Overheard

A conversation in the bathroom

Chase: Papa, can you do me a favor?
Wil: Yes, Chase. What is it?
Chase: A big fat favor?
Wil: Ok, Honey, you just have to tell me what it is.
Chase: A. BIG. FAT. FAVOR, PAPA.
Wil: So you want me to do you a big fat favor.
Chase: Yes, Papa, a big fat favor.
Wil, walking out of the bathroom scratching his head: Did you hear your daughter?

We don't say that!

Chase: Momma, we don't say pooppy head, doo-doo, what the hell, damn it,...
Momma: No, Chasey, we don't say those because they are bad words.
Chase: So, we don't say "what the hell" and "damn it" anymore.
Momma: It's great that you know that but I wish you would actually stop repeating it.
Chase: We don't repeat "what the hell" and "damn it"?
Momma: Really, Chasey?

My Husband

Chase: I'm mad!
Momma: I'm sorry about that. Why are you mad exactly?
Chase: I'm very very upset.
Momma: Ok, I'm assuming you are going to tell me why you are upset?
Chase: I NEED my father! I want my husband!
Momma: I'm sorry, Honey. Papa is at work but he'll be home soon though.
Chase: At work? Again?!?

Chase: How are you feeling today, Momma?
Momma: I'm great, thank you! How are you doing?
Chase: I'm good. What are we going to do today, Papa?
Papa: Well, we're having dinner together right now, and we can hang out together after dinner?
Chase with a heaving sigh and a slight eye rolling: Anyways, I guess we're not doing anything then.

My Lame List

-I'm a day shy of 36 weeks, which means I was ready to have this baby a month ago. Exhausted, obnoxiously huge, and especially love it when people just yell at me "you haven't popped yet?!? (as if I'm holding the baby hostage). If I'm out and about with Chase more than 6 hours/day, I get real strong painful contractions all night. Her movements are becoming very creepy to whomever that is talking to me, because it really does look like she's trying to bust out. I have pregnant friends who say that their husbands never get to feel the babies, so I should be thankful that both Chase and Wren keep Wil up all hours of the night kicking and punching him showing their father their personalities. Thankfully, I don't think he's going to be sent across the pond again anytime soon until we leave (although he did come home this week starting a sentence with "next week one of my soldiers has to be escorted..." He has enough wits about him to immediately tell me that another coworker would take over that gig. 3 trips in 3 months is enough).

-Spent all of last weekend sorting through ALL of the kids' clothes we had all over the house, cleaned and repacked them according to sizes in those huge RubberMaid tubs. So far I've got 7 plus a few in smaller containers. Now onto packing my own clothes. It's awfully tricky to pack when we have to live out of suitcases for 2 months (and for me in the ever changing post-baby body, no less). Thankfully, this WILL be the last time I'm pcsing across the ocean with a newborn. Crazy husband seems to think that I might want #3 down the road when I start sending Little Mutt #1 to school. Clearly the man is insane. We're only having as many as we can afford to send to college. Post 9/11 GI bill is sponsoring one and we're the other. That's enough for momma.

-The weather sucks. Overnight lows are already way below the freezing point and it's been dreary for days. Snow is in the forecast 3 nights this week. Tears. This, coupling with having sent off all of my besties back to the States, actually makes saying goodbye to Germany much easier to deal with.

-My Wonder Kid finished potty training herself about a month ago, and she would have done it sooner if I just let her do what she wanted. Momma wasn't jazzed about kneeling in front of public toilets during the first trimester, sorry Chaster. Some of my friends' asked what our secret to super quick and painless potty training was, and to be honest I had very little to do with it. She was ready, and I followed her lead. We never used pull-ups like it was intended though. The whole idea seemed a little crazy to me--"you can pee in this big-girl panties but not the others." Pull ups were only for entertainment, but once we were serious about it, we just stuck with her real little undies. I'm telling you, this kid will go far in life if I just stay out of her way. She's my constant source of amusement and we're thoroughly enjoying the last of our alone time together.

