The one where we made it to TX

Well we made it to San Antonio., TX. Where we will be residing until January 2014. We're excited to start this new adventure in our lives. We've hit a few bumps in the road...already! They're nothing major, just really annoying.

1). Jon's unit COMPLETELY dropped the ball on our PCS. Being that this is our first one, we didn't know the Army way of doing things, therefore we were relying on his unit to let us know the things we needed to do. (In their defense, they did just have over half of their unit deploy to Qatar back in January so they have been super busy and all over worked). Jon got a phone call on the Thursday before we left saying that there was some papers he needed to fill out, like yesterday. Papers to get our PCS approved. Awesome. Apparently even if you are moving yourself, they still need to approve it so you can get reimbursed. And also we had to go to a weighing station to get the truck and trailer weighed while it was empty, and again when it was full. They pay you for how much you haul as well as paying for the gas and also giving an alloted daily amount per person traveling. Financially, it's better to PCS yourself, but it is also more of a pain. On our way home we will be having the Army move us home. So much less stress! The paperwork said they needed 30 days before your move so it can be approved. We only had 4!  Luckily since we were doing it ourselves it wasn't as big of a deal. We got it all ready and off they left (Jon and Taegs drove the truck/trailer out and Ellie and I flew out a couple days later). After about 4 hours of driving Jon gets a phone call saying they needed confirmation for them to come get our stuff the next day. What? If we would have waited just a few more hours we could have saved ourselves so much hassle! Oh well. After canceling that it was smooth sailing to San Antonio.

2). Our apartment was not really ready for us when we got here. Yes we could move our stuff in no problem, but the little things that they should have had done before we got here, wasn't finished. For example, The pantry door was missing, along with the door to the 3rd bedroom and the closet door in that room as well. And the major one is that there was no water hook ups for the washer and dryer. We only have hook ups for a stackable washer and dryer so we've had to rent some. And when they got here to install them (a week after we got here) They were the ones to inform us there was no connections. So frustrating. We've gone a week with no washer/dryer and now we have to wait even longer. In fact it's almost 2 weeks since we've been here and still no washer and dryer. They haven't even fixed the connections yet. The washer and dryer are scheduled to be dropped off again on Monday, it better be fixed by then! I'm no longer using a laundromat when I should have been able to use my washer and dryer! so annoying.

3). Our internet. Apparently they only have 1 major provider out here, Time Warner Cable. This is who almost everyone uses. That is way weird to me. Back in UT we have a lot of different providers to choose from. I called them up and order our service (which was also $50 more expensive). They told me they'd send our equipment out that day and it should be here the next day, Friday or on Monday. Great. Being without internet sucks. So I was glad we wouldn't be without it for too long. Monday came and still not equipment. I gave them a call that night and they gave us a tracking number. We tracked it and it was it was still Initializing, or it hadn't even left their store yet. Come wednesday is still said this same thing so I gave them a call and complained. They looked into it and just said "oh ya it is still sitting here. I'll look into why it hasn't been shipped out and you should here back from us within 48 hours" Talk about terrible service! I can't believe everyone in this area puts up with crap like that. I had Jon just go pick it up at one of their stores instead and we tried to set it up but we couldn't get a signal. We were furious at this point. We called them up again and they told us they couldn't get a tech out to us until probably monday. Jon was to start school on Fri and he needed to print off some stuff before then, so this option just wasn't going to work. We did a little more research, found a company called Clear and called them up. They run their internet off of the cell phone towers so you get service just about anywhere. They over nighted the package, we had it the next day, plugged it in and we immediately had internet. FINALLY! I had to call and cancel our service with TWC and boy did I give them an ear full. I was pissed! Luckily we have internet now and things are great.
Taegen did GREAT on the way out here. He just sat in the back seat playing with his Avenger and Buzz action figures. He did get a little sad though. Jon looked back at him and he was sitting there looking really sad. So Jon asked him what the problem was and his response was "I miss my mommy!" Oh how cute is that?!! Luckily I had packed him a bag of toys and in that was a toy he had been asking for since Christmas...The HULK! He got so excited when daddy gave it to him. After that he did fine. In fact he sent me these pictures.

In the second one he is playing with the IPad and for some reason he wanted to be covered up under the blanket. Silly boy.

