Dear Daddy - Weekend Away

Dear Daddy, 

I had my first weekend away from Mommy. I got to spend 4 days with my Grandma Chele (I call her "Chele) and Gramps!! Then I spent another day or 2 with Uncle Kevin, Aunt Laura and Noly (Nolan).  It was SO. MUCH. FUN! We did all kinds of stuff!! Let me tell you about it. 

When I was at Gramps and Grandma Chele's, I went for a walk through the neighborhood with Chele and played in people's sprinklers. Then I took a bath in the kitchen sink while we listened to John Mellencamp (I am part Hoosier you know)! I asked Chele to play "Ain't that America" five times! We also read books. Lots of books. 

We went to the lake and I helped Gramps sweep the floor. 

 Before we got to the lake, we were riding in the car.  I became very fussy because Chele does not have a video of Elmo in her car, so Gramma Chele gave me her iPhone to play with.  I was able to unlock the code, take pictures of myself, play music and answer the phone!  

My first selfy.

We went to the lake's playground where there are swings, a merry-go-round, a jungle gym and animals to ride.  We also rode on the boat at sunset.  I waved to all the other boats and took a short nap. I also got to play with my step-cousins Evy, Shea, Landon, and Caleb at the lake. They are really fun to watch and mimic. We went out on the boat and watched fireworks. Fireworks are SO COOL!

Ready for a boat ride with Gramps.

I spent lots of my time eating too. My teeth finally stopped hurting so it was time to make up for missed meals. Chele had to feed me lots and lots of food! And I really like Chele's cooking too. During all these fun things, my friends Elmo and Tutu were right by my side. They are my buds and I like to squeeze and cuddle on them.

I love Tutu and Elmo!!

Then it was time to go to Noly's house. When riding in the car, I like to hold hands with Noly and share pacies with him.  At his house, I spent lots of time playing with all of Noly's toys. Noly and I raced around the house with push toys like it was the Indy 500. He is getting so good at walking with a support. Uncle Kevin read more stories to me before bedtime. The next day I went to the splash park with Aunt Laura, Papa, and Noly. 

Riding in the car with Noly

Ready for the splash park.

 

Aunt Laura, Noly, and I hanging out.

I've had too much fun. I'm pooped.

As you can see, I had such a great weekend. I was so busy that I didn't really have time to miss Mommy. I did get to see her face on the phone just like yours. But all that action wore me out. I took long naps the next few days and got extra snuggles from Mommy to make up for lost time.  Just wait until you get home. We have lots and lots of hugs and snuggles waiting for you.  

I love you and miss you!! Muah~

Tay Tay

Week 4 - First Month Done!!

(Thanks to some technical difficulties, this post if being published a few weeks late. I wrote it during the 4 week, but am just now able to post it. SORRY!)

We did it!! We made it through our first month! I will admit that it's gone faster than I thought it would.  Getting settled takes a lot of time and energy. Though I've tried to write a few times each week, there are some things that might be worth updating now.

Housing

We are still living with my parents in downtown Indy. The house hunt has been much more frustrating than I ever could have imagined. I've walked through several homes and inquired by phone or email about countless others.  I finally found a house that met all of my "must haves" and sent in a leasing application. We are waiting to hear back from the landlord, so I won't give too many details or celebrate too much until things are final. But hopefully if all goes well, we'll have a place of our own next week!!

Buzz

I am currently 22 weeks pregnant and growing bigger each day. It seems too early for some activities to be challenging, but I can say, Tay doesn't fit on my lap like she used to. I'm slower than usual but am trying my best to keep with Taylor.

The nuts and bolts

We have a pediatrician, a general practitioner, an OB, and a place to deliver Buzz!! Working my way through the civilian medical system is overwhelming and confusing. But compared to the military setup, the level of care is worth the hassle!! I absolutely love Taylor's pediatrician and am very excited about the OB practice and hospital for this pregnancy. I could get used to this civilian living thing!!

Fun

We've been lucky to have great weather this month which has allowed us to do much more outside than we would have in Okinawa! There have been a few trips to the pool with Taylor's cousins. Of course, we've done our fair share of shopping.  We've been to the Zoo several times to see the animals, play in the splash park and feed the birds.

The splash park at the zoo with Meemaw.

We walk on the canal and feed the ducks several times a week.  They know Tay's orange stroller and come swimming when they see us!!

We read books all the time. And we like to read the same ones over and over and over.

We hang out with Tay's cousins Reese and Nolan for playdates. Sometimes the playdates are just too much and she ends up napping on the date.

Taylor and Nolan both were tuckered out!

We spent a few days at Lake Monroe relaxing on the boat. She's not so thrilled about the life vest, but the bubbles that the boat make in the water are pretty entertaining. 

