Hospital Tour

So this past Saturday I had my hospital tour!!  It was so surreal.  I took my mom and dad with me.  I'm so happy they could come with me.  At first when we got there I felt a little weird because everyone was there with their husbands.  It was a little tough at first since I wanted Cody to be there with me to experience this time in our life.  But unfortunately he is keeping the rest of us safe here in our own Country.  And we all know that my parents rock.  So after a couple minutes I got used to the fact that my life is just different than the normal civilian.  This is what we call sacrifice, but really I have my mom & dad right there providing soo much support.  Of course leave it to my mom to pretend she was the tour guide in front of everyone joking around.  LOL, I wonder where I get my loud-ness.  And my dad kept saying "you were born here 26 years ago".  It's funny that when you're 13 years old...that stuff is soooo embarassing, when you're 26 you just love the hell out of them for being so great and a little dorky...but thats what parents are for, and we all know I'm going to be busting at the seams with my dork-ness.  Anyways....the tour was packed with some good information.  And it was a little scary seeing the room....I mean a bed with stirrups a computer/moniter screen, spotlight and that's it.  That's all.  Of course the luxery items in the room....but really....you'd think there would be Tons of stuff in there.  But I guess they bring some stuff in.  Who knows.  I will in like 103 days :)  I made sure that I can skype with Cody.  They said that we can...I'm blessed that Cody can be in the room with me, in some way.  Not the ideal way, but considering what it used to be like years ago....this is amazing.  I just wish Cody could touch Norah after she's born.  But we will take what we can get.  Here is a picture of the recovery room, well you can really only see the bed....but there's more:

Ohh and on another baby note:  Suzanne and Mike had their baby....a little boy, Andrew James.  It was amazing seeing him, the day he was born.  AMAZING.  It was so much fun holding him.  I've never held a baby so young!!  HE was soo sweet, just laying in my arms.  I'm soo happy for Suzanne, Mike & Sam! 

And another Norah item:  An adorable pink Pom Pom hat!!  I LOVE THIS HAT!!  It's my absolute favorite!  IT's super soft and CUTE CUTE CUTE!!!

And a friend, Heather, gave me a stroller, activity chair and bouncy chair today.  It was super nice of them to let us have them.  I'll probably give them to my parents these items since we will get new items.  I don't want my parents to have to buy all new items when they won't be using them super super often.  Of course they probably will use them more than we think.  Thank goodness for Grandma & Grandpa. 

On a sad note, one of my good friend's from high school just lost her dad.  He had a massive heart attack.  It was sudden and out of no where.  She's taking it bad, just like I would be.  I just hope there is something I can do to help her out.  My heart is literally breaking for her. 

On a sweet note, Cody has been adorable lately sending lots of texts and emails.  I love him!   He tries so hard! 

On a good note: none of my major picks for American Idol got kicked off...yay!!

Vega farted

This is my super excitement for a Saturday night...hahaha...

Vega just farted and startled herself LOL, she looked at me and had this face that read "that wasn't me, was it?"  It was hilarious!!  I burst out laughing and couldn't stop.  She had been sleeping near me and it was the most dainty crystal clear fart I've ever heard from her...hahahaha....sooo funny!!


Just thought I'd share :)

Deployment & Pregnancy

Someone wrote this on babycenter.com.  I felt expecially close to each of these statements as I go through pregnancy & deployment at the same time.  It feels a little better inside knowing that others have gone through the same thing...

• During deployment, for the first few weeks you wake up every morning with a pit in your stomach as you realize your man is gone and you have to make it through a day alone. It takes some time to get used to this happening. During pregnancy, for the first few weeks you wake up every morning with a pit in your stomach that most likely will land in the toilet before the hour is up!

• During deployment, you have trouble sleeping in an empty bed and if you get to sleep you are awakened by phone calls and instant messages which leave you happy but feeling quite tired the next day. During pregnancy you sometimes wish you HAD an empty bed to sleep in and are awakened by kicks, jabs, and that ever-present urge to empty your bladder.

• During deployment, you have nightmares about losing your husband to the war. During pregnancy you have nightmares about losing your baby, or giving birth to a zombie or a puppy. 

• During deployment, your cry over songs like "I'm Already There" and "American Soldier"...well, pretty much any song makes you cry! During pregnancy songs like "You're Gonna Miss This" make you cry...well, then again pretty much any song makes you cry. Those silly hormones!

• During deployment, you go through countless cartons of ice cream to counteract the tears and grant you solace in your loneliness. During pregnancy ice cream is just about your favorite food (especially after crying over that song on the radio) and you know it makes the baby happy, right?

• During deployment, you surround yourself with your Army wife buddies and try to pass the time with frequent get-togethers. Your conversations topics are usually about phone calls, emails, care packages, and "when did your husband say he was coming home?"  During pregnancy, all of your friends have baby bumps. Your conversations are almost always about your pregnancies and the most popular question is "when are you due again?"

• During deployment, you spend your spare time reading books like Faith Deployed, Hope for the Homefront, and Life After Deployment...trying to soak up enough information and encouragement to survive. During pregnancy its titles such as What to Expect When You're Expecting and The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding.

• During deployment, you get excited every time you reach a "month down" milestone! During pregnancy you get excited when you hit each weeks end and can go on to the next "week" of pregnancy, getting especially excited when you hit big milestones like 10 weeks, 20 weeks, and 30 weeks. 

• During deployment, you long to just be able to hold your man in your arms and feel his touch, but are thankful for the times you can just hear his voice and know he is okay. During pregnancy you wish your baby could be in your arms sooner rather than later, but are thankful for the kicks, jabs, and rolls that remind you of your baby's presence and health.

