Christmas 2009

I know I am close to a week overdue. Moving/unpacking has taken up alot of my time. But, we had a great Christmas. The kids got bunches of stuff. Eric headed back to CT on Sunday. We are missing him, but we are coping.

Wooly Mammoth No More

Before:
After:

Probably my new favorite picture of him.

He looks like an almost 2 year old now.

Nite nite, not.

We were asking Alvin if he wanted to go nite-nite. This is his response. Both videos are worth watching. ( I am biased though.)

Short Version

Long Version

Girls' going away party

We threw the girls a going away party today from 2-4pm. The kids all had a great time. They made bead necklaces, sugar cookies, and foam puppets. Mostly, they played with each other. The girls had a GREAT time, but they are going to miss their friends alot. Especially their BFF's Katie and Madison.

Clockwise starting with the only boy:

Dietrich, Lyndsey, Erin, Madison, Katie, Emali, Emelie

Erin and her friend Lyndsey

Emali and her friend Emelie

Erin and her BFF Madison

RIng Around the Rosies

Pockets full of posies...
Ashes, ashes, we all fall DOWN!


Watch Alvin's facial expressions. He is such a ham.

Dear Mother Nature,

I think your compass is broke.

Sincerely,

A woman thoroughly confused in CT.

New record highs in the NorthEast

Southern Snow

I know. I know.

I havent been around. I am sorry for that. You see, in just 22 days, I will be moving from CT to OH. So, most of my time has been spent preparing for the move. I will be back, with some resemblence of frequency after the move. Until then!

My thoughts...

are with the families and victims of today's tragedy at Fort Hood.




May peace be with those who lost their lives to the hands of their fellow soldier.

New Header

There ya go Dad! I got rid of that header you hated so much!


Hope you all enjoy the new one.

Girls' School Pictures

What we've been up to...

We've been very, very busy since I last posted. Sorry for the lapse. So without further adoo...


Soccer weekend #5 (October 17-18)

It was really, really cold that weekend. Luckily, we had went to Dick's and gotten Emali some UnderArmor. They lost, yet again. But, they were definiately working better together.


Soccer Weekend #6 (October 24-25)

We couldnt have asked for a better day to play. While it was windy and still wet from the previous night's rain, it was relatively warm outside. Emali scored her first (and only) goal. They still lost, but it made Emali's day. She did also manage that day to do a bellyflop into the ONLY puddle of water on the field.



After the soccer game on Sunday, the 25th, we headed into Waterford for Smacktoberfest 2009. It was ski races, bus racing, demo derby and trailer racing. Totally the best fun I have had here in a while. Emali LOVED the trailer racing. Alvin just like the cranes/loaders used to move the wreckage.

Thursday night (October 29) we headed up to Providence to Roger Williams Park Zoo for Jack O-lantern Spectacular. They had over 10,000 carved pumpkins on display. I am so glad we went. It was definitely an experience we couldnt have gotten back in Ohio.
Last night, we went Trick or Treating around housing. We went in full theme: Wizard of Oz. Erin was Dorothy, Emali was Glinda, Erin was the Tin Man, Alvin was the Cowardly Lion, and I was the Wicked Witch of the West. The girls scored MAJOR amounts of candy.

Soccer weekend #7- the final weekend

So, today was Emali's last soccer game. (They played yesterday, I just forgot my camera). They managed to tie the last game of the season. Emali had a really good year playing. She got filthy again today. Then after the game, it was off for the season ending pizza party. The kids got the coach a signed soccer ball. He awarded the kids with various awards. Emali got awarded "Most Outstanding Defender". She hated playing defense but she was SO good at it.

Emali accepting her "Most Outstanding Defender" award.

So, there ya are. All caught up. Things should slow down in the coming weeks and I should be able to update more often.

PS.....Eric and I also celebrated our SECOND anniversary in this last non-update period. So, Happy (belated) Anniversary honey. I love you!

