Welcome to the World Baby Jude!!

I'm so excited that the new addition to our family is here! He's so cute and looks so much like Penn, it's scary. I actually thought it was extra cool, because I wasn't around when Penn was born. Now, I can pretend I was!

Everything seemed to move pretty quickly. Kimberly went into the hospital and started being induced at around 6:30 this morning and delivered at 12:01. I hate to admit it, but she actually made it look pretty easy. Jude was 8lbs 1oz, 22 in long and most importantly...totally healthy! Such a cutie!

The bad news is that now that Kimberly is officially "out of work," it means I have to get on the ball and get to work starting Monday. I'm pretty nervous about the switch to 5th. I'm sure it will be a piece of cake...right...RIGHT????!!!!

Jac spent the day with the babysitter today and had a blast. Mrs. Gloria brought him and Penn to the hospital and Jac was wired! (but in a really good mood). I don't even think he noticed the baby until I started showing him Jude's crazy toes. Maybe this will be some good "big brother" practice for Jac, for future reference...you know? :)

We've really been working on his little fireball temper lately and I think we're maybe on the verge of improving. He'll scream and stomp for what he wants and I make him go sit in "time out" (wherever we're close to...today it was the puppy bed...lol). At first he may try to escape, but when I sit him back down and tell him to stay put....it hurts his feelings a little and he won't move after that. When he stops screaming (not necessarily crying) I go back and pick him up and do a little sweet talking and he sorta gets over it. We still have a long way to go and I'm pretty scared about what will happen when he becomes more verbal.

Cam has been doing pretty good lately. Not that I think he would be honest with me and tell me that he wasn't, (I can usually tell by the way he says "hello" what kind of day he's had) but now that we're 1 month down, we're both starting to see the teeny little light at the end of a very long, lonely, tunnel. Too bad I don't know a specific date to expect him home. I want to do a paper clip chain or something to give me some kind of visual of where we are, where we've been, and how much longer to go.

We're falling into a groove with our schedule a bit, but I'm sure it's all about to be overturned when I start work on Monday. Right now, he calls me on SKYPE around 3PM every day (his bedtime). We're going to try him calling around 11PM every week day (first thing in the morning his time) and normal times on the weekend. It's really sad, you know? Before I would get frustrated because I didn't feel like we got to spend much time together because of work, or different things coming up. Now, I realize how much I took for granted while he was here. I miss him so much, but at the same time, waiting on is call is the highlight of my day! Even though we only get to talk about 5 minutes, it's good to know he's OK . Plus, he never lets me wake up without an e-mail (and I try to do the same). Without e-mail, I'd never remember to tell him anything!

Before I go...I have to show off my little cutie! Here's a picture of him with G-ma's glasses and taking a nap on mom's bed. Anyway...I love my little guy!

Feeling the Heat

So far, everything is going OK. Cam has gotten the chance to call just about every day. We talk around 3 my time, but it's around 10 his. When I start working, things will be changing a bit and he may have to call early in the morning his time, and late at night mine. Whatever, I'm trying not to be too picky. At least we do get to talk often. During the day I can expect to get at least 1 e-mail and now he has an address for me to send him stuff!

In the car the morning Cam left.

He seems really tired when I talk to him. They're working like 15 hour days 7 days a week and he's still running pretty much every day. There's so much that I want to remember to tell him but I can never remember when we're on Skype. I just end up saying "There was something I wanted to tell you..." about 5 times and then remember after we hang up. He said there are alot of sandstorms and the other day it rained during one, so it was literally raining mud. He sounded pretty excited because he got to drive the CWO's truck around to pick people up and he said he got to go "mud boggin." Should be pretty safe though since it sounds like there was no wet grass to slide on and that's what usually gives him trouble. haha

I'm so proud of my very smart little boy! He's so advanced for his age...I mean...he's not even 1 and a half yet and he's already hit the "terrible twos." Incredible. The past 3 days have been full of back-arching, screeching, and going limp. Maybe even some foot stomping too! Not to mention all of the snot and tears! I don't know if it's because of DST, playing hard, missing Dad, moving, or just having an out-of-whack schedule, but I'm hoping this passes quickly. Jac's not the kind of kid who just "gets over it" or can be distracted. If I ignore him, it gets worse. If I speak firmly, it gets worse. I hate giving him what he wants when he acts like that (I don't want him to think that's how to get my attention), but most of the time, it's my sanity. He wants to play outside all day long and he's perfectly happy. The minute we need to come inside to catch the phone, use the bathroom, or whatever, the tantrum starts. Oh, and lets not mention the fact that he will refuse to eat if I don't let him hold his own spoon. You should have seen spaghetti night. Ugh...I'm exhausted after only a week and a half of being a stay-at-home-mom. Now I remember why I work! haha. Well, at least we still have bedtime. My little angel sleeps in his room from 7 to 7 uninterrupted! Thank God...I need some rest!

