Friday Night Leftovers

I feel like I've been blogging all week (at least with pictures) so I don't know if I really have much... I'll try though and see what I can come up with for the "leftovers"...

• If you haven't noticed... I'm experimenting with a new header look for the blog. Thanks to my college friend, Jen, she showed me how to upgrade and have some pics of the kids at the top.  I might continue to sweek the look but I'm definately like'in the new look!
• Abby has finally turned the corner on sickness, although she will still be on medicine for another week.  Side affects though have been her waking up (way too early) in the AM soaked from a wet diaper.  This never happens so we are convinced that the medicine is making her PEE more.  Is that possible or am I being stupid?
• I feel run down this week.  Not because I'm getting sick, most likely because my FAT but is going non-stop.  I was walking up the stairs this morning to class and I got to the half way point and was winded.  "Damn" I thought... its just too early for me to be running out of steam.  I hope this changes after a weekend of rest. 
• So it is tax time and the Hecks like to get this done as early as possible each tax season.  Tomorrow is judgement day - yeah!  I say that simply because we have continued to be on the big ++ side the past few years.
• Speaking of taxes... I picked up a copy of our 2010 total paid for daycare today.  I almost had a heart attack.  Seriously.  Sure, I write a check every week for my 2 kids to be in daycare but I never give much thought to what the total over the course of a year will look like.  That is until tax time.  Who in the heck pays more than $11K for daycare?  We do.
• Daddy & Abby have long had their flu shots taken care of this season.  Today, Thomas & I finally took care of business.  I haven't meant to put it off so much, but in all honesty, it just hasn't been convenient or easy to fit in a stop to the medical clinic.  But today we did it and I'm extremely happy to report that a certain 3 year old had no tears, no worries and was all smiles when it was all done.  I was so proud of him!

 

Abbigail - her professional looks

Of course I want to post the "real" emotions of Abbigail from our photo shoot last month, just as I did the other night for Thomas.  The difference between Thomas & Abbigail though is Abby takes quite a while to warm up (to anyone) and it is reflective in the photos Drew took.  She never seemed to take her eyes off of him or where he was or what he was doing.  You can tell she eventually finds the "stranger" to be harmless and she goes about her play & enjoyment.  But she is certainly our cautious one...

 Starting to let her guard down and her true colors personality shining through!

 Determined and excited about doing it herself on the slide!

 A short break with Mommy

 Swinging in Daddy's hands

Never really letting her guard down (especially with Daddy there to guard her)

 

The Art of Marriage

A fortune funny...

On the serious side though, the Art of Marriage is something that is not easy:

A good marriage must be created.
In the art of marriage the little things are the big things...

 

It is never being too old to hold hands.

It is remembering to say "I love you" at least once each day.

 

It is never going to sleep angry.

It is having a mutual sense of values and common objectives.

It is forming a circle of love that gathers in the whole family.

It is speaking words of appreciation and
demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways.
It is having the capacity to forgive and forget.

It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow.

It is finding room for the things of the spirit.

It is a common search for the good and the beautiful.

It is not only marrying the right partner...
It is being the right partner.

 

- by Wilferd Arlan Peterson

I love you Sweetie -

Thank you for giving me all of your love,

and

two beautiful children (with one on the way).

You will always have my heart!

What they say

As of recently, the things that Abby & Thomas have each been doing & saying is bordering on ridiculous, outrageous, and down right embarrassing:

• Abby - she unlatched the kitchen sink cabinet as I watched her and then turned to me and just smiled as if to reiterate, "Ha... I am no match for you & Daddy!"
• Thomas - when we were in McDonalds the other day, an overweight little boy walked in with his Daddy and Thomas pointed and loudly said, "Mommy, look at how fat that boy is."
• Abby - she shakes her head "NO" to almost every question we ask her... regardless of if she really means anything else.  I'm really hoping the word "yes" will be coming soon.
• Thomas - thinks that saying "poop" is hilarious.  Did I mention he says it often, and not just in reference to "pee."  I hope we don't have a situation on our hands.

