What's Going On...

I know I should be posting more on this blog for those handful of readers, but then it might take me away from things like this:

my boys playing in the yard

Cole and Ford becoming interested in each other

watching the kite surfers with friends

school field trips

grand opening of the 7th Special Forces Group at Eglin AFB

(the first time a US military base has been open to the public in 80 years)

pumpkin pickin'

I hope y'all understand the reasons for my sporadic posts. I think it's a pretty good one.

Our New Normal

Nine weeks in, and we're all adjusting to our new family of four. Ford is still waking me up once at night to eat, but he's a growing boy. After all, he did grow a whopping three inches in a month's time. He has a huge smile and cackles when he laughs. Cole's beginning to warm up to Ford...a little. The picture below tells the story of the two of them, so far.

We attended Cole's preschool orientation, and are looking forward to the school year. He will be surrounded by a wonderful group of teachers and students again. I am sad to already think about moving in a few short weeks.

Moving, you ask? Yes, Wade's job is finishing up here at Eglin Air Force Base. Next location: unknown. And yes, I'm a wee bit stressed about having no idea where we're going next or when we'll go. 

The Baby...

...is good, but taking all our time. Please stick around for a more formal introduction to our newest blessing.

Last Day of School

Yesterday was Cole's last day of school. It was so bittersweet.

It took Cole a few weeks to get use to going to school, and being away from me. But, you can see these two ladies helped to make the transition as seemless and easy as possible. Each day they welcomed Cole with a warm smile. And each day, they went above and beyond to make sure their class was learning, growing and having fun. 

I will cherish the memories from Cole's first year at preschool. And am thankful we were lead to such a wonderful group of people.

Water Day

Each year Cole's school has Water Day! To say it was fun is an understatement. Cole loved all 3 hours of it, and woke up after his nap asking for more 'wat day.' After testing things out on the small slide, he braved the big slide and within a few minutes he was going down the big one head first. This from the kid that a few weeks ago decided a bounce house full of children was no longer his cup of tea. Of course, this means we really do have to take him to the water park this summer.  

Feeling Alright

Ever had one of those times that you just feel down? Well, for the last few weeks, I've been like that. I suppose that between our living situation (a beautiful place that we generously get to live in, but still is not our 'home'), uncertainty about Wade's next work assignment and the pending arrival of a new baby, it's easy to get down in the dumps.

But, it's funny how a few simple things can pull you out of your slump so quickly! A visit from some good friends and kind words from a former coworker can do wonders for the soul! A quick thanks to those people that had no idea they made such a difference. Thank you!

Our Spring Break

....in pictures!

Random Musings

As I'm watching the sky darken and more rain pour down, I can't help but let my mind drift around to all the really random things that go through it in a day. A few highlights:

Yesterday was Wade's birthday! It was a good day. I tried to cater to him, a bit. I do love to cook, so I made a few of his favorite things: a new recipe for peanut butter pie with chocolate ganache and crab cakes. As much as I love to cook, I do not like following a recipe because those usually require kitchen equipment and utensils that I don't use very often. Sure enough, the pie and crab cakes required some rarely used items like measuring spoons and cups. It's not that I mind using those types of things, it's just that I hate unloading the dishwasher after using those things. It slows me down and I don't like it.

Since Wade was indulged yesterday, I decided to do the same for myself this morning. I feel a little naughty for doing so much for myself, but I am with child, so I suppose I'm entitled. At least occasionally. After getting my eyebrows waxed, I treated myself to Starbucks and a pedicure. Of course, all this grooming has to be for a good reason, right? We have a wedding this weekend, and since I don't love my dress, I figured I could draw attention away from it. But who am I kidding, I do have a huge baby bump that tends to attract an extra-long stare. Oh, and the last time I had a pedicure was the day before I had Cole.

Long overdue, but still a funny story that I forgot to tell you about. For Cole's first birthday, my sweet NaNa gave Cole a present. After opening the gift bag, which was pink with butterflies, we found a very nice teddy bear and a giant pair of scissors (although I think they really should be referred to as shears) tucked with the bear.

 

That's about it for now. That's not it for the random thoughts in my head, but that's all I'm willing to share.  



Comfortable

This past weekend I spent a very comfortable weekend with some dear friends.

Wade took Cole to his grandparents. I stayed down south and welcomed my old friends for a fun-filled girls weekend. It was such a welcome relief to, not only have a break from the daily routine of my life, but also, have friends visit that know me inside out. You know the kinds of friends I'm talking about; you can say whatever comes to mind, and you don't have to filter. I love friends like that! There's no judgement because they know your true core.

So thanks to my friends for a wonderful visit. I really enjoyed every minute of it because of you.

What's in a Name

When Cole was born, we weren't sure of his sex, so we weren't sure of his name. Considering boys names, I wanted to go with my maiden name and Wade wanted to go with his mother's maiden name. Once Wade saw me go through the labor of our first child, he promptly declared we could use my name. The decision for a second name was easy; David after Wade's dad.

When we found out we were having a boy this go around, there was no question of what this child's name would be; Ford after Wade's mother. The problem we've encountered is the second name. We prefer to use a family name, but the options are questionable. Here's a sampling of what we're dealing with:

Oliver
Arthur
Bernard
Lemeul
Obediah
Bradford
Jesse
French
Lyndel
Rufus
Mac
Silas
Perman

Some of these names are fine on their own. But, let me give you a visual of why they won't work for us.    
   Bradford Ford - Ford to the second power
   Ford Mac - I know boys think trucks are cool, but not that cool.

So the search for a second name continues....

A Little Sunshine

Hope these pictures bring just a hint of sunshine to help warm up all of those covered in snow...again.

We're having a baby

Hopefully that announcement will excuse my absence. Since it's been so very long, I'll quickly recap these last few months:

November - Thanksgiving and throwing up. Not a good combination.

December - Christmas. Period.

January - Sickness made vicious circles around the house and around Cole's school.

February - We're having a BOY!

We recently found out that we are expecting another boy this June, and we couldn't be more excited. Loads of people had been saying that it had to be a girl, including Wade. I had no inkling this time around. I was surprised, shocked and very happy. But, having another baby of the same sex does bring up some mixed emotions. You wonder if you feel like you're going to miss out on all those girly things, especially the clothing part (and let's face it, one of my passions is fashion). I came up with lots of rational and practical reasons on why having another boy will be wonderful. I even understand that God's giving us another boy for a reason.

Still, with all this floating in my head, I had that feeling that I was really going to miss out if we didn't have a girl. Then it hit me. My mom came waltzing in wearing a pair of leather pants that she had given me for my 20th birthday. We'd gone to Neiman Marcus, and using a sharp eye, I picked out the most classic pair of pants I could find in the most buttery soft leather imaginable. After our move from Birmingham, I put the pants in my mom's cedar closet. Well, she found them. She told me she wanted to borrow them. No problem, I said. After all, it's not like I can fit into them right now. I assumed that by her borrowing them, she would simply slip them on and go to dinner. Never did I dream that she would consider them lounge pants and literally sit around in them after dinner wearing my prized pants with a sweatshirt. At that moment, I realized I could never have a daughter. I'm not good at sharing my clothing, even with my own mother. Therefore, I don't think I could share my clothes with my own daughter either.

So, we're having another boy and we're ecstatic!