Long Update

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!
We had our big ham dinner yesterday since Josh had to leave today. Still haven't colored any Easter eggs! We just didn't get around to it. It's been extremely cold and rainy here all of a sudden. Yesterday was an inside all day kind of day. Josh did homework while I cleaned the house. Noah watched movies and played with toys. The day flew by. The whole week did, in fact... like always. But, it was a great week :)

BABY UPDATE
Right before my sonogram I was feeling a few flutters now and again, but lately he's been kicking hard enough to see. Josh was able to feel him move while he was here, which makes me a happy camper. Everything is going really well. All my tests came back negative and my iron levels are fine (not bad for not being on prenatals). I am a little over 16 weeks now and I go for my 2nd sonogram on April 30th. I can't believe I am almost halfway there already! This pregnancy is just flying by. As of right now we still plan to not find out the gender for sure. Unless Josh begs me enough because I know he's dying to find out. Better start begging, babe. After April 30th it will be too late! ;)

HUBBY UPDATE
Josh had a great (though short) visit with his family at his brother's BCT graduation. I LOVE this picture of our military men. I plan to get a big print for the house. They look so much like their dad! Look at all those awards my baby has :) Dang he looks good in uniform..... but anyway...

We had a wonderful visit at the cabin. No TV, perfect weather, lots of games and talking... just what we wanted. When we got home we decided to get some much needed work on the house done. It started with a new front door. Ours was 25yrs old and had settled with the house (poorly). I could actually see about an inch of light coming through the door towards the bottom. So Josh installed a new door for me and it seals perfectly. We had to rip out all the old door frame and whatnot. The front window had also recently been replaced and was left naked and paintless. We had a choice: paint the door and window the poop brown we already had or paint the roof overhang and all the trim a new color. We of course chose a new color because we love home improvement. We settled on a nice Hershey chocolate color for our trim. It really makes the house stand out! We figure if we stay it will be nice to live in a decent home, if we move the update will help us sell it. Here's our before, during, and after shots.

NOAH UPDATE
Noah had a great time with Daddy. He remembered him right away (finally) and even let Josh hold him at the airport. I did ok without Noah on our weekend alone. I admit I did cry once, but it was on the 2nd day so I think that's pretty good. It's so weird how attached moms become to their kids. I knew he was safe. I knew I was going to see him soon. I just missed him I guess, hard to explain. From what I understand that feeling never goes away either. Anyway... Noah helped us paint the house and was a lot of fun to watch. He did get in the way a few times, but that's to be expected. We all went and had a picnic lunch at the duck park for a little break from our work. I didn't realize I hadn't shown Josh the duck park. I guess he has been gone a long time. We also went to see "Meet the Robinsons" in 3d! Noah kept his glasses on most of the movie even though they were HUGE on his little face. We all really enjoyed it... it's one I'll probably buy and watch a few hundred times haha. I really didn't take too many pictures this visit. I meant to, but I was too caught up in spending time and enjoying the moment to grab my camera I guess. Oh well :)

ALLIE UPDATE
I am doing well. I just dropped Josh off at the airport this morning and for the first time ever, didn't shed a tear. We both finally see an end and it's just not sad anymore. We're just playing the waiting game yet again. I guess it's pretty sad that months apart seems like a short wait to us, but it really is when compared to nearly 3 years. Ask any wife of a deployed husband. Months apart is nothing compared to a year of scary news reports and crappy webcam connections.

Hurricane Sandy

This will be a gleefully uneventful post, but I thought I should at least inform everyone of our whereabouts during Frankenstorm. On Friday the landfall predictions were further south, which had the eye passing near our tiny town after obliterating Dover, DE. We happen to be surrounded by water. The Patuxent River on one side, Chesapeake Bay on the other, plenty of swamps and creeks in between. Not a good prospect. Josh and I had gone out that night to try and secure supplies and already, there were no batteries or flashlights. We also don't have a grill and thought "we'll try Lowe's tomorrow"I mean, most people already own grills... right? Everything in our house is run on electricity (including the water pump for the well) except for the fireplace. I don't know what builders are thinking when they do that. I at least want a gas stove and water heater! So, anyways. We got a few hours of sleep before trying to brave the crowds...

