Hershey Park and train rides

Last week end we went to PA to visit Hershey Park and to go on a train ride. We left Friday night to drive up to PA. We stayed in Strasburg Pa at a Marriot (my parents wanted to stay in Hershey but all of the hotels were booked). Iain rode all the kiddie rides at the Park that he could go on. I've never seen my little boy have so much fun riding the kiddie rides he didn't want to get off. He would ask to get in line again just so he could continue to ride them. My parents and I wear he out so that he crashed in the stroller. So my parents and I walked around the park so that he could get a nap. We also went to chocolate world and bought chocolate and some other gifts for Iain and family. The next day we went on a train ride but before the train ride we went to a toy train museums. I was impressed by the shire number of toy trains that there are out there. Iain and my dad were in heaven while we were there. After we left the toy train museum we went to the train station to board our train. Iain's little face just lit up like a Christmas tree and his beautiful blue eyes got so big when he realized that Gram, Pop Pop, and Mommy were taking him on a real train. We had lunch on the train. Iain gave our tickets to the conductor. I was so excited that he was telling every one that would listen that he was on a choo-choo train. He loved to hear the train whistle and would laugh in delight whenever he heard it. There was a photographer that came around and let Iain wear a conductors hat for our picture. After we disembarked from the train we went to the train museum across the street. At that museum there were interactive stations that kids could actually try out how to shovel coal into the fire box, push buttons on the dash board of a train, and make the whistle sound off. After riding the train and playing at the museum he crashed on the drive back to my parents house.

Motherhood...

• No one told me that I would fall so madly in love the first time I saw 2 lines on a home pregnancy test (no not announcement just my thoughts) with someone I had never seen. But be so scared that I was going to be a mom to a little person.
• How much labor hurt but forgetting all about the pain when you hold your baby for the first time. Knowing that you would do it all over again for each and every child that is yours.
• Breastfeeding is hard but worth it (as long as your not under a ton of stress). Wishing that I hadn't given up when I did.
• Get as much sleep before your baby is born because you won't get any till they are 18years old.
• Saying no the first time is always the hardest. But your the mom and you need to let them know that.
• Dirt is ok it won't kill them. Because it didn't kill you. Kids say "God made dirt and dirt don't hurt." Believe it and just get over your fear of it.
• Kids are fearless. They will claim on everything and jump off everything that they can.
• If you try and protect then from every germ they will always be sick. Some germs are ok. Be careful but don't try and shield them from everything.
• Kids smile all the time. And they don't hold grudges for long.
• Your child will always know that you are his/her mom but they just do.

I sure there's more but it has slipped my mind for the moment.

Made it to VA...And the angels I meet on the way...

Well I woke up at 3:15am to finish last minute packing before we headed to the airport. I woke Iain up at 3:30am so that he could wake up Grandpa. We got on our way at quarter till 4am. Iain and I got to the airport at quarter after 4am. I was able to get through TSA rather quickly. There was a lady right behind me in line while we were in line with TSA who helped me get everything out of my carry ons and folding the stroller. I'm so grateful for the angels that Heavenly Father sends to me in places like this. Iain and I got to our gate with 45minutes to spare. While we were on the breeze way (well at the end of it) I was trying to get the stroller folded up so I could get Iain and I on the plane so we could get some seats. But I was struggling with folding the stroller and Iain was making a bee line for the door of the plane. One of the co-pilots saw what was happening and asked me if I thought Iain would like to see the cockpit. I told him that Iain would love that and that would make his day. I asked him if I should wait for him, the gentleman said that they would bring him to me at my sit. One of the stewardess's brought Iain back to me and about 5minutes later the co-pilot came up to me and said that this was a bit unorthodox but he took some pictures of Iain on his phone and would like my e-mail and/or number so he could send them to me, but he was unsure if he could get them to send because he had just gotten his phone and was unsure how it worked. I of cause gave him the information that he asked for. (And after we landed I got 2 text messages from a number I didn't know but it was 2 pictures of Iain sitting in the cockpit. I was thrilled that this man was willing to one take a little boy into the cockpit while I finished folding the stroller and two was thoughtful enough to take pictures of a little boy how was over the moon to be flying on a plane and send them to his mother as a sweet reminder of his excitement to be flying. Iain was bouncing in his seat the entire time and claiming all over me (pretty sure I'm going to have more busies on my hips and legs. It's not the first time and I know it won't be the last). We landed at Midway airport and had an 1.5 hours till we boarded our connecting plane to IAD. I changed Iain out of his pjs and into comfortable clothes and his harness (child leash) just so I wouldn't lose him in the airport (my boy knows how to get out of his seatbelt in the stroller). During this leg of our flight Iain watched Disney's Peter Pan and stayed in his seat the entire time. (Oh did I say that Iain had yet to fall a sleep). After we landed we headed to baggage claim. We passed Trace Atkins (way cool and no I didn't stop and get a picture but he said hi to Iain and told me Iain was a cute little boy. And that just made my day. I'm going to count that as another angel). I saw my brother PJ, we than got my suitcases and headed out to my mom. Iain fall a sleep in the van. So we drove around a little bit. Mom wanted to show me the new buildings on GMU's campus. Holy moly there is so much new construction on campus it doesn't look the same to me.