-In the Husband news: Wil's work replacement is here (yay!), although his department is still sadly under staffed (boo!), which continues to make for occasional long days and weekend work but it hasn't been nearly as bad as before the Damn Bike Trip. Speaking of the trip, although I was mighty bitchy about it, I have to admit that I am also very proud that he was able to complete 450 miles on his own in 7 days without any kind of training, getting up and biking on after numerous falls and crashes, and keeping his cool when the rich CA people in their Ferrari's and Bentley's gave him the fingers for being in their lanes. Ride 2 Recovery is such a fantastic program, and if I weren't hugely pregnant and pretty much alone away from friends and families, I would have let him go on all the rides around the country. He got to keep his brand-new and expensive 5-lb road bike and is now contemplating the Soldier Ride once we get situated in our new home stateside.

I gotta go get ready for our Saturday Doughnut run and farmer's market visit. Hope your weekend is equally fattening and blissful!

Chase

Sometimes there's not much else I want to do but to sit and marvel at my darling girl. This year has transformed her from a baby into such a little girl, and there's no amount of "don't blink" warning to prepare me for any of it. She's grown into a funny, sweet, considerate little lady, who's testing out her boundaries and independence every single day. It both breaks my heart and makes my chest puff up a little to hear her say "no, Momma, I can do it all by myself!" Lately the weather has been so wet and dreary, and to couple that with her father being gone on yet another work trip and her BFF's PCSing, it's just been a lot of us hanging around the house together. I used to dread days like these when Chase was a tiny baby, because it felt like the days would never end. Now it feels a lot like I'm hanging out with a really cool friend, who can make me laugh all day--just like her father does. It's also a big plus that she gives spontaneous hugs, kisses, "I yove you, Momma," and still lets me cuddle with her whenever I want.

Yesterday she woke up and asked for her father. I choked up a little before reminding her that he was away again. Her eyes said she remembered, although she kept asking and answering her own questions about him all day. I'm sure he's missing her just as terribly, since the only reason he signed up for a Facebook account after barely 8 hours away from home was to have constant access to new pictures of her I might put up. He was born to father our girls.

Later in the day when Chase was serving me food from her kitchen, she also made a plate for Nadia, her best buddy whom just moved away. I really teared up that time because I knew it was the first, and perhaps the easiest, of many goodbyes coming her way as a military brat. I'm pretty sure she thinks that all of her friends are just moving to the same place we are, and we'll soon have daily playdate just like this past summer.

She seems to know when I'm a little down and need some cheering up. After she woke up from her nap and had her snack on the couch with me, she grabbed my hand, dragged me off the couch, and said "come yook at the tree Momma." She took my hand and led me to my bedroom. From the window there, she stood pointing at a maple tree that was turning beautiful golden color. "The yeaves are falling--they are SO beautiful!" I could never hug her tightly enough.

This evening, perhaps sensing that her mother might never ever let her out of her grip unless she fought for it, she uncharacteristically ventured out to a group of older boys that had been playing around our house all day. "Heyo, I'm Chasey--Dr. Steinhauer. Yook at my pretty birdie necklace and dandelion!" Those 4 boys, who alternated between riding their loud bikes up and down the street and a pick-up game of soccer clearly couldn't care less about a little 2-year-old, who was wearing Hello Kitty rainboots with her pink outfit and trying to get their attention from the sidewalk. Again with the heart break/motherly pride combo. She did everything she knew to do to show them that she was cool, too. Her red little balance bike got one of the boys' attention (or perhaps it was pity?), but she quickly grew tired and settled to sit and cuddle with me while watching them make more noise with bikes and soccer ball. If those kids were girls, she would have been the bell of the ball, but neither one of us meant much to a gang of 7-year-old boys. So I sat next to her and swallowed 20 more hard lumps in my throat. My whole traumatic middle school years flashed before my eye and I was almost mad at those poor boys for not lavishing my baby with all of their attention. Then she happily said "cuddle with me, Momma," and all was right with the world again. I couldn't have birthed a more perfect creature.

Catching Up

Well, I think that was the longest stretch of blog absence yet! I wish I had something momentous to share to compensate for the neglect, but, alas, we were just chucking along as the shortest summer sped past. There were so many places in Europe we wanted to visit, but our pockets were only so deep and Wil could only take so much time off of work (the man had over 90 days of leave that he never used, so, no, he was not at all a workaholic). Plus, you know, there was that matter of the burgeoning bump. Traveling with a 2-year-old proved to be an equal part of fun and challenge. Everything was so new to her that her curiosity and joy became incredibly infectious to both of her jaded parents. I wouldn't have changed a thing.

