Unexpected Return....

This weekend we took out our Christmas decorations. Decorating for Christmas has put Sam and I in a strange mood. Having the house set up for the holidays again reminded us of last year at this time. When we hung our three stockings by the chimney with care 12 months ago, we were already planning on where the fourth stocking would go. When we wrapped the presents for Laura we were already discussing buying presents for a baby again. Of course a couple of weeks after the decorations where up we learned we would not have a 7 month old in the house during the next holiday season. What followed in the next couple weeks was some of the worst times in my life. the memory of the grief I felt in those couple of weeks is still very clear, but I haven't thought about it much lately. It was astonishing how clear some of those feelings returned, by putting garland up on the mantel and bulbs on the tree we were reminded that a whole year has passed.

Thankful...

Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful for what we have. Instead of being thankful recently I have dwelled on what I don't have. This year I'm thankful for many things, but in light of everything we have been going through to have another baby I'm most thankful for Laura. She is a smart, beautiful, and independent big girl who is developing quite a sense of humor. I have always taken for granted how easy Laura has always been. She became a part of our lives as the best surprise I've ever received. There were no hormone tests or pills to conceive Laura and after an uneventful pregnancy she came into the world quietly. She continues to surprise us every day with her eagerness to learn and empathy for others. She defiantly has her moments of trouble, but I'm very thankful she is part of our small family.

Unready for change....

This afternoon, my baby, my one and only child will start “Big Girl” school. I’m wavering between disappointment that she is ready to move on from staying home with mom all day and excitement that I will now have 2 ½ hours a day to myself. Most of the time I’m just scared to death of the idea of my little girl, she’s only 5, going to school with the big kids. GULP!
I’m not ready for her to move on, this year ½ day kindergarten next year college, especially since I’m unsure if I will every get another chance to have someone at home with Mom all day.

Meal planning...

Everyone pretty much knows that Laura is an extremely picky eater. We aren’t certain where she got this trait from, with the exception of only a very few items Sam and I eat everything. Her pickiness started pretty much the day she started eating solid food. She refused to eat most of the baby food including the “desserts”. The only thing she would eat out of a baby food jar was sweet potatoes, witch could account for her lifelong obsession with the color orange. Unlike most picky eaters Laura isn’t swayed by sugar content, she knows what she likes and therefore it doesn’t matter if you call what she refuses to eat a “treat” or a “desert”. The only thing that she will eat under any circumstance, weather it was covered in frosting or dirt is chocolate.
As you can imagine because of this life can get pretty difficult at our house around meal time. But in the last month a strange phenomenon has happened, Laura, one of the most stubborn children in the world, has started trying new things. I wish I could brag and tell you that being the wonderful parents that we are Sam and I came up with a creative way to gets Laura trying new foods. But the truth is like potty training Laura decided when she was going to do this on her own. Therefore I’m proud to announce that Laura, world’s pickiest eater, now eats “sausage sandwiches” or what the rest of the world refers to as hamburgers, with actual ketchup on in.

Unplanning your civic duty...

Like many military families Sam and I are residents of a state we don't actually reside in. Mostly for tax reasons, Sam and I are currently residents of Florida. We vote in Palm Beach county elections, we each have a valid Florida drivers license, and therefore Sam doesn't have to pay income tax on his military earnings. This is a great deal that has been working for us for the last 7 years. Although this week we hit one of the few snags in our system, Sam got called up for jury duty in Palm Beach county. This is a very long commute for Sam, therefore the Palm Beach county clerk of courts has included the public transportation schedule since Sam doesn't have a car registered in the state of Florida. Instead of taking the gamble on riding public transportation across the country Sam has decided to get excused from jury duty, although apparently this is easier said then done. I would have thought that since the county just sent him a absentee ballet our situation would be in there records.

Job opportunities...

Today I was cleaning up the house, obviously the Monday night scramble to get everything done didn't go well, and Laura was playing "Dragon" with Baby Max. When she paused for a drink of "ice cold water" she lovely informed me not to worry I wasn't the dragon, I was just the "castle cleaner". Who would have thought that all those college classes qualified me as a castle maid.

Sweet Jusitice...

The last couple months I've been poked, prodded and seen by what feels like every department of the Micheal Callaghan Hospital. They have taken gallons of blood and I won't mention how they got the pictures of my ovaries, just to tell me that everything is fine and to take a few months to consider the risks and side effects of fertility treatments.
Now this week finally a ray of sunshine in my otherwise gloomy fertility life. It's Sam's turn to be poked and prodded. The next step of our "fertility challenge" is a seaman analysis. I thought I would enjoy Sam getting more then his far share of humiliation from a process that has stripped me of practically all my dignity, but so far I'm just waiting on pins and needles for the results.