• During deployment your favorite piece of technology is your webcam, computer, and cell-phone. During pregnancy it's the ultrasound machine and the doppler.

• During deployment you attend FRG meetings and deployment support groups. During pregnancy it's prenatal classes and La Leche League meetings.

• During deployment your favorite website is christianmilitarywives.com. During pregnancy it's babycenter.com.

• During deployment, you look in the mirror, worry about staying in shape, and wonder if your husband will recognize you when he returns. During pregnancy you look in the mirror and don't even recognize yourself!

• During deployment, phonecalls from strangers and knocks at the doors send you into a panic wondering if something has happened to your husband. During pregnancy you are constantly evaluating every contraction, pain, and sickness, wondering if you need to make a trip to labor and delivery.

• During deployment, you know that homecoming dates are subject to change and are always looking at the calendar wondering when that special day will arrive. During pregnancy you struggle not to put too much stock in that elusive "due date" and wonder if your baby will come early or late.

• About halfway through your deployment you start planning for homecoming...imagining what you will wear, how you will fix up the house, and what you need to do between now and then. During pregnancy you set up your baby registry and nursery to prepare for this little blessing coming. You even pick out your baby's homecoming outfit a few months in advance!

• The last few weeks of the deployment are a frenzy of activity as you try to get the house clean, buy your hubby some new clothes, buy his favorite foods, and prepare yourself with a pedicure and new hair do. The last few weeks of pregnancy you are making sure your baby's clothes are in the dresser and you have your hospital bag packed.

• At the end of the deployment you are filled with such excitement, and yet such extreme apprehension, about homecoming. You can't wait to see your husband again but worry about adjusting to the "new normal" and wonder how he will be different. You worry about reestablishing intimacy. In pregnancy, you can't wait to hold your baby in your arms, but are apprehensive about childbirth, breastfeeding, and being up 3-4 times a night during those first few months! You worry about how easy it will be to bond with your baby.

• At the end of the deployment first thing on your agenda is to update your Facebook status and let the whole world know that "He's HOME!!!!" Then you go offline for a few days to cherish that precious time with your man. Once your baby is born you update your Facebook status with your baby's arrival time and birth statistics. Then you go offline for a few days to adjust to having a newborn and bond with your baby.

• Once your husband is home you are awake a lot in the middle of the night as his body adjusts to being back in the states. Once your baby is home from the hospital you are awake in the middle of the night to make sure baby is being fed.

During each day, no matter how difficult, you remind yourself that there in an end in sight. Soon you will be holding that special one (or little one) in your arms, and IT WILL BE WORTH IT ALL!!! You look back when it's all over and know you are a stronger and better person because of what you have gone through. It wasn't all that bad. And all that matters is that your family is whole and finally together!

(May God grant a special blessing to any woman who has to go through both deployment and pregnancy at the same time!)

Vega's New Hair Cut

So our little Vega-bear got her first hair cut today.  I only wanted to get her hair cut for the summer since her fur was soo thick!  I thought that it might make her feel better.  It's a little sad because I loved her wild and crazy fur....it was sooo Vega.  But now she's looking like a prim&proper dog...kinda the look of a bison frise...I'm not a huge fan.  But I'm sure it will all grow back out!  Now instead of having a the goatee fur she has a handle-bar 'stache.  At least she feels cooler. 

missing my bear

I miss my Waffle-bear soo bad!!  He is the most amazing man I have ever met.  He literally has so many qualities that make make me fall in love with him more and more than I can even count.  You know sometimes words can't even begin to describe how much he means to me and how much I love him.  And to know that he loves me just as much as I love him makes my heart feel full and warm.  It's just a look in an eye that says it all!  And it's funny because I see the pictures that he took of himself over in Iraq and I see the little things he did in the picture that he did to make me happy and things that I know that he knows that I like....if that makes sense :)  The real smile he tried to produce in each of the pictures only shows how much he loves me.  And seeing that adorable smile just makes me melt.  The way he made sure he took off his sunglasses for a couple pictures....he knows I love to see his eyes.  And he even took a picture of what he wrote on a marble wall in one of the palaces in Iraq....he wrote "I <3 U Carla".  To me that just shows that he was thinking of me throughout that tour.  He is soo amazing!!  And everything he does makes me melt.  I love seeing him play with our puppy...he's just a ball of fun and energy.  Vega just adores playing with him.  I love the way that Cody will see a good deal or a good recipe and he has to call my mom to let her know.  I love the way he loves & respects my dad and the way he looks up to him.  He's just melted into my heart and into my family.  He fits perfectly in every aspect of my life.  When a puzzle fits, it just fits.  I can't even imagine how my heart will feel to see my love playing with our daughter for the first time.  It will probably bring tears to my eyes.  He's going to be the best dad in the world and I have 0 doubts about that.  He's going to be the perfect blend of discipline and structure and fun and adventure.  He's going to be Norah's number one fan!  I can't wait to have him back in my life.  My husband deserves all the happiness in the world and I hope that I can make him happy each day! 

Vega-monster

I thought I would post a few pictures of our Vega-bear....who when she's acting a fool we call her Vega-monster!  These pictures are for my hubby!!  Also, adding the gnome picture bc I don't think he looked down on my blog and saw it :)  Love you Cody!

 Hey Daddy!!

 The "Colonel Sanders" hahaha she looks stoned!!

 Vega sniffing Norah's bath holder!!  I <3 that bath holder!!

 Little Nap

 Sharky Toy

 Get my good side momma

 I'm giving you the eye...

 Mr. Flappy toy destroyed....all that is left is A flap...lol

 It's not too big for me!!

 Transgendered gnome!!