We spent most of July enjoying the warm weather and the daily company of our friends, who would be pcsing too quickly. Wil was occupied by his unfortunate mission to the States, but the dark cloud and fog that seemed to hang around him quickly lifted once he returned. My girlfriends and I spent every Saturday morning flea market hopping around town, while our husbands got their fair share of time on the green. The kids were in heaven because they had the perfect built-in playgroup nearly everyday and during every cookout/dinner party/birthday bash we had. Everyday Chase woke up asking "where are my kids? What are we doing today, Momma?" It was bliss. Sticky hot, no-A/C, kind of bliss.

August started with us heavy-heartedly sending the first group of our friends back to the States. Being stationed overseas changed our family dynamic. Both Wil and I have been gypsies most of our lives and moving was second nature to us. But this one is different, because everybody who was uprooted here was in the same boat, too. Most family visits are very far and few in between, so our friends become our surrogate brothers, sisters, and aunts and uncles to our kids. I didn't have this kind of support system when we were in NC, and Wil was gone to the desert. Here it really feels like we are making the kind of family we can choose (not that there's anything wrong with the ones we were born into, Parents). See-you-later's were said and tears were shed as I tried to memorize all the babies' chubby rolls and sweetness, because they might be towering over me the next time we bump into each other again. These last 3-4 years have gone by in a flash.

The rest of August was thankfully much more lively. We did the touristy thing with our friends, finally doing the Rhine River Cruise to see all the castles. People come from all over the world to see the thing that we live 40 minutes away from. I'm glad we had our buddies to goof around with all day because after the first 10 castles, the next 20 started to look like giant piles of pretty bricks. Then we packed our bags and headed to Bavaria. There are no words to describe how majestic that place really is. We walked absolutely everywhere and I felt a lot like death lugging around my then-27-week-pregnant body all over town and up Germany's highest point, the Zugspitz. Chase got to splash around in Eibsee, fed the ducks, and even went under for her very first solo water incident. The weather couldn't have been better nor the view more stunning. It's etched in my brain as one of my most memorable trips to date. We came home for a few days to do laundry and for me to nap before heading out again to see Belgium and Amsterdam. Our friends, the Lazares' were kind enough to host us on our way to/back from Brugge. It was amazing! What a charming little town! I logged in the longest walking/picture taking day yet (7 consecutive hours!). Although it felt like we just glided through this UNESCO World Heritage Site at the time, my bones ached as we made our way to the Netherlands the following day. My mother always had odd posters of the tulips and windmills plastered around the house, so it was a must-see for me. Well, disappointing is the first word that came to mind. I was prepared for the windmill village, the wooden shoe factory, and the cheese farm to be rather touristy, but the whole thing was largely underwhelming and not entirely well-kept. I've been spoiled by the Germans and their immaculate attention to every last detail, but we pushed on through Amsterdam. At this point in our lives, I must say that it was a colossal waste of time and energy that we didn't have. Amsterdam is chaos and noise rolled up into a ball of mess, and I spent the first 17 years of my life in the city of 12 million, just to give you some perspective. It was the first city in Europe that I genuinely felt very much disregarded as a pedestrian, and we couldn't find a single garbage can in the 3-block radius. We recognized a lost cause when we saw one, grabbed dinner, and headed out after spending less than 4 hours there. At least we checked it off our list and now know that we'll never have to try to come back again when we're empty nesters.

