Ah, summer...

It's that special time of year where everybody complains about the incredible heatwave... that happened at this same time last year... with the same temperatures...

This season has a habit of making people forget about things that happened before, as every summer tends to mush together in our brains. We habit forming humans create routines for the seasons, and hot weather in particular produces shorts, flip flops, sunscreen, cool drinks, and late nights. Many people can relate to this, but only a special few can identify a summer when your life was on the verge of change. Your last summer before becoming a mother.

Having an autumn baby meant that I was steadily becoming heavily pregnant during the time of year when the sun was threatening to scorch the earth. More often than not I felt like an overheated manatee left out on the beach to dry. Being a person who loves to hang out by the pool, that summer was unusual for me because I never stopped by, not even once to dip my toes in. Feeling rather self-conscious I was worried my burgeoning baby bump would encourage unwanted gawking, especially as I reminisced about the summer prior how I had enjoyed sunbathing slathered in coconut oil with a smooth, flat tummy.

I became rather focused on how my body was changing, and while I gave some consideration to how my life would be affected, there is really nothing to prepare anyone for parenthood. I would think to myself I should relish my freedom while I still have it, but the luxury of solo trips to the store and being able to come and go as I please would not be something I could fully appreciate until it was gone. Thankfully my fear of losing everything I came to understand as a self-actualized adult was smoothly replaced by my growing excitement and anticipation as flutters became kicks and people began to recognize me as pregnant and not that fat girl with a pretty face.

Admittedly there were some aspects of the change that were unpalatable for me because I was experiencing my pregnancy alone; At that time my husband was deployed to Iraq so I was left to fend for myself. That meant when I got 11pm cravings for Wendy's, I would have to be my own best friend and go get it. When my belly got too big to see my body from the waist down, a mirror on the floor became responsible for making sure I was wearing the same pair of shoes on both feet. And most importantly, late at night when I got a sharp kick to the bladder, I didn't have anyone to pre-warm the seat for me, so I'd have to suck it up and plop down on a chilly toilet. Although these are all things I would have loved to have experienced with him, the independence of it all became another defining aspect of that summer.

I have many fun and even some not-so-pleasant memories from that time, but collectively it was a season I will forever cherish. During that short phase even though I thought I understood everything, it is only in hindsight that I can fully comprehend what a special and unique time in my life it was. My experiences I had back then will always stand apart from all the heatwaves I have had and will have from here on out - even when it's old age that turns my brain to mush and not the heat.  For the rest of my life, I will always honestly be able to share how I am blessed to have a summer memory as distinguished as turning the page in my life from being simply a woman to becoming a mother.
-JLH

JLH is the devoted wife of an adrenaline junkie soldier of the US ARMY, and the mother of a quirky and sassy five year old girl. The author has a love for the absurd, a penchant for the strange, and enjoys walking on the wacky side of life.

My Deployment Baby

A couple of weeks before I found out I was pregnant with our first child we found out my husband was most likely going to Iraq. So when I saw those two beautiful pink lines I danced around, so excited. "I'm going to be a Mommy!" Then I immediately started crying, I wasn't sure I could do it all without Dust. A few months into the pregnancy it was confirmed that my husband was going to be in Iraq "For the duration of 12 months or until the mission is deemed complete". I didn't know many people in Kansas where we were currently stationed and I decided it would be best if I moved home to be with family for the pregnancy and birth.
Four days before he left we found out we were having a daughter! We decided to name her Zoey Mae. The day he left he kissed my barely showing belly and told Zoey how much he loved her.

 Shortly after he left I moved back home. I found a great doctor and we started planning when Dust should come home for R&R (a two week break from deployments that are 12 months or more to visit family) we found out his deployment was extended to 15 months, and he was going to meet Zoey when she was 3 months old.

During one of my appointments we found out Zoey was breach, my doctor could try to turn her or we could schedule a c section. The way she was sitting we decided to just go ahead and schedule the C section for June 21st ( a combination of my birthday and her Dads) we also got permission from the hospital to Skype the birth to Iraq, and Dust got it all set up on his end that he would be there for our call.

 

Well, Zoey had other Ideas, as she always does. On June 14 about 9pm I started contracting, my doctor had mentioned earlier that day at my appointment that I had a "bulging bag" and may go into labor soon. I'd been trying to call Dust all day, but of course he wasn't answering. I took a nice warm bath to try and calm them, but when I got out of the bath my water started leaking, I went and woke up my mom. We got in the car, picked up my sister, and headed to the hospital. When I got out of my moms car my water REALLY broke. It was running down the hospital driveway. Ha ha. I called my In laws and told them what was going on, and asked them to keep calling Dust for me. I also had a friend on Myspace waiting to see if he logged in.
We headed up to Labor and Delivery, where my mom and sister worked. They were so busy that night that My mom and sister clocked in and got to be my nurses! It was so much fun having only family in the room for the first little while. I was told the OR was booked, and the anesthesiologist was busy so I had to wait for my epidural, I was already dilated to a 7. When the OR was ready, they wheeled me down the hall and prepped me for delivery, and finally gave me some pain medication. It was all rather uneventful, they numbed me then got Zoey out. Not a very interesting story, but births are better when nothing too interesting happens in my opinion. :)

I was laying there waiting and when I heard her little cry, it was the most beautiful thing in the world. It felt like forever until I got to see her, but when I did, wow. I can't even explain the love. She was gorgeous, she was so special, and she was mine. I couldn't ask for anything more. She was born June 15 2007, 1:03 am, 6lb 5oz 19 1/2 inches of pure love.

