Missing My Boys

I only have a few more days on this trip and then I will be home with my favorite boys! I have been on two week trips before but I think this one seems longer because my cell phone does not work in this area and I have not been having the best of luck with the military calling cards (I cursed the recording several times today... the same recording is the one that keeps telling me each day that “all circuits are busy”. I hate her…well not her as a person but her as the voice telling me I cannot talk to my baby and hubby). I am also ready from a break from the AFN shows! It got to the point that I was willing to spend a ridiculous amount on movies, so I could have a break! Besides that, this trip has been great! I am so glad I volunteered to come here, but I am ready to be home. I’ll write more on my travel blog when I am home.


Will – Miss you and love you! Give Lil C a big hug and kiss for me.  Tell him that Mama will be on a “Big Jet” soon!

Father's Day

I am getting this out a little early, but since my work week starts tomorrow I wanted to make sure I wrote it.

So, happy Father’s Day to all of the great fathers out there, especially two of the greatest guys I know: my dad and my husband. Both are amazing fathers! I love you both and miss you so much. Will, I will be seeing you soon and Dad, I hope I get to see you this year. I am and was a very lucky girl to have had you as a dad. When I was younger as a role model and someone to have fun with; now as an adult someone I can confide in and to be a friend with (and a dad when I need it, which is more often than I would like to admit)…I love you! Will - Colin is so lucky to have you as a dad. His love for you is so obvious. I just love watching you two together. It makes me so happy.

I hope you both have a wonderful day tomorrow. Love you both!

Baby Lessons

As I am teaching my son lessons on sharing, being gentle, his colors, etc., it amazes me to realize how many lessons I learn from him; what I refer to as "baby lessons".  Colin is always teaching me things about my self, who I want to be and what I need to work on.  I guess all kids probably do that.  From the baby who comes a week early teaching the parents to always be prepared and to expect the unexpected - to the baby that is overdue teaching, maybe the impatient parents, that patience really is a virtue and that even in the womb they are already their own version of themselves and will do things their way.  No matter what us parents would like for them to be.

Today Colin was trying to show me something but I was too focused on other things and did not pay attention.  Then I noticed him experimenting with his new found talent (jumping) and how much fun he was having without me paying attention.  Made me sad.  Just made me realize that there will be a day when he will not want me to be a part of all his new experiences and I just need to slow down at times and just watch.  Especially with the traveling...don't want to miss out on the time that I am home...

Master Colin Update

I thought it was time for another Master Colin update! 

Our little guy is 2 1/2 now!  Getting so big.  He is definitely getting taller and stretching out a bit.  He weighs around 27.5 lbs.

He is trying very hard to speak slower and clearer.  He is also getting pretty good at putting words together to form sentences!  It is so cute having an actual conversation with him. Usually about super heroes, but whatever works.  He also can count to 10!  He sometimes struggles a bit once he gets to 10 and has more things he wants to count.  He starts getting the number out of sequence the second time around.  Two is his favorite number.

After researching and the advise of our daycare lady, we are not forcing potty training on Colin.  We are slowly introducing ideas to him and letting him make steps towards it at his own pace.  He is pretty good at telling us when he goes potty (sometimes he confuses the two and so we get a little surprise).  He is also interested when Will and I go to the potty.  He wants to go in, which is not Will's favorite thing.  That is why I find it hilarious.  Poor Will.  Out of the blue on Mother's Day he asked if he could go potty.  So, the next day I went and bought him a potty and two baby seats (decorated with Elmo) that he got so excited about.  We have something for at least one bathroom on all three levels of the house.  We do not want to have any accidents due to running up or down the stairs :) 

I love this age!

Beach Vacation

Will and I took some time off so we could enjoy a four day weekend at the beach in North Carolina.  We had such a fantastic time!  It had been a while since we have been able to go away so we thought renting a beach condo would be fun!  We were a little nervous for the 7 hour drive with Colin but he was so well-behaved!  Not that he usually isn't...he is actually a very well-behaved kid, but 7 hours in a car could make anyone grumpy.  The condo was beautiful and perfect for the three of us.  We were able to hang out there without feeling cooped up in a hotel room and had a ocean view that was just beautiful!  It took us about 3 minutes to get to the beach (mostly because Colin can be a bit slow - he gets distracted easily).  We spent most of our mornings on the beach.  It was nice and warm, even the water was!  Nothing like the Oregon coast water!  Freezing!  We would take an afternoon break (Colin is pretty fair-skinned) then we would come back in the late afternoon.  It was nice to just read, play, and watch a kids movie here and there.  Colin LOVED the Polar Express and Robots!  Then there are some of his favorites, like Kung Fu Panda!  Unfortunately, I did have homework that I had to do during our trip but I was able to finish it while watching a show with Colin and Will. 

Colin was a little timid with the water.  He would always have his eye on the tide and once it got close he would run away!  It was very cute.  He would let us hold him while the waves would hit us as long as he did not get too wet.  Will and Colin collected a lot of seashells.  I think Colin and I will do an art project with some of the shells he picked out (maybe decorate a picture frame). 

