latest pics......

Can't say enough about how cute the little man is right now......last night he found his duck puppet and put it on his hand by himself, chased me and daddy and the dogs and "got us" with the puppet. Very cute! (Notice this is a variation from pc) I am amazed at the changes every single day. Now the dogs get told with a pointing finger "do do" also known as no no around here and "dedow" --get out. He just crawled up in my lap for a cuddle before saying "nite nite" meaning he wants a nap.....how sweet is that?
Enjoy the pics!

red, white, blue and camo baby....

I love my fish sippy cup

Mattie B.'s open house

Dumped

We've been dumped........not really dumped, but the little man's regular sitter can't take him anymore b/c she needs to get a full time slot filled . Why does this bother me so much? Because it's the end of a great relationship ........a relationship she probably didn't know she even had. I feel such affection for someone whom I trust my child with so completely and feel such a bond with her and she doesn't even know it. Mind you I won't tell her because she will think I am a complete freak, but I really will miss her and I know the little man loves her to death. I almost cried standinig in her entryway today as she was telling me this disastrous information............why? I am not sure why I am so emotional about it but maybe it's because I also look so forward to cleaning the house on Tuesdays and sitting down for a few minutes without a screaming boy ripping through the house. It is nice to sit down to a devotional, a cup of tea or unload the dishwasher without little hands grabbing at knives...........So, it's the end of an era and we'll start searching for a new once a week appt.
We are beginning to prep for going home.......or I am ........daddy will pack the day of and be fine with that.......drives me crazy. Although it's probably b/c daddy can do that b/c he doesn't ever have to get the little man's stuff ready, just his own. He never can understand why I don't have time to shower before we go somewhere........well, I dress the boy , feed the boy , prep snacks and diaper bag for the boy while daddy is getting ready and then everyone is ready to go. Not really daddy's fault but he does get rather luxurious showers which we have managed to cut down to 20 minutes or so......which trust me is AMAZING. The man must sleep in there.......and we have a slim window of getting in the car and driving with the little man where he isn't unhappy or hungry......did I mention he is ALWAYS hungry.....nummy, nummies, nanny, etc. all words for food and said all the time :) Anyway, we are headed out .....the sun came out finally for the first time in a couple of days. I guess summer is officially over here in the great state of WA....with this 60 degree weather.......

Duu-Duu

Little man is trying to say Duck ---which is now du -du. Love it.....but not sure where he got that pronunciation. We have all been busy --daddy with work---dogs getting into trouble--little man getting into trouble-- mommy working on her new business--wow, busy two weeks.

Just some random thoughts and notes.......pray for safety and calm as we prep to travel and we all know how I get when I travel. Little man is now telling the dogs bye with his hand palm out to them (which translates to mommy and daddy's stay) but it's cute when he does it. He even raises his eyebrows like we do to indicate we mean business. He already needs a haircut and we'll get one before he goes home but it's getting shaggy..not cutting the curls as long as we don't have a mullet back there I am good.

Another random thought: Pray that my dogs are good while we are gone and they are with a dog sitter.....ahhh.....you all know how i am about that too. I am trying not to leave 15 pages of notes for the poor girl.....maybe only 10--just kidding. I always forget since we haven't been in europe that we are reachable by cell if she has any questions. It's not like we are going to Namibia and can't use phones. Better get to cleaning.....will post new pictures later.

Mattie B.'s Monogramming

Mattie B.'s is officially open for business. I just started up a new in home business. I will do monogramming and working on starting personalized stationery. Check out the new website which is still a work in progress but it's up and running......www.mattiebees3.com. Enjoy!

