It's a...boy?!?!

That is exactly how I felt during my ultrasound last Monday as very clear little boy parts appeared on the flat screen monitor in front of me.  I had joked with my sister a few days before, that if they told me it was a boy, I would tell them to look again.  But even my untrained eyes couldn't deny his obvious gender, and I guess he was pretty sick of being referred to as a girl because those little knees were wide open. 

I had been so sure it was a girl...we all had.  This pregnancy has been so different than my first.  I felt sick all the time and I had strong food aversions among other physical symptoms that I never really experienced with Jake.  Not to mention how emotional I felt/feel with this baby.  I can cry at the drop of a hat, and I just assumed this was because my body was coursing with all sorts of extra estrogen from a baby girl.  Then you add how I was feeling to the fact that Jacob kept telling us we were having a girl.  It didn't matter how many times we asked him or how we phrased the question, for the last 4 months his answer has always been the same, "It's a girl"  Who argues with that?  Remember he did tell me I was having a baby before we told him.  He was right about that, so I just figured his little spirit remembered who was next in our family.  However, knowing Jacob, I wouldn't be surprised if this was the first joke of many that my boys are going to play on me.  And don't think Daddy won't join right in on that fun. :-)

To Arthur's credit, a few weeks before the ultra sound, he did have a dream about our new little boy very similar to the one he had had with Jacob.  However, even that wasn't enough to sway us from believing Jacob.  We just figured Arthur's subconscious was playing the "what if" game.  But we should have known better, Arthur's dreams always come true.

The funny part is that people have misinterpreted my insistence that was a girl for some great longing for a girl.  So many of our family and friend have asked if I am sad or upset that I am having another boy.  I am the opposite actually.  I am ecstatic to have another boy!  Having Jacob has been the best thing that has ever happened to us, how was we be anything but excited to do it again?  I love the idea of Jake and his brother growing up together (not to mention the money we will save by reusing all of the cute clothes we got for Jake) and I hope and pray that they will be the kind of friends my sister and I have been throughout our lives. 

They already look like brothers!  Baby Boy #2 on the top, Jake's 18 week ultrasound on the bottom...I could look at these profiles all day!

Arthur is also trilled to have another son.  Due to his training, he was unable to come to the ultra sound with Jake and I.  So after my appointment I went to store to enlarge some of the photos and bought a blue gift bag to put them in.  When I arrived home, he was already there and dying to find out.  As I handed him the bag I said, "I guess I will be staying home by myself while you boys go hunting."  No man has ever smiled so big. 

A Day in Destin

Since Jake was born we have been blessed, and maybe even a little spoiled with how much time we have been able to spend as a family.  Even being in the army gave us almost 4 months of nearly 24 hour 7 day a week time.  However, since Arthur has started training again this past June, we have all had to transition Daddy being away during the days.  We are all excited to be back on track and getting closer to when Arthur will finally get to fly again, but needless to say we really miss all that "family time."  So this past weekend we decided it was time to take an overdue trip to beautiful Destin beach for some quality time...just the three (and a half) of us.

It was an awesome day!  The last time we visited Destin was during Aunt Robyn's visit back in May, and Jake had no interest in even putting his feet in the water.  So this trip we made sure to come fully equipped with a bucket full of sand toys with the expectation that Jake would not be leaving the beach (at least not willingly).  However, I was pleasantly surprised when, after just minutes, Jake asked me to take him to follow Daddy into the water.  I guess our trips to the pool have really paid off.  That and Jacob has really grown up this summer.  He is a little less cautious and has much more confidence trying new things and doing things by himself. 




While Jacob did great, as a California girl, there are several things about the Florida Gulf that I had to adjust to during this trip.  

First, the water is crazy warm which would amazing except that this appears to provide the perfect environment for green algae...lots and lots of thick green algae.   Second, it is strange to be the ocean and not have any real waves.  While I missed that amazing sound of crashing waves, the calm water does make playing in the water with a toddler much easier.  Finally, after spending time along many of California beaches all along the coast I cannot recall many times when the temperature has exceeded 90 degrees and even then the heat is usually accompanied by a nice coastal breeze.  Nope, no coastal breezes here...just 100 degree hot sticky air.  Nonetheless, I shouldn't complain, we had such a great time playing in the ocean as a family and a little (or a lot) of algae wasn't going to ruin our fun.                                 

However, even with our trips into the water and our frequent water breaks, Arthur and I were ready to get out of the sun after about an hour and half.   

Jake on the other hand, would have stayed and played in the sand all day, but his flushed cheeks were tell tale sign that his little body was also ready for air conditioned climates.  