We spend hours building and destroying block towers.

Michael

He is getting settled in his new place in Taif. He is making friends with several of the British contractors who are living there.  From the sounds of it, he's not having a horrible time. He has flown a few times so far but has yet to get into the full swing of things. It seems their scheduling practices are not quite as efficient as he is used to, so it can be frustrating. He has gone "into town" a few times to get a haircut, go to the grocery, or stop at a shop or two. I'm very curious about these experiences, but I've gotten little detail on life off the compound.  Maybe one day he'll be able to fully explain what life is like for the typical Saudi. All in all, I think life there is very different and takes a great deal of adjusting, but I'm very happy to know that it's not quite as boring or lonesome as I originally feared

Video Malfunction

Sorry guys. For some reason, I cannot get the videos to upload properly. Once I get things figured out, I'll try it again. In the meantime, I hope you get the gist of it. It's always a work in progress, right?

Dear Daddy - One Month Update

Daddy, I can't believe you've been gone for over a month now.  I have been working on some new tricks and have lots to tell you.  Here are just a few updates.

1.  I got a new tooth and am working on a few more. It's no fun getting new teeth!

2. I can go up AND DOWN the stairs all by myself. I'm working on going faster now.

3. I can say over 50 words on my own and even more by mimicing someone. My favorite words are "Mommy, Daddy, Elmo, milk, pacie, squeezie, meow, quack quack, and eat."

4. Bubbles are the BEST thing in the entire world. No questions asked. BUBBLES!!

5. I really love to play in the water, not matter where it is... the bath, the hose, the pool, puddles in the grociery parking lot. Splash parks are the best, but you have to be careful. Sometimes fountains spring up from no where. That is very scary!! But for the most part it's pretty darn cool.

6.  One of my favorite games to play is Ring Around the Rosie. I prefer to play it with my cool cousin Reese. But I'll play with my teddy bear Tutu or Mommy or Meemaw or anyone!  I also love to sing the song whenever I can too.

7. I had my 15 month check up with my new doctor (even though I was almost 17 months.) Dr. D is very cool and nice. I weigh 24.4 lbs and am in the 75%. I am 32.25 inches long, also in the 75%.

8. A new discovery I've had is the concept of hiding. I like to run away from Mommy and sneak between the bed and the wall until she comes to find me.  Another great hiding place is in Meemaw's office.  It's always great fun when they finally find me!!

9. We have been to the Zoo several times and I really like the different animals.  I've been working on my animal sounds.  I can say "moo, meow, quack, woof, hoooo, cheep cheep, arf (for seal), ooo-aaa (monkey), roar (lions, tigers, and bears), and raspberries for the elephant (I'm working in this one.)

10. Whenever I hear the facetime ring on the phone, I look excited and ask for Daddy.  I love, love, LOVE to give you kisses on the phone and miss you so very much!!

Dear Daddy

Hey Daddy -

Just thought you'd like to see some fun pictures from my week. I'll make sure Mommy takes more pictures tomorrow and next week.  She's been kinda slackin' on that.  I really miss you and love you very much!! Mommy and I talk about you all the time.  We sent you another package today.  Be on the look out for it. Hope to see your face on the phone tomorrow.

Muah!!

TayTay 

I love to roll in the grass.  It feels so tickley on my skin.

I met Yogi. She's belongs to cousins Dan and Gwyn.  She's cute but she doesn't let me sit on her like Rusty does.

I love hummus. It's so tasty.

Sometimes I feel goofy and put my pants on my head. I can get pretty crazy. 

Week 3 - No More Law and Order

No matter the situation, I always feel a little off without Michael around. We have been through a 6 month deployment and countless TDYs, but every separation, regardless of length, takes some getting used to. It takes me at least a few weeks if not a month to learn to sleep alone again. This time around the transition seems to be more difficult than in the past. There are a few contributing factors to this.

One of challenges is the move from Okinawa to the US. Many of my friends have told me that upon leaving Okinawa, they had a surprising reaction to reentering the "outside world." They felt unsafe and scared no matter where they had moved. One friend relived her first trip to the mall and parking garage. She said she climbed into the backseat with her toddler, locked the door and then fastened her into her carseat out of fear of being attached while loading up. I had always thought that most of these women were overreacting, but now I'm not so sure.

Okinawa is a very safe place. They have a surprisingly low crime rate and what little crime they do have is usually committed by Americans. On top of this, we lived on a military base with assumed honorable and respectful neighbors.  We rarely locked our doors as we felt the only threat was the occassional unrulely teenager looking to steal the spare change from my car ashtray.  After 3.5 years of this kind of security, it's no wonder that life "off the rock" is a bit scary!

