Whew..back to the blog world!

Wow - I can't believe it's been so long - I know I haven't posted in awhile, but life really flies by when you aren't looking, huh?

So...since my last posting, I've had TWO back surgeries, Fred lost his job, talked to General Ingram, got a different job, we've been to cheer competitions in Raleigh and Myrtle Beach, Owen got another haircut, Joey turned two....lots of fun stuff. :)

My back is feeling 90% better. I'm probably doing a little more than I should be at this point - but with 5 kids and a husband that's been working 60+ hours a week, a vacation is not really an option (although very tempting!) I go back probably next week and I expect that they will declare it a success - I do feel the twinge in my leg every now and then, but it's nothing that I can't tolerate and if I know I'm going to be doing a lot of walking/motion, I take an aspirin ahead of time. I REALLY don't want to go for a third surgery b/c that means they fuse the vertebrate together and I want to wait until I'm much older before I do that..since it must likely will happen at some point. Now they are going to investigate the trouble with my neck - apparently my muscles are receiving crossed signals and they are holding my neck completely straight, not a curve as it should be. Hopefully it is simple like a slipped disk, but it could be something more so I'm going to a rheumatoligist for immune disorder testing, a neurologist for some other testing, and then back to my ortho for more MRI's, etc. So exciting, the life I lead :)

Fred is working with the Aviation unit and loving it. Much better environment than R&R command was...they actually appear to have brains attached to their bodies in this unit...which is always a plus! He'll work with them through their deployment return next April, and stay on for 90 days after that (July), and then we'll most likely be leaving all the green camo behind for NY. Emma is very excited about snow and camping and gardens. Owen just wants to play. Kaitlin wants a mall, cheer gym and not to be in "the middle of nowhere". We'll see how many I make happy!

Joey turned the big 2 and is becoming Mr. Independent. He's so cute - we cut his curls, but they sprouted again - all over his head instead of just the back. He's more adorable then ever now - he's got such a wicked little smile, and he does this giggle that makes me melt..no matter what trouble he's up to!

Abby is moving right along - she's already 9 months and I must admit I've had a few "where's my baby" pangs already. She's sitting and doing her own funny crawl - more like she's headbutting the floor, but it gets her around! She likes to stand and walk holding your hands, but she doesn't try to stand on her own much. She has tasted real food so it's very hard to get her to eat anything mushy - even with no teeth. She can pretty much gum anything to a pulp! Watch out when she gets some chompers!

Speaking of which, Emma chipped her tooth. We went to the St. Patrick's Day parade and she caught a beaded necklace..which she put in her mouth..which she was told not to..which she did again..which, again, she was told not to..and then, boom, bottom of her tooth off. She has weak enamel on two of her teeth (the DDS says this will most likely NOT reoccur on her permanent teeth)so it hit just the right spot. They fixed it and you can't tell, so her free necklace ended up costing us $34 and the insurance company $120. So much for free........

Kaitlin has her last cheer competition Easter weekend in Atlanta. Then it's back to the grindstone for a new routine for next year's round. We'll be in Tennessee (attention Tenn. people. :)in December hopefully - we'd love to see you! She's hoping to be a flyer next year - she was for 1/2 of the routine this year, but wants to do more - it's her favorite part (and while I LOVE watching her, I have to admit it freaks me out a little as she gets older and the tosses get a little higher!)

Owen graduated from speech and goes back in June for an assessment. He's missing Ms. Kate - she was his favorite part of Tuesdays, but he's doing SO well. Of course, the change has made a little bit of behavior problem at school - we're working through it, but he's spent a little time in the blue square in the classroom...Fred says he remembers being like that as a kid...so I know who to blame!

So, that's the scoop - I'll be back sooner next time - I have a ton of thoughts rolling around in my head I want to write about!

