Goals

Lately I have been thinking of things I want to do as I grow older.  I am approaching 26, it is just days away and I think it is always important to have goals, this list is more of a fun to do list of things I would like to one day accomplish. It is just things that have been popping into my head lately.  Most likely I will forget to put half the things that have been dancing through my head but that just means that this post will hopefully continually added to.... that is if I make this blogging thing more of a regular habit. 

So here goes:

*Take a photography class and take cool pictures *Become computer literate *Learn to Sew *Be able to run 10 miles with ease *Grow a successful vegetable garden *Scrapbook all my pictures *Be an active member of a business,  something creative such as a card company, bakery/cafe, decorating, etc. *Host an elaborate party *Do something successful with my degree *Own a home in which each room is a different color

more to come, it is off to bed for me now!

 

Sleep...

For the past year I have been doing something I thought I never would. I have been co-sleeping with Gabby.  Before she was born we never even discussed having her share our bed, she had a bassinet next to our bed for when she was a newborn and she had a crib in her room when I was ready to move her into it.   Getting Gabby asleep and down has not ever been something easy.  I remember our first week home from the hospital she would be swaddled tight as can be and sound asleep, with a belly full of milk..... as soon as you laid her down and she was out of your arms she would wake up and cry.  It almost became easier for me to hold her for naps so that is what it turned into.  She loved to sleep on me and I enjoyed it too most of the time.  It is such a special bonding time and to have her so close and snuggled up to me really is one of the sweetest things you can imagine. It is time I never have to give back and can cherish it forever.I am not going to ever say, man I wish I would have dusted and mopped the floor more. Plus it allowed me to sit and rest.  

   Once the bassinet became too small, rather Gabby got to big, we moved her into the crib.  I am such a worrier that the first week or so I found myself laying on the floor of her room just to make sure she was breathing and okay.  There were a few months around 4-5 months old where Gabby slept pretty much through the night in her crib, WOW.  Then came our first trip to America. Our first night at my parents house she went to sleep in the crib upstairs, but awoke shortly after. I didn't know what to do really, there was the major time change that puts your schedule so out of whack.  That was the beginning of co-sleeping as I remember it.  

   I have tried a few times to get Gabby to sleep in her crib, but that usually ends with her crying for over an hour and then waking shortly after falling asleep to start the cycle of crying again.I There were times she would sleep in her crib for a week or so and then would refuse. It was just easier on both her and I to have her sleep with me.  I didn't have to be tortured by her sobbing and she got more sleep and was happier.  It really hasn't ever been a big deal, Clay is gone the majority of the time it seems and when he is home he doesn't mind having his baby girl sweetly sleeping next to him.  

   Well time has come where I am ready to make the transition.  Gabby is getting big and strong, which means I end up getting kicked in the head and jabbed in the stomach and I worry about her falling off the bed.  Plus if it doesn't happen now when will it?  This brings us to current, for a few months now Gabby has been taking her nap without a fuss.  We lay down in my bed, she falls asleep and I am free to do what I need around the house.  Nighttime has also seen a shift.  Gabby falls asleep, I put her in her crib and she doesn't even flinch!  Now that is a major accomplishment for us.  She has been doing fairly well at adjusting to her crib, she occasionally wakes up and I go in and tell her I am there, lay back down and she does.  We make it till 3am, then it is in bed with me but we are still a work in progress!  

   It is exciting and bittersweet at the same time. To many people it is a crazy thought to have their 15 month old child sleeping with them.  It was to me before we started.  I think it has been a truly wonderful experience, so heart warming.  There were nights she would wake up and kiss my arm softly then go right back to sleep.  Then there is that little voice saying "momma, mik peas! Peas!"  Which translates to Milk please. Even during the middle of the night she would use her sign language and say Please!  

Neighbors

I must say that I am proud of the relationship we have with our neighbors.  From what I know of friends that have/do live here in Japan- not many  know or are friendly with the people that they share their floor with. Our floor has 6 apartments on it, and of those we regularly see and talk with 3 of them.  Each family has something different and special that adds to the dynamics of our floor.  It is so nice to know that if I need something there are a number of doors I can knock on- sometimes even in pajamas.  

   Today I spent time talking with all three of these special ladies.  Gabby has a love for each of them and their families just like me.  She knows who lives in each apartment, and can say at least one name of each family member.  Earlier today we knocked on one door to see if her friend was home, he wasn't and she was so sad (and very tired) that she cried and didn't want to come back inside!  

   When we move, whenever it may be I will be sad to leave the people that we have shared this experience of living in Japan with.  Oh, and one thing that I think we all have in common besides living on the same floor is a love of food!  Each person knows how to cook something yummy and different and we all love to smell (and sometimes are even lucky enough to taste) what others are cooking!

