A new adventure awaits

So my husband is an airline pilot... don't know if I'm mentioned that before.  He has been based out of Chicago for the last 4 years, and while we don't live there it has become his home, at least his home away from home.  We have been talking about putting our house on the market and actually moving there.  Technically being an airline employee he doesn't actually have to live where he is based.  He has these wonderful flight benefits and can fly anywhere for free.  He has been commuting to work and it hasn't been a problem but we never see him.  The reason we were thinking about changing this up is my husband is a first officer and was up for and upgrade to captain.  This is a big deal.  Switching from the right seat to the all powerful left seat.  In charge of that little plane and all its passengers.  He figured he could get Chicago no problem.  And we figured we might as well move there because the little time we see of him now would be reduced drastically.  He would go on reserve.  This means that he would basically be on call on the days he works and would have to actually be where he is based.  A lot of pilots and flight attendants get what is known as a crash pad, basically a bed in their city, but this just didn't seem like enough.  So we started getting everything ready.  I've repainted the house and got the odds and ends done to put it on the market.  I've talked to friends and looked into neighborhoods in Chicago and looked at schools since Rowen will be starting Kindergarden in the fall.  We thought we had all of our bases covered.  Then the bid came out.  And we got...New York.  New York?!??!  Are you kidding me!??!  I was NOT prepared for New York!  The only things I knew about New York weren't in its favor.  But I'm lucky that I have a wonderful group of friends I can freak out to when things like this happen.  And even luckier for me, several of them just happen to live IN NYC.  Now I'm feeling pretty good about this new adventure.  And adventure is exactly how I see it.  This is a wonderful opportunity for us and for the kids.  I can't wait to experience everything and get to show Rowen and Phoebe all the wonderful things NYC has to offer.  Now we are just waiting on a training date... which if you know anything about the airlines, could take awhile. 
And a quick picture because you can't have a blog post without pictures!

My baby girl just turned 8 months old, and she got a new hat!  :)

Rainy Day Ramblings

I always said that when I finally decided to start a blog I wouldn't be one of those people who never updates it.  I hate checking on my favorite blogs just to see that there is nothing new going on.  But life gets in the way and before you know it weeks have passed and you can't even find the energy, let alone the inspiration, to open it up and try to type a few paragraphs.
My life has been busy lately.
I think that we have had illness followed by illness and I'm so sick and tired of being sick and tired.  I believe I may actually be the sickest person in the house at the moment and that is actually the way I prefer it.  I hate it when my babies are sick.  And my husband is never home so he never tends to catch anything we share amongst each other. 

My best friend came to visit us last weekend.  I was completely thrilled to get to see her. Kate and I have been friends since I was 16 years old.  I just decided one day that she was going to be my friend and I pulled her into our little group.  I've loved her as much as a sister ever since. 
We are at completely different points in our life but I don't think that really matters when you are truly friends with someone.  I hate it when people drift apart when one person gets married or has a baby and the other doesn't.  Just because we aren't in the same points in our life doesn't mean we aren't still the same people who became friends.  I'm a married stay at home mama with two kiddos.  She is a single woman who works full time for a university while she is getting her doctorate.  I'm so proud of the things she does in her life that I love to brag about her.  Even to people who have never met her. 
She came to visit me for a few days and it was wonderful.  It always feels like we can jump right back into our friendship no matter how long it has been.  She is so comfortable for me to be around.  I can always be myself and I never have to worry about editing myself or making sure my children are on their best behavior.  She loves us for us and we love her for it. 
We went exploring while she was here.  Its nice to explore where you live.  I've lived here for 2 years and I found a new outdoor shopping area that I just adore.  I didn't even know it was there but I will be returning.  It was fun to walk through all the shops, let Rowen run around in the grassy square while we ate ice cream, and take a break to paint pottery.  We had a wonderful time and I hated to see her leave. 
Now my life is back to the regular routine but that's ok.  I like our routine. 

Its beginning to look a lot like spring

When I was reading one of my favorite blogs the other day she talked about spring being in the air.  I kept thinking, I so WISH spring were in the air here.  I'm freezing, my kids are sick, and I've got a serious case of cabin fever!  Then today came out to play.  It was so nice to have a warm sunny day without a trace of wind.  I opened up the windows to fill our house with warm fresh air.  It was marvelous!  Rowen was so excited he ran out to the balcony to play yelling, "I've been waiting and waiting for this!"

And then he lounged in the chair just soaking up the sun for awhile. 

I took Phoebe outside to try and get some pictures of the kids together but I had an awful time getting both of them to sit still and look at the camera. 

There was too much to do!
Then Phoebe started talking and Rowen abandoned us in search of Tonka Trucks.