Germany

Noah and I are having a great time out in Germany with Josh. The house we're sharing is amazing and the people are also amazing. The only thing we don't have is our own kitchen, but like I said, the people who live here (Josh's friends) are amazing so it's not even an issue. I've been cooking for everyone to try to thank them in some way. We haven't been to many places yet. It's hard to go anywhere with a baby who has a naptime and a husband who has a job. However!! We managed to make it out to Heidelberg to see the castle. It was awesome. the walk up to the castle mmmm castle Heidelberg down below Christmas is huge here. They've even got Christmas markets out in the parking lot in front of WalMart. We've been to Luisenplatz a few times in downtown Darmstadt to visit all the Christmas shops they have set up. It's like a Christmas flea market. Thus far all I've blown money on is candy... mmmm German candy is so delicious. It's...

Hiking on the Guadarrama Trail

As promised yesterday, I actually left the house and went on a hike with Mama C and Goober! YAY! I was a bad Mommy and ill prepared to shield us from the hot Spanish sun so we all have a touch of sunburn. Whoops. It was fun though. OK so here's where we began our journey. You can see the bridge between the roundabout and the little house with a red roof (which is a restaurant). All the cylindrical buildings were a plant nursery. We walked over the bridge and past the nursery where we crossed the street and then started up the dirt path. The other little building is literally a Gypsy Keep. Here's what it looked like from the road... and it was so ridiculously creepy, yet fascinating. I don't know why there is always tons of junk in trees around gypsy places. There was a gutted van in the backyard, a stroller jammed into a wall, shorts in the trees. We both wanted to trespass, but the kids would have inevitably fal...

Pam said…

Hi Allie! I have thought about you a few times this week, and how much fun you must be having with your Josh. Happy, happy, happy... Sorry it has to end, but glad the end is in sight for your time apart. Enjoyed reading all your updates and seeing the sonogram pics! Wow, those sure have come a long way since I had my kids. We couldn't make ANYthing out in my son's... had to just take their word for it as far as what was a head and what was a leg. But then again, that was way back in the olden days and a caveman had to come in with a chisel and stone tablet to create our print to take home...

4/08/2007 1:10 PM

Allison said…

Hi Pam! You actually came up in conversation a couple times between the 2 of us. We both just think you're a great person all-around :) Josh reads my blog (though he never comments because we talk daily on the phone anyway) and he loves reading your comments. Anyway it's nice to hear from you and thanks for caring and reading!

4/08/2007 1:20 PM

Britni said…

It sounds like you guys had so much fun!I don't blame you on the missing Noah thing while you were gone.I would be the same way with Ava...I've never left her anywhere over night so my upcoming hospital stay is scary to me...haha....the main thing that concerns me about this whole labor & hosptal stay is who will be watcing Ava & that she is taken care of.
Your house looks so cute,you guys did a great job painting!Happy Easter!
~Brit

4/08/2007 2:16 PM

:-)

Thanks, Allie. I'm really glad to have met you through blogging and I think so much of both you and Josh for the sacrifice you are making by being a military family. I am in awe of that. I also think you are a great mom -- all the stuff you do with Noah -- it's great that you can document it in the form of the blog so you can share it with Josh and keep a record for Noah. It's one thing to have pictures, but how cool to also have a record of what you were thinking and feeling and what the weather was like, all of it! I would love to be able to go back and have such clarity with the memories of my kids when they were little. What a great way to document family history.

4/08/2007 5:28 PM

Amalia said…

Hi allie, I dreamt its a girl. ok. there i had to say it.

4/12/2007 12:58 AM

hahaha thanks, Amy! :)

4/12/2007 1:12 AM

wow, dont us army wives ever sleep?

4/12/2007 1:51 AM