A driving woman

I got my driver's license, finally!!!! It's been great driving ! I feel like an adult with some freedom again. It's very weird to drive on the opposite side of the road. Every time I pull out of a parking lot I tell myself, "stay left". I've only curbed the car once....so far. It's hard pulling into parking spaces too.
I'm afraid to drive off the base yet. I don't have the confidence, but I'm sure it will come soon, especially since I heard there is a store in town that resembles a Walmart....

A Much Needed Haircut

Caleb finally got a much needed haircut. I cut it with the help of Shawn. It's not the best or even haircut, but alteast you can see his forehead and ears again.

Everyone thinks he looks like Shawn with his haircut. (cause he looks like a boy again)

New Car

Yes, it's true we have bought a car. It's nothing special, but finally we have transportation. I was starting to think that baby Riley would be coming home in a taxi....There is a lot of paperwork involved in getting a car on the road. It's very different than the states. The car has to be taken to Yokohoma, which is about 45 minutes from here to be inspected for Japanese Road tax and plates. You can pay someone $45 and they will drive your car there and take care of all your paperwork. They are called LTO runners and everyone uses them. I have to tell you that the thought of giving my keys to a complete stranger and giving them enough money to take care of all the expenses makes my stomach alittle sick, but everyone has assurred me that this is the way things are done.....it works great for me because I don't know how to get to Yokohoma, much less speak Japanese. It's just another example of how the culture is so different here compared to the states. In the states you don't trust anyone to do anything much less take all your paperwork to a vehicle and your keys, plus give them money....can you imagine???

Cheesecake Please

I am glad to announce that I am able to ask for "Cheesecake Please". My glucose test came back perfect!!! So, no problems with my sugar intake...thank goodness. I was really sweating that I wouldn't be able to eat my girl scout cookies that are left in the freezer.

I had my doctor's appointment on Wednesday and everything is great! My blood pressure is normal, my weight gain is normal, belly is measuring 33 weeks, and baby is in the lock and load position. It was an exciting appointment. I got to feel Riley's head....my midwife placed my hands between my pelvic bone and pressed very hard and I could actually feel his head. It was amazing!!! He's going to be bigger than Caleb was I'm afraid.

Shawn's schedule has changed by just a couple of days, but those couple of days has given me hope that he will be here when baby Riley decides to grace us with his presence. He is very excited and I am relived.

I recently attended a Family Readiness Group meeting. I met many wonderful women who have assured me I will receive meals and help when Shawn leaves and I'm the single parent of a 2 year old and a newborn. It was great to meet some spouses from Shawn's ship. Most of them have older children and are eager to help out with a baby...

I have still have so much to do before Riley comes. I still do not have the nursery put together. I have clothes to wash and to organize. I need to buy baby wipes and diapers. I need to clean my breast pump and...oh my, I really have alot to do. I really need to buy a infant car seat!! I think there is only one kind at the exchange here on base so my decision making is made easy. I just need to get over there and buy one and of course it's an Eddie Baurer and expensive. For those of you who are not familiar with military PXs or NEXs the stores carry big name brands only with the big price tags. Now we don't pay tax, but still I'm always trying to figure out how the military is offering us competitive prices to stores like Walmart and Target..now I do have to say that the Commissaries definitely offer great prices. We do get a great discount. Anyway, enough about that.

All is well here and I am eager to get things ready for Riley...as soon as I get the energy. The weather is getting nicer and the sunshine makes our moods high. We miss everyone dearly and miss home, but I think we are finally starting to get settled.

Lost Reality

I was thinking that I really haven't gotten much bigger since Shawn had been home last, but looking at these pictures he took is making me double guess my reality... The fact that we don't have any full length mirrors in our home has only increased my lost reality. You know that feeling when you put your make-up on and wear a new outfit and your feeling young and beautiful only to find out that your lipstick has been covering your teeth all night or your shirt was tucked into your granny panties and exposed to all to see.....that's the feeling I'm having now....

I am now 32 weeks pregnant and my back is starting to feel the blunt of it. I am feeling really good during the day, except for the exhaustion, but as night falls I start to feel like a truck has hit me. I have gained a total of 26 pounds and my bra is telling me that I've outgrown the elastic forgiveness of a DD. My feet fit into 3 pairs of shoes (and for those of you who know the amount of shoes I own, that's nothing!!!) My legs do not resemble the ones that I have grown to accept over the years...and my face is filling out nicely. My maternity pants are digging into my skin and my shirts no longer cover the ever growing bump. And since Shawn has been home he reminds me that I can't start to complain yet because we still have 2 more months to go. I love how he likes to use the word, "we" there is no "we" in this process. I'm getting fat and he's getting skinner...

I have been told by my midwife that I failed my gloucose screening, so I'm going into the doctor to have the 3 hr. gloucose test done. Actually, I've been told that it may take between 3-5 hrs. I'm really hoping for only 3 hrs. I can't imagine what I'm going to with 3 hrs. of sitting in silence. Yes, Caleb will not be with me...my girlfriend has offered to take him for the morning. I've thought about going to pick out a book before my appt. but I'm afraid that I'd fall asleep reading in silence. Anyway, keep your fingers crossed that I fail this test too. My midwife says that since I didn't have gestational diabeties with Caleb chances are that I won't with Riley either. I'll keep everyone updated!!

Gifts from China

Shawn is home from his 3 week deployment and he brought home some great gifts from China. This first picture is of a scroll made of bambo and handpainted. Every symbol on the scroll means blessing. It's so beautiful. He bought it from a church near Hong Kong.

This picture is of a name stamp for Riley. The stamp itself is made from stone. On top is a carving of a rat, Riley will be born in the year of the rat. Shawn said the man he bought the stamp from only had two fingers left on his right hand. That's a story Riley will one day enjoy hearing....only the thumb and pinky finger.

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day to all. It's kinda cool that we celebrate all our holidays 14 hours before all our friends and family. It keeps me ahead of the game when it comes to wishing everyone a wonderful day...

Caleb and I spent the morning making daddy a Valentine's Day card. He was pretty creative with the finger paints, but didn't want to cut out any hearts. He did however pick out colors of paper for me to cut out hearts. No red hearts, just green and yellow.

Snow Day

Snow in Yokosuka, Japan. We've been told by so many that this far south doesn't get snow, well we awoke to it this morning. Everything on base is closed down. It makes for a nice day at home.

Seeing the snow feels like a little piece of home. It reminds you of childhood days; sleding, drinking hot cocoa, days stuck in the house playing Monopoly and watching movies. It's a warm feeling. Although, Caleb probably wouldn't agree. He played till his hands were frozen. He loved seeing his footprints in the snow and wiping all the snow off his wagon and riding his battery operated 4 wheeler.

Caleb learned a new word today, "Snow" and everytime he looked out the window he'd say it again and again. I love seeing the wonder in his eyes and his new experiences make for new experiences for me too.

Art Work

Caleb and I have been working on being creative this week. He loves using stickers and then coloring over them.

You may not be able to see it in these two pictures, but Caleb is getting so much control over his hand movements. He intentionally brings more of one color on a page and makes circles for wheels. And lately he's been drawing train tracks, or so he says....

I've been scrapbooking this week. I realize that I am running low on so many things and now I'm freaking out about where am I going to buy supplies??? I need adhesives and Target won't mail them to me...why??

This is the product of all the mess you seen on the table above. I made a 6x6 album for my niece. She will love it, I'm sure!!