We are in the final days of deployment....which is fabulous. It also means that every clock in my house has started to tick a little slower as my anticipation for Shane's return grows. In an effort to make the time go by faster I am challenging myself to do a couple of things between now and his return. This should speed up the ticking clocks for me (hopefully) and maybe provide some entertainment for you (again, another hope!) So, here we go...between now and Shaner's return, I challenge myself to:
--Blog. Every day between now and homecoming. Even if it is just an adorable photo of the kiddos. One post a day.
--Hot for Homecoming! Yes, that is right...I am not satisfied with the 30lbs I am already down. I can do better. So, running (with my fab new stroller!) and the 30 Day Shred between now and then. I should finish the 30DS shortly before Shane gets home, so yeah....hot for homecoming. Here we go.
--Say "Thank You."...These last umpteen months have stretched me to near my breaking point, and without the help and support of countless people, I would not be here today, wiser and stronger than I was when I stood on the pier waving goodbye back in March. Between now and when Shaner comes home. I need to say Thank You to everyone....so, be on the look out for surprise texts, cards and calls from me....you all know who you are.
...because if deployment isn't a challenge in and of itself, it takes a challenge (or three) to get you through to the end.
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Thankful Thursday 9.12.2013
I know that everyone on instagram and Facebook are all about some Throwback Thursday action....Thank the Good Lord, there is not much digital photographic evidence from yester-year that I have in my possession--high school wasn't a cute phase for me...so I am never able to partake. (and dear friends from long ago, no need to share anything that you might have...let's have the photos from the past stay there haha)
That said, I just finished my first week back in the office and in the past three days, I have realized how much I have to be thankful for and that even in the most frustrating of moments, I am blessed beyond measure. So, I am going to force myself to post at least once a week on Thursdays (or on Friday morning...or something) to recap my week and make sure that I note all of the positive that I have encountered that week. Sometime in the future, I am sure that "Thankful Thursdays" will involve Shane being home as part of the recap, but until then, I have to find the bright side in everything....
So, for this week I am thankful:
That said, I just finished my first week back in the office and in the past three days, I have realized how much I have to be thankful for and that even in the most frustrating of moments, I am blessed beyond measure. So, I am going to force myself to post at least once a week on Thursdays (or on Friday morning...or something) to recap my week and make sure that I note all of the positive that I have encountered that week. Sometime in the future, I am sure that "Thankful Thursdays" will involve Shane being home as part of the recap, but until then, I have to find the bright side in everything....
So, for this week I am thankful:
- that my first week back in the office, my coworkers didn't take it easy on me. I didn't want to be treated any different because I was back in the office post-baby with said baby in tow. Get me into a routine, and get me in fast! I love what I do, and being able to do it immediately upon my return has been fabulous!
- While in the office this week, Olivia settled into a sweet little routine....she'd fall asleep after being up at home while we drove into Norfolk, slept until 11 in the office, would eat, hang out and "chat" with me at my desk until about 1 and then be ready to snuggle up and head back to sleep until we left for pick up at Trevor's school. We are still working on naptime in our crib at home, but that will come eventually!
- Last night I was able to hang out with some ladies from Shaner's ship that have become good friends, and a nice sarcastic sounding board for the joys of deployment. Ah, it has been a fun ride, hasn't it ladies?
- That Trevor has taken to going back to school well and is doing so much better now that he has a routine that doesn't revolve around Olivia.
- For the "new lease on life" that I feel like I have now that I have had Olivia and have dropped--get this--30 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight. I haven't been this weight since college, before Shaner and I got married. I feel amazing (even with the lack of sleep and the chaos of two kiddos on my own) and I couldn't be more thankful for this second chance at a healthy lifestyle...and I plan to take full advantage of it.
- ...that tomorrow is Friday and I am going to my parents' house for the weekend.
and just for fun....maybe I do have one throwback photo for you:
Junior Prom 2002. My apologies Liz, deep, deep apologies.
Friday, September 6, 2013
First Day of School: 4 Year Old Edition
Trevor had his first day of school on Wednesday. This is his third year at West Ghent (love this school!) and this year he is in the Bear (4 year old class).
When did my little boy grow up and become this tall non-toddler child? I must have been sleeping (oh wait, we don't do that anymore at casa de chapman!)
Monday, August 26, 2013
Monday, August 19, 2013
Trevor Meets Olivia
OK, so I know that this post is long overdue, but taking care of two kiddos on my own? It is a lot of work y'all....so behind is where I am, and probably where I will stay for the forseeable future.
