What we do know for sure...

In regards to weapons school - here is what we know for sure that will be happening with us. First of all, we know that Chuck's class starts on July 6th so we plan to get to Vegas on July 3rd. We will spend the 4th in Vegas and I will drive out of Vegas heading for home on July 5th to be in Kelso for my dad's birthday on the 6th. This means we will be leaving Panama City on the 30th of June. We will be moving out of the house and Addison will be flying most - if not all - of the way home with Grammy who will be flying down here to get her. Those are all the decisions we have made so far. Anything else will be determined when we find out IF we are coming back here. We should know in a few weeks if we are coming back here and if we aren't we will know where we are going...

Also, we have decided to take a trip just the two of us after he graduates as a reward to us both! WE ARE GOING TO PARIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And the word is...

HE IS IN! We found out yesterday that Charlie did get into the weapons school class that will be starting in July. We have been waiting for several weeks are were really starting to feel the strain of the wait! They kept postponing when the word would come. It was incredibly frustrating and we were seriously on edge with anticipation! When that phone yesterday, my heart stopped and my stomach leaped into my throat because we knew it yesterday would be the day - we were told so by someone with authority, so we knew it would be true! I will never forget Charlie's words "Well, it was worth the wait!" I knew immediately the news was good!

We have so much to do now - I will be going home to Washington while he is at Weapons School. No sense in spending six months alone when my mother would die to have us home. Now we have to decide if we are going to keep our house or move out and put our stuff in storage. But we also need to find out if we are coming back to Florida in December when he is done which we won't know for a few more weeks - I know, more waiting! We don't have any concrete plans yet, but check back soon because we will! Considering he has to be in Vegas in less than 90 days, things will be happening fast!

Alligator

Quite often when we go to the park across the street from our house, there is an alligator - little one - sitting on the bank of the pond. I almost never have my camera, but yesterday I did. He looks a lot bigger in the picture - in reality, he is small and only about 4 feet long. I still wouldn't mess with him though and luckily there is a fence between the pond and the park. So not to worry, nobody is in danger. Pretty cool though that he "posed" for my picture!

Stretching

Whenever Chuck runs from the house, he stretches. Addison has taken to "copying" him. It is very, very funny to watch her. I was lucky enough to grab a picture of her doing it!

Toddler bed, night #2

Night number 2 report: SHE DID IT! SHE DID IT! SHE DID IT! She slept all night in her big girl bed and we only had to tell her ONCE to bet back in her bed. When I checked on her at 11 she was still in her bed and when Chuck checked on her at 5 this morning, she was still in her bed. She woke up at 9 and just started playing with her toys. I am one proud mama this morning! Way to go, Addison - you did a good job!

Toddler bed, night #1

Night One report: I would say she flunked this round. She didn't nap at all yesterday so she passed out in her daddy's lap shortly after 7. We changed her and put her in the big girl bed and that lasted a whole 15 minutes. She got up after much fussing from her and played until about 9 when we finally tried again. I went up with her and laid on the floor next to her bed for over an hour. She tried to get up a couple of times, but after telling her to lay back down she would. Finally after over an hour, she was still not asleep and I decided to take a new approach. I went downstairs and no sooner did I get downstairs did I hear her knocking on her door to be let out. I hollared up the stairs and told her to get back in bed and we didn't hear another peep out of her. A little before 11, we decided to go to bed and checked on her on our way. She was asleep, but she had fallen asleep on the pillows we had laid on the floor next to her bed. After some debate, we decided to move her up into the bed and remarkably, she stayed asleep. However within ten minutes she was hollaring at the door again. Screaming bloody murder and nothing we could do was making her happy. After 45 minutes of this, we put her down with a bottle on the twin air mattress on the floor of our room next to me. She had a comfy little nest and ended up sleeping there last night. So sleeping in our room with us does not constitute a success in my book!

Nap time seemed to go a little better today, but only because she fell asleep in the car on the way home from the grocery store. I was able to get her upstairs without waking her up and she slept for almost two hours in her toddler bed. I am hoping that this was all she needed and that tonight won't be much of a struggle at bed time. Here's hoping!

And by the way, we still have no word on Weapons School yet and quite frankly, I am getting FED up with this. It has been a month and in my opinion - for whatever that is worth - there is NO reason it should take this long! UGH!!!! Very, very frustrating! Again, here's hoping for tomorrow!

Toddler Bed

One of the days that I have been truly dreading was the day that we are forced to take the front rail off of Addison's crib and replace it with the front "toddler rail." All week, when we have put Addie in her crib she has been threatening to climb out - putting one foot on the top rail and trying to pull herself up. Last night she got so close that we decided to put pillows/padding on the floor surrounding her crib, just in case she figured it out. Today at nap time, she finally figured it out. I put her in her crib, walked to the door, shut it and before I could even make it to the stairs I heard her hit the floor and start knocking on her door. Luckily she didn't hurt herself! While I was out for my walk a little while ago, Chuck replaced the front rail of her crib with the front toddler rail. Now she can get in and out of bed by herself and we don't have to worry that she is going to hurt herself. But now of course, we get to fight the battle of getting her to stay in that bed at naptime and bedtime. A battle I am not fully prepared for! It is something that I just know is going to make her sleeping even more challenging then it all ready is. Wish us luck! It might be a rough couple of days/nights around the Schuck household!