Early to bed tonight...

I just put LJ down, and it's 9:00 -- I can hear him humming and fighting it a bit, but he's tired.  Last night, he was up at 11, 3:30, then up for good at 6:20.  He's not sick, running a fever or anything, but this is familiar teething behavior.  I have to say -- we will all be glad when all the teeth are in - especially LJ!  I can't imagine how it must hurt -- he only has 4 left, so we're in the home stretch.

We had a good, lazy day today.  The weather was rainy, so we took advantage of it and used it as a "rest day".  LJ needed it -- we just enjoyed being here at home, playing ball, reading books, watching Blue's Clues.  It was nice.  We finished off the day by visiting Avery and Hudson downstairs, then bathing before bed.  

Nothing much to report.  Hoping for a good night's sleep for all tonight!!  I hope you had a good day, too!

Love,

Jamie

Just home from the game :)

Well, LJ and I just rode our bike home from the game after a nice night.  I had a "birthday dinner" for one of the other wives, so LJ had fun in childcare at the stadium.  I drop him off, and he's so fine, but I leave a piece of me with him.  It feels so weird, so empty-handed to go somewhere without him!  It was nice to rekindle that "togetherness" on our ride home -- I try to leave early before dark, and while I drove he had his hand on my back. :)  

We had a great day -- Lance let me sleep a bit, then I took LJ to the gym with me while he took a nap.  When we got home, we all went out to the pool and at our lunch and swam.  There is a barbecue out there that's usually busy, but at lunch, we are able to cook on there pretty easily.  We did hamburger patties and salad.  It was great!

When Lance went to the field, LJ went down for a little nap and I got our stuff ready for the evening.  After his nap, some reading and playing, we headed to the bike and off the field we went.  I LOVE riding my bike -- I feel like we can go anywhere, and I think LJ likes the wind in his face just as much.  It's a since of freedom you just can't get in a car...especially in downtown traffic.

I hope your day was great -- we miss each of you tons.  Hope to talk to you soon.

Love,

Jamie

What a great off-day!

Well, the baseball schedule hasn't allowed us to spend a lot of time together this year, but we had a GREAT day today!  Lance is home this week with an off-day today, so we took full advantage.  I got a hair cut (trim)  - it had been like 6 months, and we spent the rest of the day playing.  Whether it was biking, playing at federal hill park, goofing around at the apartment, or playing on the terrace and grilling out, we packed this day full of family fun.  The true advantage to being apart so much is how much we treasure our time together.  It is precious.  I have attached a video of LJ and Lance playing "basketball" in the apartment.  It cost us like 11 dollars for the hoop, and I have to blow it up like every 10 minutes, but LJ loves it.  Don't forget to check the slide-show below of pictures of our wonderful day.  We thank the Lord for days like this -- they refuel us, and without them, I don't know what I'd do.

Love you!

Jamie

A great off-day!

Just got home and it's 10 p.m.  LJ is drinking a bit of milk and watching some Blue's Clues as I type.  We went to Lance's game tonight -- I had a wive's bible study and had to get an ID made for access to meet Lance.  The study was great, and LJ did very well in Childcare.  After the study and eating some soup, I went and got him so he could enjoy some baseball, too.  We watched an inning or so before heading back home to beat the after-game traffic.  I can't believe he's still awake!  

It was a good day, and tomorrow will be even better -- It's Lance's day off!!!!! Yay!  

I hope your day was great - enjoy some more pictures from our outing yesterday.

Love,

Jamie

Hello!

Well, as I type, LJ is falling asleep and I am watching the 7th inning of Lance's game.  He got to pitch tonight, did well, and it's always fun to see his face close up on the screen.  I feel like I don't see him enough, so it's a treasured thing to get to look at a life-sized, real-time video!  

We had a good day today.  LJ has been pretty fussy, so I think those last molars are on their way.  Yesterday and the day before when I asked him what was wrong, he put his finger in his mouth and said, "teeth".  Poor thing.  Regardless, he was happy in childcare today while Lance and I worked out together.  I usually shower there, so I was excited to find out that the "steam shower" was fixed.  It is literally a little steam room with a shower in it.  I'm telling you -- I'm surprised that they don't have a sign-up sheet for that thing - it was heavenly!  It's like a spa treatment or something.  I told LJ's "teacher", Latreesa, that it is worthy of taking him there, just so I can take that shower!  