Since arriving here in the States, I've been staying with my parents who live in downtown Indy. When they are here, I feel comfortable in the house and fall asleep easier.  When they leave, however, I am edgy, jumpy, and constantly looking for the man dressed in a black jumpsuit lurking in the window or on the balcony.  I don't say this to make my parents feel guilty about traveling. In fact, I am relieved that they don't feel that they need to alter their social life because we are here.  But it is interesting that the mere presence of another person in the house is as comforting as it is.

Of course, living in a city has a whole set of noises that are different from quiet military base life. And like any house, this one groans and creeks in its own way. These little nuances take time to learn and grow accustomed to. To add to the security of my parents house, they have an alarm system.  This system, however, is notorious for scaring the living daylight out of an unsuspecting family member who wants to stop by to pick something up or just get a good nights rest. In fact, it is considered a rite of passage to set off their alarm.  If the authorities come, you earn a gold star! I am no stranger to this experience.

Last weekend my parents were in Boston visiting my sister, Julie, and her family.  I was sitting on the couch watching TV at about 11:45 at night.  All the sudden, the house alarm went off!! I hadn't set it, so I was very confused as to why it would be sounding at that time. I ran through the house checking doors and windows for an intruder (not the smartest decision, in hindsight.) I finally cleared my mind enough to remember the code and turn off the alarm. But, I could still hear one siren sounding. It was coming from Taylor's room.  I immediately assumed someone was stealing my baby and in a panic sprinted to her room.  She was dazed and confused, but still in her crib. The fire alarm above her was still going off, but thankfully, there was no fire.

I immediately called my dad on his cell and frantically tried to figure out what was going on.  Minutes later my heart skipped several more beats when I saw flashlights coming through the dark from the driveway up to the house. It didn't take long for me to figure out the fire department was here to put out the fire.

Again, thankfully there was no fire, but the faulty alarm wouldn't quit!!  After about an hour of searching for the control panel in the basement and talking with my dad on the phone to problem solve, they removed the alarm from the ceiling to silence it. I was beyond thankful to have these guys here to help out... all 12 of them. (There had to have been at least 2 trucks because every time I turned around there was another face coming through the door.)  I honestly don't know what I would have done with a clinging baby in the middle of the night with a sounding alarm.

Needless to say, I was shaken up for the rest of the night.  But I was also angry with myself for being so scared.  I know I will relax over time and things will become like home again. But until then, I won't be watching shows like Law and Order because all I see are the gruesome murders, break-ins, and attacks that they picture in the first 30 seconds of their show!! Life does not have to be so scary!!

Buzz Glass

 

I had my 20 week ultrasound this week. Our little boy, known as Buzz for now, is healthy, active, and measuring right on target. He is still expected to arrive some time in late December or early January.

 

I am growing more every day and love to feel him move around. He gives me more nudges and pokes every day. I can't wait to see him in person but until then, here's a sneak peak of our little guy!

 

Meet your son, Michael!

Dear Daddy - State Fair

Today Mommy and Grandma took me to the Indiana State Fair. I had SOOOO much fun looking at the animals, watching the interesting people, looking at the lights of the rides, and eating some yummy food. The only thing that would have made this day better would be to share it with you. I sure do miss you.

Grandma showed me so many cool thing!

At the Little Hands on the Farm exhibit I got to practice being a farmer. I wore my apron with pride and used my basket to carry out my cores.



After collecting soy beans, I used them to power my "biofuel" tractor. I drove that machine like a pro!! This particular machine was Mommy powered.



After planting seeds, I harvested my crop of tomatoes and green peppers. I put them in my basket to take the farmers market.



Farm chores are tough! I took a little breather on the front porch to rest before moving on to the next job.



Mooooooo!

We stopped to feed the goats. Their tongues tickled my hand so I laughed out loud! It was so cool!!

 

Look at the cute baby goat.

 

I had a great time at the State Fair today.

 

Miss you and love you, Daddy!! ~Taylor

Dear Daddy

This week I did lots of fun things with Mommy! 

On Monday, we went for a walk with my friend Quincy Boling. He also let me play with his doggie push toy. I think I'm going to have a lot of fun with him this year!!

On Wednesday, we put together a care package for you. Mommy had lots of necessities to send to you but I thought it would be cooler if you opened the box and found me instead!

After our trip to the post office to mail your package, we took a quick trip to the zoo. Thanks to you, we have an annual pass and can visit the animals whenever we want. This time we went to see the birds. Mom even let me feed them!! It was very cool.

Mom made a new friend while we were there.  The zoo is great place for me to practice some of my new words like "elephant," "eagle," "quack, quack," "doggie," "meow," "fishy," and "monkey."

