Surviving in a Male Dominated Household

Snakes and snails and puppy dog tails...

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Oh! The HAIR-manity!!!--Love Thursday

Liam's always had hair. This kid had a full head of hair when he was born. When I was pregnant, I always said that my kid wouldn't have his/her first haircut until he/she was two.

Yeah. That happened.

Liam had his first haircut, if I remember correctly, shortly before our wedding (I wrote it down in his baby book). He was 10 months old at our wedding, folks. 10 months. Since then, his hair has done nothing but grow...and curl...it's just too cute.

But after getting Dave's note about how his son needs a haircut and getting grief from family and friends about his hair, I figured it did need cut.

Then I got the note from daycare today. His morning disposition? He was a good girl....yep. That did it. He was getting a haircut.

For comparison reasons, the picture below was taken about THREE weeks ago. This is his hair in the morning...notice it is sticking STRAIGHT UP. Yeah...bed head.


So after a short detour around the Valley Junction Farmer's Market (I had googled "kid hair cut" and some place came up on 5th street...but the market had the street closed) I found a great clips on our way home.

Liam started to fuss at the beginning, but once he saw the fish on the kiddie apron, he was cool.

And now he can see.












When did my little baby boy become such a handsome little man???

Love is realizing that your little boy needs to become a little man...even if it means cutting off those cute little curls (but they will grow back, right??)

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Letters from Iraq....

I got my first "care package" in the mail yesterday from Dave. It contained a few gifts for Liam and I, as well as a few books he'd finished reading. He also included a card and a letter for me. Both made me cry.

He talked about how he missed me a lot, how he's got pictures of Liam and I hanging over his bed and when he gets frustrated, he just looks at our pictures and he's reminded of why he's there and who he has waiting at home for him. He called me his "lovely wife" and Liam, his "son who needs a haircut." :)

He always knew how to make me laugh through my tears.

He thanked me for the packages, as they keep him going. And he hopes he should have the internet soon (he'd better--we've had it paid for for the last month!!) so he can see Liam and I.

I've read his letter at least 50 times, and it is sitting on my nightstand. I had to read it once more before going to bed last night. And I fell asleep faster than I have in a long time.

Now if I could just shake this flu bug, life would be okay...

Friday, September 7, 2007

Funny Fhoto Friday...Weddings...

Next weekend Liam and I will be heading to a friends wedding in Iowa City. Jaret (an usher at our wedding) and his fiancee Leah will be getting hitched. And it got me thinking about our own wedding (and how fast we're coming up on our first anniversary!!).

If you were not in attendance at our wedding, you missed out. It was an affair...but a lot of fun (once all of the work was done, that is).

Dave's a comedian. He always has been. My biggest fear at the wedding (other than catching my veil on fire/tripping in my dress) was that he'd smash the cake in my face.

See, he's being really nice here....


Then I started saying, "Please be nice, please be nice, please be nice...."



Well....he smashed it...so I smashed back...



Thursday, September 6, 2007

Love Thursday....The Iowa State Fair...

So maybe I'm a month late with this post...deal. :)

Growing up, we went to the fair every year. We even camped out there one summer. The summer it rained and rained and we spent more time in the camper than at the fair. Oh...and remember Dad? The year your Scout got backed into?? Yeah, we won't go there. :)

Anyway, I LOVE going to the fair. The food, the people...the people...and, of course, the agriculture.

Liam was SO excited to see the baby piggy....



And ride the pony...



And, of course...when it's 90 degrees out, who doesn't love playing in water...







He was soaked, but he had a great time.

And we couldn't pull him out of the corn box for anything!!!





Love is having a great day with your family at the Iowa State Fair.

Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Things I'm learning...Part 2--Post Office Edition

See? I told you I'm learning a lot.

1. Flat rate boxes are a life (and bank account) saver.

Counting the boxes I'm dropping off tonight, I'll have sent 6 packages to Iraq already. Six. In less than a month. I think I'm doing pretty good as a wife. :) And considering the flat rate boxes cost 8.95, no matter how much you pack into them (just as long as they don't bulge) it's really saved our pocketbook too.

2. I really CAN pack. I just didn't know it.

Maybe we could call this 1.b, because it is kind of along the same lines. I had no idea I could fit so many pictures, dvd's(because I take them out of their cases), books, papers, drink mixes etc etc etc. into a box. Creative packing...that's all I've got to say.

3. Don't let the toddler near the boxes while packing.

I wouldn't be suprised if Dave called to tell me that one of Liam's cars ended up in Iraq. Liam's always pulling things out/putting things into the boxes when I'm trying to find the customs form/find more things to put in the box/clean up Liam's previous mess. I've learned I just have to sit down with all of my items, THEN put the box together, THEN pack it. No breaks in between. Because Lighting McQueen might end up over there...and heaven forbid we have to wait the shipping time for it to come back!!

4. The people at the post office already know me.
I go to the same post office after work when I have a package to send. And the postal employees have started asking me how he is...lol. They wave and smile when they see me now and know that when I come in, our transaction will always end with, "Can I get a few more of the flat rate boxes?"

Well, time to fill out those oh, so fun custom forms!

Saturday, September 1, 2007

Amazing...

I found this online and I wanted to share it with you. It's so true. SO true.


She stands in front of you in line at the post office with the big box and the customs form.

She parks next to you at school, her car sporting the latest "Support the Troops" magnet or sticker.

She sits a couple seats down from you in class or at work, but she is too distracted to carry on a real conversation.

She carries herself with poise and elegance.

A grown woman in a young girl's body, she has dealt with more heartbreak than she could ever wish on another human being.

She's the girl with the bloodshot eyes and her cell phone always on.

She is always anticipating his phone call, and when it comes, the first thing she asks is, "How are you doing?"

She is becoming more and more selfless with every passing day, and finds herself thinking about his friends more than her own.

Every night she says a prayer for him, and thanks God for bringing her one day closer to his homecoming.

Every time she hears their song on the radio, her expression goes blank as she fights back the tears.

Sometimes the pressure is too much to handle, and she snaps, usually at the expense of the people closest to her.

The tears flow easily these days, and they seem to have no end.

The stuffed animal he sent her soaks up the tears she cries in his absence as she recounts all the days apart.

Any talk of deployments, extended tours, or re-enlistment makes her stomach tie itself in knots because she can barely handle the time and distance now.

But he will never know any of this.

He got the best training in the world to do his job, and she is expected to be SuperWoman with no manual.

She knows that he needs her to be the strong one, and so she is.

Without the pay, benefits, or training, she is supposed to be just like him...

ARMY STRONG