Trip to Ohio

We went to Ohio over the weekend. Took our first load of stuff to the house. I cant believe me and the kids are going to moving in such a short time. Here are pictures from the trip.

Random pics of the kids

Baby Ellie

Baby Audra

Fall Colors

Soccer Weekend #4

didnt exist. Well, it did. Emali had a game scheduled for Saturday morning. Since it had started raining at midnight, and hadnt ceased, they cancelled her game. No game was scheduled on Sunday. So, Emali got the whole weekend off. There are no games scheduled for next weekend.

We spent the day packing. Packing, packing, packing. Ugh. We have way too much stuff. But, we will be in Ohio waaaaay early on Saturday morning. We are hoping to grab a couple hours sleep, then unload the trailer. Then, here is hoping our family will come down to visit. You know where we live. Come see us! Anytime after noon is great.

I will post more later this week. Right now, I have to go. I have two sick girls and a bunch of stuff left to pack.

Introducing Ellie Rose!

Yes, I am an auntie again! Nicole had her little baby girl sometime in the wee hours of the morning. So, I am proud to introduce to you, Miss Ellie Rose! She was 6lbs, 11 ounces. 19.5 inches long. No word on the exact time yet, but rest assured, I will edit when I find out.

Congrats Nicole! She is beautiful.

Soccer Weekend #3

Emali had a good time at her game on Saturday. She didnt get to start because she missed practice on Wednesday. They lost again, 3-1, but she really enjoys playing. They were rained out on Sunday so she was bummed about that.

Saturday afternoon, I went to Kara's house for Jeannie's Birthday party. Around 6, Eric brought the kids up too. Had a great time. Happy B-day J!

Picture day!

Today was picture day at school. Both girls wanted their hair straightened and both somehow managed to pick something yellow to wear. Let's hope their school pictures turn out well.

So, that is the school news. In other news, Eric and I have sat down and figured out the budget based on losing sea pay, sub pay, and nuclear pay. Add to that getting a couple thousand less than what we were supposed to for our bonus, and we have decided:

Over Thanksgiving break, the kids and I will be moving back home to Ohio. Yes, Ohio. We have taken the house off the market, effective immediately. The renters were due to move out in October anyway. Eric will be staying in Groton until the Navy figures out what they are doing with him. Right now it looks as if he will remain in transient billeting for the remainder of his contract (3 years!!!!). His plan is to talk to his chain of command and see if it would be at all possible to rerate into recruiting and get a recruiting billet back home. It isnt looking promising right now. We just dont see how they can let him rot in transient billeting for 3 years. He isnt on med hold. He isnt anything right now.

So, I get to begin the mudane task of packing. We will be delivering our first load of stuff into our house back in Ohio the same weekend we retake control of the keys. We had to go home for it anyway, might as well make the trip worth it.

We dont want to geobach, but unfortunately, we cannot afford to pay for two houses without all the extra pays. Base pay just doesnt cover it and we refuse to put ourselves in dire straights.

So, anyone in Groton have any boxes?

Soccer Weekend #2

Emali played her third game of soccer on Saturday. They lost 5-1 but she had a great time playing. We froze our butts off watching, but had a good time too. She was a midfielder most of the game this time.

Sunday, we went up to Buttonwood Farms in Griswald, CT with our friends Jackie, Ryan, and their son Than. We got some really good ice cream, and went on a hayride. Afterwards, we picked out a couple of pumpkins.

I'm a bad blogger

Ok, so I totally forgot to put the results of his checkup on HERE. I put them on the main blog. *bad blogger, bad*

On September, 1, I took Alvin, to the NACC for his 18 month checkup. He weighed in at 21 pounds, 4 ounces, and was 30 inches long. He gained a pound in the last 2 months! Woo! He is still below the 5%ile in both height and weight, but is still in the 50%ile for head circumfrence. (I say he looks like a bobblehead. Eric doesnt like that so much.) He got 3 shots that day, and has 3 more to get next week. (He just got his 12 month shots. We have him on a delayed vaccine schedule.)