Army wives

Anyone seen Army Wives? It is my new fave summer hit..It is so ridiculous at times, but so true at times. The cattiness and backstabbing is so true......unfortunately. The rank issues are true..again .....unfortunately....don't we all know a Lenore Baker??? A friend and I were discussing it and said it is definitely dramatic but we have seen and heard far worse stories so in reality the drama is real....as my friend said....you can't make this stuff up. Won't get into the details of all that but many of you know what I am talking about.
But along with all this crazy life throws at you and all its ups and downs are the many blessings you get along the road. My blessings have come in the way of friends who have picked me up when down and vice versa. The military family becomes your family, especially for the wives who are home alone so many nights.....this family you are thrown into becomes just as close as your real family.....heck I consider some of these people like brothers and sisters at this point. They will stay on the phone with you when you are a million miles away and have a sick relative at home, are available on a moment's notice when you go into labor and no one can find your husband, stay on the phone again or come over when your dog has gotten himself trapped in the neighbor's fortesss in the middle of the night in Spain ---I hear some of the wives who can't wait to get out and have a "normal" life......yeah, we all wish what is best for our husbands and hope they follow the path they are supposed to follow--civilian or military---but even after all the schedule changes, postponed reunions and homecomings, late work nights and seperation I wouldn't trade this because I have made such great friends along the way who have taught me so much. And I have found out along the way who my true friends are during the years apart. This life makes me stronger and I like to think (even though I complain) that it makes me tougher than I ever thought I could be......sometimes, and some of you would agree, a little too callous, but stronger nonetheless.
Okay, off my military wives soapbox......just wanted to share some thoughts I had after the last episode of Army Wives....made me think of the stuff we military wives put up with and handle most of the time with grace and dignity.....except for when we get on the phone with each other and rant and rave ....... ha ha---that's why we're here for each other right? Til the next time......

Oh, I wish I were in Dixie.....

.....away, away........it's in Dixieland......anyway, That is my serenade to the fact that I am going home. Yeah, that's right. We booked tickets today and we are going home. Here we come crickets chirping in the evening, here we come humidity and sweltering heat, here we come good southern food and Sonic...and here we come beautiful white beaches with no rocks to cut my dogs feet all up. (of course the dogs won't know this b/c they will be here stuck in WA --which I know is not fair but at least it's the prettiest month here......Beau will smell Mimi and Paw paw's farm on me and be very upset when I get back). Oh, I can't wait for the little man to experience a swimming pool in the summer heat, running around everywhere and finally talking to all the relatives although as it is some variation of Mandarin I am not sure whether they will understand him. :)
Right now the little man has been sick for several days but is fever free currently and mommy got it ....yeah, how great so my throat is three times its normal size and according to the doctor "has stuff growing on it" sounds pleasant. So here we go with a dose of pennicillin which is not tasty by the way on an empty popsicle and chicken broth stomach. Let's just all pray I don't infect daddy or the little man again......

Mr. Beauxjangles part dos

So it was cancer......something called melacytoma or something like that. Good news: They feel the extractions got it all and it's not as aggressive as regular melanoma so unlikely it spread acc. to the pathologist or whomever. Bad news: again likely to come back and we have to be vigilant about checking him and any unusual spots and getting bloodwork done as well. That, we can do!!! So for right now little man has his Beau Beau around a little while longer. YEAH!!! Sweet Beau , for those of you who have known and loved Beau.....and that's a lot of you...thanks for your thoughts and prayers. We have made it through this and we are grateful. Daddy especially as he is his dog.

The little man is out of control.....we must learn to pick up after ourselves. Every room he leaves it's as if a tornado of grand proportions came in and swept everything around. It's so funny I have another friend who has a blog and the boys are days apart and going through the same exact things at the same time.....so that means they will just teach each other the bad habits in the years to come......which means the mommies may go clinically insane :) So yeah, the little man is a daredevil to boot. I pulled out the stepstool this am and he just climbed right up to the top like nobody's business and started trying to unlock the front door. WOW.....how did he know to do that. He has been reaching for handles for a while but this was a whole new level. I can't believe how fast he figures things out or copies things....he now copies daddy sneezing and blowing his nose and HOT, blowing on things that are hot. He is a full on little boy now, no baby at all. Alright it's naptime....... and P.S. Not hot anymore.......it didn't last long!!