I probably have the only 3 month old in the world that just will not take a nap without lots of coaxing. Earlier this week since I was sick I just put Jacob down in his swing and let the swing do the magic. He'd actually probably still be asleep in that thing if it wasn't for me getting him out of it every day. I think he has actually become reliant on it now to get him to sleep. He needs the constant moving motion at nap time but not at night. I tried three times today to lay him down for a nap in his crib with me ending up going to get him. Finally, after a lot of rocking he went to sleep when I laid him down.
Why do I have the baby that doesn't like to sleep during the day?? He has been like this since he was born. I can't figure out if it is because he absolutely will not take a pacifier or if he just doesn't need sleep. We have tried the eat-play-sleep routine and any other great idea someone has suggested but nap time is always a battle! I, myself, can sleep anytime without a problem and I get grumpy when I'm tired. Yes, Jon I admit it, I get GRUMPY! Jon on the other hand can push himself to the limit with no sleep and then he crashes or else he finally gets a day to sleep in and he just wants to sleep. I think Jacob's sleep patterns come from his Dad which may or may not be a good thing. I'm just happy that my baby is asleep in his crib right now pending the loud jet noise over our house doesn't wake him from his nap!
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
December 1st...
December 1st was our 'church' wedding anniversary. We have two anniversiaries each year in hopes that each year we will actually be able to celebrate one of the two together. This year we were lucky. We were able to celebrate our Okinawa wedding anniverary 6 days prior to Jacob's arrival and we were able to celebrate our church wedding anniversary two days after Jon's arrival back to the rock a.k.a. Okinawa.
For our August anniversary we went and tried out a restraunt called Pizza House. It took a lot of convincing on Jon's part to get me dressed and out of the hosue beucase the though of having to sit anywhere for more than a few minuets was very unappealing to me at that time. We ended up having a lovely dinner at Pizza House which turns out to have a whole other menu besides just pizza. I was very happy about dinner because I finally had found a restraunt on Okinawa that serves a baked potato with a meal! The host predicted that we would be having a baby boy very soon but asked that I hold off till after I finished eating. Jon bought me a wonderful electic can opener. His reasoning was so that I could provide canned food for myself and our unborn child while he was deployed. I was having a war with our manual can opener at that point so I loved the gift and now every time I use it whether he is here or not I love it and think of him.
For our December anniversary we ended up back at Pizza House but instead for lunch. It was just as delicious and Jacob didn't make a peep throughout the whole meal!! We ended up driving further south after lunch and went to a Japanese mall, BabiesRus and the duty free shops mall. We got Jacob a new stroller and just window shopped rest of the day. When we got home I got Jacob ready for bed and Jon grilled dinner. During dinner I got a beautiful leather bond book with empty pages in it. I was told that the book was to serve the purpose of helping us to remember our anniversaries together and that each year we are to write how we celebrate our anniversary because when we have been married 46 years we might not remember how we spent our early anniversaries. Then I got ready for bed only to find several anniversary cards hidden around our room as I got ready for bed. It was so very sweet!
For our August anniversary we went and tried out a restraunt called Pizza House. It took a lot of convincing on Jon's part to get me dressed and out of the hosue beucase the though of having to sit anywhere for more than a few minuets was very unappealing to me at that time. We ended up having a lovely dinner at Pizza House which turns out to have a whole other menu besides just pizza. I was very happy about dinner because I finally had found a restraunt on Okinawa that serves a baked potato with a meal! The host predicted that we would be having a baby boy very soon but asked that I hold off till after I finished eating. Jon bought me a wonderful electic can opener. His reasoning was so that I could provide canned food for myself and our unborn child while he was deployed. I was having a war with our manual can opener at that point so I loved the gift and now every time I use it whether he is here or not I love it and think of him.
For our December anniversary we ended up back at Pizza House but instead for lunch. It was just as delicious and Jacob didn't make a peep throughout the whole meal!! We ended up driving further south after lunch and went to a Japanese mall, BabiesRus and the duty free shops mall. We got Jacob a new stroller and just window shopped rest of the day. When we got home I got Jacob ready for bed and Jon grilled dinner. During dinner I got a beautiful leather bond book with empty pages in it. I was told that the book was to serve the purpose of helping us to remember our anniversaries together and that each year we are to write how we celebrate our anniversary because when we have been married 46 years we might not remember how we spent our early anniversaries. Then I got ready for bed only to find several anniversary cards hidden around our room as I got ready for bed. It was so very sweet!