The doctor he is seeing now at the NACC, wants us to come back the end of this month to see if he has been able to get any results from the genetic microarrays. So, yeah. I get to call for that appointment this week sometime. If those results are negative, we are just going to back off for 6 months. Let Alvin get a little older, and see what happens.

I'm a bad blogger

Ok, so I totally forgot to put the results of his checkup on HERE. I put them on the main blog. *bad blogger, bad*

On September, 1, I took Alvin, to the NACC for his 18 month checkup. He weighed in at 21 pounds, 4 ounces, and was 30 inches long. He gained a pound in the last 2 months! Woo! He is still below the 5%ile in both height and weight, but is still in the 50%ile for head circumfrence. (I say he looks like a bobblehead. Eric doesnt like that so much.) He got 3 shots that day, and has 3 more to get next week. (He just got his 12 month shots. We have him on a delayed vaccine schedule.)

The doctor he is seeing now at the NACC, wants us to come back the end of this month to see if he has been able to get any results from the genetic microarrays. So, yeah. I get to call for that appointment this week sometime. If those results are negative, we are just going to back off for 6 months. Let Alvin get a little older, and see what happens.

Soccer Weekend #1

It was the first weekend of games in Em's first soccer season. We played Groton Team Two on Saturday and Stonington Team Three today. We lost Saturday's game 3-0 and tied today's 3-3. Emali is a team captain! She is also a right/left forward (depending on where the coach needs her the most). Eric is very pround of her. Only 4 practices ever and she does so well. Team Captain! woo!

Yesterday night, we babysat a Than for a couple of hours while my friend Jackie and her husband went out. I managed to catch this pic of Alvin. Wow. He is the spitting image of his daddy. Its odd. But, WOW! Look at those eyes!

September 11

We will never forget.

God bless those who gave their lives on that fateful day. God bless the men and women who still protect our freedom.

Labor Day Weekend

We had a great Labor Day weekend. We didnt do a darned thing on Saturday. Well, we relaxed. Then on Sunday, we headed up to Fall River, Mass. to Battleship Cove. We saw the USS Massachusetts, the USS Lionfish, the USS Joseph P Kennedy, Jr and two captured vessels. One was a Russian ship, named Hiddensee. The other was a Japanese suicide boat. We also saw various aircraft, PT boats, amphibious vehicles, etc. It was a really nice day.

Then, we went over to our friend Stephanie and Brandon's house for a BBQ. The kids had a really great time running all over the courtyard there. Aiden and Alvin played almost the whole night together.

Then Monday, we headed to Newport, Rhode Island to do the cliff walk. We didnt make it the whole through the whole thing, but what we did see was amazing. I definitely recommend doing it if you are ever in Newport.

Then it was back home again to the neighbor's for a BBQ. All in all, we had a really great weekend.

It's been a long week

First off, we had a Back-to-School BBQ on Monday. Erin was able to see where her classroom was, meet her teacher, and see where she is going to be spending 7+ hours a day. Then, on Tuesday morning, it was the official first day of school. Emali started 3rd grade(!) and Erin started Kindgergarten(!).



You can clearly see from the pictures that they both were excited to go to school. Erin did remarkably well. She already made a friend, and has already gotten into trouble for talking during class with said friend. (Name withheld to protect the guilty.) Add in soccer practice for Emali on Monday and Wednesday nights, and let me tell you, I have been busy. But, it gets busier.

On Tuesday also, I got to take Monkeybutt Boy, aka Alvin, to the NACC for his 18 month checkup. He weighed in at 21 pounds, 4 ounces, and was 30 inches long. He gained a pound in the last 2 months! Woo! He is still below the 5%ile in both height and weight, but is still in the 50%ile for head circumfrence. (I say he looks like a bobblehead. Eric doesnt like that so much.) He got 3 shots that day, and has 3 more to get next week. (He just got his 12 month shots. We have him on a delayed vaccine schedule.)

