28th bday/12month update/labor day wknd

Wow can't believe it's been a whole year since I had B! And I'm 28! He is trying to talk so much lately! He signs eat, more, all done & milk. He says bye bye all the time, but ironically hates his car seat! has said all done, hi, mama, dada,aba(which we think is for Abuela), peppa( pepper). And of course he is babbling all day long, and tells us when his brother is doing something he doesn't like! He was wearing 18-24mos but now that he is EVERYWHERE he is fitting into those 12-18mos clothes! He wears a size 4/5 diaper. His Ocean ONEders party was a blast, we had a huge bubble machine, a crab piñata, and vegan cupcakes! I even made octopus lollipops from a organic brand of lollipops. I decided not to serve coke or juice at the bday party bc that is not our lifestyle any longer and thought it just didn't suit for B's bday party, given the journey we have been on this last year with his allergies. On my bday we made pizza at home and had some take & bake everything vegan cookies from earth fare. I didnt want to go out to eat & I didnt need a cake, just my sweet family together! Derek and I were talking about the last 9 months how we have changed our ways of eating drastically, and in a way Bronson saved us from eating our way to death! On my side I'm carrying genes that make me predisposed for diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and thyroid. I'm hoping that with diet and exercise I can change my genes. In the last 9 months I have lost at least 25lbs, and my husband about the same. We both go back and forth about 5lbs! I wear mostly a size 8, use to be a 12. I fit clothes that I wore in college & when we got married. Thinking back to when I gained weight was around the last deployment when I was in grad school. Spent about 3 days in the car driving two hours to school and two hours back home, most meals back in those days was drive thru's. And with Derek gone I barely cooked. I had 2 part time jobs, & one full time internship at a psych hospital! And with my internship i got free cafeteria food the days I worked....makes me want to puke when I think of what I ate there!! Anyways, can't let this deployment be an *excuse, I have to find time for me despite being a single parent for 7 months.....which is why I can't wait to get to Dallas and do more group fitness classes at Lifetime! We have a little more than 2 weeks here in Georgia, and I am so excited to be back in Texas! I am happy that we will be busy and that will make the deployment go by fast! We are signed up for kindermusik, Dreycin will be doing soccer shots and a tots tumbling class!

We took advantage of this long weekend and moved ALOT of our stuff! All that's left is the beds, w&d, 1 couch, table, toys, misc kitchen items and a dresser. We have 14 days left in our house, And then we will be in a guest house until derek deploys. My posts have been few & far between, so my next may be in Texas!!

It's upon us.....

Deployment is right around the corner and the stress of it is definitely getting the better part of us this week. We came back from gulfport with snotty noses and coughs, I swear it's because we are allergic to this place bc Derek isn't sick! And what was once a pile here and there around the house of things going to Dallas is now going to Dallas with Derek this weekend! I feel like I'm taking a lot but then again feel like I'm not taking enough! Ive packed many boxes, made two storage trips but feel like little progress is being made. At least I started out way in advance! I feel like I have been focusing so much on packing and moving, that I'm scrambling to prepare for B's 1st day on the 28th! We are having a bday party here for him next weekend, and pics the 23rd and family pics the following week! I am kind of nervous about having to make B's vegan cake but I'm gonna practice and make one for my bday next week, yes I'll be 28 on the 22nd! This is such a stressful time that I just wanna celebrate the time we have together, but so many things running thru our heads of lists.....things to do, change, etc. how the boys will do with daddy gone. I about lost it the other day when we were driving to MS I had the boys watching the sesame street deployment DVD and as I heard what they were watching about Elmos dad having to leave little tears filled my eyes, and I was just glad I was not watching it with them :/ because I would have probably broke into a hysterical misfit of crying! Which I'm sure eventually will come upon me too...