After working out, we went to eat with some of Lance's family friends from Lafayette.  There are not many places, ( I was originally told there were none), that are kid-friendly in Little Italy, but we found one!  LJ had his roughest lunch, probably ever, (just didn't want to be there), so it was nice to have such a casual place.  Lance had a tortellini pasta dish, and he said it was AWESOME.  I had their special appetizer, (bread bowl with creamy butter sauce and shrimp) for my entree.  I was chasing LJ through the restaurant and outside, so I almost forget what it tasted like!  :)

After his nap, we decided to go out on the "terrace" I have written about before.  It's the floor below us, right outside our window, where the pool and a large porch are located.  It is beautiful - nice view of the harbor and boats, and it also has a nice grassy play area near the pool.  We met a little girl from Dubai that is here at John Hopkins getting treated for illness.  Their english is limited, and I definitely don't speak their language, but I understand enough that they have been here two months and will be here two more.  She has a disease that made closing and opening her hands impossible, but she proudly showed me that she can almost close and open them all the way.  God bless her, she is precious -- she wanted so badly to swim.  She kept telling LJ, "come"...eventually, I gave in, and the two of them were splashing like crazy in the COLD jacuzzi.  It was worth it -- they both were laughing so hard.  I told her we'd brave the waters and swim later this week.  Not sure she fully understood, but she said, "what day?"  I think we have a date.

So, that's it for us.   It was a nice day, and I am thankful for the things God shows me.  A precious little girl this evening - she will definitely be in my prayers tonight.  Have a great night's sleep -- hope you enjoyed the pictures!

Love,

Jamie

What a day!

Well, first off, LJ slept till 7:01 a.m. this morning!!!  Anything with a 7 in front of it is wonderful!! Secondly, Lance let me stay in bed and I got to rest until he went to the field!!  It was a day game, so it was no "teenager's sleep in", but it felt SO good after lots of early mornings.  Yay for me!  Yay for LJ to have a morning with his dad ...while we're at it, yay for Lance, too!  :)

Well, LJ and I had a great day.  At 11 a.m., he was tired, so I put him down before lunch and got myself ready for the game.  When he woke up an hour later, I  put him in the bath, gave him lunch, and we biked to the game.  Get this...LJ stayed in his seat, (standing in front of or sitting in it or my lap) from the 4th inning till the end of the game. He was TOO good.  I was so impressed!!  

After the game, we all biked home together and then walked to Whole Foods for spaghetti fixins'.  I was going to make some baked brie, but whole foods doesn't carry crescent rolls I use.  SO...we decided on take-out appetizers.  How fun, huh?  The spaghetti is still cooking -- we are eating after LJ goes down-- and we have already eaten our crab cake and egg rolls from Roy's across the street.  After I made the spaghetti sauce, we let it simmer while we went out to the "terrace" to let LJ play before bath time.  We watched the water while LJ played bat and ball in the grass.  What a wonderful end to the day.  If I can get LJ out of the apartment, he is as happy here as he ever is at home.  That makes me smile because sometimes I worry about moving him so much.  He is loving it here, though.  We have been here just two weeks today, and it seems like longer.  I guess that may be the longest we've stayed somewhere without travel.  I have to say, it's been nice.  

So, that's our day.  Tomorrow, we are eating lunch with a man from Lafayette that is a friend of the family.  Me-Maw - I found a "kid - friendly place" in Little Italy, so we will have to try it if we find it good tomorrow.  It's so good to have Lance home.  it's sad that he leaves again quickly, but that's the baseball season, and that's how it is.  If you have time, look at his July schedule -- AMAZING.  Keep reminding me how much he'll be home then!!!  It will be wonderful.

Sorry about no pictures tonight --the camera needs charging.  I'll make sure to charge it and get good pictures of our outings tomorrow.

Love you!

Jamie

lance is home!

As I write this, Lance is home and putting away his suitcase and things.  LJ, who stayed up for his arrival, is running around in his diaper saying, "dada".."dada"...:)  It's so good to have him home.  He's home for 7 days, then heads out for ten, so we are going to make the most of this week!  

Lj and I had a great day - we went to church and he did SO WELL in childcare.  Rather than allowing me to walk him in, I had to "pass him through, over the counter...", as they said it.  LJ wasn't happy, so I spent a lot of the church service preoccupied with whether he was doing well.  It was so good to be back in church, though -- it's been a few weeks, and my week's not fully complete without meeting God in His house.  My daily quiet times are wonderful, but there's nothing like worshiping with other believers - the band, the Word, it was great.  The church was nice, maybe not as comfortable as our home church, but what is?  

After church, LJ and I went to Target then to eat at Don Pablo's before heading home.  It was a great afternoon, and I was all but yelling "Blue's Clues" lines at LJ to keep him awake on the drive.  When we returned home, we took Rookie for a good walk, then put LJ down for a nap.  While he napped, I got things ready for our little dinner with our neighbors, The Guthries.  She made a delicious chicken casserole, and I made salad and dessert.  Afterwards, we let the kids play outside -- it was a nice night.

After taking Rookie out again, LJ took a bath and we waited for Lance.  it's so good to have him home.  I posted only a few pictures of today -- I'll post more tomorrow.  

goodnight!!!!

love,

Jamie

He's a tea lover, too!

