Mother in law to the rescue....woohoo

Alan and I have booked a flight to Tampa the end of March to try and get a couple of things nailed down such as housing which is kind of a big thing you know? He also has a couple of interviews scheduled as well. So, this is our weekend to do or die basically and get some things marked off our list. We are staying with friends for the weekend and were planning on taking Reis. I think I was stressing more about taking him and all the sh*t one has to have to travel with a baby. I always wondered why moms had a million things in their bags and an array of gadgets, but now I understand. You need them...swings, chairs, highchairs, bouncy toys etc. Not having all of this while we were down there was stressing me out big time. It's not like I can ask a newly engaged couple to run and pick up a few things. Well now, thanks to a fabulous mother in law, I don't have to. She has agreed to fly in from wherever their next job site is(they travel for my father in law's job) and keep Reis for the weekend so we can go, have a good time, and get some things done. I feel like a ton of bricks have been lifted off, and Alan and I can have a little time for ourselves as well....haven't had that in a really long time. Some may be thinking, how can you leave your baby for a whole weekend? Well, I don't have a mother in law who lives around the corner so I have to take my babysitting when I can get it. And, there is no other person besides my mother and husband that will give him all the attention he needs and deserves. I have not the slightest doubt that he is in good hands.

A Day Out

So, yesterday Alan, Reis and I trekked into DC to the Capitol Hill Club and met "the Terminator" himself. It was Reis' first ride on the metro(subway for all you FL residents), and it sure was interesting navigating the escalator with a stroller...the elevators at the metro stations are almost always out of order...very convenient. Arnold was in DC promoting after school programs that the government had cut funding for and had only about 20 minutes or so to talk. He came in said a few nice words about Congressman Young and Beverly and was pretty much out the door. He was speaking right next to our table and I must say his face is much smoother than most of ours ladies. Guess when you have enough moola you can stay young for life. It was really neat to be there and we all got a picture made with him, but I won't get that until later. Beverly had hired a photographer to take pics and she pushed everyone aside and squeezed us in. So, I shall post when I get it. Arnold's 4ft. 9in. handler was a tough one and was rushing him out so it's not like you could snap away. I also am so BLESSED to have such a well behaved baby...maybe just for now but we'll see. We got there at 11 and I had fed him before and he sat in his seat for about 3 hours and not one peep. I held him while Arnold was talking but then we had lunch and he just napped. There were probably a 100 people there so I was really worried that he might look at everybody and wail but he was perfect! I am one lucky momma!!!

Why Me?

Now, after having the stomach plague, I feel my throat getting sore and my head all fuzzy...what the heck? Guess I am just going to get everything that is going around in a matter of weeks. I am going to the Dr. today for something else so I am going to ask them to put me on something to stop the funk....hopefully.

Also, I have been feeling a little less than intelligent lately because I feel like all I read and talk about is babies, poop, etc. So, in an effort to feel like a college graduate again I have started reading. Not that it is a difficult book, but it's something other than baby. Alan had the book, The Last True Story I'll Ever Tell, which I had wanted to read while in college. I had heard about it because the author, John Crawford, was a Florida State University student who was in the National Guard, working on his last semester at FSU, recently married, and then called to Iraq. I am only about 50 pages in and it's really good. It provides insight into a soldier's life while in Iraq although there are parts I am sure I do not want to read considering my husband did the same for 2 years. But anyway, it's something to take me away for a while so that's good. It also reconfirms my husband's quick thought about maybe joining the National Guard in Florida. I said NO when he first mentioned it because of deployment, and I say a big HELL NO now after beginning this book.

This is completely off the subject, but I have to give myself a little shout out. I got into some of my pre-pregnancy so called "fat jeans" last week so I am feeling a little better about this whole weight thing. I gained more than enough and it seems like it has been a hard road getting it all off. I have heard that it takes a while for everything to go back down, but I was getting frustrated by not seeing any results from my hard work. But it is so funny, the minute you stop letting it consume a major part of your thought process is the minute it starts falling off. So, yay for me! I'm not there yet, but I will take all the encouragement I can get!!

3 weeks and counting

That would be 3 weeks until I am coming to Florida for Sarah's wedding and some much needed rest and relaxation. "Me time" for 5 whole days. I have been blessed with wonderful in laws who are coming to stay with Alan while I am gone. And also wonderful parents who anytime I say, "mom I want to do this" she always provides the means and makes it happen. Although twisting "memaw's" arm to come and take care of her grandson, wasn't hard at all. I love my husband and son to death and it's not the fact that I need to get away from them, but just have time to hang out and have a little fun....much needed. Sometimes, I feel like I am in lock down because I am always home and the few friends that I have made while we have been here work all the time. So, things are hard at times and I wish I could just drive to my momma's when times start sucking. Hence, the reason I hate military life....maybe I should say I hate the distance instead of the life?? It is also looking like we are going to end up in St. Petersburg. Alan has received a job offer with a defense company down there thanks to the Youngs that Alan has volunteered for on the Hill. All the logistics haven't been worked out, but they have made it pretty clear that they want to hire him. We have been so blessed to have met them and I know it takes some pressure off of him to know that he has something lined up considering he is taking care of myself and Reis.
On a baby note, Reis has gotten his first little tooth in on the bottom and it is the cutest thing. I check it every morning just to see how far it has come in. He has found his feet and loves to grab them and roll. He can almost sit up and we are working on it. He still falls to one side. I can't believe he is almost 7 months...craziness.