The one where Ellie turns 4 months old

My little Ellie is officially 4 months old as of yesterday. And I'm so proud that this post is done in time for once. :)

Major milestones for her:
-She's rolled over, twice. I put her on her tummy and she immediately rolled over. I rolled her back over to see if she'd do it again and she did! But she hasn't done it again. I looked back at my blog and Taegen did this exact same thing. At around 4 months he rolled over but didn't repeat it again until he was 5-6 months old. So I guess I won't be too worried about it.
-She has the cutest laugh. Most of the time she just smiles really big with no noise. So you have to work pretty hard to get her to laugh, but when she does, it's just so precious. No one can make her laugh like Jon though. As I was reading back on my blog today I read that it was the same way with Taegen. Funny how you seem to forget these things.
-She spits. She'll just be laying on the floor, or sitting in her swing and all of the sudden she just starts spitting. Totally random. Don't know where she learned to do that.
-Still sleeps wrapped up.
-Not on a very good schedule. I'm trying to get her on a 4 hour eating schedule. Awake for 2 hours, sleep for 2 hours. Don't know if it's going to work or not. But she's not sleeping very well at night. (also similar to how Taegen was at this age). I though T was sleeping through the night at 10 weeks, and truthfully he was, but he regressed at 4 or so months and started waking up 2 times a night. Which is what Ellie does. I can't keep her awake past 8 most nights. Some times she'll have a late nap and not go to be till after 9 but most times she's down for the night by 8 or 8:30.
-She's talking so much now too. Or should I say cooing. Too cute!
-She hasn't thrown up since the 19th! Woohoo! This is a MAJOR thing. 12 days with out throwing up. I practically feel like I'm in heaven not having to worry about that anymore.
-Her left sock comes off all the time, but not her right one. I don't know how she does it, but whatever she's doing its only taking off her left one.
-She's finally better! No more sick baby. Such a relief it is, for both of us I'm sure.
-still size 3-6 month clothes and size 3 diapers

Yesterday Natalie came over with her beautiful daughter, Brielle. Bri is only 6 weeks older than Ellie. Grandma Becky (nat's mom) bought the girls a matching outfit when E was born so nat had Bri in the jacket so I put Ellie's on and we snapped a few pictures.

Taegs was feeling a little left out so I had to take one of his with the girls too.

 Brielle and Ellie

 Daddy making her laugh

Taegen singing and playing his guitar :)

The one about my kids

Here is some of the funny things Taegen has been saying lately:

"Mom, I can't poop it's stuck!"

My 9 month pregnant friend was at our house and he looks and points at her and says "you're fat!" (Oh my gosh I can't even explain how embarrassed I was. That is so rude, even if it was just a 2 year old that said it. I'm sorry again J! I'm just glad he chose to say that to a woman who was actually pregnant and not actually fat)

We were just sitting on the cough relaxing and he randomly said "Gosh dang it Taegen". Haha obviously that is what I say to him when he does something naughty.

He is starting to show concern when someone hurts them self or is crying. He always asks "What's wrong?" or "Are you ok?" Its cute to seem him learn compassion.

He is ready to be potty trained (again) but since we are moving here real soon (hopefully) I don't want to do it and have to deal with a 20+ hour car ride and possible accidents and what not. I know that sounds super lazy, and in part I know it is. But I'll do it as soon as we get down there. My point in all this is that he already goes to the bathroom on the toilet. Whats funny is how he does it:

I have no idea where he learned this, but this is how he'll do it every single time, never fails. haha. (sorry if that pic was a little too much. I just wanted to post it so I'll remember this. It's too funny/random to forget)

Bad luck. Man I feel we have had tons of bad luck lately. First off I break our computer. It was a super expensive computer we bought 2 1/2 years ago and we were no where near ready to need a new one. I was watching a tv show on it and had it connected to the tv through a hdmi cable and while on my way to pick up a crying Ellie I tripped over it and yanked it out of the port. Sure enough it broke the hdmi port, therefore shorting out the mother board. Ugh! So frustrating.
Then I lose my wallet. Really? Of all things to do, I lose my wallet. I had just gotten a new DL last month and in Nov renewed my military ID (which can only be done in Vegas). I can't even explain how frustrated I was. I didn't notice until mid day the following day. So by then I was frantic. Luckily I was able to cancel all my cards before they were used. I called WalMart (since I knew that is where I had lost it) and they didn't have it. Saturday afternoon I decided to call again and sure enough they had it! Someone had turned it in and everything was still in it. The $2 cash I had, the $20 walmart gift card, all my cards and checks...all of it. Turns out there are honest people in the world. Can't even explain how happy I was.
Ellie has been sick for almost 3 months now. Poor girl was really only healthy for the first month of her life. Man having a sick baby is rough on everyone. I feel so bad for her. 2 different rounds of antibiotics and/or essential/DoTerra oils weren't able to cure it, so finally I've resulted to me taking garlic and thats the only thing thats actually done any good. Hopefully she'll be able to kick it for good this time.

