Anyone Want a Chihuahua?

Poor Scooter, he’s inching ever closer to his fourth owner. Do you know anyone who would like a super needy little dog…that terrorizes little babies? He only messes in the house every once in a while! Regardless I love this little guy, he’s been part of our family for over a year now and there isn’t a better snuggly little lap dog…except for all the ones that don’t snap at babies or pee every time they get scared. We’re having some issues with Scooter and small children. It seems he doesn’t do so well with the four and under crowed. We’ve had him around Kaliegh (Matt and Jen’s daughter) and despite this cute looking photo he has growled and showed teeth a few times now. He must feel threatened by the little ones.

There was a two year old in his last family. I remember her “holding” him the first time we met. You know the two year old grip of a small animal? She had him under the front legs dangling like a doll. He didn’t like her one bit. Perhaps he is scarred from the experience. Any way, it goes without saying that with my own baby on the way it makes me very nervous. *Sigh* It also makes me so sad. As I type he is curled up on my lap, like he always is. That’s a whole other issue; is his going to lash out in jealousy when there is always a baby in HIS spot? We’ll probably just wait and see. Since I will be here to constantly supervise dog and child I don’t think there is much chance for harm. Right?

Wednesday and Chillin'

Just another lovely day at the Smoochy house. Jack and Scooter are being their usual cute selves and I am putzing around, baking bread (an oatmeal molasses loaf), doing wash, and devouring the internet. I’ve also been going through the photos I recently had developed. I am undertaking the project of making albums of all the digital pictures taken since our wedding! That's nearly 8 months of pictures! I recently ordered over 500 prints from Snapfish. I am very pleased with the quality (I chose the glossy finish) and the price was good. I prepaid for 1000 prints at 10 cents a pop. The shipping and handling was murder though, $30 for UPS ground!!!

I would like to give a warning to all of you using their services. They give you the option of regular 4X6 prints or a slightly smaller print especially formatted for digital prints. The regular 4X6 print forces them to crop out a bit of your digital shot. I didn’t heed their warning that some of my photos might loose some of their aesthetic appeal in the standard 4X6 format . I didn’t think it could be that severe or effect too many pictures. It was and it did. Go with the smaller digital print!!! I will next time!

My only other complaint was that the 500+ photos I ordered are completely out of order. I am anal about arranging my photos albums chronologically. I have been known to redo whole albums just to insert a photo or two in the “right” place. I submitted my order to Snapfish in groups of “albums” and I was sure to arrange the photos in those albums chronologically. In fact, that’s they way they have you download them. It will take me a week to go through and sort the Halloween pics from the baby shower pics, from the honeymoon pics, etc. *Sigh* On the upside, at least I have something to keep me busy!

Greg for a Day

Ahh… Monday. Is everyone settling into their weekly routine? We are too over at the Smoochy house hold. But some how, Monday doesn’t seem so blue after such a lovely weekend. Of course Jacob’s homecoming has a bunch to do with my good outlook. It is such a joy to have him home. There is nothing like waking up in the arms of your soul mate…or for us waking up, sprawled out, on opposite ends of a king-sized bed from your soul mate. ;-)

But truly, our weekend was stellar; it had that great, lazy, at home kind of feel. Saturday morning we pulled on sweats and sneakers and took the dogs to play at the dog park. What an adventure. Each weekend a group of our neighbors brings their pups to Niles Park for a little off leash romp. We’re talking like 20 dogs here! The dogs can chase each other till their hearts content, swim in ponds, or eat yummy treats that all the owners have copiously stashed in their pockets. Doggy heaven. The owners all sit around chatting about this and that drinking coffee out of travel mugs or Starbucks cups. Scooter has quickly developed a reputation as the fearless Chihuahua who runs with all the big dogs!

That evening to top off our wonderful Saturday, Jacob set up his grill and cooked up a batch of his world famous lemon pepper chicken thighs. We even had our next door neighbors over to join in the feast! They are very cool, early fifties, two high school aged sons, slightly eccentric. They’re no Charlie and Sharon, but we REALLY enjoyed their company and conversation. There is nothing like nice neighbors to make a place feel homey. I hope we continue to get to know them.

But, the real highlight was a visit from Greg on Sunday. Greg is Jacob’s step-father and an over the road trucker. He was dropping off some brick out here in San Francisco, so were able to have him with us most of the day Sunday before he had to haul off. As you can see in the photo, Scooter fell in love with him, and didn’t leave his lap the whole visit! How funny! We had steaks at the Texas Road House (yummy iron for the baby!) and just had a great time catching up.