Had to send some hilarious pictures from today -- another early morning, but a good one.  Some fun times by the water, played with his hair and put it in a mohawk like  I used to do.  I can't believe how quickly his hair grows!  He did not fuss ONE TIME at childcare, and then we went to Whole Foods for some fruit.  I love that place. 

 I had brewed some of my green rooibos with blueberries in it for a nice iced tea to have around.  I drank some with my lunch, and LJ wanted some too.  Rooibos is SO good for you - caffeine free, and I sweetened it a little with raw sugar.  I made him his own cup...I think it's just o.k., but you be the judge from the pictures about how he felt...have a good day!  :)

P.S.  Don't you love the intimidating baseball picture up top? ;)

BEAUTIFUL WEATHER TODAY!

Well, hello!  It has been another good day.  When we woke up this morning, we were going to go to a gymboree class, but LJ was a bit fussy.  He was up EARLY, and I knew that class might be the last thing he was up for.  Instead, we decided to enjoy the gorgeous weather outside -- it was a high blue sky with no clouds, and I could tell it was warming up.  I texted our neighbors, The Guthrie's, to see if they wanted to go to the park with us.  She suggested we get out the running strollers and run there, and we decided to pack a picnic lunch to enjoy that.  

It was wonderful for the kids - and the moms!  With about a 15 minute run there, we found the playground and let the kids play.  We swang, the boys went up the stairs and down the slide, up the stairs and down the slide, chased the pigeons and the squirrels, then up the stairs and down the slide again.  It was hilarious.  

After about 2 hours, (maybe a bit less?) we took out our food and had a picnic.  LJ isn't too keen on sitting down if he's not strapped in, so I chased him around and put food in his mouth.  Jenny gave me a peanut butter sandwich for LJ to try, and he ate some!!!!  Wow...if he'll eat it sitting down without me chasing him around, it could open all kinds of lunch options for me.  :)

So, then we ran back home, and Lj and I hopped in the shower, trying to get the sand out of his hair.  He loves to dump a bucket of sand on his head.  When he went down for a nap, almost sand-free, I laid down, too.  It was nice -- we both had a little nap then headed to the nearby mall to look around.

They have a Teavana, ( you know I love that), and I even was able to buy some k-cups for my coffee maker of Gloria Jeans coffee, (Tammy,  I thought of you - I know how you love their coffee! - I can send you some).  After eating dinner at Chic-fil-a, LJ and I headed down to the first floor to play on the kids play area.  In a word:  chaos.  There are kids everywhere, running, jumping, pushing, pulling, but LJ was in his glory.  He played so hard!!!  I loved it - he's becoming so independent, but still runs full-force to me to give me a hug.  It melts my heart.  There were so many cute little ones -- a little 20 month old boy, who probably weighed 20 lbs. sat in my lap and hugged me.  Kids are the best.

Upon returning home, we went and said goodnight to the Guthries and played a bit.  LJ loves it -- what a blessing to have them so close by.  

Well, that's our day...I hope you had a wonderful day, too.  We miss you guys and love you lots!

SEE YOU IN TWO DAYS, LANCE!!

'Night 'Night!

Great day, great night - I'm tired and going 'night 'night!  :)  

It's late, so I'll post tomorrow!  

Love,

Jamie

The things I know

...some moments God spoke to me this morning in the things I know.

"And when the sun comes up, slowly with the dawn

This is the common feeling that I hang my hope upon 

There is love and beauty in all that I see

And no one, nobody is explaining you to me.

Maybe my eyes can't see, 

but you are surrounding me,

Here in the wind and rain, the things that I know.

It's tender and sweet and strong as my need.

I know the voice, I know the touch -

Lover of my soul."

~Amy Grant

50th post!

Wow!  This is our 50th post -- we've done so much in those 50 entries, and I think I want to go back and look -- see how things have changed.  It's been a good 50, I think :) 

We had a great day today -- LJ slept till 7:40 which is SO long for him.  He was so happy when he woke up.  We took Rook outside for a great walk and had a great workout.  LJ really likes it there, and his mom enjoys the quiet time for a bit!

After lunch and nap, we decided to bike up to Federal Hill Park.  It provides a beautiful view of the city as well as being part of history -- both the Civil War and the War of 1812 have landmarks there.  There was an old but sufficient playground, and LJ played and swang for over an hour!

On our way home, we (I) decided to drive through Little Italy to Vacarro's Pastry Shop.  We stopped in for some cookies!  It took only 5 minutes, but will provide DAYS' worth of joy in our kitchen  :)  We even brought some for our neighbors, (the Guthrie's)...these things are best enjoyed shared.  The five minutes we took to get cookies was just enough time to get caught in the rain and lose one of LJ's shoes (an imitation croc from Payless), but I still think it was worth it.  