I am so glad we were able to do this.  I have a trip coming up soon, so it was nice to get a way as a family before I am gone for two weeks. 

Here are some pictures from our weekend:

We Love Strawberrires...and Wine!

This morning we got up early and headed towards a local farm to go strawberry picking.  Colin had a great time and was very helpful picking the strawberries.  He did not quite get the concept that we wanted the red ones, not the white/greenish ones, but he really enjoyed himself so no big deal. 

The farm also has a big play area for kids, so after our tractor ride back (which Colin was a big fan of) we went on some slides, played in a big sandbox and enjoyed a nice picnic lunch.  We also went to the petting area and Colin said "hi" to all of the animals: baby chickens, miniature horses, cows, donkeys, and some goats.  He even saw some ducks and was still polite and said goodbye to the one who snapped at his pant leg. 

Colin - "Cows go moo!"

Mean duckie!

Afterwards, we stopped at the next door vineyard (this is the place that gives you a free tasting if you were at the farm)...so I tasted their wine again and bought a bottle of a dessert wine.  It was delicious!  It had less sugar than the average dessert wine so I think that is why I liked it so much.  What a day!  We even got home by 2, so we still had a good chunk of the day to enjoy at home.

I Love Being a Mama

Just wanted to share some pictures from my Mother's Day weekend.  I had such a wonderful time spending the weekend with family.

To start it off, Will surprised me with some patio furniture and flowers (exactly what I wanted)...he is so good to me!  We got to enjoy dinner that night on the patio and also lunch on Saturday!  I love eating outside.

Colin made me a pot holder at preschool!  It was the first craft that he has made specifically for me - I love it!  He is hugging it in this picture; it is hard to see but trust me, a beautiful work of art!

 Here is a picture of the beautiful flowers that Will got me!  I love them!  On Saturday, we hung out, cleaned house, went shopping for more house items, and I took my midterm (blah).  Mostly it was a relaxing day.  On Friday, we had gone to World Market and bought some wine, some paintings, and some other home decor that we hung up on Saturday.  The living room is looking so nice! Here is one corner of the living room.  It really is coming together!

On Sunday, we had Liz and Michael over for a little BBQ (Chicken/veggies kabobs)!  Colin was in a super good mood and very talkative.  He loves showing off for company.  At one point, he grabbed my sunglasses and keys and told me "I leaving mama. Bye", then tried to open the door.  Then he turned to me and said "It stuck"!  How cute!  His personality is just blossoming so much!  The other picture is of him trying to unlock the door.

This has been the best Mother's Day!  I am so blessed with such a loving family (east and west coast)!  Thank you all for the calls, text, etc.  I hope all of you mothers had a wonderful day as well!  Love you all! 

I miss you mom and love you!

Slowly but Surely

I wrote this forever ago but forgot to post it.  I know it is not really about Colin but we are apart of his world so it is relevant!

I have been working (very slowly it seems at times) on finishing my Bachelor's.  I started right after high school and have been going off and on ever since...Man, it has been a long time.  This way has worked for me though.  When I had more money available for college, I took more classes; but working full-time does not always make that easy. At one point I had a full-time job, a part-time job (worked 7 days a week) and went to school full-time...oh and did I mention I had no life that semester. Now having a child makes it even harder, but it will all be worth it.

Looking back, it would have been nice if I tried a little harder during high school and tried to go straight to a four year, but I really liked the community college I went to (who wouldn't like a campus where deer walk right by you...so beautiful). Plus, I never seem to do things the way you should (or at least the way it is perceived you should).   I also really enjoyed my teachers there and not all of us know what we want to do when we're 18.  I started out as a Psychology major with a minor in Spanish and actually received an Associates in psych.  I had the idea of having my own clinic specializing in adolescent girls (inspired by one of my favorite non-fiction books - Reviving Ophelia by Mary Pipher).  Then I started working at the Physical Therapy clinic and wanted to go that route again (when I was a kid I had wanted to be a physical therapist or an Athletic Trainer for the Dallas Cowboys - sorry honey, it's true).  So, I started transitioning my classes (luckily I have always enjoyed health, so I had taken quite a few beginning medical classes - some of my favorites actually).

When I moved up to Portland, I transferred to Portland State University, which was the college I wanted to go to after HS. I was still working towards the pre-physical therapy major, but ended up taking a lot of my electives there.  I love art history and ancient Greek culture, so I ended up taking a lot of those type of classes.  My two all-time favorite classes are the Greek Literature (PSU) and Art History (UCC) classes I took.

Now I am back at school again in Virginia.  I love the school and my teachers so far.  I also like that I can take online classes as well.  Works great with my traveling schedule.  I still have a handful of classes to take, but since I transitioned to a BSIS (Bachelor of Science in Information Systems) with a emphasis in Database Management (who woulda thunk?!) I was not able to transfer all of my classes.   

