AAFES 5K

Last Friday the base had a 5k run. I really wanted to run it even though I hadn't worked out at all since I had Norah. So the week of I ran a couple times and then had Abe run the actual race with me. He was nice enough to push the jogger :) I am hoping to run another half marathon in October and figure I need to start getting in shape. Plus I still need to work off the baby fat that is not coming off as easily as it did with Adeline. Abe and I have NEVER ran together before, so I really enjoyed it. He doesn't like to run with me because I like to run SLOW, like a 10 minute mile. Abe on the other hand would like to run a 7 minute mile, but not run over 3 miles. He said it wasn't that bad though since he had to run with the stroller. We had to run up a pretty big hill as well, and I imagine I would have died if I was pushing that sucker. The entire time Adeline kept telling us she wanted to get out and run as well to get some exercise. We promised her that at the end of the race she could get out and run across the finish line; and that's just what she did. She loved it because everyone thought she was so cute and was cheering for her. I was just crossing my fingers she would not trip and fall. She had her shoes on the wrong feet and was running with her head to the side looking at everyone who was cheering. It is not uncommon for her to do a head plant. Lucky for her that didn't happen. There were probably only about 30 people total that ran the race. I got lucky because apparently there was only one other girl in my division and she just "happened" to finish after me. So I won my division even though we were so slow! I got a $25 gift card, a gift bag and a gift certificate for any kind of new balance shoes I want. Awesome. They even put together a prize for Adeline and called her up to get her award. She got a really cute stuffed animal. It was really fun! Good job Adeline for running your first 5K!








These two other videos have nothing to do with the 5k, but I thought they were cute....

"I want your job"

.... is what Abe said yesterday. We had just gotten back from a cute little family owned farm a couple miles away where they have a petting zoo for little kids. They give you a little bucket of produce to feed the animals. Adeline LOVED it! Of course she even threw a little tantrum when we had to go. I bought some yummy bread at their little store and some fresh eggs. I guess my job isn't that bad, right? Poor Abe. I wouldn't trade my job for his! However if he had my job for a week, he would be begging to go back to work!





Little miss Sassy pants Adeline has been pretty funny lately (as well as being quite a handful). Every time I go to take video of her or take a picture, she pulls the funniest faces. In this video you will see!





We are still trying to figure out what to do with Adeline for nap and bedtime. She FOR SURE still needs a nap. We went several days with out one last week and it was a disaster. But even if she is exausted, she still will lay on her floor and cry in her room for us to go to bed with her every night. This goes on until about 10pm every night and we just have to ignore her until she finally falls asleep. I know she is still adjusting from the move and not having a binky at night, but I don't know what to do! I just started a sticker chart and she gets a sticker every time she goes to bed with out crying. We will see how it goes. So far, not so good. The biggest problem when she is crying is that she continually wakes Norah up!


Norah is still as sweet as can be. She is such a happy baby and so smiley! It seems as though she hardly cries and is pretty easy. She has now learned to roll from front to back, and back to front. We are so proud of her!

Military Life

Before I met Abe, what I knew about the military was pretty ignorant... I didn't know much. Military life has been a lot better than I had imagined. Abe has had great jobs and for the past year and a half they paid him to get his Masters Degree. Can't beat that. We have felt very fortunate during these hard economic times to know that his job is not going anywhere. This is the first time that we have actually lived "on base". I have always been a little anti living on base, but it's not that bad. When people here ask where we live and we say "on base", I think they imagine we live in a tent or something. We don't. Here are some of the things I've come to learn about base-

-Every day at 7:30am Reveille (pronounced revily) plays on the loud speakers. I never really hear it unless I am already awake.
-Every day at 5pm the National Anthem plays; this is called retreat. If you are in your car, you are expected to stop and wait until it has finished. If you are outside, you are to stop, face the music and put your hand on your heart. Adeline and I were playing at the park one day when it went off. There were lots of kids there without an adult. But without fail, all the kids stopped what they were doing and did what they were supposed to. It's actually pretty cool. Adeline knows what to do now. If you come and visit us she will teach you :)
-Every night at 9pm Taps plays
-It's nice living close to everything. Abe's work is .5 mile away from our house. The commisary (grocery store) is cheap and convenient. The gym is really nice, FREE and is just down the street. It also has a family room so I can work out and bring my kids. There is a bowling alley and a couple places to eat on base. There is also a library, dog park, thrift store, BX (like Shopko), a bank, gas station, swimming pool, movie theatre, elementary school, etc.
-We went to "How to train your dragon" at the movie theatre on Friday night on base. It was really good! It cost us $8.00 for all four of us to get in. Adeline and Norah were free. What a deal! Before the movie starts they play the National Anthem and everyone has to stand up and put their hand over their heart.
-If you live on base here, preschool is going to be completely free. Starting this year the military is going to fund it.
-It's nice living on base because it's easier to meet people. Everyone is in the same boat.
-This is not a perk from living on base, but we have learned that Chick-Fil-A here gives a 50% discount to military. We also learned that we can park at a Coast Guard Station downtown for free instead of paying $20.

I feel like I am more patriotic now than I used to be. Last week I was leaving base and as I left, and bunch of cop cars and cars past me to get on base. It looked like the president was coming to visit. I called Abe to see what was going on. It was a Fallen Soldier Procession. On my way back on base I was two cars away from getting back onto base when they shut down the gates for the Procession. We had to wait about 20 minutes for it to start. By then there were probably 100 cars behind me trying to get on base. Every single person got out of their vehicles to stand for the soldier as they drove off base. Civilians, contractors and military all walked down to the street from where they were working to stand for the soldier. I couldn't help but cry and be thankful. It was a neat experience.

Before living on base, it didn't seem as "real" that Abe was in the military... except that he wears his uniform every day. I'm pretty sure living on base will be a good experience.

Miss Norah at 4 Months

Norah had her 4 month appointment on Monday. She is thriving pretty well... as we all knew! They didn't write down her stats for me, so I hopefully I am remembering them correct.

Weight: 13.5 lbs, 72nd percentile
Height: 25.5 inches, 70nd percentile
Head: can't remember measurements, but 84th percentile

I love this little girl so much. She is mostly always happy and loves to smile. She is a very social baby. She is rolling very well from her tummy to her back, but not so much the other way. She is getting very close though. She is now taking long naps, which has been SO nice. Before she was only taking 15 minute cat naps. She still wakes up about 2 times a night to eat. She loves her big sister so much when she is not being tortured!