We found out today that  we'll be taking a great trip with my mom, sister, brother and nieces to Cancun before the Christmas holidays.  I'm SO looking forward to it --- it's rare you get to spend a week with your siblings and parent once you are grown.  The early trip means we'll be able to see Lance's family at his cousin's wedding, too -- everyone will get to be together at some point during the holidays -- that's what I'm talking about!  Hectic, but family-filled Holiday :)

So now, it's bath time and down time.  I wanted to post early so I could get myself ready after LJ goes down.  I'm tired tonight and want to take advantage of my sleeping angel :)  Hopefully we'll have a repeat of last night!

Love,

Jamie

Some morning pics!

Taking Rookie out to the water is so much fun! Here are some early morning pics of the harbor with "hot dog", playing in the apt. with pots and pans....have a good one!

Fun, full day!

Well, we had a good one today!  This morning's workout went so well -- she said the only time LJ fussed was when he was trying to get inside a toy bus, (about the size of Rookie) and realized he wouldn't fit!  I had a workout of over an hour!  The nice thing about this place is that it's small, one floor, so I can hear if he fusses and make sure I'm there.  Awesome...love having that freedom and an hour to myself is so replenishing...while LJ is his social little self.  

After our workout, we played outside with Rookie, showered and then got ready for naptime.  I took a little nap, too, after laying out our stuff for an afternoon trip out.  When LJ woke up, we went to the coolest place -- it was raining here, so I was searching for a place we could play.  We drove about 25 minutes to Ultimate Play Zone's "pop-in play time"!  It was so cool -- lots of moon bounces, (one for only 3 and under and all for only 6 and under).  Funny thing -- Lj doesn't know how to jump, so he was trying with all his might, but the toes never left the floor.  It was such good exercise, and his favorite one, (of course) was the basketball one.  We'd go back and forth, but always made our way back to the basketballs.  There was a pirate-ship playground -- I think I almost broke my toe going down a slide that was SO fast, and a big bouncy slide that I got "moon-bounce burn" on my elbow-- I'm such a klutz.  LJ had a blast, and we stayed till closing time then explored the area, in search of a grocery store.  

We got little stuff like cheese, coke-zeros, caprisuns, toddler meals...the stuff you can't get at an all-organic, preservative-free Whole Foods!  

Then, we headed to the interstate and found a Bob Evans, so we stopped in for dinner.  We both got a kid's meal - LJ had pasta (ate the entire bowl) and I had a grilled cheese.  After we got home and unloaded, Jenny invited us over to play with Hudson and Averie.  Rookie came, too and we played till past 9!  The kids loved it, -- Rookie was a hit, and I think they will all sleep well tonight.  

So, as days go where Lance is out-of-town, this was a good one.  So thankful.  I hope your day was good -- we miss and love you lots!

Love,

Jamie

On the road again, (Lance, not us!)

Well, Lance headed out to NY today, but we got to have some of the day together before he headed out.  We went to MAC (Maryland Athletic Club) across the street this morning.  It was our "introductory session" and Lj's first day at the childcare.  He didn't cry at all when I left, but in the 45 minutes I was gone, he began to miss me.  It was enough time, though, to get the "session" in and see where everything was.  

My introductory session was extensive -- blood pressure, large questionnaire, sit-and-reach test, strength test, weight check complete with body fat screening...breaking down exactly how many pounds of fat you have in your body vs. pounds of lean mass.  It also calculates how many calories YOUR body burns on its own, without any movement each day.  Any movement, exercise, etc. you add to it increases that amount.  It was very educational!  LJ and I are headed back in the morning for my first real day there and his 2nd in childcare.  The "teacher" was wonderful -- once again we are blessed in a situation where we feel a little uncomfortable!

After the gym, we all came home and cooked some red beans for lunch.  Lance cut the sausage and I finished up...LJ fell asleep in the chair with me, so we laid him down for a quick nap while we ate some lunch on our own.  It was kind of nice.  

LJ woke up, ate some red beans, too, then we all headed outside to play with Rookie.  He needed the outing, and we enjoyed some good time outside.  We had to bundle up, though - it was chilly and windy out there.  Definitely not, to my dismay, a day for biking.

When we came in, Lance finished packing ( he did all his own laundry and packing -- a HUGE help) and we just enjoyed some time before he left.  He gave us both a big hug, and LJ and I did some cleaning up - (see the pic).

This evening, we went to whole foods and picked up some food - good stuff and a fun trip.  They had tortilla chips that LJ could munch on (samples), so it was an easy visit.  We came home, had some dinner ( LJ actually tried his first fresh carrot tonight and ate half) and then went out to play with some friends.  Averie and Hudson are Jeremy and Jenny Guthrie's children and we played with them on the terrace level of our apartments.  What fun!  Little Hudson bumped his eye, but overall it was a great night for all of us out there.

Fun times!  We are already missing Lance and looking forward to his Sunday arrival back home, but we will find some fun things to do to keep us busy while he's gone.  What a blessing to be in such a fun place, huh?  Hope you had a great day - we miss you!

Love,

Jamie

Quick one!

