Joy in Motion

Yep, Rob is still gone.  Well, actually, he came home then left again.  It seems that he’s always on the move; the Air Force knows he thinks better on his feet;)

Although I’m thrilled that Rob gets to travel for his job, I’m not thrilled that everything significant happens while he is gone.  John gives me just enough time to put up a blog post but not enough to call daddy and  tell him about.  Here’s hoping he has Internet access to keep up with us!

The mower is leaking oil, the dog has been sick all over the carpet, our refrigerator started leaking, and John has a little cold.  My mom always says things happen when the husbands are away!  Thank goodness Rob’s mom Mary come to help me through last week.  We had so much fun.  On her final day here, we went to the beach and then had fish and chips in Lompoc.

Mary on Wall Beach

Heather and John at Wall Beach

Wall Beach Views

For Grammie’s Arts and Crafts Day, we made impressions of his hands and feet in Play-Doh.  It looked great until a few days later when the mounting paper with the Play-Doh attached warped.  I’m having a heck of a time finding molding clay to replace the original impressions…

Arts and Crafts Impressions

Is this fun or what?

hands-on helping

Mary, John, and I also had a very nice day in Solvang with friends who came to visit from Florida.  Work brought them to VAFB, but we’re so glad they stopped to see us for some fun!  We went wine-tasting at a vinyard in the Santa Ynez valley that’s been featured on the Today Show.  Here’s a couple photos of Krista and Shannon – the background is Solvang, a famous Danish town located about 30 minutes away.  

Vaughans with John

Mommy and John in Solvang

Krista and John in Solvang

Can you tell he’s in the initial teething stages (his entire fist will fit in there)!? 

yum,yum!

Some great quality time with Grammie:

If any of you are Mac owners, you love Photo Booth as much as I do. Who is the little man’s mom?  His dad is obvious from the big blue eyes to the left ear produding outward…it’s all Rob.

By the way, does anyone know why I can't upload a new Gravitar on WordPress.com?

Everything is decked out in hearts – they seem to be growing hearts out dress, TV programming, and supermarket candy aisles.  As I was waiting to check out at the commissary today, all the chocolate was screaming at me from the shelves…strategically placed so we all have to look at it as we wait.  And wait.  And wait.  Isn’t there enough cashiers to open another line?  But that’s a subject for another blog…

Tonight’s episode of Monk had hearts too.  Natalie wearing them, deck of cards with the queen of hearts shown…and a magician.  Which has nothing to do with Valentine’s day, although he did get engaged during the course of the episode (very romantic).  A couple Christmas parties back, Rob and I went to a local steakhouse to be treated to a really good dinner and a really bad magician.  Or was he a comedien?  Both, as I remember.  There was a magic trick or two mixed into his comedy routine between raunchy insults.  And it’s bad when you’re insulted by a magician.  It’s just not normally in the job description.  

Since Friday is music day on our activities calendar, we went to a Strawberry Music Together class.  It was the most fun we’ve ever had together.  Very cheesy in a way, Rob would definitely balk at attending, but there was a husband-wife duo there and they had a baby about John’s age.  Many of the moms had girls or boys in the 2-yr age range.  We sat in a circle and sang, played, and then stood and danced.  John was full of spirit and smiles.  Even the instructor thought he was lively.  It’s just a joy to hang with him. 

Next to me was a gal who coincedentally is my table leader at MOPS.  There’s another good group to join, and it’s also worldwide.  I’m finding that with a little effort I’m keeping my days full.  I volunteer on Tuesday mornings at the Thrift Shop here on base, and that’s a good adventure.  All the women there are like hens, pecking over their wares.  

Tomorrow is the big day, and I find it’s the only one this week I don’t have something planned.  I do need to get the house a bit ready for Mary, Rob’s mom.  She flies in Sunday and will spend a week here before starting work in a couple weeks.  I don’t think she’d mind my posting that she got a job!  It’s in Billings and may allow her to commute with Ray because their offices will be near each other.  In this economy, it was very scary when she was laid off, but God has provided!