Thomas - his professional looks

Last month we had some fun at one of our nearby parks together while Drew Buchanan took lots of pictures of the Hecks.  One of the most special gifts that anyone has given us is one that shows my family together... pictures capture that in the most special way!  Here is a glimpse of our favorite little boy.

His seriousness

His "I've got Daddy brown hair and eyes" look

His boundless smiles and laughter

His "I've got my Mommy's smile" look

Mischief meets curiousity

Trying to be the best BIG brother ever!

Me, Me, Me and my friend

So Abby found a few pictures of herself from last year when she was just a few months old.  She starred at them for about an hour without letting any of them out of her sight.  She even carried them around like they were her "babies"... it was too cute!

 At one point, she even started to "show" them to Zig.

 Not to sound mean or anything, but I think he was paying close attention not to her & herself...

 ... but rather to the snacks that were close by and the fact that she was willing to share because he was being such a good audience.

 And just like that... Zig became Abby's closest friend of the day.

Wacky Weekend & Bloopers

As usual, we enjoyed a longer-than-usual weekend and now it has come to and end much too quickly.  So with that... here is the 10 second glimpse at our wacky weekend filled with bloopers along the way (and on going sickness).

Daddy headed offshore at an unGodly hour Saturday morning (2:30 AM) for some good fishing.  I guess that is what time "serious" fishermen get out on the water.  Meanwhile, my kiddos and I enjoyed plenty of 'jammie time and then headed to P'cola for a short shopping excursion and then stopped at McDs for lunch before we headed home.  Abby insisted that she did not need a highchair and her big brother supported her efforts to sit next to him and eat.  It really did warm my heart watching them next to each other.

 Here "Mutt & Jeff" climbing through the McDs playground... obviously Abby is needing plenty of help and big brother is right there to push shove help her up as far as she wanted to go.

 But at one point all he wanted to do was slide back down and be first to the bottom, which meant...

 ... that Abby was left to defend herself and get down solo.

Some Daddy pictures from 90 miles offshore... they headed all the way to the big OIL rigs where the fishing is great.  After the initial 3 hour trek out there, they spent the entire day jumping from rig to rig.  They caught plenty of Tuna (which made Mama happy) and then finally returned hom around 9:30 PM Saturday night.  Long day to say the least!

 Up close and personal to those big oil rigs as they were trying to catch some big fish!

 Poor Thomas was exhausted today after we ran around town this morning with erronds & getting lunch.

 I'm not going to say a whole lot about the next two pictures except that "boys will be boys."  Thomas has his Sheriff Woody gun holster on and decided that this was a better suited way to wear his gun... which clearly freed up the use of his two hands.  OMG... I almost peed my pants and died from a coughing and laughter combo (and so did Daddy).  Can you imagine - your son turns around and BAM... in your face is a bright orange POINTY gun?  What is up with boys?  And of course he thought it was hilarious because Brian and I were dieing laughing.

 Sorry about the horrible qualit of picture... but you can probably see what I'm talking about now.

The boys got some fishing time in today, despite the fact that every weather man was wrong about our BEAUTIFUL forecast today, out on the dock. 

And while they were enjoying the gorgeous water & weather, Abbigail and I headed back to the doctor's office (she was just there last Monday with Daddy) to find out that she now has an ear infection and the congestion continues in her chest... this means more drugs to hopefully ease things up for her and make her feel better soon.  After a week of coughing, constantly watery eyes, runny nose that just doesn't turn off - you can see how raw/chapped her nasal area is...

My poor sleeping baby.

Without loved ones there

The birth of your child will be one of the most thrilling and emotional experiences in your life. Ideally, you will share this event with your spouse. But when you're a military wife, there is always the possibility that your husband will be away on deployment when your due date arrives.

