They also serve...

"They also serve, those who only stand and wait."
-- J. Milton, delivered in a speech made by Eleanor Rickover

Enjoying EVERY moment

My focus to keep positive throughout this journey......
Positive Thought:

Deployments(even those that are just looming)remind you to enjoy every little moment your family has. It forces us not to sweat the small stuff. It is a constant reminder to laugh as often as possible. Embrace one another. Cuddle even when it's hot. You enjoy these little moments...because for VERY long spans of time there are no little moments. no big moments. There just aren't any moments. It's lonely, sad and at times heartbreaking.

Some of our latest "little" moments:

Icecream for dinner at Buttonwood Farms
Breakfast in bed while Savannah was at Nonna's.
Kiss tolls in the house (This is when you MUST stop and pay a kiss toll- for the monkey council has declared you owe them for some grievance)

Ah, LIFE IS GOOD. We are healthy, happy....and planning to MAYBE try for BABY #2 before deployment (Sam being pregnant while Joe is deployed. Joe comes home to a VERY pregnant wife. We have baby- Joe is there. This is everything going to "plan"- Usually the NAVY laughs at "plans". We still like to pretend though. Anyway... This possible baby #2....should come as a suprise:) It did to us.

Mommy Monkey :)

Ready or not...here it comes.

Deja Vu....

Last night Joe had duty. And I remembered what sea duty will be like. Except this time I'll have Savannah too! Yes- we'll be starting slow. He'll be out for 15-28 days and then back in ...out and then back in...and then BAM deployment - where he'll be out 6-8 months. (repeat cycle for 3-4 years, then back to shore)

Phew! Am I ready for this again? I'm always fine when he's gone. I miss him- but life goes on. I have a lot of things on my plate including both of my jobs, my family....and well life. But now I have this other little person to factor in. A little person that I love so much. A little person that I don't want to be sad. or worried. or confused.

So many thoughts/questions ran through my head last night;

Will it be easier because of Savannah? We have to stay even more busy!
Will she understand why he isn't around?
Will she be sad? Will she forget him?
Will they share they same wonderful relationship that they do now when he comes home?
Will I be able to shuffle everything?
Will I be sad that Joe is missing all of our new adventures?
Will we be able to get pregnant as hoped before deployment?
Will my pregnacy go easy?
What will happen if he gets extended or I give birth early?
What's the plan if we don't get pregnant before deployment?

Everyone tells you they will help - and they will - BUT they have their own life and so most of it does fall on you as the military wife. I am thankful for my support system especially those that watch Savannah. BUT...

whew.. Am I ready for this? I guess it doesn't matter.
Ready or Not. It's here.

Good BYE shore duty.
Hello SEA DUTY. Hello USS ANNAPOLIS!

Mommy Monkey - signing off!

P.S Weekly Newsletter will be starting again for those friends and family who want more personal updates. Please facebook or email me your email address so I can add you.

Wow...

Wow, time has flown!
Here we are again......and Sea Duty is looming in the near future. We'll be leaving our shore tour about 9 months early (Boo). More details to come. And some updated Savannah Grace pictures!

1st Christmas

Happy Holidays!
Gosh, life is busy with our wonderful baby- but we wanted to get these pictures up before 2011

P.S
Halloween 2010 (She won 2nd place in the Quaker Hill 5 and under contest!!!):

...where time has gone..

Where time has gone...I have no idea. :)

I need to start posting... But I have this wonderful tiny monkey that takes up my spare time. Today, I got on the actual internet(I use my phone for it) and am enjoying catching up with everyones blogs, posts and emails!

Joe and I are enjoying adjusting to our new roles as parents while still enjoying our role as partners. Easier to say then do! But, we're finally in a place where we feel like we have accomplished the right balance. We really have so many friends and family members to thank!

Things we've done since Savannah's birthday on 3/28:

-Bought a brand new Chevrolet Equinox - LOVE IT
-Celebrated Mother's Day
-Celebrated Father's Day
-Drove straight(There and Back) to IL to visit family!
-Had a huge party to welcome Savannah(and celebrate her 7 week bday)
....and I am sure I am missing a bunch of things....

Anyway... I promise to post pictures soon! She's wonderful and beautiful...and well, I'll post soon!

Samantha(The little monkey in the family)

...and she's here!

Savannah Grace LaCouture was born on March 28th 2010 weighing 8lb 10oz and 20 and 3/4inches long! She had a tough entrance into this world.... Came out with her head and hand together (vac extracted). No movement in her right arm/shoulder when she first came out- plus her heart hadn't been doing good as I was pushing. We were about 10 seconds from a C-section...and we had one more pull with the vac extractor- and phew! I got her out! Luckily the fluid pockets in her head healed and drained on their own. And her shoulder/right arm now has full movement. NICU at L and M were fantastic- as were all the nurses and our amazing doc!

Talk about a birth plan...not going to plan!

Mommy has 30 stiches! Recovery hasn't been very fun, Joe has been wonderful though. And our family is enjoying it's time together.

Here are some pictures. Joe didn't get to cut the cord because she needed NICU attention-but we staged a cord cutting(a shortening). The picture of the three of us is the first time I got to hold her after she had NICU attention. They were actually still sewing me up(an hour later).


The only thing that has gone to "plan" is the breast feeding. She's a fantasic latcher! We were able to get that started on our first try. Took about 4 minutes and she was a pro! We're really glad that we haven't struggled with this.