Single Parenting

Whew! It is 7:00 at night and I can finally sit on the couch and catch my breath for the day. Kyle usually goes to sleep around 7 and as soon as I give him his good night kiss and lie him in his crib I let out a big sigh and congratulate myself on yet another successful day raising this little boy by myself. No lie, being a single parent is handwork. I am so thankful that this is not a permanent status!

Matt and I's relationship operates on the cornerstone of teamwork. We share responsibilities around the house. If I cook dinner, he helps clean the dishes, we both do the housework, the laundry, etc. I did not realize how nice it is to have a second set of hands around the house until those hands got shipped across the country. On a typical night, I would make dinner, then Matt would help do the dishes while I got Kyle's bath ready. Then we would both watch Kyle take his bath because it is one of the happiest times in Kyle's day and we both get a kick out of watching him splash around. After bath time is over, I get Kyle ready for bed while Matt fills the humidifier and empties the dipper pail. And while I nurse Kyle and put him to bed, Matt takes out the trash and cleans up Kyle's toys from the day. Then we both settle in for the night with either a good book or our favorite TV shows until we are ready to head to bed.

Now, after putting Kyle to sleep I get to come downstairs to a sink full of dishes from dinner, Kyle's toys strewn about the living room, and trash that needs to be taken out. I have to say by the time I get to sit on the couch and enjoy a glass of much needed wine, I am exhausted! In addition to Matt's help around the house, I miss his company. Instead of unwinding with some good conversation and snuggles on the couch, I have a date with my TV or my computer, and hopefully some phone calls to my family. This is my new normal for the next nine months. Luckily, I have lots of family near by to lend a helping hand when I need it and I will definitely never take for granted coming downstairs to clean dishes and empty trash cans after putting the little guy to sleep.

Well, I am off to bed, time to wake up and do it all again tomorrow :)

Deployment Goals

One of the silver linings to having Matt deployed is it usually motivates me to accomplish things in my life that I have been putting on the back burner. During the last deployment, Matt and I's relationship grew so much and I was so proud of all that I accomplished both personally and professionally while he was gone. I hope for the same thing this time around. In order to help hold me accountable, I decided to publish my goals for all to read and I will revisit the list in December to see how well I did.

1. Run a half marathon: When Matt deployed to Iraq I made it a goal to run a full marathon. It was an experience I will never forget and the sense of accomplishment was indescribable, so was the pain! I have yet to get the itch to run another marathon, but I do want to regain some of the endurance I had before Kyle was born. My two best friends from high school and I have decide to do the Philadelphia Half Marathon/Marathon in November. I have lots of little races I have signed up for in the Springs and in Denver over the next 9 months in preparation for the big race and I can't wait to accomplish this goal with my two best friends...#1's all the way!!!

2. Cook dinner twice a week: When Matt is gone it is easy to slide into a dinner menu consisting of cereal, cheese and crackers, Subway, and Chipotle. While I plan to enjoy my fair share of Subway and Chipotle during this deployment, I want to cook two meals a week and hopefully have left overs from each of those meals for one night, making four home cooked meals a week and three take out meals. I am really good about cooking at home when Matt is here, but cooking for one is not so exciting.

3. Read one non-baby related book a month: Ever since getting pregnant I have stopped reading for pleasure. While I was pregnant, I was busy with work and in my free time I would read books about pregnancy and parenting. Now that I have Kyle, in the little free time I have, I choose to watch TV, blog, read blogs, or sleep. I really want to get back into reading, even if it means reading tween novels like the Hunger Games :)

4. Learn how to use my SLR Nikon camera in "non-automatic" mode: Matt bought me a fancy camera for Christmas under the condition that I would take some photography classes and learn how to actually use the camera off the automatic mode. I am really excited about this goal, I love photography, and I have the two cutest subjects to photograph.

That is all I have for now, and if I come up with anything else I will post it. So far, being a single parent has been going pretty well for the most part. I truly have an incredible support system. I have an amazing family who have already helped out a ton with Kyle. I also have the best friends! Between my college friends, friends from previous duty stations, and fellow wives in Matt's unit I feel so loved and not alone in this challenge. Thanks again to all of you for your love, prayers, and support!

7 Months

Sorry for the lack of blogging these past few weeks. We said good bye to Matt last week and things have been a bit crazy around here. We are settling into a routine without him around and I just keep telling myself that each day is one day closer to his return.

Dear Kyle-

You are growing so fast! I can't believe how much you grow and change from month to month. This is by far my favorite stage in your life. You are so happy and can entertain yourself so well with your toys, but you are not yet mobile so I don't have to baby proof the house and watch your every move. Daddy and I started calling you Pip this month as a nickname. I am not really sure where it came from but it seems to have stuck for the time being.

Like I said, you LOVE to play with your toys. Your favorite thing is to take stuff out of your various baskets. You still love your blocks and I recently brought out a "barrel of monkeys" that you got for Christmas that has become a new favorite. While you are not yet crawling I can sense that you are getting close. You are very wiggly when I hold you and can pull yourself up on me when you sit on my lap. You are also enjoying tummy time more and more and are starting to move your legs and arms in a crawling motion, you just don't get anywhere. You also started rolling from your front to your back regularly.

Eating is also one of your favorite activities. You kick your arms and legs with excitement whenever I put you in your highchair in anticipation of food. You pretty much love everything I give you, especially fruit pouches. It amazes me how fast you suck down the food inside them! You still have not cut any teeth, but I can see that they are close. The bumps get more pronounced every time I feel inside your mouth and you continue to drool like crazy so hopefully they come through soon.

The torticollis in your neck is getting better every week. We started physical therapy last month and it basically consists of positioning everything on your right side so it forces you to stretch the muscles on the left side of your neck. We also do a variety of stretches which seem to be helping as well. Both your doctor and physical therapist are pleased with the progress you are making and have a feeling that it should be cleared all the way up in no time. It really is amazing how malleable the muscles are in babies.

We also said good bye to Daddy this month. It was one of the hardest things mommy has had to do in a long time. Knowing that he is going to miss watching you grow these next nine months breaks my heart. You and him are best buddies and I know you will miss your daddy time. Mommy really needs to work on her comedy routine. Daddy can make you laugh so hard and I just can't quite get the same giggles out of you. I am hoping he has the same effect over Skype. You love to go on horsey rides around the house and playing peekaboo. The good news is you won't remember this time without your daddy around so hopefully you will pick up where you left off quickly once he gets home.

You are such a joy in my life little man. Thanks for keeping me company while Daddy is away. I will do my best to be the same happy energetic mom without my second half to help, and seeing your face when I wake up each morning reminds me how much I have to be thankful for each day.

I love you!

Mommy