Throughout the night I kept waking up my mom and asking her to hand me Zoey. I couldn't stop staring at her! We called the red cross to tell Dust that she was here, but I also had a friend message him saying she was born, and my sister emailed pictures. He said that he got on myspace, saw my friends message and thought it was some kind of cruel joke. Then he signed into his yahoo account, saw pictures labeled "Zoey" and ran for the phones.

 In his words: I ran in and yelled "I  need to use the phone, my wife just had a baby!" He found out approximately 9 hours after she had been born. We were both so excited, he said I sounded a little drugged, and I probably was. But he heard her little baby sounds over the phone thousands of miles away, isn't technology amazing!? And he fell in love with her too.
Three months later he finally got to come home and meet her, he held her almost constantly for those two weeks, he was amazed by her. He kept saying things like "look how little her hand is" and "I don't want to leave her" it was the best two weeks of my life up to that point.

 Zoey is now six years old, Daddy got home when she was 10 months old and we later went through a second, shorter deployment. Then added another little princess to the family. But those two are inseparable. She wants to marry him when she's older, I asked her what Mommy would do then and she replied "We can share". I'm so grateful to have a family that loves each other as much as we do.

 Zoey on her sixth birthday. :) She's such a sweet and funny little girl who brings so much joy to our family.

The Story of Michelle

Hi, my name is Michelle.

I was born, raised, and stuck in Florida. I was a band geek in middle school and high school. I was also boy crazy. I always had a crush on some cutie I’d be convinced I would marry someday—which kind of explains why I seem to only have boys…

In 2007, I graduated high school, sent off a missionary/future husband (or so I thought), got my first job, my first car, and started college. To the predication of my missionary’s mission leader (not that he knew me specifically), I was engaged to someone else within 6 months (almost to the day).  This someone else happened to make a very bad first impression on my mother before we ever actually met him (he corrected the stake choir director during rehearsal). I was warned to never marry someone like him but the warnings went unheeded and on our first date my mom knew we’d end up getting married. Best choice of my life! (By the way turns out my mom and husband share the same birthday…different years of course).

Within a year of graduating high school and 3 weeks before my 19^th birthday I became Mrs. Alex Tweed, Marine Corps wife. Seven months later he deployed to Iraq for a year. Luckily for my nerves, it was a very boring tour. During that year I got a crash course in managing a house (small apartment), job, running a budget, and I also completed my Associates degree. To this day I am still taking that crash course!!

He came home in October of 2009. We got pregnant that December and then he deployed again in January 2010. This time it was a voluntary deployment to the Asia area (he was really close to having enough active duty time in to qualify for 100% G.I. Bill for going to school a.k.a. free college!). During that deployment I bought a house that we had looked at once before he left. When we first put in our offer it was a short sale. For some reason they never responded to our offer and just foreclosed on the house which was frustrating, but that turned out to be a HUGE blessing because I ended up getting it for dirt cheap (HUGE blessing!). So I packed up the apartment, unpacked the house, and had the kitchen renovated. Did I mention all the amazing help and support I had? So much!

Alex got home 3 weeks before I gave birth to our 7lb 14oz Parker at a local birth center (a.k.a. NO drugs). We loved him so much we decided to have another one 18 months later! This time labor was crazy fast! Contractions started at 5pm, got to the birth center at 9pm, and had a 10lb 7oz Henry! It was a sweet mercy that it was as fast as it was because this was again withOUT drugs. Now here I am again pregnant with yet another boy with what is going to be another 18 month age difference. This one was not planned but we are excited regardless!

Right now life feels even crazier than it did when my husband was deployed! He is currently working full time (doing a job he hates but pays the bills), going to school full time (…well taking the summer off but will start up again in the fall), just signed up for another 8 years serving in the Marine Corps Reserve, and serves as Scout Master and Young Men's  1^st Counselor at church. He works his tail off to provide for our family and serve the Lord. It puts a lot on me at home which is really hard a lot of the time but despite it being hard I know I am incredibly blessed.

So that’s where I am right now in life. I am a pretty laid back mom that is blessed enough to get to stay at home with my boys. I take them to the zoo and the indoor play place at the mall. They love to explore the backyard, gather bugs, sticks, and help the dogs hunt for lizards. I let them play in the sprinkler and get all wet and dirty because it makes them happy AND wears them out which is always a plus!! 

My boys are lovers of cheese sticks, apples, bananas, lollipops, crushed ice, ice cream, playing with balls, story time, singing time, bath time, and especially Daddy time!

I am a lover of cooking, eating (funny how those two always go together), grilling, sewing, bargain shopping, chocolate, Krispy Kreme donuts (my weakness), sitting on the couch and just chatting with girlfriends, sneaking in a little hulu, and I LOVE pinterest!!! I also love being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It is something that is near and dear to my heart. I know that it has been a major part in getting me to where I am now.

My life is nothing but blessings. I have an eternal family. We are healthy. We are not rich but we have exactly what we need. We don’t have family nearby anymore, but I have some of the best friends I could ever ask for!! I would love to leave this Florida weather behind but it would be sooo hard to leave all of the wonderful people.

I’ve loved all of the posts from the bloggers of To Each Their Own this week. It is wonderful to get to know so many moms that are all so different but the same. We come in all different shapes and sizes but we all strive to do the very best we can for the family and God we love so much!

Remember that when life feels hard, it’s nothing but blessings! Always find something to learn in the trial at hand. We are all given the specific trials that we have because Heavenly Father knows we can handle it. We also have to remember he will always be there for us. All we have to do is ask. (I hear myself telling my kids “Just use your words and ask!” You think Heavenly Father feels the same way??)

We’ve got this ladies!! 
We’ve got this!