On a roll...

I'm just on a roll this week! I go from not blogging for over a month, to three in one week!

My friend Sarah, whom I met down in California at work, is also missing her husband who is deployed. He left about a month before Ryan did, and so we've been kind of going through the same thing. She moved home to be with her family and so did I. We have been texting back and forth and a few days after Ryan left I asked her how long it took for her husband being gone to sink in. She said it was about three weeks before it really hit her.

So I have been very patiently waiting for my meltdown, tiptoeing around myself. I felt as though it was the eye of the storm, eerily peaceful and ok, but you know that something bad is coming. Well, the storm finally came. I wouldn't say that it was one big moment, but more like several different moments that just really made everything sink in. I was laying in bed with Gavin and I couldn't even tell you what he did, but my immediate thought was that Ryan was missing it and that made me so sad. It really hit me that I get to see all these little milestones with Gavin and watch him do silly things like suck on his toes and make fart sounds with his lips, but Ryan doesn't. Another moment was when I was pulling up to the house, and was about to unload Gavin from the car and I was about to go into an empty house, I would go in and put Gavin to bed and I would be alone. I just sat in the car, thinking that maybe if I didn't go inside, this wouldn't be happening.

I immediately thought of a conversation that I had with a woman who works for USAA, our bank (it's a military bank). I was attempting to get our car title faxed over to the DOL so that I could get our car registered in Washington. I needed to be set up as Power of Attorney and USAA was just waiting for my paperwork to be approved. The lady asked if this was our first deployment and I said that it was, and she told me she knew how I felt because her and her husband have gone through seven deployments. She asked me how I was doing, and I told her that it hadn't really hit me yet, and she said she could relate. She told me that she kept herself so busy that she tried not to think about it too much, but one night she was fixing dinner for herself and she sat down at her kitchen table and realized there she was, eating dinner alone. She said it was those small things that seem to have the biggest impact. The normal things that you do together as a family, all of a sudden you are doing them alone. She said that was the hardest part. And now, I understand what she meant. It's not that I do not have family a mile and a half away or friends on speed dial ready to talk at any moment. It's just missing that normalcy that you used to have. Like, watching TV together, walking into the house greeted with a hug or eating dinner together.

Anyways, I feel much better that I was able to get through that step of this process and hopefully be able to relax now that I've had my little freakout :) . Not that that will be my only one, but you know what I mean...

I'm heading to Montana soon! My mom, Gavin and I are heading back to the homeland to go to my cousin's baby shower. She already had her baby, Ava Diem (what a beautiful name, right?) and recently had a very terrifying experience in the hospital. One of my worst fears happened to her, her C-Section Incision burst open. With many complications after that, she was in the hospital for almost two weeks. She is out and doing very well now, but I am excited to go and see her and that baby especially after all that happened!

Well, here are some more pictures from this week! I hope everyone has a great weekend.

 I saw a deer and her three babies the other day while driving up to my house. This was as they were running away, but they just sat there and we stared at each other for quite some time. I was pretty sure she was looking at me looking for sympathy for having THREE little fawns. Haha! Poor mama.

 Ryan sent this picture to me, it is his temporary home away from home.

 Gavin and Grandpa Jay sleeping.

 Look who is almost crawling!

 Silly boy!

 Gavin and I took a walk around sunset and got some good pictures!

Good night everyone!

Getting caught up!

Every single day I feel as though Gavin changes or accomplishes something new. Two days ago I feel as though Gavin made a huge milestone in sitting up. He can pretty much do it on his own, I wouldn't leave him sitting up without watching him because he still tips over occasionally, but while I am sitting there with him, we can play and I don't have to hold him up at all! It was literally overnight that he was able to do it! Another little milestone is him being able to fall asleep on his own. It's only been twice, so I don't want to hold him to anything, but hey at least it is something! This morning I was trying to get him to sleep for his normal 8:00am nap, and he just was fighting it trying to pretend like he wasn't tired. Well, I had to get ready to go and was really banking on him sleeping while I was getting ready, so I secured him on my bed and starting getting ready. He played for a few seconds with one of his toys, then a few seconds later I didn't hear the rattle in the toy anymore, I peeked over the pillow and sure enough, Gavin was sleeping. Not a fuss or anything, he was sleepy so he went to sleep. What a concept!!! So I tried again tonight. I rocked him a little bit, and then laid him down in his crib, and walked out. He fussed a little bit, but no actual crying. Then sure enough, about 10 minutes later he was out! Now, let's all keep our fingers crossed that this becomes a for sure thing!

Today, I met up with some friends in North Bend to hit the outlet mall. I was in desperate need of clothes. I have gotten a shirt here and there but I think it has been literally three years since I have actually gotten some productive wardrobe updates. I swear I have been wearing jeans that I bought in highschool. HIGHSCHOOL. That is what, 6 years ago? That's just sad. So, thanks to my amazing husband ;), I was able to finally get some new stuff, and I just can't wait for Gavin to poop, puke, or pee on it all, HA! Of course, I had a little fun shopping for that little bugger too! It felt so wrong to be shopping for 9months + clothing for him. I mean, he should still be in newborn clothes!!!!!! Overall, it was an amazing day. Silver lining of this deployment is that I am able to be within driving distance of most of my friends, especially my college friends who I don't get to see very often anymore.

