Baby

So we have a new baby. Parker Wayne Astin. I love him. He was born 5/20/2010 at 8:24 am via c-section. We are both doing great. He sleeps very well and loves to nurse. Abby loves being a big sister. She gets a little frantic when he cries. Occasionally if he is in his swing I will find him covered with 3 or 4 teddy bears. He is a lot different than Abby was but a lot of things he does reminds me of when Abby was a newborn. He smells so good. I love the smell of a new baby! Cory has been home on his block leave so that has been nice. Bedtime has been the time where I'm finding it's much harder to have two kids than one. Bedtime has always been me and Abby time but Cory has had to do story time a few times this week because I'm nursing Parker. For the upcoming deployment I'm going to have to figure out a good schedule and stick to it. I'm looking forward to seeing Parker's personality grow.

Germany

Well Abby and I made it to Germany safely. The plane ride was long and I now hate the Paris airport but we got here. The weather has been really nice this past week. We had to stay in the hotel on base for a few days until we got a car to get us back and forth from our apartment to base. We ended up buying a 1992 BMW 320i... it's an older car but it runs and gets us where we need to go. Cory is putting a cd player in it right now actually. Our apartment is about 15 minutes from Vilseck base and about 20 minutes from Grafenwohr base... so we are right in the middle sort of. I got my German drivers license and I know how to get to and from the bases for now. I am not quite comfortable enough with the car to hop on the autobahn yet, the speeds are pretty high and I want to know the car a little more. Hopefully we can do some exploring of towns around us this summer. I really like our apartment, the layout is nice and we have plenty of space. The floors are all tile or hardwood so I need to get some rugs. We have government furniture for now, our furniture should be arriving toward the end of this month. Cory got Abby a princess bed spread and sheets and she was very excited to have her own bed. The apartment is out in an extremely secluded little farming community. It's very quiet at night and we have farm land on all sides of the little village. Cory's sponsor Sgt. Chris told me they farm corn and potatoes and grains. The livestock doesn't free range out here... they keep them in stalls in these big garage looking things. The farmers are fertilizing the fields right now so it smells pretty fresh when we go outside. Abby and I take a walk about everyday. There is a little playground down the street from us and a pond with some ducks. Abby and I took some bread to feed the ducks and they swam as fast as they could to get away from us, I don't think they are used to being fed bread. Out building has three levels with an apartment on each level, we are on the second floor so we are right in the middle. The apartment above us is an American couple named Marie and Michael. Michael is in the Army as well but a different unit than Cory. Below us is an older German couple, they don't speak a word of English. I believe they are the landlords parents, the old woman always smiles at Abby and speaks German to her... Abby just talks back to her in English and tells her things that she is doing that day. There is a little cement area behind the building that has a swing and looks like it will be a good place for bike riding. Across the street is a fire station that has a big cement area too that all the German kids ride their bikes on. I think this past week has been spring break because there have been a lot of German kids running around outside all day. Abby got to play with a little girl that has been staying with the older woman below us, her name is Katarina and she doesn't speak English either but they played with a bouncy ball together for a little while. Our small shipment of stuff came this week so we have our little tv now and a few more clothes, next time we move I will definitely be smarter about what I send in the fast shipment. Live and learn. I am looking forward to getting my kitchen stuff here. We don't eat out very often so I am cooking a lot and having to improvise with what I have. We have to have outlet converters for all of our stuff as well... the power is 220volt here and American stuff uses 110volt so we have a few transformers that take in 220v and convert to 110v. It was interesting setting up the small tv and Cory's xbox and playstation and the wii.... Cory was terrified he was going to get zapped or blow the xbox up. We spent the morning flipping breakers and shutting the power on and off to get it all set up. I just stood at the breaker box and flipped stuff back and forth until we got it all set. Abby keeps me pretty busy and Cory is still kind of getting situated or in processed with work. I will try and upload some pictures on here too. Hope all is well with everyone back in the states and I will try and be better about blogging.

