Welcome home 1/8! Job well done!

Background : Patrick used to be stationed in Norfolk,VA with 1f1, and with it being pretty close to home (pretty close as in 5 driving hours and not as in 4 plane trips) he would come home a decent amount, and 9x out of 10, he would bring a buddy (or 5) with him. After a while I know longer thought of some of these guys as his friends, but as my own. I mean, he lives with him...answers his phone, I see them on trips and see them when he comes home, needless to say I got to know some of them haha. Josh tolleson (at the time) had a pretty red headed girlfriend named Jamie (and im not sure we could be more opposite) but we meshed SO fast and we've stuck together ever since.

Their is something about the connection btwn Marine wives. Its instant.

Saturday: I went to Lauren's bridal shower in lynchburg with Rachel and Aiden to start my day off. It was nice to see Lauren and meet some of her friends from school, she ended up with some pretty fun stuff :) I took Aiden home -gulp- with my mom and left him for the next 2 nights, I had a twinge of mommy freak out and guilt, but I really think it did some good, (I thought I maybe could sleep, ha!)

Sarah and I drove the 5 ish hours to Jacksonville, NC (btw, we can own some Adele) and finally made it at like 10 or so that night. booooy what a car ride, we really know how to make a roadtrip count. Adele, ducks and fake eyelashes. we rock.

-Keep in mind, we love jamie, she is one of our own and we hadn't seem her in like a year, (ok, so we saw her for like 24 hours right before Josh deployed, that was in August I think) but whatever, she lived in Texas... so we never saw eachother.

We pretty much ambushed her when we went through the door, and can I just say that I almost ended up doing this to her neighbor? (whoops)

We had a dance party to pass the time & sang journey and aerosmith to celebrate Josh coming home. Im not sure it had really hit her that her husband was coming home the next day....besides the wine, she was WAY too calm. ;)

Sunday: We once again ambushed Jamie and woke her up with by jumping in bed with her (I dont think anyone besides me went to bed before 4 am) and yes we got this on video :)

We took our time getting ready until I decided to call the deployment hotline and realized that they were telling the bravo families that they should be there an hour earlier, sooooo it got chaotic from there and didn't stop until we brought her honey back home!

-We piled into cars and stood in the freezing cold "get your temp. base pass" line that was 5678 people long, Seriously - it was freezing and I had on open toe shoes... I thought I was going to get frostbite. I felt terrible for Jamie because she was in a strapless dress, with a peacoat non the less, but a STRAPLESS DRESS, but boooooy did she look gorgeous. Sarah kept saying she looked like she was welcoming her husband home from WW2, she pretty much did.

-Well, leave it to the USMC to tell us that they would be there in 2 minutes!!! like....24 times :) It took about 2-3 hours once we got on base to actually see any sign on return, BUT we were at homecoming so she wasn't going to leave empty handed ;)

...all of the sudden you hear the roar of buses and the uproar of a crowd and high pitched squeals of women who haven't seen their men in months. I, more than once, had to talk Jamie out of walking infront of buses, (I dont think she heard me, and if she did...she didnt care haha) It took her a couple of minutes to find him but I spotted him out of the corner of my eye, and kept saying Jamie!! She took of running (oh, she kicked of her heels in the parking lot before this so she could run haha) and jumped in his arms, the rest was a mess of tears, emotions & smiles. I was so happy they were finally together again and Josh was home safe!

Can I just say that feeling, waiting for 7 months... worrying, praying...fighting the tears, raising babies...trying to function without him....goes away in that spilt moment your in his arms again?

The LORD will watch over your coming and going

both now and forevermore

Pslam 121:8

Oh you know...Hurry up and wait

Jamie and Josh, after 7 months too long.

 

The girls together.

Welcome home, Josh!

Patrick,

  I am ready for you to come home, especially being at another unit's homecoming...seeing everyone in their deserts, and thinking of how much I miss you, I am really really ready for you to come home. Words can't express how much I want ya home, I stay positive just like you ask...I have the Lord to thank for that.. he carries me when I can't figure out how to carry myself anymore. Aiden is doing well, 5 months old and such a ham. He is saying Dada all the e time and it makes me smile whenever I hear it. I sent out a couple of things for you today and I hope you enjoy your goodies, I love you more than anything. xoxo

  Kels

Aiden's 4 month (at 5 months old) well check up!

What happend to the sweet, white haired newborn that we just brought home?

He got big, really big. Like.... a small toddler. Sheesh.