The Doctor says...

According to the doctor that I've been seeing about the recurrent miscarriages, she would like me to go on Clomid and possible do a few IVF treatments. Brian and I are ok with going on Clomid but the IVF we are a bit unsure of. We want to try the medication for a little while and if nothing happens we'll go through with IVF. I don't know how many of you have been reading our blog but this has been really hard to write and even harder to go through. I'm sorry for any of my friends that have gone through losing a baby and than being told that you should try IVF to carry a baby. I know Brian and I haven't been trying for another baby for very long. Please keep us in your thoughts and your prayers while we go through this.

Any Suggestions...

I'm trying to start our food storage over again. Since we didn't have a lot of money and places to put it when we first came to CO. And we are moving in July I was hoping to re-start our food storage. I've made 22 jars of jam and plan on making 12 more. Plus I'll be canning salsa and tomatoes when we get back from VA in June. We have cereals and water. But else should I be looking to get stocked up before we leave for Texas?

Thomas the Tank Engine

Iain loves Thomas the Tank Engine (I'm obsessed with Tomas and any and all trains). When we went to see Brian at Fort Sill in OK, Brian got Iain his first Thomas train wooden play set. And since then he has gotten 2 more trains, aquarium cars, and and expansion tracks for the wooden play set and he even has a battery operated train (which is pretty cool). Brian asked me to pick up a big Thomas wooden train set (which I have yet to get. I will hopefully on Monday). But which one to get? Any suggestions?

All Domestic and stuff...

So earlier this week I decided that I wanted to make home made jam. I have never canned in my life. I thought that it would be so hard but in truth it was quite easy. I made 14 jars of strawberry freezer jam to take with us when we move to Texas in July. I had all these strawberries left over but I didn't want to have my freezer totally full of freezer jam. So I made shelf jam. You have to cook it than while it is still hot you ladle the liquid into the jars. So I made 5 pint mason jars of strawberry jam and 3 pint mason jars of cherry jam. That's a total of 22 jars of jam. I want to make pear,orange marmalade jams, and salsa. Any one have recipes for any of those. So how knew that I was this domestic.

Oh yeah, Iain has croup. So this is fun. We are leaving for VA on Tuesday. So of cause he would get sick so close to us flying out of town. Hopefully he will be all better by the time we leave on Tuesday. I don't want to fly with a sick little boy.

Currently

Book(s) 1) The Thorne of Fire (book two in The Kane Series) by Rick Riordan, 2) Unbuttoned a book where Women open up about the pleasures, pains, and politics of breastfeeding edited by Dana Sullivan and Maureen Connolly, and 3) Great Expectations: The Essential Guide to Breastfeeding By Marianne Neifert, MD

They say knowledge is power, so I've been reading any and all books on breastfeeding. I'm hoping that the more I know before I have another baby that I wont give up they way I did with Iain. And the first is purely for pleasure. But for most of my day I read children's books to Iain.