Night Flights
This week we are lucky enough to have two night flights. Normally, I would not think that night flights are lucky but I've come to like them. It means we get Jon home for the morning and I usually get woken up with a McFlurry and a cheeseburger. We usually go out to eat breakfast if Jon does not have to do any flight planning but this week we are staying at home because Jon is flight planning. I do prefer going out to eat for breakfast and having a low key morning but making dinner for lunch is just as good. Today I made Hamburger Pie for lunch. It's a casserole of sorts that one of my friends made for us after Jacob was born. It's super easy and anytime I can use my KitchenAid mixer to make mashed potatoes from scratch I'm happy. (Yes, Christina I still agree with Tim that you need one!!)
Here is the Hamburger Pie Recipe:
Here is the Hamburger Pie Recipe:
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 10 oz can of tomato soup
- 1 soup can full of water
- 1 15 oz can of green beans
- 1 tbs. dried onion flakes
- 3 potatoes
- Milk and butter to mash potatoes
- Shredded Cheese
Cook potatoes until tender. Drain. Season with salt and pepper. Add butter and milk. Mash potatoes and set aside. Brown ground beef in skillet. Add onion flakes, tomato soup, and water. Cook until well blended. Add green beans and warm all together. Place mixture in a 1 1/2 qt. casserole pan. Add potatoes on top of meat mixture. Place shredded cheese on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or microwave for 2 minutes.
I added real onions to it instead of the onion flakes. Next time I have decided that I will only add half a can of water. I actually have a picture of the finished product because Jon came over and took a picture of it after taking a picture of Jacob swinging in his swing.
Daddy is REALLY home!
We are certainly glad to have Jon home. It has just been over a week and our week has been action packed. Jacob's routine has completely changed to accommodate some Daddy time each night. My routine has totally changed because now I am getting up before Jacob to make breakfast and lunch for Jon and I'm also cooking again. It is so nice to have my extra set of hands back to help with Jacob not to mention having my best friend by my side once again!Saturday, November 29, 2008
Thanksgiving a little late...
We are having our Thanksgiving this year a little late. We are very thankful now that Jon is home with us now for a few months hopefully! The 'tuna can' was within range this morning and so the guys were able to fly off to the MCAS here. I arrived on time but missed the fly in since they were earlier than I thought they would be but still we got to see Jon walking towards us from the helicopter. After some quick paperwork we were on our way home! Jacob was passed out asleep for the whole ordeal after Daddy started holding him!
We have since had lunch and now I am sitting in the office while Jon is attempting to give Jacob a bottle. Unfortunately Jacob isn't being suckered into the bottle yet! So, I think we have regressed to no bottle again!
We have since had lunch and now I am sitting in the office while Jon is attempting to give Jacob a bottle. Unfortunately Jacob isn't being suckered into the bottle yet! So, I think we have regressed to no bottle again!
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
The BIG bottle battle!
Before Jon left for his deployment we started to give Jacob a bottle. He would take it from Jon or myself without a problem. A few weeks after Jon left Jacob started to refuse his bottle. I believe Jacob got smart and realized that what he wanted I had and that if he didn't take the bottle he got what he wanted! After about 5 weeks of trying every bottle at the store here including the Avent ones that we had, the original playtex nurser, a cheap Gerber bottle, the playtex insulator, the playtex venti-air, the nuk bottle I finally stumbled upon a review for the Breastflow bottle on amazon one day. I read review after review on the bottle. This bottle is awesome. It makes Jacob work like he does when I am nursing him and there is little to no gagging on his part which makes me happy. The best part is this bottle doesn't leak any milk into his mouth until he is latched on and ready. This bottle has put him to sleep both times we have used it. I'm holding off on trying it a third time today because right now I think he is in the middle of his 3 month growth spurt and feel it's better if I feed him. I can't wait to see if this bottle really does pass the with someone else giving it to him, if he takes it from me he should take it from anyone!
Sunday, November 23, 2008
I can pick out my baby's cry now!
I wish one Sunday after the church service I would go to pick up Jacob and he would be happy not crying! I immediately can now walk into the baby room and know that it is my child crying without even looking for him.
The first sunday I found him with the man that I left him with who was carrying Jacob and another baby around the room. No wonder Jacob was crying. His little head was boucning around. He had refused his bottle and I had written for them to come get me if he didn't take it. The lady volunteer told me they tried and he just played with it in his mouth so they took it away. It takes him a few minutes to catch on to the bottle. Or at least it did at that point. I actually came straight home and he took the bottle without a fuss.
The second sunday I returned to find him face down in a pack n play bassinet with a thick quilt all the way up to his neck. I know some babies lay on their tummies. Mine however does not. He gets very frustrated and his head always ends up in the center with his nose squished down.
The third sunday I picked him up to find him asleep but hot and sweaty like he had worn himself out crying. I do not know why he would have been crying because he was fed in the car before going in to church and shouldn't have needed to eat. He had a bottle but they didn't try to give it to him. In fact he wore himself out so much that he slept in my arms for another hour while the deacons tried to break into my car for me!