September has been hectic. I honestly don't remember exactly what went on since the whole month has just been one big blur. After coming back from our vacation, I was informed that I failed my glucose test and had to do a 3-hour one. To make a long story short, the result from that test showed that I was growing resistance to insulin, although I was not quite considered a gestational diabetic yet. I wasn't too concerned about it and just chalked it up to yet another pregnancy crazy. The nurse advised me to immediately get on a diabetic diet and set up an appointment with a dietitian for me the following week. I became very sick the following couple of days. Lethargic, nauseated, fainting spells. Something was not quite right, and I knew it was my blood sugar. I was perfectly fine before the diet started, so I decided to listen to my body and just started eating like I normally did before the crazy week. I skipped occasional sweet treats, which weren't hard to give up, and kept up with the amount of food intake and the fruits, which were the first thing I parted with during my short stint as a diabetic diet follower. And what do you know? I felt immediately better after eating a peach. I learned later during the appointment with the dietitian that my one irregular reading (out of three) that came back during the 3-hour glucose test was actually reading low, which would be consistent with my being boarder-line hypoglycemic all my life. By strictly following the diabetic diet, I was depriving my body of what I needed to function normally, not to mention growing a healthy baby. Do you know how much I look forward to my next appointment with the OB? My midwife, whom I saw on a regular basis, was not available for my last appointment when my result was reviewed, and I had to see a new young doctor, whom I will unfortunately see again next week. Momma got some ass-chewing to do.

Wil has been working like a dog in September. 16-18 hours/day everyday nearly 7 days a week kind of month. It's one thing if he was deployed or gearing up for a big inspection--you would never hear me bitch about it. But this was his new "normal" schedule, because they were operating with less than half the staffing they were supposed to have and there is no relief in sight anytime soon. Then there was another quick trip to the States, and now we have him for a week before he heads out to that damn bike trip, which will forever be known as "the damn bike trip" under my roof. Because of OPSEC, I'm not sharing too much but will as he wraps up the trip. The reason I'm so ticked off about it is because it's not an essential kind of mission. It started out because my husband pondered out loud to his superior that the trip was "feasible" knowing that I would be in the middle of my third trimester while he biked through California FOR FUN. When he came home with the news, I was all "what was feasible about leaving me to volunteer on the damn bike trip when you have hardly seen your daughter and might possibly miss the birth of your baby?" Now the matter is out of his hand and the trip changed from voluntary to "Git R Done!" If you want to see an irate pregnant woman, I will gladly send you an 8"x10" photo of myself for your viewing displeasure. My last two best buds will be heading back to the States during the same time he's gone and I'm scared out of my wits that Wren will make her debut early as I've had more than a few episodes of strong real contractions throughout this pregnancy. If I were a betting woman, I would say this kid won't stay put for much longer. Wil's better be praying hard while he's coasting through the shoreline of California she stays where she needs to be, otherwise he will come home to find all his belongings in the front yard in cardboard boxes and an armed guard post in front of my hospital room.

Last but not least, you may have noticed that I no longer post pictures or videos on our blog. The reason I have yet to make it private is because we have learned that some of our relatives, whom we otherwise have no regular contact, keep up with our lives through this blog. Pics and videos are now on Facebook instead. Anyway, I have to feed Wren before she gets any more mad. Sorry for the disappearing act. I would have promised to do better, but, you know, I'm looking at preparing our house for a transatlantic move and another baby in the next few months. How about we be friends on Facebook? Much easier.

A Bedtime Conversation

Wil's back from his mission. I'm trying to get him to write a blog post about his experience because I was deeply touched by what he's shared. So far what I've got is "tell them to watch Taking Chance." I'll give him a few more days to rest and play golf before calling it quit on the nudging effort.

Chase was beside herself when she saw him. She woke up at 1 a.m. asking to come to bed with us, and Wil was just too tired to protest. I love that she always calls us "Ma-Pa" when she wants to address the parentals at the same time.

Chase: Ma-Pa, let's read "By the big red barn in the great green field..."
Me: No, Chasey, it's the middle of the night. Go to sleep. And stop kicking me.

15 seconds later as I try to fall back to sleep, I feel a little hand petting my head.

Chase: Momma, are you ok?
Me: Yes, Chasey. Just resting my eyes. You know, in the dark. Go to sleep.
Chase, grabbing my hand and pressing it on her cheek while putting a thumb in her mouth: Yes, Momma.

A long deep breath. Silence at last. Sinking my head into the pillow.

Chase: Ma-Pa, may I please have some warm milk?
Wil: Grrrrr....Z..Z...Z...
Me: Guess that means me. Yes, Chase, stay in bed and I'll be back with your milk.
Chase: Thank you, Momma. I yove you.
Me. You have got to stop being adorable at too-early hours in the morning.

One warm cup of milk later.

