Well, another new month arrives and we're another month down with the deployment. Thankful to say this month marks us making it 1/4 of the way. Now that doesn't sound so great, but I'm thinking next month when we're 1/3 of the way through it will sound really good!
We continue to keep busy, as usual, to make the days while K is away pass quickly. This month was highlighted by my trip home to Chicago for Beth and Michael's wedding in Peoria. It was a beautiful ceremony and a super fun celebration. I enjoyed a weekend kid free thanks to my inlaws staying with the kids at our house in Colorado. Minus Greyson sharing a little bug he had with them they had a a great weekend and I enjoyed a fun time with family. If any of you know my sister and I well then you know that when we get together we always have fun, and fun we had!
Greyson continues to be the amazing little boy that he is. I attending his parent-teacher conference at his preschool and his teacher told me he is a great kid that loves to sing and play with his friends. It was wonderful to hear that he is just as wonderful as a kid when I'm not around.
Peyton also is doing fantastically. She's entered in to the really fun stage of being a smushy cute baby who smiles and coos. She's sitting up, assisted, and holding her head up almost all the time. She is such a sponge right now who loves to sit on my lap and see what's happening all around her. She also smiles all the time and makes the cutest baby sounds and laughs. She is such a laid back baby and so genuinely sweet. We have started introducing her to rice cereal (see video below) and will begin baby food soon.
Kyle continues to stay very busy overseas. He's now started the process of working with a military officer headhunter to prepare for the civilian job hunt when his Army obligation ends in May 2012. We're excited to get the ball rolling and to see what the next step in Kyle's career will hold for us and our family. He sends his thanks for the many packages and continued support and prayers. They definitely keep his morale up and help him get through the frustration of being separated from us. Each day gone is one closer to being done.
Hope you all had a fantastic Halloween. Greyson sure did! He was one adorable Buzz Lightyear and got to wear his costume at least 5 times...somehow Halloween has turned into a week long event. Peyton enjoyed her Team Daddy cheerleader costume and fun was had by all.
Enjoy the October pictures (linked to the left) and the videos below.
Well, tomorrow Peyton will be officially 4 months old. Hard to believe she's getting so big. Today we had her 4 month old check up. Here is her updated stats:
So, yes we have one not so little, little lady :) Our pediatrician says she looks wonderful and is growing just as she should. Here's a video of our little girl in action. She's definitely the little princess of our family.
Well, another month down and one closer to Kyle getting home. I'm thrilled to say how fast these first 2 months have gone and I'm really hoping this pace continues so we'll be at the end of this long year before we know it. Plus, I'm happy that fall has arrived. Definitely one of my favorite times of the year. Love the feel of the crisp breezes and excited to actually see leaves change color again....living in the south for the last 5 years it just suddenly gets cold one day and the trees lose their leaves all at once. Hoping for a REAL fall now that we're in Colorado.
We have been busy as usual. After a great Labor Day visit from my mom we began our busy Monday through Friday schedule which keeps us going, going, going. Tuesday and Thursday mornings G attends his Mom's Morning Out class called Treehouse. It's for 2 and half to 3 and half year olds and he LOVES it! They do arts and crafts, circle time, play outside, eat lunch, and all sorts of fun things. He's gained so much in his social skills from going to school and does a fabulous job of learning to be a bit more independent of Mommy. He's even getting inspired by some of his classmates, who are already potty trained, and asking to sit on the potty at class. Not too much is actually happening on the potty, but the fact that he's showing interest is a good sign that we're moving in the right direction. On Mondays Greyson spends the day with Kyle's parents, who he calls Pop Pop and JoJo, for adventure day! Each week they do something fun and new like going to the park, the zoo, fishing or having a picnic. G really looks forward to his special time with them and I know they love getting to spend one on one time with him, too. Wednesday we're doing a parenting class on Fort Carson where G and P are in classes with other toddlers and babies being taken care of and I'm in a group learning about parenting styles and techniques. It's been really informative so far and it's nice to take a few hours each week to really think about the kind of mom that I want to be and how we want to raise our kids. The teacher in me loves to always be learning so it's been a lot of fun. Then on Fridays we go to playgroup on post with some friends and Grey gets to march like a dinosaur which he LOVES. So, as you can see during the week we are BUSY, and we like it that way. On the weekends we keep busy getting together with friends, running errands, and going to the YMCA. Getting out and about each day keeps me sane and helps to burn G's energy so he takes a great afternoon nap and ideally I can get P to nap at the same time, too, on a good day.
