YEAH!!! ROB'S IN GUAM!!

Yep, there's a light at the end of the tunnel and it's not a train. Maybe we'll get him back this month after all.

I'm looking for middle name suggestions. My oldest friend (we met at the age of two) and her husband are due with twins and have a rather long German last name that starts with a B. They've choosen Chance and Grace for the first names but need middle names. I, of course, am voting for Grace Elizabeth. Jenny's voting for Chance Leo (after her grandfather). Any other suggestions?

Multitasking

How many of you can suck on the tentacles of an octopus and type at the same time? And...

Would you want to?

Another rough day

Ella's feeling pretty bad, as evidenced by her many mood swings throughout the day. I was on the phone with Jenny, now 38 weeks and two days preggers with Chance and Grace Elizabeth (kidding about the Elizabeth but I'm a bit partial,) and Ella finally got quiet in her crib. I snuck in to see if she was breathing. I'm a bit OCD that way. This is how I found her. Her diaper had just been changed and I hadn't fastened her onesie. It was warm so her pants were off. She had removed her sock a few minutes before with her mouth. She's started chewing on her toes and if they're clad in socks that doesn't seem to be a problem. She usually just pulls them off with her gums and two teeth (the socks not the toes.)

Saline nose irrigation and aspiration

I tried it!! Ella and I aren't big fans. I need at least four hands, two adults, and one cooperative baby for it to be effective. Alas, of the afore mentioned, I only have two hands and one adult. Effective irrigation that does not make. The end result was streams of snot down the face (Ella's, not mine) and 30 minutes of tears (again, Ella's). I resorted to putting her in the Ergo because she wouldn't let me put her down afterwards and she's too heavy for extended hip balancing. Ah, the joys of single parenthood!

UGH!!!

Rob still isn't home yet. So what, right? I don't know if you remember, but he was late departing. When the crew got to Guam they had to unload their C17 because it was too heavy for the new runway in Palau. Apparently Plau had yet to certify the new runway. They spent almost a week in Guam while they divided up the crew and cargo and flew them into Palau on C17s. Well it's been almost three months and the runway still hasn't been certified. That means three trips to get all the gear and crew to Guam. The first portion of the crew was supposed to fly out on Monday but, because of a little typhoon, the plane was unable to get to Palau from Japan. After a few days the weather god smiled and yesterday the first plane was set to leave. One of the engines went out on the way over but they got it working and off to Guam they went. It seems that, even though the weather god was smiling, the plane god was not. The plane was unable to return to Palau and is sitting in Guam waiting for engine parts from Japan. After they get the parts, and after they fix the plane, and after they get the plane to Palau, TWICE, and after they get the plane back to Guam, TWICE, then, and only then, I may get my husband back. I'll believe it when I see the whites of his eyes.

I guess the advantage is that Rob gets to miss out on the sick baby and I have a couple of extra days to clean.

Better night last night

Two nights ago it was COLD. Yes, I can can see all of you rolling your eyes. Fine, it was cold for Hawaii. It was probably in the low 60s in Ella's room and she seems to be brewing a cold. During one of her wakings I noticed that her hands were like Popsicles. So, yesterday I went shopping for winter PJs. Yes, yes, more eye rolling. Have any of you ever shopped for winter PJs, in Hawaii, in April? I thought not! It was a near impossible task. After three stores I found ONE pair in her size at Old Navy. Last night I bundled her up; socks, hat, onesie, PJs, and blanket. I pulled out the futon in her room. When she woke at 3:00 with her Popsicles, we cuddled on the futon. It took her only a few minutes to settle down and fall back asleep all nice and toasty warm. I woke up this morning to a grinning face and small fingers exploring my nose.

It's..... PLAYTIME..... at 4am?

Yes, we're up. What else is there to do at oh four hundred? Ella's playing with her mobile and HOPEFULLY will go back to sleep so I can go back to sleep.

Yesterday I left Ella with Amy for a few hours. It's the first time I've been apart from her in a couple of months and the first time I've left her with non family. It was definitely harder for me than it was for her. She spent about fifteen minutes on my lap and then became more interested in Amy's Pufferfish than in her mother. I handed her off to Amy and it took EFFORT to get her to smile at me as I said goodbye. I feed, clothe, bathe, change and comfort her and it's all she can do to even notice I'm leaving. Payback's hell! When I returned a couple of hours later she was asleep propped up on the couch with Amy and Cooper keeping watch. When she woke up she grinned at me like I'd never left.

Here are some photos Amy snapped of Ella being MISERABLE without me.

It's now 4:28 and all is quiet so I'm off to bed.