Later in the evening after Olivia was born, Matt and Chase brought Trevor up to the hospital to meet Olivia. Trevor was immediately in awe of his little sister and even though we have had some issues with being too rough, we are working on it now. Olivia is going to have to be a tough girl to make it through being Trevor's little sister....
Later in the evening after Olivia was born, Matt and Chase brought Trevor up to the hospital to meet Olivia. Trevor was immediately in awe of his little sister and even though we have had some issues with being too rough, we are working on it now. Olivia is going to have to be a tough girl to make it through being Trevor's little sister....
Friday, August 16, 2013
Olivia's Arrival
As most people know, since it has taken me over two weeks to get this up here, Olivia Renee made her debut into this world on Friday, July 26 at 4:08pm. I originally didn't think that I wanted to share a 'birth story' on here, but the events of the day were so surprising that I have changed my mind, and will share the basics on here.
[from the email i sent to my coworkers to let them know Olivia was here]
I was in the office yesterday until right before noon. I had had an appointment the day before (Thursday) that may have gotten things started, but I was very doubtful, as I had only been 1cm and 50% effaced then. I woke up in the morning thinking that I was just in the early stages of labor and that I could go about my usual day. So, I was in the office tying up loose ends, having random contractions that were painful, but I really thought nothing of it. Once I got home and got Trevor from summer camp at the Y (about 12:30) I had planned on remaking the stripped beds, getting lunch, vacuuming the pool and cleaning out my car just in case she arrived later on this weekend. About 1245, it was as if a switch was flipped, so mid-phone call with my father I told him that he needed to leave his office in DC and head to Lake Ridge to get my mom and head down here (still thinking that they'd be here for the delivery). I called my sister Andrea to come and just hang out with me and help me labor through everything. Once she arrived things had taken another turn, I had the constant urge to go to the restroom (unsuccessfully) so we were actually about to get me in the shower or pool to try and relive some tension from it all. It was then that we realized that I was bleeding and that we needed to change our game plan and head to the hospital immediately. Trevor went to my sister Jenn's house and we called our third sister, Krissy on the call list to meet us at the hospital. The ride to the hospital was pretty rough, contractions were 2-3 minutes apart and all in my back. Once we arrived at the hospital about 1:30 we were rushed to a L&D triage room to be checked, where we were informed that all the nurse could feel was my waters bulging and that she needed to get an attending. The attending checked and told me that I was 9 1/2 cm dilated. MY MIND WAS BLOWN! I have no idea how we got there, or that we were there at all. Initially I was told there would be no time for an epidural or spinal catheter and because I was so advanced that IV meds to get the edge off were out. I was blessed (and I am convinced that God set her as my nurse for a reason) that my nurse Jamie realized that while I could probably handle it physically, that I was not mentally or emotionally prepared at the time for all that was going on. The rushed me into the last available l&d room on the deck (Shane and I really need to stop conceiving children when carrier strike groups come home from deployment) and the next thing I knew, Jamie was in my face telling me that I just needed to hold on for a little while longer and that she had gotten the anesthesiologist to come right away and that he would try to do a spinal shot which would get me about an hour and a half of relief to hopefully deliver the baby. That was successful, although having those contractions while trying not to move, curled up on my side while they give a shot in your spine is quite the challenge! Once comfortable, we were able to get to the work of pushing, doing so for about half an hour. Shane was able to call from the ship and was on the phone for the delivery and to hear her first cry. Olivia was born very quickly (10 minutes to spare on the spinal shot clock) and has been doing wonderfully ever since.
Olivia was born at 7 pounds 7 ounces and 20 inches long at 4:08pm. She had a head full of her Daddy's dark hair and looks just like her big brother Trevor [their first meeting will come in a later post]. Just like with Trevor, as soon as she was placed in my arms I fell in complete and total love with her. Of course, I had loved her from the moment I knew she was on her way, but there is something about that moment that you first look into the eyes of your newborn child and hear their tiny cry that that love becomes more real than you ever could have imagined.
There are three people who I couldn't have made it through the day without...my sisters Andrea, Krissy and Jenn. Andrea and Krissy coached and supported me through my labor (do we even call it that when it lasts so short?) and delivery. While no one could have ever replaced Shane as my ideal labor coach, these two women were there to help me find the stregnth that I didn't think I had to do this without him and bring our beautiful daughter into the world. Jenn (and her husband Matt) took Trevor in for the day while we raced to the hospital in a whirlwind. I can't thank her enough for providing the consistency and normalcy that Trevor so needed on a day that his little world would be changed forever--and for Matt taking over so Jenn could race up to the hospital to be with us as soon as she could!