If that wasnt enough stalkers, Eric has been having horrid facial pain for the last several weeks. It came to a peak over this last weekend. It got bad enough that he went to the ER not once, but twice! X-ray, Catscan ruled out dental, sinus, and soft tissue as causes. So, it was on to a referral to a neurologist. That was today. We have a diagnosis and its not a good one. Eric has something called Trigeminal Neuralgia. While this itself isnt a sub or nuclear disqualifying thing, the treatment for it is. Eric has been put on high dose Prednisone to hopefully stop the inflamation from getting worse. That isnt the disqualifying treatment. The Tegretol is. So, as of this morning, we dont know what is going to happen with Eric's career in the Navy.

Biopsy results

Well, I finally got the phone call we have been waiting for. The doctor here at the NBHC was able to get ahold of Yale and get the results on Alvin's biopsy. I am happy to say that the test came back....



Negative! He doesnt have Hirschbrung's Disease. Now, just need the genetic results back so that we can go from there.

Alvin has a checkup on September 1, so I am hoping that we have the genetic results back by then. That way we can go from there.

Biopsy results

Well, I finally got the phone call we have been waiting for. The doctor here at the NBHC was able to get ahold of Yale and get the results on Alvin's biopsy. I am happy to say that the test came back....



Negative! He doesnt have Hirschbrung's Disease. Now, just need the genetic results back so that we can go from there.

Alvin has a checkup on September 1, so I am hoping that we have the genetic results back by then. That way we can go from there.

Waiting

Yes, waiting. The genetic testing was done two months ago; the biopsy was done a month ago. We still dont have results. I have called Yale repeatedly. Leaving messages with both humans and machines. I have never been called back. Yesterday, I involved the NBHC (Naval Branch Health Clinic). Hopefully, the Lt I talked to will be able to get further than I did. He said that he should know something within 24-72 hours. So, we wait yet again.

Waiting

Yes, waiting. The genetic testing was done two months ago; the biopsy was done a month ago. We still dont have results. I have called Yale repeatedly. Leaving messages with both humans and machines. I have never been called back. Yesterday, I involved the NBHC (Naval Branch Health Clinic). Hopefully, the Lt I talked to will be able to get further than I did. He said that he should know something within 24-72 hours. So, we wait yet again.

Em's soccer pic

Meet Audra Elizabeth

This is my brand new niece, Audra Elizabeth. She was born yesterday at 3:50pm. She weighed 7 pounds, 5.2 ounces and was 21 inches in length. I am a very proud aunt and Eric is an ecstatic uncle. We cant wait until we are able to make the trip home to meet the gorgeus princess.

Audra Elizabeth
Karen and Audra. Look at all that hair!

Beautiful girl.

I am an Auntie!

I am an Auntie! Karen gave birth to this darling creature named Audra today. She weighed 7lbs, 5ozs. I have no clue on the exact time or length yet. But rest assured, I will find out!

7lbs, 5ozs of perfection

Dad and Sam's visit

Dad and Sam got here fairly late on Thursday evening. So, we didnt visit much that day. Eric had duty anyway, so it wasnt a total loss as a day. Friday, Eric worked in the morning. Then Dad and Sam took me and the kids to lunch at the Groton Townhouse. Eric met us there. Then we spent the rest of the day just relaxing at home and talking.





Saturday, we spent the morning outside. Thank God for wonderful New England summer days. Erin asked to have her training wheels taken off. So Eric obliged, and off she went. After one brief fall, she was on her way. She did so well. She even tormented Emali about the fact that she was only 5. (Em just took her training wheels off a couple of months ago).




Then, we got ready and headed to the Lebanon Country Fair, in Lebanon, CT. We got to eat tons of yummy delicious fair food. Then, it was time for Dad and Sam to head out, and for us to watch the Monster Truck races.

We had a really great time. Alvin just loved the monster trucks. I am gonna miss having Dad and Sam here. They sure do make things interesting. Hopefull, I will be able to go home for Matt and Ashley's wedding and Nicole's babyshower.