One Down, Two to Go...

Well, today officially makes it one year since we've left the states. It feels like a long time coming with months of saying "It's almost a year, its almost a year". Now, it is here and two more to go. Here's our countdown...

This year, we get to look forward to my birthday, Rodney Jr.'s birthday, Rodney's birthday, Tatums birthday, a visit from Dad and Karen, a visit from mom, Tristan's birthday,(our halfway mark), a visit from Rodney's mom and dad, and then Thanksgiving and Christmas. That brings us back to the beginning of another year and, hopefully, in June of '09 we can start looking at orders for our next duty station. It is bittersweet to hope for the next two years to go by fast. While I want so badly to be back in the states ASAP... I don't want my babies to grow up. Here are some 'then and now' photos of the kids a year ago, and the kids now.

Me three months pregnant with Tristan... and, Tristan now...

A Day of Doctors

Yesterday I spent the whole day at the hospital going to doctors appointments. First was my follow up appointment from last week. We are still trying to figure out why I don't feel good all the time. The previous blood work came back normal, so, they took more blood work for more tests and today I need to have an upper GI done to see if my stomach ulcers came back.
Tristan's appointment was later. He is fine. He went in with a cold but just a cold, so they gave him his immunizations. Poor kid. Now, he has his cold and a fever. But, he's still my happy baby. Looking at me with a big smile regardless of his watery red eyes and runny nose. He weighs 18 pounds now and is 27 inches long. He is in between the 75th and 90th percentile on both. In 6 weeks he will have another appointment and more shots... :c( and at 6 months we can call for his urology appointment. That is something that I am NOT looking forward to! Please pray for his safety and my sanity!! :c)

Soccer Trophy Day

Today we had Rodney Jr.'s 'Awards Ceremony' for soccer. It was the last time his team got together and it was held at the bowling alley on base. We were just going to go and get the trophy and let him eat pizza but when the other kids started bowling he kept asking if he could bowl. It just broke my heart. Luckily, I had a pair of socks in the diaper bag so, he was able to bowl. He just bowled one game and of course daddy helped him but he thought it was the neatest thing. He was so excited and then so disappointed when he had to wait his turn again. He's such a good boy though. He didn't throw any kind of fit about waiting he just sat in his chair and watched everyone else take their turn and jumped up as soon as he saw it was time for him. (There were only two other kids playing in his lane so, it wasn't a long wait!)
Tatum couldn't play because her feet are too little. They only offer a size 9 shoe! Crazy! But, she had fun playing with her new Dora purse that came in the mail from Aunt Jen today.

Rodney Jr. eating his third piece of pizza
Look at those gorgeous eyes! I'm so glad she doesn't have my eyes! Click on the picture to make it bigger so you can see all the different colors in them.
Rodney Jr. recieving his trophy
Rodney getting a certificate of appreciation
He wanted to keep picking up the heavy balls
Woah!
Let's try it Granny Style
Tatum talking on her new Dora phone
Rodney Jr.'s very first trophy sitting in our china cabinet.

Bad Photo Session

I tried to get a 'brothers' picture today but, it didnt' quite turn out like I planned. The baby was sleepy and he was more interested in me than his brother so, those pictures didn't turn out... Tatum wanted to be involved but she was a mess because I didn't plan on putting her in the pics but, I let her take some anyways. But, when I got her in front of the camera she wanted to be moody and not co-operate. Finn was the most interested in taking pictures today even though he didn't belong! So, I decided to just share some of the funny ones.

I'm not quite sure what was going on here..
Ham
Rodney thinks she looks like she's doing her business....

Two days of Fun

Yesterday Rodney had duty so we went to the Nikko Beach Resort with Amy and her kids and Kris and her kids. The kids had a blast! Of course, I had some moments with Tatum... there is a lip around the pool and she went running towards it and tripped and went head first into the pool. I got up and ran over there because she was under the water for a few seconds but, when I got over there, she had recovered herself and never cried. YEY Tatum!! Then, it was time to go and after I changed Tristan into new clothes, I changed Tatum into her new clothes... well, before I could get Rodney out of the pool, Tatum decided that she wasn't done swimming. So, there she goes, down the pool steps, back into the pool with her dry clean clothes on. I just looked at her in disbelief. What can you do in that situation. Its so her! So, we had to borrow a swim suit cover-up from Kris and it floated on Tatum. Atleast she wasn't naked I guess.

Then Amy invited us over for a yummy dinner. I put Tristan in an exersaucer for the first time and he just had a blast! As soon as I can steal a pic from Amy of the two babies playing together I will post it. My camera went dead so, I had to use her camera!

Today at moms group we celebrated Ian's first birthday. I am always so overwhelmed with how many people and kids we manage to squeeze into our little boxes of houses! But, it was fun. They call Ian "Mr. Serious" so, it was amazing that I got a pic of him smiling! He's so darn cute!!

Everyone in the pool
Tristan sleeping in the stroller
Tatum eating her lunch
Amy and her boys (minus Logan)
Happy Birthday Ian

Hello
Tristan and Lauren
My kids found the food table...
Cake Face
See my cupcake??

A Good Laugh

Not too much going on this week. Sunday I went to a church service with a few friends. It was so different than anything I've ever been to! I guess it was just a Christian service, I have only been to Catholic services. And it was outside of their school, under a pavilion, right next to the sea. Only in Guam can you go to church overlooking a beautiful view like that! It was mostly locals there, which I expected. They started off with a full band, the lead singer was the 'Guam Idol', and then a really laid back guy gave a humorous service. Afterwards, I was greeted by all of the church members who introduced themselves and of course, ogled over Tristan. I'm not sure if I can get Rodney to go with me, he's very dedicated to the Catholic church, (if I can even get him there!). But, I may go again in the future.

