3...2...1...

...then he'll be home. FINALLY. What a long, strange trip it's been. ;) 8.5 months ago I said goodbye to my husband after a few days notice as he headed to Afghanistan. Once the door closed and I heard him drive away, I looked down at the tiny precious 25 day old infant in my arms and wondered how in the world we were going to get through the 1st year of his life as a duo (I didn't know until about 6 months later that Sam would only be gone 8.5 months, that day we thought we were facing a year deployment). I felt such a weight drop on my shoulders. I alone was responsible for every single second of Little's life. No more "I'll take the first shift so you can get some sleep", no more "could you change his diaper this time", and no more "please just take him for a second so I can shower". Juuuuuuuuuust me.

I fought through the next few months on prayer and coffee. There was no sleep, shower, or teeth brushing that didn't get cut short by the sound of a crying baby. There hardly is now, either, I just have learned to manage my time better and what cries I can ignore long enough to get those things done. Things slowly became easier as I got the hang of this single parenting thing - well enough so that I feel like I'm treading water rather than drowning. I've gotten used to runny noses being smeared on my shoulder; learned when to forgo baby wipes and instead use damp cloths as not to sting a diaper rashed baby bottom; become quite adept at eating, applying mascara (yeah, that one happens often................pbbbbt), making bottles, putting away groceries, okay almost EVERYTHING one handed; memorized my way around the entire city while waiting for a sleeping tot to finish his nap in the backseat; and have reluctantly come to terms with the fact that no matter what I do, I will absolutely look like total crap for the foreseeable future. I have eye bags the size of Texas, a visible scalp from the post partum hair loss, an extra 8 lbs still clinging on for dear life to my lower half, and am never without carrots, peas, snot, or some other disgusting baby related liquid somewhere on my shirt. And Some of the more memorable fights of the last 9 months:
- The Battle of the C.Diff Toxin and it's resulting 7 straight weeks of diarrhea (him, not me, see sentence above about gross stuff on my shirt)
- Spoon vs Screaming Head Turning Baby
- 6 Hr Drive vs Screaming I Want Out of My Car Seat Baby
- Tired Sore Arms vs Screaming I Will NOT Nap in My Crib Baby
(do we see a pattern yet?)
- The Case of the Congested 8 Month Old
- Mother of the Child vs Relatives Who Think They Know Better........mhmm there have been several of those battles

But then there have been the days when I woke up at 6:30 to the sweetest little babbles coming from down the hall, the big brown eyes that lit up when he started to recognize me, the heartmelting grin that broke out on his tiny face one day and erased everything else that was going on. I've gotten to watch a tiny fleshy unresponsive lump turn into a laughing, grabbing, wiggling 9 month old. When Sam left, the only thing that came out of Andrew's throat was the sound of wailing - now he says dadadadadadadaaaaaaaaaa, mama, bbbbbbb, okay (yeah, he said ok at the doctor yesterday and the nurse's eyes bugged out of her head), and laughs and squeals. He was a helpless lump when Sam left, and now he sits, grabs handfulls of my hair and yanks, picks up tiny fruit puffs and puts them in his mouth, and arches his back while kicking his legs when I do forget to use a wet rag instead of an alcohol drenched baby wipe.

This child brings such joy to my life. Every time I look at those little round cheeks and he flashes me a glimpse of those 2 bottom teeth, I forgive him for screeching his head off at 4 in the morning and knocking the bottle of formula over before I got the cap on it. Every time those huge crocodile tears come spilling out of his beautiful eyes as he gets a vaccination, my heart breaks and I don't care that he hasn't let me shower in 3 days. What we've made it through in the last 9 months is just bananas. I feel 10 yrs older than I was in January. Even if Sam hadn't left, I'd probably still feel at least 7 yrs older but maybe I wouldn't be as tired. I just love this little boy that God gave me. No, Mom, I definitely do not want another one - but I sure am blessed to have this one.