Just a quick note - Just put LJ down and Lance has run out (literally) to pick up take-out.  I just wanted to post that we had a good day.  It was "bike to the park" day, so Lance biked this morning, and LJ and I biked this afternoon after the rain subsided.  It was a nice ride, and we are getting to know the route and traffic flow better.  The more we do it, the easier it will get.  We found out where the family goes after the game, then rode home alongside Lance.

The O's lost today, but went 4 - 1 on the homestand.  I think they are pleased.  It seems that they are playing really well.  They head to NY tomorrow, then to Tampa Bay.  LJ and I will stay behind and learn the "lay of the land" a little better.  There's so much to see and so much to do, I'm sure we'll have lots of new knowledge by the time Lance returns next week.

Have a great night!!!

Love,

Jamie

Fun day!

Hello!  We are just not getting in and settled - it's after 10 p.m. and we went to our first game at Camden Yards.  It is BEAUTIFUL!  It's huge with all kinds of vendors, food, even a playground for the kids.  LJ played on it for an hour - at least 30 other kids playing, too.  It was every man for himself, and he did just fine.  He wanted to play, so I stayed on the outside of the little fort and followed him step for step, worried he might get hit or pushed.  He wasn't even aware of me, and went up, down and through it to the slide over and over.  I was only a hug's reach away, but he didn't even notice.  It was a fun night for him.  It was fun for me, too -- some friends from our days in Lancaster, Ca. (single A), were there, and it was so nice to catch up.  Bob Olaveson was in town for work, and they joined us for a game in Baltimore.  What a small world! 

Lance and I rode our bikes through the city today looking for the YMCA.  It ends up that the one we thought was close is actually just their head office.  Rather than bike even further, we decided to tour the gym across the street from our apartment.  It is nice, and there is childcare by appointment so that they don't overcrowd the area.  I hope it goes well...there is a 15 day grace period if he or I don't like it, so it's worth a try.  

Lance's final game at home is tomorrow before he heads to NY on Monday.  It's a day game, and I think we will all bike to the park tomorrow...Lance in the morning and LJ and I after his nap.  It really is easier here to bike than to drive, and LJ enjoys the bike-seat more than the carseat.  It's so soothing, he falls asleep IMMEDIATELY if he's sleepy.  It's a good help if he had a bad night's sleep, and I think he enjoys the wind in his face. Check out the attached pic.   While he slept this morning, Lance and I parked our bikes and ate a cupcake from a local bakery.  What fun!  

Well, that's our day - Sorry if I jumped around a lot - it's late and time for bed!  Have a good night's sleep!  I'm in the hunt for a wonderful church in the Baltimore area -- if anyone has connections with one here, drop me a line!

Love,

Jamie

Exciting new things...

Well, with a big city comes big opportunities.  I had some of those today.  Though they may not seem big to the average person, LJ and I did some things that were "big" to us today.  After a good morning with Lance, lunch at home and a nap for the little one, LJ and I headed out, via bicycle, deeper into downtown to pick up another antibiotic for him.  The CVS we went to is in the depths of downtown, ( no parking ), so LJ and I headed to the parking garage, unlocked the bike, got him situated and found our way there.  With a stop sign right by the CVS, I hooked our bike to it and LJ and I headed in.  It took us 45 minutes to get our prescription, and victoriously, we walked back out to unhook the bike and head home.  LJ enjoyed our ride so much, he spontaneously patted my back and said, "I wu zu" ( I love you), and my heart melted.

It sounds like no big deal, but the whole act of carrying LJ or coercing him to follow you to the garage, keeping his whining to a minimum as you set him up, figure out how to unhook the bike and then find your way around downtown in Friday traffic is an undertaking, especially at first.  It was pretty liberating to find our way home, (this time via a scenic route I felt confident enough to try), then lock up the bike , successfully back in the parking garage.  I am still tired from being sick, LJ being sick and just everything, but as I walked into our apartment I felt a little burst of energy at the possibilities that stood before us if I learned to do this well.  Driving, (especially a diesel), is inconvenient here, but a bike can go anywhere.  Also, you can see so much of the city by bike - it is spotless, and I see that they are taking extreme care to keep it beautiful.  There are workers in green shirts all day, every day, planting, sweeping, cleaning...you name it.  It's neat to see a downtown area so clean.

After returning home and taking Rookie out, LJ and I packed up the stroller and headed to Whole Foods for milk and fruit.  We ended up also getting yogurt, granola, 2 crab cakes and some sauteed cauliflower.  I am reheating the crab and cauliflower for dinner now -- a little luxury I am excited about.  I brought my groceries home in my re-useable bag, stowed under the stroller.  That is fun to me - especially so since the Preakness (sp?) Race is here and the downtown area has live music all around to celebrate.  Even LJ was dancing on our walk home.

So, now LJ is falling asleep, I'm typing and then going to eat before preparing for bed.  I'm sure Lance will like his crab cake, salad and maybe some pasta for dinner.  This, I could get used to!!