Me: Ok, Chasey, let's go to bed.
Chase: I sleep in Ma-Pa's bed.
Me: Clearly, you are not.
Chase: I wanna read the yummy soup book.
Me, checking the clock that says 1:32 A.M.: Would you go back to sleep after this book?
Chase: Ok, Momma (LIAR LIAR!!!)

One yummy soup book read.

Chase: Momma sing Chasey song on a chair? (She wants me to sit on her rocking chair with 25.8 lbs of her wrapping around my stomach and sing "I Will.")
Me: And you go to sleep, ok?

One very long song sung.

Me, tucking her into her own bed: Night night, Baby. Sweet dreams.
Chase: Snug as a bug in a rug.
Me: Yes, snug as a bug in a rug. I love you.
Chase: I yove you, Momma.

Now I'm really awake. Is 2:47 A.M. too late to take Unisome? And just in case anyone still wonders what stay-at-home moms do all day, Mari found a good answer.

5

I've thought about updating the blog with something other than pictures or video of the Kid, but our summer has been rather hectic. Also, I never remember to do those Tuesday 10's, but here are 5 things that we can share quickly right now before the baby is awake and our Saturday morning at the flea market with the girls starts:

1. Old news to Facebook friends. We're having another baby girl and she will be named Wren Elise! I'm so over the moon about this. For a long time, I'd hoped that I would be able to give Wil a son. I think all his life he's had a life goal that most people would find absolutely generic. A happily married life, a few happy and well-behaved kids, a few dogs, a house with white picket fence. Since we already had the perfect daughter, I thought he would have everything he ever wanted if I could give him a son. Looking back, I realized that this thinking was more for me than him. The relationship that Chase and Wil share is something out of a story book. My friend Michele once remarked "he's so in love with her," and I can tell you that the feeling is mutual. Sure, we'll love #2 just as dearly, but I never wanted Wren to feel like she would always come second to Chase or in competition for her parents' adoration just because of a birth order. When the ultrasound tech found the money shot to confirm what I had known in my heart that morning, I was overcame. I secretly had been hoping for a girl. I wanted Chase to have a sister. Someone, whom she may or may not always like but will always love, to talk to about boys, clothes, life, and their uptight silly parents. Oh, to the be a fly on their wall. When I saw her face on the ultrasound monitor, I knew this was all I ever wanted for my little family. Two happy, healthy, smart girls, who will be the apples of our eyes and keep our house busy with visitors. I talked before about how I didn't really feel all that enthusiastic about this pregnancy or very connected to this baby, but all changed that day. I feel the glow and the joy of pregnancy (mainly because I have stopped throwing up/dry heaving 20 hours/day) like everybody talk about. Sure it sucks to be huge and radiating heat in the warmest German summer with no AC, but this is the last go round for me. The last time my body will be a vehicle to bring our baby into the world, and I'm enjoying every minute of it! Doesn't mean I won't bitch about my cankles and the ferocious heartburn, but I'm determined to mark everyday with positivity and happy thoughts, which is completely unlike my usual sarcastic/pessimistic self.

2. Her name. Wren Elise. Sounds like poetry to me. We had our hearts set on William Seree for a boy, to honor our uncle Bill, whom, together with his brother (Wil's grandpa) and loving family, helped raise my husband and molded him to be the man that he is today, and my dad (Seree means freedom in Thai. Wouldn't that be fitting for an Army brat?). When we found out we were having a girl, I could not bring myself to name her Wilamena and set out to find a combo of names that would make W.E.S. initials (uncle Bill's middle name is Edward). While browsing all the W-names, I came across Wren and instantly fell in love with it. Wil came home later that day and we were sitting on our front steps watching Chase draw on the sidewalk with chalks when I asked him about it. "I like it. Sure," he said wearily. It was a long rough day/night at work, and I thought about presenting all of our major life decisions to him when he was too tired to protest from then on. We woke up the next day and she still felt like a Wren. The name stuck. It's just so happen that Chase is going through a bird phase and loves all things cheep-cheep. I bought her a necklace a while ago that has a little silver birdie charm on it, and she practically squealed with delight when I put it around her neck. It's meant to be :).

