Rain Day

Last weekend was super rainy, so I stayed home and made pickles!  My cucumber plants didn’t have quite enough to make pickles by themselves, so I supplemented with some from the farmer’s market in town.  It is even easier to make pickles than it is to make jam.  I literally put the baby down for a nap and made 9 jars of pickles while he was sleeping.  Fingers crossed that I like the seasonings I used.  And I made a few spicy jars for DH, so I don’t know if they’ll be the right spice level for him.  It’s certainly a learning year, but so far I think pickling will be added to my summer schedule from now on.

I do green beans every year, but this year was a little rough and not as many plants as I had hoped made it through harvest.  I still have a lot of beans, and froze a gallon bag full last night.  We’ve been eating them for several weeks too, so the crop won’t be horrible this year even with the slow start.

My strawberries are teeny!  I was a bit over-hopeful on them.  They are definitely plants that take at least a year to get started and do much, much better in later years.  We went and picked berries like always, and when Red was down visiting we made 55 jars of jelly!!

I also have tomatoes and green peppers.  I plucked the early blooms from the pepper plant, and the peppers I’m getting are robust and gorgeous.  I did the same for the tomato plant, and I’m getting small, golf ball tomatoes.  Clearly it’s not a fool proof strategy, but I am actually getting tomatoes this year so I consider that a plus.

My potato bucked that I got from Wal-Mart worked!  I got potatoes that we roasted for supper one day.  I absolutely going to plant more, but I don’t think I’ll pay for Wallly’s bucket again.  I can either reuse the one I have or I heard of a way to grow potatoes in those reusable fabric shopping bags that sounds easy.

I have my seeds to start germinating them inside here one of these days soon so they’ll be ready for my raised garden!  I’m so freaking excited.

Fellow Bloggers

One of my job duties at work is to create bibliographies of sources that students can use when researching (mostly different battles).  I was working on a recent battle from 2009 in Afghanistan, and obviously there’s not a ton out there yet since it was so recent.  Surprisingly, the most valuable sources of information were mil bloggers who were present during the attack.

I was super excited!  This community is fantastic, and I’m so proud and in awe of the great things we can accomplish scattered around the world in constant transit.  I loved seeing  social media used for something positive rather than only hearing about yet another OPSEC violation on Facebook.

It also got me thinking of how it’s changing scholarship.  I wasn’t quite sure how to cite a blogger, especially an anonymous one.  Anonymity sort of goes against the core of historical research, and blogging is so informal that in my gut I don’t feel like it’s a trustworthy source.  Yet what is more accurate and valuable to the historical record than a person writing exactly where they were, what they thought, and what they felt while getting attacked by RPGs?

I’m so conflicted yet so excited for being apart of this change as a blogger but, more importantly, as a scholar.  Geeze, I’m such a nerd.

Packing

Packed away my maternity clothes today.  Woot!!  So excited to be rid of all that elastic.

First Weeks Of Life

Where do I begin?

The baby (I really need to find a bloggity name for him) is happy, healthy, and growing like a weed.  We have the semblance of a daily routine.  We are surviving and sort of accomplishing things most days.  We went to his first Renaissance Fair!  He has given us his first smiles.  We have learned that we definitely need more bottles.  No progress has been made on any house cleaning.

DH is back to work from his paternity leave.  I’m very bummed about it.  We’ve enjoyed our time together so much.  The baby was just icing on the cake.  It’s the longest we’ve gotten to spend together since block leave when he left for deployment.  We found it sorta sad that I had to push a screaming human out of my hoo-ha to get that kind of time together.

My mom came down this past weekend, and it was so refreshing and lovely to have her around.  I’m very taken aback by how much I want my mom here.  I really want to show off my little nugget, but I’m really, really wanting my mom’s company too.  Baby’s do weird things to people.  I never thought I’d be wanting my mom like this.

DH’s mom was here the first weekend, and the visit turned into a disaster.  It’s way, way too complicated to go into right now.  The short version is she monumentally overstepped some boundaries.  I’m very angry about it still.  It’s going to be one of those things that takes me a very long time to come to terms with, which makes me even madder because it will forever be linked to my first memories with my lil boy.  Ugh.  The whole situation pisses me off.