Speaking of G and P - both are doing fabulously! Peyton is now sleeping in her crib in her room and has a regular bedtime of around 8:30pm and sleeps through the night until about 7:30am, most nights. It's great having a few hours each evening to myself to watch TV or work on grad work. She's heading to her pediatrician in a few weeks for her 4 month appointment and I'm anxious to hear her new stats. Look for an update on that soon. All I can say is she's a big girl whose quite sturdy. She's holding her head up well, kicking her feet, and starting to reach for things. She's hitting that really fun stage of being a cuddly baby who is interactive. She loves when people make faces at her and has a gorgeous smile and adorable coo. Greyson is also doing fantastically! He continues to blow our minds with how verbal he is and his incredible memory. He's helping out more and more around the house. Taking his own shoes on and off and putting them up on the shelf. He will do simple chores that I ask him to do such as putting something in the trash, picking things up off the floor and even giving Peyton her pacifier. He continues to be a wonderful big brother who loves to talk to P-nut and show her all of his toys. I'm one lucky Mom to have these two amazing kids, and I know Kyle feels the same way, too!
Speaking of Kyle, he continues to keep quite busy with work, but is doing well. Most days he's working 14-18 hours and is lucky to get 6 hours of sleep each night. He's somewhat the jack of all trades in his company, but he's really enjoying the work he's doing on community projects in Kandahar. He's currently working on a proposal to improve the water system over there, and he finds that work very fulfilling. He and I talk almost every day and we're so thankful to be able to do that. Kyle also greatly appreciates the many packages from loved ones he's received. The comforts of home make being over there much better. Yesterday was our 5th wedding anniversary and we both can't believe 5 years have come and gone. Seems like we were just cutting our cake yesterday. Looking back we sure have come a long way in 5 years. We've lived in 4 homes in 3 different states. Gone through 2 deployments. Most importantly, welcomed 2 amazing kids into the world. Kyle is hands down the best husband and father I could have ever hoped for and not a day goes by that I don't appreciate him and know how lucky I am to have him be my other half. Love you babe and miss you sooooo much!
Ok, enough of the sappy stuff..he he. Hope you all are doing well and enjoying the nice change of seasons. Here's to another month going by quickly and enjoy the videos below and the September picture link on the left.
Lots of Love, L, G, and P
Singing for Daddy (pardon P crying in the background)
Well, here in our house we're very excited to welcome a new month. It's such a rewarding feeling to have completed one whole month of this deployment and know that we're one month closer to having K home with us. Plus, September brings a packed schedule for us which should only make the time go by even faster. August has been full of lows (Kyle leaving) and highs (lots of family visiting). Here's a brief update on our family.
Kyle left for Afghanistan at the beginning of the month. After spending about a week in Kyrgyzstan he headed into Kandahar and is now at a small base east of the city. I'm honestly not exactly sure of what all he does each day, but I do know he's very busy and working long hours. Most days he works from roughly 7am until at least 10pm and then with time to eat, shower, and call home he's lucky if he manages to get 6 hours of sleep. His living conditions are rough. They are actually stationed at an old hotel that was taken over and turned into an Army base. He shares a room with another soldier in his platoon and sleeps on a very squeaky cot. He has no A/C, not hot water, but is happy that he's getting at least 2 hot meals a day. He's already had a case of dysentery and fractured 2 fingers in a Humvee door. The good news is his spirits are high and most days he spends in the TOC (tactical operations center...aka the main office for those of you who don't speak Army) and doesn't leave the base very often. Which helps rest my nerves. He did purchase an Afghan cell phone so he is able to call home normally once a day if there is not a blackout of communications due to an injury or death of another soldier. This week his another company in his battalion (1-22 IN) lost 3 soldiers...definitely hits close to home. Thanks to all for the continued support, love and prayers for Kyle's safety. It means so much to both he and I. If you didn't get his latest updated address in the previous email I sent out, shoot me an email and I'll happily send it to you. Getting packages and mail for home are so important for morale and keeping in good spirits when it feels like Groundhog's Day and every day is a Monday.
Here's a pic of Kyle and his corner of the room he's sharing with a buddy. Rustic, to say the least.