Today I came back and heard him immediately. I didn't have to look for him. I knew where he was by following the sign of him crying. He should have lasted till 12:50 because I had nursed him again in the car right before church at 11. He was crying and no one was soothing him. He was all alone in the crib. I had left him in a swing when I dropped him off today and he should have stayed happy in it!
It's just frustrating to pick him up and him be unhappy and then so worn out from crying. He rarely ever cries except for on Sunday at church. I guess I will have to start leaving the service once or twice to go and check on my child to make sure he is being taken care of!! I think the problem is that the worship hour is done by volunteers but the volunteers are the parents of children in the room which is a problem because you know their #1 priority is taking care of their own children so it doesn't matter if someone elses child is unhappy.
We will try again next week. I don't know why I keep trying if we are going to try to go to the early service when the service starts in December. That service will not have childcare so Jacob will have to go with us into the service.
The first sunday I found him with the man that I left him with who was carrying Jacob and another baby around the room. No wonder Jacob was crying. His little head was boucning around. He had refused his bottle and I had written for them to come get me if he didn't take it. The lady volunteer told me they tried and he just played with it in his mouth so they took it away. It takes him a few minutes to catch on to the bottle. Or at least it did at that point. I actually came straight home and he took the bottle without a fuss.
The second sunday I returned to find him face down in a pack n play bassinet with a thick quilt all the way up to his neck. I know some babies lay on their tummies. Mine however does not. He gets very frustrated and his head always ends up in the center with his nose squished down.
The third sunday I picked him up to find him asleep but hot and sweaty like he had worn himself out crying. I do not know why he would have been crying because he was fed in the car before going in to church and shouldn't have needed to eat. He had a bottle but they didn't try to give it to him. In fact he wore himself out so much that he slept in my arms for another hour while the deacons tried to break into my car for me!
Today I came back and heard him immediately. I didn't have to look for him. I knew where he was by following the sign of him crying. He should have lasted till 12:50 because I had nursed him again in the car right before church at 11. He was crying and no one was soothing him. He was all alone in the crib. I had left him in a swing when I dropped him off today and he should have stayed happy in it!
It's just frustrating to pick him up and him be unhappy and then so worn out from crying. He rarely ever cries except for on Sunday at church. I guess I will have to start leaving the service once or twice to go and check on my child to make sure he is being taken care of!! I think the problem is that the worship hour is done by volunteers but the volunteers are the parents of children in the room which is a problem because you know their #1 priority is taking care of their own children so it doesn't matter if someone elses child is unhappy.
We will try again next week. I don't know why I keep trying if we are going to try to go to the early service when the service starts in December. That service will not have childcare so Jacob will have to go with us into the service.
I love SKYPE!!!
Last night I woke up around 3 to go and check on Jacob because he had woken up at 11:23 screaming for some reason. I wanted to make sure he was okay so I got up. Since Jon has been gone I'm use to checking my email whenever I get up in the middle of the night to see if he has written me email. I had email from him from his hotmail account so I knew he was where the squadron is suppose to be right now. I was going to head off to bed but decided to check my myspace to see if he had left me a message on there too! And of course he had and then I noticed it said he was online now. So, I sent him a message on myspace which he got and then he got on skype. We weren't able to actually talk because the guys he is out on liberty with were asleep but we got to type which in my world is just the next best thing. After a long hour of typing we both ended up going to bed but I am so thankful I was able to type to him for a bit!
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Days like today make me love Okinawa!
Days like today make me love Okinawa. Right now it is 19 degrees Celsius here or 66.2 degrees Fahrenheit with a light breeze and a humidity of only 60%. It is a nice change considering a week ago here it still felt like summer! Hopefully, the cooler weather is here to stay so it actually feels like a little bit of fall! If it was this weather all year I would never leave!!
The picture is of the view from our apartment. I totally love our view! Sunsets are the best part on a clear day. That is the East China Sea. The bridge is used by people not cars and is part of my daily walk routine with Jacob. The windmill is actually pretty cool to watch spinning when it is really windy and on. It has a box under it that tells you how much electricity it is producing. It was made at Ellyson Field in Pensacola.
The picture is of the view from our apartment. I totally love our view! Sunsets are the best part on a clear day. That is the East China Sea. The bridge is used by people not cars and is part of my daily walk routine with Jacob. The windmill is actually pretty cool to watch spinning when it is really windy and on. It has a box under it that tells you how much electricity it is producing. It was made at Ellyson Field in Pensacola.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
2nd time around, Will this be the charm!?
So, this is my second time around at actually starting a blog! I tried before and got as far as setting it up and one post and then well life got busy! My life right now is already busy enough that I hope I can keep up with this. My goal is to do this for our friends and family back in the states that we do not get to talk to as much to keep up with our life in Okinawa, our growing little boy, our travels and adventures and my personal ramblings! More to come...I hope anyways!
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