He's lucky he's got the cute thing going for him!

Eating his cupcake from Grandma...he's so rotten!

I've finally gotten over whatever nasty thing I had. I was so sick of coughing I could throw up...literally! Eww. Jac and I are still in Tricare Insurance limbo because of the move. I'm so scared we're gonna get really sick and get stuck with the bill because I haven't turned in the paperwork!

Penn came over this afternoon for a little dip in the baby pool and a bubble bath. After chasing them around, Mom came home and I painted a bookshelf, had a shower, ate supper and went off to church. I'm zonked! It's bedtime...after all...I gotta get up and shower before Jac rises at 7, otherwise I'll have to wait until naptime after lunch. I don't think I could do this all the time! Goodnight!

Ahh...peace

I LOVE SKYPE!

I got to talk to my man today...about 3 times...maybe 4. He finally made it to Iraq. He said that they flew them in at night to avoid being fired at...freaks me out! Anyhow, he got his Internet hooked up today and has to pay a whopping $100 a month for the second best connection. He said that the best connection was $180 and the smallest was $77. Crazy!

So glad we got him a laptop for Christmas! It's already been worth the money. We both have a webcam and got to talk on Skype. Jac was so excited to see his Daddy and couldn't stop laughing. He kept trying to kiss the screen. He's got a room to himself which I think is pretty good, but makes it seem even more lonely.

Here's a song that I really wanted to play at the end of our wedding as we were walking out the church. Everybody thought it would be too wierd so I didn't do it (my biggest regret). It makes me sad, but it's perfect.

"Walk Through The World" -Marc Cohn

I'm writing you this letter from some old hotel
I can feel the distance between us
From the Spanish Steps to the Liberty Bell
I know the angels have seen us... seen us, baby
They see you down on Seventh Avenue,
While you're just hanging by a thread
And I'm sitting in a lonely room without a view,
Wishing I was there with you instead

Won't you walk through this world with me
Walk through this world.
Over the miles of mystery,
Walk through this world with me.
I'm staring out across the rooftops, baby.
I've seen the writing on the wall.
Heard a little bit of thunder, at the seventh wonder,
but everything is bound to rise and fall, that's all

Walk through this world with me
Walk through the world.
Over the mountains and the shining sea,
Walk through this world with me...
Walk on... Walk on, Walk on...

Let me get this ringing out of my ears,
Let me get these stars out of my eyes.
'Cause I just want to look back over all the years
with you right there standing by my side.

I'm writing you this letter from some old hotel, they can see us, baby

(listen to the song here: http://music.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=music.Discography&artistid=5672&albid=8792725&songid=30804258 )

Again!

I got another call from Cam yesterday morning around 11. Not much news. He's still in Kuwait and it sounds like they're all pretty bored there. Just sitting around waiting to go to Iraq next. He hasn't called today and I don't think he will (since they are like 8 hours ahead of us and that would make it about 1 in the morning on Thurs). Hopefully that means they are on the way or maybe they have already arrived in Iraq. I can't wait to get his address so I can send him a present in the mail.

Mom and I are heading back to J-ville tomorrow to start getting packed up. Dad, Pack, and maybe Bob will come up on Friday night or Saturday morning to start packing up a moving truck. Jac will be staying with "Grandma Dotty" for the weekend. I'm pretty sad about leaving our first home together. That's probably why I haven't started packing anything up before now.

Anyhow, it's almost time for church so I better be going. I've got to give the kid a bath since I won't have time in the morning. Peace out!

First Good News

Cam called around lunchtime yesterday to let me know that they had arrived in Kuwait safely. He didn't know how long they would be stuck there or when he would get to call again, but hearing that they landed safely after a 23 hour flight was a huge load off. That's pretty much all the news I have right now.

Missing him...

He's Gone

So this post should be short and sweet. Cam had to be on base this morning at 5:30. After we got there and unloaded the rain started coming down. We waited for as long as we could, but Jac was freezing and hungry so we sat in the car for a bit before we had to say goodbye.

Bottom line...THIS SUCKS! Today was the hardest day of my life thus far. I'm so thankful that in almost 3 years of active duty, this is the first and last time we will have to do this. I don't think any amount of reenlistment bonus is worth having to watch a dad have to say goodbye to his family. As sad and lonely as I feel, I know he's having a much harder time.

So as Jac's shirt says..."It's all downhill from here." After today, maybe it will start sucking a little less until it's time for him to get home. I'm hoping to hear from him in the next couple of days and I'll post an update. I'm back in Florence for now and will be headed back to NC in a few days to start packing for the big move.

That's all for now...