Katie

Changes

Well, things have certainly been changing at our house. I've been walking around in pain for a few months and I finally bit the bullet and went to the doctor...then to the Radiologist for an MRI, then the Orthopedic for a consult and eventually I'll be going to the hospital for surgery. Woohoo! Turns out I have two bulging disks, but those aren't the problem..the herniated disk (L5S1) is. Turns out it's a pretty severe bulge that is compressing my sciatic nerve - hence the not being able to sit or stand without absolute agony. So I have two options..well, three, really. 1. Live with it..not really an option. 2. An steroidal injection to help relieve the swelling. But these have a 50/50 success rate and a chance of reoccurance. or 3. Surgery where they drill a hole in my bony plate behind my spine, go around the spinal cord and shave down the bone and tissue that is protuding. A day or two in the hospital and no lifting anything over 10 lbs. for 6 weeks. Ha. That's the fun part I guess...how do I not lift for 6 weeks. No groceries, no laundry, no kids (Abby's at about 16 lbs. already)...I can see the positives, but still, it's surgery on my SPINE so I'm a little freaked out. Hopefully it will happen mid-February so I'll be walking around with no pain by mid-March/early April.

So, in light of these events, Fred will NOT be deploying. While I cannot express how happy I am about this, it's still sinking in - everything in my mind and body was prepared for him to be gone, so I'm still adjusting. Then there's the whole reason for it..the SPINE surgery...so it's one of those glass half full sort of things.

It snowed today - we got a good 6 inches at our house and the kids LOVED it. I am so glad I don't live up North and have to bundle them up like that to go to school or the store. I would never leave the house :) Hope everyone is staying warm and having fun -

Hugs

Katie Kaitlin and Abby

First Snow with Daddy

Snowball fight

3 against 1

The view from the deck

Emma Snow Angel

Owen throwing snowballs
Joey all bundled up
Abby and Mommy

Abby's Accomplishments

Our littlest booger is growing up - all in one week, she's sitting on her own, babbling like a crazy person (namely Da-Da and Blah,blah,blah), and holding her own bottle like a champ (as long as we use the Avents, the glass ones are a little too heavy still). I had a talk with her last week about some important milestones that I'd like her to aim for before Daddy leaves and apparently she took it to heart! :) I'm regretting the fact that I mentioned walking by April....seems she likes a goal and I'd like a little bit more time before another one is that mobile!

KT

Note the ready to crawl stance of her arms....oh,no!

Abby's Crinkle Nosed Smile

Sitting all by herself!

Chillin' with Daddy and a good bottle

Today..

I have decided to write down what I eat throughout the day. I figure if everyone can see it, I'm less likely to eat it...hopefully. And I'm going to try to be honest about it - no sneaking snacks here and there. My biggest problem is being on the run all the time and fast food being SO EASY! So I'm trying to preplan and prepare as much as I can. I have to say, I just went to the kitchen for some diet pepsi and grabbed a water instead. Small step, but still a step, right?

So far today - an english muffin with butter(200) and a carnation instant breakfast(280cal with the Vit D milk we have..gotta get some lowfat) and a bottled water. More as the day goes on...hopefully not much more though! I also walked yesterday since I got to the preschool early and had 30 minutes to kill. I popped Abby in the stroller and set off for a little stroll - hopefully the weather will cooperate on preschool days so I can continue this. The wii fit is calling my name..I don't like it when it yells at me, so I'm determined to do it again today. :)

** edited to include lunch: campbells tomato soup (1 serving 110 cal), another english muffin with butter (120+80=200 calories total), and 35 oyster crackers (do they count if they are stale? :)(70 cal) That brings me to 860 for the day so far..not bad, right? Gotta see if I can do this tracker as a side post type thing....

KT

The New, Hipper Way to Celebrate New Year's

We, having 5 children, don't really get to party on New Year's Eve anymore (not that we really did before they all appeared!), so we created our own little celebration. We had talked about heading to First Night, but Abby already had a cold, Joey was recovering from an ear infection and it was getting cold and windy, not a good combination. So we had spaghetti with sausage and garlic bread and then onto dessert - a make your own sundae bar....which the kids LOVED! I think it's our new New Year's tradition. When the kids crashed from their sugar highs we tucked them in and had a nice relaxing evening..which, as usual, ended with Fred falling asleep on the couch... as much as he says he'd like to go out for New Year's, he hasn't made it to one midnight in three years! I'd say maybe next year, but since he'll be in a different time zone, I'm not sure that it counts!