Good friends Nicky & husband Bryant, and also Laura & husband Patrick (who both happen to be teachers) have/had to deal with military deployments during their pregnancies.  Nicky recently found out they were expecting their first child.  The news came just days before Bryant left for a 6-month deployment to Afghanistan.  Over joyed with the idea that they were pregnant, they had to say their goodbyes.  After spending the holidays apart (although not their first deployment through the holidays), Nicky prepared for her first ultrasound... alone.  "Watching the baby move, hearing the heartbeat, and seeing a life that my husband I made from our love for one another was surreal and miraculous as anything that has ever occurred in my life. However, in that same moment I couldn't help but be sad. The longer that I am a military spouse the more I learn about the hardships and unfairness that this life is engulfed in... My first parent experience I had to experience alone because Bryant is gone at war. It was a moment that I always imagined him holding my hand for and crying with me."  Although Bryant will be home in late April, a few months before their baby is due... my heart breaks for my good friend who is experiencing so many firsts without the love of her life next to her.  I hope she knows that her support system around her is willing and wanting to help her in every possible way until Bryant is home.

On a similar note, yet under different circumstances, Laura found out they were expecting months before Patrick was due to leave on his deployment.  They were together for approximately 5 months when they had to say goodbye.  But Laura & Patrick's story is different, but all too familiar to so many military families dealing with a time of war.  Patrick was not home to experience the birth of his first child.  Laura did not have her loving husband with her next to her hospital bed holding her hand when she gave birth to a beautiful baby boy named Emory.  Instead, Patrick (who happens to be in my hubby's squadron and a good fishing buddy) watched for hours via Skype as Laura helped bring their little miracle of life into this world.  She had support surrounding her but the one she hoped would be there with her was 1/2 a world a way wishing he was.

Although I have not endured what either Nicky or Laura have been faced with, I have however experienced Brian TDY a lot during my pregnancies as well as deploying 3 weeks after Abbigail was born.  Despite the weeks and months with Daddy gone, as a military spouse I feel blessed that he was here to experience the birth & joy of both his little boy and baby girl.  With baby #3 on the way, fingers crossed that nothing comes up unexpected (although, as said before... it is always possible), Daddy will be here to witness and celebrate as we bring another miracle and blessing into this world.

Nicky & Laura - your strength is incredible... it does not go unnoticed, especially by your husbands.  You are an inspiration to me and so many others who hear your story, shed tears for you knowing you are missing your loved one, but saying so many prayers for a safe return home soon so that you can experience the family that you have longed for.

Heckness

These are really just random pictures from the week... we will call it "A Taste of Heckness."

Thomas & Abby enjoying some oranges as they waited for Daddy to make a smoothie last Saturday morning. Apparently, the kitchen counter is the place to be while waiting for food.
Abby loves to walk around holding random clothes; I usually find her drawers open with clothes thrown about in her room. But it doesn't have to be her clothes - Daddy's military socks will do. My bras are popular. Thomas' underwear also makes numerous appearances around the house. She loves to accessorize with additional layers not only on herself...

... but given the chance, she is quick to do the same to Daddy. In this case, Daddy was decked out with bib & blankie and cozy with baby.

In with my stuff

I was getting ready to leave work when I grabbed my purse. I reached into my purse to get my car keys and for some reason... couldn't find them quickly. That is unusual for me because I keep my purse fairly organized (or so I think) and most everything has a "spot."

Where the heck were my keys?

Once I actually glanced into my purse, it all became too obvious what the problem was. I dumped out my purse onto my desk in order to find the keys. Ah ha! There they are... underneath all the other crap that has gotten tossed in with my stuff. A run-down of what (else) I found:

• wallet
• checkbook (although the only check written is weekly daycare)
• small bottle of lotion
• Planner (see earlier post this week regarding importance)
• chapstick
• Tide Pen (compliments of my friend Linsey)
• calculator
• 2 pens
• 2 packs of fruit snacks for the kids on the ride home
• 3 CARS
• baby ultrasound (from Wednesday's appt)
• school keys (on the Apple chain)
• chip clip from old bag of pretzels at work
• love note from my hubby (yes, periodically I get them) about my Christmas present
• donation receipt/ticket for a charity pancake breakfast in 2 weeks
• "Return to School" doctor's note for Abby from this week