Destin is a vacation town so we had no trouble finding thing to fill the rest of our afternoon.  We made a stop at Bass Pro shop for the boys.  Arthur left with a hat, and Jake left with a shirt, a fishing pole, and a bag of licorice.  We don't mean to spoil him...it just happens.  Then after an overpriced lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe, it was time for some sale shopping at the outlet mall.  I can't pass up a trip to Oshkosh.  If your look at our pictures closely, you will notice it is all Jake wears.  Luckily for our bank account, we did not yet know the gender of Baby #2, but I had no trouble finding some cute things for Jake.  We ended with trip at the Stride Rite outlet, where both Jake and Arthur walked out in a pair of new shoes.  As you read this you might be asking yourself, "Mom, what did you get?"  My answer, a perfect day with my two favorite people and a really quite drive home.  I love family days.

A Great Day in L.A.

As you read this title you may be thinking to yourself, "The Orr's back in California?"  No Los Angeles for us...now we are talking L.A. as in Lower Alabama.  I am not going to lie, most Saturdays I wake up and wonder, "What the heck are we going to do to day?"  By Saturday I am looking for a change from Jake and my "normal" routine, but it easier said then done.  By nine it is usually too hot and humid to go outside, it can even be too much to go swimming and who knew that was possible?  The beach is beautiful, but the 3 to 4 hour round trip is not something we can do every week.  And since we have a toddler, staying inside watching reruns of NCIS or Criminal Minds is also out of the question.  Needless to say, our whole family (especially Arthur) were excited when the Kimber's invited us to a place they call Shark Tooth Creek.

As far as I know, this place is not on any map and although it is only 45 minutes from our house there is no way I could find it again.  I think its seclusion is part of it magic.  It was like entering a tropical paradise as we made our way down the hillside to the base of small waterfall that feeds the cool clear creek.  The sound of falling water and the canopy of branches and vines protecting us from the Alabama heat made a beautiful backdrop for a morning of "excavating" and memory making.  A big thank you to the Kimber's for sharing your special spot with us, we had a great time!

A perfect 2 year old hike to the waterfall

Making our way down stream

Katie showing Jake one of the fossilized shark teeth that she found.  She's a teacher (can't you tell?) and one of Jake's (and our) favorite people out here.  

Jake walking back with the boys.  We love spending time with the Kimber's, and it makes it so much better that they love Jacob.

Jake playing in the water downstream.  It is moments like this, when the independent little boy he is becoming is so apparent, that I hold my breath and wait to become melancholy or nostalgic about the baby he use to be.  But I don't.  Instead I am just happy and excited as I watch him learn and grow.

As if stomping around in water and finding fossilized shark teeth wasn't enough, that was not the end to our awesome day.  After hamburgers and naps, we were off for an evening of extreme bowling with our best friends here, the Kimber's (they hadn't had enough of us) and the Moody's.  It was Jake's first time bowling and my first time in nearly 10 years.  But even with our lack of experience, we had a great time.  Arthur even helped me improve my game.  On my second game I scored a 98.  That may not sound like much, but after a game of gutter balls, I was pretty excited.

Jake's independent self was in full force.  After Arthur showed him what to do one time, Jake wanted no further assistance from either of us.  He would go pick up his ball and carry it over to the dragon slide.  After pushing is down the dragon, he would stand at the end of his lane and yell, "Go! Go! Go!" as his ball rolled toward the pins.  The best part was that it didn't matter to him whether he hit one pin or all 10.  He was just enjoying the experience.

When he it wasn't his turn, he would lean against the beam next to our lane as Talen, Michelle and Sean's son went.  He also enjoyed sliding around and dancing to the 90's music in his sweet bowling shoes.  He had some pretty awesome moves in those shoes.

As for me, I was just grateful for a fun family night out and that we got through the evening without Jake dropping one of the heavy bowling balls he kept trying to pick up onto his foot.  Simple blessings right?

All in all it was a great weekend and for old times sake I feel like I should ask, "So, what's next?"

Fabulous Fourth! Family, Friends and Freedom

I had never realized what a holiday of traditions the 4th of July is for people.  Talking with all our new friends here, each of them had a unique tradition "back at home" that they were sad to be missing.  While we do not do the exact same thing every year, Arthur and I are not completely excluded from this.  Since we started dating we have spent at least part of the holiday in Tahoe.  While I know we both missed the family and friends we see when we are there, not to mention the incredible Tahoe weather, we were both excited to start some new family traditions that we can move with us and share with our children wherever the years take us.

Tradition #1: Jake and Daddy buying and setting off fireworks together.  This will obviously be effected by where we live and what is legal, but both of them had too much fun to not do whenever possible.  Jake liked the dragon snaps the best.
Note 1: Everything is legal here
Note 2: Fire works have a way of turning grown men into 8 year old boys while making Mommies very nervous and jumpy (I did make Arthur promise that everyone would end the evening with all the limbs and digits they started it with).