Creative

I have been feeling bursts of creativity the past few weeks.  Not only do the bursts come, I actually have done something with them a few times.  It all started after Gabby's birthday and making thank you cards for all the generous gifts she received. I love to make cards, but don't often do it- this time I did and they turned out pretty cute.  I took a sweet picture of Gabby in her new dress. The photo shoot wasn't ideal, she was a bit tired and you can see if you look closely that she is eating string cheese!  

Creative satisfaction number two came when I made chocolate covered strawberries for a bake sale.  I have made them a number of times, but this time I added white chocolate 'stripes' and they came out fantastic.  It helps that I started with amazingly perfect Japanese strawberries, how they are so sweet and pretty in the middle of February I have no clue.  

This past week I got the sudden urge to do something creative, that took me to the hobby mart (not all that great, this is the first time I have ever left with something I was actually looking for).  FELT.  Felt is great to work with, so much fun.  I am not great at drawing anything, so just going at a piece of felt with some scissors is what I did. Stitching them by hand together and using little baby clips, my final product was a bunch of really cute little hair clips.  I have given a few away already but have many more to make and pass out!  This little obsession has kept me up as late as midnight for three nights in a row!  

I hope this creativity stays in me, especially with spring right around the corner.  It feels so good to make something and be proud of it. 

Two days

A lot can happen in just two days.  Yesterday we drove Clay to the ship and said goodbye to him for a few months, the ship is headed out on a "regularly scheduled deployment." It wasn't even 7am as we headed back into our tower for home and Gabby already was talking about Daddy.  He has left before and it is always hard, but this time just seemed like it might be even harder.  Each afternoon when Clay walks in the door Gabby lights up and gets excited.  She can be sound asleep and hears him come home only to perk right up and is ready to play.  Pictures will be a daily part of our routine, kissing them and talking about where dad is and how much we love him. Singing songs about Dad will be as well, we have changed the words to Elmo's world theme song so it is Gabby's world, and when we get to the part about who we love- Gabby always says she loves her "daddy."

Day two was a day filled with new excitement and fun.  We started parent child swim lessons.  The class consists of two boys who are both two, their parents and then us.  The pool is olympic sized and amazing. I have taken Gabby there once before just for fun, and at first she was a bit scared but then had a blast.  Today she was anxious to get in, and out of the three kids there was the only one who wasn't clinging to Mom, and didn't want to get out. It was a very fun time, and will help fill up our weeks. Another benefit, she was tuckered out from all the splashing.  Nap time was instant once we got home and had some milk, then at 6:45pm she was sound asleep for the night!  

Gabby Jean is ONE year old!

Our little girl is getting big  Gabby turned one year old, and in every way is growing out of being a baby and into being a kid!  She opened presents, her face showing the most excitement and joy you can imagine. Went to the Dr for her 12 month checkup.... she weighs in at 21 lbs, ranking in the 50% range, 31 inches tall which her dad has told everyone is in the 95%.  He's hoping she is tall and sometimes she shows the possibility of being a lefty (good for baseball in his dreams).  We celebrated with our neighbors and friends at a small party.  Waking up to snow that day meant Clay had to BBQ in his fur hooded parka on the balcony.  Having my baby turn one is amazing, I even got a little teary with her while she was laying on me starting to take her nap.  One thing that also happened with her turning one is attitude! This little girl has quite a bit of personality inside of her and always has, but the feisty little attitude is a bit new! Oh and another milestone we hit is 1 year of her nursing.  She nurses more than she needs to, but thats okay. I just remember how hard the first two months were and saying to my mom that I didn't think I was going to be able to do this whole thing for 6 months let alone an entire year!  We did it and even have lasted through her first 5 teeth coming in!

  

I figured I should write down everything she can do now and put it in her baby book so this is what I have so far:

  Walking like a pro, well she has been for a few months.  She even runs away with a grin directed at me.

American Sign Language signs she uses;

more, milk, drink, please, all done, ball, baby, eat, story, bath, play, friend.

Words she says that I can understand;

mom, dad, baby, ball, more, milk, Nene (grandma), Baba (grandpa), book, read, bird, cat, dog, eat, water, hi, bye bye, elmo, apple, banana, cheese, ice, up, noodle, night night, eye, teeth.  This list is getting hard b/c I feel like so many words I say she can repeat, seriously!

Animal sounds she can make;

cat, dog, pig (she moves her nose like she is oinking), cow (says boooo), owl, duck, chicken, sheep.  We are working on these, she did them with no help the other day but that isn't always the case.