Back from Death

Earlier this week, I would feed Reis a bottle and about 15-20 minutes later it would all come back up. Not just a little spit-up, projectile vomit. My mother in law mentioned that it might be due to his teething. My little fella has one tooth on the bottom that is almost in. So, I switched him to pedialyte to make sure he was getting something in his system. Well, I got all the answers I will ever need on Tuesday around 3:30 when I started throwing up every 15 minutes and did not quit until around 11 that night. It was the worst thing ever and don't wish it on anybody. Evidently, we both had some type of horrible stomach bug that is going around. Alan was able to stay home on Wednesday as I could not get out of bed....felt a little better yesterday and am doing pretty good today. I hear it is going around so I suggest everyone run and hide...it is awful.

Also, it is a crock of crap that we mothers stay home the majority of the time with our children and they say da-da first. I know Reis is young and has not made the connection yet, but he is saying da-da and it is not fair! In my defense, I have read that babies say this first because the syllables are easier to pronounce. And, of course, it gets rubbed in my face 24/7.

Valentine's Day=Rip Off

I have known this all along so I don't know why I am complaining about it now. I thought myself, the husband, and most likely baby could go to the Melting Pot for Valentine's Day or sometime around then. I know, I know the Melting Pot, how cliche, but I have not been in probably 5 years and husband has never been. So, I thought it could be fun. I checked the menu online a couple of weeks ago and they actually do a military special every Monday night where you get 20% off a meal for two. Just went back on there and they have hiked the prices up so high that it's not even worth it. Guess lemon drop martinis and bang-bang shrimp from Bonefish will do...completely fine with me because they rock!

On another note, Reis gets to have his picture taken with "The Terminator" on the 25th. We are going to a fundraiser and Arnold Schwarzenegger(yes, I googled that to spell it right) will be there...kind of neat I thought. Hopefully I can make it through the night with no spit-up on my dress. Dress? That's another whole blog in itself.

Poo Morning

Ahh, the morning smell of a horribly dirty diaper will wake you up better than any cup of coffee ever could. So far this morning before 8am, Reis threw up about 5 ounces all down me, our comforter, his sheets, our sheets, and my pjs....it was like a scene from the movie, Exorcist...never a dull moment in the Suskey household. I should not bitch too much because I was able to sleep until about 7:15, and he went down last night at 6. But, could he at least wait until mid-morning to do his thing? It's funny how when the dirty diaper strikes, husband always has something to do conveniently. I will let him off this morning because he did have a meeting, but I hope he goes in there smelling like something really rotten...ha! Off to do more laundry...yay for me!

It's Saturday, let's get the heck out of the house

By the time the weekend comes and hubby and I can do something, I am like a caged animal that needs to be released. I don't get out too much during the week except to run errands and go to the gym so it's nice to have plans to do something. I am like a crazy lady telling my hubby, "take me somewhere!" So, our friends Jason and Renee are having people over to bbq and watch the fight...not a fight type of gal, but I'll take some socializing any day. Before we go, gotta stop by Walmart and get little porky some more formula. I am a little disappointed in you mothers for not telling me about the Walmart brand formula...okay, not really but seriously, it is literally half the price. Last time we were home, I was at Sarah's getting my new do and she mentioned it. I asked Alan if I needed to be inducted into the "mommy club" to know this. We felt like we had won the lottery buying a can the same size for half the price...woohoo for Walmart!

Here are some pics I thought were cute and wanted to post:)

Joys of DC living

I had to go to Bethesda yesterday to take Reis for his 6 month check up. Everything went well, he weighs 18lbs. 13oz. and is 28 inches long...big boy I say and my back is starting to reconfirm it. I have never lived in southern Florida or central Florida where we will be, but I cannot believe that the traffic down there is worse than here. I always schedule his appointments midmorning or early afternoon so I don't have to fight the morning rush. I have lived here almost 2 years and still don't have a lot figured out. Considering there are 4 major interstates...95, 295,395, and 495...you would have to live here forever to get all these straight. And DC, forget it. I have 95 figured out because I can get to sunny FL that way and 495 takes me to all my appointments at the naval hospital, Bethesda. Insert foot in mouth to complain about Tallahassee traffic...would sit in it any day over this crap.

Other thoughts...it's rainy, cold, and miserable up here and my priss of a chihuahua doesn't like to get his feet wet to pee... meaning I probably need to make a lap upstairs and check things out. Alan says living with me will do that to a puppy....I dream of a fenced in yard. Reis is starting to notice him and it is the cutest thing. He loves little Brutus although I don't quite think the feeling is mutual yet.