Wearing more than he ate! :)

The crew chowing down

Owen loving his ice cream

Joey had issues with his whipped cream

Now, on to the resolution conversation..I have to say I haven't really focused on them this year. Of course, there's always the lose weight, be healthier, spend more time with friends and family, but I think my biggest one is simply to make it through the year with sanity remaining! I have resolved to rely on others. Sounds weird to write it out, but I am so thankful for the preschool teachers and the staff at Mimi's who give me a break when I need it from my little screamers. My biggest struggle is, and always has been, asking for help. So to prevent myself from doing this, I have signed up for the VIP membership at Mimi's and I automatically get 20 hours a month billed to our account so I can't talk myself out of taking them. Granted 20 hours a month is not a huge amount, but it's enough for a break here and there. I am going to use the preschool time to take a break instead of running errands..even if that means sleeping and not doing laundry(which I may need to do since they normally like to get sick at night and in twos). So that's my resolution - to not try to do it all by myself. (Happy Fred? :)

Love and Hugs,

Katie

Pictures!

Daddy and his littlest man walking on the farm
Riding an elephant :) Joey walking and thinking
"Why is that light always going off in my face?"
Abigail Grace, 6 months old already!
Owen and Uncle Alan
Happy Birthday to you, Owen!
You'd never guess she rides the real thing, huh?
Owen driving..can't wait until 16
Joey driving...a vehicle of a different color

Emma and Aunt Judy

Owen telling Santa about his Thomas the train

They may not all be smiling, but they are all in the picture!

Joey helping to unwrap the ornaments..we only lost 2 (and I broke 1 of them!)

Kaitlin, Emma and James decorating the tree
Kaitlin and her stocking

Joey hanging his stocking

Abigail wondering why we are hanging giant socks on the fireplace

Emma joining in the stocking hanging

Owen and his stocking

The kitchen and market cart

Christmas Goodies for everyone

Treats for Santa and his reindeer

...and the stockings were hung...

Christmas morning..think O is excited?

Owen doing a jig when he saw his race track

Daddy playing the Wii...and feeling it the next day!

The Lightning McQueen Scooter Club

December is out, January is in..and hopefully slower!

This month has flown by and been so busy that it has seemed so hard to plug in the camera and download the pictures. In our house, 5 minutes is a lifetime and there are always so many other things that need "just 5 minutes". In the month of December (as mentioned before), we celebrated 3 birthdays in our house, traveled to Tennessee, had various training schedules to work around (Fred), traveled to Georgia, had school parties, girl scout parties, cheer parties...it seemed to go on and on, only to end on New Year's Eve with Kaitlin anxiously awaiting the ball drop, Fred snoring on the couch, and me searching craigslist for a new single stroller for Abby...such exciting lives we lead! ;-)

The kids had an awesome Christmas - full of toys, traditions and fun. Everyone got the required new jammies on Christmas Eve and tons of new stuff on Christmas day. Matching Lightning McQueen scooters for the boys (so they don't fight over them), My Little Pony stuff for Emma(to add to her growing collection), Nintendo DS games for Kaitlin along with clothing, and a Wii from Aunt Eileen and Uncle Jon for the whole family. We lucked into a WiiFit at Target when returning something else that didn't work and we are loving it..mainly making fun of each other, but hey, it's family time. The kids got their own games as well - Kaitlin got a We Cheer that looks intriguing as an aerobics program..have to try that one day. :) We got Fred a PSP to take with him overseas along with all the required war games..why you need wargames to play while sitting in a warzone, I have no clue, but apparently that's the way it's done, go figure. And I FINALLY got a Willow Tree set - the first 6 pieces of the nativity I wanted. Next year, I'll add another piece of the set (for myself since Fred won't be home, of course!)

We are busy planning our major birthday bash on January 31st - we will be celebrating Abby's 1st, Joey's 2nd, Owen's 3rd, and Emma's 5th since Fred won't be here next year. Kaitlin opted to have a party on her birthday instead with her friends, so I'll be planning that one for her later. We bought all our decorations and supplies today, now we are just waiting on confirmation from the location.....hopefully that works out! (And Fred's schedule doesn't change AGAIN!)

More later on New Year's resolutions or the lack thereof...

Hugs
Katie