One Month Down!
Well, technically, we are 5 weeks down...but who's counting weeks?! Counting months is WAY easier!
The first month flew by as sugar bean and I have been keeping a healthy level of activity during our daytime hours and we were able to Skype pretty regularly with hubby. While I haven't had a "meltdown", by God's grace alone, this last week has been a bit challenging, but God has been sweet, and I'll post about that later this week.
Our exciting and "look forward to" activities for month one were a FREE weekend getaway to the beach and then a 10K road running race for mommy. Nothing like sunshine, sand, and endorphins to boost my mental state!
Probably more exciting than the free trip to the beach was the 10K road running race. A girlfriend (and fellow army wife) also ran the race with her TWO kiddos. We set our goal at averaging 10 minute miles because it was rolling hills and we were both pushing our kiddos. Well, we totally blew that out of the water and ran the 6.2 miles in 00:52:18, sub 8:30 minute miles!
Needless to say, we were both stoked.
Here's a post race picture...the kiddos were DONE being angels for us :)
Like I said, daytime hours have been easiest to transition into, primarily because I've just continued doing what I do when hubby is home. We go to the gym first thing each morning and then play, run errands, go to the park, or clean! SO, thankful for our new home and the amenities the Southern Pines Community offers for young families.
But that darn 4-8pm "shift" has been a little frustrating and difficult. I'm tired, she's tired; I'm hungry, she's hungry...and daddy isn't coming home to relieve mommy.
Lonely, yes. Boring, you betchya.
To top it off sugar bean has been teething. Her 2 year old molars are working their way up through her gums, yes, her TWO year old molars! She's had ALL of her other teeth since she was 16 months. And then it seemed like she was regressing in her nighttime sleep routine, apparently a normal 18 month thing is 2am shrieking...
We've been listening to online audio recordings of Adventures in Odyssey during dinner time and it has been such a delight. Quite the walk down memory lane for me and a great way to help sugar bean sit still longer at the dinner table. She's quite intrigued with the characters and the stories. At first it was difficult for her to listen for 12 minutes (half of the story), but this week we passed the half way mark and made it through to the end without much wiggling or protesting! It's really fun to watch her get excited as she hears the introductory music begin. Plus, she hears a quality faith based message.
So, dinner is less boring and then we go straight to the bath, get ALL ready for bed, put on our walking shoes and head out for a walk!
We walk across the street to the peaceful golf course in front of our house and walk the golf cart trails. Sometimes we find golf balls and have fun rolling them down a hill back to where they belong. Sometimes we name everything we walk by. Sometimes we are completely quiet. But it's always fun and I look forward to continuing these walks when my dear husband is home! AND, most importantly, since we started these walks, sugar bean has returned to her wonderful sleeping habits...no more 2am shrieks!!!
So, we are well and finding a healthy sense of normalcy for this adventure we call deployment. It's definitely not as miserable as I imagined it to be, but it's certainly not a cake walk.
I very much look forward to my mom and baby sister's week long visit and my first triathlon of the season next month!
Olivia
The first month flew by as sugar bean and I have been keeping a healthy level of activity during our daytime hours and we were able to Skype pretty regularly with hubby. While I haven't had a "meltdown", by God's grace alone, this last week has been a bit challenging, but God has been sweet, and I'll post about that later this week.
Our exciting and "look forward to" activities for month one were a FREE weekend getaway to the beach and then a 10K road running race for mommy. Nothing like sunshine, sand, and endorphins to boost my mental state!
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| Myrtle Beach, March 2012 |
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| Self Portrait |
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| Beach LOVER |
Probably more exciting than the free trip to the beach was the 10K road running race. A girlfriend (and fellow army wife) also ran the race with her TWO kiddos. We set our goal at averaging 10 minute miles because it was rolling hills and we were both pushing our kiddos. Well, we totally blew that out of the water and ran the 6.2 miles in 00:52:18, sub 8:30 minute miles!
Needless to say, we were both stoked.
Here's a post race picture...the kiddos were DONE being angels for us :)
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| ShamRock 'n Roll 10K, March 2012 |
But that darn 4-8pm "shift" has been a little frustrating and difficult. I'm tired, she's tired; I'm hungry, she's hungry...and daddy isn't coming home to relieve mommy.
Lonely, yes. Boring, you betchya.
To top it off sugar bean has been teething. Her 2 year old molars are working their way up through her gums, yes, her TWO year old molars! She's had ALL of her other teeth since she was 16 months. And then it seemed like she was regressing in her nighttime sleep routine, apparently a normal 18 month thing is 2am shrieking...
Well, enter Adventures in Odyssey and bedtime walks to save our nights and my sanity!!!
We've been listening to online audio recordings of Adventures in Odyssey during dinner time and it has been such a delight. Quite the walk down memory lane for me and a great way to help sugar bean sit still longer at the dinner table. She's quite intrigued with the characters and the stories. At first it was difficult for her to listen for 12 minutes (half of the story), but this week we passed the half way mark and made it through to the end without much wiggling or protesting! It's really fun to watch her get excited as she hears the introductory music begin. Plus, she hears a quality faith based message.
So, dinner is less boring and then we go straight to the bath, get ALL ready for bed, put on our walking shoes and head out for a walk!
We walk across the street to the peaceful golf course in front of our house and walk the golf cart trails. Sometimes we find golf balls and have fun rolling them down a hill back to where they belong. Sometimes we name everything we walk by. Sometimes we are completely quiet. But it's always fun and I look forward to continuing these walks when my dear husband is home! AND, most importantly, since we started these walks, sugar bean has returned to her wonderful sleeping habits...no more 2am shrieks!!!
So, we are well and finding a healthy sense of normalcy for this adventure we call deployment. It's definitely not as miserable as I imagined it to be, but it's certainly not a cake walk.
I very much look forward to my mom and baby sister's week long visit and my first triathlon of the season next month!
~William Barclay
Olivia
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