I can say that for the moment, everything just feels right with the world!

33 Weeks and Counting

I know, I am a dork… taking pictures of myself. But I am having so much fun over here. I am playing dress-up because Jacob should be home in about an hour, and I just thought I’d share the fun with all of you. Can you believe how GINORMOUS my belly is? As you can see, my clothes don’t quite fit as they should. I am not thrilled about spending money on summer tops to fit my belly that I would only wear a few weeks. I feel better about STRETCHING my current resources! Any way, my house is sparkling clean, I’m about to put dinner in the oven, and I’ve got my make-up just right. Just call me Donna Reid! I am ready for my man!

Focused

I am trying to keep things in perspective. With Jacob’s impending three week trip to Seoul, South Korea my softer side longs to hop on a plane and fly home to Florida to be with my family. These last 11 days without my Hubby have been LONG. The truth of the matter however, is that this is not a practical solution to my loneliness. Firstly, the dogs: Scooter I could probably fly with easily. Jack on the other hand, would be a bit more of a challenge. Crating him on a plane for a cross country flight or kenneling him for three weeks both sound like crummy options to me. Either way, I would spend a fortune and either way he would be miserable. On top of that, I will be 34-37 weeks pregnant during this time. This might not be the safest time to fly. Plus I’ll have 2 important visits with my midwife during this period. Lastly, I still haven’t made any friends here in Fremont, and I certainly can’t get to know anyone from FL. I need to get a life here, NOW so that the NEXT time Jacob leaves me (and the country) I will have more of a network. Sadly, I can’t go home every time he leaves, especially with the baby. I need to keep going to yoga, join a church, and a Mommy and Me group…

Do I sound convincing? The truth of the matter is that I miss my family and I would LOVE to go home for three lovely weeks. Think of the tan I could get on my big pregnant belly! Ahh…the Gulf of Mexico in May. All my reasons for staying haven’t REALLY sold me on it. We’ll see I guess. Things are definitely getting better for me here in California. Having Matt and Jen so close is HUGE. There is talk of Jen coming to visit me for a while to keep me company. Plus, I have a La Leche League meeting and a Bay Area Home Birth Collective pot-luck to look forward to in May. At least I will be seeing the family just around the corner. All the parents are coming to see the new grandbaby, and there is an upcoming trip to Ripley for Sara’s (my cousin) wedding! Sigh… Focused, I just have to stay focused.

This is Where We Live

After yesterday’s post I figure I’d best clarify one thing…California is beautiful. I don’t want any of you to think that I was lamenting our situation. Frankly, Jacob and I have it pretty great. The picture you are seeing is a view in my neighborhood that I pass everyday on a walk with the dogs. Amazing isn’t it? The city we live in passed legislation to leave all the hills undeveloped, so it makes for some very stunning views. The locals say all these hills will turn brown (or GOLDEN) in the dry hot summers. It will be nice to mark the seasons that way I suppose. Today is the second day in a row that we have had no rain, so I am feeling very thankful. I am also feeling grateful that Jacob will be home in three short days. It couldn’t get any better! Unless of course all of you on the East Coast up and decide to move west! The house next door to ours in for sale, it’s only $600,000 for a two bedroom with about 1200 square feet. Any takers? Actually, it’s a BEAUTIFUL house and very reasonably priced for the area. Come on Chuck & Kate, this would be a perfect starter home! Oh well, I’ll just keep day dreaming…

Nostalgia

The meatballs were out of this world! This weekend, spent with our better than good friends in their beautiful home in Monterey, CA, was just what the doctor ordered. From the moment I arrived on Friday afternoon I was made to feel welcome and part of the family. Matt's little sister was visiting them as well, and so the house was full all weekend. It was a real treat! The highlights of the weekend were definiatly the company, conversation, and THE FOOD! All weekend long we enjoyed one feast after another! Thank you Matt and Jen for letting me be a part of your family and holiday...along with my two less than perfectly behaved dogs!

I returned this morning to SUNNY Fremont, CA with Jack and Scooter. The three of us have been napping off an on all day since we've been back. I'm not sure what it is, the exciting weekend, or the third trimester of pregnancy, but I am feeling my limits today. It's funny; something about returning to my new abode has made me feel homesick. I was chatting with my dear friend Lisa in Wisconsin today and I came to the conclusion that I have "hit the wall" of this move. We've been here long enough that the new exciting feeling has warn off, but not long enough yet for it to feel 100% comfortable and like home.