I’d like to save my first thoughts and feelings about birthing and motherhood for a separate post.  They deserve their own space and time to breathe, but I wanted to let everyone know that we’re hanging in there.

Baby Update–Done!

DH and I were excited to meet our beautiful baby boy last Friday.  He decided to come two weeks early, but everyone is healthy and happy and getting to know each other at home.

My first thoughts:

1. Tiny baby feet on you is one of the best things.
2. Milk burps are really stinky.
3. I really wish my house would clean itself.
4. Thank goodness for Skype.
5. Diaper changes are worse at 2 a.m. in the dark without glasses on.
6. This kid keeps getting cuter.
7. I can’t believe we got a boy.
8. Stretch marks itch!
9. Swollen feet are the most unattractive thing ever.

Guess Who

…has two thumbs and just won the 2012 Moroney Postal Award for an outstanding and significant contribution to Postal scholarship?

THIS GAL!!

I submitted my Master’s thesis almost two years ago and got notified yesterday that I won the junior prize for 2012.  What do I win???  $1,000!  Yes, that is a comma.

I’m so excited and proud.  I knew my ideas were good even if I couldn’t find another person who thought they were interesting.  My dad said he might even have to read it now.  Yessss!  On my bucket list is to get published, so maybe one day I’ll expand on my now award winning thesis and have my name permanently in black and white.  Right now I’m enjoying rolling in my $1,000…as soon as they send the check.

Things I’m Loving

I’m not going to sugar coat it.  I feel miserable.  I’m huge, not sleeping much, and itchy.  BUT I have two things that are bringing a smile to my face this week.

1.  Have you heard of the new skin care products from the UK called Simple?  I caught a few commercials on them, but I don’t see it being advertised widely yet.  I found them at Walmart because my grocery store isn’t carrying them yet.  They tout themselves as the sensitive skin experts, and I like those hypoallergenic/sensitive/fragrance free type skin products.  They are amazing!  It really is the most sensitive, gentle thing I’ve used on my face.  I started with the cleansing cloths, and after using them it really feels like there’s nothing left on your skin.  Like I splashed with water but cleaner.  I don’t know how the moisturizer stuff does because some said they had mineral oil in them and that seems kinda greasy, but I’m willing to try it.  Small note though, I don’t have bad acne right now.   I can’t speak to how well it will clear already broken out skin.

2.  I stop by the blog Prudent Baby every once in awhile.  My neighbor told me about it ages ago.  Don’t be fooled by the name, it’s a crafty blog for the whole house and family.  I was telling my co-worker about it yesterday because her daughter is pregnant too, and the blog has great directions on how to make crib sheets, and I found her giveaway for this fabric.  Oh my goodness!  I’m in love.  I want to use it everywhere!!  I’m thinking I have to make pillows for my brother’s new apartment because he rocks major facial hair, but then I don’t want to part with it.  I need to make DH lounge pillows.  I need to make the beebs crib sheets or a quilt or anything so I can play with this fabric.  If I don’t win the giveaway, I’m still going to order some from FabricWorm because it’s just too fabulous to pass up.

The First Few Days

The man is home…and currently on his 14th hour of sleep.

The massages have been scheduled.  It’s something my family always does for our Soldiers (we have several) when they come home after a long absence.  They all love it.  Couples massages are great too.  We love it as a way to reconnect and have quiet time together.  Plus it’s like a huge reward and treat for all the hard work you did while you were apart.  It’s stressful whether you think it was or not.

Only two duffles, an assault pack, and his kit this time.  Laundry might be done by next weekend.  Whoo hoo!

Next up is the grocery list.  He’s always craving something when he gets back, and geographical bachelorette refrigerators just don’t fly with my carnivore husband.

The routine is kinda nice.

Baby Update–Almost There

We’re about a month out now (shorter if my crossed fingers work at all), and we’re all doing really, really well.  Health-wise, we’re still both perfect and tolerating things really well.  My poor feet are suffering the most at this point.