When I am done with my degree, it is Will's turn.  He has been looking at some Master programs. Once he is done, then I will start looking at Master's.  The break will be nice.  The company I work for has a great school and training tuition programs, so I am sure I will be taking some sort of training classes and certificates during that period. It is great having a professor as your CEO!

Dinosaur Park

Yesterday morning we went to Dinosaur Park to enjoy some family time my first morning back.  We had a great time!  Colin's been wanting to hold my hand a lot and is always making sure that when one of us leaves for a second that we are coming back.  Poor little guy :(  I think my trips are a good bonding experience for Will and Colin but it is hard to leave Colin (well both of them actually, but at least Will understands what is going on).  Anyway, here are some pictures from our day:

I think he was purposely avoiding the camera.  Usually he smiles and says "cheese", what a bother!

Looking Back: Introducing Colin Gallagly

We are on a break from training now.  I trained two people (one on one) this morning and do not have to train anyone else until 1300...yes using the military time - never thought I would have the need to do that.  Now I am sitting in my hotel room; I did some work and should be working on homework, but would rather not. So, I thought I should write a blog for Master Colin, it has been a little while. 

While thinking of something to write about I realized that I have not written about Colin's birth and since that is his introduction into the world it would make sense to write about it in his blog.  My ultimate goal with this blog is to print out all of the entries and put them in a bound book, kind of like a journal for him. 

So...let's see. 

My pregnancy with Colin went pretty well.  I only vomited twice; once was due to the prenatal pills.  I ended up having to take Flintstones vitamins the rest of my pregnancy.  I was very fortunate, but to make up for that I had the feeling of nausea for 4 months rather than the traditional 3 (lucky me).  Poor Will too. The smell of beer, wine, meat and seafood made me feel sick.  I always felt bad telling him he had to brush his teeth every time he had a beer!  I also did not get an appetite until I was around 7 months along.  That is probably why I only gained about 20 lbs throughout the whole thing.  I was so excited when I started to feel really hungry.  I actually wanted to crave stuff.  I wanted that crazy appetite that most pregnant women get!

It took us three tries to find out Colin's sex.  He always had his legs crossed or was turned the wrong way.  He actually kept his legs crossed a lot when he was an infant as well.  I guess he was a bit shy, which I do not mind that!! 

We were never given an exact due date for Colin. It was always 11/30 or 12/1, but that did not matter because his mommy "cooks babies fast", or at least that is what my doctor told me as we were having Colin a week early.  Colin was always very active in my belly.  Constantly kicking, turning and punching my ribs!  He would take breaks every few hours, but our doctor warned us that most often kids are very similar to how they are in the womb and that she predicted that he was going to be very active, which turned out to be very accurate! It is tiring but good! Our doctor, who I LOVE and was so relaxed,  made us very comfortable from the start.  She said that she never saw such a stubborn baby (in the belly) and active one too.  The day before Colin's birth I noticed at work that he was not moving at all.  I called my doctor and she had us come in (I was very lucky that Will was able to come to all of my appointments).  She checked us out and even shocked my belly (without telling me) and made Colin move.  She told us to come in the next day to see if we needed to be induced.

We were a little nervous with the idea of him coming early.  My mom was supposed to fly in and be in the delivery room.  I liked the idea of having someone around who knew medical stuff (she's a nurse) and that had my families best interest at heart (not that I do not trust medical people! This hospital was actually really great).  So, we went in and were told we needed to be induced.  She was afraid that I would go into labor during the holiday (Thanksgiving) and she would not be there.  I was definitely happy to have her do it rather than someone on call.  We went in around 10 and they got us into our private room (had to pay extra for that but so worth it) and started the inducing process.  I will admit the contractions definitely hurt and the inducing process can make that a little more intense.  The doctor also had to break my water.  Then I got my epidural, well two of them.  The first only made my legs numb not the belly.  The second one worked wonders!

Once I started pushing it was only 20 minutes, I was very lucky and a great pusher according to my doctor!  During the labor there was only one scare, when mine and Colin's blood pressure dropped, but they put me on oxygen which seemed to help.  Once Colin was out, I guess there was a little trouble getting him to cry at first, but I was so out of it I really did not know what was going on.  Thankfully we were all healthy and ready to spend the next few days in the hospital.  We had to spend Thanksgiving there.  The food was actually pretty good, but that could be due to the fact that I was soooo hungry. 

Afterwards, my doctor told us that she was glad everything went so well.  She had been  worried about Colin since he was not moving the previous day,  his heart rate, and the fact that my placenta was getting really thin.  She said for some reason I had a placenta that looked like a smokers, which was weird since I did not smoke.  She was even nice enough to show me the placenta afterwards, definitely gross looking!  I am glad that she did not share her worries with us beforehand.  There was no need to cause extra stress.

So, we were blessed with our precious little boy on November 21, 2007.  I cannot believe that he will be three this year.  Crazy!