Birth                                     2 Months                              5 Months

 Head-12 inches                                Head-15.75                          Head-17''            

 Weight-6.8 lbs                          Weight-12.4lbs                       Weight-17lbs

Length-20 inches                       Length-22.50 inches          Length-27 Inches

 

Thats right, 17 pounds... I think he should try out for the infant football team, He might not even need shoulder pads ;)

 

We are currently in a battle with his teeth. (teething and deployment are my least favorite words right now) He went from sleeping through the night to being up 2-3x a night and it's making for a very cranky baby and a verrrrrry sleepy mommy. He gnaws on everything in site, you will rarely see him right now without his hang in his mouth, its usually he thumb he's chewing on, and the poor child keeps a bib on bc he is either soaked in drool or spit up (yay reflux!) Im WELCOMING teething tips btw. I've been using the teething tablets and using tylenol when he runs a low fever, but he has just been miserable lately, I hate it for him because I can't take away the pain :( But, he mananges to keep a smile, thats my baby :)

 

On a serious note...he is growing great and he is right on track with his development and milestones :)

 

Aiden's "To-Do" list :

Hold his head up

Roll over from back to front

Roll over from front to back

Grasp an object

Cut teeth

Laugh and babble

Crawl

Walk

See Daddy!

 

That last one is going to be a doozie ;)

 

 

Theres that thumb.

(aids first St. Pattys day!)

I had to sneak a kiss in there!

My sweet baby, he's getting too big too quick!

 

Daddy,

  I miss you and I hope you get home soon! Mommy really misses you too...she talks about you all the time and I constantly hear your voice from the books, I think my first words may be something from a nursery rhyme or maybe from the scary book because I hear them so much ;) And yes, I learned to type before i could even sit up! but We love you and can't wait to see you again!

 Love you!

   Aiden

55% down on deployment #3!

It feel so good to type that,

now if I can only type 99.9% and get a shower and get my hair did..

... I could go get my man!

Someone asked me if I watched Army wives, and there is no way I could.. not right now.. It seems like such an amazing show though, so I think once Pat is completely out of the MC Ill buy the seasons and cry and think about the past haha. Its just way too close to home at the current moment.

---but the new show, Coming home... now that one is a winner! (and that one always has a happy ending, that im okay with) I bawled my eyes out tonight watched it, texting more than one marine wife confirming how excited we were for homecoming or how proud that made us of our husbands..it really gives me a true sense of pride. No lie.

Move update :

1. ALLLLLL my belongings are gone. well, besides two suitcases full and my car. I was a nervous wreck when the movers were here, 1.because it really hit me I was moving across the world 2.The  one guy was SUCH a weenier! I don't get why he needed to be so rude, but he sure accomplished that goal.  and I ended up missing two of Patricks calls... which you may know is a HUGE deal, especially because he only gets phone acsess once every couple of weeks, I wanted to throw my phone at him, I didnt.... but ohh boy I wanted to! :)
2. My flight is booked - March 29th at 6 a.m, that date is very subject to change, d/t Aiden's health issues and the lack of TLA (temporary lodging assistance) apparentlly base housing had to freeze the waitlist for fun or something....probably just to toy with my head.
3. The latest I will be in my house is May 8th
4. Im super excited
5. My husband comes home, and our family will be whole again! :D

Aiden update :

    He is growing like a weeeeeeed. The last appt. we went to for his head, he weighed a whopping 16 lbs.

16 lbs!! Holy fat baby batman!

(he is so stinkin sweet though, and I love his  fat little legs!)

We go for his "4 month checkup" at almost 5 months? And he will get a couple more vaccines.. they weren't happy when I requested seperate vaccines last time, but oh well.. its my son, just apease me and do it, please and thank you! :)

I won't go into detail on his seizure issues and what not, I don't want to post until I know the "for sures"

He is rolling from back to belly, and belly to back! he likes to push up on his hands when he he's on his belly too! and he def. found his voice :) :) He loves to talk and babble all the time, and chew on his hands..or your hands.. or anything in his hands haha. I think he is starting to teeth, he loves pressure on his gums :)

--Uh oh Daddy, better watch out.... Our baby boy is starting to look more like his momma ;)

my chunky baby.

Honey,

  I love you! Have I told you that lately? Im so glad I finally got to talk to you this past week.. it really helps me stay strong and keep my head up when I hear your voice :) Our boy is getting so big, you can hold him upright on your hip and he stays :) He is doing great holding his head up... (still a little wobbly, but hey..  he has your big ole head so what do ya expect?)  I have a couple videos of him listening to your voice on his books.. I wanted you to see his reactions, its priceless. oh btw, his mommy misses you, he wanted ya to know that! Im gona go lay down, I miss you and I love you bunches! Aiden sends his kisses.

xoxo, love always..

    Kelsey