When I'm not exploring the city with Mom, one of my favorite things to do is to sit in Grandma and Grandpa's little rocker, watch TV, and sip a nice cup of milk. It's even better when enjoyed in my jammies.

These are just a few things I've been up to this week. I can't wait to see you again on FaceTime. I miss you so much and love you. ~ Taylor

Week 2

We've made it another week and things are still going smoothly.  We are trying to stay busy and enjoy the nice weather. Our days are filled with walks on the canal, naps, visits with friends, and the occasional errand. This weekend we were able to spend time with Michael's family.

On Friday, Taylor and I took a road trip to Dayton, OH to see our cousins Andy, Emily, Maggie and Will Denlinger. Friday afternoon, we shopped at Easton Town Center in Columbus, OH with Emily, Maggie, and Aunt Denise. Easton is a huge outdoor shopping center with tons of shops and restaurants. Our first stop, the American Girl outlet. We spent over an hour perusing the vast variety of merchandise along with every other preteen girl and her parents in central Ohio. It was a rude awakening to what we have in store in the next few years! Thankfully, Taylor was more interested in running around around the legs of strangers and displays than she was in the dolls themselves. I think I dodged that bullet, for another year anyway. I also learned that Justice is the new hip clothing store for girls 6-12 and that there are new boy bands with members all appear to be under the age of 11. Certainly they can't be nearly as cool as New Kids on the Block, 'N Sync, or Backstreet Boys.  In addition to my parental and style education, it was a great afternoon spent with the ladies shopping, chatting, and catching up. It was exactly what I needed to reintroduce myself to the US and to family.

Maggie and Taylor at the fountain in front of American Girl.
Despite the face, Taylor was really excited about it!

Saturday morning, we had a "Jammie party," as Will (age 2) called it. We all hung out in our pajamas, ate homemade coffee cake, watched cartoons, and played with toys.  Before heading out of town, we stopped to watch Maggie's tee ball game.  She did a great job and it was so nice to feel like a part of a community, even for an hour. Again, I had a sneak peak into what life will be like in a few years for us!

Will took pictures of everyone to pass the time during Maggie's tee ball game.

Sunday, Grandpa Mike came to town with our Rusty Dog!! We spent the whole afternoon playing with our puppy, catching up with Grandpa, eating lunch on the canal, and enjoying each others company. It was so nice, again, to have a day with family.

Taylor, Daddy, and Grandpa Mike

This weekend has made me so thankful to have married into this family. It is certainly not easy to be away from Michael, but if I can't have him, at least I have his family. Life is not settled here yet, but again, I can't say how grateful I am to be spending this year in the Midwest. After almost 4 years on the other side of the world, it's great it is to be near family for a change. I can survive this year with family and distractions like these!

1 Week Down

So, Mike left for Saudi Arabia a little over a week ago. That's 1 down and only 51 left to go!!

The first week has gone better than anticipated. Taylor and I spent first weekend plus a few days at Lake Monroe with Mom and Dad. It was a great way to relax, regroup, and soak up the awesome weather. Taylor took a boat ride and loved the pool!! We've also visited with friends, had playdates with her cousins, and spent days with Grandma or Grandpa. Taylor has been so busy she hasn't had time to miss Daddy... Well, let's be honest, she misses Daddy.

Mike's had pretty decent internet access so far. I have been able to iMessage or email with him every day. We've FaceTimed about every other day as well. Taylor gets excited when she hears the FaceTime ring, she asks, "Daddy?" It's been a real blessing for Mike to be able to watch her play and for her to see  his face.

Mike spent the first week in Riyahd for a conference. This past weekend is drove with his coworker for 7.5 hours to his final destination of Taif.  He won't start his job for a few weeks because the Saudi's are celebrating a national holiday. This gives him time to settle in and meet some people. He will be living on a British compound so he is surrounded by fun loving, happy-go-lucky Britts. It sounds like he's been at dinner with a different group every night. I was happy to hear that things won't be as bleak and boring as we had originally feared.

The next few weeks will be filled with doctors visits, house hunting, and more visiting with friends and family.  I'm looking forward to getting our life set up here in Indy. I want to get a routine established, a home unpacked, and fun things planned for the horizon. It will help to always have something fun in the near future to look forward to.

Another deployment goal of mine is to blog more often.  I'm embarrassed to see that my last post was a year ago!!  Hopefully I can keep it up this time. I know it's going to be tough to not have Mike around but I take for granted how truly difficult it will be for him to be away from Taylor. She changes and grows so quickly. So, most of my posts will be details of her latest and greatest for him to see and follow. Thanks all for the patience and encouragement on this goal and this year in general.

 Here is to a quick, safe, and healthy year.