Greyson and Peyton are both doing great. So far Greyson has dealt with the transition of Kyle leaving quite well. He often talks of Daddy and we do things each day to think of him - like the kisses from Daddy jar and a special prayer before bed - but he hasn't seem overally upset or angry that Daddy is away. I think ignorance is bliss at his age in that he knows that Daddy is in Afghanistan for work to help people, but he doesn't really know what going off to war means. Greyson also just recently turned 2 and half and I swear he gets a secret memo to start acting like a 3 year old. Our little man is never short on opinions and if he wants something...gosh darn it...he's willing to fight for it. I've gained more patience then I've ever had and learned to pick my battles. Mommy is the boss in this house and even when he tries to rule the roost I maintain composure and work to get him back in line. As much as he can frustrate me, he's also my greatest source of joy while Kyle's away. He makes me laugh at his goofy antics, and fills my heart with love with all his hugs, kisses, and "Love you Mommy!" We've kept busy this month with some special fun events like seeing Sesame Street Live (free from the USO on Ft. Carson), visiting the North Pole Amusement Park, and of course, helping Mommy cook. Here's some videos of our fun.
Peyton is also doing quite well and just recently turned 11 weeks. Can't believe she'll be 3 months old soon. She's already starting to outgrow some clothes and is getting really skilled at holding her head up. We also had the consult with the pediatric plastic surgeon about her skin tag that she was born with by her right ear and he said she would need general anesthesia to have it removed and the earliest he would recommend doing that would be at 6 months. I asked if we could wait until Kyle gets back late next summer and he said that was fine. Frankly, I'm too much of a wuss to put my poor baby into surgery without Kyle there for moral support. Plus, I feel much better with her having anesthesia when she's a bit older and larger so her body can handle it better. He said it would be a quick 30 minute procedure, but you know us moms...worrying is what we do. Peyton is also smiling regularly now and starting to do those adorable baby coo's. She's our princess and we sure do love her.
This month has also been busy and fun with many visitors coming to help out during this adjustment time. My Dad and Robyne came for a weekend and we had a blast with them visiting the zoo and the Air Force Academy. Greyson loved taking Nonny and Poppy on the carousel that he loves so much, and he loved getting to see pictures of Kali the dog. He's so looking forwarding to seeing them and Kali when he head to Chicago for the holidays. A few days after they headed home, my wonderful sister Lisa came in town for a visit. During her stay we also were joined by Ron. We had lots of fun visiting the zoo (again...Grey would go everyday happily), cooking tasty breakfasts at the house, and visiting the Children's Museum in Pueblo. Auntie LaLa was a huge help and great extra set of hands around the house. She did laundry, emptied the dishwasher, and changed many diapers. We're sad to see her go, but I'm happy that I'll see her in Chicago in October for our stepsister Beth's wedding. Now we're looking forward to my Mom's visit over Labor Day weekend. Like a said, lots of a visitors, but I so enjoy the company and help and Greyson and Peyton love time seeing all their family members who were so kind to take the time to come out to Colorado.
Here's a video of Lisa (aka LaLa) and Greyson having fun in the music room at the Children's Museum.
And one more from right before Kyle left. Great to see and hear Kyle and Greyson is quite the artist :)
Lots of Love, K,L,G, and P
P.S. Don't forget to check out the August picture link to see all our fun!
P.P.S. Here's the 11 week side by side of G and P. Quite the expressive kids we've got :)
In much happier news than my last blog, Peyton had her 8 week check up today and is doing fantastic! Here's her recent stats:
Head Circumference: 40.5 cm (93rd percentile) Height: 22.25 inches (60th percentile) Weight: 11.8 pounds (85th percentile)
She's eating well, pooping well, and sleeping almost through the night with just one feeding. She's even starting to smile (see the picture below) - such a joy! Couldn't be prouder of our little (actually not so little) lady :)
For fun here's a recent picture of her and one of Grey when he was this age...fun to see the similarities. Peyton - 7 weeks old
Greyson - 7 weeks old
Also, in other news Kyle is safely in Kyrgyzstan were he will be for a little while before heading into Afghanistan. He's doing well and getting to call at least once a day and we even got to video Skype earlier today and he was thrilled to see his little boy. Greyson is adjusting well and enjoying getting his "kiss" (Hershey's, that is) from Daddy each night as a fun when to countdown the deployment. So far, so good and that's the best we can ask for at this point.
Very shortly Kyle will be heading off with his unit to defend our nations freedom. We sure will miss having him around - truly more than words can say - but we are beyond proud of the service he is doing for our country. Kyle is an incredible soldier and more so an incredible father, husband, and my best friend. We know this is only 1 short year in our lifetime together, but it sure does hurt to feel like half your heart is being ripped from your body.
Thank you for the many kind notes and offers of support for our family during this upcoming year - we feel very loved. So, this blogs for Kyle - the best husband and Daddy that any family could wish for.
