So Long Georgia!

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

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

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!

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!!

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!!

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!! :)

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!!