So, I turned to my photo albums. It was amazing to see how much has changed for Jacob and I in three years. How much we've changed. A new era has started for us, and however wonderful it is, I can't help feeling nostalgic for our early carefree times. I miss watching the sun set from our front porch swing in GA, and I miss all of out neighbors. I miss going to Charlie and Sharon's on Saturday morning, still in our PJs with our coffee cups in hand. We would sit on their back porch and read their paper, swat at the gnats, and listen to "Charlie Stories". I miss pulling on to Rainbow Lane and seeing Jacob's big blue Dodge in the drive way, and watching Jack and Scooter run around the house to greet me. And I know that Jacob and I are entering some of the most thrilling and happy days of our lives, I just wish we didn't have to do it so far away from so many people we love.

Of course, even if we had stayed right where we were things still would have changed, and the era still would have passed. The time of mad-capped BBQs and unchecked drunken revelry are over. Even before the move I found myself missing the days when Chuck, Jacob, and I were the Three Musketeers: tequila-shooting, adventure-having, late-night-laughing-fools that we were. It's just time to grow up. Sigh... I really don't even like tequila any more!

I'm sure I will note each passing stage in our lives in the same way. When we move from here I will look back on the little cottage where I gave birth to our son; and I'll think of Niles Park where we walked our dogs; or I'll remember the way Jacob looked dressed up so nice for his first day at work as a civilian, and I will sigh and miss those times and remember when...and get acclimated to whatever new is coming our way.

Happy Easter!

Hello everyone!
With Jacob out of town, I have had the good fortune to become the guest of Matt and Jen in beautiful Monterey, CA! Yesterday we did the tour of Carmel, CA which was awesome despite the grey weather, and today Matt is making home-made marinara and meatballs. Oh happy day! I'll get back to you on my adventure here on Monday. But, if any of you feel like it, call my poor lonely hubby. He is stuck in Virginia for the weekend with not much to do. Not a fun way to spend the holiday. I hope everyone gets lots of treats from the Easter Bunny! Love, Becca

My Trip to the DMV

I've decided that DMV should stand for the Department of the Mentally Vacant. There is something about the place that just sucks the brain power out of anyone who steps foot into the building. Perhaps they pump something into the air. Or maybe it's a trance induced by the fluorescent lights, mind-numbing lines that wrap around and lead to nowhere, combined with the continuous ping of the loudspeaker. "Now serving A16 at window number 4." I saw one poor employee involuntarily shudder every time the mechanical voice called a new number.

I walked in and was directed to the 15 person deep line just to get your number or check in for your appointment. Thank God I had an appointment . . . and that I came 20 minuets early. It took that long just to check in. When it was finally my turn in that first line I told the woman my appointment number and asked, "Can I please have the application to register your car?" She starts searching frantically through stacks of papers saying, "Um, Um..." She announces she has to go to the back to hunt one up. Funny, I thought those would be frequently requested items. She's the only person manning the line so when she disappears to the back the line starts snaking out the door and I start receiving whispered death threats. Eventually she reemerges with a pamphlet on HOW to register your car. "No," I sigh "I don't need that, I just need the application." She huffs at me and reaches into a cubby in the front of her desk to retrieve the easily accessible document. The line behind me moans and grumbles.

In the end, I wasn't able to register the car because I am not my husband, and our GA registration is in his name alone. The man processing my long awaited application, holding my GA driver license in his hand says, "What's your name?"

"Um...Rebecca Winge..." I start to answer.

"Where's Jacob?"

"He's out to s... on business."

"Sorry ma'am, he'll need to register HIS car."

sigh... not worth the argument.

I didn't consider all was lost at that point yet. I was still determined to get my California drivers license. The lines weren’t so bad in this department. It only took 45 minuets to get my picture taken. You'd think I'd be home free at that point, but no. After being a licensed driver for 11 years (albeit not the BEST driver) California wasn't satisfied that I could be trusted to obey THEIR traffic laws. I had to take a multiple choice test. Thirty-six questions. I failed. Failed miserably! I missed twelve! Grrr. Some of the questions I answered incorrectly I am willing to calk up to the mind-sapping environment of the DMV previously discussed. I just went brain dead. But others...What the f#@$%! For example:

A pedestrian who is blind or visually impaired uses traffic sounds before deciding to cross the street. If you see a pedestrian with a guide dog or a white cane waiting to cross to a corner, you should...

A. Stop at the cross walk and honk your horn

B. Drive in to the cross walk so the person can hear your engine

C. Pull up to the cross walk so the person can hear your engine

You tell me. Any way, I guess I should be thankful at least Jacob wasn't with me. He probably would have passed the freaking test on the first try and I would have been livid.