Princess tea party and updates

December is here and I am getting excited for Christmas. Abby turned three and had three parties! She was spoiled immensely and had great fun. I can't believe she is three years old already. She has developed a new attitude and is quite sassy. She can be very silly and playful at times too. Everything she does has to be her idea or we have a struggle. "I can do it myself!" is what I hear all the time now. If her outfit is not her idea of matching she will not wear it. Her Grandma Les Lee made her princess dresses for her birthday, she has a Snow White dress, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella and Belle. She loves these and the shoes that match! She also got several barbies and A TON of little barbie shoes that she loves from her Vicky and Grandma Parris. I had a hard time trying to find something to get her for Christmas because she got everything she needs and more for her birthday.

I told Abby that we get to go pick up her Daddy at the airport next week. She said that he is at her old house in Texas that is just back that way. Her idea of Texas is funny. I think she will be excited to get to play with him. Cory is looking forward to relaxing and spending time with family and friends. I think Cory will be a little surprised at how demanding his little princess is and what a handful she can be.

I am starting to feel a little better from swine flu stuff. My voice is still not the same and I cough a lot. I just started my second trimester of pregnancy and I think my energy is slowly coming back little by little. I haven't been as sick with this baby as I was with Abigail but occasionally I get really nauseous and sick. I was able to schedule the big ultra sound for December 30th so Cory could be there with me when we find out what we are having. I can't decide if I want another girl or if I want a boy. I will be happy with a healthy baby no matter what sex it is. So wish us luck! I will post when I find out. Merry Christmas to everyone and I hope all is well with you!

Halloween and life

For Halloween this year we headed down to Salt Lake City and celebrated with my sister Chelcia and her family. We left on Saturday morning and met them at Lagoon for FRIGHT MARES! We had a blast. The kids love loved it. Abby was not scared of the fast rides at all. My nephew Ian was the master of evil (or something close to that) so Abigail was terrified of his mask. Ian of course loved the fact she was scared of him and teased and chased her. Andre was a scary skeleton thing with an exposed bleeding heart and Aiden was a cute batman. The boys are getting into the scary part of Halloween. Abby was Snow White and she was so excited that she got to wear red lipstick. She isn't smiling in the group shot because she didn't like being so close to the master of evil. I usually dress up for Halloween but I came down with the H1N1 a week ago and I have been battling that for a good week and half now. I felt pretty sick the first two days but my fever went away. I had to take a week off work and rest, I am now just trying to kick the respiratory symptoms. I have no voice and my throat is still pretty sore. Abigail hasn't showed any signs of it so far so knock on wood that she will stay healthy and happy.

Cory is still in Texas doing his advanced individual training. He basically is going to school. He said he is doing well and is in the top ten in his class. He gets to have freedom on the weekends and this past weekend he got to enjoy a college football game at the Alamo dome. He said he got good seats and had a good time watching Notre Dame and Washington State. He has been introduced to the "bar" seen. During this stage he has to have a "battle buddy" with him at all times. His friends unfortunately like to enjoy alcohol. A lot of alcohol. He said he gets annoyed with drunk idiots. They compromise and go to sports bars so Cory can at least catch a game while he sips on coke and watches his fellow soldiers get inebriated. I feel bad for him, I often get frustrated texts or calls on Saturday night. He doesn't enjoy being around the drinkers but it's a night out of his little bunk bed area.

Cory bought his ticket home for Christmas today. He will arrive on December 18th and he has to be back on January 2nd. I think he is looking forward to being home and the break. I can't believe it is November already. Time to get in gear for the Holidays. I look forward to spending time with family and friends.

My new love

My new favorite thing. Before I had Abby my hair was always super straight and nice all by itself but a bonus super fun gift of motherhood has been fro hair. Needless to say I have been annoyed for like 3 years now... but thanks to my new lover pink flat iron I can have smooth hair again. Yay! Kind of silly but I really like it! And it's pink because October is breast cancer awareness. So ladies get your boobs squished if you are of appropriate age.... (that means you Mother.)