Song Angel by Beverley Mitchell

Frequently worn outfit/item bright blue sweat pants with hearts on one side, white camisole, and a gray zipper hoodie.

Perfume Don't normally wear any. But when I do it's Fancy by Jessica Simpson

Makeup Don't normally wear it. Just Sundays, date night, and when we get pictures done. I prefer the natural look light colors (sometimes blues to make my blue eyes look bluer) and a pink blush. Gloss for my lips.

Food hotdog, chips and dip, and watermelon.

Drink ice water and Sierra Mist Natural

Guilty Pleasure Cosmopolitan (Cosmo) and Pepsi

Bane of my existence interfering hypocrite sister-in-law and brother-in-law

Joy My sweet boy, Iain and my wonderful husband, Brian

Anticipation Seeing my family and friends in VA and getting to see Brian graduate from AIT and than bring him home with me.

Wish List To be able to carry another baby to term. From my little family to be together again under the same roof.

Thought

"Let us never forget to pray. God lives. He is near. He is not only aware of us but cares for us. He is our Father. He is accessible to all who seek Him." Gordon B. Hinckley

Yesterday was Mother's Day...(a few days late)

Lately I've been thinking about what a mother should be. Growing up my birth mother wasn't always the best example of what a mother should be. She had days that she was the worlds best mother but for the most part she wasn't. I loved her but I feared her more. I didn't want my children to fear me. Than after I was placed with Anne and Russ (from here on out to be Momma/Mom and Dad). I got the best example of what a mom should be. And I hope that I'm more like her than the other. I had so many good examples of what a mother should be while at church. I was blessed to be exposed to these wonderful women while attending church.

So some of my thoughts on motherhood are: you don't have to have it all together all the time, sometimes your house is going to be messy but your kids will be happy so does it matter that the dishes in the sink have been there for a few days. The answer is no. I would rather have a happy baby. Rocking your baby is more important than dusting any day of the week. Even if you take a shower while your kids are napping and not when you wake up who really cares, your kids don't mind. Playing with them on the floor is more fun than just watching them play. Teaching them about the world around them gives you more insight and joy than you could ever imagine. There are always going to be days when you want to throw the towel in but when your kids give you the brightest smile and tell you that they love you we'll know that you would go through it all over again but so you could hear that sentence and see that smile again. Let your kids know that you love them not just with your words but your actions. You may be a mom but try and remember that you were a wife first and show your husband that you still(and always will love him), again not just with your words but your actions. Even if you don't like what you look like after having kids your husband still does and your kids don't care anyway. Show everyone around you that you take proud in your family (no matter how small or big it is) because being a mother is not a right but a privilege and a blessing. These are just a few things that I have learned over the last 3 years (mind you the first two were kinda a blur). I'm so blessed that I have the privilege of being Iain's mommy and learning from all the wonderful women in my life of what makes a great mom (being able to pull together for my self from taking from their collective wisdom is an honor. Thank you to all you wonderful and caring mothers out there. Hope your Mother's Day was as uplifting and joyful as mine was.

Mark.....Set.....Go!

So today Iain and Gabe were running circles around the main floor of the house. And Iain stopped in front of Leslie and said "Mark...Set...Go!" than starting running just as fast as he could. Every time he would get to were Leslie was sitting he would say it again. How funny is that? I didn't know that he could say that at all. This morning before we left for his doctor appointment I had he watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse so that I could get stuff together to go. And todays episode was about shapes. He could name all the shapes. I was quite impressed by that. He doesn't do it on command but when he thinks no one is listening and watching him he will say and do many things. He really is quite smart and a huge stinker.

Apartment Hunting...is the pits

So for the last 2 and a half weeks I've been looking for apartments in El Paso Texas. And finding a few that I think would be great for a little family. But when I finally get someone at the apartment complex to either pick up the phone or call me back I'm told that the 2 bedrooms are all taken and they are unsure when they will have one available for rent. And there is a waiting list a year long for base housing. I'm so at the end of my rope. My mother-in-law says that its time that we are a family again (I agree with her) and she wants us out of here when Brian is done with Home Town Recruiter but what do you do when you aren't having any luck finding a place to live. I could seriously scream.