Tradition #2: Mommy taking lots of pictures of Jake (and future children) in cute red, white, and blue outfits doing what I like to call "All American" activities.

Tradition #3: Freedom Fest (the post sponsored celebration)

Since Ft Rucker is the home of Army Aviation, helicopters were brought out for public enjoyment.  Jake thought is was a really great idea.

The old fashion firetruck was also a big hit...

for both my boys.

Tradition #4: Spending time as a family surrounded by good friends, food, and fireworks to celebrate our freedom.  Now we understand first hand that freedom really isn't free.  

However, the Independence Day tradition that I want to pass along above anything else is love for their country, gratitude to the men and women who sacrifice to keep us free, and pride for their father who is now among them.  

Reflecting on the day I can say that there was something extra special about the Fourth for me this year.  I have always been a very patriotic person, but celebrating on Army post surrounded by other soldiers and their families magnified the feelings of pride and gratitude I have for the men and women who have sacrificed so much to keep this country free.  Throughout the evening there was a feeling in the air, one I have never felt at a 4th of July event, and you could just feel that you were surrounded by proud Americans.  These people were not just here for the food or the fireworks, they were here to celebrate this amazing country that we live in.  The live music was great, the speeches where moving, and sitting on our blanket with our friend I couldn't help but realize that Independence Day will never be the same for any of us again.

Here is a poem that was read that night.  I thought it was beautiful and was worth sharing:

It is the Soldier, not the minister

Who has given us freedom of religion.

It is the Soldier, not the reporter

Who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the Soldier, not the poet

Who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the Soldier, not the campus organizer

Who has given us freedom to protest.

It is the Soldier, not the lawyer

Who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is the Soldier, not the politician

Who has given us the right to vote.

It is the Soldier who salutes the flag,

Who serves beneath the flag,

And whose coffin is draped by the flag,

Who allows the protester to burn the flag.

Charles Michael Province, U.S. Army

Happy June, Honey

Between Arthur's birthday, Father's Day, and the fact that he actually started class again this week, June has kind of been Arthur's month.  So I don't want the month to completely pass without expressing my love and appreciation for him.

It is funny how focused people (or maybe just me) can become on the milestones and the growth that our children have made, but how often we overlook the growth and development in our partner standing right beside us.  As I was reflecting last night, I started to think about how this fall it will be seven years since Arthur and I started dating, and almost 11 years since we met back in high school.  Even back then, when he was way too cool for me, I knew there was just something about him.  And he must have seen something in me too because he wrote in my year book, "You stay hot and don't forget that we gonna get married soon..."  I don't know about the hot part, but he was right about us getting married.

We have both been through so much since then, both as individuals and in our relationship, and when I look back on who we were I feel like we are almost unrecognizable.  However, I am so grateful that we were able to grow up together because I love seeing how far we both have come.  And I am so amazed at the incredible man, husband, and father Arthur has become.  A few days ago some of the army wives were talking about what their husband's plans were within the army after flight school.  When the conversation turned to me I said, "I trust Arthur to make the decision that is in the best interest of our family."  I know this to be true in all the decisions that Arthur makes, and I hope he knows I will always do the same.

I love you Honey...Happy June!

Sneaky Sneaky

Jake can be quite an old soul at times (much like his father) so it is not surprising that I often find the two of them sitting on the bench on our front porch enjoying our frequent afternoon thunder storms.  From time to time Jake will even go out there by himself.  If Jake was any other two year old, I might panic at the sound of my front door opening as my toddler lets himself outside, but it's Jake.  Of course I will immediately go peak out the front window and check up on what he is doing, but generally I find him hanging out on the front porch.  However, what I saw Jake doing this past Wednesday made me rethink this bit of freedom.

Apparently Jake wanted a snack and he felt that the rest of his chocolate Easter Bunny would be a good choice.  While I can't blame him for wanting chocolate, but I was a little taken aback by the sneaky plan he concocted in order to get it.  There is no doubt that he thought this through.

I couldn't help but laugh (and Arthur couldn't help but get the camera) as we watch Jake open the Ziploc bag, remove the bunny from its box, and victoriously take a bite of his spoils.  

We only let him get through a bite or two before Arthur knocked on the window.  Jake jumped and turned to the window saying, "I see you."  "No Jacob, we see you!"

Thank you for silly sneaky two year memories.

The Sesame Street Show

Last week was a big first for Jake, it was his first live theater performance!  And I am happy to say that he loved it!  The USO provided a darling Sesame Street performance on post for army kids and their families.

It made for a great evening out with our awesome friends the Moody's, but the best part really was sharing with Jake my life time love and passion for musical theater and watching him fall in love with it too.

(Waiting patiently for the show to start...okay, the new toy they handed out might have something to do with that)

(waving to all his Sesame friends)

(This one is my favorite...his face just says it all)