The sudden feeling of spring being so near got me thinking of all the things I love about the summer.  Lemonade, BBQ's, picnic's, camping in the backyard (well Rowen camping in the backyard with Chris at least), swimming pools, flip flops.... Oh, how I could go on and on.  So I gave into some of my more realistic cravings and drank lemonade while I made baked beans.

Its my mama's recipe and they are divine!  Even Rowen kept telling me how wonderful they were, but that's probably just the bacon talking. 

And while Phoebe chased sunshine under the table I shopped for swimsuits online.  Its probably a good thing I'm on a budget because I found so many wonderful things that I just HAVE to buy for the kiddo's.  I can't wait for the beach! 

Now that I've had a taste of it I'm feeling the warm weather calling my name!

My baby is sick...

...and I hate it.  I hate the helpless feeling you get when you watch your little one struggling with any kind of illness.  Children should not be allowed to get sick, with anything, ever. 
It started with a cough.  Phoebe was down for a nap and over the monitor I heard her cough and thought, please don't be getting sick.  Then Sunday night I couldn't get her to go to bed.  Normally at 5:30 this little girl is begging to be put to bed but on Sunday she just wanted held.  I would finally get her to sleep, lay her down, and 2 minutes later I could hear the screams all the way down the hall.  So I would start the whole routine all over again. 
I knew she was stuffy but I had done everything I could think of to help.  Vicks- check, Humidifier- Check, Menthol vapers plug-in - Check, and still nothing was helping.  I finally got her to sleep some of the night in her car seat.
Fast forward to Tuesday and my little one still wasn't getting any better.  In fact, if anything, she was getting worse.  She had decided it would be a great idea to stop eating as well.  So I figured it was time to take her to the doctor.  I love my doctor.  She is so great with my kids and she listens to me and explains everything without making me feel like an idiot.  Unfortunately she wasn't in on Tuesday so we had to see another doctor.  I'm not complaining, he was very nice, there just wasn't anything he could do.  He told me that Phoebe has RSV and most often kids are hospitalized from it due to dehydration so to make sure she was getting enough liquids and then he sent me home telling me to do they same things I have already mentioned above.

Today we went back to the doctor and she is worse.  Her O2 sates were low and her lungs were raspy.  So they have her on breathing treatments.

I know this is a good thing but she just looks so small and pathetic doing them.  It makes me scared that she isn't really OK.  I've had asthma my whole life and have done a number of breathing treatments and I know how they make you feel. Jittery.  Nervous.  Shaky.  Like your heart is racing.

I hate making her feel that way.  But it seems to be working.  Gone is the cough that won't stop until she gags and the breathing I can hear all the way out in the hallway.  Welcome sleep.  Of course I still have to get up every 4 hours to give her the breathing treatment, she just doesn't have to be awake for it. 

Hopefully she will start to feel better soon.  We go back to the doctor on Monday.  Until then, sweet dreams little one.

Just a quick hello

I think I have written this first blog post a million times in my head.
I've fallen completely in love with the blogs I have randomly found throughout my days and I always think, "I could do that... I WANT to do that".  But I never actually sit down and do it.  I'm a huge procrastinator by nature so the fact that I'm actually typing this is pretty shocking to me. 
Let me see, what can I tell you about me...  I'm a mom.  Its my number one most important job in the world.  I'm a stay at home mom to two beautiful children that I love more then I ever thought possible. 

My son Rowen is 5 and the perfect mini me.  My husband, Chris, says that my childhood pictures look like Rowen in a wig.  He crawls in bed with me first thing in the morning and cuddles.  He tells me that he just wants to cuddle a little before he gets ready for school and my heart just soars.  I know that someday he won't want to love on his mommy anymore so I'm trying to squeeze in as much of this time as I possibly can. 
Our newest arrival is Miss Phoebe Arabella.  She just turned 6 months old and I can't believe how fast the time has flown by.  She is the exact opposite of her brother.  Dark hair and blue eyes and so laid back.  She never cries and is always smiling.  The only things they have in common is how much they love to cuddle and their intense love for each other.  I watch her watch him.  You know she is going to follow him all over the place, once she learns how to crawl that is. 
I never thought I would be a stay at home mama.  I spent a fortune getting my education and figuring out what I wanted to be when I grew up.  I never, not once, said I wanted to stay home with my kids.  But it is what works for us and I wouldn't change it for the world.  It has grown on me and I feel very blessed that I'm able to do it. 
So I've got that dreaded "first post" out of the way.  Now maybe I won't feel so pressured to have the perfect entry every time I get on the computer and can just write.  I look forward to talking to you.