Waiting Out the Rain

It's raining today. I woke up to grey clouds and the pitter patter of a steady trickle. I pulled the covers over my head and groaned. Jack started barking to be taken for a walk. "Not now Bud... maybe next week." I think the rain is finally starting to get to me. Today I am coping with thick socks and a sweater. I have a nice cup of tea and the Counting Crows playing me rainy day tunes. I looked on line... it rained 22 days in March and we are looking only a bit better for April. That is just days that precipitation fell... it doesn’t count all the days that we have been without the sun but otherwise dry. I suppose I shouldn't be complaining...at least there has been no snow. I don't know how the hearty Northerners cope with those kind of grey skies for days on end. No wonder the suicide rate goes up in the winter.

I need to find the silver lining in all these clouds. I'd be rich! I suppose I can take patience and perseverance away from the endless string of rainy days... And I have faith; faith that I WILL see the sun again someday. In the mean time, could someone please come take my dogs for a walk for me?

Just Me and the Boys

Here we go again; Jacob is out to sea... Ooops! I mean away on business. Jack, Scooter, and I miss him, but we're doing ok. Actually, this "away on business" stuff is going to be WAY easier than dealing with deployment. For starters I have already spoken with Jacob several times over the phone. No more weeks on end without word from my husband!

The only bit that will be more challenging about our new situation is the jealousy factor. For example, he's in Virginia right now, about an hour away from Annapolis... so guess where he is going to go this weekend! Lucky dog. Virginia is nice and all, but I might REALLY start getting a smidge green when he is overseas in Japan, Germany, and Taiwan. Sniff sniff... I want to be a world traveler! I can tell I really do love him though, because I am far happier for him than I am jealous. Seriously! I swear! I'm glad for him that he gets to do cool stuff. Besides, I might have it better than my jet-setting-hubby. I won't have to spend weeks away from our son... as a crazy Braxton Hicks contraction tightens up my belly. Man, those are cool!

Not much other news here. Life is predictably quiet for me right now. The daily rain showers continue in the Bay Area, keeping the dogs and I inside. I am reading another book on natural childbirth and midwifery, and tonight I am going to a gentle yoga class... so all is really well.

Best Friends Reunited

Thank the Good Lord for the Boomber family. Jacob and Matthew met and became fast friends Plebe Summer at the Naval Academy. Plebe Summer, from what I understand is the grueling indoctrination midshipmen go through the summer before their freshman year. Any way, after four years of friendship at USNA, and a two year hiatus in which Jacob and Matt had to go through still more Naval Schools to become proficient in their respective naval disciplines, the friends were reunited at last. Matt was stationed at Mayport and Jacob at Kings Bay. The two bases are only a 45 minuet drive from each other. Jacob was Matt's Best Man two going on three years ago, and then Matt was Jacob's Best Man last September. The boys are like peas & carrots. I can't count how many BBQs and dinners the Boomber's and the Smoochy's have enjoyed together. (Matt makes world famous meat balls and spaghetti!) Jen, Matt's wife, and I have become very close friends through our men. She and I half kid it's not that we had a choice in the matter, but thankfully for us it came very naturally! It's easy to see in how many ways the two, now three, of them have enriched our lives. Their daughter Kaleigh is an eight month old angel, and in the long tradition of wishful close friends, she is already secretly betrothed to our unborn son!

The best part is, that unlike the rest of our loved ones, we didn't leave this fantastic family behind when we left the East Coast. Oh no! Matt is now stationed in Monterey, CA working on his Masters degree!!! In fact, they got out here only a week or two behind us. We are following each other coast to coast! Yesterday was the first time we had all been able to get together since before Matt went on his last six-month-deployment. It was such a great day. After sandwiches at our place the five of us went to Baby's R Us for a little adventure. I must say, the men do a lot better there when they have a buddy for moral support and encouragement. We also enjoyed drinks and appetizers at a steak joint, and just had some good quality time with our friends.


Being around the three of them was a real eye opener for me in one major way. Holy crap, Jacob and I are going to have a baby in TWO MONTHS! Kaleigh is great. Even after a rare and random rough night without sleep she was still a friendly, happy, low-maintenance baby. In the best possible world we'll get one just like her! But man, this kid is going to revolutionize our lives. Even the smallest outing or undertaking becomes such an ordeal with a baby. I hope we are ready for it! Seeing them brought home the reality of it for me, though. This is actually happening. We are going to be parents. Matt and Jen make it look so rewarding and fulfilling; I just can't wait!