My co-workers threw me a baby shower last week, and it went really well.  I begged out of my friend throwing me one, but I couldn’t get out of one at work.  I was so proud of myself for being social and happy and not letting my anxiety ruin the evening.  It was a good night and very exhausting.

Last weekend I got the tags off everything and washed the cloth items.  I couldn’t believe I have 4 loads of laundry!  That’s insane.  Beebs is like a sack of potatoes.  I don’t know how a sack of potatoes needs 4 loads of laundry to survive.

DH and I decided to try g diapers.  They’re super cute eco diapers.  I like the idea of cloth diapers and their environmental friendliness, but I don’t want to be touching and rinsing and dealing with poo any more than I have to.  G diapers can be used as cloth diapers or you can get the cotton insert part of a regular diaper to put into the cloth outer layer.  Then you toss or even flush the insert instead of washing a cloth pad.  We aren’t committed forever to them, but we really like the idea and want to see if it’ll work for us.  I’ll let you all know how they turn out as it goes.  I should take a picture of them, because I love how they look.  They are so colorful and cute.  I researched at gdiapers.com but bought them at diapers.com which has everything you can imagine for babies.

Anyhoo, we still need a crib and a car seat.  So…only the two most important things.  It’s on the list for when DH gets home.  I couldn’t make up my mind and really couldn’t handle such huge symbols of baby-dom until recently.  Speaking of which, my prenatal depression is doing alright.  I’m still on medication and going to therapy once a week, but I’m doing good.  My extremes are gone, and I’m almost sorta close to being excited about being a month away.  I’m feeling like I want to pull in and hibernate until the baby comes.  I really want DH to come home already and take over the house.  Soon.

Random Episode #111

What has everyone been up to?  It seems like we’ve all been too exhausted to blog much lately.  I don’t know about you guys, but I’m blaming mine on this huge belly I’ve been lugging around.  I’m down to about 7 weeks left, which is great because my belly is outgrowing my maternity work shirts at an astonishing rate.  Other baby planning is going well.  I’ve picked up lots of stuff at local thrift stores.  There are so many great finds there with tags still on them.  We’re missing a crib and a car seat/stroller, so that’s kinda important.  I’m going to try and hit some stationary stores in town looking for fantastic paper for birth announcements this Saturday.  I’ve been on meds now for a few weeks, and I’m feeling alright.  I’m almost even getting excited.  I’m hoping to keep up the momentum so my nerves don’t get the better of me as the day creeps closer.

DH is out training, so I’ve been lounging around home getting lonely.

I got some of my veggies started for the spring.  I have cucumbers for pickling, green beans, and potatoes started.  I want to get a tomato plant, a pepper plant, and strawberries maybe this weekend.  It’s going to be fantastic!!  There’s a tater tub thing at Walmart that I’m trying this season.  It comes with everything for like $12ish and grows fingerling size potatoes all in this black bucket with a lift out insert to check on the potatoes as they grow.  I’m super excited to see if it works out.  Oh, and I’m sure I’ll pick up some flowers sometime too, but I want to maximize my veggie growing season before it gets too hot down here.

I’ve been reading a ton of great books, but I want to give those their own space.  So…just wait longer.

My parents came and visited about two weeks ago or so just for the weekend.  We had a great time, although we didn’t really do much.  We went and saw Riverdance, and I was a bit bummed because I’ve seen it once before and this time it seemed like a slimmed down version.  It wasn’t a grand feeling like it was last time I saw it.  Anyway, we did a lot of non-baby things and some baby things, so it was a nice mix.  Short but sweet.

Ugh, taxes are here again.  My W-2s got all screwed up, so I’ve been waiting on those to get corrected before I can start.  And for some reason two of my interest bearing accounts didn’t send me 1099-INT forms this year.  Seriously??  Is the universe trying to stress me to the max right before this baby gets here?  I hate tax season…

So that’s what I’ve been up to.  With DH out on a suck-fest right now, maybe I’ll get reacquainted with the blog world.