3. Our summer has been incredibly busy! We found out that we were assigned to GA and were kind of bummed about it for a while. Now that we have sulked and got it out of our system, the new mission is to find a suitable housing. Lemme tell you, Statesboro, GA is not a place one wants to buy a home if he should accidentally find himself there for 3 years. It's home to Georgia Southern University and reminds me a lot of Auburn 10 years ago. Before Target, Super Walmart, or pedestrian-only campus. Yeah, that Auburn. It ain't pretty. Houses for sale are overpriced and ugly. Houses for rent are mostly aimed at college students, and you know we're a little old to be living in something that looks like it belongs on a frat row. But I'm not stressing...yet. We've got 4 more months before I can let loose my blood pressure and then it's on like donkey kong. If you have a Statesboro connection, I would love to hear from you!

4. Such is a military life. It's a summer of exodus for most of our friends. Good friends we'll forever keep close to our hearts but soon enough will be too far for an afternoon playdate. Luckily, I'm the last to leave. Not at all depressing, so we're making the most of our last few months together. We play almost everyday, have girls' night out, and have lots of cookouts. The boys get in their golf time on the weekend together, while the girls get Saturday morning (mostly sans kids) to have leisurely girly breakfast and flea market stroll. Chase now wakes up and asks "where are my kids?!?" We sure will miss our "people."

5. To end on a sad note. Wil is away on a very important mission. He's escorting a body of his soldier back home to the States for a funeral and burial. It was a mission he never wanted but was more than honored to do. I don't think it has completely hit him quite yet, because he's been spending days and nights this past week preparing for this unfortunate trip. It was surreal for me to watch Wil getting his soldier's uniform ready in our bedroom. The green jacket that hung in my closet with all the medals and ribbons he'd earned and with a name tape that didn't spell Steinhauer. Our hearts break everyday when we talk about the soldier and the family he left behind. Our kids have played together. Wil saw him and his family almost on a daily basis because of the nature of his job. As a WTU cadre, it was his duty to look after this soldier and other wounded warriors in his unit. I hope that he, along with family members, friends, and others who will be attending the funeral, will be able to say a final goodbye to this wonderful person and friend and get some kind of closure they each search for. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

Sunday Funnies, Video Edition

*Now a few hours after I first posted this entry, I just realized that today is Monday and not Sunday. Haha. Thank you, USAREUR, for a 4-day weekend.

The first video was shot over a month ago on the day that her fever, which was caused by that crazy infection, broke. Speaking of which, Chase's ultrasound came back clean! I'm so beyond thankful and hope that we'll never have to experience such a horror again. Look at my poor baby. You can tell from her eyes that she had been so sick.

"Danku Everyone" from UMA STEINHAUER on Vimeo.

Chase has an incredible memory and loves to sing. I was surprised the first time I heard her sing a whole nursery rhyme without skipping a word, and since she has moved on to other non-children songs she hears around the house or in the car. This is one of my favorites. I sang "I Will" to Chase the whole time she was in utero mainly because my pregnant brain wouldn't allow me to remember words to any other songs and I loved the lyrics so much. I sang her the song at 1 a.m., 3 a.m., 5 a.m., and pretty much at all odd hours of the night when she was a newborn hoping to lull her into a peaceful slumber. Maybe she also loved the song and wanted to hear more or my singing was that bad because the child was always wide awake. I thought it was adorable when she could string words together that one of her first sentences was "Momma sing Chasey song?" This was from a few weeks ago and she has learned a few more verses since.

Hanging Out w/ the Boys from UMA STEINHAUER on Vimeo.

Last but not least, we had a really warm week a few weeks ago. That might have just been our whole summer, since we have had to break out heavy jackets these past few days. Remember that European houses don't come with A/C, and I'm not plugging in our portable one because we just got a refund from the power company and I would like to keep it that way until we have to PCS at the end of the year/beginning of the next. Brutus just knows better than to leave the cool basement, but poor Paddy is just not getting it. As it normally goes in this house, if you are outside, you can expect to have a wet and slimy tennis ball dropped on your foot repeatedly by the most persistent Lab you'll ever meet. He had a mild heat stroke from our long walk last year, and now we have to watch him closely even for a short session of fetch during the German warm spell. I'm not being mean, people. My two older kids are going to hate Georgia.

It's Hot! from UMA STEINHAUER on Vimeo.