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.