy simple things with him.

Trick or Treat

2008-10-31T20:08:00.000-05:00

I was a bit worried b/c before we went Trick or Treating James was VERY defiant...both Shawn and I tried everything but he was so stubborn!! Finally once we got him dressed he was fine...maybe he was just excited and showed it through being ugly?!
But once we got past that and got out the door he was SO much fun!!! We took along his wagon (thanks gran) which was very nice b/c he was so taken in by all the people and costumes he was moving so slow. He gladly would ride until he saw a house and then he was ready to attack. He was so sweet and would say "trick or Treat and Thank you". Everyone said he had the most unique costume they had seen. He was quite different and we didn't come across any other sharks! After hitting about 20-25 house we went back to our house to hand out candy. Our neighborhood was SLAMMED with kids because it is a large neighborhood that is safe. We finally went to our house and let James hand out the candy and seems to enjoy that more than receiving his candy. There were golf carts carrying kids trick or treating as well a a hayride pulled up too.James loved it all and loved giving candy to everyone. This neighborhood is very family friendly. We enjoy it and can't wait to see how they deck out for Christmas! Trick or Treat 2008 was GREAT b/c my son, my husband and myself were together!! I am so blessed to have these two great men in my life! We missed Shawn a lot last year but enjoying him here this year!!

Ready, Set, GLOW!

2008-10-28T14:35:00.000-05:00

Last night we had our first family pumpkin carving!! James and I did Winnie the Pooh last year while Shawn was in Afghanistan. This year Shawn did Lightening McQueen from CARS...James LOVED it and it turned out so good. Of course we did the traditional pumpkin too and James kept telling Shawn to stay on the edges of the outline :). James wasn't too sure of the inside of the pumpkin and told us that it "scared him" and "no I not touching" at first. Then he warmed up to it and enjoyed jabbing the pumpkin with our tools!! It was nice to do the simple things as a family and I think often it is taken for granted.

James should be a hoot to take trick or treating this year!! He is going to be a shark!! SO cute. To be continued.....

School's In :)

2008-10-20T22:22:00.000-05:00

Shawn has been in Capt. Career Course for about a week now. Definitely some adjusting for both of us. Although his day ends at around 3:30 he has to be at PT for 5:30 (an hour earlier than before) so he is up at 4:30 a.m. each day. Right now he is so tired from the adjustment it is hard on both of us. I hate asking for his help when he is so tired and I am "just staying home". I miss having him around each day to help with James or just be involved with us. But it ismuch better than Afghanistan :). He comes home for lunch pretty often and we are getting in from the gym so we see him for a few minutes before naptime. James wakes up and says "Daddy working" and I tell him yes but that he will be home after nap. He seems ok with it so that is good.

We also got exciting news that Shawn will be up for his first look at MAJOR in Summer 2009 and we are so excited. Doesn't mean he will be promoted then but hopes are high b/c his OER's are very good and say Promotable!!YEAH!!

James is a sweet boy but definitely testing us when it comes to listening lately...I am so easily fooled and HATE spanking him but he knows it and plays on it. Shawn says it once and that is it! We are getting excited about the Holidays and being a family...living away from our families is hard. James will be having his Thomas the Train theme party in November. We are traveling home to AL so that will be nice.

Tracey Cute!

2008-10-13T12:43:00.000-05:00

A couple of my friends (Kristen and Tracey) from NC came to visit for a few a couple weeks ago. James just adored Tracey who is pregnant. When we went to call her husband he was devistated and wanted to follow her out. Then he looked at me and said "Tracey cute"!! Whoa my little man going for older women :). Now he says that along with "Tracey baby girl in belly"! So funny!

here is a video of him because he just wouldn't stop one day talking about her!!

President of Dalrymple and Son

2008-10-10T20:16:00.000-05:00

Today was a bit of reality check. I had 2 job interviews which were a big waste of time. The first one was almost like what I did at DSS but less pay. I just don't think I am ready to have that headache again since having James i just want to focus on him and being a family. The 2nd one "forgot to mention" that it required a MSW. So I waited 40 minutes for nothing. Oh well the right job will come along when the time is right. I just want something other than staying home but not to the point it jeopardizes my time with my family. I am blessed to stay home and I know that so I am just gonna relax...God will provide the job when the time is right. I just sometimes feel useless staying home but guilty for wanting to work.

Shawn returns to "work" next Tuesday so James and I will be on our own again. I hope to meet more people here and get active in a church. So far we haven't found one we like but we'll keep trying :).

Also for some reason I am REALLY missing NC...that was my home...that is where i learned so much about ME and my new life as a wife, a social worker and then a mom. I made some great friends there and now I had to leave them :(. One of my good friends is celebrating her bday in Raleigh and I so wanted to go but things just didn't work out $$ wise or sitter wise :(. Stinks! I miss it so much!!