I've learned that I don't "need" anyone's help, but it sure is welcome! I'd be greasier, grayer, and sicker if I didn't have Tanya to watch him every now and then for me. I'd have lots more bruises from being so tired that I can't walk straight if my mom never came up to take the night shift those 3 or 4 weekends the first 2 months after Sam left. I'd question if I was doing this right more if I didn't have Gran telling me what a good job I was doing raising such a secure, happy baby by myself. I'd have ended up in the hospital that one week I had the allergic reaction to bacitracin if Donna hadn't been able to come stay with me and look after tot while I drugged myself with Nyquil and sinus medicine. I'd have survived - more importantly, TOT would have survived - without anyone else but I'm darn glad I didn't have to. I don't need Sam to come home to rescue me. What I need, is for him to come home and experience all the love and joy that I've gotten to with our son. I can't wait to watch the 2 of them together - playing, eating, snoozing.......I just want so much for Sam to get to be Andrew's parent. Ok, and change the gross diapers. And get up at 4:30 a.m. if Andrew needs something. And clean his ears when it looks like he rubbed Cheetos in them. heh heh


I've had him all to myself for almost all 9 of the months he's been here. It's going to be strange to share him. What will I do with all the extra time and sleep I'm going to get? ;)

Donut of Misery: 97% done, 3% to go

Well my tiny tot is not so tiny anymore. He turned 9 months yesterday and still looks EXACTLY like my husband.

He is a happy little babbling monkey!

He says mama and dada when he wants to - usually dada is a happy noise and mama comes out when he's crying. Lovely.

He sits,

rolls over,

has great control of his fingers,

and is trying really really hard to crawl but doesn't get anywhere.

It's so cute but so sad - hahaha!

Well in the months since I've written, we've been to GA to see/meet the O'Donaghues (Sam's aunt, uncle, and cousins)

and we've spent some time in Arkansas.

Little had his first date with Miss Maddie Beth

and then 2 days later had his 2nd 1st date with Bella. Takes after his daddy.

He got his first real glimpse of a beer bottle,

learned how to smooch,

got his very own swing at Pappy's,

and watched his first football game.

He changes everyday and I just adore him.




It's going to be hard to share him with Sam next week. Yup, I said next week!!!!!!!!!! The days of talking over the computer are over!

Donut of Misery: 97.6% done, 2.4% to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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carrots and toes

So we went to Arkansas again last month. It was amazing, as always and I cannot wait to go back again in September (possibly for the last time before you know what happens!!!!!). While I was there, I got to meet my future daughter-in-law, Maddie Beth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Isn't she just perfect????? Oh my goodness it was like holding nothing at all. At 3 weeks old she was still smaller than Andrew was at birth.

A few days after we got back to Kentucky, we headed to Aunt Donna's where the cousins got to meet each other for the 1st time.

He also got to meet his aunt, Annie.

I didn't get my first car til I was 20 and I bought it myself. I'm betting this will be Little's first of MANY cars. I definitely see a some version of a Power Wheels police car in the near future.

I love those big eyes.

A few days before we went to Arkansas, we tried rice cereal.

I fed him with a spoon and this picture competely sums up how it went.

Huge difference with spoon feedings just 2 weeks later! Turns out carrots are WAY tastier than rice and oatmeal.

During his 7 week long battle to rid his body of the bacteria C.Difficile, we had many instances like this....

Are YOU this cute in a bathrobe?

This is our newest tummy time distraction. It's only working a few minutes longer than before. He's never going to figure this rolling over thing out. He can only do it if I put him in one particular position.

FEET, FEET and more FEET!

Yup, that's drool on his shirt. We are currently in teething hell right now. I've tried baby orajel, cold washrags, teethers, tablets, and my own knuckle. Nothing works.

How he woke up from his 3.5 hour nap today! I'd be that way too if I could ever nap.

Donut of Misery: 72% done, 28% to go

Not so sweet cheeks

Disclaimer: You are about to read an entire blog post on.................diaper rash! ***dundunduuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun***

So who's heard of the "new and improved" Pampers?

New, meaning your child gets a new doctor's appointment - to have his bright red baboon butt checked out for chemical irritation.

Improved, meaning WAY WORSE THAN BEFORE.