I hope your day was good --- ours are getting better as we get more comfortable and courageous in our surroundings.  

Miss you lots!

Jamie

P.S.  Check out the picture show below  - I posted it this morning!

a wonderful trip!

Blogger wasn't pulling up...till now!

I'm so glad I checked one more time before bedtime.  I couldn't pull blogger up, but for some reason, it worked!  It's late, but I 'll run through our day real quick:

Great day off -- Lance let me sleep a bit, and then we went to the bank, walked 40 minutes to the bike shop and bought bikes!!!!  They even had a kid seat to put on mine, so we walked to lunch while it was put on.  It cost us some money, but considering the price of diesel gas (and how much it would cost if I kept hitting concrete poles in the parking garage), I think we came out on top.  We actually just got back from riding around Little Italy (we live like a block from there), and I looked back and LJ is fast asleep -- helmet and all.  

He has felt better today - still very whiney, so I take that as him still not feeling up to par.  His fever was non-existant to low-grade, so he's definitely getting better.  Bless his heart - we will all be glad to be well again.  Lance leaves after the weekend for a week to NY and Tampa Bay.  We were going to go to NY, but I think since LJ is just getting settled, it's better for us to stay put.  Traveling probably isn't the best for him right now.  He and I will stay here and explore on our bikes and welcome Lance home on Sunday night.  It seems like he's been gone so much - I look forward to him being in town for some extended time.  I think that will be in July some time!  haha - just playing.  

Well, it's time for bed, but I wanted to let you know that we recovered from the wreck with the cement pole and LJ is getting better!  It's back to work for Lance tomorrow - we are thankful for days off, especially those at home!

Love,

Jamie

One more day without pictures...

Sorry I still haven't uploaded the pictures to this site yet.  I have to get them off the camera, and the days have been so hectic lately, I haven't had the motivation at 10 p.m.  I will soon, though, I promise.

I took LJ to the doctor today - he was running a temp over 102.  After finding a real pediatrician to take him ( i.e. not a "urgent care", etc) we found out he probably had a bit of what I had and it had settled in his ear.  We began some antibiotics, and I think he might be allergic as he is biting his mouth and crying.  I looked it up, and the side effects are "mouth irritation or sores", so I 'll make sure to change to a non-penicillin antibiotic tomorrow.  Bless his heart.  He and I have been sick ( one or the other ) for two weeks.  Combined with moving, the trip home, etc. it will be great to be well again.

On the way back from the doctor, I hit a cement pole in the parking garage.  LJ was crying because he was ready to get out, and by then, I was about to cry , too.  All I could think was, "Lance is going to kill me".  The space is so small to drive in and turn in - combine that with a jacked up diesel with huge bumpers, and you have a problem.  Lucky for me, Lance was a sweetheart and didn't give me a hard time.  He always seems to know when the day has been enough, and I'm thankful for that.  It's coming out of my allowance, though :)

Lance has a day off tomorrow, so we will be taking care of LJ together.  That will be nice - an extra set of hands, especially a set of "dada" hands is SO helpful for a day.  We love having him here, and it's a nice break as well.

So, it hasn't been the best of days today, but we are still very blessed...just sick with a banged up truck :)  I hope your day was a little easier - I bet mine will be better tomorrow.  Have a good night -- I'll send pics soon.

Love,

Jamie

Moved in!

Ahhhhhh....I am finally sitting down!  LJ has run a fever today, (teeth?  ear? I don't know), but he has been a trooper and allowed us to get some good stuff done.  

Lance found a cool place for breakfast this morning, so we enjoyed breakfast out before our quest for a Wal-Mart.  We found a Wal-Mart, though it wasn't "super", and got a few things we needed before going to get Rookie from the Kennel.  It was so good to see him!!!  He was going NUTS for like half an hour, then finally calmed down and went to sleep on my lap.  

After LJ's lunch at home, Lance headed to the field and I began unpacking.  By 5 p.m., this place looked like ours.  It's so nice to be settled.  I have to say, I enjoy the new cities, but the MOVING every couple of months is exhausting.  Finding a place, packing up on a whim, unpacking the same stuff and trying to fit it in different drawers, etc. ...that stuff is not so fun sometimes.  It's so nice to be settled, though.  Now, we can look forward to getting to know the new city.  

After 5, LJ and I found a grocery store to get the necessities.  After piling our goods in the car, we headed back to the apartment, found a place in the parking garage and used LJ's stroller like a cart.  He was on my hip, the groceries were in his seat.  We made it up, took Rookie for a good stroll by the water, (one of the many neat new things to do here), and made LJ some dinner.  After his dinner, I decided had had "earned" a dinner out!  I ordered some lebanese food from downstairs, (restaurants galore here!) and LJ and I walked to the street to pick it up.  I 've got to say, the night air was nice, and so was being able to pick up fun food without pulling the truck out its parking spot!  