Monday Rodney had off of work. We just spent time together and it was nice. Today the boat got back from the Philippines so, unfortunately, Rodney will have duty tomorrow. It will be strange because he hasn't had to stand duty in so long!

I just wanted to post some candids of the gang. And of course, I had to include a couple of videos of Tristans sweet laugh. He doesn't crack up that often and he was enjoying Rodney Jr. and Tatum so much one day that I had to capture it....

My Boys
Silly girl

So far, a good week...

We had a pretty good week so far. I have been feeling a little icky lately so I didn't make it to the gym at all but, thats the only downside to this week for me. Thursday I went to my weekly moms group. We passed around funny stories from our past and had a good laugh. Thursday night Rodney got us some wings... YUM! $.25 wings always makes a good dinner! (I know.. I'm supposed to be dieting but.. one day out of the week isn't bad is it??) Of course, Thursday afternoon, Rodney discovered that his knee wasn't as healed as they say that it is... So, Friday morning he went back to the docs. Although, he didn't get to see a real doc. So, back and forth, back and forth, they finally took an x-ray... the guy taking the x-ray said he thought he saw a chip on Rodney's knee cap, the docs there said they didn't see anything wrong.. the final say goes to the people who actually get paid to read these things so, we'll see. He is back to limited activity. When the ship gets back, he has to go see the medical on there again before they'll let him have an MRI. I'm frustrated, he's even more frustrated I'm sure, and his poor knee is swollen and black and blue again. Cross your fingers that it isn't something serious and that he gets better soon.
Meanwhile, while he was at the docs.. I hung out with my friend Amy. We met up at the NEX and walked around there for a while and she treated us to Micky D's (gonna kick you butt for that Amy...) :c)... and we took the food to a playground and let the kids play for a while. They had a blast and as usual, threw a fit when it was time to go.
On my way out the door on Friday, I checked the mail and we got a package from Rodney's C.O. on the ship. (Thats the highest ranking officer on the ship). It was a baby blanket for Tristan. I thought that it was the sweetest thing and Rodney was so shocked because it was the nicest thing that he's seen the whole time he's been in the Navy. We don't know if the C.O.'s wife made the blanket, or if they ordered the blanket but, we're thinking that it must be a tradition that they have going on because they are new to the ship and no one else we know of has gotten this treat. So, its a nice keepsake for our little "Guam Baby".
Today was our last soccer game for Rodney. (YES!!) We all are ready for a break. He has something called a jamboree next week which, to me, sounds like a tournament... how they expect 3-6 year olds to play mulitiple games of soccer when, they have a hard time getting through 4 short quarters, is beyond me! We feel obligated to go though so, that will wrap up this season of soccer. Next season starts again in September and we will spend the time decided whether or not to put Tatum in.
Tonight I get to have a relaxing night alone while Rodney hangs out at a friends house. I should be working on my photography website and a ton of other things but... I still haven't decided what I'm going to do. Its just nice to have quiet. (Besides Finn fighting his blanket right next to me...)

The three babes, from youngest to oldest... Owen, Tristan, and Ryland. They all are two months apart.

Handsome man.

Being a shy baby..

Crackin' up

Love him!

Just a Video

Not too much going on. I went to our moms group today. Had fun their as usual. Then I came home and put the kids down for a nap. Tristan woke up first so I actually got some 'alone' time with him and he never fails to make me smile. Just wanted to share some of that with you!

A Relaxing Weekend

A view down from the top...

A set of stairs that take me down...

looking up at Rodney from a halfway point

You can kinda see how steep it was...

The top of the lookout..

Sorry for taking so long to post something since my last post. I've been really busy doing so many other things! We really just relaxed this weekend which was really nice. On Friday, Rodney took me to a spot which is hidden and unknown to most people. One of his friends used to fish there and shared it with him. At first, I thought it was just a lookout point. Then, he took me down this narrow path to a set of steep stairs... they just kept going down and down and down. I'm not afraid of heights but I was scared to go down these stairs! There was no railing and we were on a cliff! I tried to post pictures of this put after several attempts, I gave up. I'll try to post them again later or you can just check them out in the Picasa album.
Saturday we really didn't do anything. We missed Rodney Jr.s soccer game (we're ready for a break), so we just stayed in the house in our pjs all day long! Sunday we went and bought new bedspreads for the kids. It is their first set of real comforters. They got so excited to come out of their bath and see them on their beds! We also went to the pool for a few hours. I had to take a picture of Tatums butt because I forgot to put her swimmers diaper on and she had on her regular diaper. It swelled up so much I couldn't help but laugh!
I know I haven't posted anything in my scrapbook blog in forever but, believe me... there will be lots of posts soon. Rodney shared the news with me that probably in June, he will be leaving for 2 to 3 months! What else am I going to do except for scrap and read!
Rodney had his checkup for his knee yesterday. They told him that he can slowly get back into his normal routine. Good news, no surgery needed! I myself am getting up the nerve to start advertising for my photography. Its been so long since I've taken pictures for someone else so, that makes me a little nervous but, I'm sure it will all come back to me quickly!

I hate this pic because of my rollie pollies but, I love Tristan in this hat!

My big boy!

Tatums badonkey-donk!

Rodney Jr.'s new bedding

Tatums new bedding.