Mothership Confessional

6 months...half birthday...Liam is growing up fast!! This has been the craziest  month in awhile. We moved halfway across the country...back home to Kansas! It was quite the adventure, but overall it went really smoothly, all things considered! We only lost 1 box and 1 floor lamp. Thankfully there wasn't anything irreplacable in that box, but frustrating nonetheless. Liam baby is growing leaps and bounds!! In these last few weeks he has become a much stronger sitter, even though he still can't do it independently yet. He likes you to sit on the floor so he can sit between your legs and play! He's getting around really well! He scoots backwards and rolls and can turn himself on his belly. He is always somewhere different everytime I see him in his crib over the monitor. He prefers to cram himself into the same corner of his crib to sleep! I'm loving all these baby milestones and new things he can do! He can entertain himself a little better and can stay awake...

OHHHHHH MYYYYYYYYY GOSHHHHHHHH In summary, those are my thoughts on the last 2 weeks. COMPLETE CHAOS. Ok so not really - we were actually really organized and kept routines to make the kids feel secure during this CRAZY moving experience!! My poor brain is just worn out from trying to keep up with it all! Our plans changed like a million times. One thing I've learned with the Army, more specifically PCSing, is that there will always be last-minute changes  and you just have to suck it up and figure out a way to proceed that will yield the lowest amount of stress. But stress is inevitable so you know it will still be hard! Where oh where to begin... The Georgia side of the move was really organized and we were prepared for the typical PCS experience. The last time we moved, I was 28 weeks pregnant and Ava was about 17 months old so that  was super challenging. I was excited to have full range of motion this time but worried about juggling 2 babies during it all! O...

I'm writing this up a little early because you know, moving. MOVING HALFWAY ACROSS THE COUNTRY! My brain needs to keep moving forward and tackling things on the to-do list, and this post was one I could type up in a flash and cross off the ever-growing list!! I don't know why 5 months seems so much older to me than 4 months. It's just another 30 days! I think it's because I know we are so close to some major milestones and I also know how fast the back end of the first year goes...before I know it, Liam will be a tiny toddler chasing Ava around! What a crazy thought!! Liam has changed leaps and bounds this month. He's got a really strong core now and wants to sit up when I try to recline him in my lap. He can roll to his belly and has been sleeping on his tummy! He likes to swing his arms around and is getting pretty grabby! He's become a big chatterbox and he just loves to giggle and smile! There is so much drool everywhere and he usua...

Liam is starting to show his little personality! He loves to sit and look at you and chat and smile and giggle! He giggles when you tickle his sides or kiss on his cheeks and neck! I've seen him smile and coo at his toys, and sometimes he just giggles for no reason! He is liking to chew on his fingers and he's starting to hold onto toys and bring them to his mouth. He spends a little time in the jumperoo and he likes his bumbo seat and always enjoys time in the swing. Ava was not a swing baby so this is a nice change! Liam is drooling  everywhere  and thankfully spitting up doesn't happen nearly as much anymore! The amount of laundry I'm doing has greatly decreased now that there are less blow outs and spit-up rivers! He likes baths and hates tummy time! He is still in 6 month clothes and size 2 diapers, but I'm sure 9 month clothes will be needed soon! He is already 15+ pounds! Strangers who ask how old he is are always shocked whe...

Week 29 So we are still settling in. We've been here long enough now that it's time to dust and vacuum already, but we still have so much stuff  lying around that we have to make a conscious effort to keep working on finding a home for every little thing. I think I can finally say... there are no more boxes in the house!!  I have unpacked the last of it! The decor might not all be up on the walls yet, but the house is definitely feeling more like a home! The crazy part is, is that we do this ALL OVER AGAIN in about 6-7 months. yayyyyyyyyyyyyy (that is a sarcastic "yay", by the way) I've enjoyed this week of finally getting to get in the Christmas spirit and put up the Christmas tree! And a few decorations...but we aren't doing a whole lot this year because honestly it's just more work to put things up...and then to have to take them down in a few weeks! Plus I don't have a whole lot of places for decorations where Ava cannot reach. However,...

Ohhh week 28...(well technically it was the week leading up to week 28 and the few days after) I'm real tired. I mean that more than I've ever meant it in a pregnancy update post before! We successfully relocated to Georgia! It was quite an adventure. An adventure that I hope to never, EVER, have to repeat while pregnant. We survived, but I kept thinking how much easier every little bit would have been if I didn't my have my sweet little 2 pound baby boy in my belly!! So, here's how the week went! Sunday night we were so excited for the packers to arrive in the morning. Excited and nervous, I'd say, This was the first time we had someone move us, and I had heard a lot of horror stories. I suppose it's similar to the stories of giving birth - they're all wildly unique, sometimes crazy and scary, but you make it through with a great story to share! The packers arrived at about 830...

Week 25 We have a house in Georgia!! This is such a relief! We were able to snag a 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom house just a few miles outside of post! I have always loved a home with stairs, in fact, all of our rentals have had them! This house is a 1-story, and I'm really  looking forward to not having to navigate stairs after Liam is born! It will be so nice just to walk down the hallway and not have to carry things up and down. Although, stairs gives me exercise, which I think really contributed to my rapid baby weight loss after Ava was born! The house does have a split floor plan so our bedroom is on the other side of the house from the other 3, so I guess I'll get my exercise during those middle-of-the-night feedings with Liam! I am really curious to see how the cats will handle having to "coexist" with Duke on one level. They currently hang out upstairs for the majority of the day, and only wander down when Ava is asleep because the baby gate is open on the stair...