After returning, Lj and I played as I ate then got him ready for bed with a bath and lavender lotion rub-down.  As I type this, he's giggling uncontrollably in bed -- not sure why.  I just went in to see what he was up to, and I think he may be laughing at his Pablo the Penguin doll.  His fever, though a low one, has me on guard, and I may take him to the doctor tomorrow.  He's been through so much with the traveling and all, I don't want to let anything go too far.

I hope your day was great today -- Seriously, don't be afraid to take us up on our offer for a visit!  We'd love to have you!!!

Have a great night!

Love,

Jamie

P.S.  I will be posting pics tomorrow.  I know it has been a while.

In Baltimore!

We made it!  LJ was a GEM after his 5:30 a.m. wake-up call, and we headed to the airport via the Holiday Inn Shuttle in Birmingham.  After a relatively easy check-in, (dismantling the car seat, carry-on contraption we have), we played till boarding time.  We had a great flight, aside from rough weather entering Baltimore, and LJ was so good!!!   It was so good to see Lance's smiling face at baggage claim.  It seemed like a long time, and LJ was just as thrilled.

After picking up the baggage, we headed to look at apartments.  After looking we decided on a 2 bedroom ( 2nd bedroom is a stretch), one bath in downtown Baltimore.  It's within about a mile-and-a-half from the field, and we have a Whole Foods Grocery across the street!  High prices aside, I could just stroll through there every day and come out with a piece of cake, nice cut of meat or whatever.  I'm excited about that - actually, we just walked back home from there, and LJ is busy drinking his whole milk as I type.  

The apartment is like a high-rise hotel.  We park in a parking garage, find the correct door, (we'll figure that out in time), find the right elevator and proceed to room # 927.  We are facing a nice green area, (Rookie isn't allowed there, so we have to take him all the way down to walk), and the water of the "inner harbor" is just beyond there.  It's an entirely different style of living than we are used to, and we are excited about getting used to it.  If you have to leave home, it's nice to stretch a little and live a bit different.  We'll be a "city family", hopefully, for the next few months.  Any visitors are WELCOME!  We have a Courtyard Marriot LITERALLY across the street.  I'd offer up our "2nd bedroom", but it has windows and you couldn't even change without being visible to the rest of the apartment.  The nice thing, though -- I can peek in on LJ through those windows as he sleeps!

OK, so that's it...we are all moved in, though not completely unpacked.  It's been a LONG day, but the days will get shorter as we get more done...and they'll be filled with more fun.  

I hope you are doing great!!  We are doing well and learning our new, neat area.  Goodnight!

Love,

Jamie

Sorry I've been absent!

I know I've been bad about this since being south, but I promise I'll pick back up once I get settled again.  Having to pull the laptop out of hiding at night has been something I've forgotten to do since being here!

We have had a nice visit - I am almost totally recovered from that horrible bout of "crud", and we are packing to head to Lance on Monday morning.  It has been a wonderful visit, and we have loved it!  LJ is playing, swimming, enjoying some good times before heading back to city life!  It'll be great there, too, once we get settled.  

I promise to pick back up where we left off then.  Sorry it's been so random, but when we find a place to live, I'll find a place to type nightly.  Hope you guys are doing great!!!!

Love,

Jamie

P.S.  Had an amazing dedication at the Wharf in honor of my Dad today.  He would have LOVED it!!!  A barge even drove by unexpectedly, honking, as we enjoyed cookies after.  The barges were always his favorite.

In Gulf Shores!

So sorry I haven't written in a couple days -- the internet connection was tough, and I also got really sick at home.  I RARELY get sick, but woke up with a bad sore throat yesterday.  I thought I'd wait it out, thinking I'd feel better, but it quickly escalated into a high fever, ear pain, body aches...the whole nine yards.  What's a girl to do?  I called my mom and said, "MOMMY, PLEASE HURRY!"  Seriously, that's about what I did, and she was there quickly.  When she arrived, I was in bad shape, but after 24 hours on antibiotics and keeping the tylenol coming, I'm feeling a bit better.  It's been a long time since I've been this sick.  I guess I can't expect it to be gone in a day.  That being said, we headed to Gulf Shores together late this morning, and we are all snuggled in bed, me included, (as I type).  

I just wanted to touch base -- LJ is doing great.  We still miss Lance like crazy, but he's headed on to the last city in his trip, so we will see him soon.  We have to find somewhere to live now!  Fun stuff :)  I bet we'll find somewhere really neat -- I already know that no matter where we live till October, we have a wonderful place to come home to then...I just lysol'd it and set the alarm this morning!

I hope you are well!

Love,

Jamie

Great day at home!

All I can say is, it was a great day!  Lots of playtime here at the house-- anytime we are not eating or sleeping and we are here, LJ says, "outside".  He LOVES it here, and it makes me so glad that we came home for a bit.  There is nothing like the safety of opening the door, playing in the driveway and knowing that you are free to stay and play as long as you want...it's YOUR space!