Ryan is still doing good, though he is working really long hours and is tired. I can't imagine having to work 7 days a week and in that heat. He wasn't sure exactly how hot it was, but thought it was probably 110 at least. Gavin and I are able to talk to Ryan most mornings. It is so nice. We use a program called ooVoo, which is basically like Skype or Facetime. It apparent works the best in his location. The voice/sound has about a two minutes delay, which makes it very, very difficult to have a conversation. So mostly I set Gavin in front of the camera so his daddy can see him play and be cute, and then we end the video call and just use the chat function. That has been seeming to work the best. I believe that I mentioned this in the last post, but just in case I forgot, I do have Ryan's most recent mailing address if you would like to send him a letter or whatever, just let me know and I can get that to you. Also, his e-mail is rscrupps@hotmail.com if you just want to send him an e-mail! He is able to check that more regularly than facebook, I believe... The first group from Cali that went to Afghanistan have finally made it back to the states! These were the guys that Ryan and his group went to relieve. I am so happy that they are back, however I am so jealous because I want Ryan back too! Haha. Also- I just realized how hard it was for me to explain all of that without using military terms to make it easier to understand, ugh, what has being married to a Marine done to me!? My friend Sophia even noticed today that I use terms that make me stand out as a military wife...I thought I'd never see the day that would happen!

Gavin and Mommy checking out the baby pool in Odessa.

Gavin and his cousin Brynne, he was loving it!!

Don't be fooled by his scowl he was loving this!

Gavin and his new sitting up skills!

This was taken last week while we were getting set up for the wedding, Gavin and my friend Andrea were definitely a huge help. Actually, I think Gavin might have been the most helpful out of these two ;) Just Kidding!

I'm back!!

After a huge headache trying to get internet set up, I finally got all set up last week! The one and only company that I was able to use is HughesNet, which is satellite internet, and it works pretty well.

Gavin and I are mostly settled in out here! The first week we were here it was so cold I had the heaters on, now my A/C is on full blast! Also, we have been having crazy lightening storms and freak flash floods (over an inch in less than an hour, that is crazy for these parts!).  It's been really nice to live out in the country though, it is so nice and quiet, especially after our super loud neighbors in California. Everyone keeps asking me if I am bored, but to be honest, I have literally only had three days in the past almost month where I have just stayed out at the house doing nothing, so no, I haven't even had a chance to be bored. It's been a huge adjustment having so much family and friends around. For the past year it's just been Ryan and I and then Gavin. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love it, it's just takes getting used to again!

Ryan is doing good, as far as I know. He has been really busy. He is working more with internet connections, switchboards and routers (if I understood him correctly) than satellites. He says it gets pretty boring. I am so lucky and get to talk to him almost every morning. We are able to use a video/web call service called OoVoo. The delay on it is horrible though, so everything is about three minutes off, we usually end up hanging up after seeing each other and him seeing Gavin and just chat online so we can have an actual conversation. Gavin loves to see his daddy on the webcam, however it gets very frustrating for him. He wants to touch him and be held by his daddy, and when it doesn't happen, he gets a little upset. But mostly, he is smily and just sits there and tells daddy his stories it is so cute!

Since moving up here, Gavin has turned 6 months old, can you believe it?! The time has literally flown by. However, now the past few weeks have just crawled! Gavin is ALMOST sitting up on his own, and getting so close to figuring out how to crawl. He gets the leg motion, but his arms are down, so it's kind of like when a dog is sniffing super low to the ground, you know what I mean? He is grabbing at everything and anything and if he successfully gets something it goes directly into his mouth. He is still a ham. He flirts with any girl he sees, unless you are an 80 year old lady in Safeway then he cries (I felt so bad about that! That poor lady...). He is eating 8oz bottles every three hours and then baby food twice a day, and a lot of it. He loves his baby food. We still don't have any teeth popping up though, which I just can't believe, I feel like he has been working on those teeth for the past four months...So much drool and chomping on things.

Kathy, Brynne, Cade and I took Gavin to the Odessa Pool for the first time. Gavin loved the water! He was splashing away just like he does in the bathtub. It was a perfect day for it, it was 95 degrees here, but kind of cloudy/overcast so there wasn't the sun just beating down on us. Next time, I am going to wear my suit so I can actually get in the water with him, I think he'll like that more.

I am planning a trip to Montana to see some family and attend my cousins baby shower. I am pretty excited to take Gavin there, and it will be the first time I have been back in a while! I guess I was there for a wedding in September, but I hardly had a chance to see anyone or do anything so I don't think I am going to count that!

Alright, well, here are some pictures of Gavin over the past month! Enjoy!