By the way, at the music class this morning, I got a couple more compliments on the blanket Jen made for John.  Here’s her website if anyone wants one made.  I don’t think she’d mind me putting it up here…Jen?

Here is the primary reason we’re working on kids: so they can change each other’s diapers.  Now, granted, we’ll have to strategically birth them to be old enough to understand how to accomplish this task.  A friend of ours has successfully taught his two older children how to change the baby’s diaper.  And it didn’t take any effort on his part!  Just peeked around the corner of the bedroom the other day and voila!  Two siblings making a team effort out of baby’s poopy drawers.  Easy.  Rob’s not totally sold, but he’ll get there…

Happy Hearts Day!

Today I woke up with one goal: Arts & Crafts Day.  Yesterday after driving Rob to the airport at 6am for his month-long class in Colorado Springs, I got all the boring stuff done.  Today was the day to relax with John. 

Murphy came out of the pub.  I awoke to driving rain and then hail.  Suddenly, the power went out.  Daylight was coming, therefore I didn’t need lights.  And John and I don’t need electricity to paint, right?  

I soon realized that I hadn’t slept enough last night because I was closing my eyes while bottle-feeding him.  Sheesh!  My other goal today soon became a nap…but unlike the Arts & Crafts objective, that wasn’t realized:)

Anyway, many phone calls later (everyone seems very productive on a Monday), and a few minor bumps and bruises from a loose-hinged door, I still hadn’t  progressed toward Arts & Crafts.  But I did manage to take the dogs and John all out for a walk once the rain and hail cleared up.  It was windy, but not too cold. 

Since he seemed full of energy we decided to get our 4-month well baby shots at the clinic.  Only to be told when we checked in that he wasn’t eligible until Wednesday.  Something to do with the insurance and shot spacing…I just nodded and left.  We made the best of the outing by running to the BX to get some odds and ends.  On the way, I almost choked to death on a Kashi bar.  Unfortunately I had a mouthful of water at the time that all exited out my nose.  

After picking up the incorrect items at the BX (a fact which I joyfully realized when I got home), I had to fix the handle on a near-new foyer table…it popped off in my hand.  Then I changed him and was hit twice – I swear he aims at my pants, then gives me the absolute biggest, no-tooth smile.  Oh, I was being tested today.  Big time. 

Well, I passed!  With flying colors – as you can see from John’s red, blue, and yellow creation in the following photo.  He loved Arts & Crafts day.  We also had another ‘first’ today: his first full-tummy sleep.  Usually I find him after a nap on his side or painfully stuck three-quarters of the way over with his shoulder impeding progress.  But today, he was full-on tummy time sleeping.  And drooling.  (don’t tell Rob but there’s another indicator he’s his dad’s son):

I'm soooo relaxed...

First art project

Who me? A painter?

Today is a glimpse into the life of a stay-at-home-mom:

Rob showed up for lunch right after I pulled into the driveway…I had been somewhere on base with John this morning for far longer than I had anticipated…so I was very happy to see my hubby for an impromptu date.  He immediately announced that he needed to jump in the shower and that a friend was on his way over to eat lunch.  Ok!  Go into hostess mode…luckily it was time for John’s nap.  Un-luckily, John didn’t agree.  We got through the crying jag, another feeding, and the friends luncheon.  Finally, time to put him down again…but, wait…there’s something smelly…hmmmm.  While Rob quickstepped out the door to head back to work, I took him into the nursery for a change.  There was poo.  Lots and lots of poo.  After spelunking through the majority of the waste product, Old Faithful appeared.  All over the new outfit, all over the sheets on the changing table, but thankfully not all over me.  But wait!  Old Faithful again!  And this time all over me!  And then…the best part…his first laugh.  That melted my heart.  

That he was laughing at me was beside the point.  And in honor of this “first” I’ll post a photo of him at his absolute coolest.  He is his fathers son, that’s for sure:)

John in Shades