In some good news, we did sell my car fairly quick. We put it up for sale and within a week had a serious offer. But we had to wait until after the weekend and holiday to finalize the sale. So now I'm officially vehicle-less until the move. Which we still don't know when thats going to happen. We're still hoping Jon's orders will arrive soon. Not being able to do anything is rather frustrating. Although I am having a garage sale this saturday, so hopefully I'll be able to sell some of the things I've been holding on to these past 4 years.

3 months old.
Ellie is 3 months (ok, she's almost 4! Man I've been such a slacker with these updates).

-She's a pro at holding her head up by herself. I can almost hold her on my hip with no problems.
-She's laughing now and it's so cute. She won't laugh for me but Jon can get her to laugh all the time, no problem.
-She still sleeps in our room but now in the porta crib. (I'm selling the bassinett. One less thing to bring to TX). She still needs to be propped up with a pillow and wrapped tight.
-Not sleeping through the night :( She wakes up twice a night, if not more. Sometimes she'll only wake up once, but thats few and far in between. (this is rough for me since at 10 weeks T was sleeping 7 hours straight)
-Still throwing up, but not near as often. (knock on wood) but when she does, it's a ginormous disaster. All over everything! This has been really rough since she's been sick. She'd have coughing attacks which would make her throw up. Poor girl.
-She's cooing so much. So cute to see her finally get a little bit of personality
-She still sleeps a lot. I was told that around 3 months is when they stop sleeping all day, but E is still only awake for about an hour then she's right back to sleep.
-I'm afraid she might be teething. I don't think she's actually getting a tooth yet, but I do feel a little bump on her bottom gums. She's been sleeping poorly and drooling a ton. She has been a little fussy, but I've attributed that to her being sick. So it could be a little bit of both.
-I don't know how much she weighs but she's in 3-6 month clothes.

E really is a good baby. I get compliments all the time on how calm she is. Really, she'll just sit with who ever she's holding her with no problems until she wants to go to sleep or eat. She
has been a little tougher than that since she's been sick. And of course she has those days that she's super fussy and won't sleep, but all in all she's such a good baby. And boy do we love her!

She does smile, a lot lately actually. But it is so hard to catch her smiling with a camera. So in most of her pictures she looks pissed or mad or just plain bored.

Here's some random pictures

 Kristel and Kimi came into town at the same time so we all surprised my dad with lunch at Durangos. He was super surprised to have us all there together. (We haven't all been together in over a year)

 T loves holding Ellie and asks frequently to do so. She even tolerates it fairly well.

 Jon was completely fascinated by the little green heat pack in his hand. It's a gel and you crack a little circle thing in it and it instantly gets hot and turns into a solid. Its really cool. His face was stuck like this for literally 2 minutes.

 staticy hair

 Here he is holding her yet again.  

 Here he is again with the heat pack on his face. Haha he totally loved it.

 Almost every time I lay Ellie down on the couch Taegen runs up and says he wants to lay down with her

 Christmas blankets and pillows

 Heres the only smile I could get and she isn't even looking at the camera.

 I had Toy Story playing on the laptop for Taegen, turns out Ellie likes it too :)

 We have a whole bunch of boxes now and the other day Jon made a fort for him and Taegen. You crawl in the box which leads to the open center that has the boxes laying on the top as a roof. T loved it!

 This is the face I see every time I go in to pick up Ellie from her nap. Its so sad yet so cute.

Jon found a new kitchen table in one of the houses he cleaned out so we sanded it down and stained it. I love the way it turned out.

Before

 After

Now I just need matching chairs. The benches that came with it were ruined so we had to keep the chairs that went to our old table. Hopefully we'll be able to find new ones before these ones break. They are about on their last leg.

Christmas 2012

Christmas was great this year. We had a christmas party with the Evertsens a few days before christmas then  We spent Christmas Eve with the Lindhardts. Then we woke up Christmas morning at our house and had our own little christmas which was a lot of fun since Taegs was old enough to understand and enjoy it. Then we went to my dads house, opened a few more gifts, went to the older grandparents house, then went home and relaxed.

Evertsen Christmas

 Lindhardt Christmas 

Taegs playing with silly putty

 My Christmas tree

 Christmas morning at our house

 

 T with all his presents

 Christmas morning at my dads

A few days later trying to ride his bike while playing his guitar

 Dad took him out to teach him how to ride his new bike and he did pretty good

His very first time trying to ride his bike. I had to stop recording and only take pictures, but he did get better.