We renewed tags and got duplicate liscences today, those kinds of errands, then ate at city cafe for lunch.  LJ ate really well, then we went home again to play and nap.  After his nap, we met Shelby and Stacey at the Riverwalk and played till they were starving for dinner.  LJ and I came home and ate, then played outside until almost nine o'clock - he wasn't ready for bathtime till then.

Speaking of bath time, I dropped my phone in the bath, so anyone trying to get in touch with me will probably have to wait till tomorrow.  It was like slow motion, I was saying, "NOOOOOO" while trying to catch it.  I've been blow-drying it on cool, hitting the water out of it, but it's not looking good for the phone.

I'll end on that note, but even without a phone, it was a good day.  I LOVE IT HERE!  I'm so thankful to have a home that's a haven and precious place to me and mine!  Hope your day was great, I'm tired and headed to bed!

Love you, Lance-- we miss you!!!!!!!!!!

Home again!

So sorry for the missed post!  I got home to Tuscaloosa late last night, and I can barely catch  a wireless signal here.  It's about as strong as my phone signal, which is weak.  So, I'll keep the posts brief till I leave Wednesday.

It's so good to be home.  Stacey Bruney was sweet enough to get us from the airport, so we got to ride home with her and Shelby...who is SO cute!!!  After unpacking and putting LJ to bed, I honored my homecoming with a bath in my own bathtub!  

LJ slept in his bed till sunrise, so that was great.  He woke up a few times, but put himself back to sleep pretty quickly.  Life here at home is very easy in ways like that :)  We spent the day playing outside, only to come inside for meals and a nap.  I'm sure I could find some dusting, laundry and stuff like that to do, but we pulled weeds, shot "baskball", played on the slide ALL day.  In fact, we just finished dinner and are about to go out for a wagon walk.  

I hope your day has been good.  Lance was home for only one day before heading out for this long trip, so we miss him a lot.  Rookie, we miss you, too -- all the way in Baltimore in the kennel.  Poor guy :)  Have a wonderful rest of your night, and please know we are doing the same!!!

Love,

Jamie

One tough but successful day.

Well, after packing till past midnight last night, Lance headed out at 4:10 a.m. this morning.  That wasn't our first wake-up call, though -- LJ was up at 2 a.m., a little warm...turns out he has the beginnings of an ear infection.  I took him to the doctor today wanting to ward off any possible viruses.  

Lance got on his way, and began a LONG trip to California, stopping in Dallas.  Upon his arrival, he got the news that his bags didn't make it, (glove, baseball stuff and all), so he had to wait for it to arrive on the next flight.  After collecting his luggage, he was able to enjoy a nice lunch with his agent before heading to the field.

This morning, LJ and I headed out to return the cable box and get a taller carry-on luggage so that I can strap his car seat to it with a neat contraption.  We picked that up from Target, along with some motrin and other things then headed home to meet the people picking up the furniture.  They took about 2 hours, but finally got it out.  After that, I took LJ to the dr. and we got a late lunch at Chic-fil-a.  

After lunch, we cleaned up the apartment, loaded the rest of the stuff into the truck and began our trek to Baltimore, where we are now.  We take Rookie to be boarded in the morning and fly out tomorrow afternoon to Alabama -- can't wait to be home for a few days.

Thank you for your prayers and thoughts -- One day down, one travel day to go.  God is good, and I know his hand is on us.  Please pray though , for Lance out west, for LJ to feel better, and for us to make it through the flight easily.

Love you guys!

Jamie

On the move!

Well, I'm sorry this one is so quick, but we are in the midst of packing!  Yes, we are on the move, again!  Lance got the call to head up to Baltimore today, and he flies out at 6:30 a.m. tomorrow morning to go to L.A.  So, at this moment, we are packing the truck, (literally, stuffing stuff in tupperwares) so that I don't have to do that alone with LJ in tow tomorrow morning.  The furniture people are coming to pick up the furniture tomorrow.  I have to turn off the cable and return the box, then LJ, Rookie and I are driving to Baltimore so that the truck will be waiting for Lance upon his arrival from the long road trip.  

On Saturday, I am boarding Rookie, ( so sad, I know), and LJ and I are flying out to Alabama.  Sometimes, you just gotta go home!  I don't have a place to live in Baltimore yet, and I don't want to rush it, so I'm going to spend a few days at home.  After those three days or so, I'm heading to Gulf Shores to see my mom -- they are dedicating a part of the Wharf in my father's memory, so we will all be together on Mother's Day weekend.  

These next couple of days are going to be hectic, but I am so happy for Lance.  Like everyone in this profession, he has worked hard and this is his shot.  Please pray for God's hand to continue guiding us!  He's so present in everything we do!

Love you!

Jamie