Poppa Jacob

Doesn’t my hubby look jovial with his beard? It's 7:30pm, dinner is over and Jacob is back to work. To bad he can't make overtime for the hours spent chugging away here at home. However, I honestly don't think there is much he would rather be doing. The puzzle solver in him can't leave it alone. I suppose this is time better spent than if he were playing video games. Note the Apple sticker on his IBM laptop. You've got to love that super geeky ironic humor!

Well, while Jacob is busy working, I am absorbed with pondering the important questions in life... like do you really need to use special baby detergent? I'd love to hear from all you parent's out there. Here's some thoughts from other moms and dads. I suppose you're better safe than sorry, I wouldn't want to give Sonny a rash. But, couldn't you just buy detergent without scents and dyes in it and be as well off? I hate to buy in to something just because the marketing behind it is aimed to guilt parents into buying their crap. "You're a bad Mommy for washing baby's clothes with all those chemicals!" Let's see what the experts have to say! Last but not least, if you feel like boosting the flame retardant properties of baby's clothes while being eco-friendly, check this out! No guilt there! ;-) Actually, I am only posting this link because it is based on a Clemson University Study and I want to make my little sister, Kate (a Clemson Alum) proud! I recycle which is about as eco-friendly as I can muster, and frankly I am pretty skeptical of flame retardant claims. Probably something else I should research. Anyway, how will I wash Jr.'s clothes? I guess the jury is still out. I haven't actually priced any of this stuff... so I'll have keep you posted on this very important issue.


Here we go. Jacob has just joined me in the living room so we can spend some quality time together! ;-) Seriously though, I am very glad he loves his work so much. And I have to admit, I ENJOY our quite evenings together. Some of our most relaxing nights have been passed with my nose in a book and his thumbs glued to a video controller. It's nice to be contented simply sharing our space. We're going to make comfortable old farts together. We'll be out to breakfast at our favorite dinner; I'll be skimming the headlines and he'll be checking out the real estate classifieds. Well, I think it's time for a cup of hot chocolate. The baby needs a sugar fix!

Just Another Rainy Day

April Showers bring what? In Fremont we’ve had April showers every day. Cold drizzly rain. We have had gunmetal grey skies for days, and this constant trickle of rain. Our poor dogs suffer it the worst. They hadn’t gone on a decent walk since Saturday, so this afternoon I bundled up in Jacob’s Navy issue rain coat, grabbed an umbrella, and headed out on the slick wet streets of our neighborhood. Jack and Scooter were as happy as pigs in shit. We tramped around for over a half an hour…until we were all thoroughly soggy. Oh well, it’s not like I had any other big plans for the day. It has been very easy sharing one vehicle between Jacob and I. Once he gets to work, he doesn’t leave until it’s time for him to come home. Therefore it is not an inconvenience to him in the least if I drop him off and pick him up. That being said, I really only take the car once or twice a week because at least for now, there isn’t much that I want to go do. I am happier at home reading books, baking goodies, and walking the doggies. I need to get out and do some exploring… Maybe I will feel more inclined to do so once he goes out of town and I can no longer rely on his homecoming to break up the monotony of my day and provide some very refreshing company.

Last night we stayed up late chatting. The time change has thrown us for a loop. Without TV we aren’t exactly tuned in to the world at large. We had completely forgotten to change our clocks Sunday… so of course Jacob was late to work. Thank God, he and I spoke on the phone the next morning or I wouldn’t have been ready in time for our midwife’s visit yesterday afternoon. Judy is great, I so enjoy her visits. Jacob made it home to be there for the check-up as well. I am lucky to have such an interested hubby! The time a midwife spends with her clients is so valuable. She stayed for over an hour answering all our questions and just chatting before my exam. You would NEVER get that with an OB. Everything looks good with baby and I. I’m gaining just the right amount of weight, my blood pressure is good, and baby’s heart beat is strong and healthy. Not to mention yesterday he had the hiccups which we both got to hear with her fetoscope. It was pretty cool. The little guy is breach right now, and the midwife thought that the excruciating pain I felt in the top right side of my belly Sunday was his little noggin digging in to me!

For those of you who I didn’t moan to on Sunday, I was having this crazy sharp incessant pain in the top right side of my belly. It’s been coming on and off for a couple of weeks now, but NOTHING as intense as it was Sunday. I could hardly move it hurt so badly. The pain started about 10 am and lasted all day… Then all of a sudden at about 6 pm it just vanished. Weird. Anyway, it makes sense that it was Sonny’s hard little head digging in to me because all it would take to get some relief is for him to move. If it happens again I know what to do, poke my belly around till he flips around! Well, it’s three o’ clock pm out her in CA, and I need to start thinking about the evening meal, so I’m signing off. Love to all!