slacking

So it's been awhile since I've posted on here. Vicky and I went to Cory's graduation and had a good time. The separation was hard but the visit was worth it. Cory is now in San Antonio Texas. He has started his classes and has been assigned squad leader. I think he is in charge of 12 soldiers. So far AIT has been pretty mellow for him, he gets to call home every night. Abby has started preschool and we are working on her shape recognition. She is talking more and more and she is pretty sure she is in charge of the whole daycare. I am still working at the doctors office and I enjoy it. My memory card from Cory's graduation is having a problem but I'm hoping I can get it fixed or at least retrieve the photos. :( Cory got to have an off post pass the other day and he sent me some pictures of San Antonio from his phone. It looks big busy and beautiful. Abby my parents and I went to the ISU Homecoming parade this morning and had fun. Abby knows just how to pose and waive so cute so she got A TON of candy. I am looking forward to Halloween this year, I always enjoy dressing up Abby. I think she is going to be a cowgirl. Cory will be able to come home for Christmas for a few weeks so that will be nice to see him home. If I can salvage the photos I will post more! I am being told by Abby.... " Hey MOMMY!!! Stop that computer! So I better go she is trying to get my attention. ;)

Gearing up for Graduation!

So Cory has been super slacker on the letters lately, Sheesh it's like he is working really long days or something! He had a camp out thing where he was gone for a few days. He said it was fun... they did little missions and he got to be the guy they had to rescue from the bad guys. He passed his final PT test so he is all set to graduate. He said when he was on the camp out they got super dirty and he got dirt in his cup of Gatorade but he drank it anyway because he was so thirsty. I had to laugh at this because it is sooo not Cory! The last few times Cory has called home he has lists of instructions for me to do. I am in charge of bringing him a laptop, PSP, electric shaver thing, bball shorts, a fitted hat, his iPod, and one of his bags to him for graduation. I also need to arrange Internet service for him as well as research options on extended education for army medics. Lol. I am starting to feel like an Army wife! I'm going to start saying... "YES SIR!" Cory is looking forward to graduation and getting out of Oklahoma. Out of all the places he can choose to eat out when we get there... he wants pizza hut! I'm like... pizza? After weeks and weeks of those nasty army food things you want pizza? I guess working at a pizza place since he was old enough to work didn't quite satisfy his craving. Lol. Abby is so ready to go see her Daddy. She asks me like 15 times everyday... "Mommy, I want to go home and see my Daddy!" She is now starting to say she wants to go to Daddy's house. I'm like GREAT... that sounds super! Haha. She thinks Daddy is still at our old house just waiting for her and she doesn't understand why we don't ever go home when I get off work. I'm just to the point where I say, we will go see Daddy in a few days and I try to change the subject. She is crazy hyper like non-stop lately. Especially at bedtime! Every night after her bath I have to seriously chase her down and sit on her to get her pajamas on. She is laughing like crazy the whole time! Bedtime is a workout! She has her list of excuses she has to go through every night to try and convince me that she isn't ready for bed yet. #1 I have to go potty Mommy.... I always tell her... Abby you just went potty go to sleep.
#2 I need to watch Daddy-phone... so I get my phone and play her the video Cory sent to her telling her to lay down and go to sleep and listen to her Mommy.
#3 I'm thirsty mommy I need some chocolate milk!... I tell her we just brushed her teeth so she can't have chocolate milk but I go and get her a glass of water.
#4 I need to give Mama a love Mommy. (I'm mommy and grandma is Mama.) So we have to get up and go give Mama a hug and kiss, then Mama has to read her a story.
#5 Mommy I want to lay on your bed!... I tell her no, this is Mommy's bed and this is Abby's bed.
#6 Mommy I want you to lay with me. So I lay with her for a few minutes while she pokes me in the eye and tells me to hush and go sleep! I tell her to hush and go sleep too! I give her hugs and kisses and tell her I have to go do some various random chore.
This is our nightly tango at bedtime. Sometimes she has to go give my little sister's dog Hannah a kiss too!
I'm looking forward to graduation and seeing Cory for a few days. I know that the separation at the end of this trip is going to be harder than the first one because we know exactly how much we miss each other when we aren't together. I'm hoping Cory will excel in AIT and keep busy. Abby is good at keeping me busy! I will post some pictures of graduation when I get back.