[from the email i sent to my coworkers to let them know Olivia was here]
I was in the office yesterday until right before noon. I had had an appointment the day before (Thursday) that may have gotten things started, but I was very doubtful, as I had only been 1cm and 50% effaced then. I woke up in the morning thinking that I was just in the early stages of labor and that I could go about my usual day. So, I was in the office tying up loose ends, having random contractions that were painful, but I really thought nothing of it. Once I got home and got Trevor from summer camp at the Y (about 12:30) I had planned on remaking the stripped beds, getting lunch, vacuuming the pool and cleaning out my car just in case she arrived later on this weekend. About 1245, it was as if a switch was flipped, so mid-phone call with my father I told him that he needed to leave his office in DC and head to Lake Ridge to get my mom and head down here (still thinking that they'd be here for the delivery). I called my sister Andrea to come and just hang out with me and help me labor through everything. Once she arrived things had taken another turn, I had the constant urge to go to the restroom (unsuccessfully) so we were actually about to get me in the shower or pool to try and relive some tension from it all. It was then that we realized that I was bleeding and that we needed to change our game plan and head to the hospital immediately. Trevor went to my sister Jenn's house and we called our third sister, Krissy on the call list to meet us at the hospital. The ride to the hospital was pretty rough, contractions were 2-3 minutes apart and all in my back. Once we arrived at the hospital about 1:30 we were rushed to a L&D triage room to be checked, where we were informed that all the nurse could feel was my waters bulging and that she needed to get an attending. The attending checked and told me that I was 9 1/2 cm dilated. MY MIND WAS BLOWN! I have no idea how we got there, or that we were there at all. Initially I was told there would be no time for an epidural or spinal catheter and because I was so advanced that IV meds to get the edge off were out. I was blessed (and I am convinced that God set her as my nurse for a reason) that my nurse Jamie realized that while I could probably handle it physically, that I was not mentally or emotionally prepared at the time for all that was going on. The rushed me into the last available l&d room on the deck (Shane and I really need to stop conceiving children when carrier strike groups come home from deployment) and the next thing I knew, Jamie was in my face telling me that I just needed to hold on for a little while longer and that she had gotten the anesthesiologist to come right away and that he would try to do a spinal shot which would get me about an hour and a half of relief to hopefully deliver the baby. That was successful, although having those contractions while trying not to move, curled up on my side while they give a shot in your spine is quite the challenge! Once comfortable, we were able to get to the work of pushing, doing so for about half an hour. Shane was able to call from the ship and was on the phone for the delivery and to hear her first cry. Olivia was born very quickly (10 minutes to spare on the spinal shot clock) and has been doing wonderfully ever since.
Olivia was born at 7 pounds 7 ounces and 20 inches long at 4:08pm. She had a head full of her Daddy's dark hair and looks just like her big brother Trevor [their first meeting will come in a later post]. Just like with Trevor, as soon as she was placed in my arms I fell in complete and total love with her. Of course, I had loved her from the moment I knew she was on her way, but there is something about that moment that you first look into the eyes of your newborn child and hear their tiny cry that that love becomes more real than you ever could have imagined.
There are three people who I couldn't have made it through the day without...my sisters Andrea, Krissy and Jenn. Andrea and Krissy coached and supported me through my labor (do we even call it that when it lasts so short?) and delivery. While no one could have ever replaced Shane as my ideal labor coach, these two women were there to help me find the stregnth that I didn't think I had to do this without him and bring our beautiful daughter into the world. Jenn (and her husband Matt) took Trevor in for the day while we raced to the hospital in a whirlwind. I can't thank her enough for providing the consistency and normalcy that Trevor so needed on a day that his little world would be changed forever--and for Matt taking over so Jenn could race up to the hospital to be with us as soon as she could!
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Sprinkled with Love
To celebrate Miss Olivia's upcoming arrival, my sorority sisters Jenn and Krissy threw a sprinkle for me the weekend we got back from KB. It was so nice to spend some time with my girlfriends for the afternoon and we certainly had a great time with the fun shower games that Jenn had found. Thank you ladies for such a special afternoon!
[all photo credit to Jenn]
[all photo credit to Jenn]
For my non-ZTA readers: the last line of our Creed is "Remembering always, that the foundation precept of Zeta Tau Alpha was love, the greatest of all things." Krissy (in her super-crafty-ness) made this wall hanging with that quote on it, and everyone there signed it. It is now hanging up on Olivia's room (which still isn't finished due to her early arrival...but we'll get to that later) and as Krissy said at the shower, one day I will be able to give/show it to Olivia (on her Zeta bid or initiation day, perhaps?) and remind her of the amazing bond and relationship I had with my Zeta sisters!
Thank you again for everything ladies! Zeta Love AND Mine!
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