Life Update
Aug. 26th, 2005 03:53 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ste_noniLately, it seems I'm just posting in great big chunks.
My dad is still recovering from heart surgery and is making good progress. Last Saturday, Ellie, me, my 2 dogs, and my 20 year old cousin Rick all drove from Minnesota to my parent's house here in New Mexico. Ellie was absolutely great and overall the trip went well. The best way to put Ellie to sleep is to play The Killers "Hot Fuss." It works about 90% of the time. She quiets down during the intro of the first song and is usually asleep by the end of the second song. However, if you stop before about track 6 or 7, she will wake up. I've been trying to convince her that there are acceptable alternatives, but she's loyal to her band.
I'm now all settled into the cabin on my parents' property. I set up the wireless internet today and it (just barely) extends to the cabin. So far, things are going well. I was a bit stressed out by my parents while we were in MN, but we are all doing better here. I finished the HBP but I'm hoping that movie making/editting and scrapbooking (plus Ellie) will keep me busy.
Driving out here has convinced me that the west is where I truly belong. The drive on I-25 past my old home in CO, Pike's Peak, the Rio Grande canyon/gorge, and Los Alamos have just served to remind me how much I love it out here. (It gets down to about 52 every night this time of year. I'm in heaven.)
Finally, I found out today that we are moving to Puerto Rico sometime between April and July. Joe will be running the ROTC program at the University of PR. I'm very excited about moving. It's an unusual assignment which is what I wanted. Most army bases are boring to me but this will be interesting. Plus, no deployments. I'm a little disappointed in that one of our other options was the University of New Mexico. I would have loved for Ellie to have spent a few years close to her grandparents. However, Joe and I have been apart for so long that it will probably be really good for us to have a few years where we spend lots of time together. The hours in this new job should be really good. I will miss the friends I have made in NC. I will miss my neighbors and the beautiful area where we live. I won't miss the house, but I am a little sad that Ellie will not remember the beautiful room I put together for her. I keep telling myself that the room is just a tangible expression of how much she was wanted/loved and that won't change no matter where we live.
Lastly, since I left Ellie's baby book at home, here are her numbers from her most recent doctor's visit. We went on Aug 25. She weighed 11 lbs and is now 23.5 inches longs. She's in the 25th percentile for weight and 50th percentile for height. She got 3 shots. She cried a little for the first shot and a lot for the second and third. I was rather proud of myself for not crying since I felt pretty bad. But, as with everything else in her life right now, the breast solves all problems. She didn't have any sort of bad reaction/fever, although she slept a lot yesterday afternoon and last night.
My dad is still recovering from heart surgery and is making good progress. Last Saturday, Ellie, me, my 2 dogs, and my 20 year old cousin Rick all drove from Minnesota to my parent's house here in New Mexico. Ellie was absolutely great and overall the trip went well. The best way to put Ellie to sleep is to play The Killers "Hot Fuss." It works about 90% of the time. She quiets down during the intro of the first song and is usually asleep by the end of the second song. However, if you stop before about track 6 or 7, she will wake up. I've been trying to convince her that there are acceptable alternatives, but she's loyal to her band.
I'm now all settled into the cabin on my parents' property. I set up the wireless internet today and it (just barely) extends to the cabin. So far, things are going well. I was a bit stressed out by my parents while we were in MN, but we are all doing better here. I finished the HBP but I'm hoping that movie making/editting and scrapbooking (plus Ellie) will keep me busy.
Driving out here has convinced me that the west is where I truly belong. The drive on I-25 past my old home in CO, Pike's Peak, the Rio Grande canyon/gorge, and Los Alamos have just served to remind me how much I love it out here. (It gets down to about 52 every night this time of year. I'm in heaven.)
Finally, I found out today that we are moving to Puerto Rico sometime between April and July. Joe will be running the ROTC program at the University of PR. I'm very excited about moving. It's an unusual assignment which is what I wanted. Most army bases are boring to me but this will be interesting. Plus, no deployments. I'm a little disappointed in that one of our other options was the University of New Mexico. I would have loved for Ellie to have spent a few years close to her grandparents. However, Joe and I have been apart for so long that it will probably be really good for us to have a few years where we spend lots of time together. The hours in this new job should be really good. I will miss the friends I have made in NC. I will miss my neighbors and the beautiful area where we live. I won't miss the house, but I am a little sad that Ellie will not remember the beautiful room I put together for her. I keep telling myself that the room is just a tangible expression of how much she was wanted/loved and that won't change no matter where we live.
Lastly, since I left Ellie's baby book at home, here are her numbers from her most recent doctor's visit. We went on Aug 25. She weighed 11 lbs and is now 23.5 inches longs. She's in the 25th percentile for weight and 50th percentile for height. She got 3 shots. She cried a little for the first shot and a lot for the second and third. I was rather proud of myself for not crying since I felt pretty bad. But, as with everything else in her life right now, the breast solves all problems. She didn't have any sort of bad reaction/fever, although she slept a lot yesterday afternoon and last night.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2005-08-26 02:07 pm (UTC)Puerto Rico, wow! Now you will be harder to meet.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-08-27 06:32 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-08-26 02:15 pm (UTC)Out in the relative boonies where wew stayed, there are these smoking (often literally) vans (like fedex trucks) that you can go buy a whole roasted chicken and plantains and whatnot from . So good.
I suspect it will be much more interesting than other bases!
Glad to hear things are calming down now.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-08-27 06:35 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-08-27 08:27 pm (UTC)And when you get there, you must take time to explore the whole island. It's amazing what is packed into so small an area. Tiny towns that are so...spanish. And you must got to [memfault] at night where they have luminescent seas. It is magical to swim in it. And learn snorkeling, if not scuba, because....well, my dad got to meet a manatee! She pushed him around.
The geologic formations around Areceibo are incredible. And the local handcrafts are still...local. I have some amazing lace and cutwork from there.
It's an interesting place. Get used to fresh non-native veggies being an arm and a half, though.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-08-26 02:33 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-08-27 06:41 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-08-26 03:49 pm (UTC)So glad things seem to be going smoothly (with extra added excitement!) for you. Time for you and Joe to spend together with Ellie is going to be great.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-08-27 06:48 am (UTC)Anyway, yes, the Killers thing is so funny to me. I listened to that album alot while I was pregnant so maybe that has somehting to do with it. We listen to track 2, skip 3, and then go on again with 4+ and it works great. We never even bother with the lullabies I got for her.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-08-26 05:38 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-08-27 07:01 am (UTC)We will have to all get together before we go. Maybe we can have a big NC Buffista Bash.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-08-27 01:01 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-08-27 05:41 pm (UTC)We definitely have to get together a few times before you leave. PR, how exciting! I hope it will be a good change for you and Joe and Ellie.
Glad your dad is doing better.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-08-31 07:53 am (UTC)I am definitely on board with the NC-ista bash. We'll see you off in style!!