There was nothing wrong with Pampers Sensitive before! They were my go-to diaper until now. Monday I headed to the store to pick up a pack but all I could find were the new sensitive ones, the ones without the wetness indicator but with "baby dry". Now I had heard about the claims that "dry max" was causing major irritations in babies so I was already steering clear of those diapers. I hesitated before pulling the Pampers Sensitive with baby dry into my cart but grabbed them anyway, telling myself that as long as they didn't say dry max, it would be ok. WRONG. My son looked like someone poured boric acid in his diaper the next morning. I tried cream after cream but nothing helped over the next few days.

I let him do "naked tummy time"

to air out his poor swollen buns, I switched to Huggies Pure and Natural diapers, and I ordered an economy size tub of Aquaphor (the only ointment that even slightly appeared to be helping) and a set of Kushies. Poor Tot then developed soup-poop (not at all related to the diapers, but to the lovely little girl from last week's appointment that ran around the waiting roon while her parents watched tv and kept putting her germy little hands all over my 5 month old son's head), so ended up with a combination yeast/chemical irritation diaper rash. The doc gave me 2 different prescription creams to try and clear this up. Hopefully we'll see some progress in the morning. It has gotten so bad that Little's been crying as soon as I set him on the diaper changing table and locking his legs straight to try and keep me from getting anywhere near his boiled bum. :( :( :( On May 6 Pampers released a statement denying claims from other people whose tots have had a similar reaction. It said:
"These rumors are being perpetuated by a small number of parents, some of whom are unhappy that we replaced our older Cruisers and Swaddlers products while others support competitive products and the use of cloth diapers."
Pampers Vice President Jodi Allen then said some of those parents "specifically sought to promote the myth that our product causes 'chemical burns"

SAY WHAT? MYTH? MYTH, MY SON'S RED BABOON ASS!

So Pampers is completely denying all responsibility and that the rashes even exist. Like I have nothing better to do than make up a medical problem to try and get some diaper company to change it's formula. I don't even want you guys to stop buying Pampers! I just want to make you aware that if your child has sensitive skin - even the slightest bit - that you should think twice before swaddling thier privates in chemical laden Baby Dry/Dry Max. If your child can hang out in whatever type of diaper or with perfumed lotions and soaps on his skin then by all means - go buy the Pampers! They're great for containing leaks. I've always liked them til now. In fact, if I ever spot the old Pampers Sensitive pack on a shelf, I will snatch it right up. I will continue to use Pampers Sensitive Wipes.

Butt for now (see how I did that?) Seventh Generation, Kushies diapers, & Huggies Pure and Natural it has to be.

*steps down from her podium*

5 years as a wife, 5 months as a mom

He's got such a tough life!

Still working on tummy time

Captain Smooshy Face

So Friday was our 5 year anniversary. It was sad not to have him here, but we did get to "see" each other on Skype. I miss him so much. He sent me flowers 3 days in a row last week :)

On the same day, Tot turned 5 months. FIVE MONTHS. He's almost 1/2 a year old. He's just gotten cuter and more fun every day. His little personality is in full swing. He gets impatient during the 3 seconds between velcroing his bib on and getting the bottle to his mouth, excited when he sneezes, lights up when I come into his room in the morning, and fights nap time with a vengeance. I just luff him.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY, MISTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He's obviously thrilled with picture taking.

Also celebrating their 1st ones are:

My parents and sister just left. They came up for the weekend as a trio and left as a 4some. Yup, that's right, BodiniDanJinglesShitballKikiDickFaceMeanAssBlackCat

is in the car on her way to Arkansas. I AM SAD. It had to be done, though. She was keeping me up for an extra hour every time Little wakes up at night. She thinks it's happy fun time at 4 a.m. bc I got up. She gets spooked by the shadows on the wall, beats up the closet doors, caterwauls into the night, and generally runs around the house pouncing on things like the Tasmanian Devil on crack. I'll bring her back home once Tot has a more regular sleeping pattern. (so......in like 5 years, lol).

And now for the best news of all.............

YES MA'AM, those are redeployment orders!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We have dates!!!!! No more "hopeful" donut, just the real one! So here it is:

DONUT OF MISERY: 52% DONE, 48% TO GO!

We are officially over the hump!